Carotenoids content and sunlight susceptibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oppezzo, Oscar J.; Costa, Cristina; Pizarro, Ramon A.

2005-01-01

Full text: An environmental pink pigmented bacterium was isolated and identified as Rhodococcus sp. Pigmentation mutants were obtained by chemical mutagenesis. Pigments present in the wild type strain (RMB90), in a pale yellow mutant (RMB91) and in two mutants exhibiting increased pigmentation (RMB92 and RMB93), were extracted with chloroform-methanol and analyzed by reverse phase HPLC. Survival of these strains after exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation from artificial sources was studied under different physiological and irradiation conditions. The ability of RMB91 to survive sunlight exposure was reduced with respect to that of RMB90. Resistance was similar in both strains when bacteria grew in the presence of a carotenoid synthesis inhibitor, which had no effect on survival of RMB91. Reduced sunlight resistance in RMB91 was also observed during irradiations under N2. Using artificial radiation sources, non pigmented bacteria were less resistant to UVA, but not to UVB or UVC. Lethal effects of sunlight and UVA on RMB92 and RMB93 were increased with respect to the wild type strain. Carotenoids protect Rhodococcus sp against deleterious effects of sunlight. In non-photosynthetic bacteria studied to date, photo protection by carotenoids was dependent on [O 2 ]. This is not the case with Rhodococcus sp RMB90, suggesting the occurrence of a different mechanism for protection. UVA radiation seems to playa key role in photo-damage. (author)

Visual performance with sport-tinted contact lenses in natural sunlight.

Science.gov (United States)

Erickson, Graham B; Horn, Fraser C; Barney, Tyler; Pexton, Brett; Baird, Richard Y

2009-05-01

The use of tinted and clear contact lenses (CLs) in all aspects of life is becoming a more popular occurrence, particularly in athletic activities. This study broadens previous research regarding performance-tinted CLs and their effects on measures of visual performance. Thirty-three subjects (14 male, 19 female) were fitted with clear B&L Optima 38, 50% visible light transmission Amber and 36% visible light transmission Gray-Green Nike Maxsight CLs in an individualized randomized sequence. Subjects were dark-adapted with welding goggles before testing and in between subtests involving a Bailey-Lovie chart and the Haynes Distance Rock test. The sequence of testing was repeated for each lens modality. The Amber and Gray-Green lenses enabled subjects to recover vision faster in bright sunlight compared with clear lenses. Also, subjects were able to achieve better visual recognition in bright sunlight when compared with clear lenses. Additionally, the lenses allowed the subjects to alternate fixation between a bright and shaded target at a more rapid rate in bright sunlight as compared with clear lenses. Subjects preferred both the Amber and Gray-Green lenses over clear lenses in the bright and shadowed target conditions. The results of the current study show that Maxsight Amber and Gray-Green lenses provide better contrast discrimination in bright sunlight, better contrast discrimination when alternating between bright and shaded target conditions, better speed of visual recovery in bright sunlight, and better overall visual performance in bright and shaded target conditions compared with clear lenses.

Quantification of ultraviolet radiation-induced DNA damage in the urine of Swedish adults and children following exposure to sunlight

OpenAIRE

Liljendahl, Tove Sandberg; Kotova, Natalia; Segerbäck, Dan

2012-01-01

DNA damage following exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is important in skin cancer development. The predominant photoproduct, cyclobutane thymine dimer (T=T), is repaired and excreted in the urine, where it provides a biomarker of exposure. To quantify urinary T=T levels after recreational sunlight exposure in adults and children. Average UVR doses were measured with personal dosimeters. Urinary T=T was analysed with (32)P-postlabelling. ResuLTS: Background levels of T=T increased...

Viral Evasion of Natural Killer Cell Activation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Ma

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Natural killer (NK cells play a key role in antiviral innate defenses because of their abilities to kill infected cells and secrete regulatory cytokines. Additionally, NK cells exhibit adaptive memory-like antigen-specific responses, which represent a novel antiviral NK cell defense mechanism. Viruses have evolved various strategies to evade the recognition and destruction by NK cells through the downregulation of the NK cell activating receptors. Here, we review the recent findings on viral evasion of NK cells via the impairment of NK cell-activating receptors and ligands, which provide new insights on the relationship between NK cells and viral actions during persistent viral infections.

Viral Evasion of Natural Killer Cell Activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yi; Li, Xiaojuan; Kuang, Ersheng

2016-04-12

Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in antiviral innate defenses because of their abilities to kill infected cells and secrete regulatory cytokines. Additionally, NK cells exhibit adaptive memory-like antigen-specific responses, which represent a novel antiviral NK cell defense mechanism. Viruses have evolved various strategies to evade the recognition and destruction by NK cells through the downregulation of the NK cell activating receptors. Here, we review the recent findings on viral evasion of NK cells via the impairment of NK cell-activating receptors and ligands, which provide new insights on the relationship between NK cells and viral actions during persistent viral infections.

Induction of UV photoproducts and DNA damage by solar simulator UV irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfreys, A.; Henderson, L.; Clingen, P.

1997-01-01

The recent increased incidence of skin cancer and the depletion of the ozone layer has increased interest in the ultraviolet (UV) component of natural sunlight and its role in the induction of skin cancer. Previous research on UV radiation has concentrated on UVC (254nm) but, as only UVB and UVA are present in natural sunlight, its relevance is unknown. We have investigated the induction of two forms of direct DNA damage - the pyrimidine dimer and the (6-4) photoproduct - in human DNA repair deficient XP-G (Xeroderma pigmentosum group G) lymphoblastoid cells following exposure to simulated sunlight. As exposure to natural sunlight is highly variable, a solar simulator lamp was used which is known to mimic natural sunlight at midday in Central Europe. Cells were irradiated on ice to minimise DNA repair and the relative induction of pyrimidine dimers and (6-4) photoproducts was measured using specific monoclonal antibodies and a computer assisted image analysis system. A time dependent increase in both cyclobutane dimer and (6-4) photoproduct antibody binding sites was seen. The increases in pyrimidine dimer and (6-4) photoproduct antibody binding sites differed to that reported with natural sunlight in the UK but was similar to that seen with a similar solar simulator lamp

Natural sunlight bleaching of the aluminum center in quartz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Min; Yin Gongming; Han Kongyan; Bao Jifei; Liu Jingwei; Jia Li

2007-01-01

The effect of sunlight bleaching on ESR signals from the aluminum center in quartz is reported for two samples of sand-sized quartz, one from a granite and one from a beach sand. The grains were exposed to direct sunlight for periods of time up to 500 h, with bleaching carried out in four different cities in China that are from 50 to 3600 m above sea level. Each sample bleached to the same residual level, ∼55% for the granite and 80% for the beach sand of the initial value after a 200 Gy dose had been given. After 200 h, the bleaching level reached was independent of the height above sea level

Biodegradation and photooxidation of crude oil under natural sunlight in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Bacosa, H. P.; Erdner, D.; Liu, Z.

2016-02-01

An enormous amount of oil was observed in the deep and surface waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM) following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill. While the oil degradation and bacterial communities in the deep-sea plume have been widely investigated, the effect of sunlight on oil and bacterial assemblages in surface waters have received less attention. In this study, we amended surface water collected near the DWH site with crude oil and/or Corexit dispersant and incubated under natural sunlight in the nGoM for 36 d in summer of 2013. The residual alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and alkalyted PAHs were analyzed by GC-MS, and bacterial community was determined via pyrosequencing. The results show that n-alkane biodegradation rate constants (first order) were ca. ten-fold higher than the photooxidation rate constants. While biodegradation was characterized by a lag phase, photooxidation rate constants for the 2-3 ring and 4-5 ring PAHs, were 0.08-0.98 day-1 and 0.01-0.07 day-1, respectively. Compared to biodegradation, photooxidation increased the transformation of 4-5 ring PAHs by 70% and 3-4 ring alkylated PAHs by 36%. Sunlight significantly reduced bacterial diversity and a driver of shifts in bacterial community structure in oil and Corexit treatments. In amended treatments, sunlight increased the relative abundances of Alteromonas, Marinobacter, Labrenzia, Sandarakinotalea, Halomonas and Bartonella, while the dark treatments enriched Thalassobius, Winogradskyella, Alcanivorax, Formosa, Eubacterium, Erythrobacter, Natronocella, and Pseudomonas. This suggests that different bacteria are degrading the hydrocarbons in the dark and under light exposure. In a follow up study using DNA-Stable isotope probing (SIP), we identified the alkane and PAH degraders using 13C-labeled hexadecane and phenanthrene, respectively. The results of metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses in the light and dark incubations will be presented. For the first

Photodecomposition and Phototoxicity of Natural Retinoids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter P. Fu

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Sunlight is a known human carcinogen. Many cosmetics contain retinoid-based compounds, such as retinyl palmitate (RP, either to protect the skin or to stimulate skin responses that will correct skin damaged by sunlight. However, little is known about the photodecomposition of some retinoids and the toxicity of these retinoids and their sunlight-induced photodecomposition products on skin. Thus, studies are required to test whether topical application of retinoids enhances the phototoxicity and photocarcinogenicity of sunlight and UV light. Mechanistic studies are needed to provide insight into the disposition of retinoids in vitro and on the skin, and to test thoroughly whether genotoxic damage by UV-induced radicals may participate in any toxicity of topically applied retinoids in the presence of UV light. This paper reports the update information and our experimental results on photostability, photoreactions, and phototoxicity of the natural retinoids including retinol (ROH, retinal, retinoid acid (RA, retinyl acetate, and RP (Figure 1.

Dynamic light absorption of biomass-burning organic carbon photochemically aged under natural sunlight

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, M.; Jang, M.

2014-02-01

Wood-burning aerosol produced under smoldering conditions was photochemically aged with different relative humidity (RH) and NOx conditions using a 104 m3 dual outdoor chamber under natural sunlight. Light absorption of organic carbon (OC) was measured over the course of photooxidation using a UV-visible spectrometer connected to an integrating sphere. At high RH, the color decayed rapidly. NOx slightly prolonged the color of wood smoke, suggesting that NOx promotes the formation of chromophores via secondary processes. Overall, the mass absorption cross section (integrated between 280 and 600 nm) of OC increased by 11-54% (except high RH) in the morning and then gradually decreased by 19-68% in the afternoon. This dynamic change in light absorption of wood-burning OC can be explained by two mechanisms: chromophore formation and sunlight bleaching. To investigate the effect of chemical transformation on light absorption, wood smoke particles were characterized using various spectrometers. The intensity of fluorescence, which is mainly related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), rapidly decreased with time, indicating the potential bleaching of PAHs. A decline of levoglucosan concentrations evinced the change of primary organic aerosol with time. The aerosol water content measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that wood-burning aerosol became less hygroscopic as photooxidation proceeded. A similar trend in light absorption changes has been observed in ambient smoke aerosol originating from the 2012 County Line wildfire in Florida. We conclude that the biomass-burning OC becomes less light absorbing after 8-9 h sunlight exposure compared to fresh wood-burning OC.

Dynamic light absorption of biomass burning organic carbon photochemically aged under natural sunlight

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, M.; Jang, M.

2013-08-01

Wood burning aerosol produced under smoldering conditions was photochemically aged with different relative humidity (RH) and NOx conditions using a 104 m3 dual outdoor chamber under natural sunlight. Light absorption of organic carbon (OC) was measured over the course of photooxidation using a UV-visible spectrometer connected to an integrating sphere. At high RH, the color decayed rapidly. NOx slightly prolonged the color of wood smoke, suggesting that NOx promotes the formation of chromophores via secondary processes. Overall, the mass absorption cross-section (integrated between 280 nm and 600 nm) of OC increased by 11-54% (except high RH) in the morning and then gradually decreased by 19-68% in the afternoon. This dynamic change in light absorption of wood burning OC can be explained by two mechanisms: chromophore formation and sunlight bleaching. To investigate the effect of chemical transformation on light absorption, wood smoke particles were characterized using various spectrometers. The intensity of fluorescence, which is mainly related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), rapidly decreased with time indicating the potential bleaching of PAHs. A decline of levoglucosan concentrations evinced the change of POA with time. The aerosol water content measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that wood burning aerosol became less hygroscopic as photooxidation proceeded. A similar trend in light absorption changes has been observed in ambient smoke aerosol originating from the 2012 County Line Wildfire in Florida. We conclude that the biomass burning OC becomes less light absorbing after 8-9 h sunlight exposure compared to fresh wood burning OC.

Viral oncogene-induced DNA damage response is activated in Kaposi sarcoma tumorigenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonja Koopal

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Kaposi sarcoma is a tumor consisting of Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV-infected tumor cells that express endothelial cell (EC markers and viral genes like v-cyclin, vFLIP, and LANA. Despite a strong link between KSHV infection and certain neoplasms, de novo virus infection of human primary cells does not readily lead to cellular transformation. We have studied the consequences of expression of v-cyclin in primary and immortalized human dermal microvascular ECs. We show that v-cyclin, which is a homolog of cellular D-type cyclins, induces replicative stress in ECs, which leads to senescence and activation of the DNA damage response. We find that antiproliferative checkpoints are activated upon KSHV infection of ECs, and in early-stage but not late-stage lesions of clinical Kaposi sarcoma specimens. These are some of the first results suggesting that DNA damage checkpoint response also functions as an anticancer barrier in virally induced cancers.

Increased polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon toxicity following their photomodification in natural sunlight: impacts on the duckweed Lemna gibba L. G-3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, X.D.; Dixon, D.G.; Greenberg, B.M.

1995-01-01

The authors previously demonstrated that simulated solar radiation (SSR), with a fluence rate of only 40 mumol m -2 sec -1 , increased polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) toxicity to the duckweed Lemna gibba and that PAHs photomodified in SSR (generally oxygenation of the ring system) are more toxic than the parent compounds (Huang et al., Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 1993, 12, 1067-1077). It is not known, however, to what extent toxicity of PAHs can increase due to photomodification. Thus, natural sunlight, which has a high fluence rate (approximately 2000 mumol m -2 sec -1 ), was used to photomodify anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. Toxicity was based on growth inhibition of L. gibba, measured as the rate of production of new leaves over an 8-day period. Initially, the toxicity of the PAHs applied in intact form was probed, with the compounds demonstrating greater toxicity in sunlight than in SSR. Next the PAHs were photomodified in sunlight prior to incubation with the plants. The half-lives of the PAHs in sunlight ranged from 12 min to 30 hr. Although most of the products of PAH photomodification are not yet identified, the degree that PAH toxicity increased following photomodification in sunlight could still be probed. The mixtures of photomodified chemicals that were derived from each PAH in sunlight were applied of L. gibba and growth inhibition under 100 mumol m -2 sec -1 of SSR was determined. The LC50s for the PAH photoproducts generated in sunlight were an order of magnitude lower than the LC50s for the PAHs applied in intact form. (author)

Natural resource damage assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seddelmeyer, J.

1991-01-01

The assessment and collection of natural resource damages from petroleum and chemical companies unfortunate enough to have injured publicly owned natural resources is perhaps the most rapidly expanding area of environmental liability. The idea of recovering for injury to publicly owned natural resources is an extension of traditional common law tort concepts under which a person who negligently injures another or his property is called upon to compensate the injured party. Normally, once liability has been established, it is a fairly straightforward matter to calculate the various elements of loss, such as the cost to repair or replace damaged property, or medical expenses, and lost income. More difficult questions, such as the amount to be awarded for pain and suffering or emotional distress, are left to the jury, although courts limit the circumstances in which the jury is permitted to award such damages

Toxicological impact of cadmium-based quantum dots towards aquatic biota: Effect of natural sunlight exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, B.F. [Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto (Portugal); Andreani, T. [Centro de Investigação em Química da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); CITAB − Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, Vila Real (Portugal); Gavina, A., E-mail: anacsgavina@gmail.com [Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto (Portugal); Vieira, M.N. [Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto (Portugal); Pereira, C.M. [Centro de Investigação em Química da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Rocha-Santos, T. [Department of Chemistry and Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); and others

2016-07-15

Highlights: • Under sunlight exposure, all QDs form particle aggregates in the different media. • CdSeS/ZnS QDs showed lower toxic effects to V. fischeri before sunlight exposure. • Sunlight exposure decreased the toxicity of CdS 480 in all organisms. • Sunlight exposure increased the toxicity of CdS 380 QDs for D. magna. • Shell of QDs seemed to make them less harmful to aquatic organisms. - Abstract: Cadmium-based quantum dots (QDs) are increasingly applied in existent and emerging technologies, especially in biological applications due to their exceptional photophysical and functionalization properties. However, they are very toxic compounds due to the high reactive and toxic cadmium core. The present study aimed to determine the toxicity of three different QDs (CdS 380, CdS 480 and CdSeS/ZnS) before and after the exposure of suspensions to sunlight, in order to assess the effect of environmentally relevant irradiation levels in their toxicity, which will act after their release to the environment. Therefore, a battery of ecotoxicological tests was performed with organisms that cover different functional and trophic levels, such as Vibrio fischeri, Raphidocelis subcapitata, Chlorella vulgaris and Daphnia magna. The results showed that core-shell type QDs showed lower toxic effects to V. fischeri in comparison to core type QDs before sunlight exposure. However, after sunlight exposure, there was a decrease of CdS 380 and CdS 480 QD toxicity to bacterium. Also, after sunlight exposure, an effective decrease of CdSeS/ZnS and CdS 480 toxicity for D. magna and R. subcapitata, and an evident increase in CdS 380 QD toxicity, at least for D. magna, were observed. The results of this study suggest that sunlight exposure has an effect in the aggregation and precipitation reactions of larger QDs, causing the degradation of functional groups and formation of larger bulks which may be less prone to photo-oxidation due to their diminished surface area. The same

Natural organic matter and sunlight accelerate the degradation of 17ss-estradiol in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leech, Dina M.; Snyder, Matthew T.; Wetzel, Robert G.

2009-01-01

Nanomolar concentrations of steroid hormones such as 17β-estradiol can influence the reproductive development and sex ratios of invertebrate and vertebrate populations. Thus their release into surface and ground waters from wastewater facilities and agricultural applications of animal waste is of environmental concern. Many of these compounds are chromophoric and susceptible to photolytic degradation. High intensity UV-C radiation has been demonstrated to degrade some of these compounds in engineered systems. However, the degradation efficacy of natural solar radiation in shallow fresh waters is less understood. Here photolytic experiments with 17β-estradiol demonstrated modest photodegradation (∼ 26%) when exposed to simulated sunlight between 290 and 720 nm. Photodegradation significantly increased (∼ 40-50%) in the presence of 2.0-15.0 mg/l of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) derived from humic acids of the Suwannee River, GA. However, rates of photodegradation reached a threshold at approximately 5.0 mg/l DOC. Observed suppression of photolysis in the presence of a radical inhibitor (i.e. 2-propanol) indicated that a significant proportion of the degradation was due to radicals formed from the photolysis of DOC. Although photodegradation was greatest in full sunlight containing UV-B (290-320 nm), degradation was also detected with UV-A (320-400 nm) and visible light (400-720 nm) alone

Natural organic matter and sunlight accelerate the degradation of 17ss-estradiol in water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leech, Dina M. [Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 3431 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557 (United States)], E-mail: dmleech@email.unc.edu; Snyder, Matthew T.; Wetzel, Robert G. [Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (United States)

2009-03-01

Nanomolar concentrations of steroid hormones such as 17{beta}-estradiol can influence the reproductive development and sex ratios of invertebrate and vertebrate populations. Thus their release into surface and ground waters from wastewater facilities and agricultural applications of animal waste is of environmental concern. Many of these compounds are chromophoric and susceptible to photolytic degradation. High intensity UV-C radiation has been demonstrated to degrade some of these compounds in engineered systems. However, the degradation efficacy of natural solar radiation in shallow fresh waters is less understood. Here photolytic experiments with 17{beta}-estradiol demonstrated modest photodegradation ({approx} 26%) when exposed to simulated sunlight between 290 and 720 nm. Photodegradation significantly increased ({approx} 40-50%) in the presence of 2.0-15.0 mg/l of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) derived from humic acids of the Suwannee River, GA. However, rates of photodegradation reached a threshold at approximately 5.0 mg/l DOC. Observed suppression of photolysis in the presence of a radical inhibitor (i.e. 2-propanol) indicated that a significant proportion of the degradation was due to radicals formed from the photolysis of DOC. Although photodegradation was greatest in full sunlight containing UV-B (290-320 nm), degradation was also detected with UV-A (320-400 nm) and visible light (400-720 nm) alone.

Air Ambient-Operated pNIPAM-Based Flexible Actuators Stimulated by Human Body Temperature and Sunlight.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Yuki; Kanao, Kenichiro; Arie, Takayuki; Akita, Seiji; Takei, Kuniharu

2015-05-27

Harnessing a natural power source such as the human body temperature or sunlight should realize ultimate low-power devices. In particular, macroscale and flexible actuators that do not require an artificial power source have tremendous potential. Here we propose and demonstrate electrically powerless polymer-based actuators operated at ambient conditions using a packaging technique in which the stimulating power source is produced by heat from the human body or sunlight. The actuating angle, force, and reliability are discussed as functions of temperature and exposure to sunlight. Furthermore, a wearable device platform and a smart curtain actuated by the temperature of human skin and sunlight, respectively, are demonstrated as the first proof-of-concepts. These nature-powered actuators should realize a new class of ultimate low-power devices.

Natural resource damage assessments: The second generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luthi, R.; Burlington, L.; Reinharz, E.; Shutler, S.

1993-01-01

The Damage Assessment Regulations Team (DART), Office of General Counsel, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has focused on developing natural resource damage assessment regulations for oil pollution in navigable waters. These procedures may lower the transaction costs of assessments, encourage joint cooperative assessments, simplify most assessments and provide technical guidance for conducting assessments. DART is developing regulations for the assessment of damages due to injuries related to oil spills under the Oil pollution Act of 1990. These regulations will involve coordination, restoration and economic valuation. NOAA encourages federal, state, tribal and foreign trustees, to develop prespill plans. Coordination with response agencies assures protection of important natural resources. The regulations provide an open record, which becomes the basis for judicial review. Various methods being developed to assess damages for injuries to natural resources include: compensation formulas for spills under 50,000 gallons of oil, the Type A model, expedited damage assessment (EDA) procedures, and comprehensive damage assessment (CDA) procedures which can be used for spills of various sizes. These procedures provide trustees with a choice for assessing natural resource damages to each oil spill. NOAA is emphasizing the importance of restoration. Restoration plans will define project goals and objectives, establish procedures and methods for site restoration, and define the approach based on sound science. Finally, numerous economic methods are identified to calculate the lost or diminished use as passive use of the affected resources

Keefektifan Bahan Pelindung Alami Dalam Mempertahankan Infektivitas Spodoptera Exigua Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Senpv)' [the Effectiveness of Natural Protectant to Maintain the Spodoptera Exigua Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Senpv) Infectivity

OpenAIRE

Samsudin, Samsudin; Santoso, Teguh; Rauf, Aunu; Kusumah, Yayi Munara

2011-01-01

Spodoptera exigua nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeNPV) is a viral pathogen of onion caterpillar S. exigua with high pathogenicity. One of the major constraints to the use of SeNPV for biocontrol of onion caterpillar is its sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) degradation. The purposes of this research were to determine the effect of sunlight exposure on the virulence of SeNPV and to find out the effective natural UV protectant to maintain the SeNPV virulence. The results showed that the sunlight radiation...

Sunlight stability and rain-fastness of formulations of Baculovirus heliothis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ignoffo, C.M.; Garcia, C.; Saathoff, S.G.

1997-01-01

Sunlight-Ultraviolet, with an activity spectrum from 290 to 400 nm, is the most destructive factor affecting the persistence of baculoviruses. Benzopurpurin (a disazo dye) and carbon provided the best protection when polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB) of Baculovirus heliothis were exposed to an artificial spectrum simulating sunlight-UV (UV). Greater than 75% of the original PIB activity was still present after 48 h of sunlight-UV. When sprayed on soybeans and exposed to natural sunlight, only formulations with carbon provided significant protection of PIB. The half-life of formulations were PIB-only 4.9 +/- 1.4 h (mean +/- SE), PIB + polymer (pyrrolidone-based sticker) 3.3 +/- 0.6 h, PIB + polymer + benzopurpurin 3.4 +/- 0.7 h, and PIB + polymer + carbon 27.7 +/- 5.2 h. PIB of B. heliothis tenaciously adhere to soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, leaflets after spraying and drying. Less than 6% of the PIB activity of nonformulated PIB was lost after a drenching, simulated rainfall. More than 97% of the original PIB activity of carbon formulations was still present on soybean leaflets after 10 h of exposure to sunlight-UV. In contrast, 20% was present for formulations without carbon

Why soft UV-A damages DNA: An optical micromanipulation study

Science.gov (United States)

Rapp, A.; Greulich, K. O.

2013-09-01

Optical micromanipulation studies have solved a puzzle on DNA damage and repair. Such knowledge is crucial for understanding cancer and ageing. So far it was not understood, why the soft UV component of sunlight, UV-A, causes the dangerous DNA double strand breaks. The energy of UV-A photons is below 4 eV per photon, too low to directly cleave the corresponding chemical bonds in DNA. This is occasionally used to claim that artificial sunbeds, which mainly use UV-A, would not impose a risk on health. UV-A is only sufficient for induction of single strand breaks. The essential new observation is that, when on the opposite strand there is another single strand break at a distance of up to 20 base pairs. These two breaks will be converted into a break of the whole double strand with all its known consequences for cancer and ageing. However, in natural sun the effect is counteracted. Simultaneous red light illumination reduces UV induced DNA damages to 1/3. Since sunlight has a red component, skin tanning with natural sun is not as risky as might appear at a first glance.

Assessing and Managing Natural Resource Damages: Continuing Challenges and Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Barnthouse, Lawrence W.; Stahl, Ralph G.

2017-05-01

In a 2002 paper, we discussed the technical challenges associated with quantifying natural resource injuries, service losses and damages, and suggested some actions that might help to overcome them. An important suggestion was to consider using some of the approaches in ecological risk assessment to help evaluate potential natural resource injuries, and ultimately in some cases to help translate those injuries into natural resource service loss. This was based on the observation that ecological risk assessment and natural resource damage assessments use much of the same types of data, but at that time the experience base with ecological risk assessment was greater than for natural resource damage assessments. We also discussed some of the issues in applying the then current Department of Interior natural resource damage assessments regulations. Since our 2002 publication the scientific literature, relevant regulations, the global context and more have changed. In the current paper we focus on the technical and regulatory changes in natural resource damage assessments practice since 2002, and use recent reports and publications to illustrate those changes and identify new directions in natural resource damage assessments.

UV-B component of sunlight causes measurable damage in field-grown maize (Zea mays L.): developmental and cellular heterogeneity of damage and repair

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stapleton, A.E.; Thornber, C.S.; Walbot, V.

1997-01-01

Ultraviolet radiation has diverse morphogenetic and damaging effects on plants. The end point of damage is reduced plant growth, but in the short term UV radiation damages specific cellular components. We measured cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in maize DNA from plants grown in natural solar radiation. Green maize tissues had detectable DNA damage, roots had less damage, and anthers had much more damage than green leaves. This heterogeneity in damage levels may reflect differences in dose received or in damage repair. The architecture of green tissues had no measurable effects on DNA damage levels, as leaf sheath and leaf blade were equivalent. We observed a slight increase in damage levels in plants sampled at the end of the day, but there was no accumulation of damage over the growing season. We measured photoreactivation, and found substantial levels of this light-dependent repair in both the epidermis and inner cell layers of leaves, and in all organelles that contain DNA – the nucleus, chloroplasts and mitochondria. We conclude that maize has efficient mechanisms for photo repair of daily UV-induced DNA damage that prevent accumulation

Azo dyes degradation using TiO2-Pt/graphene oxide and TiO2-Pt/reduced graphene oxide photocatalysts under UV and natural sunlight irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Rosu, Marcela-Corina; Coros, Maria; Pogacean, Florina; Magerusan, Lidia; Socaci, Crina; Turza, Alexandru; Pruneanu, Stela

2017-08-01

The photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes with different structures (amaranth, sunset yellow and tartrazine) using TiO2-Pt nanoparticles (TPt), TiO2-Pt/graphene oxide (TPt-GO) and TiO2-Pt/reduced graphene oxide (TPt-rGO) composites were investigated in the presence of UV and natural sunlight irradiation. The composites were prepared by a combined chemical-thermal method and characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Infrared (FTIR) and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The modification of TiO2-Pt with graphene oxide shifted its optical absorption edge towards the visible region and increased its photocatalytic activity under UV and natural sunlight irradiation. The efficiency of catalysts on azo dyes degradation (in similar conditions) reached high values (above 99%) under sunlight conditions, proving the remarkable photocatalytic activities of obtained composites. TPt-GO nanocomposite exhibited higher photoactivity than TPt or TPt-rGO, demonstrating degradation efficiencies of 99.56% for amaranth, 99.15% for sunset yellow and 96.23% for tartrazine. The dye photodegradation process follows a pseudo-first-order kinetic with respect to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction mechanism. A direct dependence between azo dyes degradation rate and chemical structure of dyes has been observed.

Use of simplified methods for predicting natural resource damages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loreti, C.P.; Boehm, P.D.; Gundlach, E.R.; Healy, E.A.; Rosenstein, A.B.; Tsomides, H.J.; Turton, D.J.; Webber, H.M.

1995-01-01

To reduce transaction costs and save time, the US Department of the Interior (DOI) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have developed simplified methods for assessing natural resource damages from oil and chemical spills. DOI has proposed the use of two computer models, the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Model for Great Lakes Environments (NRDAM/GLE) and a revised Natural Resource Damage Assessment Model for Coastal and Marine Environments (NRDAM/CME) for predicting monetary damages for spills of oils and chemicals into the Great Lakes and coastal and marine environments. NOAA has used versions of these models to create Compensation Formulas, which it has proposed for calculating natural resource damages for oil spills of up to 50,000 gallons anywhere in the US. Based on a review of the documentation supporting the methods, the results of hundreds of sample runs of DOI's models, and the outputs of the thousands of model runs used to create NOAA's Compensation Formulas, this presentation discusses the ability of these simplified assessment procedures to make realistic damage estimates. The limitations of these procedures are described, and the need for validating the assumptions used in predicting natural resource injuries is discussed

Sunlight persistence and rainfastness of spray-dried formulations of baculovirus isolated from Anagrapha falcifera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Tamez-Guerra, P; McGuire, M R; Behle, R W; Hamm, J J; Sumner, H R; Shasha, B S

2000-04-01

Nuclear polyhedrosis viruses such as the one isolated from the celery looper, Anagrapha falcifera (Kirby) (AfMNPV), have the potential to be successful bioinsecticides if improved formulations can prevent rapid loss of insecticidal activity from environmental conditions such as sunlight and rainfall. We tested 16 spray-dried formulations of AfMNPV to determine the effect of different ingredients (e.g., lignin, corn flour, and so on) on insecticidal activity after simulated rain and simulated sunlight (at Peoria, IL) and natural sunlight exposures (at Tifton, GA). The most effective formulation contained pregelatinized corn flour and potassium lignate, which retained more than half of its original activity after 5 cm of simulated rain, and almost full activity after 8 h of simulated sunlight. In Georgia, formulations made with and without lignin were compared for persistence of insecticidal activity when exposed to natural sunlight. In addition, the effect of fluorescent brighteners as formulation components and spray tank additives was tested. Results showed that the formulations with lignin had more insecticidal activity remaining after sunlight exposure than formulations without lignin. The inclusion of brighteners in the formulation did not improve initial activity or virus persistence. However, a 1% tank mix significantly enhanced activity and improved persistence. Scanning electron micrographs revealed discreet particles, and transmission electron micrographs showed virus embedded within microgranules. Results demonstrated that formulations made with natural ingredients could improve persistence of virus-based biopesticides.

Influence of thermoluminescence signal for debris flow surface materials by sunlight bleaching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Bo; Wei Mingjian; He Youbing; Zhou Rui; Zhao Qiuyue; Zhang Bin

2013-01-01

Thermoluminescence was utilized for measuring the thermoluminescence signals of the standard debris flow samples which were bleached by simulated sunlight and debris flow samples after real sunlight bleaching. The experiment results demonstrate that light bleaching phenomenon of the debris flow occurs when it experiences a period of exposure. The thermoluminescence signal of the samples weakens gradually with the increase of depth. The optical bleaching phenomenon is obvious. Within a certain depth, light bleaching phenomenon is enhanced with the increase of light intensity. The annealing depth of simulated sunlight bleaching experiment is about 1 mm, and the actual annealing depth of sunlight bleaching is about 6 mm. According to the equivalent dose variation with depth, the mud of natural debris flow can be divided into two stages. It has fundamental significance in the application of thermoluminescence dating techniques to divide the stages of debris flow sediments. (authors)

Estimating the Global Agricultural Impact of Solar Radiation Management using Volcanic Eruptions as Natural Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Proctor, J.; Hsiang, S. M.; Burney, J. A.; Burke, M.; Schlenker, W.

2017-12-01

Solar radiation management (SRM) is increasingly considered an option for managing global temperatures, yet the economic impacts of ameliorating climatic changes by scattering sunlight back to space remain largely unknown. Though SRM may increase crop yields by reducing heat stress, its impacts from concomitant changes in available sunlight have never been empirically estimated. Here we use the volcanic eruptions that inspired modern SRM proposals as natural experiments to provide the first estimates of how the stratospheric sulfate aerosols (SS) created by the eruptions of El Chichon and Pinatubo altered the quantity and quality of global sunlight, how those changes in sunlight impacted global crop yields, and the total effect that SS may have on yields in an SRM scenario when the climatic and sunlight effects are jointly considered. We find that the sunlight-mediated impact of SS on yields is negative for both C4 (maize) and C3 (soy, rice, wheat) crops. Applying our yield model to a geoengineering scenario using SS-based SRM from 2050-2069, we find that SRM damages due to scattering sunlight are roughly equal in magnitude to SRM benefits from cooling. This suggests that SRM - if deployed using SS similar to those emitted by the volcanic eruptions it seeks to mimic - would attenuate little of the damages from climate change to global agriculture on net. Our approach could be extended to study SRM impacts on other global systems, such as human health or ecosystem function.

Simultaneous detection of ultraviolet B-induced DNA damage using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Guthrie, Jeffrey W; Limmer, Robert T; Brooks, Eric A; Wisnewski, Chelsea C; Loggins-Davis, Nnekia D; Bouzid, Abderraouf

2015-01-01

An immunoassay based on CE-LIF was developed for the simultaneous detection of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine 6-4 pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4PPs) in genomic DNA irradiated with UVB or natural sunlight. Human cells were first exposed to varying amounts of UVB or natural sunlight to induce DNA damage. Genomic DNA was extracted and incubated with anti-CPD and anti-6-4PP primary antibodies attached to secondary antibodies with a fluorescent quantum dot (QD) reporter that emitted either red or yellow fluorescence. CE was used to separate the unbound antibodies from those bound to the photoproducts, and LIF with appropriate optical filters was used to separate the fluorescence signals from each QD to individual photomultiplier tubes for simultaneous photoproduct detection. Using this strategy, photoproducts were detected from ∼6 ng (200 ng μL(-1)) of DNA under a low UVB fluence of 65 J m(-2) for CPDs or 195 J m(-2) for 6-4PPs. This assay was also the first to demonstrate the detection of CPDs in human cells after only 15 min of irradiation under natural sunlight. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The second generation of natural resource damage assessments: Lessons learned?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luthi, R.B.; Burlington, L.B.; Reinharz, E.; Shutler, S.K.

1993-01-01

The Damage Assessment Regulations Team (DART), under the Office of General Counsel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has centered its efforts on developing natural resource damage assessment regulations for oil pollution in navigable waters. These procedures will likely lower the costs associated with damage assessments, encourage joint cooperative assessments and simplify most assessments. The DART team of NOAA is developing new regulations for the assessment of damages due to injuries related to oil spills under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. These regulations will involve coordination, restoration, and economic valuation. Various methods are currently being developed to assess damages for injuries to natural resources. The proposed means include: compensation tables for spills under 50,000 gallons, Type A model, expedited damage assessment (EDA) procedures, and comprehensive procedures. They are being developed to provide trustees with a choice for assessing natural resource damages for each oil spill

Sunlight-exposed biofilm microbial communities are naturally resistant to chernobyl ionizing-radiation levels.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Ragon

terms of general diversity patterns, despite increased mutation levels at the single-OTU level. Therefore, biofilm communities growing in sunlight exposed substrates are capable of coping with increased mutation rates and appear pre-adapted to levels of ionizing radiation in Chernobyl due to their natural adaptation to periodical desiccation and ambient UV radiation.

Sunlight-exposed biofilm microbial communities are naturally resistant to chernobyl ionizing-radiation levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragon, Marie; Restoux, Gwendal; Moreira, David; Møller, Anders Pape; López-García, Purificación

2011-01-01

-OTU level. Therefore, biofilm communities growing in sunlight exposed substrates are capable of coping with increased mutation rates and appear pre-adapted to levels of ionizing radiation in Chernobyl due to their natural adaptation to periodical desiccation and ambient UV radiation.

Sunlight-Exposed Biofilm Microbial Communities Are Naturally Resistant to Chernobyl Ionizing-Radiation Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Ragon, Marie; Restoux, Gwendal; Moreira, David; Møller, Anders Pape; López-García, Purificación

2011-01-01

diversity patterns, despite increased mutation levels at the single-OTU level. Therefore, biofilm communities growing in sunlight exposed substrates are capable of coping with increased mutation rates and appear pre-adapted to levels of ionizing radiation in Chernobyl due to their natural adaptation to periodical desiccation and ambient UV radiation. PMID:21765911

Facile synthesis of BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/reduced graphene oxide photocatalyst with highly efficient and stable natural sunlight photocatalytic performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Limin; Dong, Shuying; Li, Qilu; Feng, Jinglan; Pi, Yunqing; Liu, Menglin [School of Environment, Henan Normal University, Key Laboratory for Yellow River and Huai River Water Environmental and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Henan Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Control, Xinxiang, Henan 453007 (China); Sun, Jingyu, E-mail: sunjy-cnc@pku.edu.cn [Center for Nanochemistry (CNC), College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Sun, Jianhui, E-mail: sunjh@htu.cn [School of Environment, Henan Normal University, Key Laboratory for Yellow River and Huai River Water Environmental and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Henan Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Control, Xinxiang, Henan 453007 (China)

2015-06-05

Highlights: • A dual Bi-based ball-shaped material BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} were facilely synthesized. • The composition effect of BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/RGO hybrid were probed for the first time. • The photocatalytic performances were evaluated upon natural sunlight irradiation. • The composites showed a twofold augmentation in the degradation efficiency. • The hybrid photocatalyst can be easily recycled for three times. - Abstract: A facile and efficient route for the controllable synthesis of BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures by hydrolysis method was reported, where the as-prepared BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} was subsequently incorporated with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets to form BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/RGO composites. The obtained BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} and BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/RGO composites were well characterized with the aid of various techniques to probe their crystallographic, morphological, chemical and optical properties. Photocatalytic capacities of the pure BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} and BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/RGO composites have been investigated by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB)-contained wastewater under natural sunlight irradiation. A twofold augmentation of degradation efficiency was in turn observed for BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/RGO composites compared with that of pure BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} under the natural sunlight irradiation. The optimum conditions, the effects of the active species and stabilities in photocatalytic performances of the BiOF/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/RGO composites have also been probed.

Thermal annealing of natural, radiation-damaged pyrochlore

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zietlow, Peter; Beirau, Tobias; Mihailova, Boriana; Groat, Lee A.; Chudy, Thomas; Shelyug, Anna; Navrotsky, Alexandra; Ewing, Rodney C.; Schlüter, Jochen; Škoda, Radek; Bismayer, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Radiation damage in minerals is caused by the α-decay of incorporated radionuclides, such as U and Th and their decay products. The effect of thermal annealing (400–1000 K) on radiation-damaged pyrochlores has been investigated by Raman scattering, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and combined differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG). The analysis of three natural radiation-damaged pyrochlore samples from Miass/Russia [6.4 wt% Th, 23.1·10

Integrase-independent HIV-1 infection is augmented under conditions of DNA damage and produces a viral reservoir

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebina, Hirotaka; Kanemura, Yuka; Suzuki, Yasutsugu; Urata, Kozue; Misawa, Naoko; Koyanagi, Yoshio

2012-01-01

HIV-1 possesses a viral protein, integrase (IN), which is necessary for its efficient integration in target cells. However, it has been reported that an IN-defective HIV strain is still capable of integration. Here, we assessed the ability of wild type (WT) HIV-1 to establish infection in the presence of IN inhibitors. We observed a low, yet clear infection of inhibitor-incubated cells infected with WT HIV which was identical to cells infected with IN-deficient HIV, D64A. Furthermore, the IN-independent integration could be enhanced by the pretreatment of cells with DNA-damaging agents suggesting that integration is mediated by a DNA repair system. Moreover, significantly faster viral replication kinetics with augmented viral DNA integration was observed after infection in irradiated cells treated with IN inhibitor compared to nonirradiated cells. Altogether, our results suggest that HIV DNA has integration potential in the presence of an IN inhibitor and may serve as a virus reservoir.

Integrase-independent HIV-1 infection is augmented under conditions of DNA damage and produces a viral reservoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ebina, Hirotaka, E-mail: hebina@virus.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Kanemura, Yuka; Suzuki, Yasutsugu; Urata, Kozue; Misawa, Naoko; Koyanagi, Yoshio

2012-05-25

HIV-1 possesses a viral protein, integrase (IN), which is necessary for its efficient integration in target cells. However, it has been reported that an IN-defective HIV strain is still capable of integration. Here, we assessed the ability of wild type (WT) HIV-1 to establish infection in the presence of IN inhibitors. We observed a low, yet clear infection of inhibitor-incubated cells infected with WT HIV which was identical to cells infected with IN-deficient HIV, D64A. Furthermore, the IN-independent integration could be enhanced by the pretreatment of cells with DNA-damaging agents suggesting that integration is mediated by a DNA repair system. Moreover, significantly faster viral replication kinetics with augmented viral DNA integration was observed after infection in irradiated cells treated with IN inhibitor compared to nonirradiated cells. Altogether, our results suggest that HIV DNA has integration potential in the presence of an IN inhibitor and may serve as a virus reservoir.

Simultaneous detection of ultraviolet B-induced DNA damage using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guthrie, Jeffrey W., E-mail: jeff.guthrie@emich.edu; Limmer, Robert T.; Brooks, Eric A.; Wisnewski, Chelsea C.; Loggins-Davis, Nnekia D.; Bouzid, Abderraouf

2015-01-01

Highlights: • CE–LIF was developed for simultaneous detection of UV-induced DNA photoproducts. • Fluorescent quantum dot reporters enabled detection of small amounts of photoproducts. • Photoproducts were detected after 65 J m{sup −2} of fluence from a UVB lamp in ∼6 ng of DNA. • Natural sunlight induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers after only 15 min of exposure. - Abstract: An immunoassay based on CE–LIF was developed for the simultaneous detection of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine 6-4 pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4PPs) in genomic DNA irradiated with UVB or natural sunlight. Human cells were first exposed to varying amounts of UVB or natural sunlight to induce DNA damage. Genomic DNA was extracted and incubated with anti-CPD and anti-6-4PP primary antibodies attached to secondary antibodies with a fluorescent quantum dot (QD) reporter that emitted either red or yellow fluorescence. CE was used to separate the unbound antibodies from those bound to the photoproducts, and LIF with appropriate optical filters was used to separate the fluorescence signals from each QD to individual photomultiplier tubes for simultaneous photoproduct detection. Using this strategy, photoproducts were detected from ∼6 ng (200 ng μL{sup −1}) of DNA under a low UVB fluence of 65 J m{sup −2} for CPDs or 195 J m{sup −2} for 6-4PPs. This assay was also the first to demonstrate the detection of CPDs in human cells after only 15 min of irradiation under natural sunlight.

Simultaneous detection of ultraviolet B-induced DNA damage using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guthrie, Jeffrey W.; Limmer, Robert T.; Brooks, Eric A.; Wisnewski, Chelsea C.; Loggins-Davis, Nnekia D.; Bouzid, Abderraouf

2015-01-01

Highlights: • CE–LIF was developed for simultaneous detection of UV-induced DNA photoproducts. • Fluorescent quantum dot reporters enabled detection of small amounts of photoproducts. • Photoproducts were detected after 65 J m −2 of fluence from a UVB lamp in ∼6 ng of DNA. • Natural sunlight induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers after only 15 min of exposure. - Abstract: An immunoassay based on CE–LIF was developed for the simultaneous detection of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine 6-4 pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4PPs) in genomic DNA irradiated with UVB or natural sunlight. Human cells were first exposed to varying amounts of UVB or natural sunlight to induce DNA damage. Genomic DNA was extracted and incubated with anti-CPD and anti-6-4PP primary antibodies attached to secondary antibodies with a fluorescent quantum dot (QD) reporter that emitted either red or yellow fluorescence. CE was used to separate the unbound antibodies from those bound to the photoproducts, and LIF with appropriate optical filters was used to separate the fluorescence signals from each QD to individual photomultiplier tubes for simultaneous photoproduct detection. Using this strategy, photoproducts were detected from ∼6 ng (200 ng μL −1 ) of DNA under a low UVB fluence of 65 J m −2 for CPDs or 195 J m −2 for 6-4PPs. This assay was also the first to demonstrate the detection of CPDs in human cells after only 15 min of irradiation under natural sunlight

Reversible degradation in ITO-containing organic photovoltaics under concentrated sunlight

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galagan, Y.O.; Mescheloff, A.; Veenstra, S.C.; Andriessen, H.A.J.M.; Katz, E.A.

2015-01-01

Stabilities of ITO-containing and ITO-free organic solar cells were investigated under simulated AM 1.5G illumination and under concentrated natural sunlight. In both cases ITO-free devices exhibit high stability, while devices containing ITO show degradation of their photovoltaic performance. The

Effects of concentrated sunlight on organic photovoltaics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tromholt, Thomas; Katz, Eugene A.; Hirsch, Baruch

2010-01-01

We report the effects of concentrated sunlight on key photovoltaic parameters and stability of organic photovoltaics (OPV). Sunlight collected and concentrated outdoors was focused into an optical fiber and delivered onto a 1 cm2 bulk-heterojunction cell. Sunlight concentration C was varied gradu...

Daytime behavior of Pteropus vampyrus in a natural habitat: the driver of viral transmission

OpenAIRE

HENGJAN, Yupadee; PRAMONO, Didik; TAKEMAE, Hitoshi; KOBAYASHI, Ryosuke; IIDA, Keisuke; ANDO, Takeshi; KASMONO, Supratikno; BASRI, Chaerul; FITRIANA, Yuli Sulistya; ARIFIN, Eko M. Z.; OHMORI, Yasushige; MAEDA, Ken; AGUNGPRIYONO, Srihadi; HONDO, Eiichi

2017-01-01

Flying foxes, the genus Pteropus, are considered viral reservoirs. Their colonial nature and long flight capability enhance their ability to spread viruses quickly. To understand how the viral transmission occurs between flying foxes and other animals, we investigated daytime behavior of the large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) in the Leuweung Sancang conservation area, Indonesia, by using instantaneous scan sampling and all-occurrence focal sampling. The data were obtained from 0700 to 1700 ...

Sunlight inactivation of Escherichia coli in waste stabilization microcosms in a sahelian region (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso).

Science.gov (United States)

Maïga, Ynoussa; Denyigba, Kokou; Wethe, Joseph; Ouattara, Aboubakar Sidiki

2009-02-09

Experiments on sunlight inactivation of Escherichia coli were conducted from November 2006 to June 2007 in eight outdoors microcosms with different depths filled with maturation pond wastewater in order to determine pond depth influence on sunlight inactivation of E. coli. The long-term aim was to maximize sunlight inactivation of waterborne pathogens in waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) in sahelian regions where number of sunny days enable longer exposure of wastewater to sunlight. The inactivation was followed during daylight from 8.00 h to 17.00 h and during the night. Sunlight inactivation rates (K(S)), as a function of cumulative global solar radiation (insolation), were 16 and 24 times higher than the corresponding dark inactivation (K(D)) rates, respectively in cold and warm season. In warm season, E. coli was inactivated far more rapidly. Inactivation of E. coli follows the evolution of radiation during the day. In shallow depth microcosms, E. coli was inactivated far more rapidly than in high depth microcosms. The physical chemical parameters [pH, dissolved oxygen (DO)] of microcosms water were higher in shallow depth microcosms than in high depth microcosms suggesting a synergistic effect of sunlight and these parameters to damage E. coli. To increase the efficiency of the elimination of waterborne bacteria, the use of maturation ponds with intermediate depths (0.4m) would be advisable in view of the high temperatures and thus evaporation recorded in sahelian regions.

Legal acceptance of contingent valuation to determine natural resource damages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, G.J.

1993-01-01

In enacting the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Congress endorsed contingent valuation (CV) as an appropriate ''advanced technique'' to assess damages to natural resources resulting from oil and hazardous substance releases. Citing Ohio v. Department of Interior, 880 F.2d 432 (D.C.Cir. 1989), Congress stressed that ''forests are more than just board feed of lumbar,'' and rejected statutory language intended to prevent recovery of damages calculated using ''non-use'' or ''passive'' values of natural resources. Consequently, the key question is whether CV is a useful and rational means to determine non-use values when implementing statutory mandates to recover natural resource damages, not whether CV meets tests of statistical reliability. Because Congress intended that damages be calculated using non-use as well as use values, less precision in calculating non-use values is acceptable so the statutory right to full recovery is not rendered meaningless. While such damages might not be determined with the same precision as damages from a contract breach, a technique which yields results ''with as much or more certainty and accuracy as a jury determining damages for pain and suffering or mental anguish'' is adequate. No methodology except CV calculates non-use values. When designed and implemented conservatively, CV is sufficiently reliable to be used by natural resource trustees

Port Sunlight, essai architectural et social

OpenAIRE

Machet, Laurence

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to examine the city of Port Sunlight, its history, design and originality. Created by William Lever in 1888 in order to house his newly-built soap factory, Port Sunlight is part of the numerous “factory villages” built in the wake of the industrial revolution according to philanthropic and utilitarian principles. But this article intends to show that Port Sunlight differs from other factory towns. Its careful design, elaborate architecture and public facilities ...

Categorizing natural disaster damage assessment using satellite-based geospatial techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Myint, S.W.; Yuan, M.; Cerveny, R.S.; Giri, C.

2008-01-01

Remote sensing of a natural disaster's damage offers an exciting backup and/or alternative to traditional means of on-site damage assessment. Although necessary for complete assessment of damage areas, ground-based damage surveys conducted in the aftermath of natural hazard passage can sometimes be potentially complicated due to on-site difficulties (e.g., interaction with various authorities and emergency services) and hazards (e.g., downed power lines, gas lines, etc.), the need for rapid mobilization (particularly for remote locations), and the increasing cost of rapid physical transportation of manpower and equipment. Satellite image analysis, because of its global ubiquity, its ability for repeated independent analysis, and, as we demonstrate here, its ability to verify on-site damage assessment provides an interesting new perspective and investigative aide to researchers. Using one of the strongest tornado events in US history, the 3 May 1999 Oklahoma City Tornado, as a case example, we digitized the tornado damage path and co-registered the damage path using pre- and post-Landsat Thematic Mapper image data to perform a damage assessment. We employed several geospatial approaches, specifically the Getis index, Geary's C, and two lacunarity approaches to categorize damage characteristics according to the original Fujita tornado damage scale (F-scale). Our results indicate strong relationships between spatial indices computed within a local window and tornado F-scale damage categories identified through the ground survey. Consequently, linear regression models, even incorporating just a single band, appear effective in identifying F-scale damage categories using satellite imagery. This study demonstrates that satellite-based geospatial techniques can effectively add spatial perspectives to natural disaster damages, and in particular for this case study, tornado damages.

Natural Killer Cells in Viral HepatitisSummary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Rehermann

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Natural killer (NK cells are traditionally regarded as first-line effectors of the innate immune response, but they also have a distinct role in chronic infection. Here, we review the role of NK cells against hepatitis C virus (HCV and hepatitis B virus (HBV, two agents that cause acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. Interest in NK cells was initially sparked by genetic studies that demonstrated an association between NK cell–related genes and the outcome of HCV infection. Viral hepatitis also provides a model to study the NK cell response to both endogenous and exogenous type I interferon (IFN. Levels of IFN-stimulated genes increase in both acute and chronic HCV infection and pegylated IFNα has been the mainstay of HCV and HBV treatment for decades. In chronic viral hepatitis, NK cells display decreased production of antiviral cytokines. This phenotype is found in both HCV and HBV infection but is induced by different mechanisms. Potent antivirals now provide the opportunity to study the reversibility of the suppressed cytokine production of NK cells in comparison with the antigen-induced defect in IFNγ and tumor necrosis factor-α production of virus-specific T cells. This has implications for immune reconstitution in other conditions of chronic inflammation and immune exhaustion, such as human immunodeficiency virus infection and cancer. Keywords: HBV, HCV, Infection, Interferon, T Cell

Implementation of the natural resource damage assessment rule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-11-01

Regulations have been promulgated by the Department of Interior (DOI) which provide an administrative process whereby natural resource trustees may establish the type and extent of injury and evaluate the damages to natural resources. These regulations provide an optional mechanism for Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDAs), with four major components. A workshop was held to develop recommendations for DOE-OR regarding implementation of the DOI NRDA regulations at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). The attendants were divided into three working groups to consider (1) administrative/legal requirements, (2) ecological assessments, and (3) the NRDA/economic evaluation process. This report supplies an overview of the DOI NRDA regulations as well as summaries of the consensus of each of the three working groups

Photochemical effects of sunlight.

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, F

1972-07-01

The importance of sunlight in bringing about not only photosynthesis in plants, but also other photochemical effects, is reviewed. More effort should be devoted to photochemical storage of the sun's energy without the living plant. There is no theoretical reason to believe that such reactions are impossible. Ground rules for searching for suitable solar photochemical reactions are given, and a few attempts are described, but nothing successful has yet been found. Future possibilities are suggested. Photogalvanic cells which convert sunlight into electricity deserve further research. Eugene Rabinowitch has been an active pioneer in these fields.

Prospecting for viral natural enemies of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta in Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Metagenomics and next generation sequencing were employed to discover new virus natural enemies of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren in its native range (i.e., Formosa, Argentina) with the ultimate goal of testing and releasing new viral pathogens into U.S. S. invicta populations to provide nat...

Standard Test Method for Electrical Performance of Concentrator Terrestrial Photovoltaic Modules and Systems Under Natural Sunlight

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the electrical performance of photovoltaic concentrator modules and systems under natural sunlight using a normal incidence pyrheliometer. 1.2 The test method is limited to module assemblies and systems where the geometric concentration ratio specified by the manufacturer is greater than 5. 1.3 This test method applies to concentrators that use passive cooling where the cell temperature is related to the air temperature. 1.4 Measurements under a variety of conditions are allowed; results are reported under a select set of concentrator reporting conditions to facilitate comparison of results. 1.5 This test method applies only to concentrator terrestrial modules and systems. 1.6 This test method assumes that the module or system electrical performance characteristics do not change during the period of test. 1.7 The performance rating determined by this test method applies only at the period of the test, and implies no past or future performance level. 1.8...

Decontamination of poultry feed from ochratoxin A by UV and sunlight radiations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ameer Sumbal, Gul; Hussain Shar, Zahid; Hussain Sherazi, Syed Tufail; Sirajuddin; Nizamani, Shafi Muhammad; Mahesar, Safaraz Ahmed

2016-06-01

Mycotoxin-contaminated feed is very dangerous for the growth and even life of poultry. The objective of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of ultra-violet irradiation for decontamination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in spiked and naturally contaminated poultry feed samples. Spiked and naturally contaminated feed samples were irradiated with ultra-violet light (UV) at distance of 25 cm over the feed samples. In vitro, the effect of UV intensity (0.1 mW cm(-2) at 254 nm UV-C) on different types of poultry feeds contaminated with OTA was evaluated. The same samples were also irradiated with sunlight and analysed for OTA by an indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. Poultry feed samples containing 500 µg kg(-1) were 100% decontaminated in 180 min with UV radiation while OTA was decreased to 70-95 µg kg(-1) using the same poultry feed samples after 8 h sunlight irradiation. Therefore, UV light was found to be more effective. Only 1 h of UV irradiation was found to be sufficient to bring the OTA level to the maximum regulatory limit suggested for poultry feeds (100 µg kg(-1) ), while 8 h were needed to obtain this level using sunlight radiations. The proposed approach is a viable option to reduce the level of OTA in contaminated poultry feeds. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Colour Counts: Sunlight and Skin Type as Drivers of Vitamin D Deficiency at UK Latitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Ann R; Kazantzidis, Andreas; Kift, Richard C; Farrar, Mark D; Wilkinson, Jack; Rhodes, Lesley E

2018-04-07

Sunlight exposure, with resulting cutaneous synthesis, is a major source of vitamin D for many, while dietary intake is low in modern diets. The constitutive pigment in skin determines skin type, observed as white, brown, or black skin. The melanin pigment absorbs ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and protects underlying skin from damage caused by UVR. It also reduces the UVR available for vitamin D synthesis in the skin. It has been shown that the white-skinned population of the UK are able to meet their vitamin D needs with short, daily lunchtime exposures to sunlight. We have followed the same methodology, based on a 10-year UK all-weather UVR climatology, observation (sun exposure, diet, vitamin D status), and UVR intervention studies with Fitzpatrick skin type V (brown) adults, to determine whether sunlight at UK latitudes could provide an adequate source of vitamin D for this section of the population. Results show that to meet vitamin D requirements, skin type V individuals in the UK need ~25 min daily sunlight at lunchtime, from March to September. This makes several assumptions, including that forearms and lower legs are exposed June-August; only exposing hands and face at this time is inadequate. For practical and cultural reasons, enhanced oral intake of vitamin D should be considered for this population.

Colour Counts: Sunlight and Skin Type as Drivers of Vitamin D Deficiency at UK Latitudes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann R. Webb

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Sunlight exposure, with resulting cutaneous synthesis, is a major source of vitamin D for many, while dietary intake is low in modern diets. The constitutive pigment in skin determines skin type, observed as white, brown, or black skin. The melanin pigment absorbs ultraviolet radiation (UVR and protects underlying skin from damage caused by UVR. It also reduces the UVR available for vitamin D synthesis in the skin. It has been shown that the white-skinned population of the UK are able to meet their vitamin D needs with short, daily lunchtime exposures to sunlight. We have followed the same methodology, based on a 10-year UK all-weather UVR climatology, observation (sun exposure, diet, vitamin D status, and UVR intervention studies with Fitzpatrick skin type V (brown adults, to determine whether sunlight at UK latitudes could provide an adequate source of vitamin D for this section of the population. Results show that to meet vitamin D requirements, skin type V individuals in the UK need ~25 min daily sunlight at lunchtime, from March to September. This makes several assumptions, including that forearms and lower legs are exposed June–August; only exposing hands and face at this time is inadequate. For practical and cultural reasons, enhanced oral intake of vitamin D should be considered for this population.

Evaluation of compensation formulae to measure natural resource damages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robilliard, G.A.; Fischel, M.; Desvousges, W.H.; Dunford, R.W.; Mathews, K.

1993-01-01

Most of the oil spills in marine, estuarine, or freshwater environments of the United States are small (less than 1,000 gallons) and result in minimal injury to natural resources or little to no loss of services. However, federal, state, and Indian tribe trustees for natural resources are entitled under a variety of laws, including the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, to collect damages (money) from responsible parties to compensate for the foregone services and restoration of the services provided by the natural resources. Alaska, Washington, and Florida have developed a formula-based approach to calculating natural resource damages resulting from most spills; the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and several other states are considering developing a compensation formula. The ideal compensation formula is a simplified assessment process that (a) can be applied rapidly, (b) requires relatively small transaction or assessment costs, (c) requires minimal site- and spill-specific data as inputs, (d) is based on generally accepted scientific and economic principles and methods, and (e) results in damage values acceptable to both the trustees and the responsible party. In theory, a compensation formula could be applied to most small oil spills in United States waters

The Perception of Small Scale Damage and Repairs of Natural Stone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quist, W.; Van Hees, R.; Naldin, S.; Nijland, T.

2008-01-01

By means of a questionnaire a study was carried out to investigate the perception of small scale damage and repairs of natural stone used in buildings. Participants were asked to evaluate damage to natural stone shown on pictures. They were also asked to give their opinion on interventions needed to

Natural resource damage assessments: Linking injury to restoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newell, M.; Collinson-Kahl, C.

1993-01-01

Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), natural resource trustees have the authority to act on behalf of the public to file claims for damages against potentially responsible parties for injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources and related human services caused by releases of hazardous substances or discharges of oil. Damages recovered must be used to restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of such resources. Therefore, to adequately restore an injured resource and the services it provides, a natural resource restoration proposal should address, as directly as possible, the injuries caused by a hazardous substance release. In other words, the resources restored and services generated by the restoration activities should be commensurate in type and amount with the reduction in services caused by the release. More specifically, the natural resource damage assessment regulations indicate that services should be used as the common currency for linking injury to restoration. The following conceptual steps may be followed to develop a primary restoration program that is linked to the injuries: Define the resources that were injured, and identify the services provided by those resources that were reduced by the injury. Define the baseline levels of the quantity of the resource, and the quantity of the services that would have been provided by the resource if the injury had not occurred. Quantify the interim lost value, which represents the reduction in services (compared to a baseline) from the time of the injury through the time of full recovery of the resources, assuming natural recovery. Evaluate the potential restoration projects for inclusion in the primary restoration program, which is designed to accelerate and enhance natural recovery of the resources and the flow of services from the resources

Exogenous indirect photoinactivation of bacterial pathogens and indicators in water with natural and synthetic photosensitizers in simulated sunlight with reduced UVB.

Science.gov (United States)

Maraccini, P A; Wenk, J; Boehm, A B

2016-08-01

To investigate the UVB-independent and exogenous indirect photoinactivation of eight human health-relevant bacterial species in the presence of photosensitizers. Eight bacterial species were exposed to simulated sunlight with greatly reduced UVB light intensity in the presence of three synthetic photosensitizers and two natural photosensitizers. Inactivation curves were fit with shoulder log-linear or first-order kinetic models, from which the presence of a shoulder and magnitude of inactivation rate constants were compared. Eighty-four percent reduction in the UVB light intensity roughly matched a 72-95% reduction in the overall bacterial photoinactivation rate constants in sensitizer-free water. With the UVB light mostly reduced, the exogenous indirect mechanism contribution was evident for most bacteria and photosensitizers tested, although most prominently with the Gram-positive bacteria. Results confirm the importance of UVB light in bacterial photoinactivation and, with the reduction of the UVB light intensity, that the Gram-positive bacteria are more vulnerable to the exogenous indirect mechanism than Gram-negative bacteria. UVB is the most important range of the sunlight spectrum for bacterial photoinactivation. In aquatic environments where photosensitizers are present and there is high UVB light attenuation, UVA and visible wavelengths can contribute to exogenous indirect photoinactivation. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Natural supramolecular building blocks: from virus coat proteins to viral nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhi; Qiao, Jing; Niu, Zhongwei; Wang, Qian

2012-09-21

Viruses belong to a fascinating class of natural supramolecular structures, composed of multiple copies of coat proteins (CPs) that assemble into different shapes with a variety of sizes from tens to hundreds of nanometres. Because of their advantages including simple/economic production, well-defined structural features, unique shapes and sizes, genetic programmability and robust chemistries, recently viruses and virus-like nanoparticles (VLPs) have been used widely in biomedical applications and materials synthesis. In this critical review, we highlight recent advances in the use of virus coat proteins (VCPs) and viral nanoparticles (VNPs) as building blocks in self-assembly studies and materials development. We first discuss the self-assembly of VCPs into VLPs, which can efficiently incorporate a variety of different materials as cores inside the viral protein shells. Then, the self-assembly of VNPs at surfaces or interfaces is summarized. Finally, we discuss the co-assembly of VNPs with different functional materials (178 references).

Sublethal damages: their nature and repair

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saenko, A.S.; Synzynys, B.I.; Trofimova, S.F. (Nauchno-Issledovatel' skij Inst. Meditsinskoj Radiologii, Obninsk (USSR)); Gotlib, V.Ya.; Pelevina, I.I. (AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Khimicheskoj Fiziki)

1983-05-12

The molecular nature of sublethal damage (SLD) arising after ionizing irradiation of cultured mammalian cells was considered on the basis of data on DNA repair and cell recovery after SLD observed in lymphosarcoma cells as well as of literature data. The rate of SLD recovery and that of restoration of the cell's ability to initiate DNA synthesis were shown to be similar in new replicons. These data along with knowledge about the role of exchange type chromosomal aberrations in reproductive death permitted us to propose the hypothesis that conformational changes of chromatine - most probably, relaxation of condensed chromosomal material - are damage registered as SLD at the cellular level. Double-strand breaks and a slowly repaired part of DNA single-strand breaks are candidates for SLD.

Use of sunlight to degrade oxytetracycline in marine aquaculture's waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leal, J.F.; Esteves, V.I.; Santos, E.B.H.

2016-01-01

Oxytracycline (OTC) is a broad spectrum antibiotic authorized for use in European aquaculture. Its photo-degradation has been widely studied in synthetic aqueous solutions, sometimes resorting to expensive methods and without proven effectiveness in natural waters. Thus, this work studied the possibility to apply the solar photo-degradation for removal of OTC from marine aquaculture's waters. For that, water samples were collected at different locals of the water treatment circuit, from two different aquaculture companies. Water samples were firstly characterized regarding to pH, salinity, total suspended solids (TSS), organic carbon and UV–Vis spectroscopic characteristics. Then, the samples were spiked with OTC and irradiated using simulated sunlight in order to evaluate the matrix effects on OTC photo-degradation. From kinetic results, the apparent quantum yields and the outdoor half-life times, at 40°N for midsummer and midwinter days were estimated by the first time for these conditions. For a midsummer day, at sea level, the outdoor half-life time predicted for OTC in these aquaculture's waters ranged between 21 and 25 min. Additionally, the pH and salinity effects on the OTC photo-degradation were evaluated and it has been shown that high pH values and the presence of sea salt increase the OTC photo-degradation rate in aquaculture's waters, compared to results in deionised water. The results are very promising to apply this low-cost methodology using the natural sunlight in aquaculture's waters to remove OTC. - Highlights: • Oxytetracycline (OTC) is one of the most used antibiotics in aquaculture. • OTC photolysis in marine aquaculture's water is faster than in deionised water. • The sunlight radiation quickly remove the OTC from aquaculture's water. • Outdoor half-life for a midsummer day is 21–25 min in aquaculture's water. • High pH's and salinities increase the OTC photo-degradation. - This work

Life-threatening motor vehicle crashes in bright sunlight

OpenAIRE

Redelmeier, Donald A.; Raza, Sheharyar

2017-01-01

Abstract Bright sunlight may create visual illusions that lead to driver error, including fallible distance judgment from aerial perspective. We tested whether the risk of a life-threatening motor vehicle crash was increased when driving in bright sunlight. This longitudinal, case-only, paired-comparison analysis evaluated patients hospitalized because of a motor vehicle crash between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2014. The relative risk of a crash associated with bright sunlight was estim...

Prevalence and sunlight photolysis of controlled and chemotherapeutic drugs in aqueous environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Angela Yu-Chen; Lin, Yen-Ching; Lee, Wan-Ning

2014-01-01

This study addresses the occurrences and natural fates of chemotherapeutics and controlled drugs when found together in hospital effluents and surface waters. The results revealed the presence of 11 out of 16 drugs in hospital effluents, and the maximum detected concentrations were at the μg L −1 level in the hospital effluents and the ng L −1 level in surface waters. The highest concentrations corresponded to meperidine, morphine, 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide. The sunlight photolysis of the target compounds was investigated, and the results indicated that morphine and codeine can be significantly attenuated, with half-lives of 0.27 and 2.5 h, respectively, in natural waters. Photolysis can lower the detected environmental concentrations, also lowering the estimated environmental risks of the target drugs to human health. Nevertheless, 5-fluorouracil and codeine were found to have a high risk quotient (RQ), demonstrating the high risks of directly releasing hospital wastewater into the environment. - Highlights: • High occurrence of chemotherapeutics and controlled substances in aqueous systems. • Photolysis lowers the detected concentrations of morphine and codeine. • 5-fluorouracil and codeine in hospital effluents have high risk quotients. - Chemotherapeutics and controlled drugs occur at significant levels in hospital effluents and surface waters. Natural sunlight photolysis reduces their environmental occurrence

Quantitative molecular viral loads in 7 horses with naturally occurring equine herpesvirus-1 infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Estell, K E; Dawson, D R; Magdesian, K G; Swain, E; Laing, S T; Siso, S; Mapes, S; Pusterla, N

2015-11-01

Data associating quantitative viral load with severity, clinical signs and survival in equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy (EHM) have not been reported. To report the clinical signs, treatment, and temporal progression of viral loads in 7 horses with naturally occurring EHM and to examine the association of these factors with survival. Retrospective case series. The population included 7 horses with EHM presented to the University of California, Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from May to September 2011. Horses were graded using a neurological grading scale. Daily quantitative PCR was performed on nasal secretions and whole blood. Treatment, survival, outcome and histopathology were reported. At presentation, one horse was neurological grade 5/5, 3 were grade 4/5 and 3 were grade 3/5. All were treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, valacyclovir and management in a sling if necessary. All were infected with equine herpesvirus-1 of DNA polymerase D752 genotype. Peak viral load in nasal secretions and blood of 5 survivors ranged from 6.9 × 10(3) to 2.81 × 10(5) (median 5.11 × 10(4) ) and from 143 to 4340 gB gene copies/million eukaryotic cells (median 3146), respectively. The 2 nonsurvivors presented with grade 3/5 neurological signs and progressed to encephalopathy. Peak viral load was higher in nonsurvivors, with levels in nasal secretions of 1.9 × 10(9) and 2.2 × 10(9) and in blood of 2.05 × 10(4) and 1.02 × 10(5) gB gene copies/million eukaryotic cells. Case fatality was 2/7. Nonsurvivors had viral loads 1000-fold higher in nasal secretions and 10-fold higher in blood than survivors. There was no relationship between severity of clinical signs at presentation and survival. Thus, encephalopathy and high viral load were negatively associated with survival in this population. Further research should be performed to determine whether high viral loads are associated with encephalopathy and poor prognosis. The Summary is

DNA damage and repair in human skin in situ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutherland, B.M.; Gange, R.W.; Freeman, S.E.; Sutherland, J.C.

1987-01-01

Understanding the molecular and cellular origins of sunlight-induced skin cancers in man requires knowledge of the damages inflicted on human skin during sunlight exposure, as well as the ability of cells in skin to repair or circumvent such damage. Although repair has been studied extensively in procaryotic and eucaryotic cells - including human cells in culture - there are important differences between repair by human skin cells in culture and human skin in situ: quantitative differences in rates of repair, as well as qualitative differences, including the presence or absence of repair mechanisms. Quantitation of DNA damage and repair in human skin required the development of new approaches for measuring damage at low levels in nanogram quantities of non-radioactive DNA. The method allows for analysis of multiple samples and the resulting data should be related to behavior of the DNA molecules by analytic expressions. Furthermore, it should be possible to assay a variety of lesions using the same methodology. The development of new analysis methods, new technology, and new biochemical probes for the study of DNA damage and repair are described. 28 refs., 4 figs

DNA damage and repair in human skin in situ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, B.M.; Gange, R.W.; Freeman, S.E.; Sutherland, J.C.

1987-01-01

Understanding the molecular and cellular origins of sunlight-induced skin cancers in man requires knowledge of the damages inflicted on human skin during sunlight exposure, as well as the ability of cells in skin to repair or circumvent such damage. Although repair has been studied extensively in procaryotic and eucaryotic cells - including human cells in culture - there are important differences between repair by human skin cells in culture and human skin in situ: quantitative differences in rates of repair, as well as qualitative differences, including the presence or absence of repair mechanisms. Quantitation of DNA damage and repair in human skin required the development of new approaches for measuring damage at low levels in nanogram quantities of non-radioactive DNA. The method allows for analysis of multiple samples and the resulting data should be related to behavior of the DNA molecules by analytic expressions. Furthermore, it should be possible to assay a variety of lesions using the same methodology. The development of new analysis methods, new technology, and new biochemical probes for the study of DNA damage and repair are described. 28 refs., 4 figs.

Concentrated sunlight for organic solar cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tromholt, Thomas

2010-01-01

. A high solar intensity study of inverted P3HT:PCBM solar cells is presented. Performance peak positions were found to be in the range of 1-5 suns, with smaller cells peaking at higher solar concentrations. Additionally, concentrated sunlight is demonstrated as a practical tool for accelerated stability...... were degraded resulting in acceleration factors in the range of 19-55. This shows that concentrated sunlight can be used as qualitatively to determine the lifetime of polymers under highly accelerated conditions....

Remedying CERCLA's natural resource damages provision: Incorporation of the public trust doctrine into natural resource damage actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chase, A.R.

1992-01-01

When Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), it ushered in a sweeping approach to controlling the environmental effects of improper hazardous waste disposal. CERCLA's cleanup provisions, which focus on removal and remediation of hazardous substances from inactive hazardous waste sites, have progressed through more than a decade of litigation and a great deal of public debate. However, CERCLA's natural resource damage provisions have not shared this same degree of progress

Positron annihilation lifetime study of radiation-damaged natural zircons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, J. [Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra (Australia); Gaugliardo, P. [Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, School of Physics, University of Western Australia (Australia); Farnan, I.; Zhang, M. [Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom); Vance, E.R.; Davis, J.; Karatchevtseva, I.; Knott, R.B. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (Australia); Mudie, S. [The Australian Synchrotron, Victoria (Australia); Buckman, S.J. [Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra (Australia); Institute for Mathematical Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Sullivan, J.P., E-mail: james.sullivan@anu.edu.au [Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra (Australia)

2016-04-01

Zircons are a well-known candidate waste form for actinides and their radiation damage behaviour has been widely studied by a range of techniques. In this study, well-characterised natural single crystal zircons have been studied using Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS). In some, but not all, of the crystals that had incurred at least half of the alpha-event damage of ∼10{sup 19} α/g required to render them structurally amorphous, PALS spectra displayed long lifetimes corresponding to voids of ∼0.5 nm in diameter. The long lifetimes corresponded to expectations from published Small-Angle X-ray Scattering data on similar samples. However, the non-observation by PALS of such voids in some of the heavily damaged samples may reflect large size variations among the voids such that no singular size can be distinguished or. Characterisation of a range of samples was also performed using scanning electron microscopy, optical absorption spectroscopy, Raman scattering and X-ray scattering/diffraction, with the degree of alpha damage being inferred mainly from the Raman technique and X-ray diffraction. The observed void diameters and intensities of the long lifetime components were changed somewhat by annealing at 700 °C; annealing at 1200 °C removed the voids entirely. The voids themselves may derive from He gas bubbles or voids created by the inclusion of small quantities of organic and hydrous matter, notwithstanding the observation that no voidage was evidenced by PALS in two samples containing hydrous and organic matter. - Highlights: • Study of a range of naturally occurring zircons damaged by alpha radiation. • Characterised using a range of techniques, including PALS spectroscopy. • Effects on hydrous material appear important, rather than direct radiation damage. • Annealing is shown to remove the observed voids.

Successful pacing using a batteryless sunlight-powered pacemaker.

Science.gov (United States)

Haeberlin, Andreas; Zurbuchen, Adrian; Schaerer, Jakob; Wagner, Joerg; Walpen, Sébastien; Huber, Christoph; Haeberlin, Heinrich; Fuhrer, Juerg; Vogel, Rolf

2014-10-01

Today's cardiac pacemakers are powered by batteries with limited energy capacity. As the battery's lifetime ends, the pacemaker needs to be replaced. This surgical re-intervention is costly and bears the risk of complications. Thus, a pacemaker without primary batteries is desirable. The goal of this study was to test whether transcutaneous solar light could power a pacemaker. We used a three-step approach to investigate the feasibility of sunlight-powered cardiac pacing. First, the harvestable power was estimated. Theoretically, a subcutaneously implanted 1 cm(2) solar module may harvest ∼2500 µW from sunlight (3 mm implantation depth). Secondly, ex vivo measurements were performed with solar cells placed under pig skin flaps exposed to a solar simulator and real sunlight. Ex vivo measurements under real sunlight resulted in a median output power of 4941 µW/cm(2) [interquartile range (IQR) 3767-5598 µW/cm(2), median skin flap thickness 3.0 mm (IQR 2.7-3.3 mm)]. The output power strongly depended on implantation depth (ρSpearman = -0.86, P pacemaker powered by a 3.24 cm(2) solar module was implanted in vivo in a pig to measure output power and to pace. In vivo measurements showed a median output power of >3500 µW/cm(2) (skin flap thickness 2.8-3.84 mm). Successful batteryless VVI pacing using a subcutaneously implanted solar module was performed. Based on our results, we estimate that a few minutes of direct sunlight (irradiating an implanted solar module) allow powering a pacemaker for 24 h using a suitable energy storage. Thus, powering a pacemaker by sunlight is feasible and may be an alternative energy supply for tomorrow's pacemakers. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relevance of sunscreen application method, visible light and sunlight intensity to free-radical protection: A study of ex vivo human skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Haywood, Rachel

2006-01-01

With the continued rise in skin cancers worldwide there is a need for effective skin protection against sunlight damage. It was shown previously that sunscreens, which claimed UVA protection (SPF 20+), provided limited protection against UV-induced ascorbate radicals in human skin. Here the results of an electron spin resonance (ESR) investigation to irradiate ex vivo human skin with solar-simulated light are reported. The ascorbate radical signal in the majority of skin samples was directly proportional to the irradiance over relevant sunlight intensities (0.9-2.9 mW cm(-2)). Radical production (substratum-corneum) by UV (wavelengths 400 nm) was approximately 67% and 33% respectively. Ascorbate radicals were in steady state concentration at low irradiance (approximately 1 mW cm(-2) equivalent to UK sunlight), but at higher irradiance (approximately 3 mW cm(-2)) decreased with time, suggesting ascorbate depletion. Radical protection by a four star-rated sunscreen (with UVA protection) was optimal when applied as a thin film (40-60% at 2 mg cm(-2)) but less so when rubbed into the skin (37% at 4 mg cm(-2) and no significant protection at 2 mg cm(-2)), possibly due to cream filling crevices, which reduced film thickness. This study validates ESR determinations of the ascorbate radical for quantitative protection measurements. Visible light contribution to radical production, and loss of protection when sunscreen is rubbed into skin, has implications for sunscreen design and use for the prevention of free-radical damage.

Evaluation of sunlight induced structural changes and their effect on the photocatalytic activity of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} for the degradation of phenols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aslam, M. [Centre of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Ismail, Iqbal M.I. [Centre of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Salah, Numan [Centre of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Chandrasekaran, S. [Centre of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Qamar, M.Tariq [Centre of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Hameed, A., E-mail: afmuhammad@kau.edu.sa [Centre of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); National Centre for Physics, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan)

2015-04-09

Highlights: • The interaction of UV photons of sunlight induces defects in V{sub 2}O{sub 5}. • The photon induced defects promotes the trapping and transfer of excited electrons. • The nature of the substituent at 2-position affects the degradation process. • The formation of the intermediates is influenced by the nature of substituents. • The released ions are subjected further transformation. - Abstract: Despite knowing the fact that vanadium pentoxide is slightly soluble in aqueous medium, its photocatalytic activity was evaluated for the degradation of phenol and its derivatives (2-hydroxyphenol, 2-chlorophenol, 2-aminophenol and 2-nitrophenol) in natural sunlight exposure. The prime objective of the study was to differentiate between the homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalysis incurred by dissolved and undissolved V{sub 2}O{sub 5} in natural sunlight exposure. V{sub 2}O{sub 5} was synthesized by chemical precipitation procedure using Triton X-100 as morphology mediator and characterized by DRS, PLS, Raman, FESEM and XRD. A lower solubility of ∼5% per 100 ml of water at 23 °C was observed after calcination at 600 °C. The study revealed no contribution of the dissolved V{sub 2}O{sub 5} in the photocatalytic process. In sunlight exposure, V{sub 2}O{sub 5} powder exhibited substantial activity for the degradation, however, a low mineralization of phenolic substrates was observed. The initial low activity of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} followed by a sharp increase both in degradation and mineralization in complete spectrum sunlight exposure, was further investigated that revealed the decrease in the bandgap and the reduction in the particle size with the interaction of UV photons (<420 nm) as this effect was not observable in the exposure of visible region of sunlight. The role of the chemically different substituents attached to an aromatic ring at 2-positions and the secondary interaction of released ions during the degradation process with the reactive

Parvovirus infection-induced DNA damage response

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yong; Qiu, Jianming

2014-01-01

Parvoviruses are a group of small DNA viruses with ssDNA genomes flanked by two inverted terminal structures. Due to a limited genetic resource they require host cellular factors and sometimes a helper virus for efficient viral replication. Recent studies have shown that parvoviruses interact with the DNA damage machinery, which has a significant impact on the life cycle of the virus as well as the fate of infected cells. In addition, due to special DNA structures of the viral genomes, parvoviruses are useful tools for the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying viral infection-induced DNA damage response (DDR). This review aims to summarize recent advances in parvovirus-induced DDR, with a focus on the diverse DDR pathways triggered by different parvoviruses and the consequences of DDR on the viral life cycle as well as the fate of infected cells. PMID:25429305

Natural plant polyphenols for alleviating oxidative damage in man ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

cumulative effects of oxidative damage over human life span. Current research reveals ... aging, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases [3,4]. .... natural antioxidants and mortality from age- .... health and longevity in normal cells by calorie restriction [63]. ..... H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress and senescence via.

Analysis of host genetic diversity and viral entry as sources of between-host variation in viral load

Science.gov (United States)

Wargo, Andrew R.; Kell, Alison M.; Scott, Robert J.; Thorgaard, Gary H.; Kurath, Gael

2012-01-01

Little is known about the factors that drive the high levels of between-host variation in pathogen burden that are frequently observed in viral infections. Here, two factors thought to impact viral load variability, host genetic diversity and stochastic processes linked with viral entry into the host, were examined. This work was conducted with the aquatic vertebrate virus, Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), in its natural host, rainbow trout. It was found that in controlled in vivo infections of IHNV, a suggestive trend of reduced between-fish viral load variation was observed in a clonal population of isogenic trout compared to a genetically diverse population of out-bred trout. However, this trend was not statistically significant for any of the four viral genotypes examined, and high levels of fish-to-fish variation persisted even in the isogenic trout population. A decrease in fish-to-fish viral load variation was also observed in virus injection challenges that bypassed the host entry step, compared to fish exposed to the virus through the natural water-borne immersion route of infection. This trend was significant for three of the four virus genotypes examined and suggests host entry may play a role in viral load variability. However, high levels of viral load variation also remained in the injection challenges. Together, these results indicate that although host genetic diversity and viral entry may play some role in between-fish viral load variation, they are not major factors. Other biological and non-biological parameters that may influence viral load variation are discussed.

Major Natural Disasters in China, 1985-2014: Occurrence and Damages.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Weixiao; Liang, Chen; Jiang, Baofa; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Ying

2016-11-10

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of natural disasters and associated losses from 1985 to 2014. The Mann-Kendall method was used to detect any long-term trends and abrupt changes. Hotspot analysis was conducted to detect the spatial clusters of disasters. We found an increasing trend in the occurrence of integrated natural disasters ( tau = 0.594 , p natural disasters in 1998-2000. Hotspots of droughts, floods, landslides and storms were identified in central, southern, southwest and southeast areas of China, respectively. Annual deaths from integrated natural disasters were decreasing (tau = -0.237, p = 0.068) at about 32 persons/year, decreasing at 17 persons/year for floods ( tau = -0.154, p = 0.239), and decreasing at approximately 12 persons/year for storms ( tau = -0.338, p = 0.009). No significant trend was detected in inflation-adjusted damages while a declining trend was detected in the ratio of year damage against GDP (gross domestic product). In conclusion, there has been an increasing trend in occurrence of natural disasters in China with the absence of an increase in life and economic losses. Despite the progress in the disaster adaption, there will be great challenges in disaster control for China in the future.

Effects of gamma rays, ultraviolet radiation, sunlight, microwaves and electromagnetic fields on gene expression mediated by human immunodeficiency virus promoter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Libertin, C.R.; Woloschak, G.E.; Panozzo, J.; Groh, K.R.; Chang-Liu, Chin-Mei; Schreck, S.

1994-01-01

Previous work by our group and others has shown the modulation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) promoter or long terminal repeat (LTR) after exposure to neutrons and ultraviolet radiations. Using HeLa cells stably transfected with a construct containing the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene, the transcription of which is mediated by the HIV-LTR, we designed experiments to examine the effects of exposure to different types of radiation (such as γ rays, ultraviolet and sunlight irradiations, electromagnetic fields and microwaves) in HIV-LTR-driven expression of CAT. These results demonstrated ultraviolet-light-induced transcription from the HIV promoter, as has been shown by others. Exposure to other DNA-damaging agents such as γ rays and sunlight (with limited exposures) had no significant effect on transcription mediated by HIV-LTR, suggesting that induction of HIV is not mediated by just any type of DNA damage but rather may require specific types of DNA damage. Microwaves did not cause cell killing when cells in culture were exposed in high volumes of medium, and the same cells showed no changes in expression. When microwave exposure was carried out in low volumes of medium (so that excessive heat was generated) induction of HIV-LTR transcription (as assayed by CAT activity) was evident. Electromagnetic field exposures had no effect on expression of HIV-LTR. These results demonstrate that not all types of radiation and not all DNA-damaging agents are capable of inducing HIV. We hypothesize that induction of HIV transcription may be mediated by several different signals exposure to radiation. 22 refs., 8 figs

Comparative Evaluation of Different Co-Antioxidants on the Photochemical- and Functional-Stability of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate in Topical Creams Exposed to Simulated Sunlight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santo Scalia

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The catechin (−-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG exhibits high antioxidant activity and it has been reported to provide protection of the skin against damage induced by solar UV radiation. However, EGCG is highly unstable under sunlight. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the co-antioxidant agents vitamin E, butylated hydroxytoluene, vitamin C and a-lipoic acid for their potential to protect the catechin from photochemical degradation. Model creams (oil-in-water emulsions containing EGCG (1%, w/w alone or combined with equimolar concentrations of co-antioxidant were exposed to a solar simulator at an irradiance corresponding to natural sunlight. Photodegradation was evaluated by HPLC-UV and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Addition of the co-antioxidants vitamin C and a-lipoic acid to the formulation significantly reduced the light-induced decomposition of EGCG from 76.9 ± 4.6% to 20.4 ± 2.7% and 12.6 ± 1.6%, respectively. Conversely, butylated hydroxytoluene had no effect (EGCG loss, 78.1 ± 4.6% and vitamin E enhanced the EGCG photolysis to 84.5 ± 3.4%. The functional stability of the catechin in the creams exposed to the solar simulator was also evaluated by measuring the in vitro antioxidant activity. Following irradiation, the reduction of the EGCG formulation antioxidant power was lower (21.8% than the extent of degradation (76.9%, suggesting the formation of photoproducts with antioxidant properties. The influence of the examined co-antioxidants on the functional stability of the catechin under simulated sunlight paralleled that measured for the EGCG photodecomposition, a-lipoic acid exerting the greatest stabilising effect (antioxidant activity decrease, 1.4%. These results demonstrated that a-lipoic acid is an effective co-antioxidant agent for the stabilization of EGCG in dermatological products for skin photoprotection.

Natural light illumination system.

Science.gov (United States)

Whang, Allen Jong-Woei; Chen, Yi-Yung; Yang, Shu-Hua; Pan, Po-Hsuan; Chou, Kao-Hsu; Lee, Yu-Chi; Lee, Zong-Yi; Chen, Chi-An; Chen, Cheng-Nan

2010-12-10

In recent years, green energy has undergone a lot of development and has been the subject of many applications. Many research studies have focused on illumination with sunlight as a means of saving energy and creating healthy lighting. Natural light illumination systems have collecting, transmitting, and lighting elements. Today, most daylight collectors use dynamic concentrators; these include Sun tracking systems. However, this design is too expensive to be cost effective. To create a low-cost collector that can be easily installed on a large building, we have designed a static concentrator, which is prismatic and cascadable, to collect sunlight for indoor illumination. The transmission component uses a large number of optical fibers. Because optical fibers are expensive, this means that most of the cost for the system will be related to transmission. In this paper, we also use a prismatic structure to design an optical coupler for coupling n to 1. With the n-to-1 coupler, the number of optical fibers necessary can be greatly reduced. Although this new natural light illumination system can effectively guide collected sunlight and send it to the basement or to other indoor places for healthy lighting, previously there has been no way to manage the collected sunlight when lighting was not desired. To solve this problem, we have designed an optical switch and a beam splitter to control and separate the transmitted light. When replacing traditional sources, the lighting should have similar characteristics, such as intensity distribution and geometric parameters, to those of traditional artificial sources. We have designed, simulated, and optimized an illumination lightpipe with a dot pattern to redistribute the collected sunlight from the natural light illumination system such that it equals the qualities of a traditional lighting system. We also provide an active lighting module that provides lighting from the natural light illumination system or LED auxiliary

Genetic damage from low-level and natural background radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oftedal, P.

1988-01-01

Relevant predictions that have been made of possible low level biological effects on man are reviewed, and the estimate of genetic damage is discussed. It is concluded that in spite of a number of attempts, no clear-cut case of effects in human populations of radiation at natural levels has been demonstrated. The stability of genetic material is dynamic, with damage, repair and selection running as continuous processes. Genetic materials are well protected and are conservative in the extreme, not least because evolution by genetic adaptation is an expensive process: Substitution of one allele A 1 by another A 2 means the death of the whole A 1 population

Reversible degradation of inverted organic solar cells by concentrated sunlight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tromholt, Thomas; Manor, Assaf; Katz, Eugene A

2011-01-01

. The transient state is believed to be a result of the breakdown of the diode behaviour of the ZnO electron transport layer by O2 desorption, increasing the hole conductivity. These results imply that accelerated degradation of organic solar cells by concentrated sunlight is not a straightforward process......Concentrated sunlight was used to study the performance response of inverted P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells after exposure to high intensity sunlight. Correlations of efficiency as a function of solar intensity were established in the range of 0.5–15 suns at three different stages: for a pristine...

Thermal annealing of natural, radiation-damaged pyrochlore

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zietlow, Peter; Mihailova, Boriana [Hamburg Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Earth Sciences; Beirau, Tobias [Hamburg Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Earth Sciences; Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences; and others

2017-03-01

Radiation damage in minerals is caused by the α-decay of incorporated radionuclides, such as U and Th and their decay products. The effect of thermal annealing (400-1000 K) on radiation-damaged pyrochlores has been investigated by Raman scattering, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and combined differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG). The analysis of three natural radiation-damaged pyrochlore samples from Miass/Russia [6.4 wt% Th, 23.1.10{sup 18} α-decay events per gram (dpg)], Panda Hill/Tanzania (1.6 wt% Th, 1.6.10{sup 18} dpg), and Blue River/Canada (10.5 wt% U, 115.4.10{sup 18} dpg), are compared with a crystalline reference pyrochlore from Schelingen (Germany). The type of structural recovery depends on the initial degree of radiation damage (Panda Hill 28%, Blue River 85% and Miass 100% according to XRD), as the recrystallization temperature increases with increasing degree of amorphization. Raman spectra indicate reordering on the local scale during annealing-induced recrystallization. As Raman modes around 800 cm{sup -1} are sensitive to radiation damage (M. T. Vandenborre, E. Husson, Comparison of the force field in various pyrochlore families. I. The A{sub 2}B{sub 2}O{sub 7} oxides. J. Solid State Chem. 1983, 50, 362, S. Moll, G. Sattonnay, L. Thome, J. Jagielski, C. Decorse, P. Simon, I. Monnet, W. J. Weber, Irradiation damage in Gd{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} single crystals: Ballistic versus ionization processes. Phys. Rev. 2011, 84, 64115.), the degree of local order was deduced from the ratio of the integrated intensities of the sum of the Raman bands between 605 and 680 cm{sup -1} divided by the sum of the integrated intensities of the bands between 810 and 860 cm{sup -1}. The most radiation damaged pyrochlore (Miass) shows an abrupt recovery of both, its short- (Raman) and long-range order (X-ray) between 800 and 850 K, while the weakly damaged pyrochlore (Panda Hill) begins to recover at considerably lower temperatures (near 500 K

Bovine coronavirus in naturally and experimentally exposed calves; viral shedding and the potential for transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Oma, Veslemøy Sunniva; Tråvén, Madeleine; Alenius, Stefan; Myrmel, Mette; Stokstad, Maria

2016-06-13

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is a widely distributed pathogen, causing disease and economic losses in the cattle industry worldwide. Prevention of virus spread is impeded by a lack of basic knowledge concerning viral shedding and transmission potential in individual animals. The aims of the study were to investigate the duration and quantity of BCoV shedding in feces and nasal secretions related to clinical signs, the presence of virus in blood and tissues and to test the hypothesis that seropositive calves are not infectious to naïve in-contact calves three weeks after BCoV infection. A live animal experiment was conducted, with direct contact between animal groups for 24 h as challenge procedure. Four naïve calves were commingled with a group of six naturally infected calves and sequentially euthanized. Two naïve sentinel calves were commingled with the experimentally exposed group three weeks after exposure. Nasal swabs, feces, blood and tissue samples were analyzed for viral RNA by RT-qPCR, and virus isolation was performed on nasal swabs. Serum was analyzed for BCoV antibodies. The calves showed mild general signs, and the most prominent signs were from the respiratory system. The overall clinical score corresponded well with the shedding of viral RNA the first three weeks after challenge. General depression and cough were the signs that correlated best with shedding of BCoV RNA, while peak respiratory rate and peak rectal temperature appeared more than a week later than the peak shedding. Nasal shedding preceded fecal shedding, and the calves had detectable amounts of viral RNA intermittently in feces through day 35 and in nasal secretions through day 28, however virus isolation was unsuccessful from day six and day 18 from the two calves investigated. Viral RNA was not detected in blood, but was found in lymphatic tissue through day 42 after challenge. Although the calves were shedding BCoV RNA 21 days after infection the sentinel animals were not infected

The effects of sunlight exposure on the neutron response of CN-85 track detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, N.; Mirza, N.M.; Mirza, S.K.; Tufail, M.

1996-01-01

The effect of sunlight exposure on the neutron response of CN-85 track detectors has been studied. It has been observed that the response during the first 28 days of sunlight exposure is slightly enhanced (10%) and then deceases continuously with increase in the sunlight exposure. After 84 days of sunlight exposure the response of the exposed detector relative to an unexposed detector is only 22%. It is also observed that the response can not be maintained by wrapping the CN-85 etch track detectors in typewriter black carbon papers if they are exposed to sunlight. (author)

Major Natural Disasters in China, 1985–2014: Occurrence and Damages

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Weixiao; Liang, Chen; Jiang, Baofa; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Ying

2016-01-01

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of natural disasters and associated losses from 1985 to 2014. The Mann-Kendall method was used to detect any long-term trends and abrupt changes. Hotspot analysis was conducted to detect the spatial clusters of disasters. We found an increasing trend in the occurrence of integrated natural disasters (tau = 0.594, p natural disasters in 1998–2000. Hotspots of droughts, floods, landslides and storms were identified in central, southern, southwest and southeast areas of China, respectively. Annual deaths from integrated natural disasters were decreasing (tau = −0.237, p = 0.068) at about 32 persons/year, decreasing at 17 persons/year for floods (tau = −0.154, p = 0.239), and decreasing at approximately 12 persons/year for storms (tau = −0.338, p = 0.009). No significant trend was detected in inflation-adjusted damages while a declining trend was detected in the ratio of year damage against GDP (gross domestic product). In conclusion, there has been an increasing trend in occurrence of natural disasters in China with the absence of an increase in life and economic losses. Despite the progress in the disaster adaption, there will be great challenges in disaster control for China in the future. PMID:27834899

Investigation of sunlight-induced deterioration of aroma of pummelo (Citrus maxima) essential oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hao; Ni, Hui; Yang, Yuanfan; Wu, Ling; Cai, Hui-nong; Xiao, An-feng; Chen, Feng

2014-12-10

Deterioration of aromas of pummelo essential oil (EO) induced by sunlight was compared to those induced by heat and oxygen exposure using the techniques of sensory evaluation and GC-MS analysis. The sunlight-exposed EO was found to possess an oily off-flavor odor, which was significantly different from its counterparts induced by oxygen and heat. The strong oily note of the sunlight-exposed EO was attributed to the existence of linalool oxides and limonene oxides, as well as the lack of neral and geranial, for which UV sunlight was revealed to be the critical contributor causing the chemical reactions for the aroma changes. The results demonstrated that UV sunlight could significantly affect the aroma of the pummelo EO, providing valuable information that will benefit the production and storage of EO-based aromatic products.

Avances recientes en HIV/SIDA: Patogénesis, historia natural y carga viral

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael E Campo

1996-10-01

Full Text Available Results of recent investigations have given us a new understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV infection. This findings provide us with a kinetic model of pathogenesis in which continuous, high-grade viral replication. This findings provide us with a kinetic model of pathogenesis in which continuous, high-grade viral replication is the principal force driving the destruction of CD4 lymphocytes. This knowledge will lead us to design better treatment strategies directed to curtail viral replication and prevent the emergence of viral resistance, and the use of combination antiretroviral therapy is a first example of these new strategies. The concept of viral load is introduced, and we discuss the usefulness of viral load in the clinical prognosis of this disease, and its use as an aid in the decision-making process when starling or mordifyng antiretroviral therapy in our patients. (Rev Med Hered 1996; 7: 182-188.

Prospecting for viral natural enemies of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta in Argentina.

Science.gov (United States)

Valles, Steven M; Porter, Sanford D; Calcaterra, Luis A

2018-01-01

Metagenomics and next generation sequencing were employed to discover new virus natural enemies of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren in its native range (i.e., Formosa, Argentina) with the ultimate goal of testing and releasing new viral pathogens into U.S. S. invicta populations to provide natural, sustainable control of this ant. RNA was purified from worker ants from 182 S. invicta colonies, which was pooled into 4 groups according to location. A library was created from each group and sequenced using Illumina Miseq technology. After a series of winnowing methods to remove S. invicta genes, known S. invicta virus genes, and all other non-virus gene sequences, 61,944 unique singletons were identified with virus identity. These were assembled de novo yielding 171 contiguous sequences with significant identity to non-plant virus genes. Fifteen contiguous sequences exhibited very high expression rates and were detected in all four gene libraries. One contig (Contig_29) exhibited the highest expression level overall and across all four gene libraries. Random amplification of cDNA ends analyses expanded this contiguous sequence yielding a complete virus genome, which we have provisionally named Solenopsis invicta virus 5 (SINV-5). SINV-5 is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus with genome characteristics consistent with insect-infecting viruses from the family Dicistroviridae. Moreover, the replicative genome strand of SINV-5 was detected in worker ants indicating that S. invicta serves as host for the virus. Many additional sequences were identified that are likely of viral origin. These sequences await further investigation to determine their origins and relationship with S. invicta. This study expands knowledge of the RNA virome diversity found within S. invicta populations.

Viral infections as controlling factors for the deep biosphere? (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Engelen, B.; Engelhardt, T.; Sahlberg, M.; Cypionka, H.

2009-12-01

The marine deep biosphere represents the largest biotope on Earth. Throughout the last years, we have obtained interesting insights into its microbial community composition. However, one component that was completely overlooked so far is the viral inventory of deep-subsurface sediments. While viral infections were identified to have a major impact on the benthic microflora of deep-sea surface sediments (Danavaro et al. 2008), no studies were performed on deep-biosphere samples, so far. As grazers probably play only a minor role in anoxic and highly compressed deep sediments, viruses might be the main “predators” for indigenous microorganisms. Furthermore, the release of cell components, called “the viral shunt”, could have a major impact on the deep biosphere in providing labile organic compounds to non-infected microorganisms in these generally nutrient depleted sediments. However, direct counting of viruses in sediments is highly challenging due to the small size of viruses and the high background of small particles. Even molecular surveys using “universal” PCR primers that target phage-specific genes fail due to the vast phage diversity. One solution for this problem is the lysogenic viral life cycle as many bacteriophages integrate their DNA into the host genome. It is estimated that up to 70% of cultivated bacteria contain prophages within their genome. Therefore, culture collections (Batzke et al. 2007) represent an archive of the viral composition within the respective habitat. These prophages can be induced to become free phage particles in stimulation experiments in which the host cells are set under certain stress situations such as a treatment with UV exposure or DNA-damaging antibiotics. The study of the viral component within the deep biosphere offers to answer the following questions: To which extent are deep-biosphere populations controlled by viral infections? What is the inter- and intra-specific diversity and the host-specific viral

Degadation of semiconducting polymers by concentrated sunlight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tromholt, Thomas; Manceau, Matthieu; Petersen, Martin Helgesen

2011-01-01

infra-red spectra of MEH-PPV degraded at 1 sun intensity and at high solar concentration only showed minor deviations in degradation mechanisms. The acceleration factor was found to vary linearly with the solar concentration. Finally, a comparison of the degradation rates at 1 sun and 100 suns...... was carried out in a materials study employing five different conjugated polymers relevant to polymer solar cells for which acceleration factors in the range 19–55 were obtained.......A lens based sunlight concentration setup was used to accelerate the degradation of semiconducting polymers. Sunlight was collected outdoor and focused into an optical fiber bundle allowing for indoor experimental work. Photo-degradation of several polymers was studied by UV–vis absorbance...

Natural resource damage assessment models for Great Lakes, coastal, and marine environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

French, D.P.; Reed, M.

1993-01-01

A computer model of the physical fates, biological effects, and economic damages resulting from releases of oil and other hazardous materials has been developed by Applied Science Associates to be used in Type A natural resource damage assessments under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). Natural resource damage assessment models for great lakes environments and for coastal and marine environments will become available. A coupled geographical information system allows gridded representation of complex coastal boundaries, variable bathymetry, shoreline types, and multiple biological habitats. The physical and biological models are three dimensional. Direct mortality from toxic concentrations and oiling, impacts of habitat loss, and food web losses are included in the model. Estimation of natural resource damages is based both on the lost value of injured resources and on the costs of restoring or replacing those resources. The models are implemented on a personal computer, with a VGA graphical user interface. Following public review, the models will become a formal part of the US regulatory framework. The models are programmed in a modular and generic fashion, to facilitate transportability and application to new areas. The model has several major components. Physical fates and biological effects submodels estimate impacts or injury resulting from a spill. The hydrodynamic submodel calculates currents that transport contaminant(s) or organisms. The compensable value submodel values injuries to help assess damages. The restoration submodel determines what restoration actions will most cost-effectively reduce injuries as measured by compensable values. Injury and restoration costs are assessed for each of a series of habitats (environments) affected by the spill. Environmental, chemical, and biological databases supply required information to the model for computing fates and effects (injury)

Viral Causes of Hearing Loss: A Review for Hearing Health Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Brandon E.; Durstenfeld, Anne

2014-01-01

A number of viral infections can cause hearing loss. Hearing loss induced by these viruses can be congenital or acquired, unilateral or bilateral. Certain viral infections can directly damage inner ear structures, others can induce inflammatory responses which then cause this damage, and still others can increase susceptibility or bacterial or fungal infection, leading to hearing loss. Typically, virus-induced hearing loss is sensorineural, although conductive and mixed hearing losses can be seen following infection with certain viruses. Occasionally, recovery of hearing after these infections can occur spontaneously. Most importantly, some of these viral infections can be prevented or treated. For many of these viruses, guidelines for their treatment or prevention have recently been revised. In this review, we outline many of the viruses that cause hearing loss, their epidemiology, course, prevention, and treatment. PMID:25080364

Viral Determinants of FeLV Infection and Pathogenesis: Lessons Learned from Analysis of a Natural Cohort

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura S. Levy

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Detailed analysis has been performed over many years of a geographic and temporal cohort of cats naturally infected with feline leukemia virus (FeLV. Molecular analysis of FeLV present in the diseased tissues and application of those viruses to experimental systems has revealed unique isolates with distinctive disease potential, previously uncharacterized virus-receptor interactions, information about the role of recombinant viruses in disease induction, and novel viral and cellular oncogenes implicated in pathogenesis, among other findings. The studies have contributed to an understanding of the selective forces that lead to predominance of distinctive FeLV isolates and disease outcomes in a natural population.

Adapting ecological risk valuation for natural resource damage assessment in water pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shuzhen; Wu, Desheng

2018-07-01

Ecological risk assessment can address requirements of natural resource damage assessment by quantifying the magnitude of possible damages to the ecosystem. This paper investigates an approach to assess water damages from pollution incident on the basis of concentrations of contaminants. The baseline of water pollution is determined with not-to-exceed concentration of contaminants required by water quality standards. The values of damage cost to water quality are estimated through sewage treatment cost. To get a reliable estimate of treatment cost, DEA is employed to classify samples of sewage plants based on their efficiency of sewage treatment. And exponential fitting is adopted to determine the relation between treatment cost and the decrease of COCs. The range of damage costs is determined through the fitting curves respectively based on efficient and inefficient samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of low velocity impact damage on the natural frequency of composite plates

Science.gov (United States)

Chok, E. Y. L.; Majid, D. L. A. A.; Harmin, M. Y.

2017-12-01

Biodegradable natural fibers have been suggested to replace the hazardous synthetic fibers in many aerospace applications. However, this notion has been limited due to their low mechanical properties, which leads to the idea of hybridizing the two materials. Many aircraft components such as radome, aft body and wing are highly susceptible to low velocity impact damage while in-service. The damages degrade the structural integrity of the components and change their dynamic characteristics. In worst case scenario, the changes can lead to resonance, which is an excessive vibration. This research is conducted to study the dynamic characteristic changes of low velocity impact damaged hybrid composites that is designed for aircraft radome applications. Three materials, which are glass fiber, kenaf fiber and kenaf/glass fiber hybrid composites, have been impacted with 3J, 6J and 9J of energy. Cantilevered and also vertically clamped boundary conditions are used and the natural frequencies are extracted for each of the specimens. The obtained results show that natural frequency decreases with increasing impact level. Cantilevered condition is found to induce lower modes due to the gravitational pull. To eliminate mass and geometrical effects, normalized modes are computed. Among the three materials considered, glass fiber composites have displayed the highest normalized frequency that reflects on its higher stiffness compared to the other two materials. As the damage level is increased, glass fiber composites have shown the highest frequency reduction to a maximum of 35% while kenaf composites have the least frequency reduction in the range of 1 - 18%. Thus, kenaf fiber is taken to be helpful in stalling the damage progression and reducing the effect of damage. This has been proven when the percentage frequency decrement shown by kenaf/glass fiber composite lies between glass fiber and kenaf fiber composites.

Sunlight simulators-the key to understanding the physiological effects of the sun

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Singh, A

2006-07-01

Full Text Available simulator Slide 4 © CSIR 2006 www.csir.co.za ۞ Benefits of natural sunlight ۞ Restrictions of lifestyles ۞ Common misconceptions ۞ Experimental setups Slide 5 © CSIR 2006 www.csir.co.za Cancer Males...,043 181,439 Lung 965,241 848,132 386,891 330,786 Melanoma of skin 79,043 21,952 81,134 18,829 Breast 1,151,298 410,712 Leukemia 171,037 125,142 129,485 97,364 All sites but skin 5,801,839 3,795,991 5,060,657 2...

Accelerated stability testing of organic photovoltaics using concentrated sunlight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Katz, Eugene A.; Manor, Assaf; Mescheloff, Asaf

2012-01-01

We suggest to use concentrated sunlight for accelerated studies of light-induced mechanisms in the degradation of organic photovoltaics (OPV) based on the polymer (P3HT)/fullerene (PCBM) bulk heterojunctions. Two particular cases of the degradation are reported.......We suggest to use concentrated sunlight for accelerated studies of light-induced mechanisms in the degradation of organic photovoltaics (OPV) based on the polymer (P3HT)/fullerene (PCBM) bulk heterojunctions. Two particular cases of the degradation are reported....

Structural Damage Detection Using Changes in Natural Frequencies: Theory and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

He, K.; Zhu, W. D.

2011-07-01

A vibration-based method that uses changes in natural frequencies of a structure to detect damage has advantages over conventional nondestructive tests in detecting various types of damage, including loosening of bolted joints, using minimum measurement data. Two major challenges associated with applications of the vibration-based damage detection method to engineering structures are addressed: accurate modeling of structures and the development of a robust inverse algorithm to detect damage, which are defined as the forward and inverse problems, respectively. To resolve the forward problem, new physics-based finite element modeling techniques are developed for fillets in thin-walled beams and for bolted joints, so that complex structures can be accurately modeled with a reasonable model size. To resolve the inverse problem, a logistical function transformation is introduced to convert the constrained optimization problem to an unconstrained one, and a robust iterative algorithm using a trust-region method, called the Levenberg-Marquardt method, is developed to accurately detect the locations and extent of damage. The new methodology can ensure global convergence of the iterative algorithm in solving under-determined system equations and deal with damage detection problems with relatively large modeling error and measurement noise. The vibration-based damage detection method is applied to various structures including lightning masts, a space frame structure and one of its components, and a pipeline. The exact locations and extent of damage can be detected in the numerical simulation where there is no modeling error and measurement noise. The locations and extent of damage can be successfully detected in experimental damage detection.

Structural Damage Detection Using Changes in Natural Frequencies: Theory and Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, K; Zhu, W D

2011-01-01

A vibration-based method that uses changes in natural frequencies of a structure to detect damage has advantages over conventional nondestructive tests in detecting various types of damage, including loosening of bolted joints, using minimum measurement data. Two major challenges associated with applications of the vibration-based damage detection method to engineering structures are addressed: accurate modeling of structures and the development of a robust inverse algorithm to detect damage, which are defined as the forward and inverse problems, respectively. To resolve the forward problem, new physics-based finite element modeling techniques are developed for fillets in thin-walled beams and for bolted joints, so that complex structures can be accurately modeled with a reasonable model size. To resolve the inverse problem, a logistical function transformation is introduced to convert the constrained optimization problem to an unconstrained one, and a robust iterative algorithm using a trust-region method, called the Levenberg-Marquardt method, is developed to accurately detect the locations and extent of damage. The new methodology can ensure global convergence of the iterative algorithm in solving under-determined system equations and deal with damage detection problems with relatively large modeling error and measurement noise. The vibration-based damage detection method is applied to various structures including lightning masts, a space frame structure and one of its components, and a pipeline. The exact locations and extent of damage can be detected in the numerical simulation where there is no modeling error and measurement noise. The locations and extent of damage can be successfully detected in experimental damage detection.

Viral diseases of marine invertebrates

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, P. T.

1984-03-01

Approximately 40 viruses are known from marine sponges; turbellarian and monogenetic flatworms; cephalopod, bivalve, and gastropod mollusks; nereid polychaetes; and isopod and decapod crustaceans. Most of the viruses can be tentatively assigned to the Herpesviridae, Baculoviridae, Iridoviridae, Adenoviridae, Papovaviridae, Reoviridae, “Birnaviridae”, Bunyaviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Picornaviridae. Viruslike particles found in oysters might be representatives of the Togaviridae and Retroviridae. Enveloped single-stranded RNA viruses from crustaceans have developmental and morphological characteristics intermediate between families, and some show evidence of relationships to the Paramyxoviridae as well as the Bunyaviridae or Rhabdoviridae. Certain small viruses of shrimp cannot be assigned, even tentatively, to a particular family. Some viruses cause disease in wild and captive hosts, others are associated with disease states but may not be primary instigators, and many occur in apparently normal animals. The frequency of viral disease in natural populations of marine invertebrates is unknown. Several viruses that cause disease in captive animals, with or without experimental intervention, have also been found in diseased wild hosts, including herpeslike viruses of crabs and oysters, iridovirus of octopus, and reolike and bunyalike viruses of crabs. Iridolike viruses have been implicated in massive mortalities of cultured oysters. Baculoviruses, and IHHN virus, which is of uncertain affinities, cause economically damaging diseases in cultured penaeid shrimp. Double or multiple viral infection is common in crabs. For example, a reolike virus and associated rhabdolike virus act synergistically to cause paralytic and fatal disease in Callinectes sapidus. Information on host range, most susceptible stage, and viral latency is available only for viruses of shrimp. One baculovirus attacks five species of New World penaeid shrimp. IHHN virus infects three species of

Ethical Considerations in Research Participation Virality.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis-Barton, Carol

2016-07-01

This article seeks to commence and encourage discussion around the upcoming ethical challenges of virality in network structures. When the call for participation in a research project on lupus in Ireland went from an advertisement in a newsletter to a meme (unit of transmissible information) on a closed Facebook page, the ethical considerations of virality were raised. The article analyzes the Association of Internet Researchers guidelines, Facebook policies, and the context of privacy in relation to virality. Virality creates the leverage for methodological pluralism. The nature of the inquiry can determine the method rather than the other way around. Viral ethical considerations are evolving due to the cyber world becoming the primary meme of communication, with flexibility in the researcher's protocol providing opportunities for efficient, cost-effective, and diverse recruitment. © The Author(s) 2016.

Prospecting for viral natural enemies of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta in Argentina.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven M Valles

Full Text Available Metagenomics and next generation sequencing were employed to discover new virus natural enemies of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren in its native range (i.e., Formosa, Argentina with the ultimate goal of testing and releasing new viral pathogens into U.S. S. invicta populations to provide natural, sustainable control of this ant. RNA was purified from worker ants from 182 S. invicta colonies, which was pooled into 4 groups according to location. A library was created from each group and sequenced using Illumina Miseq technology. After a series of winnowing methods to remove S. invicta genes, known S. invicta virus genes, and all other non-virus gene sequences, 61,944 unique singletons were identified with virus identity. These were assembled de novo yielding 171 contiguous sequences with significant identity to non-plant virus genes. Fifteen contiguous sequences exhibited very high expression rates and were detected in all four gene libraries. One contig (Contig_29 exhibited the highest expression level overall and across all four gene libraries. Random amplification of cDNA ends analyses expanded this contiguous sequence yielding a complete virus genome, which we have provisionally named Solenopsis invicta virus 5 (SINV-5. SINV-5 is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus with genome characteristics consistent with insect-infecting viruses from the family Dicistroviridae. Moreover, the replicative genome strand of SINV-5 was detected in worker ants indicating that S. invicta serves as host for the virus. Many additional sequences were identified that are likely of viral origin. These sequences await further investigation to determine their origins and relationship with S. invicta. This study expands knowledge of the RNA virome diversity found within S. invicta populations.

Psoriasis, Psoralen and Sunlight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.P.C Naik

1979-01-01

Full Text Available Topical or oral administration of photoactive furocumarins followed by exposure to ultra violet light from artificial sources has been shown previously to clear psoriatic lesions. Sunlight has been chosen as the source of UVL m two separate paired comparison studies using topical and, oral 4,5, 8 trimethylpsoralen. Two out of 21 on topical therapy and none out of 6 patients on oral paired-comparison study showed faster clearance of the drug treated lesions compared to control sites.

Inactivation and mutation induction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to simulated sunlight: evaluation of action spectra.

Science.gov (United States)

Schenk-Meuser, K; Pawlowsky, K; Kiefer, J

1992-07-15

The effectiveness of polychromatic light irradiation was investigated for haploid yeast cells. Inactivation and mutation induction were measured in both a RAD-wildtype strain and an excision-repair defective strain. The behaviour of vegetative "wet" cells was compared to that of dehydrated cells. The aim of the study was to assess the interaction of UVC with other wavelengths in cells of different states of humidity. The irradiation procedure was therefore carried out using a solar simulator either with full spectrum or with a UVC-blocking filter (modified sunlight) added. The results were analysed on the basis of separately determined action spectra. The summation of the efficiency of individual wavelengths was compared to the values obtained from polychromatic irradiation. It is shown that the effects caused by the whole-spectrum irradiation in wet cells can be predicted sufficiently from the calculation, while dried wildtype cells exhibit higher mutation rates. Thus it can be assumed that drying-specific damage leads to lethal and mutagenic lesions which are processed in different ways, causing a synergistic behaviour in mutation induction. Irradiation of vegetative cells with modified sunlight (UVC-) results in less inactivation and lower mutation rates than were calculated. From these results it can be concluded that this antagonistic behaviour is caused by the interaction of near-UV photoproducts.

Human Parvovirus B19 Utilizes Cellular DNA Replication Machinery for Viral DNA Replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Wei; Wang, Zekun; Xiong, Min; Chen, Aaron Yun; Xu, Peng; Ganaie, Safder S; Badawi, Yomna; Kleiboeker, Steve; Nishimune, Hiroshi; Ye, Shui Qing; Qiu, Jianming

2018-03-01

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection of human erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) induces a DNA damage response and cell cycle arrest at late S phase, which facilitates viral DNA replication. However, it is not clear exactly which cellular factors are employed by this single-stranded DNA virus. Here, we used microarrays to systematically analyze the dynamic transcriptome of EPCs infected with B19V. We found that DNA metabolism, DNA replication, DNA repair, DNA damage response, cell cycle, and cell cycle arrest pathways were significantly regulated after B19V infection. Confocal microscopy analyses revealed that most cellular DNA replication proteins were recruited to the centers of viral DNA replication, but not the DNA repair DNA polymerases. Our results suggest that DNA replication polymerase δ and polymerase α are responsible for B19V DNA replication by knocking down its expression in EPCs. We further showed that although RPA32 is essential for B19V DNA replication and the phosphorylated forms of RPA32 colocalized with the replicating viral genomes, RPA32 phosphorylation was not necessary for B19V DNA replication. Thus, this report provides evidence that B19V uses the cellular DNA replication machinery for viral DNA replication. IMPORTANCE Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection can cause transient aplastic crisis, persistent viremia, and pure red cell aplasia. In fetuses, B19V infection can result in nonimmune hydrops fetalis and fetal death. These clinical manifestations of B19V infection are a direct outcome of the death of human erythroid progenitors that host B19V replication. B19V infection induces a DNA damage response that is important for cell cycle arrest at late S phase. Here, we analyzed dynamic changes in cellular gene expression and found that DNA metabolic processes are tightly regulated during B19V infection. Although genes involved in cellular DNA replication were downregulated overall, the cellular DNA replication machinery was tightly

Intensity correlation imaging with sunlight-like source

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wentao; Tang, Zhiguo; Zheng, Huaibin; Chen, Hui; Yuan, Yuan; Liu, Jinbin; Liu, Yanyan; Xu, Zhuo

2018-05-01

We show a method of intensity correlation imaging of targets illuminated by a sunlight-like source both theoretically and experimentally. With a Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter (FADOF), we have modulated the coherence time of a thermal source up to 0.167 ns. And we carried out measurements of temporal and spatial correlations, respectively, with an intensity interferometer setup. By skillfully using the even Fourier fitting on the very sparse sampling data, the images of targets are successfully reconstructed from the low signal-noise-ratio(SNR) interference pattern by applying an iterative phase retrieval algorithm. The resulting imaging quality is as well as the one obtained by the theoretical fitting. The realization of such a case will bring this technique closer to geostationary satellite imaging illuminated by sunlight.

Natural hazard losses: A DOE (Department of Energy) perspective. Injury and property damage experience from natural phenomena hazards Department of Energy 1943-1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, J.R.

1989-01-01

This presentation provides a perspective of DOE losses during the past 46 years even though loss data was not readily available for all DOE operations. As such this paper is considered preliminary and more work is needed to provide an informed view of all DOE losses. Review of the reported historical losses has provided an opportunity to create an awareness of the extent and location of a wide variety of natural phenomena hazards that have caused damage at most DOE sites. Some suggestions and observations to consider are: (1) mitigation strategies may achieve greatest reductions in wind damage; (2) most damage has occurred to conventional construction; (3) lightning damage review may provide insight for design standards change; (4) flood damage occurred where least expected. Through this awareness, the author hopes we are encouraged to provide our ideas and our professional skills for a Decade of Natural Hazard Reduction in the Department of Energy

Activation of DNA damage repair pathways by murine polyomavirus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heiser, Katie; Nicholas, Catherine; Garcea, Robert L., E-mail: Robert.Garcea@Colorado.edu

2016-10-15

Nuclear replication of DNA viruses activates DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways, which are thought to detect and inhibit viral replication. However, many DNA viruses also depend on these pathways in order to optimally replicate their genomes. We investigated the relationship between murine polyomavirus (MuPyV) and components of DDR signaling pathways including CHK1, CHK2, H2AX, ATR, and DNAPK. We found that recruitment and retention of DDR proteins at viral replication centers was independent of H2AX, as well as the viral small and middle T-antigens. Additionally, infectious virus production required ATR kinase activity, but was independent of CHK1, CHK2, or DNAPK signaling. ATR inhibition did not reduce the total amount of viral DNA accumulated, but affected the amount of virus produced, indicating a defect in virus assembly. These results suggest that MuPyV may utilize a subset of DDR proteins or non-canonical DDR signaling pathways in order to efficiently replicate and assemble. -- Highlights: •Murine polyomavirus activates and recruits DNA damage repair (DDR) proteins to replication centers. •Large T-antigen mediates recruitment of DDR proteins to viral replication centers. •Inhibition or knockout of CHK1, CHK2, DNA-PK or H2AX do not affect viral titers. •Inhibition of ATR activity reduces viral titers, but not viral DNA accumulation.

A generic approach for sunlight and shadow impact computation on large city models

OpenAIRE

Jaillot , Vincent; Pedrinis , Frédéric; Servigne , Sylvie; Gesquière , Gilles

2017-01-01

International audience; Study of sunlight and shadow effects on the city has become more accessible with the development of 3D citymodels. It allows measuring when and how an object is exposed to the sunlight, which enables conducting manyrelated studies such as energy analyses or urban planning. While many works have been done for this purpose, itmay be interesting to know which objects (terrain, buildings, trees, etc.) prevent other objects from beingexposed to the sunlight. In this paper w...

Natural Resource Damages Settlement Projects at the Fernald Preserve - 12316

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Powell, Jane [Fernald Preserve Site Manager, DOE Office of Legacy Management, Harrison, Ohio (United States); Schneider, Tom [Fernald Project Manager, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Dayton, Ohio (United States); Hertel, Bill [Project Manager, S.M. Stoller Corporation, Harrison, Ohio (United States); Homer, John [Environmental Scientist, S.M. Stoller Corporation, Harrison, Ohio (United States)

2012-07-01

This paper describes the development and implementation of two ecological restoration projects at the Fernald Preserve that are funded through a CERCLA natural resource damage settlement. The Paddys Run Tributary Project involves creation of vernal pool wetland habitat with adjacent forest restoration. The Triangle Area Project is a mesic tall-grass prairie establishment, similar to other efforts at the Fernald Preserve. The goal of the Fernald Natural Resource Trustees is to establish habitat for Ambystomatid salamander species, as well as grassland birds. Planning and implementation of on-property ecological restoration projects is one component of compensation for natural resource injury. As with the rest of the Fernald Preserve, ecological restoration has helped turn a DOE liability into a community asset. (authors)

In situ observations of microscale damage evolution in unidirectional natural fibre composites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rask, Morten; Madsen, Bo; Sørensen, Bent F.

2012-01-01

Synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM) has been used to observe in situ damage evolution in unidirectional flax fibre yarn/polypropylene composites loaded in uniaxial tension at stress levels between 20% and 95% of the ultimate failure stress. XTM allows for 3D visualization of the internal...... damage state at each stress level. The overall aim of the study is to gain a better understanding of the damage mechanisms in natural fibre composites. This is necessary if they are to be optimized to fulfil their promising potential. Three dominating damage mechanisms have been identified: (i) interface...... splitting cracks typically seen at the interfaces of bundles of unseparated fibres, (ii) matrix shear cracks, and (iii) fibre failures typically seen at fibre defects. Based on the findings in the present study, well separated fibres with a low number of defects are recommended for composite reinforcements....

Bacterial growth in humic waters exposed to UV-radiation and simulated sunlight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Corin, N.; Backlund, P.; Wiklund, T.

1998-01-01

Sterile filtered (0.45 mu m) humic lake water was exposed to simulated sunlight (300-800 nm) or W-radiation (254 run)for various periods of times and the dissolved organic carbon content, absorbance at 254 and 460 nm and PH were recorded. The irradiated water was inoculated with a natural bacterial...... assemblage and the number of viable bacteria war estimated 3 and 5 days after the inoculation using the plate count technique. The number of viable bacteria increased with the irradiation time indicating that the chemical changes of the humus macromolecules observed during irradiation resulted...

Skin protection against UVA-induced iron damage by multiantioxidants and iron chelating drugs/prodrugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Reelfs, Olivier; Eggleston, Ian M; Pourzand, Charareh

2010-03-01

In humans, prolonged sunlight exposure is associated with various pathological states. The continuing drive to develop improved skin protection involves not only approaches to reduce DNA damage by solar ultraviolet B (UVB) but also the development of methodologies to provide protection against ultraviolet A (UVA), the oxidising component of sunlight. Furthermore identification of specific cellular events following ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is likely to provide clues as to the mechanism of the development of resulting pathologies and therefore strategies for protection. Our discovery that UVA radiation, leads to an immediate measurable increase in 'labile' iron in human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes provides a new insight into UVA-induced skin damage, since iron is a catalyst of biological oxidations. The main purpose of this overview is to bring together some of the new findings related to mechanisms underlying UVA-induced iron release and to discuss novel approaches based on the use of multiantioxidants and light-activated caged-iron chelators for efficient protection of skin cells against UVA-induced iron damage.

Sunlight exposure and sun sensitivity associated with disability progression in multiple sclerosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D'hooghe, M. B.; Haentjens, P.; Nagels, G.; Garmyn, M.; De Keyser, J.

Background: Sunlight and vitamin D have been inversely associated with the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective: We investigated sunlight exposure and sun sensitivity in relation to disability progression in MS. Methods: We conducted a survey among persons with MS, registered by the Flemish MS

A pathway for sustainable conversion of sunlight to hydrogen using proposed compact CPV system

KAUST Repository

Burhan, Muhammad; Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil; Oh, Seung Jin; Ng, Kim Choon

2018-01-01

Solar energy being intermittent in nature, can provide a sustainable, steady and high density energy source when converted into electrolytic hydrogen. However, in current photovoltaic market trend with 99% conventional single junction PV panels, this cannot be achieved efficiently and economically. The advent of the multi-junction solar cells (MJCs), with cell-efficiency exceeding 46%, has yet to receive wide spread acceptance in the current PV market in form of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system, because of its system design complexity, limiting its application scope and customers. The objective of this paper is to develop a low cost compact CPV system that will not only eliminate its application and installation related restrictions but it is also introducing a highly efficient and sustainable photovoltaic system for common consumer, to convert intermittent sunlight into green hydrogen. The developed CPV system negates the common conviction by showing two times more power output than the flat plate PV, in tropical region. In addition, sunlight to hydrogen conversion efficiency of 18% is recorded for CPV, which is two times higher than alone electricity production efficiency of flat plate PV.

A pathway for sustainable conversion of sunlight to hydrogen using proposed compact CPV system

KAUST Repository

Burhan, Muhammad

2018-03-22

Solar energy being intermittent in nature, can provide a sustainable, steady and high density energy source when converted into electrolytic hydrogen. However, in current photovoltaic market trend with 99% conventional single junction PV panels, this cannot be achieved efficiently and economically. The advent of the multi-junction solar cells (MJCs), with cell-efficiency exceeding 46%, has yet to receive wide spread acceptance in the current PV market in form of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system, because of its system design complexity, limiting its application scope and customers. The objective of this paper is to develop a low cost compact CPV system that will not only eliminate its application and installation related restrictions but it is also introducing a highly efficient and sustainable photovoltaic system for common consumer, to convert intermittent sunlight into green hydrogen. The developed CPV system negates the common conviction by showing two times more power output than the flat plate PV, in tropical region. In addition, sunlight to hydrogen conversion efficiency of 18% is recorded for CPV, which is two times higher than alone electricity production efficiency of flat plate PV.

Radiation damage in natural and synthetic halite. Progress report January 1992 - February 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia Celma, A.

1993-12-01

This report complements the information presented in the report of December 1992 regarding the research performed at the ECN on radiation damage in salt. It consists of two parts. The first part regards the amount of stored energy which can be developed by gamma-irradiation on different types of halite and considers both the effect of low dose rates in developing radiation damage, and the possible saturation level of radiation damage in natural halite. The second part presents a model to simulate radiation damage development which incorporates some extensions in the Jain-Lidiard model. Due to malfunction of the Small Angle Neutron Scattering installation, neither the previously reported results nor the newly obtained can be trusted and therefore are not reported here. These results regard the shape, size and size distribution of radiation damage defects. (orig.)

Bacterial natural transformation by highly fragmented and damaged DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overballe-Petersen, Søren; Harms, Klaus; Orlando, Ludovic Antoine Alexandre

2013-01-01

for microbes, but not as potential substrate for bacterial evolution. Here, we show that fragmented DNA molecules (≥20 bp) that additionally may contain abasic sites, cross-links, or miscoding lesions are acquired by the environmental bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi through natural transformation. With uptake......DNA molecules are continuously released through decomposition of organic matter and are ubiquitous in most environments. Such DNA becomes fragmented and damaged (often DNA is recognized as nutrient source...... of DNA from a 43,000-y-old woolly mammoth bone, we further demonstrate that such natural transformation events include ancient DNA molecules. We find that the DNA recombination is RecA recombinase independent and is directly linked to DNA replication. We show that the adjacent nucleotide variations...

Radiation damage in natural materials: implications for radioactive waste forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, R.C.

1981-01-01

The long-term effect of radiation damage on waste forms, either crystalline or glass, is a factor in the evaluation of the integrity of waste disposal mediums. Natural analogs, such as metamict minerals, provide one approach for the evaluaton of radiation damage effects that might be observed in crystalline waste forms, such as supercalcine or synroc. Metamict minerals are a special class of amorphous materials which were initially crystalline. Although the mechanism for the loss of crystallinity in these minerals (mostly actinide-containing oxides and silicates) is not clearly understood, damage caused by alpha particles and recoil nuclei is critical to the metamictization process. The study of metamict minerals allows the evaluation of long-term radiation damage effects, particularly changes in physical and chemical properties such as microfracturing, hydrothermal alteration, and solubility. In addition, structures susceptible to metamictization share some common properties: (1) complex compositions; (2) some degree of covalent bonding, instead of being ionic close-packed MO/sub x/ structures; and (3) channels or interstitial voids which may accommodate displaced atoms or absorbed water. On the basis of these empirical criteria, minerals such as pollucite, sodalite, nepheline and leucite warrant careful scrutiny as potential waste form phases. Phases with the monazite or fluorite structures are excellent candidates

The double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase mediates viral-induced encephalitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheuner, Donalyn; Gromeier, Matthias; Davies, Monique V.; Dorner, Andrew J.; Song Benbo; Patel, Rupali V.; Wimmer, Eckard J.; McLendon, Roger E.; Kaufman, Randal J.

2003-01-01

The double-stranded (ds) RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) plays an important role in control of viral infections and cell growth. We have studied the role of PKR in viral infection in mice that are defective in the PKR signaling pathway. Transgenic mice were derived that constitutively express a trans-dominant-negative kinase-defective mutant PKR under control of the β-actin promoter. The trans-dominant-negative PKR mutant expressing transgenic mice do not have a detectable phenotype, similar to observations with PKR knock-out mice. The requirement for PKR in viral pathogenesis was studied by intracerebral infection of mice with a mouse-adapted poliovirus. Histopathological analysis revealed diffuse encephalomyelitis with severe inflammatory lesions throughout the central nervous system (CNS) in infected wild-type mice. In contrast, histopathological evaluation of virus-injected trans-dominant-negative PKR transgenic mice as well as PKR knock-out mice yielded no signs of tissue damage associated with inflammatory host responses. However, the virus did replicate in both models of PKR-deficient mice at a level equal to that observed in wild-type infected mice. Although the results indicate a clear difference in susceptibility to poliovirus-induced encephalitis, this difference manifests clinically as a slight delay in fatal neuropathy in trans-dominant-negative PKR transgenic and PKR knock-out animals. Our observations support the finding that viral-induced PKR activation may play a significant role in pathogenesis by mediating the host response to viral CNS infection. They support PKR to be an effective target to control tissue damage due to deleterious host responses to viral infection

Reversible degradation of inverted organic solar cells by concentrated sunlight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tromholt, Thomas; Krebs, Frederik C; Manor, Assaf; Katz, Eugene A

2011-01-01

Concentrated sunlight was used to study the performance response of inverted P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells after exposure to high intensity sunlight. Correlations of efficiency as a function of solar intensity were established in the range of 0.5-15 suns at three different stages: for a pristine cell, after 30 min exposure at 5 suns and after 30 min of rest in the dark. High intensity exposure introduced a major performance decrease for all solar intensities, followed by a partial recovery of the lost performance over time: at 1 sun only 6% of the initial performance was conserved after the high intensity exposure, while after rest the performance had recovered to 60% of the initial value. The timescale of the recovery effect was studied by monitoring the cell performance at 1 sun after high intensity exposure. This showed that cell performance was almost completely restored after 180 min. The transient state is believed to be a result of the breakdown of the diode behaviour of the ZnO electron transport layer by O 2 desorption, increasing the hole conductivity. These results imply that accelerated degradation of organic solar cells by concentrated sunlight is not a straightforward process, and care has to be taken to allow for a sound accelerated lifetime assessment based on concentrated sunlight.

Benchmarking Discount Rate in Natural Resource Damage Assessment with Risk Aversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Desheng; Chen, Shuzhen

2017-08-01

Benchmarking a credible discount rate is of crucial importance in natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) and restoration evaluation. This article integrates a holistic framework of NRDA with prevailing low discount rate theory, and proposes a discount rate benchmarking decision support system based on service-specific risk aversion. The proposed approach has the flexibility of choosing appropriate discount rates for gauging long-term services, as opposed to decisions based simply on duration. It improves injury identification in NRDA since potential damages and side-effects to ecosystem services are revealed within the service-specific framework. A real embankment case study demonstrates valid implementation of the method. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

A natural component from Euphorbia humifusa Willd displays novel, broad-spectrum anti-influenza activity by blocking nuclear export of viral ribonucleoprotein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, So Young; Park, Ji Hoon [Respiratory Viruses Research Laboratory, Discovery Biology Department, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Ho; Kang, Jong Seong [College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Min, Ji-Young, E-mail: jiyoung.min@ip-korea.org [Respiratory Viruses Research Laboratory, Discovery Biology Department, Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-400 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-03-04

The need to develop anti-influenza drugs with novel antiviral mechanisms is urgent because of the rapid rate of antigenic mutation and the emergence of drug-resistant viruses. We identified a novel anti-influenza molecule by screening 861 plant-derived natural components using a high-throughput image-based assay that measures inhibition of the influenza virus infection. 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (TGBG) from Euphorbia humifusa Willd showed broad-spectrum anti-influenza activity against two seasonal influenza A strains, A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) and A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2), and seasonal influenza B strain B/Florida/04/2006. We investigated the mode of action of TGBG using neuraminidase activity inhibition and time-of-addition assays, which evaluate the viral release and entry steps, respectively. We found that TGBG exhibits a novel antiviral mechanism that differs from the FDA-approved anti-influenza drugs oseltamivir which inhibits viral release, and amantadine which inhibits viral entry. Immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that TGBG significantly inhibits nuclear export of influenza nucleoproteins (NP) during the early stages of infection causing NP to accumulate in the nucleus. In addition, influenza-induced activation of the Akt signaling pathway was suppressed by TGBG in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that a putative mode of action of TGBG involves inhibition of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm consequently disrupting the assembly of progeny virions. In summary, TGBG has potential as novel anti-influenza therapeutic with a novel mechanism of action. - Highlights: • The plant-derived natural product TGBG has broad-spectrum antiviral activity against seasonal influenza A and B viruses. • TGBG has a novel anti-viral mechanism of action that from differs from the currently available anti-influenza drugs. • TGBG hinders nuclear export of the influenza virus ribonucleoprotein (v

A natural component from Euphorbia humifusa Willd displays novel, broad-spectrum anti-influenza activity by blocking nuclear export of viral ribonucleoprotein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, So Young; Park, Ji Hoon; Kim, Young Ho; Kang, Jong Seong; Min, Ji-Young

2016-01-01

The need to develop anti-influenza drugs with novel antiviral mechanisms is urgent because of the rapid rate of antigenic mutation and the emergence of drug-resistant viruses. We identified a novel anti-influenza molecule by screening 861 plant-derived natural components using a high-throughput image-based assay that measures inhibition of the influenza virus infection. 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (TGBG) from Euphorbia humifusa Willd showed broad-spectrum anti-influenza activity against two seasonal influenza A strains, A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) and A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2), and seasonal influenza B strain B/Florida/04/2006. We investigated the mode of action of TGBG using neuraminidase activity inhibition and time-of-addition assays, which evaluate the viral release and entry steps, respectively. We found that TGBG exhibits a novel antiviral mechanism that differs from the FDA-approved anti-influenza drugs oseltamivir which inhibits viral release, and amantadine which inhibits viral entry. Immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that TGBG significantly inhibits nuclear export of influenza nucleoproteins (NP) during the early stages of infection causing NP to accumulate in the nucleus. In addition, influenza-induced activation of the Akt signaling pathway was suppressed by TGBG in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that a putative mode of action of TGBG involves inhibition of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm consequently disrupting the assembly of progeny virions. In summary, TGBG has potential as novel anti-influenza therapeutic with a novel mechanism of action. - Highlights: • The plant-derived natural product TGBG has broad-spectrum antiviral activity against seasonal influenza A and B viruses. • TGBG has a novel anti-viral mechanism of action that from differs from the currently available anti-influenza drugs. • TGBG hinders nuclear export of the influenza virus ribonucleoprotein (v

Protection from pulmonary tissue damage associated with infection of cynomolgus macaques by highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) by low dose natural human IFN-α administered to the buccal mucosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Strayer, David R; Carter, William A; Stouch, Bruce C; Stittelaar, Koert J; Thoolen, Robert J M M; Osterhaus, Albert D M E; Mitchell, William M

2014-10-01

Using an established nonhuman primate model for H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza virus infection in humans, we have been able to demonstrate the prophylactic mitigation of the pulmonary damage characteristic of human fatal cases from primary influenza virus pneumonia with a low dose oral formulation of a commercially available parenteral natural human interferon alpha (Alferon N Injection®). At the highest oral dose (62.5IU/kg body weight) used there was a marked reduction in the alveolar inflammatory response with minor evidence of alveolar and interstitial edema in contrast to the hemorrhage and inflammatory response observed in the alveoli of control animals. The mitigation of severe damage to the lower pulmonary airway was observed without a parallel reduction in viral titers. Clinical trial data will be necessary to establish its prophylactic human efficacy for highly pathogenic influenza viruses. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Early Detection of Viral Hepatitis Can Save Lives - PSA (:30)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2010-05-12

Early detection of viral hepatitis can help prevent liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.  Created: 5/12/2010 by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   Date Released: 5/12/2010.

The laboratory diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

defined level and is thus indicative of recent infection as IgM anti-HBc may persist in low titres for a prolonged period. SAMJ. ARTICLES. Detection of HBeAg in the serum is important in the clinical evaluation of a patient with HBV infection as it usually correlates with viral replication, active liver damage and infectivity.3 ...

Flavonoids: promising natural compounds against viral infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaryan, Hovakim; Arabyan, Erik; Oo, Adrian; Zandi, Keivan

2017-09-01

Flavonoids are widely distributed as secondary metabolites produced by plants and play important roles in plant physiology, having a variety of potential biological benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity. Different flavonoids have been investigated for their potential antiviral activities and several of them exhibited significant antiviral properties in in vitro and even in vivo studies. This review summarizes the evidence for antiviral activity of different flavonoids, highlighting, where investigated, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action on viruses. We also present future perspectives on therapeutic applications of flavonoids against viral infections.

Origins and challenges of viral dark matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnamurthy, Siddharth R; Wang, David

2017-07-15

The accurate classification of viral dark matter - metagenomic sequences that originate from viruses but do not align to any reference virus sequences - is one of the major obstacles in comprehensively defining the virome. Depending on the sample, viral dark matter can make up from anywhere between 40 and 90% of sequences. This review focuses on the specific nature of dark matter as it relates to viral sequences. We identify three factors that contribute to the existence of viral dark matter: the divergence and length of virus sequences, the limitations of alignment based classification, and limited representation of viruses in reference sequence databases. We then discuss current methods that have been developed to at least partially circumvent these limitations and thereby reduce the extent of viral dark matter. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Degradation of emerging contaminants from water under natural sunlight: The effect of season, pH, humic acids and nitrate and identification of photodegradation by-products.

Science.gov (United States)

Koumaki, Elena; Mamais, Daniel; Noutsopoulos, Constantinos; Nika, Maria-Christina; Bletsou, Anna A; Thomaidis, Nikolaos S; Eftaxias, Alexander; Stratogianni, Georgia

2015-11-01

Both photodegradation and hydrolysis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) were investigated in order to evaluate their photochemical fate in aquatic environment and to assess the effect of season and specific characteristics of water (pH, humic acids and nitrate concentration) on the removal of target EDCs and NSAIDs through photodegradation. An additional objective was the identification of the photodegradation by-products of specific NSAIDs and their dependence on irradiation time. Selected compounds' transformation was investigated under natural sunlight radiation while control experiments were conducted in the dark. As expected, most of compounds' degradation rate decreased with decreasing light intensity between two different experimental periods. Most of the tested compounds exhibited different rates of degradation during direct and indirect photolysis. The degradation rate of the selected compounds increased in the presence of NO3(-) and the photodegradation rate was higher for some compounds in alkaline than in acidic solution. The effect of humic acids' presence in the water depends on the absorbance spectrum of the compound and the produced photosensitizers. More specifically, humic acids act as inner filter toward most of the selected NSAIDs and as photosensitizers toward most of the EDCs. The results of the irradiation experiments in the presence of both humic acids and NO3(-), indicate that the direct photolysis is much more efficient than indirect photochemical processes. Finally, several degradation by-products of ketoprofen and diclofenac were identified in the samples, exposed to sunlight. The dependence of these by-products on radiation time is also demonstrated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 25499 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Natural Resource Damages Consent Decree Under the Comprehensive...

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2012-04-30

... above. Ronald Gluck, Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section Environment and Natural... Department of the Interior's Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Fund, which can be used to.... Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division...

Anti-viral RNA silencing: do we look like plants ?

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Lecellier Charles-Henri

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The anti-viral function of RNA silencing was first discovered in plants as a natural manifestation of the artificial 'co-suppression', which refers to the extinction of endogenous gene induced by homologous transgene. Because silencing components are conserved among most, if not all, eukaryotes, the question rapidly arose as to determine whether this process fulfils anti-viral functions in animals, such as insects and mammals. It appears that, whereas the anti-viral process seems to be similarly conserved from plants to insects, even in worms, RNA silencing does influence the replication of mammalian viruses but in a particular mode: micro(miRNAs, endogenous small RNAs naturally implicated in translational control, rather than virus-derived small interfering (siRNAs like in other organisms, are involved. In fact, these recent studies even suggest that RNA silencing may be beneficial for viral replication. Accordingly, several large DNA mammalian viruses have been shown to encode their own miRNAs. Here, we summarize the seminal studies that have implicated RNA silencing in viral infection and compare the different eukaryotic responses.

Natural resource damage assessment -- Trustee and defendant perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McHugh, M.; Trimmier, R. Jr.

1995-01-01

The goal of the NRD process is restoration: restoring injured resources and the services they provide to a level that will compensate the public for the losses associated with injuries. While restoration, the final step in the cleanup process, has only recently been pursued, experience dictates that it is more effective and efficient for cleanup agencies. Industry and natural resource trustees to address NRD by integrating it into the cleanup process in a cooperative and coordinated manner. Early integration reduces transaction costs and liability by: (1) enabling the collection of NRD information by field personnel already conducting RI work; (2) promoting the selection of remedial alternatives that are protective of resources; and (3) creating opportunities to build restoration directly into the remedy. The damage assessment regulations provide an objective template to guide this process. Integration thus facilitates timely restoration, thereby halting the accrual of further damages and reducing the potential for time consuming and costly litigation. Delays in settlement and restoration are more likely when trustees are not made part of the cleanup process. Particularly under CERCLA, reliance on unproven science for injury determination and unreliable economics for damage assessment results in inflated values, prolonged litigation, delayed or vacuous remedial action and high transaction costs. Under OPA, where oil spills require immediate and effective response action, cooperation between PRPs and Trustees is more likely, but even there, the post-response assessment of NRD is unlikely to be cooperative for the same reason CERCLA assessments tend not to be

Higher plants and UV-B radiation: balancing damage, repair and acclimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jansen, M.A.K.; Gaba, V.; Greenberg, B.M.

1998-01-01

Although UV-B is a minor component of sunlight, it has a disproportionately damaging effect on higher plants. Ultraviolet-sensitive targets include DNA, proteins and membranes, and these must be protected for normal growth and development. DNA repair and secondary metabolite accumulation during exposure to UV-B have been characterized in considerable detail, but little is known about the recovery of photosynthesis, induction of free-radical scavenging and morphogenic changes. A future challenge is to elucidate how UV-B-exposed plants balance damage, repair, acclimation and adaptation responses in a photobiologically dynamic environment. (author)

76 FR 20372 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree and Settlement Agreement Regarding Natural Resource Damage...

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2011-04-12

..., Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division. [FR... resolves claims for natural resource damages and assessment costs of the United States Department of the..., Environment and Natural Resources Division, and either e-mailed to [email protected] or mailed to...

HSV-1 Remodels Host Telomeres to Facilitate Viral Replication

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Zhong Deng

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Telomeres protect the ends of cellular chromosomes. We show here that infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1 results in chromosomal structural aberrations at telomeres and the accumulation of telomere dysfunction-induced DNA damage foci (TIFs. At the molecular level, HSV-1 induces transcription of telomere repeat-containing RNA (TERRA, followed by the proteolytic degradation of the telomere protein TPP1 and loss of the telomere repeat DNA signal. The HSV-1-encoded E3 ubiquitin ligase ICP0 is required for TERRA transcription and facilitates TPP1 degradation. Small hairpin RNA (shRNA depletion of TPP1 increases viral replication, indicating that TPP1 inhibits viral replication. Viral replication protein ICP8 forms foci that coincide with telomeric proteins, and ICP8-null virus failed to degrade telomere DNA signal. These findings suggest that HSV-1 reorganizes telomeres to form ICP8-associated prereplication foci and to promote viral genomic replication.

How Can Viral Dynamics Models Inform Endpoint Measures in Clinical Trials of Therapies for Acute Viral Infections?

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Carolin Vegvari

Full Text Available Acute viral infections pose many practical challenges for the accurate assessment of the impact of novel therapies on viral growth and decay. Using the example of influenza A, we illustrate how the measurement of infection-related quantities that determine the dynamics of viral load within the human host, can inform investigators on the course and severity of infection and the efficacy of a novel treatment. We estimated the values of key infection-related quantities that determine the course of natural infection from viral load data, using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. The data were placebo group viral load measurements collected during volunteer challenge studies, conducted by Roche, as part of the oseltamivir trials. We calculated the values of the quantities for each patient and the correlations between the quantities, symptom severity and body temperature. The greatest variation among individuals occurred in the viral load peak and area under the viral load curve. Total symptom severity correlated positively with the basic reproductive number. The most sensitive endpoint for therapeutic trials with the goal to cure patients is the duration of infection. We suggest laboratory experiments to obtain more precise estimates of virological quantities that can supplement clinical endpoint measurements.

Vitamin D, Sunlight and Prostate Cancer Risk

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Krishna Vanaja Donkena

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Prostate cancer is the second common cancer in men worldwide. The prevention of prostate cancer remains a challenge to researchers and clinicians. Here, we review the relationship of vitamin D and sunlight to prostate cancer risk. Ultraviolet radiation of the sunlight is the main stimulator for vitamin D production in humans. Vitamin D's antiprostate cancer activities may be involved in the actions through the pathways mediated by vitamin D metabolites, vitamin D metabolizing enzymes, vitamin D receptor (VDR, and VDR-regulated genes. Although laboratory studies including the use of animal models have shown that vitamin D has antiprostate cancer properties, whether it can effectively prevent the development and/or progression of prostate cancer in humans remains to be inconclusive and an intensively studied subject. This review will provide up-to-date information regarding the recent outcomes of laboratory and epidemiology studies on the effects of vitamin D on prostate cancer prevention.

Adaptive fluid lens and sunlight redirection system : exploring a novel way of redirecting and altering sunlight in large span roofs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heinzelmann, F.; Bristogianni, T.; Teuffel, P.; Stouffs, R.; Sariyildiz, S.

2013-01-01

The paper describes a novel system to alter and redirect sunlight under large span roofs with the help of a fluid lens system. Focus lies on the computational design, testing, measurement and evaluation of the performance of a physical prototype.

Sunlight suppressing rejection of 280- to 320-nm UV-radiation-induced skin tumors in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morison, W.L.; Kelley, S.P.

1985-01-01

Repeated exposure of female C3H/HeNCR- mice to sunlight prevented the normal immunologic rejection of a UV-induced tumor. This systemic immunologic alteration was transferred to syngeneic lethally X-irradiated animals with lymphoid cells from mice exposed to sunlight. The lymphoid cells also were able to suppress the capacity of lymphoid cells from normal animals to reject a UV-induced tumor. The 295- to 320-nm wave band appeared to be responsible for this immunosuppressive effect of sunlight because suppression was prevented by filtration of the radiation through Mylar and by application of a sunscreen containing para-aminobenzoic acid. These observations may have importance in understanding the pathogenesis of sunlight-induced skin cancer in humans

Determining mutant spectra of three RNA viral samples using ultra-deep sequencing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, H

2012-06-06

RNA viruses have extremely high mutation rates that enable the virus to adapt to new host environments and even jump from one species to another. As part of a viral transmission study, three viral samples collected from naturally infected animals were sequenced using Illumina paired-end technology at ultra-deep coverage. In order to determine the mutant spectra within the viral quasispecies, it is critical to understand the sequencing error rates and control for false positive calls of viral variants (point mutantations). I will estimate the sequencing error rate from two control sequences and characterize the mutant spectra in the natural samples with this error rate.

Sunlight exposure during leisure activities and risk of prostate cancer in Montréal, Canada, 2005-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jennifer; Lavoué, Jérôme; Parent, Marie-Élise

2014-07-28

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading cause of cancer in men in many developed countries, but no modifiable risk factors have been identified. A handful of analytical studies have suggested a possible etiological role for sunlight exposure. We report here on the association between leisure-time sunlight exposure during adulthood and PCa risk in the context of a population-based case-control study. In all, 1,904 PCa cases were ascertained across Montreal French hospitals between 2005 and 2009. Concurrently, 1,962 population controls, frequency matched to cases by age (±5 years), were selected from the electoral list for French-speakers in Greater Montreal. Interviews elicited the frequency of engagement in any leisure activity during adulthood. This was used to derive cumulative sunlight exposure indices: a cumulative number of leisure activities events entailing sunlight exposure and a cumulative duration of sunlight exposure during leisure activities. Unconditional logistic regression was conducted to yield odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for estimating the association between sunlight exposure indices and PCa risk, adjusting for age, ancestry, family history of PCa, PCa screening, education, solar protection, body mass index and physical activity. Compared with men in the upper quartile category for the number of sunlight exposure events, men never exposed during leisure time had an OR of 1.32 (95% CI: 0.82-2.14). ORs were 1.11, 0.91 and 1.00 for the first to the third quartiles of exposure, respectively. Similar results were observed for cumulative duration of exposure to sunlight, and by PCa aggressiveness. These findings provide little evidence of an association between sunlight exposure during leisure-time and PCa risk. Men with no sunlight exposure appeared at somewhat higher risks but none of the estimates achieved statistical significance.

Water balance of goats in Jeneponto - South Sulawesi under sunlight exposure and water restriction

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Djoni Prawira Rahardja

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Water balance of 5 does of Kacang goat of Jeneponto was studied under the condition of sunlight exposure and water restriction. The study was conducted in dry season with 4 consecutive treatments of 10 d with 4-5 d of adjustment period between two consecutive treatments: (1 indoor and unrestricted water; (2 indoor and restricted water; (3 10 h outdoor–and unrestricted water; (4 10 h outdoor – restricted water. The maximum air temperature of outdoor was 39.3OC, and it was 30OC in the indoor environment. In all treatments, the animals were placed in the individual crates. The plasma volume of the goats was higher under sunlight exposure, but it decreased by water restriction, while hematocrite value indicated a reverse responses. Sunlight exposure did not significantly decrease the intake and digestion of organic matter, but water restriction affected significantly and this effect was higher under sunlight exposre. The proportions of water loss through every avenue were maintained relatively constant either under water restriction or sunlight exposure in which the respration rate increased significantly. The findings suggest that sunlight exposure with unrestricted water resulted in a positive water balance without a significant change in organic matter intake and utilization. Water restriction resulted in a negative water balance, reducing organic matter intake and utilization. As the adaptive mechanisms, the goat appeared to be able to withstand in the harsh environment of Jeneponto by expanding plasma volume, increasing body temperature and respiration rate.

Optimized adhesives for strong, lightweight, damage-resistant, nanocomposite materials: new insights from natural materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansma, P K; Turner, P J; Ruoff, R S

2007-01-01

From our investigations of natural composite materials such as abalone shell and bone we have learned the following. (1) Nature is frugal with resources: it uses just a few per cent glue, by weight, to glue together composite materials. (2) Nature does not avoid voids. (3) Nature makes optimized glues with sacrificial bonds and hidden length. We discuss how optimized adhesives combined with high specific stiffness/strength structures such as carbon nanotubes or graphene sheets could yield remarkably strong, lightweight, and damage-resistant materials

Optimized adhesives for strong, lightweight, damage-resistant, nanocomposite materials: new insights from natural materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansma, P K [Physics Department, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Turner, P J [Physics Department, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Ruoff, R S [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-3111 (United States)

2007-01-31

From our investigations of natural composite materials such as abalone shell and bone we have learned the following. (1) Nature is frugal with resources: it uses just a few per cent glue, by weight, to glue together composite materials. (2) Nature does not avoid voids. (3) Nature makes optimized glues with sacrificial bonds and hidden length. We discuss how optimized adhesives combined with high specific stiffness/strength structures such as carbon nanotubes or graphene sheets could yield remarkably strong, lightweight, and damage-resistant materials.

The Immunoproteasome and Viral Infection: A Complex Regulator of Inflammation

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Mary Katherine McCarthy

2015-01-01

Full Text Available During viral infection, proper regulation of immune responses is necessary to ensure successful viral clearance with minimal host tissue damage. Proteasomes play a crucial role in the generation of antigenic peptides for presentation on MHC class I molecules, and thus activation of CD8 T cells, as well as activation of the NF-kB pathway. A specialized type of proteasome called the immunoproteasome is constitutively expressed in hematopoietic cells and induced in nonimmune cells during viral infection by interferon (IFN signaling. The immunoproteasome regulates CD8 T cell responses to many viral epitopes during infection. Accumulating evidence suggests that the immunoproteasome may also contribute to regulation of proinflammatory cytokine production, activation of the NF-kB pathway, and management of oxidative stress. Many viruses have mechanisms of interfering with immunoproteasome function, including prevention of transcriptional upregulation of immunoproteasome components as well as direct interaction of viral proteins with immunoproteasome subunits. A better understanding of the role of the immunoproteasome in different cell types, tissues, and hosts has the potential to improve vaccine design and facilitate the development of effective treatment strategies for viral infections.

Natural Resistance of Eight Sapling Species to Damage by Microcerotermesgabrielis Weidner

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A. Sheikhigarjan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction:The subterranean termites make large damage to wood and cellulosic products. They can have the destroying effects on forest plantations, agriculture crop, and urban landscaping. According to the previous studies, Microcerotermesgabrielis Weidner is the most important termite of the Alborz province belong to the family Termitidae. This species is also reported in the central, the northeastern and the southern regions of Iran. MicrocerotermesvaraminicaGhayourfar, Amitermesvilis (Hagen, A. kharaziiGhayourfar, Anacantthotermesvagan (Hagan have been also reported from Tehran province.Chemical control of termiteis the most conventional method ofcontrol. A few insecticides have acceptable termiticide effects. However more of them have negative effects on the other non-targets organisms in the environment, and may run off into groundwater. Thus we wouldconsiderthe other methods of termite control. Usage of native and natural resistant plant species can be reasonable strategy against termitesinafforestation. Plant species are food sources for termites, however, they differ in their palatabilityand can affect termite preference. There are some studies have reported differences in feeding rates and preferences of termite species amongdifferent species of woody plants. Tree Shalamzar Plantation, encompassing 54 ha in the southern Alborz mountain range have sustained termite damage since 2013. The objective of this study was to evaluate the natural resistance of eight different sapling species to termite´s damage in this region. Materials and Methods: Termites were collected from four infested locations within Shalamzar Plantation, Karaj, Iran. Infested saplings with active termite tunnels were visited and soldier termites collected and transferred to the systematics lab for species identification using a systematic key of Iranian termites. Termite infestation rates were estimatedfor each of 8 sapling species. Ten saplings of each species were

Hypovitaminosis D in patients undergoing kidney transplant: the importance of sunlight exposure

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Cristiane F. Vilarta

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have shown a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, defined as a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level less than 30 ng/ml, in both healthy populations and patients with chronic kidney disease. Patients undergoing kidney transplant are at an increased risk of skin cancer and are advised to avoid sunlight exposure. Therefore, these patients might share two major risk factors for hypovitaminosis D: chronic kidney disease and low sunlight exposure. This paper describes the prevalence and clinical characteristics of hypovitaminosis D among patients undergoing kidney transplant. METHODS: We evaluated 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels in a representative sample of patients undergoing kidney transplant. We sought to determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, compare these patients with a control group, and identify factors associated with hypovitaminosis D (e.g., sunlight exposure and dietary habits. RESULTS: Hypovitaminosis D was found in 79% of patients undergoing kidney transplant, and the major associated factor was low sunlight exposure. These patients had higher creatinine and intact parathyroid hormone serum levels, with 25-hydroxyvitamin D being inversely correlated with intact parathyroid hormone serum levels. Compared with the control group, patients undergoing kidney transplant presented a higher prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and lower serum calcium, phosphate and albumin but higher creatinine and intact parathyroid hormone levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirmed the high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in patients undergoing kidney transplant. Therapeutic strategies such as moderate sunlight exposure and vitamin D supplementation should be seriously considered for this population.

Genomic segments RNA1 and RNA2 of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus codetermine viral pathogenicity to adapt to alternating natural Prunus hosts.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Hongguang; Hong, Ni; Wang, Guoping; Wang, Aiming

2013-05-01

Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) affects Prunus fruit production worldwide. To date, numerous PNRSV isolates with diverse pathological properties have been documented. To study the pathogenicity of PNRSV, which directly or indirectly determines the economic losses of infected fruit trees, we have recently sequenced the complete genome of peach isolate Pch12 and cherry isolate Chr3, belonging to the pathogenically aggressive PV32 group and mild PV96 group, respectively. Here, we constructed the Chr3- and Pch12-derived full-length cDNA clones that were infectious in the experimental host cucumber and their respective natural Prunus hosts. Pch12-derived clones induced much more severe symptoms than Chr3 in cucumber, and the pathogenicity discrepancy between Chr3 and Pch12 was associated with virus accumulation. By reassortment of genomic segments, swapping of partial genomic segments, and site-directed mutagenesis, we identified the 3' terminal nucleotide sequence (1C region) in RNA1 and amino acid K at residue 279 in RNA2-encoded P2 as the severe virulence determinants in Pch12. Gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that both the 1C region and K279 of Pch12 were required for severe virulence and high levels of viral accumulation. Our results suggest that PNRSV RNA1 and RNA2 codetermine viral pathogenicity to adapt to alternating natural Prunus hosts, likely through mediating viral accumulation.

Modeling of response, socioeconomic, and natural resource damage costs for hypothetical oil spill scenarios in San Francisco Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etkin, D.S.; French McCay, D.; Whittier, N.; Sankaranarayanan, S.; Jennings, J.

2002-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the influence of oil type, spill size, response strategy and location factors on oil spill response costs, with particular reference to the cost benefits of the use of dispersants. Modeling has been conducted for a hypothetical oil spill in San Francisco Bay to determine biological impacts, damages to natural resources and response costs. The SIMAP modeling software by the Applied Science Associates was used to model 3 spill sizes (20, 50 and 95 percentile by volume) and 4 types of oil (gasoline, diesel, heavy fuel oil, and crude oil). Response costs, natural resource damages and socioeconomic impact were determined based on spill trajectory and fate. Mechanical recovery-based operations carry higher response costs than dispersant-based operations. Response costs for diesel and gasoline spills make up 20 per cent of the total costs, compared to 43 per cent for crude and heavy fuel oil spills. Damages to natural resources are higher for spills of toxic lighter fuels such as gasoline and diesel because gasoline has a greater impact on the water column with less shoreline oiling, resulting in more damages to natural resources. Heavier oils have a greater impact on shorelines and higher response and socioeconomic costs. Although socioeconomic costs varied by location, they tend to be greater than response costs and natural resource damage costs. Proportions of the different costs were described with reference to various spill factors. Socioeconomic costs are 61, 76, 45 and 53 per cent respectively for gasoline, diesel, crude oil, and heavy fuel oil spills. 27 refs., 23 tabs., 5 figs

SV40 Utilizes ATM Kinase Activity to Prevent Non-homologous End Joining of Broken Viral DNA Replication Products

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Sowd, Gregory A.; Mody, Dviti; Eggold, Joshua; Cortez, David; Friedman, Katherine L.; Fanning, Ellen

2014-01-01

Simian virus 40 (SV40) and cellular DNA replication rely on host ATM and ATR DNA damage signaling kinases to facilitate DNA repair and elicit cell cycle arrest following DNA damage. During SV40 DNA replication, ATM kinase activity prevents concatemerization of the viral genome whereas ATR activity prevents accumulation of aberrant genomes resulting from breakage of a moving replication fork as it converges with a stalled fork. However, the repair pathways that ATM and ATR orchestrate to prevent these aberrant SV40 DNA replication products are unclear. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Southern blotting, we show that ATR kinase activity, but not DNA-PKcs kinase activity, facilitates some aspects of double strand break (DSB) repair when ATM is inhibited during SV40 infection. To clarify which repair factors associate with viral DNA replication centers, we examined the localization of DSB repair proteins in response to SV40 infection. Under normal conditions, viral replication centers exclusively associate with homology-directed repair (HDR) and do not colocalize with non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) factors. Following ATM inhibition, but not ATR inhibition, activated DNA-PKcs and KU70/80 accumulate at the viral replication centers while CtIP and BLM, proteins that initiate 5′ to 3′ end resection during HDR, become undetectable. Similar to what has been observed during cellular DSB repair in S phase, these data suggest that ATM kinase influences DSB repair pathway choice by preventing the recruitment of NHEJ factors to replicating viral DNA. These data may explain how ATM prevents concatemerization of the viral genome and promotes viral propagation. We suggest that inhibitors of DNA damage signaling and DNA repair could be used during infection to disrupt productive viral DNA replication. PMID:25474690

SV40 utilizes ATM kinase activity to prevent non-homologous end joining of broken viral DNA replication products.

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Gregory A Sowd

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Simian virus 40 (SV40 and cellular DNA replication rely on host ATM and ATR DNA damage signaling kinases to facilitate DNA repair and elicit cell cycle arrest following DNA damage. During SV40 DNA replication, ATM kinase activity prevents concatemerization of the viral genome whereas ATR activity prevents accumulation of aberrant genomes resulting from breakage of a moving replication fork as it converges with a stalled fork. However, the repair pathways that ATM and ATR orchestrate to prevent these aberrant SV40 DNA replication products are unclear. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Southern blotting, we show that ATR kinase activity, but not DNA-PK(cs kinase activity, facilitates some aspects of double strand break (DSB repair when ATM is inhibited during SV40 infection. To clarify which repair factors associate with viral DNA replication centers, we examined the localization of DSB repair proteins in response to SV40 infection. Under normal conditions, viral replication centers exclusively associate with homology-directed repair (HDR and do not colocalize with non-homologous end joining (NHEJ factors. Following ATM inhibition, but not ATR inhibition, activated DNA-PK(cs and KU70/80 accumulate at the viral replication centers while CtIP and BLM, proteins that initiate 5' to 3' end resection during HDR, become undetectable. Similar to what has been observed during cellular DSB repair in S phase, these data suggest that ATM kinase influences DSB repair pathway choice by preventing the recruitment of NHEJ factors to replicating viral DNA. These data may explain how ATM prevents concatemerization of the viral genome and promotes viral propagation. We suggest that inhibitors of DNA damage signaling and DNA repair could be used during infection to disrupt productive viral DNA replication.

Hybrid sunlight/LED illumination and renewable solar energy saving concepts for indoor lighting.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuei, Chih-Hsuan; Sun, Wen-Shing; Kuo, Chien-Cheng

2010-11-08

A hybrid method for using sunlight and light-emitting diode (LED) illumination powered by renewable solar energy for indoor lighting is simulated and presented in this study. We can illuminate an indoor space and collect the solar energy using an optical switching system. When the system is turned off, the full spectrum of the sunlight is concentrated by a concentrator, to be absorbed by solar photovoltaic devices that provide the electricity to power the LEDs. When the system is turned on, the sunlight collected by the concentrator is split into visible and non-visible rays by a beam splitter. The visible rays pass through the light guide into a light box where it is mixed with LED light to ultimately provide uniform illumination by a diffuser. The non-visible rays are absorbed by the solar photovoltaic devices to provide electrical power for the LEDs. Simulation results show that the efficiency of the hybrid sunlight/LED illumination with the renewable solar energy saving design is better than that of LED and traditional lighting systems.

On the apparent velocity of integrated sunlight. I - 1983-1985

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, Drake; Espenak, Fred; Jennings, Donald E.; Brault, James W.; Wagner, Jeremy

1987-01-01

Frequency measurements for the Delta V = 2 transitions of CO in the integrated light spectrum of the sun are presented. The nature and magnitude of systematic errors which typically arise in absolute velocity measurements of integrated sunlight are explored in some detail, and measurements believed accurate at the level of about 5 m/s or less are presented. It is found that the integrated light velocity varies by about 3 m/s or less over a one-day period. Over the long term, the data indicate an increasing blue-shift in these weak infrared lines amounting to 30 m/s from 1983 to 1985. The sense of the drift is consistent with a lessening in the magnetic inhibition of granular convection at solar minimum. Such an effect has implications for the spectroscopic detectability of planetary-mass companions to solar-type stars.

18 CFR 260.9 - Reports by natural gas pipeline companies on service interruptions and damage to facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Reports by natural gas..., NATURAL GAS ACT STATEMENTS AND REPORTS (SCHEDULES) § 260.9 Reports by natural gas pipeline companies on service interruptions and damage to facilities. (a)(1) Every natural gas company must report to the...

Kinetics of viral shedding provide insights into the epidemiology of viral hemorrhagic septicemia in Pacific herring

Science.gov (United States)

Hershberger, Paul K.; Gregg, Jacob L.; Winton, James R.; Grady, Courtney; Collins, Rachael

2010-01-01

Losses from infectious diseases are an important component of natural mortality among marine fish species, but factors controlling the ecology of these diseases and their potential responses to anthropogenic changes are poorly understood. We used viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) and a laboratory stock of Pacific herring Clupea pallasii to investigate the kinetics of viral shedding and its effect on disease transmission and host mortality. Outbreaks of acute disease, accompanied by mortality and viral shedding, were initiated after waterborne exposure of herring to concentrations of VHSV as low as 101 plaque-forming units (pfu) ml–1. Shed virus in flow-through tanks was first detected 4 to 5 d post-exposure, peaked after 6 to 10 d, and was no longer detected after 16 d. Shedding rates, calculated from density, flow and waterborne virus titer reached 1.8 to 5.0 × 108 pfu fish–1 d–1. Onset of viral shedding was dose-dependent and preceded initial mortality by 2 d. At 21 d, cumulative mortality in treatment groups ranged from 81 to 100% and was dependent not on challenge dose, but on the kinetics and level of viral shedding by infected fish in the tank. Possible consequences of the viral shedding and disease kinetics are discussed in the context of epizootic initiation and perpetuation among populations of wild Pacific herring.

Charles Burchfield: "October Wind and Sunlight in the Woods."

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzgerald, Gaynell

1986-01-01

Based on Charles Burchfield's watercolor, "October Wind and Sunlight in the Woods," the goal of this lesson is to introduce students in grades seven through nine to Burchfield's use of symbolism. (JDH)

The Translesion Polymerase Pol η Is Required for Efficient Epstein-Barr Virus Infectivity and Is Regulated by the Viral Deubiquitinating Enzyme BPLF1.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyson, Ossie F; Pagano, Joseph S; Whitehurst, Christopher B

2017-10-01

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and lytic replication are known to induce a cellular DNA damage response. We previously showed that the virally encoded BPLF1 protein interacts with and regulates several members of the translesion synthesis (TLS) pathway, a DNA damage tolerance pathway, and that these cellular factors enhance viral infectivity. BPLF1 is a late lytic cycle gene, but the protein is also packaged in the viral tegument, indicating that BPLF1 may function both early and late during infection. The BPLF1 protein expresses deubiquitinating activity that is strictly conserved across the Herpesviridae ; mutation of the active site cysteine results in a loss of enzymatic activity. Infection with an EBV BPLF1 knockout virus results in decreased EBV infectivity. Polymerase eta (Pol η), a specialized DNA repair polymerase, functions in TLS and allows for DNA replication complexes to bypass lesions in DNA. Here we report that BPLF1 interacts with Pol η and that Pol η protein levels are increased in the presence of functional BPLF1. BPLF1 promotes a nuclear relocalization of Pol η molecules which are focus-like in appearance, consistent with the localization observed when Pol η is recruited to sites of DNA damage. Knockdown of Pol η resulted in decreased production of infectious virus, and further, Pol η was found to bind to EBV DNA, suggesting that it may allow for bypass of damaged viral DNA during its replication. The results suggest a mechanism by which EBV recruits cellular repair factors, such as Pol η, to sites of viral DNA damage via BPLF1, thereby allowing for efficient viral DNA replication. IMPORTANCE Epstein-Barr virus is the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis and infects approximately 90% of the world's population. It causes lymphomas in individuals with acquired and innate immune disorders and is strongly associated with Hodgkin's lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and

A sunlight-induced method for rapid biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using an Andrachnea chordifolia ethanol extract

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karimi Zarchi, A.A.; Faridi Majidi, R. [Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Nanomedicine, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mokhtari, N.; Shahverdi, A.R. [Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Arfan, M.; Rehman, T.; Ali, M. [University of Peshawar, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (Pakistan); Amini, M. [Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-05-15

In this study a sunlight-induced method for rapid synthesis of silver nanoparticles using an ethanol extract of Andrachnea chordifolia is described. The silver nitrate solutions (1 mM) containing the ethanol extract of Andrachnea chordifolia were irradiated by both sunlight radiation and by sunlight radiation passed through different colored filters (red, yellow or green). The smallest size of silver nanoparticles was obtained when a silver ion solution was irradiated for 5 minutes by direct sunlight radiation. Further examination of the shape and size and of the surface chemistry of these biogenic silver nanoparticles, which were prepared under sunlight radiation, was carried out using transmission electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy images show spherical particles with an average size of 3.4 nm. Hydroxyl residues were also detected on the surface of these biogenic silver nanoparticles fabricated using plant extract of Andrachnea chordifolia under sunlight radiation. Our study on the reduction of silver ions by this plant extract in darkness shows that the synthesis process can take place under dark conditions at much longer incubations (48 hours). Larger silver polydispersed nanoparticles ranging in size from 3 to 30 nm were obtained when the silver ions were treated with the ethanol extract of Andrachnea chordifolia under dark conditions for 48 hours. (orig.)

15 CFR 990.20 - Relationship to the CERCLA natural resource damage assessment regulations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

...., and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), 33 U.S.C. 1321 et seq., are codified at... Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade (Continued) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE OIL POLLUTION ACT REGULATIONS NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS Authorities § 990.20...

Nature of radiation damage in ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunch, J.M.

1976-01-01

Efforts to determine the equivalence between different sources of radiation damage in ceramics are reviewed. The ways in which ceramics differ from metals are examined and proposed mechanisms for creation and stabilization of defects in insulators are outlined. Work on radiation damage in crystalline oxides is summarized and suggestions for further research are offered

Study on quantitative risk assessment model of the third party damage for natural gas pipelines based on fuzzy comprehensive assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, Zeyang; Liang, Wei; Lin, Yang; Zhang, Meng; Wang, Xue

2017-01-01

As an important part of national energy supply system, transmission pipelines for natural gas are possible to cause serious environmental pollution, life and property loss in case of accident. The third party damage is one of the most significant causes for natural gas pipeline system accidents, and it is very important to establish an effective quantitative risk assessment model of the third party damage for reducing the number of gas pipelines operation accidents. Against the third party damage accident has the characteristics such as diversity, complexity and uncertainty, this paper establishes a quantitative risk assessment model of the third party damage based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE). Firstly, risk sources of third party damage should be identified exactly, and the weight of factors could be determined via improved AHP, finally the importance of each factor is calculated by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model. The results show that the quantitative risk assessment model is suitable for the third party damage of natural gas pipelines and improvement measures could be put forward to avoid accidents based on the importance of each factor. (paper)

Alcohol intake alters immune responses and promotes CNS viral persistence in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Loftis, Jennifer M; Taylor, Jonathan; Raué, Hans-Peter; Slifka, Mark K; Huang, Elaine

2016-10-01

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection leads to progressive liver disease and is associated with a variety of extrahepatic effects, including central nervous system (CNS) damage and neuropsychiatric impairments. Alcohol abuse can exacerbate these adverse effects on brain and behavior, but the molecular mechanisms are not well understood. This study investigated the role of alcohol in regulating viral persistence and CNS immunopathology in mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), a model for HCV infections in humans. Female and male BALB/c mice (n=94) were exposed to alcohol (ethanol; EtOH) and water (or water only) using a two-bottle choice paradigm, followed one week later by infection with either LCMV clone 13 (causes chronic infection similar to chronic HCV), LCMV Armstrong (causes acute infection), or vehicle. Mice were monitored for 60days post-infection and continued to receive 24-h access to EtOH and water. Animals infected with LCMV clone 13 drank more EtOH, as compared to those with an acute or no viral infection. Six weeks after infection with LCMV clone 13, mice with EtOH exposure evidenced higher serum viral titers, as compared to mice without EtOH exposure. EtOH intake was also associated with reductions in virus-specific CD8(+) T cell frequencies (particularly CD11a(hi) subsets) and evidence of persistent CNS viremia in chronically infected mice. These findings support the hypothesis that EtOH use and chronic viral infection can result in combined toxic effects accelerating CNS damage and neuropsychiatric dysfunction and suggest that examining the role of EtOH in regulating viral persistence and CNS immunopathology in mice infected with LCMV can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of comorbid alcohol use disorder and chronic viral infection. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Bleaching of the thermoluminescence of feldspars by sunlight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, G.B.; Prescott, J.R.; Hutton, J.T.

1991-01-01

Feldspars are an important component of materials used for thermoluminescence (TL) and photoluminescence (PL) dating of sediments; and successful dating implies a knowledge of the degree of re-setting by exposure to sunlight of the stored luminescence energy. We have studied the bleaching by full sunlight of the TL of six alkali feldspars of representative composition and of one oligoclase. The high potassium and high sodium feldspars are the brightest, and are also the least easily bleached, whereas those of intermediate (K-Na) composition bleach quickly. On a time scale of upwards of 16 h, all samples would have bleached enough for them to be useful for TL dating. A search was made for individual glow curve peaks that bleach particularly quickly (and are thus similar to the well-known 325 o C peak used in the TL dating of quartz). In the samples studied, there was only one glow curve peak that was selectively susceptible to bleaching: the 280 o C peak in oligoclase. (author)

Can Skin Exposure to Sunlight Prevent Liver Inflammation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shelley Gorman

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Liver inflammation contributes towards the pathology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. Here we discuss how skin exposure to sunlight may suppress liver inflammation and the severity of NAFLD. Following exposure to sunlight-derived ultraviolet radiation (UVR, the skin releases anti-inflammatory mediators such as vitamin D and nitric oxide. Animal modeling studies suggest that exposure to UVR can prevent the development of NAFLD. Association studies also support a negative link between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and NAFLD incidence or severity. Clinical trials are in their infancy and are yet to demonstrate a clear beneficial effect of vitamin D supplementation. There are a number of potentially interdependent mechanisms whereby vitamin D could dampen liver inflammation, by inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis and liver fibrosis, modulating the gut microbiome and through altered production and transport of bile acids. While there has been a focus on vitamin D, other mediators induced by sun exposure, such as nitric oxide may also play important roles in curtailing liver inflammation.

Photosynthesis, photoprotection, and growth of shade-tolerant tropical tree seedlings under full sunlight.

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, G Heinrich; Winter, Klaus; Matsubara, Shizue; Krause, Barbara; Jahns, Peter; Virgo, Aurelio; Aranda, Jorge; García, Milton

2012-09-01

High solar radiation in the tropics is known to cause transient reduction in photosystem II (PSII) efficiency and CO(2) assimilation in sun-exposed leaves, but little is known how these responses affect the actual growth performance of tropical plants. The present study addresses this question. Seedlings of five woody neotropical forest species were cultivated under full sunlight and shaded conditions. In full sunlight, strong photoinhibition of PSII at midday was documented for the late-successional tree species Ormosia macrocalyx and Tetragastris panamensis and the understory/forest gap species, Piper reticulatum. In leaves of O. macrocalyx, PSII inhibition was accompanied by substantial midday depression of net CO(2) assimilation. Leaves of all species had increased pools of violaxanthin-cycle pigments. Other features of photoacclimation, such as increased Chl a/b ratio and contents of lutein, β-carotene and tocopherol varied. High light caused strong increase of tocopherol in leaves of T. panamensis and another late-successional species, Virola surinamensis. O. macrocalyx had low contents of tocopherol and UV-absorbing substances. Under full sunlight, biomass accumulation was not reduced in seedlings of T. panamensis, P. reticulatum, and V. surinamensis, but O. macrocalyx exhibited substantial growth inhibition. In the highly shade-tolerant understory species Psychotria marginata, full sunlight caused strongly reduced growth of most individuals. However, some plants showed relatively high growth rates under full sun approaching those of seedlings at 40 % ambient irradiance. It is concluded that shade-tolerant tropical tree seedlings can achieve efficient photoacclimation and high growth rates in full sunlight.

Sunlight technologies for photochemical deactivation of organic pollutants in water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acher, A.; Fischer, E.; Tornheim, R. [The Volcani Center, Inst. of Soils and Water, Bet Dagan (Israel); Manor, Y. [Sheba Medical Center, Central Virology Lab., Ramat Gan (Israel)

1997-12-31

Sensitized-photochemical oxidation methods aimed at use in water treatment technologies for deactivation of biotic (microorganisms) and/or of xenobiotic (pesticides) pollutants in water were developed using global solar radiation or concentrated sunlight (up to 250 suns). The solar global radiation was used either for detoxification of industrial waste water from a pesticide factory to allow their discharge into the urban sewer, or for disinfection of domestric effluents to be used in crop irrigation. The disinfection process was eventually carried out in an experimental pilot-scale plant, capable of disinfection up to 50 m{sup 3}/h of effluent supplied by an activated sludge sewage treatment plant located in Tel-Aviv area. The treated effluents did not show any regrowth of the microorganisms during 7 days. The solar concentrated radiation experiments performed using facilities of the Sun Tower of The Weizman Institute of Science, Rehovot. The concentrated sunlight was provided by different combination of several computer controlled heliostates, up to 8, that track the sun and focus the received sunlight onto the target situated on the roof of the sun-tower. The sunlight intensities measured on the target reached up to 200 kW/m{sup 2}. The experiments were performed either batch- or continuous-wise. The water-samples exposed to disinfection were the above effluent, filtered and supplemented with vaccine strain poliovirus or with different concentrations of an industrial potential pollutant (bromacil), MB 2 mg/L and two concentrations of dissolved oxygen (8.0 or 40.0 mg O{sub 2}/L). An exposure time of 2-3 seconds at 150 kW/m{sup 2} was decreased the microorganisms alive (counts) by five orders of magnitude. A comparison between the two above water treatment technologies is presented. (orig./SR)

NATURAL KILLER T CELLS IN HEPATIC LEUCOCYTE INFILTRATES IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT PROCESS AND VIRAL HEPATITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. V. Lebedinskaya

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Morphology, topography, and immunohistochemical features of leukocyte infiltrates were studied in various sites of the liver samples from the patients with metastatic disease, been affected by hepatitis B and C viruses at different degree of activity. Liver of СВА mice with implanted САО-1 tumour was also under study. Histochemical, and functional features, as well as immune phenotype of these cells were investigated. It has been shown that the major fraction of leukocyte infiltrates, mostly associated with implanted tumours in experimental mice, and in the areas adjacent to the tumor in humans, like as on the peak of viral hepatitis activity, is composed of lymphocytes. They are presented by large numvers of activated proliferating and differentiating cells bearing specific antigens, as well as natural killers and T-lymphocytes, possessing high-level killer activity towards NK-sensitive, and autologous lines of cancer cells. Hence, the results of our study, generally, confirm the data from literature reporting on existence of a special lymphocyte subpopulation, NKT cells, in human or murine liver affected by hepatitis virus or malignant tumors. The data concerning functional properties of these cells may be used for development of immunotherapy methods of viral diseases and oncological conditions complicated by liver metastases.

Insecticides suppress natural enemies and increase pest damage in cabbage.

Science.gov (United States)

Bommarco, Riccardo; Miranda, Freddy; Bylund, Helena; Björkman, Christer

2011-06-01

Intensive use of pesticides is common and increasing despite a growing and historically well documented awareness of the costs and hazards. The benefits from pesticides of increased yields from sufficient pest control may be outweighed by developed resistance in pests and killing of beneficial natural enemies. Other negative effects are human health problems and lower prices because of consumers' desire to buy organic products. Few studies have examined these trade-offs in the field. Here, we demonstrate that Nicaraguan cabbage (Brassica spp.) farmers may suffer economically by using insecticides as they get more damage by the main pest diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), at the same time as they spend economic resources on insecticides. Replicated similarly sized cabbage fields cultivated in a standardized manner were either treated with insecticides according common practice or not treated with insecticides over two seasons. Fields treated with insecticides suffered, compared with nontreated fields, equal or, at least in some periods of the seasons, higher diamondback moth pest attacks. These fields also had increased leaf damage on the harvested cabbage heads. Weight and size of the heads were not affected. The farmers received the same price on the local market irrespective of insecticide use. Rates of parasitized diamondback moth were consistently lower in the treated fields. Negative effects of using insecticides against diamondback moth were found for the density of parasitoids and generalist predatory wasps, and tended to affect spiders negatively. The observed increased leaf damages in insecticide-treated fields may be a combined consequence of insecticide resistance in the pest, and of lower predation and parasitization rates from naturally occurring predators that are suppressed by the insecticide applications. The results indicate biological control as a viable and economic alternative pest management strategy

Natural transformation of bacteria by fragmented, damaged and ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overballe-Petersen, Søren

with fullgenome comparisons that the process has general relevance in extant bacteria. Our findings reveal that the large environmental reservoir of short and damaged DNA retains capacity for natural transformation, even after thousands of years. This describes for the first time a process by which cells can...... transfer playing an important role early in the evolution of life. The published article explains the chemical structure behind an observed degradation difference between the two purine-nucleotides guanosine and adenosine in ancient DNA. We also point at new uses for high-through-put DNA sequencing...

Radiation-induced effects on the mechanical properties of natural ZrSiO4: double cascade-overlap damage accumulation

Science.gov (United States)

Beirau, Tobias; Nix, William D.; Pöllmann, Herbert; Ewing, Rodney C.

2017-11-01

Several different models are known to describe the structure-dependent radiation-induced damage accumulation process in materials (e.g. Gibbons Proc IEEE 60:1062-1096, 1972; Weber Nuc Instr Met Phys Res B 166-167:98-106, 2000). In the literature, two different models of damage accumulation due to α-decay events in natural ZrSiO4 (zircon) have been described. The direct impact damage accumulation model is based on amorphization occurring directly within the collision cascade. However, the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model predicts that amorphization will only occur due to the overlap of disordered domains within the cascade. By analyzing the dose-dependent evolution of mechanical properties (i.e., Poisson's ratios, compliance constants, elastic modulus, and hardness) as a measure of the increasing amorphization, we provide support for the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model. We found no evidence to support the direct impact damage accumulation model. Additionally, the amount of radiation damage could be related to an anisotropic-to-isotropic transition of the Poisson's ratio for stress along and perpendicular to the four-fold c-axis and of the related compliance constants of natural U- and Th-bearing zircon. The isotropification occurs in the dose range between 3.1 × and 6.3 × 1018 α-decays/g.

Radiation-induced effects on the mechanical properties of natural ZrSiO4: double cascade-overlap damage accumulation

Science.gov (United States)

Beirau, Tobias; Nix, William D.; Pöllmann, Herbert; Ewing, Rodney C.

2018-05-01

Several different models are known to describe the structure-dependent radiation-induced damage accumulation process in materials (e.g. Gibbons Proc IEEE 60:1062-1096, 1972; Weber Nuc Instr Met Phys Res B 166-167:98-106, 2000). In the literature, two different models of damage accumulation due to α-decay events in natural ZrSiO4 (zircon) have been described. The direct impact damage accumulation model is based on amorphization occurring directly within the collision cascade. However, the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model predicts that amorphization will only occur due to the overlap of disordered domains within the cascade. By analyzing the dose-dependent evolution of mechanical properties (i.e., Poisson's ratios, compliance constants, elastic modulus, and hardness) as a measure of the increasing amorphization, we provide support for the double cascade-overlap damage accumulation model. We found no evidence to support the direct impact damage accumulation model. Additionally, the amount of radiation damage could be related to an anisotropic-to-isotropic transition of the Poisson's ratio for stress along and perpendicular to the four-fold c-axis and of the related compliance constants of natural U- and Th-bearing zircon. The isotropification occurs in the dose range between 3.1 × and 6.3 × 1018 α-decays/g.

Daytime behavior of Pteropus vampyrus in a natural habitat: the driver of viral transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Hengjan, Yupadee; Pramono, Didik; Takemae, Hitoshi; Kobayashi, Ryosuke; Iida, Keisuke; Ando, Takeshi; Kasmono, Supratikno; Basri, Chaerul; Fitriana, Yuli Sulistya; Arifin, Eko M Z; Ohmori, Yasushige; Maeda, Ken; Agungpriyono, Srihadi; Hondo, Eiichi

2017-06-29

Flying foxes, the genus Pteropus, are considered viral reservoirs. Their colonial nature and long flight capability enhance their ability to spread viruses quickly. To understand how the viral transmission occurs between flying foxes and other animals, we investigated daytime behavior of the large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) in the Leuweung Sancang conservation area, Indonesia, by using instantaneous scan sampling and all-occurrence focal sampling. The data were obtained from 0700 to 1700 hr, during May 11-25, 2016. Almost half of the flying foxes (46.9 ± 10.6% of all recorded bats) were awake and showed various levels of activity during daytime. The potential behaviors driving disease transmission, such as self-grooming, mating/courtship and aggression, peaked in the early morning. Males were more active and spent more time on sexual activities than females. There was no significant difference in time spent for negative social behaviors between sexes. Positive social behaviors, especially maternal cares, were performed only by females. Sexual activities and negative/positive social behaviors enable fluid exchange between bats and thus facilitate intraspecies transmission. Conflicts for living space between the flying foxes and the ebony leaf monkey (Trachypithecus auratus) were observed, and this caused daily roosting shifts of flying foxes. The ecological interactions between bats and other wildlife increase the risk of interspecies infection. This study provides the details of the flying fox's behavior and its interaction with other wildlife in South-East Asia that may help explain how pathogen spillover occurs in the wild.

DNA Damage and Repair in Plants under Ultraviolet and Ionizing Radiations

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Sarvajeet S.; Gill, Ritu; Jha, Manoranjan; Tuteja, Narendra

2015-01-01

Being sessile, plants are continuously exposed to DNA-damaging agents present in the environment such as ultraviolet (UV) and ionizing radiations (IR). Sunlight acts as an energy source for photosynthetic plants; hence, avoidance of UV radiations (namely, UV-A, 315–400 nm; UV-B, 280–315 nm; and UV-C, important target for UV-B induced damage. On the other hand, IR causes water radiolysis, which generates highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH•) and causes radiogenic damage to important cellular components. However, to maintain genomic integrity under UV/IR exposure, plants make use of several DNA repair mechanisms. In the light of recent breakthrough, the current minireview (a) introduces UV/IR and overviews UV/IR-mediated DNA damage products and (b) critically discusses the biochemistry and genetics of major pathways responsible for the repair of UV/IR-accrued DNA damage. The outcome of the discussion may be helpful in devising future research in the current context. PMID:25729769

Biological Effects of Sunlight, Ultraviolet Radiation, Visible Light, Infrared Radiation and Vitamin D for Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Holick, Michael F

2016-03-01

Humans evolved in sunlight and had depended on sunlight for its life giving properties that was appreciated by our early ancestors. However, for more than 40 years the lay press and various medical and dermatology associations have denounced sun exposure because of its association with increased risk for skin cancer. The goal of this review is to put into perspective the many health benefits that have been associated with exposure to sunlight, ultraviolet A (UVA) ultraviolet B (UVB), visible and infrared radiation. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Impact damage response of natural stitched single lap-joint in composite structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghasemnejad, H.; Argentiero, Y.; Tez, T.A.; Barrington, P.E.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • To study the impact resistance of single lap-joints in composite structures. • To improve the impact resistance of stitched single lap joints using natural Flax yarn. • To investigate the effect of stitching on the damage process of composite materials. • To develop FE techniques to model the impact process of composite structures using LSDYNA. - Abstract: In this paper the damage behaviour of natural stitched composite single lap-joints are investigated under low velocity impact loading conditions. For this study, the laminated hybrid composite beams were pinned using Flax yarns before curing process. The Charpy impact test was chosen to study the energy absorbing capability of single lap composite joints. Composite beams were fabricated from combination of glass/epoxy and carbon/epoxy composites. It was shown that composite beams which are stitched through the thickness are able to absorb more energy in comparison with adhesive bonded composite joints in the hybrid composite beams. The Charpy impact test of stitched composite single lap joint was also simulated by finite element analysis using software LS-DYNA and the results verified with relevant experimental data

Repair Mechanism of UV-damaged DNA in Xeroderma Pigmentosum | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare, inherited disorder characterized by extreme skin sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight. XP is caused by mutations in genes involved in nucleotide excision repair (NER) of damaged DNA. Normal cells are usually able to fix this damage before it leads to problems; however, the DNA damage is not repaired normally in patients with XP. As more abnormalities form in DNA, cells malfunction and eventually become cancerous or die. XP patients have more than a 10,000-fold increased risk of developing skin cancer. Kenneth Kraemer, M.D., in CCR’s Dermatology Branch, has been studying XP patients at the Clinical Center for more than 40 years.

Multi scale analysis by acoustic emission of damage mechanisms in natural fibre woven fabrics/epoxy composites.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Touchard F.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes to develop an experimental program to characterize the type and the development of damage in composite with complex microstructure. A multi-scale analysis by acoustic emission has been developed and applied to hemp fibre woven fabrics/epoxy composite. The experimental program consists of tensile tests performed on single yarn, neat epoxy resin and composite materials to identify their AE amplitude signatures. A statistical analysis of AE amplitude signals has been realised and correlated with microscopic observations. Results have enabled to identify three types of damage in composites and their associated AE amplitudes: matrix cracking, interfacial debonding and reinforcement damage and fracture. Tracking of these damage mechanisms in hemp/epoxy composites has been performed to show the process of damage development in natural fibre reinforced composites.

UVBR-induced DNA damage in natural marine picoplankton assemblages in the tropical Atlantic Ocean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boelen, P; de Boer, MK; Kraay, GW; Veldhuis, MJW; Buma, AGJ

2000-01-01

UVBR (ultraviolet-B radiation: 280 to 315 nm)-induced DNA damage, measured as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), was determined in size fractions of natural populations of bacterio- and phytoplankton collected in marine tropical waters. Mean biologically effective UVBR doses in the wind-mixed

Actual implications of industrial smoke damage to forests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zieger, E

1955-01-01

General problems of smoke-induced damages, diagnosis, and control methods are reviewed. Damages caused by etching of leaves and needles are mostly of an acute and local character. Damages due to disturbed assimilation, caused primarily by sulfur dioxide, are of the greatest importance economically. Sulfur dioxide is less harmful in winter and during night hours. Acids and sulfur dioxide both turn the soil acid, and affect the edaphon. Such damages are primarily of chronic character. Different diagnostic methods such as plant, soil, and air analyses should be combined to obtain reliable results. Due to the complexity of the processes involved in smoke damages, biological tests are best in diagnosis. The sunlight test exploits the fact that branches cut from smoke-damaged trees lose their needles more readily than such from intact trees. Haertels turbidity test is based on the increased wax secretion by smoke-damaged needles. The appraisal of damages is made by evaluation of the economic losses after the limitation of the smoke-affected area. The possible control measures in forestry are the breeding of smoke-resistant species and liming, while the pollution control techniques presently available in industry are unsatisfactory, the major problems being caused by sulfur dioxide. Standardization of thresholds and maximum allowable concentrations, as well as cooperation of forestry and industries are imperative. 12 references.

Dynamics of CD4 Lymphocytes and Viral Load at the Natural History of Perinatal HIV-infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. A. Daminov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article presents the analysis of indicators of CD4 lymphocyte count and viral load in the natural history (in the absence of ART in perinatally HIV-infected children. It was revealed that perinatal way of transmission is characterized by a higher rate of immunodeficiency progression. It may be associated with intrauterine infection, as well as an early defeat HIV immature immune system of the child. The concentration of virus in perinatally infected children since the beginning of the observation and in 30 months after infection is more than in parenterally infected children in 5 and 2 times, respectively, which determines a infavourable version of the disease in perinatally infected children.

DNA DAMAGE QUANTITATION BY ALKALINE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

SUTHERLAND,B.M.; BENNETT,P.V.; SUTHERLAND, J.C.

2004-03-24

Physical and chemical agents in the environment, those used in clinical applications, or encountered during recreational exposures to sunlight, induce damages in DNA. Understanding the biological impact of these agents requires quantitation of the levels of such damages in laboratory test systems as well as in field or clinical samples. Alkaline gel electrophoresis provides a sensitive (down to {approx} a few lesions/5Mb), rapid method of direct quantitation of a wide variety of DNA damages in nanogram quantities of non-radioactive DNAs from laboratory, field, or clinical specimens, including higher plants and animals. This method stems from velocity sedimentation studies of DNA populations, and from the simple methods of agarose gel electrophoresis. Our laboratories have developed quantitative agarose gel methods, analytical descriptions of DNA migration during electrophoresis on agarose gels (1-6), and electronic imaging for accurate determinations of DNA mass (7-9). Although all these components improve sensitivity and throughput of large numbers of samples (7,8,10), a simple version using only standard molecular biology equipment allows routine analysis of DNA damages at moderate frequencies. We present here a description of the methods, as well as a brief description of the underlying principles, required for a simplified approach to quantitation of DNA damages by alkaline gel electrophoresis.

Radiation damage studies on natural and synthetic rock salt utilizing measurements made during electron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swyler, K.J.; Levy, P.W.

1977-01-01

The numerous radiation damage effects which will occur in the rock salt surrounding radioactive waste disposal canisters are being investigated with unique apparatus for making optical and other measurements during 1 to 3 MeV electron irradiation. This equipment, consists of a computer controlled double beam spectrophotometer which simultaneously records 256 point absorption and radioluminescence spectra, in either the 200 to 400 or 400 to 800 nm region, every 40 seconds. Most often the measurements commence as the irradiation is started and continue after it is terminated. This procedure provides information on the kinetics and other details of the damage formation process and, when the irradiation is terminated, on both the transient and stable damage components. The exposure rates may be varied between 10 2 or 10 3 to more than 10 8 rad per hour and the sample temperature maintained between 25 and 800 or 900 0 C. Although this project was started recently, measurements have been made on synthetic NaCl and on natural rock salt from two disposal sites and two mines. Both unstrained and purposely strained samples have been used. Most recently, measurements at temperatures between 25 and 200 0 C have been started. The few measurements completed to date indicate that the damage formation kinetics in natural rock salt are quite different from those observed in synthetic NaCl

ZnO-graphene quantum dots heterojunctions for natural sunlight-driven photocatalytic environmental remediation

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Suneel; Dhiman, Ankita; Sudhagar, Pitchaimuthu; Krishnan, Venkata

2018-07-01

In this work, we report the formation of heterojunctions comprising of graphene quantum dots (GQD) decorated ZnO nanorods (NR) and its use as efficient photocatalysts for environmental remediation. The heterojunctions has been designed to be active both in the UV and visible light regions and anticipated utilize the maximum part of the solar light spectrum. In this view, we examined the photocatalytic performance of our heterojunctions towards the degradation of colored pollutant (methylene blue (MB) dye) and a colorless pollutant (carbendazim (CZ) fungicide) under sunlight irradiation. Compared to bare photocatalyst ZnO and GQD, the heterojunction with 2 wt% of GQD (ZGQD2) showed the best photocatalytic activity by effectively degrading (about 95%) of organic pollutants (MB and CZ) from water within a short span of 70 min. The superior photocatalytic activity of these ZnO-GQD heterojunctions could be attributed to efficient charge carrier separation lead suppressed recombination rate at photocatalyst interfaces. In addition to the enhanced light absorption from UV to visible region, the high specific surface area of ZGQD2 heterojunction (353.447 m2 g-1) also imparts strong adsorption capacity for pollutants over catalyst surface, resulting in high photoactivity. Based on the obtained results, band gap alignment at ZnO-GQD heterojunction and active species trapping experiments, a plausible mechanism is proposed for photocatalytic reaction. The excellent photostability and recyclability of the ZnO-GQD heterojunctions fostering as promising photocatalyst candidate for environmental remediation applications.

View and review on viral oncology research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parolin Cristina

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract To date, almost one and a half million cases of cancer are diagnosed every year in the US and nearly 560,000 Americans are expected to die of cancer in the current year, more than 1,500 people a day (data from the American Cancer Society at http://www.cancer.org/. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, roughly 20% of all cancers worldwide results from chronic infections; in particular, up to 15% of human cancers is characterized by a viral aetiology with higher incidence in Developing Countries. The link between viruses and cancer was one of the pivotal discoveries in cancer research during the past Century. Indeed, the infectious nature of specific tumors has important implications in terms of their prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. In the 21st Century, the research on viral oncology field continues to be vigorous, with new significant and original studies on viral oncogenesis and translational research from basic virology to treatment of cancer. This review will cover different viral oncology aspects, starting from the history of viral oncology and moving to the peculiar features of oncogenic RNA and DNA viruses, with a special focus on human pathogens.

Turning Sunlight into Electricity-Inorganic Solar Cells and Beyond

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 16; Issue 12. Turning Sunlight into Electricity - Inorganic Solar Cells and Beyond. A K Shukla. Volume 16 Issue 12 December 2011 pp 1294-1302. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

Sunlight-enhanced catalytic degradation over Ag–CuO ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Herein, we report sunlight-activated photo-catalysis response of direct current radio frequency (DC/RF)-sputtered Ag–CuO nanoparticles thin films.We have adopted this approach for facile removal and easy recovery of thin filmsafter use. Ag was incorporated at 2.5 and 5.4 wt% with reference to pure CuO. Structural ...

Sunlight creates oxygenated species in water-soluble fractions of Deepwater horizon oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ray, Phoebe Z. [Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 (United States); Chen, Huan [National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); Podgorski, David C. [National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); Future Fuels Institute, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); McKenna, Amy M. [National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); Tarr, Matthew A., E-mail: mtarr@uno.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 (United States)

2014-09-15

Graphical abstract: Sunlight oxygenates petroleum. - Highlights: • Oxidation seen in water-soluble oil fraction after exposure to simulated sunlight. • Oxygen addition occurred across a wide range of carbon number and DBE. • Oil compounds were susceptible to addition of multiple oxygens to each molecule. • Results provide understanding of fate of oil on water after exposure to sunlight. - Abstract: In order to assess the impact of sunlight on oil fate, Macondo well oil from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) rig was mixed with pure water and irradiated with simulated sunlight. After irradiation, the water-soluble organics (WSO) from the dark and irradiated samples were extracted and characterized by ultrahigh resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Liquid–liquid extraction yielded two fractions from dark and irradiated water/oil mixtures: acidic WSOs (negative-ion electrospray (ESI)), and base/neutral WSOs (positive-ion ESI) coupled to FT-ICR MS to catalog molecular-level transformations that occur to Macondo-derived WSOs after solar irradiation. Such direct measure of oil phototransformation has not been previously reported. The most abundant heteroatom class detected in the irradiated WSO acid fractions correspond to molecules that contain five oxygens (O{sub 5}), while the most abundant acids in the dark samples contain two oxygen atoms per molecule (O{sub 2}). Higher-order oxygen classes (O{sub 5}–O{sub 9}) were abundant in the irradiated samples, but <1.5% relative abundance in the dark sample. The increased abundance of higher-order oxygen classes in the irradiated samples relative to the dark samples indicates that photooxidized components of the Macondo crude oil become water-soluble after irradiation. The base/neutral fraction showed decreased abundance of pyridinic nitrogen (N{sub 1}) concurrent with an increased abundance of N{sub 1}O{sub x} classes after irradiation. The predominance of higher

Nucleocapsid-Independent Specific Viral RNA Packaging via Viral Envelope Protein and Viral RNA Signal

OpenAIRE

Narayanan, Krishna; Chen, Chun-Jen; Maeda, Junko; Makino, Shinji

2003-01-01

For any of the enveloped RNA viruses studied to date, recognition of a specific RNA packaging signal by the virus's nucleocapsid (N) protein is the first step described in the process of viral RNA packaging. In the murine coronavirus a selective interaction between the viral transmembrane envelope protein M and the viral ribonucleoprotein complex, composed of N protein and viral RNA containing a short cis-acting RNA element, the packaging signal, determines the selective RNA packaging into vi...

Sunlight-driven eco-friendly smart curtain based on infrared responsive graphene oxide-polymer photoactuators.

Science.gov (United States)

Leeladhar; Raturi, Parul; Singh, J P

2018-02-27

Photomechanical actuation is the conversion of light energy into mechanical energy through some smart materials. Infrared-responsive smart materials have become an emerging field of research due to easy availability and eco-friendly nature of their stimulus in the form of sunlight, which contains about 50% of near-infrared(nIR) making these materials useful at macro-scale photoactuator applications. Here, we demonstrate fabrication of highly versatile nIR triggered photoactuators based on graphene oxide/polycarbonate bilayers that offers fast, low-cost fabrication, large deflection, reversible actuation and wavelength-selective response. The photoactuators are realized by vacuum filtration of graphene oxide/water dispersion through polycarbonate membrane resulting graphene oxide/polymer bilayer structure. The photoactuation response was measured in the form of deflection from equilibrium position as a result of infrared-irradiation. The deflection is caused by the generated thermal stress at the interface of bilayers due to mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient as a results of nIR absorption by graphene oxide and subsequent temperature rise. A maximum deflection of 12 mm (circular-shaped structure with diameter 28 mm) with corresponding bending curvature of 0.33 cm -1 was shown by this photoactuator for illumination intensity of 106 mW/cm 2 . Few applications of these photoactuators such as sunlight-driven smart curtain, infrared actuated curtain and self-folding box are also demonstrated.

PRKCZ methylation is associated with sunlight exposure in a North American but not a Mediterranean population

Science.gov (United States)

Sunlight exposure has been shown to alter DNA methylation patterns across several human cell-types, including T-lymphocytes. Since epigenetic changes establish gene expression profiles, changes in DNA methylation induced by sunlight exposure warrant investigation. The purpose of this study was to as...

Tip60 degradation by adenovirus relieves transcriptional repression of viral transcriptional activator EIA.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, A; Jha, S; Engel, D A; Ornelles, D A; Dutta, A

2013-10-17

Adenoviruses are linear double-stranded DNA viruses that infect human and rodent cell lines, occasionally transform them and cause tumors in animal models. The host cell challenges the virus in multifaceted ways to restrain viral gene expression and DNA replication, and sometimes even eliminates the infected cells by programmed cell death. To combat these challenges, adenoviruses abrogate the cellular DNA damage response pathway. Tip60 is a lysine acetyltransferase that acetylates histones and other proteins to regulate gene expression, DNA damage response, apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Tip60 is a bona fide tumor suppressor as mice that are haploid for Tip60 are predisposed to tumors. We have discovered that Tip60 is degraded by adenovirus oncoproteins EIB55K and E4orf6 by a proteasome-mediated pathway. Tip60 binds to the immediate early adenovirus promoter and suppresses adenovirus EIA gene expression, which is a master regulator of adenovirus transcription, at least partly through retention of the virally encoded repressor pVII on this promoter. Thus, degradation of Tip60 by the adenoviral early proteins is important for efficient viral early gene transcription and for changes in expression of cellular genes.

Passive radiative cooling below ambient air temperature under direct sunlight.

Science.gov (United States)

Raman, Aaswath P; Anoma, Marc Abou; Zhu, Linxiao; Rephaeli, Eden; Fan, Shanhui

2014-11-27

Cooling is a significant end-use of energy globally and a major driver of peak electricity demand. Air conditioning, for example, accounts for nearly fifteen per cent of the primary energy used by buildings in the United States. A passive cooling strategy that cools without any electricity input could therefore have a significant impact on global energy consumption. To achieve cooling one needs to be able to reach and maintain a temperature below that of the ambient air. At night, passive cooling below ambient air temperature has been demonstrated using a technique known as radiative cooling, in which a device exposed to the sky is used to radiate heat to outer space through a transparency window in the atmosphere between 8 and 13 micrometres. Peak cooling demand, however, occurs during the daytime. Daytime radiative cooling to a temperature below ambient of a surface under direct sunlight has not been achieved because sky access during the day results in heating of the radiative cooler by the Sun. Here, we experimentally demonstrate radiative cooling to nearly 5 degrees Celsius below the ambient air temperature under direct sunlight. Using a thermal photonic approach, we introduce an integrated photonic solar reflector and thermal emitter consisting of seven layers of HfO2 and SiO2 that reflects 97 per cent of incident sunlight while emitting strongly and selectively in the atmospheric transparency window. When exposed to direct sunlight exceeding 850 watts per square metre on a rooftop, the photonic radiative cooler cools to 4.9 degrees Celsius below ambient air temperature, and has a cooling power of 40.1 watts per square metre at ambient air temperature. These results demonstrate that a tailored, photonic approach can fundamentally enable new technological possibilities for energy efficiency. Further, the cold darkness of the Universe can be used as a renewable thermodynamic resource, even during the hottest hours of the day.

Effects of Sunlight Exposure on the Quality Parameters of Bottled ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROF HORSFALL

microbial population (total coliform) of the bottled water with increasing exposure to sunlight was observed. ... safe drinking water which has led to the tremendous ... degradation under high temperature (Bach et al., ..... Solar and photocatalytic.

Analytic Models for Sunlight Charging of a Rapidly Spinning Satellite

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Tautz, Maurice

2003-01-01

... photoelectrons can be blocked by local potential barriers. In this report, we discuss two analytic models for sunlight charging of a rapidly spinning spherical satellite, both of which are based on blocked photoelectron currents...

Type A natural resource damage assessment models for Great Lakes environments (NRDAM/GLE) and coastal and marine environments (NRDAM/CME)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

French, D.P.; Reed, M.

1993-01-01

A computer model of the physical fates, biological effects, and economic damages resulting from releases of oil and other hazardous materials has been developed by ASA to be used in Type A natural resource damage assessments under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). Natural Resource Damage Assessment Models for Great Lakes Environments (NRDAM/GLE) and for Coastal and Marine Environments (NRDAM/GLE) and for Coastal and Marine Environments (NRDAM/CME) will become available. These models will also support NOAA's damage assessment regulations under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The physical and biological models are three-dimensional. Direct mortality from toxic concentrations and oiling, impacts of habitat loss, and food web losses are included in the model. Estimation of natural resource damages is based both on the lost value of injured resources and on the costs for restoration or replacement of those resources. A coupled geographical information system (GIS) allows gridded representation of complex coastal boundaries, variable bathymetry, shoreline types, and multiple biological habitats. The models contain environmental, geographical, chemical, toxicological, biological, restoration and economic databases with the necessary information to estimate damages. Chemical and toxicological data are included for about 470 chemicals and oils. Biological data are unique to 77 coastal and marine plus 11 Great Lakes provinces, and to habitat type. Restoration and economic valuations are also regionally specific

Viral Hepatitis

Science.gov (United States)

... Home A-Z Health Topics Viral hepatitis Viral hepatitis > A-Z Health Topics Viral hepatitis (PDF, 90 ... liver. Source: National Cancer Institute Learn more about hepatitis Watch a video. Learn who is at risk ...

Evolution of the proportions of two sigma viral types in experimental populations of Drosophila melanogaster in the absence of the allele that is restrictive of viral multiplication.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleuriet, A

1999-12-01

A minority of flies in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster are endemically infected by a rhabdovirus, sigma. The virus is vertically transmitted through male and female gametes. Two alleles of a fly locus, the ref(2)P locus, are present as a polymorphism in all populations: O permissive, and P restrictive for viral multiplication and transmission. Two viral types are known, Type I, which is very sensitive to the P allele, and Type II, which is more resistant. Previous observations have shown that, in presence of the P allele, viral Type II is selected for, in both natural and experimental populations. The aim of the present study was to determine whether, in the absence of P, Type I is selected for, or whether the two types are equivalent. For this purpose, experimental populations deprived of the P allele and differing in the initial proportions of the two viral types were established. After several generations, and despite a possible bias toward Type I, the frequencies of Type I and Type II clones differed in the various populations, depending on their initial values. These findings do not rule out selective advantage of viral Type I in the absence of P, but suggest that, if any, this advantage is in no way comparable to that displayed by viral Type II in the presence of P.

Inflammation, gene mutation and photoimmunosuppression in response to UVR-induced oxidative damage contributes to photocarcinogenesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halliday, Gary M. [Dermatology Research Laboratories, Division of Medicine, Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital at the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW (Australia)]. E-mail: garyh@med.usyd.edu.au

2005-04-01

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes inflammation, gene mutation and immunosuppression in the skin. These biological changes are responsible for photocarcinogenesis. UV radiation in sunlight is divided into two wavebands, UVB and UVA, both of which contribute to these biological changes, and therefore probably to skin cancer in humans and animal models. Oxidative damage caused by UV contributes to inflammation, gene mutation and immunosuppression. This article reviews evidence for the hypothesis that UV oxidative damage to these processes contributes to photocarcinogenesis. UVA makes a larger impact on oxidative stress in the skin than UVB by inducing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species which damage DNA, protein and lipids and which also lead to NAD+ depletion, and therefore energy loss from the cell. Lipid peroxidation induces prostaglandin production that in association with UV-induced nitric oxide production causes inflammation. Inflammation drives benign human solar keratosis (SK) to undergo malignant conversion into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) probably because the inflammatory cells produce reactive oxygen species, thus increasing oxidative damage to DNA and the immune system. Reactive oxygen or nitrogen appears to cause the increase in mutational burden as SK progress into SCC in humans. UVA is particularly important in causing immunosuppression in both humans and mice, and UV lipid peroxidation induced prostaglandin production and UV activation of nitric oxide synthase is important mediators of this event. Other immunosuppressive events are likely to be initiated by UV oxidative stress. Antioxidants have also been shown to reduce photocarcinogenesis. While most of this evidence comes from studies in mice, there is supporting evidence in humans that UV-induced oxidative damage contributes to inflammation, gene mutation and immunosuppression. Available evidence implicates oxidative damage as an important contributor to sunlight-induced carcinogenesis in humans.

Inflammation, gene mutation and photoimmunosuppression in response to UVR-induced oxidative damage contributes to photocarcinogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halliday, Gary M.

2005-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes inflammation, gene mutation and immunosuppression in the skin. These biological changes are responsible for photocarcinogenesis. UV radiation in sunlight is divided into two wavebands, UVB and UVA, both of which contribute to these biological changes, and therefore probably to skin cancer in humans and animal models. Oxidative damage caused by UV contributes to inflammation, gene mutation and immunosuppression. This article reviews evidence for the hypothesis that UV oxidative damage to these processes contributes to photocarcinogenesis. UVA makes a larger impact on oxidative stress in the skin than UVB by inducing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species which damage DNA, protein and lipids and which also lead to NAD+ depletion, and therefore energy loss from the cell. Lipid peroxidation induces prostaglandin production that in association with UV-induced nitric oxide production causes inflammation. Inflammation drives benign human solar keratosis (SK) to undergo malignant conversion into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) probably because the inflammatory cells produce reactive oxygen species, thus increasing oxidative damage to DNA and the immune system. Reactive oxygen or nitrogen appears to cause the increase in mutational burden as SK progress into SCC in humans. UVA is particularly important in causing immunosuppression in both humans and mice, and UV lipid peroxidation induced prostaglandin production and UV activation of nitric oxide synthase is important mediators of this event. Other immunosuppressive events are likely to be initiated by UV oxidative stress. Antioxidants have also been shown to reduce photocarcinogenesis. While most of this evidence comes from studies in mice, there is supporting evidence in humans that UV-induced oxidative damage contributes to inflammation, gene mutation and immunosuppression. Available evidence implicates oxidative damage as an important contributor to sunlight-induced carcinogenesis in humans

A transportable system of models for natural resource damage assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, M.; French, D.

1992-01-01

A system of computer models has been developed for assessment of natural resource economic damages resulting from spills of oil and hazardous materials in marine and fresh water environments. Under USA federal legislation, the results of the model system are presumed correct in damage litigation proceedings. The model can address a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The equations describing the motion of both pollutants and biota are solved in three dimensions. The model can simulate continuous releases of a contaminant, with representation of complex coastal boundaries, variable bathymetry, multiple shoreline types, and spatially variable ecosystem habitats. A graphic user interface provides easy control of the system in addition to the ability to display elements of the underlying geographical information system data base. The model is implemented on a personal computer and on a UNIX workstation. The structure of the system is such that transport to new geographic regions can be accomplished relatively easily, requiring only the development of the appropriate physical, toxicological, biological, and economic data sets. Applications are currently in progress for USA inland and coastal waters, the Adriatic Sea, the Strait of Sicily, the Gulf of Suez, and the Baltic Sea. 4 refs., 2 figs

The Etiology and Pathogenesis of Viral Gastroenteritis.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-07-31

with subsequent seroconversion or susceptibility to illness in a naturally occurring outbreak of Norwalk virus gastroenteritis among American teen ... anorexia , myalgia and malaise. It can be severe, indeed fatal, in the elderly, infant, debilitated or malnourished pa- tient. Viral gastroenteritis

Effect of sunlight irradiation on photocatalytic pyrene degradation in contaminated soils by micro-nano size TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Chien, S.W.; Chang, C.H.; Chen, S.H.; Wang, M.C.; Madhava Rao, M.; Satya Veni, S.

2011-01-01

The enhanced catalytic pyrene degradation in quartz sand and alluvial and red soils by micro-nano size TiO 2 in the presence and absence of sunlight was investigated. The results showed that the synergistic effect of sunlight irradiation and TiO 2 was more efficient on pyrene degradation in quartz sand and red and alluvial soils than the corresponding reaction system without sunlight irradiation. In the presence of sunlight irradiation, the photooxidation (without TiO 2 ) of pyrene was very pronounced in alluvial and red soils and especially in quartz sand. However, in the absence of sunlight irradiation, the catalytic pyrene degradation by TiO 2 and the photooxidation (without TiO 2 ) of pyrene were almost nil. This implicates that ultra-violet (UV) wavelength range of sunlight plays an important role in TiO 2 -enhanced photocatalytic pyrene degradation and in photooxidation (without TiO 2 ) of pyrene. The percentages of photocatalytic pyrene degradation by TiO 2 in quartz sand, alluvial and red soils under sunlight irradiation were 78.3, 23.4, and 31.8%, respectively, at 5 h reaction period with a 5% (w/w) dose of the amended catalyst. The sequence of TiO 2 -enhanced catalytic pyrene degradation in quartz sand and alluvial and red soils was quartz sand > red soil > alluvial soil, due to different texture and total organic carbon (TOC) contents of the quartz sand and other two soils. The differential Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of degraded pyrene in alluvial soil corroborate that TiO 2 -enhanced photocatalytic degradation rate of degraded pyrene was much greater than photooxidation (without TiO 2 ) rate of degraded pyrene. Based on the data obtained, the importance for the application of TiO 2 -enhanced photocatalytic pyrene degradation and associated organic contaminants in contaminated soils was elucidated. - Highlights: → Synergistic effect of sunlight irradiation and TiO 2 promoted degradation of pyrene. → Micro-nano size TiO 2 enhanced

Dietary calcium intake and sunlight exposure among children aged ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nutritional rickets can be caused by either or both calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, and can frequently occur in Africa. In Ethiopia, limited evidence exists regarding the calcium intake of children and their sunlight exposure practices. The purpose of this study was to assess information regarding dietary calcium intake and ...

Modification of radiation damage by naturally occurring substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, K.N.

1984-01-01

The major objectives of studying the modification of radiation sensitivity have been (1) to identify a compound that will produce a differential protection or sensitization of the effect of irradiation on normal and tumor tissue, and (2) to understand more about the mechanisms of radiation damage. In spite of massive research on this particular problem since World War II, the first objective remains elusive. During this period, numerous radioprotective and radiosensitizing agents have been identified. These agents have served as important biologic tools for increasing our understanding of radiation injuries. Most of these substances are synthetic compounds and are very toxic to humans. In addition, very few of the compounds provide differential modifications of the effect of radiation on tumor and normal cells. This chapter presents objectives for identifying naturally occurring substances that modify the effect of x-radiation on mammalian cells and discusses the role of physiologic substances in modifying radiation injuries on mammalian normal and tumor cells

Widespread recombination, reassortment, and transmission of unbalanced compound viral genotypes in natural arenavirus infections.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark D Stenglein

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Arenaviruses are one of the largest families of human hemorrhagic fever viruses and are known to infect both mammals and snakes. Arenaviruses package a large (L and small (S genome segment in their virions. For segmented RNA viruses like these, novel genotypes can be generated through mutation, recombination, and reassortment. Although it is believed that an ancient recombination event led to the emergence of a new lineage of mammalian arenaviruses, neither recombination nor reassortment has been definitively documented in natural arenavirus infections. Here, we used metagenomic sequencing to survey the viral diversity present in captive arenavirus-infected snakes. From 48 infected animals, we determined the complete or near complete sequence of 210 genome segments that grouped into 23 L and 11 S genotypes. The majority of snakes were multiply infected, with up to 4 distinct S and 11 distinct L segment genotypes in individual animals. This S/L imbalance was typical: in all cases intrahost L segment genotypes outnumbered S genotypes, and a particular S segment genotype dominated in individual animals and at a population level. We corroborated sequencing results by qRT-PCR and virus isolation, and isolates replicated as ensembles in culture. Numerous instances of recombination and reassortment were detected, including recombinant segments with unusual organizations featuring 2 intergenic regions and superfluous content, which were capable of stable replication and transmission despite their atypical structures. Overall, this represents intrahost diversity of an extent and form that goes well beyond what has been observed for arenaviruses or for viruses in general. This diversity can be plausibly attributed to the captive intermingling of sub-clinically infected wild-caught snakes. Thus, beyond providing a unique opportunity to study arenavirus evolution and adaptation, these findings allow the investigation of unintended anthropogenic impacts on

Comparison of germicidal activity of sunlight with the response of a sunburning meter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Billen, D; Green, A E.S.

1975-01-01

In the present work, we compare germicidal activity of sunlight on strain AB 2480 with the irradiance of sunlight as measured with a Sunburning Ultraviolet Meter (manufactured by the Skin and Cancer Hospital, Temple University Health Sciences Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). This instrument, an adaptation by Berger of one developed by Robertson (1972), uses a magnesium tungstate phosphor with a response approximating that of the erythema action spectrum. The light emitted by the phosphor is detected by a phototube which produces a proportional electric current, the signal used in these experiments. (auth)

Effect of sunlight, transport and storage vessels on drinking water ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of sunlight, transport and storage vessels on drinking water quality in rural Ghana. ... on drinking water quality in rural Ghana. K Obiri-Danso, E Amevor, LA Andoh, K Jones ... Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

Holick's rule and vitamin D from sunlight.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowdy, John C; Sayre, Robert M; Holick, Michael F

2010-07-01

Holick's rule says that sun exposure 1/4 of a minimal erythemal dose (MED) over 1/4 of a body is equivalent to 1000 International Units (IU) oral vitamin D3. Webb and Engelsen recently commented that the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum used to establish Holick's rule is unknown. They consequently used a spring midday Boston solar spectrum to estimate ample sunlight exposures for previtamin D3 (preD3) at various locations. Literature review found the source upon which this rule is based was a fluorescent sunlamp (FS lamp). The FS spectrum is known and its relative weighting against the action spectra for erythema and the preD3 is significantly different from the solar spectrum used to derive the standard vitamin D effective dose (SDD). The preD3 effectiveness of the solar spectrum per unit erythemal hazard is greater than the FS lamp by a factor of 1.32. Consequently, UV exposure estimates based on Boston reference sunlight, instead of the UV lamp employed in the originating experiments, over estimate UV exposure equivalent to approximately 1000 IU orally by approximately 1/3. This redefinition of SDD impacts risk/benefit assessments of optimal/feasible sun exposure for vitamin D maintenance and the application of Holick's rule to rational public health messages. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abnormal responses to mid-ultraviolet light of cultured fibroblasts from patients with disorders featuring sunlight sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, P.J.; Paterson, M.C.

1982-01-01

The postultraviolet light (UV) colony-forming ability and DNA repair properties were examined of human skin fibroblasts derived from two groups of donors at high risk of cancer; (a) persons exhibiting sensitivity to sunlight; and (b) persons with conditions possibly associated with an underlying defect in the repair of radiogenic DNA damage. A comparison was made between the effects of far UV (254 nm) and mid UV (313 nm). Biochemical studies performed on strains sensitive to 313-nm UV alone suggest that their unusual photoresponse is not attributable to defective repair of cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers. Furthermore, our data imply that thymine glycols are unlikely candidates for the critical lethal lesions in 313-nm UV-sensitive strains. Evidence is presented in support of the contention that mid UV may be partially radiomimetic, thus extending our understanding of the deleterious biological effects of this ubiquitous environmental carcinogen

Photocatalytic Removal of Phenol under Natural Sunlight over N-TiO2-SiO2 Catalyst: The Effect of Nitrogen Composition in TiO2-SiO2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viet-Cuong Nguyen

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In this present work, high specific surface area and strong visible light absorption nitrogen doped TiO2-SiO2 photocatalyst was synthesized by using sol-gel coupled with hydrothermal treatment method. Nitrogen was found to improve the specific surface area while it also distorted the crystal phase of the resulting N-TiO2-SiO2 catalyst. As the N/ (TiO2-SiO2 molar ratio was more than 10%, the derived catalyst presented the superior specific surface area up to 260 m2/g. Nevertheless, its photoactivity towards phenol removal was observed to significantly decrease, which could results from the too low crystallinity. The nitrogen content in N-TiO2-SiO2 catalyst was therefore necessary to be optimized in terms of phenol removal efficiency and found at ca. 5%. Under UVA light and natural sunlight irradiation of 80 min, N(5%-TiO2-SiO2 catalyst presented the phenol decomposition efficiencies of 68 and 100%, respectively. It was also interestingly found in this study that the reaction rate was successfully expressed using a Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H model, indicating the L-H nature of photocatalytic phenol decomposition reaction on the N-TiO2-SiO2 catalyst.

VIRUS OF HUMAN PAPILLOMA. EPIDEMIOLOGY, LABORATORY DIAGNOSTICS AND PREVENTION OF PAPILLOMA VIRAL INFECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. V. Narvskaya

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. The information reflected modern knowledge about virus of human papilloma (VHP and pathogenesis of papilloma viral infection is presented in the lecture. The actual problems of epidemiology, laboratory diagnostics and prevention of VHP associated damage of cervical epithelium have been described.

Carcinogenic effect of sequential artificial sunlight and UV-A irradiation in hairless mice. Consequences for solarium 'therapy'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staberg, B.; Wulf, H.C.; Poulsen, T.; Klemp, P.; Brodthagen, H.

1983-01-01

The carcinogenic effect of artificial UV sunlight followed by UV-A irradiation in human solaria doses has been studied with the use of the hairless mouse as an animal model. Artificial sunlight exposure alone induced only a moderate skin tumor incidence (animals with at least one tumor) of 0.15 after one year, and UV-A irradiation alone induced no tumor formation. However, the combination of artificial sunlight exposure and subsequent UV-A irradiation significantly increased the tumor incidence to 0.72. We conclude that, in humans, tanning with UV-A for cosmetic purposes may not be an innocuous procedure

Photolytic debromination pathway of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in hexane by sunlight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Hua; Zou, Yonghong; Li, An; Christensen, Erik R.; Rockne, Karl J.

2013-01-01

The objective of this work is to identify the photolytic debromination pathways of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Thirteen PBDEs (BDEs 209, 208, 207, 206, 196, 183, 154, 153, 100, 99, 85, 47 and 28) in hexane were individually exposed to sunlight for up to 64 h. A total of 180 PBDEs were screened and 74 BDE debromination products were detected. The disappearance rate constant increased exponentially with increasing number of bromines. While no evident difference in debromination preference among ortho, meta and para bromines was found for heavier congeners, the vulnerability rank order was meta ≥ ortho > para for the lighter congeners (≤8 Br). The total molar mass of PBDEs continuously decreased during sunlight exposure, indicating PBDEs were transformed to non-PBDE compounds. A stochastic least squares debromination pathway model was developed to simulate the reactions and determine the yields to extend the results beyond the experimental observations. -- Highlights: ► 74 PBDEs are identified as the products of debromination via photolysis. ► Debromination is more likely at meta than para positions for PBDEs with ≤8 bromines. ► The stochastic least squares model results agree with and expand the experimental observations. ► Mass imbalance indicates a significant loss of PBDE mass during sunlight exposure. -- The PBDE debromination products and pathways identified in this work will assist in future studies on their environmental fate

Modified optical fiber daylighting system with sunlight transportation in free space.

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, Ngoc-Hai; Pham, Thanh-Tuan; Shin, Seoyong

2016-12-26

We present the design, optical simulation, and experiment of a modified optical fiber daylighting system (M-OFDS) for indoor lighting. The M-OFDS is comprised of three sub-systems: concentration, collimation, and distribution. The concentration part is formed by coupling a Fresnel lens with a large-core plastic optical fiber. The sunlight collected by the concentration sub-system is propagated in a plastic optical fiber and then collimated by the collimator, which is a combination of a parabolic mirror and a convex lens. The collimated beam of sunlight travels in free space and is guided to the interior by directing flat mirrors, where it is diffused uniformly by a distributor. All parameters of the system are calculated theoretically. Based on the designed system, our simulation results demonstrated a maximum optical efficiency of 71%. The simulation results also showed that sunlight could be delivered to the illumination destination at distance of 30 m. A prototype of the M-OFDS was fabricated, and preliminary experiments were performed outdoors. The simulation results and experimental results confirmed that the M-OFDS was designed effectively. A large-scale system constructed by several M-OFDSs is also proposed. The results showed that the presented optical fiber daylighting system is a strong candidate for an inexpensive and highly efficient application of solar energy in buildings.

Sunlight exposure or vitamin D supplementation for vitamin D-deficient non-western immigrants: a randomized clinical trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wicherts, I.S.; Boeke, A.J.P.; van der Meer, I.M.; van Schoor, N.M.; Knol, D.L.; Lips, P.T.A.M.

2011-01-01

Summary: Vitamin D deficiency is very common in non-western immigrants. In this randomized clinical trial, vitamin D 800 IU/day or 100,000 IU/3 months were compared with advised sunlight exposure. Vitamin D supplementation was more effective than advised sunlight exposure in improving vitamin D

A plant gene for photolyase: an enzyme catalyzing the repair of UV-light-induced DNA damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batschauer, A.

1993-01-01

Photolyases are thought to be critical components of the defense of plants against damage to DNA by solar ultraviolet light, but nothing is known about their molecular or enzymatic nature. The molecular cloning of a photolyase from mustard (Sinapis alba) described here is intended to increase the knowledge about this important repair mechanism in plant species at a molecular level. The gene encodes a polypeptide of 501 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 57 kDa. There is a strong sequence similarity to bacterial and yeast photolyases, with a close relationship to enzymes with a deazaflavin chromophor. The plant photolyase is shown to be functional in Escherichia coli which also indicates conservation of photolyases during evolution. It is demonstrated that photolyase expression in plants is light induced, thus providing good evidence for the adaptation of plants to their environment in order to diminish the harmful effects of sunlight. (author)

Persistence of marine fish environmental DNA and the influence of sunlight.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth A Andruszkiewicz

Full Text Available Harnessing information encoded in environmental DNA (eDNA in marine waters has the potential to revolutionize marine biomonitoring. Whether using organism-specific quantitative PCR assays or metabarcoding in conjunction with amplicon sequencing, scientists have illustrated that realistic organism censuses can be inferred from eDNA. The next step is establishing ways to link information obtained from eDNA analyses to actual organism abundance. This is only possible by understanding the processes that control eDNA concentrations. The present study uses mesocosm experiments to study the persistence of eDNA in marine waters and explore the role of sunlight in modulating eDNA persistence. We seeded solute-permeable dialysis bags with water containing indigenous eDNA and suspended them in a large tank containing seawater. Bags were subjected to two treatments: half the bags were suspended near the water surface where they received high doses of sunlight, and half at depth where they received lower doses of sunlight. Bags were destructively sampled over the course of 87 hours. eDNA was extracted from water samples and used as template for a Scomber japonicus qPCR assay and a marine fish-specific 12S rRNA PCR assay. The latter was subsequently sequenced using a metabarcoding approach. S. japonicus eDNA, as measured by qPCR, exhibited first order decay with a rate constant ~0.01 hr -1 with no difference in decay rate constants between the two experimental treatments. eDNA metabarcoding identified 190 organizational taxonomic units (OTUs assigned to varying taxonomic ranks. There was no difference in marine fish communities as measured by eDNA metabarcoding between the two experimental treatments, but there was an effect of time. Given the differences in UVA and UVB fluence received by the two experimental treatments, we conclude that sunlight is not the main driver of fish eDNA decay in the experiments. However, there are clearly temporal effects that

Viral metagenomics: Analysis of begomoviruses by illumina high-throughput sequencing

KAUST Repository

Idris, Ali

2014-03-12

Traditional DNA sequencing methods are inefficient, lack the ability to discern the least abundant viral sequences, and ineffective for determining the extent of variability in viral populations. Here, populations of single-stranded DNA plant begomoviral genomes and their associated beta- and alpha-satellite molecules (virus-satellite complexes) (genus, Begomovirus; family, Geminiviridae) were enriched from total nucleic acids isolated from symptomatic, field-infected plants, using rolling circle amplification (RCA). Enriched virus-satellite complexes were subjected to Illumina-Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). CASAVA and SeqMan NGen programs were implemented, respectively, for quality control and for de novo and reference-guided contig assembly of viral-satellite sequences. The authenticity of the begomoviral sequences, and the reproducibility of the Illumina-NGS approach for begomoviral deep sequencing projects, were validated by comparing NGS results with those obtained using traditional molecular cloning and Sanger sequencing of viral components and satellite DNAs, also enriched by RCA or amplified by polymerase chain reaction. As the use of NGS approaches, together with advances in software development, make possible deep sequence coverage at a lower cost; the approach described herein will streamline the exploration of begomovirus diversity and population structure from naturally infected plants, irrespective of viral abundance. This is the first report of the implementation of Illumina-NGS to explore the diversity and identify begomoviral-satellite SNPs directly from plants naturally-infected with begomoviruses under field conditions. 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Viral Metagenomics: Analysis of Begomoviruses by Illumina High-Throughput Sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Idris

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Traditional DNA sequencing methods are inefficient, lack the ability to discern the least abundant viral sequences, and ineffective for determining the extent of variability in viral populations. Here, populations of single-stranded DNA plant begomoviral genomes and their associated beta- and alpha-satellite molecules (virus-satellite complexes (genus, Begomovirus; family, Geminiviridae were enriched from total nucleic acids isolated from symptomatic, field-infected plants, using rolling circle amplification (RCA. Enriched virus-satellite complexes were subjected to Illumina-Next Generation Sequencing (NGS. CASAVA and SeqMan NGen programs were implemented, respectively, for quality control and for de novo and reference-guided contig assembly of viral-satellite sequences. The authenticity of the begomoviral sequences, and the reproducibility of the Illumina-NGS approach for begomoviral deep sequencing projects, were validated by comparing NGS results with those obtained using traditional molecular cloning and Sanger sequencing of viral components and satellite DNAs, also enriched by RCA or amplified by polymerase chain reaction. As the use of NGS approaches, together with advances in software development, make possible deep sequence coverage at a lower cost; the approach described herein will streamline the exploration of begomovirus diversity and population structure from naturally infected plants, irrespective of viral abundance. This is the first report of the implementation of Illumina-NGS to explore the diversity and identify begomoviral-satellite SNPs directly from plants naturally-infected with begomoviruses under field conditions.

Electricity from Sunlight: The Future of Photovoltaics. Worldwatch Paper 52.

Science.gov (United States)

Flavin, Christopher

Solar photovoltaic cells have been called the ultimate energy technology, environmentally benign and without moving parts, solar cells directly convert sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaic energy conversion is fundamentally different from all other forms of electricity generation. Without turbines, generators or other mechanical equipment, it…

Technical-economic feasibility of orbiting sunlight reflectors

Science.gov (United States)

Alferov, Z.; Minin, V.

1986-02-01

The use of deflectors in orbit as a means of providing artificial illumination is examined. Considerations of technical and economic feasibility are addressed. Three main areas of application are distinguished: reflecting sunlight onto the surface of the Earth; concentration of the flow of solar energy on an orbiting receiver; and retransmission of optical radiation. The advantages of the artificial Earth illumination application of the orbiting reflector scheme in terms of energy savings in lighting cities, and additional daylight time for critical periods of farming operations are discussed.

Raw Sewage Harbors Diverse Viral Populations

Science.gov (United States)

Cantalupo, Paul G.; Calgua, Byron; Zhao, Guoyan; Hundesa, Ayalkibet; Wier, Adam D.; Katz, Josh P.; Grabe, Michael; Hendrix, Roger W.; Girones, Rosina; Wang, David; Pipas, James M.

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT At this time, about 3,000 different viruses are recognized, but metagenomic studies suggest that these viruses are a small fraction of the viruses that exist in nature. We have explored viral diversity by deep sequencing nucleic acids obtained from virion populations enriched from raw sewage. We identified 234 known viruses, including 17 that infect humans. Plant, insect, and algal viruses as well as bacteriophages were also present. These viruses represented 26 taxonomic families and included viruses with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), positive-sense ssRNA [ssRNA(+)], and dsRNA genomes. Novel viruses that could be placed in specific taxa represented 51 different families, making untreated wastewater the most diverse viral metagenome (genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples) examined thus far. However, the vast majority of sequence reads bore little or no sequence relation to known viruses and thus could not be placed into specific taxa. These results show that the vast majority of the viruses on Earth have not yet been characterized. Untreated wastewater provides a rich matrix for identifying novel viruses and for studying virus diversity. Importance At this time, virology is focused on the study of a relatively small number of viral species. Specific viruses are studied either because they are easily propagated in the laboratory or because they are associated with disease. The lack of knowledge of the size and characteristics of the viral universe and the diversity of viral genomes is a roadblock to understanding important issues, such as the origin of emerging pathogens and the extent of gene exchange among viruses. Untreated wastewater is an ideal system for assessing viral diversity because virion populations from large numbers of individuals are deposited and because raw sewage itself provides a rich environment for the growth of diverse host species and thus their viruses. These studies suggest that

Commonly recommended daily intake of vitamin D is not sufficient if sunlight exposure is limited

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glerup, H; Mikkelsen, K; Poulsen, L

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Sunlight exposure of the skin is known to be the most important source of vitamin D. The aims of this study were: (i) to estimate vitamin D status amongst sunlight-deprived individuals (veiled Arab women, veiled ethnic Danish Moslem women and Danish controls); and (ii) through food...... intake analysis to estimate the oral intake of vitamin D necessary to keep a normal vitamin D status in sunlight-deprived individuals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study amongst randomly selected Moslem women of Arab origin living in Denmark. Age-matched Danish women were included as controls. To control...... for racial differences, a group of veiled ethnic Danish Moslem women (all Caucasians) was included. SETTING: Primary Health Care Centre, City Vest and Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism C, University Hospital of Aarhus, Aarhus Amtssygehus, Aarhus, Denmark. SUBJECTS: Sixty-nine Arab women (60 veiled...

Effect of sunlight on the survival of pathogenic E. coli in freshwater and sea water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Surendraraj, Alagarsamy; Farvin, Sabeena; Thampuran, N.

2011-01-01

An enteropathogenic group of E. coli are the emerging category of pathogen of public health significance. Several recent pathogenic E. coli outbreaks are associated with drinking water. Aquaculture, the fast emerging food production sector also poses a pathogenic EHEC outbreak risk, as it regularly...... uses cow dung, a reservoir of this organism. Hence, a experiment was set up to study the duration of survival of pathogenic E. coli under sunlight and darkness. Eight pathogenic E. coli isolates from clinical (EPEC, ETEC, EHEC, EAEC), veterinary (CTE3, CTE4) and environmental sources (ASHE3, Rao II......) were studied for their survival under sunlight and darkness in fresh water and seawater. Effect of direct sunlight on the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of cultures was also studied. The results of the study indicated a distinct pattern between freshwater system and seawater system. Pathogenic E...

Viral epidemiology of the adult Apis Mellifera infested by the Varroa destructor mite.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardi, Sara; Venturino, Ezio

2016-05-01

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has become one of the major worldwide threats for apiculture. Varroa destructor attacks the honey bee Apis mellifera weakening its host by sucking hemolymph. However, the damage to bee colonies is not strictly related to the parasitic action of the mite but it derives, above all, from its action as vector increasing the transmission of many viral diseases such as acute paralysis (ABPV) and deformed wing viruses (DWV), that are considered among the main causes of CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder). In this work we discuss an [Formula: see text] model that describes how the presence of the mite affects the epidemiology of these viruses on adult bees. The acronym [Formula: see text] means that the disease affects both populations. In fact it accounts for the bee and mite populations, that are each divided among the S (susceptible) and I (infected) states. We characterize the system behavior, establishing that ultimately either only healthy bees survive, or the disease becomes endemic and mites are wiped out. Another dangerous alternative is the Varroa invasion scenario with the extinction of healthy bees. The final possible configuration is the coexistence equilibrium in which honey bees share their infected hive with mites. The analysis is in line with some observed facts in natural honey bee colonies. Namely, these diseases are endemic. Further, if the mite population is present, necessarily the viral infection occurs. The findings of this study indicate that a low horizontal transmission rate of the virus among honey bees in beehives will help in protecting bee colonies from Varroa infestation and viral epidemics.

Insect symbiotic bacteria harbour viral pathogens for transovarial transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Dongsheng; Mao, Qianzhuo; Chen, Yong; Liu, Yuyan; Chen, Qian; Wu, Wei; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Chen, Hongyan; Li, Yi; Wei, Taiyun

2017-03-06

Many insects, including mosquitoes, planthoppers, aphids and leafhoppers, are the hosts of bacterial symbionts and the vectors for transmitting viral pathogens 1-3 . In general, symbiotic bacteria can indirectly affect viral transmission by enhancing immunity and resistance to viruses in insects 3-5 . Whether symbiotic bacteria can directly interact with the virus and mediate its transmission has been unknown. Here, we show that an insect symbiotic bacterium directly harbours a viral pathogen and mediates its transovarial transmission to offspring. We observe rice dwarf virus (a plant reovirus) binding to the envelopes of the bacterium Sulcia, a common obligate symbiont of leafhoppers 6-8 , allowing the virus to exploit the ancient oocyte entry path of Sulcia in rice leafhopper vectors. Such virus-bacterium binding is mediated by the specific interaction of the viral capsid protein and the Sulcia outer membrane protein. Treatment with antibiotics or antibodies against Sulcia outer membrane protein interferes with this interaction and strongly prevents viral transmission to insect offspring. This newly discovered virus-bacterium interaction represents the first evidence that a viral pathogen can directly exploit a symbiotic bacterium for its transmission. We believe that such a model of virus-bacterium communication is a common phenomenon in nature.

Effect of sunlight shielding on leaf structure and amino acids ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Light sensitive albino tea cultivar 'Jinguang' (Camellia sinensis) which grows albinism leaf in yellow colour, results to high level of amino acids but low levels of photosynthetic pigments including chlorophylls, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, phytoxanthin and β-carotene when it is exposed to high sunlight illumination in the ...

Viral subversion of the immune system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillet, L.; Vanderplasschen, A.

2005-01-01

The continuous interactions between host and viruses during their co-evolution have shaped not only the immune system but also the countermeasures used by viruses. Studies in the last decade have described the diverse arrays of pathways and molecular targets that are used by viruses to elude immune detection or destruction, or both. These include targeting of pathways for major histocompatibility complex class I and class II antigen presentation, natural killer cell recognition, apoptosis, cytokine signalling, and complement activation. This paper provides an overview of the viral immune-evasion mechanisms described to date. It highlights the contribution of this field to our understanding of the immune system, and the importance of understanding this aspect of the biology of viral infection to develop efficacious and safe vaccines. (author)

The natural history of HIV infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sabin, C.A.; Lundgren, J.D.

2013-01-01

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review recent published literature around three areas: long-term nonprogression/viral control; predictors of viral load set point/disease progression; and the potential impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in early HIV infection. RECENT FINDINGS: The natural course...... of untreated HIV infection varies widely with some HIV-positive individuals able to maintain high CD4 cell counts and/or suppressed viral load in the absence of ART. Although similar, the underlying mechanistic processes leading to long-term nonprogression and viral control are likely to differ. Concerted...... the immunological deterioration which would otherwise be seen in untreated HIV infection, recent studies do not address the longer term clinical benefits of ART at this very early stage. SUMMARY: A better understanding of the relative influences of viral, host, and environmental factors on the natural course of HIV...

Natural resources damage assessments at Department of Energy facilities - using the CERCLA process to minimize natural resources injuries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bascietto, J.J.; Martin, J.F.; Duke, C.S.; Gray, S.I.

1991-01-01

Fifty years of research, development and production in support of national defense have left the Department of Energy (DOE) with numerous radioactive, hazardous and mixed waste sites requiring environmental restoration and remediation. The responsibilities for DOE associated with releases of these wastes into the environment are driving major efforts to characterize contamination problems and identify and implement environmental restoration and remediation alternatives. The subject of this paper is the recently issued DOE guidance to minimize the basis for damage claims for injuries to natural resources on, over and under lands owned or controlled by DOE associated with the releases of hazardous substances from DOE facilities. Depending on the regulatory authority governing the facility, the preferred means of evaluating the possibility of injury to natural resources is the preparation of an ecological risk assessment or an environmental evaluation. As both the natural resource trustee and lead agency at facilities under its control, DOE receives dual responsibility requiring site remediation if necessary, and that any injured natural resources be restored, or that compensation for the injuries is made. Several executive and legislative sources of authority and responsibility with regard to lead agencies and trustees of natural resources will be detailed. Also, ongoing remedial investigation/feasibility study work at the DOE Fernald Environmental Management Project near Fernald, Ohio will be described as an example of how this guidance can be applied

Validation of the natural resource damage assessment model using historical observations on oil spills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

French, D.; Rines, H.

1995-01-01

The Natural Resource Damage Assessment Model for Coastal and Marine Environments (NRDAM/CME) was developed by Applied Science Associates to simulate the fate and effects of oil and chemical spills into estuarine and marine environments. The US Department of the Interior has proposed the NRDAM/CME for use in Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) regulations under CERCLA. As part of the evaluation of model performance, the NRDAM/CME has been validated with observational data from case histories of oil spills, including the Exxon Valdez, World Prodigy, Mega Borg, Apex Houston and a number of others. Primarily, the data available for validation were of oil slick trajectory and coverage (e.g., overflight maps), length of shoreline oiled, area of marshes oiled, and a number of oiled birds recovered. Model performance was dependent on the accuracy of available wind and current data (the primary forces affecting fate) and bird abundances. Where these data sources were good (relatively well quantified), model performance was excellent. Results of the model simulations also provide an interesting sensitivity analysis and indications of relative effects of oil under various spill scenarios and conditions

Estimation of regional air-quality damages from Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litovitz, Aviva; Abramzon, Shmuel; Curtright, Aimee; Samaras, Constantine; Burger, Nicholas

2013-01-01

This letter provides a first-order estimate of conventional air pollutant emissions, and the monetary value of the associated environmental and health damages, from the extraction of unconventional shale gas in Pennsylvania. Region-wide estimated damages ranged from $7.2 to $32 million dollars for 2011. The emissions from Pennsylvania shale gas extraction represented only a few per cent of total statewide emissions, and the resulting statewide damages were less than those estimated for each of the state’s largest coal-based power plants. On the other hand, in counties where activities are concentrated, NO x emissions from all shale gas activities were 20–40 times higher than allowable for a single minor source, despite the fact that individual new gas industry facilities generally fall below the major source threshold for NO x . Most emissions are related to ongoing activities, i.e., gas production and compression, which can be expected to persist beyond initial development and which are largely unrelated to the unconventional nature of the resource. Regulatory agencies and the shale gas industry, in developing regulations and best practices, should consider air emissions from these long-term activities, especially if development occurs in more populated areas of the state where per-ton emissions damages are significantly higher. (letter)

Errors in short circuit measurements due to spectral mismatch between sunlight and solar simulators

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, H. B.

1976-01-01

Errors in short circuit current measurement were calculated for a variety of spectral mismatch conditions. The differences in spectral irradiance between terrestrial sunlight and three types of solar simulator were studied, as well as the differences in spectral response between three types of reference solar cells and various test cells. The simulators considered were a short arc xenon lamp AMO sunlight simulator, an ordinary quartz halogen lamp, and an ELH-type quartz halogen lamp. Three types of solar cells studied were a silicon cell, a cadmium sulfide cell and a gallium arsenide cell.

Annealing of natural metamict zircons. I low degree of radiation damage

CERN Document Server

Colombo, M

1998-01-01

In-situ time dependent high temperature X-ray powder diffraction was used to investigate the ordering process occurring during annealing of natural zircons with a low degree of radiation damage. It was possible to distinguish two stages of this process. Firstly, the diffusion of defects induced by alpha-particles, this stage contributes only to a certain degree of relaxation in the unit cell. In the second stage there is some degree of recrystallization. A hkl-dependence in the variation of the integrated intensity is observed and the increase in the volume of crystalline zircon is therefore related to a process of migration of dislocations.

The Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2-Zeolite Composite for Degradation of Dye Using Synthetic UV and Jeddah Sunlight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laila M. Al-Harbi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this research different composites of impregnated TiO2 with LTA or FAU zeolites were used as different weight% ratio for photodegradation of organic dye. Normal laboratory UV-lamps were used as a source of UV irradiation. In addition a setup of system of mirrors was used to collect real Jeddah sunlight. A comparison of UV and real sunlight photodegradation activity showed that the real sunlight enhances new centers of active sites exhibiting higher catalytic activity than that of UV irradiated samples.

The use of ''sunlamps'' on the optical damping of the natural thermoluminescence of minerals. Consequences for geochronology by Tl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poupeau, G.; Rivera, A.; Soliani Junior, E.

1988-01-01

It was studied the effect of exposure to ''sunlamps'' and direct and indirect sunlight on the 380 0 C peak of 100-200 μm quartz grains (with a blue-violet filter), from various sands last naturally illuminated by sunlight some or approx., 120.000 yr ago. (M.W.O.) [pt

Persistent infections after natural transmission of bovine viral diarrhoea virus from cattle to goats and among goats

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is an economically important pathogen of cattle worldwide. Infection of a pregnant animal may lead to persistent infection of the foetus and birth of a persistently infected (PI) calf that sheds the virus throughout its life. However, BVD viruses are not strictly species specific. BVDV has been isolated from many domesticated and wild ruminants. This is of practical importance as virus reservoirs in non-bovine hosts may hamper BVDV control in cattle. A goat given as a social companion to a BVDV PI calf gave birth to a PI goat kid. In order to test if goat to goat infections were possible, seronegative pregnant goats were exposed to the PI goat. In parallel, seronegative pregnant goats were kept together with the PI calf. Only the goat to goat transmission resulted in the birth of a next generation of BVDV PI kids whereas all goats kept together with the PI calf aborted. To our knowledge, this is the first report which shows that a PI goat cannot only transmit BVD virus to other goats but that such transmission may indeed lead to the birth of a second generation of PI goats. Genetic analyses indicated that establishment in the new host species may be associated with step-wise adaptations in the viral genome. Thus, goats have the potential to be a reservoir for BVDV. However, the PI goats showed growth retardation and anaemia and their survival under natural conditions remains questionable. PMID:23675947

Persistent infections after natural transmission of bovine viral diarrhoea virus from cattle to goats and among goats.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachofen, Claudia; Vogt, Hans-Rudolf; Stalder, Hanspeter; Mathys, Tanja; Zanoni, Reto; Hilbe, Monika; Schweizer, Matthias; Peterhans, Ernst

2013-05-15

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is an economically important pathogen of cattle worldwide. Infection of a pregnant animal may lead to persistent infection of the foetus and birth of a persistently infected (PI) calf that sheds the virus throughout its life. However, BVD viruses are not strictly species specific. BVDV has been isolated from many domesticated and wild ruminants. This is of practical importance as virus reservoirs in non-bovine hosts may hamper BVDV control in cattle. A goat given as a social companion to a BVDV PI calf gave birth to a PI goat kid. In order to test if goat to goat infections were possible, seronegative pregnant goats were exposed to the PI goat. In parallel, seronegative pregnant goats were kept together with the PI calf. Only the goat to goat transmission resulted in the birth of a next generation of BVDV PI kids whereas all goats kept together with the PI calf aborted. To our knowledge, this is the first report which shows that a PI goat cannot only transmit BVD virus to other goats but that such transmission may indeed lead to the birth of a second generation of PI goats. Genetic analyses indicated that establishment in the new host species may be associated with step-wise adaptations in the viral genome. Thus, goats have the potential to be a reservoir for BVDV. However, the PI goats showed growth retardation and anaemia and their survival under natural conditions remains questionable.

454-Pyrosequencing: A Molecular Battiscope for Freshwater Viral Ecology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David J. Rooks

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Viruses, the most abundant biological entities on the planet, are capable of infecting organisms from all three branches of life, although the majority infect bacteria where the greatest degree of cellular diversity lies. However, the characterization and assessment of viral diversity in natural environments is only beginning to become a possibility. Through the development of a novel technique for the harvest of viral DNA and the application of 454 pyrosequencing, a snapshot of the diversity of the DNA viruses harvested from a standing pond on a cattle farm has been obtained. A high abundance of viral genotypes (785 were present within the virome. The absolute numbers of lambdoid and Shiga toxin (Stx encoding phages detected suggested that the depth of sequencing had enabled recovery of only ca. 8% of the total virus population, numbers that agreed within less than an order of magnitude with predictions made by rarefaction analysis. The most abundant viral genotypes in the pond were bacteriophages (93.7%. The predominant viral genotypes infecting higher life forms found in association with the farm were pathogens that cause disease in cattle and humans, e.g. members of the Herpesviridae. The techniques and analysis described here provide a fresh approach to the monitoring of viral populations in the aquatic environment, with the potential to become integral to the development of risk analysis tools for monitoring the dissemination of viral agents of animal, plant and human diseases.

NaVirCept - Nucleic Acid-Based Anti-Viral Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephen, E. R.; Wong, J.; Van Loon, D.

2007-01-01

Vaccines are generally considered to be the most effective countermeasures to bacterial and viral diseases, however, licensed vaccines against many disease agents are either not available or their efficacies have not been demonstrated. Vaccines are generally agent specific in terms of treatment spectrum and are subject to defeat through natural mutation or through directed efforts. With respect to viral therapeutics, one of the major limitations associated with antiviral drugs is acquired drug resistance caused by antigenic shift or drift. A number of next-generation prophylactic and/or therapeutic measures are on the horizon. Of these, nucleic acid-based drugs are showing great antiviral potential. These drugs elicit long-lasting, broad spectrum protective immune responses, especially to respiratory viral pathogens. The Nucleic Acid-Based Antiviral (NaVirCept) project provides the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of novel medical countermeasures against military-significant endemic and other viral threat agents. This project expands existing DRDC drug delivery capability development, in the form of proprietary liposome intellectual property, by coupling it with leading-edge nucleic acid-based technology to deliver effective medical countermeasures that will protect deployed personnel and the warfighter against a spectrum of viral disease agents. The technology pathway will offer a means to combat emerging viral diseases or modified threat agents such as the bird flu or reconstructed Spanish flu without going down the laborious, time-consuming and expensive paths to develop countermeasures for each new and/or emerging viral disease organism.(author)

Preparation of K-doped TiO{sub 2} nanostructures by wet corrosion and their sunlight-driven photocatalytic performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Eunhye; Jin, Saera; Kim, Jiyoon; Chang, Sung-Jin [Department of Chemistry, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974 (Korea, Republic of); Jun, Byung-Hyuk [Neutron Science Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon 34057 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Kwang-Won, E-mail: bryan.kwangwon.park@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974 (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Jongin, E-mail: hongj@cau.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-08-30

Highlights: • Potassium-doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire networks were prepared by the corrosion reaction of Ti nanoparticles in an alkaline solution. • They were applied to sunlight-driven photocatalytic degradation of differently charged dye molecules. • The adsorption of the dye molecules on the photocatalyst surface is crucial for their sunlight-driven photodegradation. - Abstract: K-doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire networks were prepared by the corrosion reaction of Ti nanoparticles in an alkaline (potassium hydroxide: KOH) solution. The prepared nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Their sunlight-driven photocatalytic activity was also investigated with differently charged dye molecules, such as methylene blue, rhodamine B and methyl orange. The adsorption of the dye molecules on the photocatalyst surface would play a critical role in their selective photodegradation under sunlight illumination.

Comparison Study On Sunlight Or Gamma Radiation Aging Resistance Of Poly (Vinyl Pyrrolidone) Aqueous Solution With PVP Nanogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doan Binh; Pham Thu Hong; Nguyen Nguyet Dieu; Nguyen Thanh Duoc

2011-01-01

Comparison study on sunlight or gamma-radiation aging resistance of poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) aqueous solution with PVP nanogel at 0.5% was carried out. Sunlight or gamma- radiation aging resistance of PVP aqueous solution and nanogel was evaluated on the basis of their intrinsic viscosity, UV-VIS absorbance, weight averaged molecular weight (M w ). The PVP aqueous solution and nanogel exposed to sunlight in the storage duration of 3 months and to gamma radiation at absorbed doses of 0, 15, 30, 50 kGy were used for this study. Furthermore, the stability of PVP nanogel and of PVP aqueous solution was also studied on the change of their intrinsic viscosity, UV-VIS absorbance, weight averaged molecular weight, particle size distribution and coil size. The experimental results were shown that the aging resistance of PVP nanogel was higher than that of PVP aqueous solution when exposed to gamma radiation or sunlight. (author)

DEFEAT OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN VIRAL INFECTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Sharipova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Article is devoted to studying of the submitted epidemiological, clinical, tool, laboratory data on pathology of cardiovascular system at various viral infections. The review is based on results of domestic and foreign researches. At viral infections damage of heart and his carrying-out system perhaps as during the sharp period of a disease, and the period of a convalescence or at the chronic course of virus process. The greatest cardiothrogenism is possessed by enteroviruses, which affect the myocardium in 5–15% of cases. Much attention is paid to herpesviruses, widespread, persistently persistent in the body, as one of the reasons for the development of dilated cardiomyopathy, coronary vasculitis, early atherosclerosis, cardiac rhythm disturbance. Other infections that may affect the cardiovascular system include influenza viruses, adenovirus, poliovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis, mumps, rubella, herpes simplex, varicella, arbovirus, respiratory-syntial virus, yellow fever virus et al. Complications from cardiovascular system can come to light at various age.

Genotoxic action of sunlight upon Bacillus subtilis spores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munakata, Nobuo

1989-01-01

Samples of Bacillus subtilis spores dried on membrane filter were exposed to natural sunlight from solar-noon time at Tokyo. The survival and mutation induction of wild-type (UVR) and repair-deficient (UVS) spores were determined on 66 occasions since 1979. Two of the values were considered to be useful in monitoring solar UV intensity; the inverse of the time (in minutes) of exposure to kill 63% of the UVS spores ('sporocidal index') and the induced mutation frequency at 60 minutes of exposure of the UVR spores ('mutagenic index'). Both values were varied greatly due to time of a year, weather and other conditions. Estimates of year-round changes under clear skies were obtained by connecting the maximum values attained in these years. In these curves, there are more than 7-fold differences in the genotoxicity between winter and summer months, with major increases observed in early spring and decreases through autumn. Using a series of UV cut-off filters, the wavelengths most effective for the sporocidal actions were estimated to be in the range of 308 - 325 nm, shorter wavelengths being effective when the genotoxicity was higher. Sunburn meter of Robertson-Berger type seems to respond to slightly longer wavelength components of the solar spectrum. However, a reasonable correlation was obtained between the reading of the meter and the sporocidal index. (author)

Measurement of spontaneous DNA damage and DNA repair capacity in healthy adult individuals from high and normal level natural radiation areas of Kerala, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vivek Kumar, P.R.; Jaikrishan, G.; Das, Birajalaxmi

2014-01-01

Inhabitants of the south west coastal areas of Kerala receive high level natural radiation due to the presence of monazite ( 232 Th) in the beach sand. This provides a unique opportunity to investigate the biological effects of high level natural radiation on humans. This study evaluate basal DNA damage in 149 healthy adult male subjects (104 from high level natural radiation areas (HLNRA, > 1mSv year -1 ) and 45 from normal level natural radiation area (NLNRA, d''1mSv year -1 ) by the alkaline comet assay. Oxidative DNA damage (ENDO III, FPG and hOGG1-sensitive sites) was measured by the enzyme modified comet assay. Induction and rejoining of DNA strand breaks was measured after irradiating peripheral blood lymphocytes with 2 Gy or 4 Gy gamma radiation. Basal damage due to age and residential area of the donors showed significant interaction (P=0.001), when all subjects were analyzed using a general linear model (GLM). In subgroup analysis, basal damage increased with age in subjects from the NLNRA (P=0.007), while a significant negative correlation (P=0.01) was observed in subjects from HLNRA. Oxidative DNA damage was not influenced by age, smoking habit or residential area in the entire sample. Subjects of high dose group from HLNRA (>5.75 mSv/y, N=34) showed a significant reduction in the induction of DNA damage after 2 Gy (P=0.03) and 4 Gy (P=0.05) compared to subjects form NLNRA. The study showed increased rejoining of DNA strand breaks in subjects from HLNRA when measured at 7 minutes after irradiation (P=0.04). In this pilot study, a low basal damage in elderly subjects from HLNRA and a reduced induction of DNA damage after 2 Gy and 4 Gy irradiation in high dose group subjects from HLNRA might suggest a possible role of chronic low dose natural radiation on the induction of an in vivo radio adaptive response. However, our findings need more validation in a larger study population. (author)

VIRAL HEPATITIS A TO E IN SOUTH MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES

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Sanaa M. Kamal

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Viral hepatitis represents an important health problem in the South Mediterranean countries, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.  Emerging natural history and epidemiological information reveal differences in the overall epidemiology, risk factors and modes of transmission of viral hepatitis A, B, C, D, E infections in the South Mediterranean region. The differences in the in incidence and prevalence of viral hepatitis across North African countries is attributed to variations in health care  and sanitation standards, risk factors and immunization strategies. The active continuous population movement through travel, tourism and migration from and to the South Mediterranean countries contribute to the spread of infections due to hepatitis viruses across borders leading to outbreaks and emergence of new patterns of infection or introduction of uncommon genotypes in other countries, particularly in Europe.

Tropospheric nitrogen dioxide inversions based on spectral measurements of scattered sunlight

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlemmix, T.

2011-01-01

This thesis describes the development of inversion methods for tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2), based on ground based observations of scattered sunlight with themulti-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) technique. NO2 is an atmospheric trace gas which, when present near

Nanodiamonds protect skin from ultraviolet B-induced damage in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Meng-Si; Sun, Der-Shan; Lin, Yu-Chung; Cheng, Chia-Liang; Hung, Shih-Che; Chen, Po-Kong; Yang, Jen-Hung; Chang, Hsin-Hou

2015-05-07

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes various deleterious effects, and UV blockage is recommended for avoiding sunburn. Nanosized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide offer effective protection and enhance cosmetic appearance but entail health concerns regarding their photocatalytic activity, which generates reactive oxygen species. These concerns are absent in nanodiamonds (NDs). Among the UV wavelengths in sunlight, UVB irradiation primarily threatens human health. The efficacy and safety of NDs in UVB protection were evaluated using cell cultures and mouse models. We determined that 2 mg/cm(2) of NDs efficiently reduced over 95% of UVB radiation. Direct UVB exposure caused cell death of cultured keratinocyte, fibroblasts and skin damage in mice. By contrast, ND-shielding significantly protected the aforementioned pathogenic alterations in both cell cultures and mouse models. NDs are feasible and safe materials for preventing UVB-induced skin damage.

Modification of Sunlight Radiation through Colored Photo-Selective Nets Affects Anthocyanin Profile in Vaccinium spp. Berries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoratti, Laura; Jaakola, Laura; Häggman, Hely; Giongo, Lara

2015-01-01

In recent years, the interest on the effects of the specific wavelengths of the light spectrum on growth and metabolism of plants has been increasing markedly. The present study covers the effect of modified sunlight conditions on the accumulation of anthocyanin pigments in two Vaccinium species: the European wild bilberry (V. myrtillus L.) and the cultivated highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L.). The two Vaccinium species were grown in the same test field in the Alps of Trentino (Northern Italy) under modified light environment. The modification of sunlight radiation was carried out in field, through the use of colored photo-selective nets throughout the berry ripening during two consecutive growing seasons. The anthocyanin profile was then assessed in berries at ripeness. The results indicated that the light responses of the two Vaccinium species studied were different. Although both studied species are shade-adapted plants, 90% shading of sunlight radiation was beneficial only for bilberry plants, which accumulated the highest content of anthocyanins in both seasons. The same condition, instead, was not favorable for blueberries, whose maturation was delayed for at least two weeks, and anthocyanin accumulation was significantly decreased compared to berries grown under sunlight conditions. Moreover, the growing season had strong influence on the anthocyanin accumulation in both species, in relation to temperature flow and sunlight spectra composition during the berry ripening period. Our results suggest that the use of colored photo-selective nets may be a complementary agricultural practice for cultivation of Vaccinium species. However, further studies are needed to analyze the effect of the light spectra modifications to other nutritional properties, and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind the detected differences between the two relative Vaccinium species.

IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE AND 25-HYDROXYVITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Yee-Moon Wang

2012-06-01

In conclusion, our study confirmed an extremely high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and an important association between outdoor sunlight exposure and 25(OHD deficiency in Chinese stage 3-5 CKD patients. Further study is needed to determine whether increasing daily outdoor sunlight exposure may represent a cost-free treatment for correcting nutritional 25(OHD deficiency in the CKD population.

Structure Properties and Mechanisms of Action of Naturally Originated Phenolic Acids and Their Derivatives against Human Viral Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yi-Hang; Zhang, Bing-Yi; Qiu, Li-Peng; Guan, Rong-Fa; Ye, Zi-Hong; Yu, Xiao-Ping

2017-01-01

A great effort has been made to develop efficacious antiviral drugs, but many viral infections are still lack of efficient antiviral therapies so far. The related exploration of natural products to fight viruses has been raised in recent years. Natural compounds with structural diversity and complexity offer a great chance to find new antiviral agents. Particularly, phenolic acids have attracted considerable attention owing to their potent antiviral abilities and unique mechanisms. The aim of this review is to report new discoveries and updates pertaining to antiviral phenolic acids. The relevant references on natural phenolic acids were searched. The antiviral phenolic acids were classified according to their structural properties and antiviral types. Meanwhile, the antiviral characteristics and structure-activity relationships of phenolic acids and their derivatives were summarized. The review finds that natural phenolic acids and their derivatives possessed potent inhibitory effects on multiple virus in humans such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus. In particular, caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives exhibited outstanding antiviral properties by a variety of modes of action. Naturally derived phenolic acids especially caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives may be regarded as novel promising antiviral leads or candidates. Additionally, scarcely any of these compounds has been used as antiviral treatment in clinical practice. Therefore, these phenolic acids with diverse skeletons and mechanisms provide us an excellent resource for finding novel antiviral drugs. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Pharyngitis - viral

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... throat is due to a viral infection. The antibiotics will not help. Using them to treat viral infections helps bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. With some sore throats (such as those caused ...

Ocean color remote sensing using polarization properties of reflected sunlight

Science.gov (United States)

Frouin, R.; Pouliquen, E.; Breon, F.-M.

1994-01-01

The effects of the atmosphere and surface on sunlight backscattered to space by the ocean may be substantially reduced by using the unpolarized component of reflectance instead of total reflectance. At 450 nm, a wavelength of interest in ocean color remote sensing, and for typical conditions, 45% of the unpolarized reflectance may originate from the water body instead of 20% of the total reflectance, which represents a gain of a factor 2.2 in useful signal for water composition retrieval. The best viewing geometries are adjacent to the glitter region; they correspond to scattering angles around 100 deg, but they may change slightly depending on the polarization characteristics of the aerosols. As aerosol optical thickness increases, the atmosphere becomes less efficient at polarizing sunlight, and the enhancement of the water body contribution to unpolarized reflectance is reduced. Since the perturbing effects are smaller on unpolarized reflectance, at least for some viewing geometries, they may be more easily corrected, leading to a more accurate water-leaving signal and, therefore, more accurate estimates of phytoplankton pigment concentration.

p53 Activation following Rift Valley fever virus infection contributes to cell death and viral production.

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Dana Austin

Full Text Available Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV is an emerging viral zoonosis that is responsible for devastating outbreaks among livestock and is capable of causing potentially fatal disease in humans. Studies have shown that upon infection, certain viruses have the capability of utilizing particular cellular signaling pathways to propagate viral infection. Activation of p53 is important for the DNA damage signaling cascade, initiation of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and transcriptional regulation of multiple genes. The current study focuses on the role of p53 signaling in RVFV infection and viral replication. These results show an up-regulation of p53 phosphorylation at several serine sites after RVFV MP-12 infection that is highly dependent on the viral protein NSs. qRT-PCR data showed a transcriptional up-regulation of several p53 targeted genes involved in cell cycle and apoptosis regulation following RVFV infection. Cell viability assays demonstrate that loss of p53 results in less RVFV induced cell death. Furthermore, decreased viral titers in p53 null cells indicate that RVFV utilizes p53 to enhance viral production. Collectively, these experiments indicate that the p53 signaling pathway is utilized during RVFV infection to induce cell death and increase viral production.

Herpes simplex virus induces neural oxidative damage via microglial cell Toll-like receptor-2

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Little Morgan R

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Using a murine model of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 encephalitis, our laboratory has determined that induction of proinflammatory mediators in response to viral infection is largely mediated through a Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2-dependent mechanism. Published studies have shown that, like other inflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species (ROS are generated during viral brain infection. It is increasingly clear that ROS are responsible for facilitating secondary tissue damage during central nervous system infection and may contribute to neurotoxicity associated with herpes encephalitis. Methods Purified microglial cell and mixed neural cell cultures were prepared from C57B/6 and TLR2-/- mice. Intracellular ROS production in cultured murine microglia was measured via 2', 7'-Dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA oxidation. An assay for 8-isoprostane, a marker of lipid peroxidation, was utilized to measure free radical-associated cellular damage. Mixed neural cultures obtained from β-actin promoter-luciferase transgenic mice were used to detect neurotoxicity induced by HSV-infected microglia. Results Stimulation with HSV-1 elevated intracellular ROS in wild-type microglial cell cultures, while TLR2-/- microglia displayed delayed and attenuated ROS production following viral infection. HSV-infected TLR2-/- microglia produced less neuronal oxidative damage to mixed neural cell cultures in comparison to HSV-infected wild-type microglia. Further, HSV-infected TLR2-/- microglia were found to be less cytotoxic to cultured neurons compared to HSV-infected wild-type microglia. These effects were associated with decreased activation of p38 MAPK and p42/p44 ERK in TLR2-/- mice. Conclusions These studies demonstrate the importance of microglial cell TLR2 in inducing oxidative stress and neuronal damage in response to viral infection.

A new mathematical approximation of sunlight attenuation in rocks for surface luminescence dating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laskaris, Nikolaos, E-mail: nick.laskaris@gmail.com [University of the Aegean, Department of Mediterranean Studies, Laboratory of Archaeometry, 1 Demokratias Avenue, Rhodes 85100 (Greece); Liritzis, Ioannis, E-mail: liritzis@rhodes.aegean.gr [University of the Aegean, Department of Mediterranean Studies, Laboratory of Archaeometry, 1 Demokratias Avenue, Rhodes 85100 (Greece)

2011-09-15

The attenuation of sunlight through different rock surfaces and the thermoluminescence (TL) or Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) residuals clock resetting derived from sunlight induced eviction of electrons from electron traps, is a prerequisite criterion for potential dating. The modeling of change of residual luminescence as a function of two variables, the solar radiation path length (or depth) and exposure time offers further insight into the dating concept. The double exponential function modeling based on the Lambert-Beer law, valid under certain assumptions, constructed by a quasi-manual equation fails to offer a general and statistically sound expression of the best fit for most rock types. A cumulative log-normal distribution fitting provides a most satisfactory mathematical approximation for marbles, marble schists and granites, where absorption coefficient and residual luminescence parameters are defined per each type of rock or marble quarry. The new model is applied on available data and age determination tests. - Highlights: > Study of aattenuation of sunlight through different rock surfaces. > Study of the thermoluminescence (TL) or Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) residuals as a function of depth. > A Cumulative Log-Normal Distribution fitting provides the most satisfactory modeling for marbles, marble schists and granites. > The new model (Cummulative Log-Norm Fitting) is applied on available data and age determination tests.

A new mathematical approximation of sunlight attenuation in rocks for surface luminescence dating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laskaris, Nikolaos; Liritzis, Ioannis

2011-01-01

The attenuation of sunlight through different rock surfaces and the thermoluminescence (TL) or Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) residuals clock resetting derived from sunlight induced eviction of electrons from electron traps, is a prerequisite criterion for potential dating. The modeling of change of residual luminescence as a function of two variables, the solar radiation path length (or depth) and exposure time offers further insight into the dating concept. The double exponential function modeling based on the Lambert-Beer law, valid under certain assumptions, constructed by a quasi-manual equation fails to offer a general and statistically sound expression of the best fit for most rock types. A cumulative log-normal distribution fitting provides a most satisfactory mathematical approximation for marbles, marble schists and granites, where absorption coefficient and residual luminescence parameters are defined per each type of rock or marble quarry. The new model is applied on available data and age determination tests. - Highlights: → Study of aattenuation of sunlight through different rock surfaces. → Study of the thermoluminescence (TL) or Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) residuals as a function of depth. → A Cumulative Log-Normal Distribution fitting provides the most satisfactory modeling for marbles, marble schists and granites. → The new model (Cummulative Log-Norm Fitting) is applied on available data and age determination tests.

Adaptive response to DNA-damaging agents in natural Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations from "Evolution Canyon", Mt. Carmel, Israel.

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Gabriel A Lidzbarsky

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Natural populations of most organisms, especially unicellular microorganisms, are constantly exposed to harsh environmental factors which affect their growth. UV radiation is one of the most important physical parameters which influences yeast growth in nature. Here we used 46 natural strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from several natural populations at the "Evolution Canyon" microsite (Nahal Oren, Mt. Carmel, Israel. The opposing slopes of this canyon share the same geology, soil, and macroclimate, but they differ in microclimatic conditions. The interslope differences in solar radiation (200%-800% more on the "African" slope caused the development of two distinct biomes. The south-facing slope is sunnier and has xeric, savannoid "African" environment while the north-facing slope is represented by temperate, "European" forested environment. Here we studied the phenotypic response of the S. cerevisiae strains to UVA and UVC radiations and to methyl methanesulfonate (MMS in order to evaluate the interslope effect on the strains' ability to withstand DNA-damaging agents.We exposed our strains to the different DNA-damaging agents and measured survival by counting colony forming units. The strains from the "African" slope were more resilient to both UVA and MMS than the strains from the "European" slope. In contrast, we found that there was almost no difference between strains (with similar ploidy from the opposite slopes, in their sensitivity to UVC radiation. These results suggest that the "African" strains are more adapted to higher solar radiation than the "European" strains. We also found that the tetraploids strains were more tolerant to all DNA-damaging agents than their neighboring diploid strains, which suggest that high ploidy level might be a mechanism of adaptation to high solar radiation.Our results and the results of parallel studies with several other organisms, suggest that natural selection appears to select, at a

Sunlight exposure is important for preventing hip fractures in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwamoto, J; Takeda, T; Matsumoto, H

2012-04-01

Hypovitaminosis D as a result of malnutrition or sunlight deprivation, increased bone resorption, low bone mineral density (BMD), or an increased risk of falls may contribute to an increased risk of hip fractures in patients with neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. The purpose of this study was to clarify the efficacy of sunlight exposure for reducing the risk of hip fractures in patients with such neurological diseases. The English literature was searched using PubMed, and randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of sunlight exposure for reducing the risk of hip fractures in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke were identified. The relative risk and the 95% confidence interval were calculated for individual randomized controlled trials, and a pooled data analysis (meta-analysis) was performed. Three randomized controlled trials were identified. Sunlight exposure improved hypovitaminosis D and increased the BMD. The relative risk (95% confidence interval) of hip fractures was 0.22 (0.05, 1.01) for Alzheimer's disease, 0.27 (0.08, 0.96) for Parkinson's disease, and 0.17 (0.02, 1.36) for stroke. The relative risk (95% confidence interval) calculated for the pooled data analysis was 0.23 (0.10, 0.56) (P = 0.0012), suggesting a significant risk reduction rate of 77%. The present meta-analysis added additional evidence indicating the efficacy of sunlight exposure for reducing the risk of hip fractures in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Viral Meningitis

Science.gov (United States)

... better from treatment such as an antiviral medicine. Antibiotics do not help viral infections, so they are not useful in the treatment of viral meningitis. However, antibiotics do fight bacteria, so they are very important ...

Modification of Sunlight Radiation through Colored Photo-Selective Nets Affects Anthocyanin Profile in Vaccinium spp. Berries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Zoratti

Full Text Available In recent years, the interest on the effects of the specific wavelengths of the light spectrum on growth and metabolism of plants has been increasing markedly. The present study covers the effect of modified sunlight conditions on the accumulation of anthocyanin pigments in two Vaccinium species: the European wild bilberry (V. myrtillus L. and the cultivated highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L..The two Vaccinium species were grown in the same test field in the Alps of Trentino (Northern Italy under modified light environment. The modification of sunlight radiation was carried out in field, through the use of colored photo-selective nets throughout the berry ripening during two consecutive growing seasons. The anthocyanin profile was then assessed in berries at ripeness.The results indicated that the light responses of the two Vaccinium species studied were different. Although both studied species are shade-adapted plants, 90% shading of sunlight radiation was beneficial only for bilberry plants, which accumulated the highest content of anthocyanins in both seasons. The same condition, instead, was not favorable for blueberries, whose maturation was delayed for at least two weeks, and anthocyanin accumulation was significantly decreased compared to berries grown under sunlight conditions. Moreover, the growing season had strong influence on the anthocyanin accumulation in both species, in relation to temperature flow and sunlight spectra composition during the berry ripening period.Our results suggest that the use of colored photo-selective nets may be a complementary agricultural practice for cultivation of Vaccinium species. However, further studies are needed to analyze the effect of the light spectra modifications to other nutritional properties, and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind the detected differences between the two relative Vaccinium species.

Photoelectrochemical-type sunlight photodetector based on MoS2/graphene heterostructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Zongyu; Han, Weijia; Chander, D Sathish; Qi, Xiang; Zhang, Han; Tang, Hongli; Ren, Long

2015-01-01

We have fabricated a novel sunlight photo-detector based on a MoS 2 /graphene heterostructure. The MoS 2 /graphene heterostructure was prepared by a facile hydrothermal method along with a subsequent annealing process followed by a substrate-induced high selective nucleation and growth mechanism. The microstructures and morphologies of the two-dimensional MoS 2 /graphene heterostructure can be experimentally confirmed by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a UV–vis absorption spectrometer. Photoresponse investigations performed by a photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurement system indicate that the synthesized MoS 2 /graphene heterostructure shows superior photoresponse activities under the illumination of sunlight in contrast with bare MoS 2 and graphene. The improved photoresponsivity can be attributed to the enhanced light absorption, strong light–matter interaction and the extremely efficient charge separation of the heterostructure. The structure and performances of the MoS 2 /graphene heterostructure suggest promising applications in the field of photonics and optoelectronics. (paper)

New Potent Membrane-Targeting Antibacterial Peptides from Viral Capsid Proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Susana A.; Freire, João M.; Pérez-Peinado, Clara; Domingues, Marco M.; Gaspar, Diana; Vale, Nuno; Gomes, Paula; Andreu, David; Henriques, Sónia T.; Castanho, Miguel A. R. B.; Veiga, Ana S.

2017-01-01

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria urges the development of new antibacterial agents. With a broad spectrum activity, antimicrobial peptides have been considered potential antibacterial drug leads. Using bioinformatic tools we have previously shown that viral structural proteins are a rich source for new bioactive peptide sequences, namely antimicrobial and cell-penetrating peptides. Here, we test the efficacy and mechanism of action of the most promising peptides among those previously identified against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Two cell-penetrating peptides, vCPP 0769 and vCPP 2319, have high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, being thus multifunctional. The antibacterial mechanism of action of the two most active viral protein-derived peptides, vAMP 059 and vCPP 2319, was studied in detail. Both peptides act on both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative P. aeruginosa, with bacterial cell death occurring within minutes. Also, these peptides cause bacterial membrane permeabilization and damage of the bacterial envelope of P. aeruginosa cells. Overall, the results show that structural viral proteins are an abundant source for membrane-active peptides sequences with strong antibacterial properties. PMID:28522994

Comprehensive Screening for Naturally Occurring Hepatitis C Virus Resistance to Direct-Acting Antivirals in the NS3, NS5A, and NS5B Genes in Worldwide Isolates of Viral Genotypes 1 to 6.

Science.gov (United States)

Patiño-Galindo, Juan Ángel; Salvatierra, Karina; González-Candelas, Fernando; López-Labrador, F Xavier

2016-04-01

There is no comprehensive study available on the natural hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymorphism in sites associated with resistance including all viral genotypes which may present variable susceptibilities to particular direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). This study aimed to analyze the frequencies, genetic barriers, and evolutionary histories of naturally occurring resistance-associated variants (RAVs) in the six main HCV genotypes. A comprehensive analysis of up to 103 RAVs was performed in 2,901, 2,216, and 1,344 HCV isolates for the NS3, NS5A, and NS5B genes, respectively. We report significant intergenotypic differences in the frequencies of natural RAVs for these three HCV genes. In addition, we found a low genetic barrier for the generation of new RAVs, irrespective of the viral genotype. Furthermore, in 1,126 HCV genomes, including sequences spanning the three genes, haplotype analysis revealed a remarkably high frequency of viruses carrying more than one natural RAV to DAAs (53% of HCV-1a, 28.5% of HCV-1b, 67.1% of HCV-6, and 100% of genotype 2, 3, 4, and 5 haplotypes). With the exception of HCV-1a, the most prevalent haplotypes showed RAVs in at least two different viral genes. Finally, evolutionary analyses revealed that, while most natural RAVs appeared recently, others have been efficiently transmitted over time and cluster in well-supported clades. In summary, and despite the observed high efficacy of DAA-based regimens, we show that naturally occurring RAVs are common in all HCV genotypes and that there is an overall low genetic barrier for the selection of resistance mutations. There is a need for natural DAA resistance profiling specific for each HCV genotype. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Photodegradation of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment by sunlight and UV-A, -B and -C irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawabata, Kohei; Sugihara, Kazumi; Sanoh, Seigo; Kitamura, Shigeyuki; Ohta, Shigeru

2013-01-01

In order to investigate the effect of sunlight on the persistence and ecotoxicity of pharmaceuticals contaminating the aquatic environment, we exposed nine pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen (AA), amiodarone (AM), dapsone (DP), dexamethasone (DX), indomethacin (IM), naproxen (NP), phenytoin (PH), raloxifene (RL), and sulindac (SL)) in aqueous media to sunlight and to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at 254, 302 or 365 nm (UV-C, UV-B or UV-A, respectively). Degradation of the pharmaceuticals was monitored by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sunlight completely degraded AM, DP and DX within 6 hr, and partly degraded the other pharmaceuticals, except AA and PH, which were not degraded. Similar results were obtained with UV-B, while UV-A was less effective (both UV-A and -B are components of sunlight). All the pharmaceuticals were photodegraded by UV-C, which is used for sterilization in sewage treatment plants. Thus, the photodegradation rates of pharmaceuticals are dependent on both chemical structure and the wavelength of UV exposure. Toxicity assay using the luminescent bacteria test (ISO11348) indicated that UV irradiation reduced the toxicity of some pharmaceuticals to aquatic organisms by decreasing their amount (photodegradation) and increased the toxicity of others by generating toxic photoproduct(s). These results indicate the importance of investigating not only parent compounds, but also photoproducts in the risk assessment of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments.

Effect of grape bunch sunlight exposure and UV radiation on phenolics and volatile composition of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir wine.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jianqiang; Smart, Richard; Wang, Hua; Dambergs, Bob; Sparrow, Angela; Qian, Michael C

2015-04-15

The effect of canopy leaf removal and ultraviolet (UV) on Pinot noir grape and wine composition was investigated in this study. Limited basal leaf removal in the fruit zone was conducted, compared to shaded bunches. The UV exposure was controlled using polycarbonate screens to block UV radiation, and acrylic screens to pass the UV. The results showed that bunch sunlight and UV exposure significantly increased the Brix and pH in the grape juice, and increased substantially wine colour density, anthocyanins, total pigment, total phenolics and tannin content. Bunch sunlight and UV exposure affected terpene alcohols, C13-norisprenoids and other volatile composition of the wine differently. Sunlight exposure and UV resulted in increase of nerol, geraniol and citronellol but not linalool. Sunlight exposure slightly increased the concentration of β-ionone, but the increase was not statistically significant for UV treatment. Neither sunlight nor UV treatment showed any impact on the concentration of β-damascenone. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural resource damage assessments for oil spills: Status of rules and application to recent oil spills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robilliard, G.A.; Winfield, T.P.; Lebednik, P.A.; Markarian, R.K.

1992-01-01

The natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) process is based on the concept that all natural resources managed by government agencies or Indian tribes (trustees) are available to the public for its use and enjoyment. These resources have an economic value that can be affected by a spill of oil or other chemicals. The spiller or potentially responsible party (PRP) is responsible to the public, through the trustees, for paying damages and for restoration of the resource. The NRDA process should also determine the appropriate means of restoration, provide a cost for doing so and for conducting the NRDA, and should implement the appropriate restoration activities. The legal and regulatory authority behind NRDA in the USA is explained and reasons why PRPs should be concerned about NRDAs in the context of oil spills are presented. US Department of the Interior regulations describe two procedures for implementing a NRDA. A simplified procedure intended for small spills uses a computer model to generate a damage value. A more thorough and complicated procedure involves a number of phases and steps within the phases, and may include field sampling, data collection and analysis, and detailed evaluation of restoration alternatives. The NRDA experience in oil spills to date is reviewed and the future of NRDA is assessed. Examples cited include the 1988 Shell Oil spill from the Martinez Refinery, the Exxon Bayway pipeline leak of 1990, the Mega Borg spill in the Texas offshore, and the Exxon Valdez spill. It is speculated that trustees will focus on the NRDA process as a cooperative one that includes the trustees and PRPs, with the ultimate goal being restoration of the foregone services provided by natural resources. 5 refs., 1 fig

[History of viral hepatitis].

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, José Carlos Ferraz da

2010-01-01

The history of viral hepatitis goes back thousands of years and is a fascinating one. When humans were first infected by such agents, a natural repetitive cycle began, with the capacity to infect billions of humans, thus decimating the population and causing sequelae in thousands of lives. This article reviews the available scientific information on the history of viral hepatitis. All the information was obtained through extensive bibliographic review, including original and review articles and consultations on the internet. There are reports on outbreaks of jaundice epidemics in China 5,000 years ago and in Babylon more than 2,500 years ago. The catastrophic history of great jaundice epidemics and pandemics is well known and generally associated with major wars. In the American Civil War, 40,000 cases occurred among Union troops. In 1885, an outbreak of catarrhal jaundice affected 191 workers at the Bremen shipyard (Germany) after vaccination against smallpox. In 1942, 28,585 soldiers became infected with hepatitis after inoculation with the yellow fever vaccine. The number of cases of hepatitis during the Second World War was estimated to be 16 million. Only in the twentieth century were the main agents causing viral hepatitis identified. The hepatitis B virus was the first to be discovered. In this paper, through reviewing the history of major epidemics caused by hepatitis viruses and the history of discovery of these agents, singular peculiarities were revealed. Examples of this include the accidental or chance discovery of the hepatitis B and D viruses.

Novel microRNA-like viral small regulatory RNAs arising during human hepatitis A virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jiandong; Sun, Jing; Wang, Bin; Wu, Meini; Zhang, Jing; Duan, Zhiqing; Wang, Haixuan; Hu, Ningzhu; Hu, Yunzhang

2014-10-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), including host miRNAs and viral miRNAs, play vital roles in regulating host-virus interactions. DNA viruses encode miRNAs that regulate the viral life cycle. However, it is generally believed that cytoplasmic RNA viruses do not encode miRNAs, owing to inaccessible cellular miRNA processing machinery. Here, we provide a comprehensive genome-wide analysis and identification of miRNAs that were derived from hepatitis A virus (HAV; Hu/China/H2/1982), which is a typical cytoplasmic RNA virus. Using deep-sequencing and in silico approaches, we identified 2 novel virally encoded miRNAs, named hav-miR-1-5p and hav-miR-2-5p. Both of the novel virally encoded miRNAs were clearly detected in infected cells. Analysis of Dicer enzyme silencing demonstrated that HAV-derived miRNA biogenesis is Dicer dependent. Furthermore, we confirmed that HAV mature miRNAs were generated from viral miRNA precursors (pre-miRNAs) in host cells. Notably, naturally derived HAV miRNAs were biologically and functionally active and induced post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS). Genomic location analysis revealed novel miRNAs located in the coding region of the viral genome. Overall, our results show that HAV naturally generates functional miRNA-like small regulatory RNAs during infection. This is the first report of miRNAs derived from the coding region of genomic RNA of a cytoplasmic RNA virus. These observations demonstrate that a cytoplasmic RNA virus can naturally generate functional miRNAs, as DNA viruses do. These findings also contribute to improved understanding of host-RNA virus interactions mediated by RNA virus-derived miRNAs. © FASEB.

A three-dimensional natural resource damage assessment and coupled geographical information system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, M.; French, D.; Feng, S.S.; Knauss, W.

1991-01-01

In this paper a numerical model for natural resource damage assessments is discussed. The model addresses a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The transport equations for both pollutant and biota are solved with a three-dimensional Lagrangian particle methodology. The model can simulate continuous releases of a contaminant, with representation of complex coastal boundaries, variable bathymetry, multiple shoreline types, and spatially variable ecosystem habitats. A graphic interface gives the user complete and facile control of the dynamic transport and biological submodels, as ell as the ability to display elements of the underlying geographical information system (GIS) data base. The model is being implemented on a 386 PC

Natural Rhythms and Temporal Perception - Visualization of Sunlight Patterns with Energy Monitoring

OpenAIRE

Opitz, Christoph

2018-01-01

In his book Ritual House, Ralph Knowles states, "The houses we inhabit, the cities surrounding our houses, even the clothes we wear - all are shelters we erect against the elements. But they are also manifestations of ancient rituals, developed in response to nature's rhythms" (2006). Implicit within this quote is the importance of nature's rhythms in our lives, particularly those related to the movement of the sun. Many built environments have no connection to the exterior. Those who work i...

Overview of avian toxicity studies for the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Bursian, Steven J.; Alexander, C.R.; Cacela, Dave; Cunningham, Fred L.; Dean, Karen M.; Dorr, Brian S.; Ellis, Christine K.; Godard-Codding, Céline A.J.; Guglielmo, Christopher G.; Hanson-Dorr, Katie C.; Harr, Kendall E.; Healy, Katherine A.; Hooper, Michael J.; Horak, Katherine E.; Isanhart, John P.; Kennedy, Lisa V.; Link, Jane E.; Maggini, Ivan; Moye, John K.; Perez, Christina R.; Pritsos, Chris A.; Shriner, Susan A.; Trust, Kinberly A.; Tuttle, Peter L.

2017-01-01

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 establishes liability for injuries to natural resources because of the release or threat of release of oil. Assessment of injury to natural resources resulting from an oil spill and development and implementation of a plan for the restoration, rehabilitation, replacement or acquisition of natural resources to compensate for those injuries is accomplished through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process. The NRDA process began within a week of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred on April 20, 2010. During the spill, more than 8500 dead and impaired birds representing at least 93 avian species were collected. In addition, there were more than 3500 birds observed to be visibly oiled. While information in the literature at the time helped to identify some of the effects of oil on birds, it was not sufficient to fully characterize the nature and extent of the injuries to the thousands of live oiled birds, or to quantify those injuries in terms of effects on bird viability. As a result, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed various assessment activities to inform NRDA injury determination and quantification analyses associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including avian toxicity studies. The goal of these studies was to evaluate the effects of oral exposure to 1–20 ml of artificially weathered Mississippi Canyon 252 oil kg bw-1 day-1 from one to 28 days or one to five applications of oil to 20% of the bird's surface area. It was thought that these exposure levels would not result in immediate or short-term mortality but might result in physiological effects that ultimately could affect avian survival, reproduction and health. These studies included oral dosing studies, an external dosing study, metabolic and flight performance studies and field-based flight studies. Results of these studies indicated changes in hematologic endpoints including formation of Heinz bodies and changes in cell counts

Hepatitis viral aguda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Héctor Rubén Hernández Garcés

1998-10-01

Full Text Available Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica de las hepatitis virales agudas sobre aspectos vinculados a su etiología. Se tuvieron en cuenta además algunos datos epidemiológicos, las formas clínicas más importantes, los exámenes complementarios con especial énfasis en los marcadores virales y el diagnóstico positivoA bibliographical review of acute viral hepatitis was made taking into account those aspects connected with its etiology. Some epidemiological markers, the most important clinical forms, and the complementary examinations with special emphasis on the viral markers and the positive diagnosis were also considered

Virale commercials: de consument als marketeer. Onderzoek naar de redenen waarom consumenten virale commercials doorsturen: hun motieven, de inhoudskenmerken van viral commercials en de mediumcontext waarin virale commercials verschijnen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ketelaar, P.E.; Lucassen, P.; Kregting, G.H.J.

2010-01-01

Research into the reasons why consumers pass along viral commercials: their motives, the content characteristics of viral commercials and the medium context in which viral commercials appear. Based on the uses and gratifications perspective this study has determined which motives of consumers,

Gravimetric Viral Diagnostics: QCM Based Biosensors for Early Detection of Viruses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adeel Afzal

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Viruses are pathogenic microorganisms that can inhabit and replicate in human bodies causing a number of widespread infectious diseases such as influenza, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, meningitis, pneumonia, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS etc. A majority of these viral diseases are contagious and can spread from infected to healthy human beings. The most important step in the treatment of these contagious diseases and to prevent their unwanted spread is to timely detect the disease-causing viruses. Gravimetric viral diagnostics based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM transducers and natural or synthetic receptors are miniaturized sensing platforms that can selectively recognize and quantify harmful virus species. Herein, a review of the label-free QCM virus sensors for clinical diagnostics and point of care (POC applications is presented with major emphasis on the nature and performance of different receptors ranging from the natural or synthetic antibodies to selective macromolecular materials such as DNA and aptamers. A performance comparison of different receptors is provided and their limitations are discussed.

Geochemical Interactions and Viral-Prokaryote Relationships in Freshwater Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Kyle, J. E.; Ferris, G.

2009-05-01

Viral and prokaryotic abundances were surveyed throughout southern Ontario aquatic habitats to determine relationships with geochemical parameters in the natural environment. Surface water samples were collected from acid mine drainage in summer of 2007 and 2008 and from circum-neutral pH environments in October to November 2008. Site determination was based on collecting samples from various aquatic habitats (acid mine drainage, lakes, rivers, tributaries, wetlands) with differing bedrock geology (limestone and shale dominated vs granitic Canadian Shield) to obtain a range of geochemical conditions. At each site, measurements of temperature, pH, and Eh were conducted. Samples collected for microbial counts and electron imaging were preserved to a final concentration of 2.5 % (v/v) glutaraldehyde. Additional sample were filtered into 60 mL nalgene bottles and amber EPA certified 40 mL glass vials to determine chemical constituents and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), respectively. Water was also collected to determine additional physiochemical parameters (dissolved total iron, ferric iron, nitrate, sulfate, phosphate, alkalinity, and turbidity). All samples were stored at 4 °C until analysis. Viral and prokaryotic abundance was determined by staining samples with SYBR Green I and examining with a epifluorescence microscope under blue excitation. Multiple regression analysis using stepwise backwards regression and general linear models revealed that viral abundance was the most influential predictor of prokaryotic abundance. Additional predictors include pH, sulfate, phosphate, and magnesium. The strength of the model was very strong with 90 % of the variability explained (R2 = 0.90, p < 0.007). This is the first report, to our knowledge, of viruses exhibiting such strong controls over prokaryotic abundance in the natural environment. All relationships are positively correlated with the exception of Mg, which is negatively correlated. Iron was also noted as a

Know-how provider’s right to claim damages for non-pecuniary loss in light of the legal nature of know-how

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuğçe Oral

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The know-how contract is one of the most important means for transferring and developing technology. It is crucial to find out whether the parties of know-how contract have a right to claim damages for non-pecuniary loss in light of the legal nature of knowhow. In this article, I begin by defining the know-how contracts and in particular I will analyze the main obligations of the parties. Secondly, I will deal with the definition and the legal nature of know-how, since considerable uncertainty exists as to the degree or type of protection regarding the legal nature of know-how. There are different opinions put forward, which defines the legal nature of know-how as a property, an intangible asset, a monopoly of fact and a personality right. Finally, and on the basis of the conclusion reached under the previous section, I will discuss whether it is possible for know-how provider to claim damages for non-pecuniary loss.

Viral persistence, liver disease and host response in Hepatitis C-like virus rat model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trivedi, Sheetal; Murthy, Satyapramod; Sharma, Himanshu

2018-01-01

The lack of a relevant, tractable, and immunocompetent animal model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has severely impeded investigations of viral persistence, immunity and pathogenesis. In the absence of immunocompetent models with robust HCV infection, homolog hepaciviruses in their natural host could...... potentially provide useful surrogate models. We isolated a rodent hepacivirus (RHV) from wild rats (Rattus norvegicus), RHV-rn1, acquired the complete viral genome sequence and developed an infectious reverse genetics system. RHV-rn1 resembles HCV in genomic features including the pattern of polyprotein...... cleavage sites and secondary structures in the viral 5' and 3' UTRs. We used site-directed and random mutagenesis to determine that only the first of the two miR-122 seed sites in viral 5'UTR is required for viral replication and persistence in rats. Next, we used the clone derived virus progeny to infect...

Viral Disease Networks?

Science.gov (United States)

Gulbahce, Natali; Yan, Han; Vidal, Marc; Barabasi, Albert-Laszlo

2010-03-01

Viral infections induce multiple perturbations that spread along the links of the biological networks of the host cells. Understanding the impact of these cascading perturbations requires an exhaustive knowledge of the cellular machinery as well as a systems biology approach that reveals how individual components of the cellular system function together. Here we describe an integrative method that provides a new approach to studying virus-human interactions and its correlations with diseases. Our method involves the combined utilization of protein - protein interactions, protein -- DNA interactions, metabolomics and gene - disease associations to build a ``viraldiseasome''. By solely using high-throughput data, we map well-known viral associated diseases and predict new candidate viral diseases. We use microarray data of virus-infected tissues and patient medical history data to further test the implications of the viral diseasome. We apply this method to Epstein-Barr virus and Human Papillomavirus and shed light into molecular development of viral diseases and disease pathways.

THE ROLE OF CYTOKINE NETWORK IN HEPATOCELLULAR DAMAGE CAUSED BY СHRONIC HEPATITIS C

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Ph. Skljar

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Hepatitis C virus (HCV is the leading cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver damage in chronic viral hepatitis C is caused by both direct cytopathic viral effects, and indirect immune-mediated mechanisms. The cytokines locally produced in the liver, as well as those circulating in the blood circulation, play an important role in the control of viral replication and sufficiently contribute to hepatocellular damage. The goal of present study was to investigate the contents of some cytokines in blood serum and their local levels, being in interrelation with indices of necrotic inflammatory changes in the liver tissue. Correlations established between systemic and local contents of studied cytokines, and morphological indices indicate that, among immunological tests checked, the contents of IL-4, IL-10, IL-12p70, and TNFα in blood serum and supernatants of liver biopsies were of the greatest significance for determining the stage of fibrosis. Quantitative assays of abovementioned cytokines in blood serum represent, therefore, an alternative approach in order to perform noninvasive screening of liver fibrosis.

Genome-Wide Transcriptional Profiles of the Berry Skin of Two Red Grape Cultivars (Vitis vinifera) in Which Anthocyanin Synthesis Is Sunlight-Dependent or -Independent

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Le; Xin, Hai-Ping; Li, Ji-Hu; Li, Shao-Hua

2014-01-01

Global gene expression was analyzed in the berry skin of two red grape cultivars, which can (‘Jingyan’) or cannot (‘Jingxiu’) synthesize anthocyanins after sunlight exclusion from fruit set until maturity. Gene transcripts responding to sunlight exclusion in ‘Jingyan’ were less complex than in ‘Jingxiu’; 528 genes were induced and 383 repressed in the former, whereas 2655 genes were induced and 205 suppressed in ‘Jingxiu’. They were regulated either in the same or opposing manner in the two cultivars, or in only one cultivar. In addition to VvUFGT and VvMYBA1, some candidate genes (e.g. AOMT, GST, and ANP) were identified which are probably involved in the differential responses of ‘Jingxiu’ and ‘Jingyan’ to sunlight exclusion. In addition, 26 MYB, 14 bHLH and 23 WD40 genes responded differently to sunlight exclusion in the two cultivars. Interestingly, all of the 189 genes classified as being relevant to ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation were down-regulated by sunlight exclusion in ‘Jingxiu’, but the majority (162) remained unchanged in ‘Jingyan’ berry skin. It would be of interest to determine the precise role of the ubiquitin pathway following sunlight exclusion, particularly the role of COP9 signalosome, cullins, RING-Box 1, and COP1-interacting proteins. Only a few genes in the light signal system were found to be regulated by sunlight exclusion in either or both cultivars. This study provides a valuable overview of the transcriptome changes and gives insight into the genetic background that may be responsible for sunlight-dependent versus -independent anthocyanin biosynthesis in berry skin. PMID:25158067

Visual pathways involvement in children with acute viral encephalitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Voitenkov Vladislav Borisovich

2013-10-01

Full Text Available AIM: To investigate extent and nature of visual pathways involvement in children with acute viral encephalitis. METHODS: Thirty patients(age 5-12 yearswith acute viral encephalitis underwent visual evoked potentials(VEPinvestigation within 12 days from the appearance of the first signs of disease. Latency and amplitude of P100 peak were compared with normative data and between patients with varicella and tick-borne encephalitis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between children with these two forms of encephalitis. In the whole group in 40% of the cases signs of the visual cortex dysfunction(P100 amplitude loweringand mild slowing of the conductivity along the visual pathways(P100 latency lengtheningwere seen. In 3% of the cases retrobulbar optic neuritis was diagnosed. CONCLUSION:The results indicate that visual pathway have good endurance to the viral encephalitis anatomically, but functionally visual cortex is quite vulnerable towards general disturbances caused by this kind of illness.

Mobil Viral Pazarlama

OpenAIRE

Barutçu, Süleyman

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Mobile Viral Marketing, with using mobile phones, is one of the most importantinnovations after Word of Mouth Marketing performed by face to face amongpeople and Viral Marketing performed in the İnternet. The main objective of thisstudy is to call marketing communicators’ and academicians’ attentions whowant to increase the recognition of companies’ products, services and brands tobecome a current issue in the marketplace using Mobile Viral Marketingapplications by reason of techno...

Effects of anti-cocaine vaccine and viral gene transfer of cocaine hydrolase in mice on cocaine toxicity including motor strength and liver damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yang; Geng, Liyi; Orson, Frank; Kinsey, Berma; Kosten, Thomas R; Shen, Xiaoyun; Brimijoin, Stephen

2013-03-25

In developing an vivo drug-interception therapy to treat cocaine abuse and hinder relapse into drug seeking provoked by re-encounter with cocaine, two promising agents are: (1) a cocaine hydrolase enzyme (CocH) derived from human butyrylcholinesterase and delivered by gene transfer; (2) an anti-cocaine antibody elicited by vaccination. Recent behavioral experiments showed that antibody and enzyme work in a complementary fashion to reduce cocaine-stimulated locomotor activity in rats and mice. Our present goal was to test protection against liver damage and muscle weakness in mice challenged with massive doses of cocaine at or near the LD50 level (100-120 mg/kg, i.p.). We found that, when the interceptor proteins were combined at doses that were only modestly protective in isolation (enzyme, 1mg/kg; antibody, 8 mg/kg), they provided complete protection of liver tissue and motor function. When the enzyme levels were ~400-fold higher, after in vivo transduction by adeno-associated viral vector, similar protection was observed from CocH alone. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sunlight Induced Rapid Oil Absorption and Passive Room-Temperature Release: An Effective Solution toward Heavy Oil Spill Cleanup

KAUST Repository

Wu, Mengchun

2018-05-18

Rapid cleanup and easy recovery of spilled heavy oils is always a great challenge due to their high viscosity (>103 mPa s). One of the efficient methods to absorb highly viscous oils is to reduce their viscosity by increasing their temperature. In this work, the authors integrate the sunlight‐induced light‐to‐heat conversion effect of polypyrrole (PPy) and thermoresponsive property of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) into the melamine sponge, which successfully delivers a fast heavy oil absorption under sunlight and passive oil release underwater at room temperature. Thanks to the rationally designed functionalities, the PNIPAm/PPy functionalized sponges possess oleophilicity and hydrophobicity under sunlight. Due to the photothermal effect of PPy, the sponges locally heat up contacting heavy oil under sunlight and reduce its viscosity to a point where the oil voluntarily flow into the pores of the sponge. The material in this work is able to rapidly absorb the heavy oil with room temperature viscosity as high as ≈1.60 × 105 mPa s. The absorbed oil can be passively forced out the sponge underwater at room temperature due to the hydrophilicity of PNIPAm. The sunlight responsive and multifunctional sponge represents a meaningful attempt in coming up with a sustainable solution toward heavy oil spill.

Sunlight Induced Rapid Oil Absorption and Passive Room-Temperature Release: An Effective Solution toward Heavy Oil Spill Cleanup

KAUST Repository

Wu, Mengchun; Shi, Yusuf; Chang, Jian; Li, Renyuan; Ong, Chi Siang; Wang, Peng

2018-01-01

Rapid cleanup and easy recovery of spilled heavy oils is always a great challenge due to their high viscosity (>103 mPa s). One of the efficient methods to absorb highly viscous oils is to reduce their viscosity by increasing their temperature. In this work, the authors integrate the sunlight‐induced light‐to‐heat conversion effect of polypyrrole (PPy) and thermoresponsive property of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) into the melamine sponge, which successfully delivers a fast heavy oil absorption under sunlight and passive oil release underwater at room temperature. Thanks to the rationally designed functionalities, the PNIPAm/PPy functionalized sponges possess oleophilicity and hydrophobicity under sunlight. Due to the photothermal effect of PPy, the sponges locally heat up contacting heavy oil under sunlight and reduce its viscosity to a point where the oil voluntarily flow into the pores of the sponge. The material in this work is able to rapidly absorb the heavy oil with room temperature viscosity as high as ≈1.60 × 105 mPa s. The absorbed oil can be passively forced out the sponge underwater at room temperature due to the hydrophilicity of PNIPAm. The sunlight responsive and multifunctional sponge represents a meaningful attempt in coming up with a sustainable solution toward heavy oil spill.

US findings in acute viral hepatitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corsi, M; Lorenzon, G; Mesaglio, S

1988-01-01

Reports on colecystic alterations during acute viral hepatitis are more and more frequent; the pathogenesis and clinical meaning of these alterations are still debated. Consensual periportal lymphnode enlargment has been not yet reported. The authors describe four cases of acute viral hepatites in whichUS showed alterations of colecystic walls and/or contents; in two cases enlarged periportal lymphnodes were demonstrated too. Later US exams showed a complete regression of both colecystic and lymphnodal lesions. Clinical findings and laboratory out-comes are evaluated; the connection of US results with hepatitis and its meaning are discussed. The causes of colecystic alterations are still questionable; they might be related to blood disorders or to an increased portal pressure, or else they might be considered as phlogistic lesions. The authors conclude that both colecystic and lymphnodal alterations have a phlogistic nature; moreover, they are not related to a particulary evolution of hepatitis. The importance of distinguishing colecystic alterations from different pathology is stressed.

US findings in acute viral hepatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corsi, M.; Lorenzon, G.; Mesaglio, S.

1988-01-01

Reports on colecystic alterations during acute viral hepatitis are more and more frequent; the pathogenesis and clinical meaning of these alterations are still debated. Consensual periportal lymphnode enlargment has been not yet reported. The authors describe four cases of acute viral hepatites in whichUS showed alterations of colecystic walls and/or contents; in two cases enlarged periportal lymphnodes were demonstrated too. Later US exams showed a complete regression of both colecystic and lymphnodal lesions. Clinical findings and laboratory out-comes are evaluated; the connection of US results with hepatitis and its meaning are discussed. The causes of colecystic alterations are still questionable; they might be related to blood disorders or to an increased portal pressure, or else they might be considered as phlogistic lesions. The authors conclude that both colecystic and lymphnodal alterations have a phlogistic nature; moreover, they are not related to a particulary evolution of hepatitis. The importance of distinguishing colecystic alterations from different pathology is stressed

Understanding Image Virality

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-07

Example non-viral images. Figure 1: Top: Images with high viral scores in our dataset depict internet “celebrity” memes ex. “Grumpy Cat”; Bottom: Images...of images that is most similar to ours is the concurrently introduced viral meme generator of Wang et al., that combines NLP and Computer Vision (low...doing any of our tasks. The test included questions about widely spread Reddit memes and jargon so that anyone familiar with Reddit can easily get a high

Effects of UV radiation on DNA photodamage and production in bacterioplankton in the coastal Caribbean Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, P.M; Snelder, E; Kop, A.J; Boelen, P.; Buma, A.G.J.; van Duyl, F.C

1999-01-01

This study focuses on the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on bacterioplankton. The effect of different parts of the sunlight spectrum on the leucine and thymidine incorporation and on the induction of DNA damage in natural bacterial populations in the coastal Caribbean Sea off Curacao were

Presence of viral RNA and proteins in exosomes from the cellular clones resistant to Rift Valley Fever Virus infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noor eAhsan

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV is a RNA virus that belongs to the genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae. It infects humans and livestock and causes Rift Valley fever. RVFV is considered an agricultural pathogen by the USDA, as it can cause up to 100% abortion in cattle and extensive death of newborns. In addition, it is designated as Category A pathogen by the CDC and the NIAID. In some human cases of RVFV infection, the virus causes fever, ocular damage, liver damage, hemorrhagic fever, and death. There are currently limited options for vaccine candidates, which include the MP-12 and clone 13 versions of RVFV. Viral infections often deregulate multiple cellular pathways that contribute to replication and host pathology. We have previously shown that latent HIV-1 and HTLV-1 infected cells secrete exosomes that contain short viral RNAs, limited number of genomic RNAs, and viral proteins. These exosomes largely target neighboring cells and activate the NF-кB pathway, leading to cell proliferation and overall better viral replication. In this manuscript, we studied the effects of exosome formation from RVFV infected cells and their function on recipient cells. We initially infected cells, isolated resistant clones, and further purified using dilution cloning. We then characterized these cells as resistant to new RVFV infection, but sensitive to other viral infections, including Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV. These clones contained normal markers (i.e. CD63 for exosomes and were able to activate the TLR pathway in recipient reporter cells. Interestingly, the exosome rich preparations, much like their host cell, contained viral RNA (L, M, and S genome. The RNAs were detected using qRT-PCR in both parental and exosomal preparations as well as in CD63 immunoprecipitates. Viral proteins such as N and a modified form of NSs were present in some of these exosomes. Finally, treatment of recipient cells (T- cells and monocytic cells showed

Patterns and timing of sunlight exposure and risk of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin – a case–control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iannacone, Michelle R; Fenske, Neil A; Rollison, Dana E; Wang, Wei; Stockwell, Heather G; O’Rourke, Kathleen; Giuliano, Anna R; Sondak, Vernon K; Messina, Jane L; Roetzheim, Richard G; Cherpelis, Basil S

2012-01-01

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), comprised of basal (BCC) and squamous (SCC) cell carcinomas, is the most common cancer in Caucasians. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is the most important environmental risk factor for NMSC. However, the precise relationship between UVR and the risk of NMSC is complex, and the relationship may differ by skin cancer type. A case–control study was conducted among Florida residents to investigate measures of patterns (intermittent vs. continuous) and timing (childhood vs. adulthood) of sunlight exposure in BCC and SCC. Participants included 218 BCC and 169 SCC cases recruited from a university dermatology clinic and 316 controls with no history of skin or other cancers. A history of blistering sunburn (a measure of intermittent sunlight exposure) was associated with both BCC (OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.27-3.03) and SCC (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.22-3.33). Additionally, having a job in the sun for ≥3 months for 10 years or longer (a measure of continuous sunlight exposure) was also associated with both BCC and SCC in our study population. With the exception of younger age at first blistering sunburn, measures of younger age at sunlight exposure tended to be associated with SCC, but not BCC risk. Results from the current study suggest that sunlight exposure is associated with both BCC and SCC risk regardless of the pattern in which the exposure was received (i.e. intermittent vs. continuous). The data also suggest that sunlight exposure at a younger age may be more important for SCC but not BCC, however additional studies are needed to further characterize sunlight exposure-response relationships in different types of NMSC

Illuminating structural proteins in viral "dark matter" with metaproteomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Brum, Jennifer R; Ignacio-Espinoza, J Cesar; Kim, Eun-Hae; Trubl, Gareth; Jones, Robert M; Roux, Simon; VerBerkmoes, Nathan C; Rich, Virginia I; Sullivan, Matthew B

2016-03-01

Viruses are ecologically important, yet environmental virology is limited by dominance of unannotated genomic sequences representing taxonomic and functional "viral dark matter." Although recent analytical advances are rapidly improving taxonomic annotations, identifying functional dark matter remains problematic. Here, we apply paired metaproteomics and dsDNA-targeted metagenomics to identify 1,875 virion-associated proteins from the ocean. Over one-half of these proteins were newly functionally annotated and represent abundant and widespread viral metagenome-derived protein clusters (PCs). One primarily unannotated PC dominated the dataset, but structural modeling and genomic context identified this PC as a previously unidentified capsid protein from multiple uncultivated tailed virus families. Furthermore, four of the five most abundant PCs in the metaproteome represent capsid proteins containing the HK97-like protein fold previously found in many viruses that infect all three domains of life. The dominance of these proteins within our dataset, as well as their global distribution throughout the world's oceans and seas, supports prior hypotheses that this HK97-like protein fold is the most abundant biological structure on Earth. Together, these culture-independent analyses improve virion-associated protein annotations, facilitate the investigation of proteins within natural viral communities, and offer a high-throughput means of illuminating functional viral dark matter.

Protection of naturally occurring antioxidants against oxidative damages to protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Hongping; Zhang Zhaoxia; Hao Shumei; Wang Wenfeng; Yao Side

2006-01-01

One of the most compelling theories explaining age-related deterioration is the free radical theory of aging. It has been shown that reactive oxygen species are involved in oxidative damages to biomolecules and this is related to a number of diseases. Proteins, the second most abundant components of cells (next to water by weight), are now increasingly recognized as major biological targets of oxidative damages. Convincing evidences have indicated that damages to protein have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and aging. Antioxidant has been the subject of great attention because they are known to lower the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. Hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (HCAs) are antioxidants abundant in tea, red wine, fruits, beverages and various medicinal plants. Results showed that they exhibit remarkable activity for scavenging oxidizing radicals and triplet states. The protective effects of four kinds of HCAs on oxidative damages to lysozyme were investigated in our lab. Protein damages induced by two different paradigms: riboflavin-sensitized photooxidation and hydroxyl ( . OH)-mediated oxidation, were investigated using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. HCAs were found to inhibit the cross-linking of protein induced by riboflavin-mediated photooxidation. HCAs also exhibited protection effect on lysozyme damage induced by γ-ray irradiation. The rate constants for quenching triplet state of riboflavin by lysozyme and HCAs were obtained using laser flash photolysis. The protective mechanism was proposed based on the dynamic study. HCAs were found to protect protein against oxidation by scavenging oxidizing species and repairing the damaged protein. (authors)

Nature remedies human damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heikkonen, H.

1994-01-01

Ecolution Ltd puts its emphasis on technologies which use nature's own methods. This technology is best suited to the bioremediation of old industrial sites, saw mills or oil- contaminated areas. The results of biopurification are consistently good and, in comparison with burning, the costs are low

Radiation damage studies on natural rock salt from various geological localities of interest to the radioactive waste disposal program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levy, P.W.

1981-01-01

As part of a program to investigate radiation damage in geological materials of interest to the radioactive waste disposal program, radiation damage, particularly radiation induced sodium metal colloid formation, has been studied in 14 natural rock salt samples. All measurements were made with equipment for making optical absorption and other measurements on samples, in a temperature controlled irradiation chamber, during and after 0.5 to 3.0 MeV electron irradiation. Samples were chosen for practical and scientific purposes, from localities that are potential repository sites and from different horizons at certain localities

Oxidative Damage to RPA Limits the Nucleotide Excision Repair Capacity of Human Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Guven, Melisa; Brem, Reto; Macpherson, Peter; Peacock, Matthew; Karran, Peter

2015-11-01

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) protects against sunlight-induced skin cancer. Defective NER is associated with photosensitivity and a high skin cancer incidence. Some clinical treatments that cause photosensitivity can also increase skin cancer risk. Among these, the immunosuppressant azathioprine and the fluoroquinolone antibiotics ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin interact with UVA radiation to generate reactive oxygen species that diminish NER capacity by causing protein damage. The replication protein A (RPA) DNA-binding protein has a pivotal role in DNA metabolism and is an essential component of NER. The relationship between protein oxidation and NER inhibition was investigated in cultured human cells expressing different levels of RPA. We show here that RPA is limiting for NER and that oxidative damage to RPA compromises NER capability. Our findings reveal that cellular RPA is surprisingly vulnerable to oxidation, and we identify oxidized forms of RPA that are associated with impaired NER. The vulnerability of NER to inhibition by oxidation provides a connection between cutaneous photosensitivity, protein damage, and increased skin cancer risk. Our findings emphasize that damage to DNA repair proteins, as well as to DNA itself, is likely to be an important contributor to skin cancer risk.

Diffused sunlight driven highly synergistic pathway for complete mineralization of organic contaminants using reduced graphene oxide supported photocatalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Babu, Sundaram Ganesh; Ramalingam Vinoth [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur 603203, Chennai, Tamilnadu (India); Neppolian, Bernaurdshaw, E-mail: neppolian.b@res.srmuniv.ac.in [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur 603203, Chennai, Tamilnadu (India); Dionysiou, Dionysios D. [Environmental Engineering and Science Program, Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0012 (United States); Ashokkumar, Muthupandian [The School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia)

2015-06-30

Highlights: • Diffused sunlight is firstly used as an effective source for the degradation of organics. • More than 10 fold synergistic effect is achieved by sono-photocatalysis. • rGO enhances the degradation efficiency up to 54% as compared with CuO–TiO{sub 2} alone. • Plausible mechanism and intermediates formed are supported with experimental studies. - Abstract: Diffused sunlight is found to be an effective light source for the efficient degradation and mineralization of organic pollutant (methyl orange as a probe) by sono-photocatalytic degradation using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) supported CuO–TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst. The prepared catalysts are characterized by XRD, XPS, UV–vis DRS, PL, photoelectrochemical, SEM-EDS and TEM. A 10 fold synergy is achieved for the first time by combining sonochemical and photocatalytic degradation under diffused sunlight. rGO loading augments the activity of bare CuO–TiO{sub 2} more than two fold. The ability of rGO in storing, transferring, and shuttling electrons at the heterojunction between TiO{sub 2} and CuO facilitates the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, as evidenced by the photoluminescence results. The complete mineralization of MO and the by-products within a short span of time is confirmed by TOC analysis. Further, hydroxyl radical mediated degradation under diffused sunlight is confirmed by LC–MS. This system shows similar activity for the degradation of methylene blue and 4-chlorophenol indicating the versatility of the catalyst for the degradation of various pollutants. This investigation is likely to open new possibilities for the development of highly efficient diffused sunlight driven TiO{sub 2} based photocatalysts for the complete mineralization of organic contaminants.

DNA Damage Reduces the Quality, but Not the Quantity of Human Papillomavirus 16 E1 and E2 DNA Replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Bristol, Molly L; Wang, Xu; Smith, Nathan W; Son, Minkyeong P; Evans, Michael R; Morgan, Iain M

2016-06-22

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are causative agents in almost all cervical carcinomas. HPVs are also causative agents in head and neck cancer, the cases of which are increasing rapidly. Viral replication activates the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway; associated proteins are recruited to replication foci, and this pathway may serve to allow for viral genome amplification. Likewise, HPV genome double-strand breaks (DSBs) could be produced during replication and could lead to linearization and viral integration. Many studies have shown that viral integration into the host genome results in unregulated expression of the viral oncogenes, E6 and E7, promoting HPV-induced carcinogenesis. Previously, we have demonstrated that DNA-damaging agents, such as etoposide, or knocking down viral replication partner proteins, such as topoisomerase II β binding protein I (TopBP1), does not reduce the level of DNA replication. Here, we investigated whether these treatments alter the quality of DNA replication by HPV16 E1 and E2. We confirm that knockdown of TopBP1 or treatment with etoposide does not reduce total levels of E1/E2-mediated DNA replication; however, the quality of replication is significantly reduced. The results demonstrate that E1 and E2 continue to replicate under genomically-stressed conditions and that this replication is mutagenic. This mutagenesis would promote the formation of substrates for integration of the viral genome into that of the host, a hallmark of cervical cancer.

DNA Damage Reduces the Quality, but Not the Quantity of Human Papillomavirus 16 E1 and E2 DNA Replication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Molly L. Bristol

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Human papillomaviruses (HPVs are causative agents in almost all cervical carcinomas. HPVs are also causative agents in head and neck cancer, the cases of which are increasing rapidly. Viral replication activates the DNA damage response (DDR pathway; associated proteins are recruited to replication foci, and this pathway may serve to allow for viral genome amplification. Likewise, HPV genome double-strand breaks (DSBs could be produced during replication and could lead to linearization and viral integration. Many studies have shown that viral integration into the host genome results in unregulated expression of the viral oncogenes, E6 and E7, promoting HPV-induced carcinogenesis. Previously, we have demonstrated that DNA-damaging agents, such as etoposide, or knocking down viral replication partner proteins, such as topoisomerase II β binding protein I (TopBP1, does not reduce the level of DNA replication. Here, we investigated whether these treatments alter the quality of DNA replication by HPV16 E1 and E2. We confirm that knockdown of TopBP1 or treatment with etoposide does not reduce total levels of E1/E2-mediated DNA replication; however, the quality of replication is significantly reduced. The results demonstrate that E1 and E2 continue to replicate under genomically-stressed conditions and that this replication is mutagenic. This mutagenesis would promote the formation of substrates for integration of the viral genome into that of the host, a hallmark of cervical cancer.

Reconstructing viral genomes from the environment using fosmid clones: the case of haloviruses.

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Inmaculada Garcia-Heredia

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Metaviriomes, the viral genomes present in an environment, have been studied by direct sequencing of the viral DNA or by cloning in small insert libraries. The short reads generated by both approaches make it very difficult to assemble and annotate such flexible genomic entities. Many environmental viruses belong to unknown groups or prey on uncultured and little known cellular lineages, and hence might not be present in databases. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we have used a different approach, the cloning of viral DNA into fosmids before sequencing, to obtain natural contigs that are close to the size of a viral genome. We have studied a relatively low diversity extreme environment: saturated NaCl brines, which simplifies the analysis and interpretation of the data. Forty-two different viral genomes were retrieved, and some of these were almost complete, and could be tentatively identified as head-tail phages (Caudovirales. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: We found a cluster of phage genomes that most likely infect Haloquadratum walsbyi, the square archaeon and major component of the community in these hypersaline habitats. The identity of the prey could be confirmed by the presence of CRISPR spacer sequences shared by the virus and one of the available strain genomes. Other viral clusters detected appeared to prey on the Nanohaloarchaea and on the bacterium Salinibacter ruber, covering most of the diversity of microbes found in this type of environment. This approach appears then as a viable alternative to describe metaviriomes in a much more detailed and reliable way than by the more common approaches based on direct sequencing. An example of transfer of a CRISPR cluster including repeats and spacers was accidentally found supporting the dynamic nature and frequent transfer of this peculiar prokaryotic mechanism of cell protection.

Neural stem cell-derived exosomes mediate viral entry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sims B

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Brian Sims,1,2,* Linlin Gu,3,* Alexandre Krendelchtchikov,3 Qiana L Matthews3,4 1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, 2Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, 3Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, 4Center for AIDS Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Viruses enter host cells through interactions of viral ligands with cellular receptors. Viruses can also enter cells in a receptor-independent fashion. Mechanisms regarding the receptor-independent viral entry into cells have not been fully elucidated. Exosomal trafficking between cells may offer a mechanism by which viruses can enter cells.Methods: To investigate the role of exosomes on cellular viral entry, we employed neural stem cell-derived exosomes and adenovirus type 5 (Ad5 for the proof-of-principle study. Results: Exosomes significantly enhanced Ad5 entry in Coxsackie virus and adenovirus receptor (CAR-deficient cells, in which Ad5 only had very limited entry. The exosomes were shown to contain T-cell immunoglobulin mucin protein 4 (TIM-4, which binds phosphatidylserine. Treatment with anti-TIM-4 antibody significantly blocked the exosome-mediated Ad5 entry.Conclusion: Neural stem cell-derived exosomes mediated significant cellular entry of Ad5 in a receptor-independent fashion. This mediation may be hampered by an antibody specifically targeting TIM-4 on exosomes. This set of results will benefit further elucidation of virus/exosome pathways, which would contribute to reducing natural viral infection by developing therapeutic agents or vaccines. Keywords: neural stem cell-derived exosomes, adenovirus type 5, TIM-4, viral entry, phospholipids

Reflected Sunlight Reduction and Characterization for a Deep-Space Optical Receiver Antenna (DSORA)

Science.gov (United States)

Clymer, B. D.

1990-01-01

A baffle system for the elimination of first-order specular and diffuse reflection of sunlight from the sunshade of a deep-space optical receiver telescope is presented. This baffle system consists of rings of 0.5cm blades spaced 2.5 cm apart on the walls of GO hexagonal sunshade tubes that combine to form the telescope sunshade. The shadow cast by the blades, walls, and rims of the tubes prevent all first-order reflections of direct sunlight from reaching the primary mirror of the telescope. A reflection model of the sunshade without baffles is also presented for comparison. Since manufacturers of absorbing surfaces do not measure data near grazing incidence, the reflection properties at anticipated angles of incidence must be characterized. A description of reflection from matte surfaces in term of bidirectional reflection distribution function (BRDF) is presented along with a discussion of measuring BRDF near grazing incidence.

Sunlight Effects on Immune System: Is There Something Else in addition to UV-Induced Immunosuppression?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. H. González Maglio

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Sunlight, composed of different types of radiation, including ultraviolet wavelengths, is an essential source of light and warmth for life on earth but has strong negative effects on human health, such as promoting the malignant transformation of skin cells and suppressing the ability of the human immune system to efficiently detect and attack malignant cells. UV-induced immunosuppression has been extensively studied since it was first described by Dr. Kripke and Dr. Fisher in the late 1970s. However, skin exposure to sunlight has not only this and other unfavorable effects, for example, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, but also a positive one: the induction of Vitamin D synthesis, which performs several roles within the immune system in addition to favoring bone homeostasis. The impact of low levels of UV exposure on the immune system has not been fully reported yet, but it bears interesting differences with the suppressive effect of high levels of UV radiation, as shown by some recent studies. The aim of this article is to put some ideas in perspective and pose some questions within the field of photoimmunology based on established and new information, which may lead to new experimental approaches and, eventually, to a better understanding of the effects of sunlight on the human immune system.

Sunlight Effects on Immune System: Is There Something Else in addition to UV-Induced Immunosuppression?

Science.gov (United States)

Paz, M. L.; Leoni, J.

2016-01-01

Sunlight, composed of different types of radiation, including ultraviolet wavelengths, is an essential source of light and warmth for life on earth but has strong negative effects on human health, such as promoting the malignant transformation of skin cells and suppressing the ability of the human immune system to efficiently detect and attack malignant cells. UV-induced immunosuppression has been extensively studied since it was first described by Dr. Kripke and Dr. Fisher in the late 1970s. However, skin exposure to sunlight has not only this and other unfavorable effects, for example, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, but also a positive one: the induction of Vitamin D synthesis, which performs several roles within the immune system in addition to favoring bone homeostasis. The impact of low levels of UV exposure on the immune system has not been fully reported yet, but it bears interesting differences with the suppressive effect of high levels of UV radiation, as shown by some recent studies. The aim of this article is to put some ideas in perspective and pose some questions within the field of photoimmunology based on established and new information, which may lead to new experimental approaches and, eventually, to a better understanding of the effects of sunlight on the human immune system. PMID:28070504

Bile acids for viral hepatitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Weikeng; Liu, J; Gluud, C

2003-01-01

The viral hepatitides are common causes of liver diseases globally. Trials have assessed bile acids for patients with viral hepatitis, but no consensus was reached regarding their usefulness.......The viral hepatitides are common causes of liver diseases globally. Trials have assessed bile acids for patients with viral hepatitis, but no consensus was reached regarding their usefulness....

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia

Science.gov (United States)

Batts, William N.; Winton, James R.

2012-01-01

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is one of the most important viral diseases of finfish worldwide. In the past, VHS was thought to affect mainly rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss reared at freshwater facilities in Western Europe where it was known by various names including Egtved disease and infectious kidney swelling and liver degeneration (Wolf 1988). Today, VHS is known as an important source of mortality for cultured and wild fish in freshwater and marine environments in several regions of the northern hemisphere (Dixon 1999; Gagné et al. 2007; Kim and Faisal 2011; Lumsden et al. 2007; Marty et al. 1998, 2003; Meyers and Winton 1995; Skall et al. 2005b; Smail 1999; Takano et al. 2001). Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is caused by the fish rhabdovirus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), a member of the genus Novirhabdovirus of the family Rhabdoviridae

ViralORFeome: an integrated database to generate a versatile collection of viral ORFs.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellet, J; Tafforeau, L; Lucas-Hourani, M; Navratil, V; Meyniel, L; Achaz, G; Guironnet-Paquet, A; Aublin-Gex, A; Caignard, G; Cassonnet, P; Chaboud, A; Chantier, T; Deloire, A; Demeret, C; Le Breton, M; Neveu, G; Jacotot, L; Vaglio, P; Delmotte, S; Gautier, C; Combet, C; Deleage, G; Favre, M; Tangy, F; Jacob, Y; Andre, P; Lotteau, V; Rabourdin-Combe, C; Vidalain, P O

2010-01-01

Large collections of protein-encoding open reading frames (ORFs) established in a versatile recombination-based cloning system have been instrumental to study protein functions in high-throughput assays. Such 'ORFeome' resources have been developed for several organisms but in virology, plasmid collections covering a significant fraction of the virosphere are still needed. In this perspective, we present ViralORFeome 1.0 (http://www.viralorfeome.com), an open-access database and management system that provides an integrated set of bioinformatic tools to clone viral ORFs in the Gateway(R) system. ViralORFeome provides a convenient interface to navigate through virus genome sequences, to design ORF-specific cloning primers, to validate the sequence of generated constructs and to browse established collections of virus ORFs. Most importantly, ViralORFeome has been designed to manage all possible variants or mutants of a given ORF so that the cloning procedure can be applied to any emerging virus strain. A subset of plasmid constructs generated with ViralORFeome platform has been tested with success for heterologous protein expression in different expression systems at proteome scale. ViralORFeome should provide our community with a framework to establish a large collection of virus ORF clones, an instrumental resource to determine functions, activities and binding partners of viral proteins.

Viral interference with DNA repair by targeting of the single-stranded DNA binding protein RPA.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Pubali; DeJesus, Rowena; Gjoerup, Ole; Schaffhausen, Brian S

2013-10-01

Correct repair of damaged DNA is critical for genomic integrity. Deficiencies in DNA repair are linked with human cancer. Here we report a novel mechanism by which a virus manipulates DNA damage responses. Infection with murine polyomavirus sensitizes cells to DNA damage by UV and etoposide. Polyomavirus large T antigen (LT) alone is sufficient to sensitize cells 100 fold to UV and other kinds of DNA damage. This results in activated stress responses and apoptosis. Genetic analysis shows that LT sensitizes via the binding of its origin-binding domain (OBD) to the single-stranded DNA binding protein replication protein A (RPA). Overexpression of RPA protects cells expressing OBD from damage, and knockdown of RPA mimics the LT phenotype. LT prevents recruitment of RPA to nuclear foci after DNA damage. This leads to failure to recruit repair proteins such as Rad51 or Rad9, explaining why LT prevents repair of double strand DNA breaks by homologous recombination. A targeted intervention directed at RPA based on this viral mechanism could be useful in circumventing the resistance of cancer cells to therapy.

UGGT1 enhances enterovirus 71 pathogenicity by promoting viral RNA synthesis and viral replication.

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Peng-Nien Huang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Positive-strand RNA virus infections can induce the stress-related unfolded protein response (UPR in host cells. This study found that enterovirus A71 (EVA71 utilizes host UDP-glucose glycoprotein glucosyltransferase 1 (UGGT1, a key endoplasmic reticulum protein (ER involved in UPR, to enhance viral replication and virulence. EVA71 forms replication complexes (RCs on cellular membranes that contain a mix of host and viral proteins to facilitate viral replication, but the components and processes involved in the assembly and function of RCs are not fully understood. Using EVA71 as a model, this study found that host UGGT1 and viral 3D polymerase co-precipitate along with other factors on membranous replication complexes to enhance viral replication. Increased UGGT1 levels elevated viral growth rates, while viral pathogenicity was observed to be lower in heterozygous knockout mice (Uggt1 +/- mice. These findings provide important insight on the role of UPR and host UGGT1 in regulating RNA virus replication and pathogenicity.

The Incubation Period of Primary Epstein-Barr Virus Infection: Viral Dynamics and Immunologic Events.

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Samantha K Dunmire

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Epstein-Barr virus (EBV is a human herpesvirus that causes acute infectious mononucleosis and is associated with cancer and autoimmune disease. While many studies have been performed examining acute disease in adults following primary infection, little is known about the virological and immunological events during EBV's lengthy 6 week incubation period owing to the challenge of collecting samples from this stage of infection. We conducted a prospective study in college students with special emphasis on frequent screening to capture blood and oral wash samples during the incubation period. Here we describe the viral dissemination and immune response in the 6 weeks prior to onset of acute infectious mononucleosis symptoms. While virus is presumed to be present in the oral cavity from time of transmission, we did not detect viral genomes in the oral wash until one week before symptom onset, at which time viral genomes were present in high copy numbers, suggesting loss of initial viral replication control. In contrast, using a sensitive nested PCR method, we detected viral genomes at low levels in blood about 3 weeks before symptoms. However, high levels of EBV in the blood were only observed close to symptom onset-coincident with or just after increased viral detection in the oral cavity. These data imply that B cells are the major reservoir of virus in the oral cavity prior to infectious mononucleosis. The early presence of viral genomes in the blood, even at low levels, correlated with a striking decrease in the number of circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells well before symptom onset, which remained depressed throughout convalescence. On the other hand, natural killer cells expanded only after symptom onset. Likewise, CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells decreased two fold, but only after symptom onset. We observed no substantial virus specific CD8 T cell expansion during the incubation period, although polyclonal CD8 activation was detected in

Natural pomegranate juice reduces inflammation, muscle damage ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Paired simple t-test showed a significant difference between PLA and POMj supplementation effects on systolic blood pressure (SAP), creatinine (CRE), hematological and muscle damage parameters and Creactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.01) with lower values using POMj. Similarly, a significant differences were shown for ...

Virus Database and Online Inquiry System Based on Natural Vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Rui; Zheng, Hui; Tian, Kun; Yau, Shek-Chung; Mao, Weiguang; Yu, Wenping; Yin, Changchuan; Yu, Chenglong; He, Rong Lucy; Yang, Jie; Yau, Stephen St

2017-01-01

We construct a virus database called VirusDB (http://yaulab.math.tsinghua.edu.cn/VirusDB/) and an online inquiry system to serve people who are interested in viral classification and prediction. The database stores all viral genomes, their corresponding natural vectors, and the classification information of the single/multiple-segmented viral reference sequences downloaded from National Center for Biotechnology Information. The online inquiry system serves the purpose of computing natural vectors and their distances based on submitted genomes, providing an online interface for accessing and using the database for viral classification and prediction, and back-end processes for automatic and manual updating of database content to synchronize with GenBank. Submitted genomes data in FASTA format will be carried out and the prediction results with 5 closest neighbors and their classifications will be returned by email. Considering the one-to-one correspondence between sequence and natural vector, time efficiency, and high accuracy, natural vector is a significant advance compared with alignment methods, which makes VirusDB a useful database in further research.

Knowledge of vitamin D and perceptions and attitudes toward sunlight among Chinese middle-aged and elderly women: a population survey in Hong Kong

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Ka-Kui

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Physical and biological risk factors for vitamin D inadequacy are known; however, cultural- and population-specific behaviours and attitudes that influence these risk factors, particularly among Asian people, are less well documented. To understand more about prevailing attitudes and behaviour toward sunlight and knowledge of vitamin D among a population at greater risk of impaired vitamin D status, poor bone health and osteoporosis, we conducted a telephone interview survey of 547 middle-aged and elderly Chinese women living in Hong Kong. Methods All telephone interviews were conducted using the Computer Assisted Telephone Technique and target respondents were selected by random sampling. Interviews were conducted in Cantonese and eighteen main questions were asked pertaining to personal characteristics, perceptions, attitudes and behaviour toward sunlight, and knowledge about vitamin D. Results The survey results showed that 62.3% (n = 341 did not like going in the sun and 66.7% of respondents spent an average of 6–10 hours indoors, between 6:30 am and 7:00 pm, during weekdays. However, 58% of people thought that they had enough exposure to sunlight. The majority had heard of vitamin D, but knowledge about the role and sources of vitamin D was low. Among those who knew that sunlight was a source of vitamin D, the majority spent less than 1 h in the sun in the past week (76.4% vs 23.6%, 1 h in the sun in the past week, chi-square p Conclusion The survey revealed considerable ignorance and confusion about the role of sunlight in vitamin D production, and the function and sources of vitamin D. Attitudes and behaviour toward sunlight were largely negative and many took measures to avoid sunlight, particularly among younger (middle-aged women who had good awareness of vitamin D.

Patterns and timing of sunlight exposure and risk of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin – a case–control study

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Iannacone Michelle R

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC, comprised of basal (BCC and squamous (SCC cell carcinomas, is the most common cancer in Caucasians. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR exposure is the most important environmental risk factor for NMSC. However, the precise relationship between UVR and the risk of NMSC is complex, and the relationship may differ by skin cancer type. Methods A case–control study was conducted among Florida residents to investigate measures of patterns (intermittent vs. continuous and timing (childhood vs. adulthood of sunlight exposure in BCC and SCC. Participants included 218 BCC and 169 SCC cases recruited from a university dermatology clinic and 316 controls with no history of skin or other cancers. Results A history of blistering sunburn (a measure of intermittent sunlight exposure was associated with both BCC (OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.27-3.03 and SCC (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.22-3.33. Additionally, having a job in the sun for ≥3 months for 10 years or longer (a measure of continuous sunlight exposure was also associated with both BCC and SCC in our study population. With the exception of younger age at first blistering sunburn, measures of younger age at sunlight exposure tended to be associated with SCC, but not BCC risk. Conclusions Results from the current study suggest that sunlight exposure is associated with both BCC and SCC risk regardless of the pattern in which the exposure was received (i.e. intermittent vs. continuous. The data also suggest that sunlight exposure at a younger age may be more important for SCC but not BCC, however additional studies are needed to further characterize sunlight exposure-response relationships in different types of NMSC.

HIV-1 transmitting couples have similar viral load set-points in Rakai, Uganda.

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T Déirdre Hollingsworth

2010-05-01

Full Text Available It has been hypothesized that HIV-1 viral load set-point is a surrogate measure of HIV-1 viral virulence, and that it may be subject to natural selection in the human host population. A key test of this hypothesis is whether viral load set-points are correlated between transmitting individuals and those acquiring infection. We retrospectively identified 112 heterosexual HIV-discordant couples enrolled in a cohort in Rakai, Uganda, in which HIV transmission was suspected and viral load set-point was established. In addition, sequence data was available to establish transmission by genetic linkage for 57 of these couples. Sex, age, viral subtype, index partner, and self-reported genital ulcer disease status (GUD were known. Using ANOVA, we estimated the proportion of variance in viral load set-points which was explained by the similarity within couples (the 'couple effect'. Individuals with suspected intra-couple transmission (97 couples had similar viral load set-points (p = 0.054 single factor model, p = 0.0057 adjusted and the couple effect explained 16% of variance in viral loads (23% adjusted. The analysis was repeated for a subset of 29 couples with strong genetic support for transmission. The couple effect was the major determinant of viral load set-point (p = 0.067 single factor, and p = 0.036 adjusted and the size of the effect was 27% (37% adjusted. Individuals within epidemiologically linked couples with genetic support for transmission had similar viral load set-points. The most parsimonious explanation is that this is due to shared characteristics of the transmitted virus, a finding which sheds light on both the role of viral factors in HIV-1 pathogenesis and on the evolution of the virus.

Clinical light damage to the eye

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, D.

1987-01-01

This book contains four sections: The Nature of Light and of Light Damage to Biological Tissues; Light Damage to the Eye; Protecting the Eye from Light Damage; and Overview of Light Damage to the Eye. Some of the paper titles are: Ultraviolet-Absorbing Intraocular Lens Implants; Phototoxic Changes in the Retina; Light Damage to the Lens; and Radiation, Light, and Sight

Phage and Nucleocytoplasmic Large Viral Sequences Dominate Coral Viromes from the Arabian Gulf.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoud, Huda; Jose, Liny

2017-01-01

Corals that naturally thrive under extreme conditions are gaining increasing attention due to their importance as living models to understand the impact of global warming on world corals. Here, we present the first metagenomic study of viral communities in corals thriving in a thermally variable water body in which the temperature fluctuates between 11 and 39°C in different seasons. The viral assemblages of two of the most abundant massive ( Porites harrisoni ) and branching ( Acropora downingi ) corals in offshore and inshore reef systems in the northern Arabian Gulf were investigated. Samples were collected from five reef systems during summer, autumn and winter of 2011/2012. The two coral viromes contain 12 viral families, including 10 dsDNA viral families [Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, Myoviridae, Phycodnaviridae, Baculoviridae, Herpesviridae, Adenoviridae, Alloherpesviridae, Mimiviridae and one unclassified family], one-ssDNA viral family (Microviridae) and one RNA viral family (Retroviridae). Overall, sequences significantly similar to Podoviridae were the most abundant in the P. harrisoni and A. downingi viromes. Various morphological types of virus-like particles (VLPs) were confirmed in the healthy coral tissue by transmission electron microscopy, including large tailless VLPs and electron-dense core VLPs. Tailed bacteriophages were isolated from coral tissue using a plaque assay. Higher functional gene diversity was recorded in A. downingi than in P. harrisoni , and comparative metagenomics revealed that the Gulf viral assemblages are functionally distinct from Pacific Ocean coral viral communities.

Phage and Nucleocytoplasmic Large Viral Sequences Dominate Coral Viromes from the Arabian Gulf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huda Mahmoud

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Corals that naturally thrive under extreme conditions are gaining increasing attention due to their importance as living models to understand the impact of global warming on world corals. Here, we present the first metagenomic study of viral communities in corals thriving in a thermally variable water body in which the temperature fluctuates between 11 and 39°C in different seasons. The viral assemblages of two of the most abundant massive (Porites harrisoni and branching (Acropora downingi corals in offshore and inshore reef systems in the northern Arabian Gulf were investigated. Samples were collected from five reef systems during summer, autumn and winter of 2011/2012. The two coral viromes contain 12 viral families, including 10 dsDNA viral families [Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, Myoviridae, Phycodnaviridae, Baculoviridae, Herpesviridae, Adenoviridae, Alloherpesviridae, Mimiviridae and one unclassified family], one-ssDNA viral family (Microviridae and one RNA viral family (Retroviridae. Overall, sequences significantly similar to Podoviridae were the most abundant in the P. harrisoni and A. downingi viromes. Various morphological types of virus-like particles (VLPs were confirmed in the healthy coral tissue by transmission electron microscopy, including large tailless VLPs and electron-dense core VLPs. Tailed bacteriophages were isolated from coral tissue using a plaque assay. Higher functional gene diversity was recorded in A. downingi than in P. harrisoni, and comparative metagenomics revealed that the Gulf viral assemblages are functionally distinct from Pacific Ocean coral viral communities.

Experimentally-induced immune activation in natural hosts of SIV induces significant increases in viral replication and CD4+ T cell depletion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribeiro, Ruy M [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2008-01-01

Chronically SIVagm-infected African green monkeys (AGMs) have a remarkably stable non-pathogenic disease course, with levels of immune activation in chronic SIVagm infection similar to those observed in uninfected monkeys and stable viral loads (VLs) for long periods of time. In vivo administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or an IL-2/diphtheria toxin fusion protein (Ontak) to chronically SIVagm-infected AGMs triggered increases in immune activation and subsequently of viral replication and depletion of intestinal CD4{sup +} T cells. Our study indicates that circulating microbial products can increase viral replication by inducing immune activation and increasing the number of viral target cells, thus demonstrating that immune activation and T cell prolifeation are key factors in AIDS pathogenesis.

Viral Marketing

OpenAIRE

Sorina Raula Gîrboveanu; Silvia Puiu

2008-01-01

With consumers showing increasing resistance to traditional forms of advertising such as TV or newspaper ads, marketers have turned to alternate strategies, including viral marketing. Viral marketing exploits existing social networks by encouraging customers to share product information with their friends.In our study we are able to directly observe the effectiveness of person to person word of mouth advertising for hundreds of thousands of products for the first time

A full-sunlight-driven photocatalyst with super long-persistent energy storage ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jie; Liu, Yuan; Zhu, Zhijian; Zhang, Guozhu; Zou, Tao; Zou, Zhijun; Zhang, Shunping; Zeng, Dawen; Xie, Changsheng

2013-01-01

A major drawback of traditional photocatalysts like TiO2 is that they can only work under illumination, and the light has to be UV. As a solution for this limitation, visible-light-driven energy storage photocatalysts have been developed in recent years. However, energy storage photocatalysts that are full-sunlight-driven (UV-visible-NIR) and possess long-lasting energy storage ability are lacking. Here we report, a Pt-loaded and hydrogen-treated WO3 that exhibits a strong absorption at full-sunlight spectrum (300-1,000 nm), and with a super-long energy storage time of more than 300 h to have formaldehyde degraded in dark. In this new material system, the hydrogen treated WO3 functions as the light harvesting material and energy storage material simultaneously, while Pt mainly acts as the cocatalyst to have the energy storage effect displayed. The extraordinary full-spectrum absorption effect and long persistent energy storage ability make the material a potential solar-energy storage and an effective photocatalyst in practice.

Repair of damaged DNA in vivo: Final technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanawalt, P.C.

1987-09-01

This contract was initiated in 1962 with the US Atomic Energy Commission to carry out basic research on the effects of radiation on the process of DNA replication in bacteria. Within the first contract year we discovered repair replication at the same time that Setlow and Carrier discovered pyrimidine dimer excision. These discoveries led to the elucidation of the process of excision-repair, one of the most important mechanisms by which living systems, including humans, respond to structural damage in their genetic material. We improved methodology for distinguishing repair replication from semiconservative replication and instructed others in these techniques. Painter then was the first to demonstrate repair replication in ultraviolet irradiated human cells. He, in turn, instructed James Cleaver who discovered that skin fibroblasts from patients with xeroderma pigmentosum were defective in excision-repair. People with this genetic defect are extremely sensitive to sunlight and they develop carcinomas and melanomas of the skin with high frequency. The existence of this hereditary disease attests to the importance of DNA repair in man. We certainly could not survive in the normal ultraviolet flux from the sun if our DNA were not continuously monitored for damage and repaired. Other hereditary diseases such as ataxia telangiectasia, Cockayne's syndrome, Blooms syndrome and Fanconi's anemia also involve deficiencies in DNA damage processing. The field of DNA repair has developed rapidly as we have learned that most environmental chemical carcinogens as well as radiation produce repairable damage in DNA. 251 refs

In vitro Repair of Oxidative DNA Damage by Human Nucleotide Excision Repair System: Possible Explanation for Neurodegeneration in Xeroderma Pigmentosum Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Reardon, Joyce T.; Bessho, Tadayoshi; Kung, Hsiang Chuan; Bolton, Philip H.; Sancar, Aziz

1997-08-01

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) patients fail to remove pyrimidine dimers caused by sunlight and, as a consequence, develop multiple cancers in areas exposed to light. The second most common sign, present in 20-30% of XP patients, is a set of neurological abnormalities caused by neuronal death in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Neural tissue is shielded from sunlight-induced DNA damage, so the cause of neurodegeneration in XP patients remains unexplained. In this study, we show that two major oxidative DNA lesions, 8-oxoguanine and thymine glycol, are excised from DNA in vitro by the same enzyme system responsible for removing pyrimidine dimers and other bulky DNA adducts. Our results suggest that XP neurological disease may be caused by defective repair of lesions that are produced in nerve cells by reactive oxygen species generated as by-products of an active oxidative metabolism.

Combining genomic sequencing methods to explore viral diversity and reveal potential virus-host interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheryl-Emiliane Tien Chow

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Viral diversity and virus-host interactions in oxygen-starved regions of the ocean, also known as oxygen minimum zones (OMZs, remain relatively unexplored. Microbial community metabolism in OMZs alters nutrient and energy flow through marine food webs, resulting in biological nitrogen loss and greenhouse gas production. Thus, viruses infecting OMZ microbes have the potential to modulate community metabolism with resulting feedback on ecosystem function. Here, we describe viral communities inhabiting oxic surface (10m and oxygen-starved basin (200m waters of Saanich Inlet, a seasonally anoxic fjord on the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia using viral metagenomics and complete viral fosmid sequencing on samples collected between April 2007 and April 2010. Of 6459 open reading frames (ORFs predicted across all 34 viral fosmids, 77.6% (n=5010 had no homology to reference viral genomes. These fosmids recruited a higher proportion of viral metagenomic sequences from Saanich Inlet than from nearby northeastern subarctic Pacific Ocean (Line P waters, indicating differences in the viral communities between coastal and open ocean locations. While functional annotations of fosmid ORFs were limited, recruitment to NCBI’s non-redundant ‘nr’ database and publicly available single-cell genomes identified putative viruses infecting marine thaumarchaeal and SUP05 proteobacteria to provide potential host linkages with relevance to coupled biogeochemical cycling processes in OMZ waters. Taken together, these results highlight the power of coupled analyses of multiple sequence data types, such as viral metagenomic and fosmid sequence data with prokaryotic single cell genomes, to chart viral diversity, elucidate genomic and ecological contexts for previously unclassifiable viral sequences, and identify novel host interactions in natural and engineered ecosystems.

Value of Sharing: Viral Advertisement

OpenAIRE

Duygu Aydın; Aşina Gülerarslan; Süleyman Karaçor; Tarık Doğan

2013-01-01

Sharing motivations of viral advertisements by consumers and the impacts of these advertisements on the perceptions for brand will be questioned in this study. Three fundamental questions are answered in the study. These are advertisement watching and sharing motivations of individuals, criteria of liking viral advertisement and the impact of individual attitudes for viral advertisement on brand perception respectively. This study will be carried out via a viral advertise...

Viral Marketing and Academic Institution

OpenAIRE

Koktová, Silvie

2010-01-01

This bachelor thesis examines modern and constantly developing kind of internet marketing -- the so called viral marketing. It deals with its origin, principle, process, advantages and disadvantages, types of viral marketing and presumptions of creating successful viral campaign. The aim of the theoretical part is especially the understanding of viral marketing as one of the effective instruments of contemporary marketing. In this theoretical part the thesis also elaborates a marketing school...

Persistence of Bacteroides ovatus under simulated sunlight irradiation

KAUST Repository

Dong, Shengkun

2014-07-04

Background: Bacteroides ovatus, a member of the genus Bacteroides, is considered for use in molecular-based methods as a general fecal indicator. However, knowledge on its fate and persistence after a fecal contamination event remains limited. In this study, the persistence of B. ovatus was evaluated under simulated sunlight exposure and in conditions similar to freshwater and seawater. By combining propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) detection, the decay rates of B. ovatus were determined in the presence and absence of exogenous photosensitizers and in salinity up to 39.5 parts per thousand at 27°C. Results: UVB was found to be important for B. ovatus decay, averaging a 4 log10 of decay over 6 h of exposure without the presence of extracellular photosensitizers. The addition of NaNO2, an exogenous sensitizer producing hydroxyl radicals, did not significantly change the decay rate of B. ovatus in both low and high salinity water, while the exogenous sensitizer algae organic matter (AOM) slowed down the decay of B. ovatus in low salinity water. At seawater salinity, the decay rate of B. ovatus was slower than that in low salinity water, except when both NaNO2 and AOM were present. Conclusion: The results of laboratory experiments suggest that if B. ovatus is released into either freshwater or seawater environment in the evening, 50% of it may be intact by the next morning; if it is released at noon, only 50% may be intact after a mere 5 min of full spectrum irradiation on a clear day. This study provides a mechanistic understanding to some of the important environmental relevant factors that influenced the inactivation kinetics of B. ovatus in the presence of sunlight irradiation, and would facilitate the use of B. ovatus to indicate the occurrence of fecal contamination.

[Emergent viral infections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galama, J.M.D.

2001-01-01

The emergence and re-emergence of viral infections is an ongoing process. Large-scale vaccination programmes led to the eradication or control of some viral infections in the last century, but new viruses are always emerging. Increased travel is leading to a rise in the importation of exotic

PREVALENCE OF ''TTV'' IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS ''B'' AND ''C''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

NOSSEIR, N.M.; MANSOUR, H.H.; FAHMY, N.M.

2007-01-01

Transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) is an enveloped single strand virus discovered in serum of patients with post-transfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology in Japan and designated as TT virus (TTV). To investigate the frequency of TTV infection in patients with viral hepatitis B or C, 25 Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) aged 8-40 years and 25 patients with B virus (HBV) aged 8-57 years were tested. Detection of TTV-DNA was performed by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using TTV-specific primers. Serum levels of transaminases were tested. The prevalence of TTV in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B or C was frequent and the co-infection of TTV with HCV or HBV was accompanied by a high level of transaminases as compared to that of HBV or HCV alone. The present study confirms and extends that infection alone doesn't cause significant liver damage

Air pollution damage to plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daly, G T

1974-01-01

The effects of the most important air pollutants on plants are described in detail. The include: smoke and particulates, sulfur dioxide, fluorides, peroxyacetyl nitrate, nitrogen oxides, and ozone. An attempt is made to show that plant injury by air pollution can be recognized and evaluated in the presence of effects from insect, fungal, bacterial, viral pathogens and the symptoms of nutrient and enviromental stress. All plants are more or less affected by toxic gases and metals absorbed from the air. For each plant and each pollutant there is a critical concentration above which damage occurs, and below which growth is normal.

Prevention of hip fractures by exposure to sunlight and pharmacotherapy in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwamoto, Jun; Sato, Yoshihiro; Tanaka, Kiyoshi; Takeda, Tsuyoshi; Matsumoto, Hideo

2009-01-01

Hypovitaminosis D and K due to malnutrition or sunlight deprivation, compensatory hyperparathyroidism, increased bone resorption, low bone mineral density (BMD), and an increased risk of falls may contribute to an increased risk of hip fractures in patients with Alzheimer's disease. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the efficacy of interventions against hip fractures in patients with Alzheimer's disease. With respect to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding Alzheimer's disease and hip fractures, the literature was searched with PubMed. Three RCTs were identified, and the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for individual RCTs. Exposure to sunlight with calcium supplementation, menatetrenone (vitamin K2) plus calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and risedronate plus calcium and vitamin D supplementation improved hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism, contributing to a reduction in bone resorption. Risedronate itself strongly decreased bone resorption. Menatetrenone also decreased the serum level of undercarboxylated osteocalcin. The three interventions increased metacarpal BMD and reduced the incidence of hip fractures. The respective RRs (95% CI) were 0.22 (0.049-0.999), 0.13 (0.031-0.554), and 0.26 (0.100- 0.690). The present study clarified the efficacy of three interventions, including exposure to sunlight, menatetrenone, and risedronate with calcium and/or vitamin D supplementation against hip fractures in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Dinámica del virus de la hepatitis C con carga viral y ALT y monitoreo del daño hepático libre de biopsias Dinámica del virus de la hepatitis C con carga viral y ALT y monitoreo del daño hepático libre de biopsias

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justino Alavez Domínguez

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Se compara el modelo estándar reducido de tres poblaciones (hepatocitos sanos y enfermos, y carga viral para el estudio de la dinámica del virus de la hepatitis C (VHC, con el modelo de la dinámica viral con alanina aminotransferasa (ALT. En términos del parámetro umbral que es el mismo para ambos modelos, se determina la existencia y estabilidad del estado de equilibrio endémico, así como la estabilidad global del estado de equilibrio del individuo sano. Por otro lado, se presenta un estudio experimental que muestra que es posible monitorear el daño hepático sin biopsias, mediante la estimación numérica de los parámetros de los modelos, considerando solamente mediciones de la carga viral, de los niveles de ALT y una valoración razonable del daño hepático pretratamiento.aThe standard model of three populations (healthy and unhealthy hepatocytes, and viral load for the study of the dynamics of hepatitis C virus (HCV, is compared with viral dynamic model with alanine aminotransferase (ALT. In terms of the threshold parameter that it’s the same for both models, the existence and local asymptotic stability of the endemically infected equilibrium steady state, and the global stability of the healthy individual equilibrium steady state are established. Furthermore, an experimental study is presented showing that it’s possible to carry out the monitoring of hepatic damage biopsies free by numerical parameter estimation, considering only viral load and ALT levels measurements and a reasonable assessment of pretreatment hepatic damage.

MicroRNAs in the host response to viral infections of veterinary importance

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Mohamed Samir Ahmed

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The discovery of small regulatory non-coding RNAs has been an exciting advance in the field of genomics. MicroRNAs (miRNAs are endogenous RNA molecules, approximately 22 nucleotides in length that regulate gene expression, mostly at the post-transcriptional level. MiRNA profiling technologies have made it possible to identify and quantify novel miRNAs and to study their regulation and potential roles in disease pathogenesis. Although miRNAs have been extensively investigated in viral infections of humans, their implications in viral diseases affecting animals of veterinary importance are much less understood. The number of annotated miRNAs in different animal species is growing continuously, and novel roles in regulating host-pathogen interactions are being discovered, for instance miRNA-mediated augmentation of viral transcription and replication. In this review, we present an overview of synthesis and function of miRNAs and an update on the current state of research on host-encoded miRNAs in the genesis of viral infectious diseases in their natural animal host as well as in selected in vivo and in vitro laboratory models.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of dyes under sunlight using biocompatible TiO2 nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Bharati, B.; Sonkar, A. K.; Singh, N.; Dash, D.; Rath, Chandana

2017-08-01

As TiO2 is one of the most popular photocatalysts, we have studied here the photocatalytic degradation of the most common dyestuffs like rhodamine B (RhB), congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB), which mainly come from the textile and photographic industries using nanoparticles of TiO2. Nanoparticles of TiO2 synthesized through a simple and cost effective sol-gel technique crystallizes in the anatase phase, showing a band gap less than that of bulk value. Particles consisting of coherently scattered domains of size 33 nm are found to be agglomerated and polycrystalline in nature. While the degradation rates of MB, CR and RhB after irradiating with a renewable source of energy, i.e. sunlight, show 100% degradation, TiO2 irradiated with UV light of 4.8 eV shows a much slower degradation rate. To use the waste water after photocatalysis, we examine further the biocompatibile nature of the TiO2 nanoparticles by platelet interaction activity, hemolysis effect and MTT assay. It is worth mentioning here that TiO2 nanoparticles are found to be highly hemocompatible, show no platelet aggregation, and the level of intracellular ROS in human platelets does not show significant change in ROS level. We conclude that TiO2 nanoparticles constitute an excellent photocatalyst and biocompatible material, and that after photocatalytic degradation of dye effluents obtained from textile industries, purified water can be used in agriculture and domestic sectors.

Recent studies on radiation damage formation in synthetic NaCl and natural rock salt for radioactive waste disposal applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swyler, K.J.; Klaffky, R.W.; Levy, P.W.

1980-01-01

Radiation damage formation in natural rock salt is described as a function of irradiation temperature and plastic deformation. F-center formation decreases with increasing temperature while significant colloidal sodium formation occurs over a restricted temperature range around 150 0 C. Plastic deformation increases colloid formation; it is estimated that colloid concentrations may be increased by a factor of 3 if the rock salt near radioactive waste disposal canisters is heavily deformed. Optical bandshape analysis indicates systematic differences between the colloids formed in synthetic and natural rock salts

HISTORY OF SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE IS A RISK FACTOR FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schick, T.; Ersoy, L.; Lechanteur, Y.T.; Saksens, N.T.; Hoyng, C.B.; Hollander, A.I. den; Kirchhof, B.; Fauser, S.

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: To evaluate effects of current and past sunlight exposure and iris color on early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Of 3,701 individuals from the EUGENDA database, 752 (20.3%) showed early AMD, 1,179 (31.9%) late AMD, and 1,770 (47.8%) were controls. Information

Sunlight based irradiation strategy for rapid green synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles using aqueous garlic (Allium sativum) extract and their antibacterial potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rastogi, Lori; Arunachalam, J.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We report green synthetic route for the production crystalline silver nanoparticles using garlic as both reducing and stabilizing agent. → Synthesis has been achieved by exposing the solution mixture of [Ag(NH 3 ) 2 ] + and aqueous garlic extract under sunlight. → Role of light in the synthesis process has been investigated and is discussed in detail. → The antibacterial effect of the synthesized silver nanoparticles has been assessed against both Gram classes of bacteria. → Synthesized silver colloidal solutions were found to be stable for a very long period and retained their bactericidal potential. - Abstract: A green synthetic route for the production of highly stable silver nanoparticles using aqueous garlic extract is being reported for the first time. The silver nanoparticles were synthesized by exposing a mixture of 0.1 M [Ag(NH 3 ) 2 ] + and diluted aqueous garlic extract under bright sunlight for 15 min. The garlic extract components served as both reducing and capping agents in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles while the sunlight acted as catalyst in the synthesis process. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometer; transmission electron microscopy (TEM), glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GA-XRD) and Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectrometry. The nanoparticles were found to be poly-dispersed in nature, spherical in shape and of 7.3 ± 4.4 nm in size. The FTIR analysis was suggestive of proteins as capping agents around the nanoparticles. The yield of synthesized nanoparticles was calculated to be approximately 80% by dry weight and 85% ICP-AES method. The synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibited good antibacterial potential against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains, as measured using well diffusion assay. Most importantly, the silver colloidal solutions thus synthesized were found to be stable for a very long period (more than a year) and retained

Morphology-controlled electrodeposition of Cu2O microcrystalline particle films for application in photocatalysis under sunlight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Guodong; Zhai, Wei; Sun, Fengqiang; Chen, Wei; Pan, Zizhao; Li, Weishan

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► PEG was used to electro-deposit Cu 2 O microcrystalline particle films. ► Morphologies of Cu 2 O microcrystals could be controlled by the amount of PEG. ► The films showed regularly varied photocatalytic activities under sunlight. ► The films could be recycled and showed stable activities. -- Abstract: Morphology-controlled Cu 2 O microcrystalline particle films had been successfully electrodeposited on tin-doped indium oxide glass substrates in CuSO 4 solutions containing different amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) additives. With an increase of PEG, microcrystals gradually changed from irregular shapes to cubes, octahedrons, and spherical shapes. Sizes increasingly became smaller with an increase of PEG under the same deposition time. These films had been first used as recyclable photocatalysts and showed excellent and photocatalytic activities in photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under sunlight. Activities were regularly varied relative to the morphologies of films controlled by the amount of PEG and could be further enhanced by adding a little amount of hydrogen peroxide in the MB solution. The method for controllable preparation of Cu 2 O microcrystals with photocatalytic activities was simple and inexpensive. The as-prepared particle films could also be used in photodegradation of many other pollutants under sunlight.

iNKT Cells and Their potential Lipid Ligands during Viral Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anunya eOpasawatchai

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Invariant natural killer T (iNKT cells are a unique population of lipid reactive CD1d restricted innate-like T lymphocytes. Despite being a minor population, they serve as an early source of cytokines and promote immunological crosstalk thus bridging innate and adaptive immunity. Diseases ranging from allergy, autoimmunity, and cancer as well as infectious diseases, including viral infection, have been reported to be influenced by iNKT cells. However, it remains unclear how iNKT cells are activated during viral infection, as virus derived lipid antigens have not been reported. Cytokines may activate iNKT cells during infections from influenza and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV, although CD1d dependent activation is evident in other viral infections. Several viruses, such as dengue virus (DENV, induce CD1d upregulation which correlates with iNKT cell activation. In contrast, Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV and Human papiloma virus (HPV promote CD1d downregulation as a strategy to evade iNKT cell recognition. These observations suggest the participation of a CD1d-dependent process in the activation of iNKT cells in response to viral infection. Endogenous lipid ligands, including phospholipids as well as glycosphingolipids, such as glucosylceramide have been proposed to mediate iNKT cell activation. Pro-inflammatory signals produced during viral infection may stimulate iNKT cells through enhanced CD1d dependent endogenous lipid presentation. Furthermore, viral infection may alter lipid composition and inhibit endogenous lipid degradation. Recent advances in this field are reviewed.

Parvovirus b19 DNA CpG dinucleotide methylation and epigenetic regulation of viral expression.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Bonvicini

Full Text Available CpG DNA methylation is one of the main epigenetic modifications playing a role in the control of gene expression. For DNA viruses whose genome has the ability to integrate in the host genome or to maintain as a latent episome, a correlation has been found between the extent of DNA methylation and viral quiescence. No information is available for Parvovirus B19, a human pathogenic virus, which is capable of both lytic and persistent infections. Within Parvovirus B19 genome, the inverted terminal regions display all the characteristic signatures of a genomic CpG island; therefore we hypothesised a role of CpG dinucleotide methylation in the regulation of viral genome expression.The analysis of CpG dinucleotide methylation of Parvovirus B19 DNA was carried out by an aptly designed quantitative real-time PCR assay on bisulfite-modified DNA. The effects of CpG methylation on the regulation of viral genome expression were first investigated by transfection of either unmethylated or in vitro methylated viral DNA in a model cell line, showing that methylation of viral DNA was correlated to lower expression levels of the viral genome. Then, in the course of in vitro infections in different cellular environments, it was observed that absence of viral expression and genome replication were both correlated to increasing levels of CpG methylation of viral DNA. Finally, the presence of CpG methylation was documented in viral DNA present in bioptic samples, indicating the occurrence and a possible role of this epigenetic modification in the course of natural infections.The presence of an epigenetic level of regulation of viral genome expression, possibly correlated to the silencing of the viral genome and contributing to the maintenance of the virus in tissues, can be relevant to the balance and outcome of the different types of infection associated to Parvovirus B19.

Parvovirus B19 DNA CpG Dinucleotide Methylation and Epigenetic Regulation of Viral Expression

Science.gov (United States)

Bonvicini, Francesca; Manaresi, Elisabetta; Di Furio, Francesca; De Falco, Luisa; Gallinella, Giorgio

2012-01-01

CpG DNA methylation is one of the main epigenetic modifications playing a role in the control of gene expression. For DNA viruses whose genome has the ability to integrate in the host genome or to maintain as a latent episome, a correlation has been found between the extent of DNA methylation and viral quiescence. No information is available for Parvovirus B19, a human pathogenic virus, which is capable of both lytic and persistent infections. Within Parvovirus B19 genome, the inverted terminal regions display all the characteristic signatures of a genomic CpG island; therefore we hypothesised a role of CpG dinucleotide methylation in the regulation of viral genome expression. The analysis of CpG dinucleotide methylation of Parvovirus B19 DNA was carried out by an aptly designed quantitative real-time PCR assay on bisulfite-modified DNA. The effects of CpG methylation on the regulation of viral genome expression were first investigated by transfection of either unmethylated or in vitro methylated viral DNA in a model cell line, showing that methylation of viral DNA was correlated to lower expression levels of the viral genome. Then, in the course of in vitro infections in different cellular environments, it was observed that absence of viral expression and genome replication were both correlated to increasing levels of CpG methylation of viral DNA. Finally, the presence of CpG methylation was documented in viral DNA present in bioptic samples, indicating the occurrence and a possible role of this epigenetic modification in the course of natural infections. The presence of an epigenetic level of regulation of viral genome expression, possibly correlated to the silencing of the viral genome and contributing to the maintenance of the virus in tissues, can be relevant to the balance and outcome of the different types of infection associated to Parvovirus B19. PMID:22413013

Sunlight Modulates Fruit Metabolic Profile and Shapes the Spatial Pattern of Compound Accumulation within the Grape Cluster.

Science.gov (United States)

Reshef, Noam; Walbaum, Natasha; Agam, Nurit; Fait, Aaron

2017-01-01

Vineyards are characterized by their large spatial variability of solar irradiance (SI) and temperature, known to effectively modulate grape metabolism. To explore the role of sunlight in shaping fruit composition and cluster uniformity, we studied the spatial pattern of incoming irradiance, fruit temperature and metabolic profile within individual grape clusters under three levels of sunlight exposure. The experiment was conducted in a vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon cv. located in the Negev Highlands, Israel, where excess SI and midday temperatures are known to degrade grape quality. Filtering SI lowered the surface temperature of exposed fruits and increased the uniformity of irradiance and temperature in the cluster zone. SI affected the overall levels and patterns of accumulation of sugars, organic acids, amino acids and phenylpropanoids, across the grape cluster. Increased exposure to sunlight was associated with lower accumulation levels of malate, aspartate, and maleate but with higher levels of valine, leucine, and serine, in addition to the stress-related proline and GABA. Flavan-3-ols metabolites showed a negative response to SI, whereas flavonols were highly induced. The overall levels of anthocyanins decreased with increased sunlight exposure; however, a hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that the members of this family were grouped into three distinct accumulation patterns, with malvidin anthocyanins and cyanidin-glucoside showing contrasting trends. The flavonol-glucosides, quercetin and kaempferol, exhibited a logarithmic response to SI, leading to improved cluster uniformity under high-light conditions. Comparing the within-cluster variability of metabolite accumulation highlighted the stability of sugars, flavan-3-ols, and cinnamic acid metabolites to SI, in contrast to the plasticity of flavonols. A correlation-based network analysis revealed that extended exposure to SI modified metabolic coordination, increasing the number of negative

Coupled optic-thermodynamic analysis of a novel wireless power transfer system using concentrated sunlight for space applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong, Ming-Liang; Li, Yun-Ze; Mao, Yu-Feng; Liang, Yi-Hao; Liu, Jia

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A novel space wireless power transfer system is proposed. • Concentrated sunlight is used as the medium to avoid multiple conversions. • Fresnel lens and optical fiber bundle make the system compact and space-qualified. • Coupled optic-thermodynamic model is developed to analyze link efficiencies. • End-to-end efficiency achieved is as twice as that of microwave or laser system. - Abstract: The energy generation and supply for in-orbit spacecraft have become an urgent problem concerning efficient and economical utilization of spacecraft formation flying. To fill the gap between the requirement of inter-spacecraft energy transfer and the development of wireless power transfer, this paper presents a novel wireless power transfer system whose transmission medium is concentrated sunlight. The system concentrates sunlight using a Fresnel lens, and changes the direction of concentrated sunlight beam with optical fibers. The light energy is converted to thermal form by a heat collector, and then it is utilized to generate electricity by a Stirling engine integrated with linear alternator. Equipments employed on fractionated spacecraft shall be supported by this electric energy. A coupled optic-thermodynamic model was developed to analyze system link efficiencies. This system offers characteristics such as high flexibility, relatively low cost for launch and maintenance, and most importantly, high end-to-end efficiency. Simulation results show that the geometric concentration ratio and the temperature ratio of expansion and compression spaces are two key parameters of this system. Output power of 234.3 W was achieved on the distance of 100 m, and the end-to-end efficiency of the system was above 20%.

Transcriptional Response of Human Neurospheres to Helper-Dependent CAV-2 Vectors Involves the Modulation of DNA Damage Response, Microtubule and Centromere Gene Groups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefania Piersanti

Full Text Available Brain gene transfer using viral vectors will likely become a therapeutic option for several disorders. Helper-dependent (HD canine adenovirus type 2 vectors (CAV-2 are well suited for this goal. These vectors are poorly immunogenic, efficiently transduce neurons, are retrogradely transported to afferent structures in the brain and lead to long-term transgene expression. CAV-2 vectors are being exploited to unravel behavior, cognition, neural networks, axonal transport and therapy for orphan diseases. With the goal of better understanding and characterizing HD-CAV-2 for brain therapy, we analyzed the transcriptomic modulation induced by HD-CAV-2 in human differentiated neurospheres derived from midbrain progenitors. This 3D model system mimics several aspects of the dynamic nature of human brain. We found that differentiated neurospheres are readily transduced by HD-CAV-2 and that transduction generates two main transcriptional responses: a DNA damage response and alteration of centromeric and microtubule probes. Future investigations on the biochemistry of processes highlighted by probe modulations will help defining the implication of HD-CAV-2 and CAR receptor binding in enchaining these functional pathways. We suggest here that the modulation of DNA damage genes is related to viral DNA, while the alteration of centromeric and microtubule probes is possibly enchained by the interaction of the HD-CAV-2 fibre with CAR.

Viral epidemiology of the adult Apis Mellifera infested by the Varroa destructor mite

OpenAIRE

Bernardi, Sara; Venturino, Ezio

2016-01-01

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has become one of the major worldwide threats for apiculture. Varroa destructor attacks the honey bee Apis mellifera weakening its host by sucking hemolymph. However, the damage to bee colonies is not strictly related to the parasitic action of the mite but it derives, above all, from its action as vector increasing the transmission of many viral diseases such as acute paralysis (ABPV) and deformed wing viruses (DWV), that are considered among the main...

The effect of apple (Malus Domestica juice on the damage of mice liver cells due to paracetamol treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony Hartanto

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The liver is an important organ for body metabolism process. Liver disease is one of serious health problems in developing countries including Indonesia. Liver damage is caused by viral infection, toxic agent exposure (medications, alcohol, hormonal disturbance, neoplasm and autoimmune diseases. The use of high dose paracetamol to reduce pain also leads to liver damage. Apple (Malus domestica juice is a natural anti oxidant agent. This laboratory experimental study was performed to discover the effect of giving apple juice on damaged cell regeneration due to the use of paracetamol. The study was performed in 21 male mice from Swiss-Webster strain that were divided into group I, II, and III. Group, I served as control while group II received 1 mg/ml paracetamol dose for 5 days and Group III received 1 mg/ml paracetamol for 5 days and 1 ml of apple juice on the 5th to 10th day. The observation of the mice liver cells was conducted using a light microscope with 400x magnification to get the number of necrotic liver cells per view field. The results of this study showed a difference in the number of necrotic liver cells between Group II and III. ANOVA statistical test ( = 0.05 concluded that apple juice significantly helps regeneration process in damaged liver cells caused by paracetamol.

Sol–gel synthesis of vanadium doped titania: Effect of the synthetic routes and investigation of their photocatalytic properties in the presence of natural sunlight

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shao, Godlisten N., E-mail: shaogod@gmail.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 1271 Sa 3-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Chemistry, Mkwawa College, University of Dar es Salaam, Iringa, United Republic of Tanzania (Tanzania, United Republic of); Imran, S.M.; Jeon, Sun Jeong; Kang, Shin Jae; Haider, S.M. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 1271 Sa 3-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hee Taik, E-mail: khtaik@yahoo.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 1271 Sa 3-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-01

Highlights: • Sol–gel routes to yield vanadium doped titania from cheap source are proposed. • Photocatalysts with different titania polymorphs are yielded through calcination. • The vanadium doped titania samples show strong absorption in the visible region. • The activities of the photocatalysts are assessed in the presence of visible light. • The calcined samples are obtained through two-step process exhibit superior activities. - Abstract: The development of visible-light effective TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts allows low cost degradation of toxic non-biodegradable organic pollutants. In the present study a series of vanadium doped titania (V-TiO{sub 2}) photocatalysts with V-to-Ti of 0.03, 0.06 and 0.1 were synthesized by either one-step or two-step modified sol–gel approaches. Titanium oxychloride solution was used as a titania source while vanadium pentaoxide was used as a vanadia source to form V-TiO{sub 2} in the absence of surfactants. One-step process was performed through the reaction of the TiO{sub 2} source with vanadium source. In two-step route the Ti(OH){sub 4} gel was preformed through gelation of the TiO{sub 2} source using ammonium solution and then peptized in the acidic vanadium solution. The physicochemical properties of the samples were examined by XRF, XRD, UV–visible DRS, SEM-EDAX, TEM, DTA-TGA, XPS and nitrogen gas physisorption studies analyses. It was observed that the morphology, crystal structure and photochemical properties of the obtained samples were largely dependent on the calcination temperature, synthetic approach and V-to-Ti ratios. Calcination of the samples yielded large ultrafine and perhaps monodispersed particles with different sizes depending on the synthetic technique. The photocatalytic performance of the samples was tested in the photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of natural sunlight. The photocatalytic activities of the samples synthesized by two-step route were higher than that of the

Molecular concepts of water splitting. Nature's approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, Nicholas; Lubitz, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Based on studies of natural systems, much has also been learned concerning the design principles required for biomimetic catalysis of water splitting and hydrogen evolution. In summary, these include use of abundant and inexpensive metals, the effective protection of the active sites in functional environments, repair/replacement of active components in case of damage, and the optimization of reaction rates. Biomimetic chemistry aims to mimic all these features; many labs are working toward this goal by developing new approaches in the design and synthesis of such systems, encompassing not only the catalytic center, but also smart matrices and assembly via self-organization. More stable catalysts that do not require self-repair may be obtained from fully artificial (inorganic) catalytic systems that are totally different from the biological ones and only apply some basic principles learned from nature. Metals other than Mn/Ca, Fe, and Ni could be used (e.g. Co) in new ligand spheres and other matrices. For light harvesting, charge separation/stabilization, and the effective coupling of the oxidizing/reducing equivalents to the redox catalysts, different methods have been proposed - for example, covalently linked molecular donor-acceptor systems, photo-voltaic devices, semiconductor-based systems, and photoactive metal complexes. The aim of all these approaches is to develop catalytic systems that split water with sunlight into hydrogen and oxygen while displaying high efficiency and long-term stability. Such a system - either biological, biomimetic, or bioinspired - has the potential to be used on a large scale to produce 'solar fuels' (e.g. hydrogen or secondary products thereof). (orig.)

The JAK-STAT transcriptional regulator, STAT-5, activates the ATM DNA damage pathway to induce HPV 31 genome amplification upon epithelial differentiation.

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Shiyuan Hong

Full Text Available High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV must evade innate immune surveillance to establish persistent infections and to amplify viral genomes upon differentiation. Members of the JAK-STAT family are important regulators of the innate immune response and HPV proteins downregulate expression of STAT-1 to allow for stable maintenance of viral episomes. STAT-5 is another member of this pathway that modulates the inflammatory response and plays an important role in controlling cell cycle progression in response to cytokines and growth factors. Our studies show that HPV E7 activates STAT-5 phosphorylation without altering total protein levels. Inhibition of STAT-5 phosphorylation by the drug pimozide abolishes viral genome amplification and late gene expression in differentiating keratinocytes. In contrast, treatment of undifferentiated cells that stably maintain episomes has no effect on viral replication. Knockdown studies show that the STAT-5β isoform is mainly responsible for this activity and that this is mediated through the ATM DNA damage response. A downstream target of STAT-5, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ contributes to the effects on members of the ATM pathway. Overall, these findings identify an important new regulatory mechanism by which the innate immune regulator, STAT-5, promotes HPV viral replication through activation of the ATM DNA damage response.

Photolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed on spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] needles under sunlight irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niu Junfeng; Chen Jingwen; Martens, D.; Quan Xie; Yang Fenglin; Kettrup, A.; Schramm, K.-W.

2003-01-01

Photolysis of PAHs on surfaces may determine their ultimate fate in the environment. - Photolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorbed on surfaces of spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] needles under sunlight irradiation was investigated. PAHs were produced by combustion of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), wood, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and styrene in a stove. The factors of sunlight irradiation on the surfaces of spruce needles were taken into consideration when investigating the kinetic parameters. The photolysis of the 18 PAHs under study follows first-order kinetics. The photolysis half-lives range from 15 h for dibenzo(a,h)anthracene to 75 h for phenanthrene. Photolysis of some PAHs on surfaces of spruce needles may play an important role on the fate of PAHs in the environment

Laboratory procedures to generate viral metagenomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Thurber, Rebecca V; Haynes, Matthew; Breitbart, Mya; Wegley, Linda; Rohwer, Forest

2009-01-01

This collection of laboratory protocols describes the steps to collect viruses from various samples with the specific aim of generating viral metagenome sequence libraries (viromes). Viral metagenomics, the study of uncultured viral nucleic acid sequences from different biomes, relies on several concentration, purification, extraction, sequencing and heuristic bioinformatic methods. No single technique can provide an all-inclusive approach, and therefore the protocols presented here will be discussed in terms of hypothetical projects. However, care must be taken to individualize each step depending on the source and type of viral-particles. This protocol is a description of the processes we have successfully used to: (i) concentrate viral particles from various types of samples, (ii) eliminate contaminating cells and free nucleic acids and (iii) extract, amplify and purify viral nucleic acids. Overall, a sample can be processed to isolate viral nucleic acids suitable for high-throughput sequencing in approximately 1 week.

Hepatitis A through E (Viral Hepatitis)

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... Treatment Eating, Diet, & Nutrition Clinical Trials Wilson Disease Hepatitis (Viral) View or Print All Sections What is Viral Hepatitis? Viral hepatitis is an infection that causes liver inflammation ...

Role of viral infection in the etiopathogenesis of breast cancer

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L. A. Ashrafyan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The viral nature of many female genital cancers is now beyond question; however, the role of viral infection in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BC has not been adequately investigated. The paper defines the importance of a number of viruses in the etiopathogenesis of on- cogynecological diseases. It presents the results of examining 60 patients with Stages I-IV BC and 30 patients with fibrocystic mastopathy, in whom the presence of DNA-containing virus genomes in tumor tissue was compared, and the data of polymerase chain reaction study of genital tract smears. It is shown that human papillomaviruses and cytomegaloviruses do not play a fundamental role in the develop- ment of BC; there is no valid evidence for Epstein–Barr virus.

Liability for damage to the global commons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leigh, K.

1993-01-01

The 'global commons' discussed in this paper are the areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. Responsibility to prevent environmental damage to these areas is clearly recognized in customary international law. On the other hand, although liability for such damage undoubtedly has a useful role to play in protecting these areas, the precise nature of liability for such damage is unclear. Some issues, such as whether liability for such damage is strict or tied to breaching a standard of care and the definition of environmental damage, equally arise in relation to damage to the environment of States. Others, such as who could take action to enforce the liability and the nature of the remedy, raise special problems in the case of damage to the global commons. The work under way in the IAEA Standing Committee on Liability for Nuclear Damage provides an opportunity for clarifying these issues in relation to nuclear damage to the global commons. Treaties dealing with particular types of damage which have recently been adopted or are currently being developed in other fields provide a starting point in dealing with this matter. More work, however, needs to be done

Adsorption of viral particles from the blood plasma of patients with viral hepatitis on nanodiamonds.

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, A V; Osipov, N V; Yashchenko, S V; Kokotukha, Yu A; Baron, I J; Puzyr, A P; Olkhovskiy, I A; Bondar, V S

2016-07-01

Adsorption of viral particles from the blood plasma of patients with viral hepatitis B and C on modified nanodiamonds (MNDs) was shown in the in vitro experiments. PCR method showed the treatment of plasma with MNDs leads to a decrease in the viral load by 2-3 orders of magnitude or more in both cases studied. These results make it possible to predict the applicability of MNDs for the development of new technologies of hemodialysis and plasmapheresis for binding and removal of viral particles from the blood of infected patients.

In vitro bacterial cytotoxicity of CNTs: reactive oxygen species mediate cell damage edges over direct physical puncturing.

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Rajavel, Krishnamoorthy; Gomathi, Rajkumar; Manian, Sellamuthu; Rajendra Kumar, Ramasamy Thangavelu

2014-01-21

Understanding the bacterial cytotoxicity of CNTs is important for a wide variety of applications in the biomedical, environmental, and health sectors. A majority of the earlier reports attributed the bactericidal cytotoxicity of CNTs to bacterial cell membrane damage by direct physical puncturing. Our results reveal that bacterial cell death via bacterial cell membrane damage is induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced from CNTs and is not due to direct physical puncturing by CNTs. To understand the actual mechanism of bacterial killing, we elucidated the bacterial cytotoxicity of SWCNTs and MWCNTs against Gram-negative human pathogenic bacterial species Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its amelioration upon functionalizing the CNTs with antioxidant tannic acid (TA). Interestingly, the bacterial cells treated with CNTs exhibited severe cell damage under laboratory (ambient) and sunlight irradiation conditions. However, CNTs showed no cytotoxicity to the bacterial cells when incubated in the dark. The quantitative assessments carried out by us made it explicit that CNTs are effective generators of ROS such as (1)O2, O2(•-), and (•)OH in an aqueous medium under both ambient and sunlight-irradiated conditions. Both naked and TA-functionalized CNTs showed negligible ROS production in the dark. Furthermore, strong correlations were obtained between ROS produced by CNTs and the bacterial cell mortality (with the correlation coefficient varying between 0.7618 and 0.9891) for all four tested pathogens. The absence of bactericidal cytotoxicity in both naked and functionalized CNTs in the dark reveals that the presence of ROS is the major factor responsible for the bactericidal action compared to direct physical puncturing. This understanding of the bactericidal activity of the irradiated CNTs, mediated through the generation of ROS, could be interesting for novel applications such as regulated ROS delivery

Coupled Transcriptome and Proteome Analysis of Human Lymphotropic Tumor Viruses: Insights on the Detection and Discovery of Viral Genes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dresang, Lindsay R.; Teuton, Jeremy R.; Feng, Huichen; Jacobs, Jon M.; Camp, David G.; Purvine, Samuel O.; Gritsenko, Marina A.; Li, Zhihua; Smith, Richard D.; Sugden, Bill; Moore, Patrick S.; Chang, Yuan

2011-12-20

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are related human tumor viruses that cause primary effusion lymphomas (PEL) and Burkitt's lymphomas (BL), respectively. Viral genes expressed in naturally-infected cancer cells contribute to disease pathogenesis; knowing which viral genes are expressed is critical in understanding how these viruses cause cancer. To evaluate the expression of viral genes, we used high-resolution separation and mass spectrometry coupled with custom tiling arrays to align the viral proteomes and transcriptomes of three PEL and two BL cell lines under latent and lytic culture conditions. Results The majority of viral genes were efficiently detected at the transcript and/or protein level on manipulating the viral life cycle. Overall the correlation of expressed viral proteins and transcripts was highly complementary in both validating and providing orthogonal data with latent/lytic viral gene expression. Our approach also identified novel viral genes in both KSHV and EBV, and extends viral genome annotation. Several previously uncharacterized genes were validated at both transcript and protein levels. Conclusions This systems biology approach coupling proteome and transcriptome measurements provides a comprehensive view of viral gene expression that could not have been attained using each methodology independently. Detection of viral proteins in combination with viral transcripts is a potentially powerful method for establishing virus-disease relationships.

Sunlight reflection off the spacecraft with a solar sail on the surface of mars

Science.gov (United States)

Starinova, O. L.; Rozhkov, M. A.; Gorbunova, I. V.

2018-05-01

Modern technologies make it possible to fulfill many projects in the field of space exploration. One such project is the colonization of Mars and providing favorable conditions for living on it. Authors propose principles of functioning of the spacecraft with a solar sail, intended to create a thermal and light spot in a predetermined area of the Martian surface. This additional illumination can maintain and support certain climatic conditions on a small area where a Mars base could be located. This paper investigate the possibility of the spacecraft continuously reflect the sunlight off the solar sail on the small area of the Mars surface. The mathematical motion model in such condition of the solar sail's orientation is considered and used for motion simulation session. Moreover, the analysis of this motion is performed. Thus, were obtained parameters of the synchronic non-Keplerian orbit and spacecraft construction. In addition, were given recommendations for further applying satellites to reflect the sunlight on a planet's surface.

Daytime Cognitive Performance in Response to Sunlight or Fluorescent Light Controlling for Sleep Duration

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Jhanic; Zamos, Adela; Rao, Rohit; Flynn-Evans, Erin

2015-01-01

Light is the primary synchronizer of the human circadian rhythm and also has acute alerting effects. Our study involves and comparing the alertness, performance and sleep of participants in the NASA Ames Sustainability Base, which uses sunlight as its primary light source, to in a traditional office building which uses overhead florescent lighting and varying exposure to natural light. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of natural lighting as a primary light source improves daytime cognitive function and promotes nighttime sleep. Participants from the Sustainability Base will be matched by gender and age to individuals working in other NASA buildings. In a prior study we found no differences in performance between those working in the Sustainability Base and those working in other buildings. Unexpectedly, we found that the average sleep duration among participants in both buildings was short, which likely obscured our ability to detect a difference the effect of light exposure on alertness. Given that such sleep deprivation has negative effects on cognitive performance, in this iteration of the study we are asking the participants to maintain a regular schedule with eight hours in bed each night in order to control for the effect of self-selected sleep restriction. Over the course of one week, we will ask the participants to wear actiwatches continuously, complete a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and digit symbol substitution task (DSST) three times per day, and keep daily sleepwork diaries. We hope that this study will provide data to support the idea that natural lighting and green architectural design are optimal to enhance healthy nighttime sleep patterns and daytime cognitive performance.

Prevention Effect of Poly-Gamma-Glutamic Acid on Tissue Damage Induced by Gamma Irradiation as a Natural Cross-Linker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jaehun; Sung, Nakyun; Kim, Jeongsoo; Jo, Euri; Choi, Jongil; Park, Jongheum; Lee, Juwoon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kwangwon [Eulji Univ. Hospital, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Jungkee [Chonbuk National Univ., Jeonju (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Taewoon [Jeonbuk Technopark, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

2012-03-15

This study was to determine the prevention effect of poly-gamma-glutamic acid (PGA) on tissue damage induced by gamma irradiation for development of xenograft. PGA (MW 2000 kDa) extracted from permeated soy bean (natto) was used in this study as natural compound, and glutaraldehyde (GA) and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) were used as a control, chemical based cross-linking agents. GA, EDC and PGA treated porcine tendons were gamma-irradiated at the dose of 30 kGy. Prevention effects against tissue damage were measured as the result of tensile strength, hydroxyproline contents and tissue morphological analysis. Tensile of porcine tendon was remarkably decreased by gamma irradiation, but increased in PGA treated group. Morphological analysis showed that collagen structure was broken by gamma irradiation, but attenuated by PGA treatment. Base on the results, it demonstrated that gamma irradiation can induce severe alteration of porcine tendon, but PGA can effectively improve the tissue damage.

Prevention Effect of Poly-Gamma-Glutamic Acid on Tissue Damage Induced by Gamma Irradiation as a Natural Cross-Linker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jaehun; Sung, Nakyun; Kim, Jeongsoo; Jo, Euri; Choi, Jongil; Park, Jongheum; Lee, Juwoon; Lee, Kwangwon; Kwon, Jungkee; Kim, Taewoon

2012-01-01

This study was to determine the prevention effect of poly-gamma-glutamic acid (PGA) on tissue damage induced by gamma irradiation for development of xenograft. PGA (MW 2000 kDa) extracted from permeated soy bean (natto) was used in this study as natural compound, and glutaraldehyde (GA) and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) were used as a control, chemical based cross-linking agents. GA, EDC and PGA treated porcine tendons were gamma-irradiated at the dose of 30 kGy. Prevention effects against tissue damage were measured as the result of tensile strength, hydroxyproline contents and tissue morphological analysis. Tensile of porcine tendon was remarkably decreased by gamma irradiation, but increased in PGA treated group. Morphological analysis showed that collagen structure was broken by gamma irradiation, but attenuated by PGA treatment. Base on the results, it demonstrated that gamma irradiation can induce severe alteration of porcine tendon, but PGA can effectively improve the tissue damage

Faktor Risiko Non Viral Pada Karsinoma Nasofaring

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Sukri Rahman

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Abstrak           Latar belakang: Karsinoma nasofaring adalah tumor ganas epitel nasofaring yang sampai saat ini penyebabnya belum diketahui, infeksi virus Epstein Barr dilaporkan sebagai faktor dominan terjadinya karsinoma nasofaring tetapi faktor non viral juga berperan untuk timbulnya keganasan nasofaring. Tujuan: Untuk mengetahui faktor non viral  yang dapat meningkatkan kejadian karsinoma nasofaring sehingga dapat mencegah dan menghindari faktor-faktor non viral tersebut. Tinjauan Pustaka: Karsinoma nasofaring merupakan tumor ganas epitel nasofaring yang penyebabnya berhubungan dengan faktor viral dan non viral diantaranya asap rokok, ikan asin, formaldehid, genetik, asap kayu bakar , debu kayu, infeksi kronik telinga hidung tenggorok, alkohol dan obat tradisional. Kesimpulan: Pembuktian secara klinis dan ilmiah terhadap faktor non viral sebagai penyebab timbulnya karsinoma nasofaring masih belum dapat dijelaskan secara pasti. Faktor non viral merupakan salah satu faktor risiko yang dapat meningkatkan angka kejadian timbulnya keganasan nasofaring Kata kunci: karsinoma nasofaring, faktor risiko, non viral AbstractBackground: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant epithelial nasopharyngeal tumor that until now the cause still unknown, Epstein barr virus infection had reported as predominant occurance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma but non viral factors may also contribute to the onset of the incidence of nasopharyngeal malignancy. Purpose: To find non viral factors that may increase the incidence of nasopharyngel carcinoma in order to prevent and avoid non-viral factors Literature: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant tumor that causes nasopharyngeal epithelium associated with viral and non-viral factors such as cigarette smoke, salt fish, formaldehyde, genetic, wood smoke ,wood dust, ear nose throat chronic infections, alcohol, and traditional medicine. Conclusion: Clinically and scientifically proving the non-viral factors as

Viral asthma: implications for clinical practice

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Roger Menendez

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Roger Menendez1, Michael D Goldman21Allergy and Asthma Center of El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA; 2Pulmonary Division, UCLA Gaffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USAAbstract: The natural history of asthma appears to be driven primarily by the timing and duration of viral respiratory infections. From the very high rate of infections in childhood, to the more sporadic pattern seen in adults, the cycle of acute injury followed by an inefficient repair process helps explain the clinical patterns of asthma severity currently recognized by asthma guidelines. Why the asthmatic host responds to viral injury in a particular way is largely a mystery and the subject of intense investigation. The role of viruses in asthma extends not just to intermittent but to persistent disease, and to both the atopic as well as nonatopic phenotypes. Future therapeutic strategies should include primary prevention via the development of antiviral innate immunity-enhancing vaccines, as well as secondary prevention via the use of antiviral agents, or immunomodulators designed to boost the antiviral response or interrupt the proinflammatory cascade.Keywords: asthma, rhinoviruses, exacerbations, epidemiology, phenotypes, clinical trials

Liver damage caused by hepatitis C viral infection and ethyl alcohol consumption

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Kostić Velimir

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV is a complex disease, most commonly chronicle (80-85%. The aim of this research was to determinate the level of the liver damage in the patients cansed by HCV in conjunction with consuming ethyl alcohol. Methods. The research included 15 patients with chronic HCV infection supported by the misuse of ethyl alcohol, as well. The diagnosis of C infection hepatitis was proved using the ELISA test and PCR method. Results. The results of the study showed the liver damage by both HCV infection and ethyl alcohol, which was verified by the presence of biochemical changes and patohystological processing of the patients (liver biopsy and prosection. Patohystological changes were at the level of liver cirrhosis and carcinoma (2 patients. There was a signficant difference between the two subgroups (p < 0.001 regarding the examined values γ-GT, PLT and PTV. The basic therapeutic procedure was to introduce this category of patients into alcohol abstinence, and, in a few patients, to apply the antivirus therapy, as well. Conclusion. Based on the number of the examined patients (n = 15, we could conclude that a prolonged ethyl alcohol misuse with the presence of HCV infection was in a correlation with the liver disease progression.

Dose-Response Effect of Sunlight on Vitamin D2 Production in Agaricus bisporus Mushrooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urbain, Paul; Jakobsen, Jette

2015-01-01

The dose response effect of UV-B irradiation from sunlight on vitamin D2 content of sliced Agaricus bisporus (white button mushroom) during the process of sun-drying was investigated.Real-time UV-B and UV-A data were obtained using a high-performance spectroradiometer. During the first hour...

Metabolism goes viral.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyake-Stoner, Shigeki J; O'Shea, Clodagh C

2014-04-01

Viral and cellular oncogenes converge in targeting critical protein interaction networks to reprogram the cellular DNA and protein replication machinery for pathological replication. In this issue, Thai et al. (2014) show that adenovirus E4ORF1 activates MYC glycolytic targets to induce a Warburg-like effect that converts glucose into nucleotides for viral replication. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Damaged Skylab

Science.gov (United States)

1973-01-01

The Saturn V vehicle, carrying the unmarned orbital workshop for the Skylab-1 mission, lifted off successfully and all systems performed normally. Sixty-three seconds into the flight, engineers in the operation support and control center saw an unexpected telemetry indication that signalled that damages occurred on one solar array and the micrometeoroid shield during the launch. The micrometeoroid shield, a thin protective cylinder surrounding the workshop protecting it from tiny space particles and the sun's scorching heat, ripped loose from its position around the workshop. This caused the loss of one solar wing and jammed the other. Still unoccupied, the Skylab was stricken with the loss of the heat shield and sunlight beat mercilessly on the lab's sensitive skin. Internal temperatures soared, rendering the station uninhabitable, threatening foods, medicines, films, and experiments. This image, taken during a fly-around inspection by the Skylab-2 crew, shows a crippled Skylab in orbit. The crew found their home in space to be in serious shape; the heat shield gone, one solar wing gone, and the other jammed. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed, tested, rehearsed, and approved three repair options. These options included a parasol sunshade and a twin-pole sunshade to restore the temperature inside the workshop, and a set of metal cutting tools to free the jammed solar panel.

Host Innate Immunity against Hepatitis E Virus and Viral Evasion Mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Sangmin; Myoung, Jinjong

2017-10-28

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections cause epidemic or sporadic acute hepatitis, which are mostly self-limiting. However, viral infection in immunocompromised patients and pregnant women may result in serious consequences, such as chronic hepatitis and liver damage, mortality of the latter of which reaches up to 20-30%. Type I interferon (IFN)-induced antiviral immunity is known to be the first-line defense against virus infection. Upon HEV infection in the cell, the virus genome is recognized by pathogen recognition receptors, leading to rapid activation of intracellular signaling cascades. Expression of type I IFN triggers induction of a barrage of IFN-stimulated genes, helping the cells cope with viral infection. Interestingly, some of the HEV-encoded genes seem to be involved in disrupting signaling cascades for antiviral immune responses, and thus crippling cytokine/chemokine production. Antagonistic mechanisms of type I IFN responses by HEV have only recently begun to emerge, and in this review, we summarize known HEV evasion strategies and compare them with those of other hepatitis viruses.

Exploring the potential of multivariate depth-damage and rainfall-damage models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Ootegem, Luc; van Herck, K.; Creten, T.

2018-01-01

In Europe, floods are among the natural catastrophes that cause the largest economic damage. This article explores the potential of two distinct types of multivariate flood damage models: ‘depth-damage’ models and ‘rainfall-damage’ models. We use survey data of 346 Flemish households that were...... victim of pluvial floods complemented with rainfall data from both rain gauges and weather radars. In the econometrical analysis, a Tobit estimation technique is used to deal with the issue of zero damage observations. The results show that in the ‘depth-damage’ models flood depth has a significant...... impact on the damage. In the ‘rainfall-damage’ models there is a significant impact of rainfall accumulation on the damage when using the gauge rainfall data as predictor, but not when using the radar rainfall data. Finally, non-hazard indicators are found to be important for explaining pluvial flood...

Effect of exposure to sunlight and phosphorus-limitation on bacterial degradation of coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in freshwater.

Science.gov (United States)

Kragh, Theis; Søndergaard, Morten; Tranvik, Lars

2008-05-01

This study reports on the interacting effect of photochemical conditioning of dissolved organic matter and inorganic phosphorus on the metabolic activity of bacteria in freshwater. Batch cultures with lake-water bacteria and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) extracted from a humic boreal river were arranged in an experimental matrix of three levels of exposure to simulated sunlight and three levels of phosphorus concentration. We measured an increase in bacterial biomass, a decrease in DOC and bacterial respiration as CO(2) production and O(2) consumption over 450 h. These measurements were used to calculate bacterial growth efficiency (BGE). Bacterial degradation of DOC increased with increasing exposure to simulated sunlight and availability of phosphorus and no detectable growth occurred on DOC that was not pre-exposed to simulated sunlight. The outcome of photochemical degradation of DOC changed with increasing availability of phosphorus, resulting in an increase in BGE from about 5% to 30%. Thus, the availability of phosphorus has major implications for the quantitative transfer of carbon in microbial food webs.

Sunlight mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles using redox phytoprotein and their application in catalysis and colorimetric mercury sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Khan Behlol Ayaz; Senthilnathan, Rajendran; Megarajan, Sengan; Anbazhagan, Veerappan

2015-10-01

Owing to the benign nature, plant extracts mediated green synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is rapidly expanding. In this study, we demonstrated the successful green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by utilizing natural sunlight and redox protein complex composed of ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductase (FNR) and ferredoxin (FD). The capping and stabilization of the AgNPs by the redox protein was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Light and redox protein is the prerequisite factor for the formation of AgNPs. The obtained result shows that the photo generated free radicals by the redox protein is responsible for the reduction of Ag(+) to Ag(0). Transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of spherical AgNPs with size ranging from 10 to 15 nm. As-prepared AgNPs exhibit excellent catalytic activity toward the degradation of hazardous organic dyes, such as methylene blue, methyl orange and methyl red. These bio-inspired AgNPs is highly sensitive and selective in sensing hazardous mercury ions in the water at micromolar concentration. In addition, FNR/FD extract stabilized AgNPs showed good antimicrobial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rhizopus oryzae hyphae are damaged by human natural killer (NK) cells, but suppress NK cell mediated immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Stanislaw; Tramsen, Lars; Perkhofer, Susanne; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Hanisch, Mitra; Röger, Frauke; Klingebiel, Thomas; Koehl, Ulrike; Lehrnbecher, Thomas

2013-07-01

Mucormycosis has a high mortality and is increasingly diagnosed in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. In this setting, there is a growing interest to restore host defense to combat infections by adoptively transferring donor-derived immunocompetent cells. Natural killer (NK) cells exhibit antitumor and antiinfective activity, but the interaction with Mucormycetes is unknown. Our data demonstrate that both unstimulated and IL-2 prestimulated human NK cells damage Rhizopus oryzae hyphae, but do not affect resting conidia. The damage of the fungus is mediated, at least in part, by perforin. R. oryzae hyphae decrease the secretion of immunoregulatory molecules by NK cells, such as IFN-γ and RANTES, indicating an immunosuppressive effect of the fungus. Our data indicate that NK cells exhibit activity against Mucormycetes and future research should evaluate NK cells as a potential tool for adoptive immunotherapy in HSCT. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

DNA Damage Signaling Is Induced in the Absence of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Lytic DNA Replication and in Response to Expression of ZEBRA.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang'ondu, Ruth; Teal, Stuart; Park, Richard; Heston, Lee; Delecluse, Henri; Miller, George

2015-01-01

Epstein Barr virus (EBV), like other oncogenic viruses, modulates the activity of cellular DNA damage responses (DDR) during its life cycle. Our aim was to characterize the role of early lytic proteins and viral lytic DNA replication in activation of DNA damage signaling during the EBV lytic cycle. Our data challenge the prevalent hypothesis that activation of DDR pathways during the EBV lytic cycle occurs solely in response to large amounts of exogenous double stranded DNA products generated during lytic viral DNA replication. In immunofluorescence or immunoblot assays, DDR activation markers, specifically phosphorylated ATM (pATM), H2AX (γH2AX), or 53BP1 (p53BP1), were induced in the presence or absence of viral DNA amplification or replication compartments during the EBV lytic cycle. In assays with an ATM inhibitor and DNA damaging reagents in Burkitt lymphoma cell lines, γH2AX induction was necessary for optimal expression of early EBV genes, but not sufficient for lytic reactivation. Studies in lytically reactivated EBV-positive cells in which early EBV proteins, BGLF4, BGLF5, or BALF2, were not expressed showed that these proteins were not necessary for DDR activation during the EBV lytic cycle. Expression of ZEBRA, a viral protein that is necessary for EBV entry into the lytic phase, induced pATM foci and γH2AX independent of other EBV gene products. ZEBRA mutants deficient in DNA binding, Z(R183E) and Z(S186E), did not induce foci of pATM. ZEBRA co-localized with HP1β, a heterochromatin associated protein involved in DNA damage signaling. We propose a model of DDR activation during the EBV lytic cycle in which ZEBRA induces ATM kinase phosphorylation, in a DNA binding dependent manner, to modulate gene expression. ATM and H2AX phosphorylation induced prior to EBV replication may be critical for creating a microenvironment of viral and cellular gene expression that enables lytic cycle progression.

Enhanced replication of damaged SV40 DNA in carcinogen-treated monkey cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maga, J.A.; Dixon, K.

1984-01-01

Treatment of mammalian cells with certain chemical or physical carcinogens prior to infection with ultraviolet-irradiated virus results in enhanced survival or reactivation of the damaged virus. To investigate the molecular basis of this enhanced reactivation (ER), Simian virus 40 DNA replication in carcinogen-treated cells was examined. Treatment of monkey kidney cells with N-acetoxy-2-acetylamino-fluorene or UV radiation 24 h prior to infection with ultraviolet-irradiated Simian virus 40 leads to enhancement of viral DNA replication measured at 36 h after infection by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation or hybridization. The enhancement of DNA replication is observed when cells are treated from 1 to 60 h before infection or 1 to 16 h after infection. The fact that enhancement is observed also when cells are treated after infection rules out the possiblity that enhancement occurs at the level of adsorption or penetration of the virus. Measurements of the time course of viral DNA replication indicate that pretreatment of cells does not alter the time of onset of viral DNA replication. It is concluded that ER of Simain virus 40 occurs at the level of viral DNA replication. (author)

Quasispecies variation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus during natural infection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldberg, Tony L.; Lowe, James F.; Milburn, Suzanne M.; Firkins, Lawrence D.

2003-01-01

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) displays notorious genetic, antigenic, and clinical variability. Little is known, however, about the nature and extent of viral variation present within naturally infected animals. By amplifying and cloning the open reading frame 5 gene from tonsils of naturally infected swine, and by sequencing individual clones, we characterized viral diversity in nine animals from two farms. All animals harbored multiple PRRSV variants at both the nucleic and the amino acid levels. Structural variation and rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution were no different within known epitopes than elsewhere. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that differences between farms, among animals within farms, and within individual animals accounted for 92.94, 3.84, and 3.22% of the total viral genetic variability observed, respectively. PRRSV exists during natural infection as a quasispecies distribution of related genotypes. Positive natural selection for immune evasiveness does not appear to maintain this diversity

Role of the viral and cellular encoded thymidine kinase in the repair of UV-irradiated herpes simplex virus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rainbow, A.J.; McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON

1989-01-01

A strain of herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1:KOS) encoding a functional thymidine kinase (tk + ) gene and a thymidine kinase deficient (tk - ) mutant strain (HSC-1:PTK3B) were used as probes to examine the repair of UV-damaged viral DNA in one tk - (143) and two tk + (R970-5 and AC4) human cell lines. UV survival for each HSC-1 strain was similar for infection of both tk - and tk + cells suggesting that the repair of viral DNA was not dependent on the expression of a functional cellular tk gene. In contrast, UV survival of HSV-1:PTK3B was substantially reduced compared to HSV-1:KOS when infecting all 3 human cell lines, as well as Vero monkey kidney cells and LPM1A mouse cells. Tjese results suggest that the repair of UV-irradiated HSV-1 in lytically infected mammalian cells depends, in part at least, on the expression of the viral encoded tk. (author). 20 refs.; 1 fig

Sunlight exposure and sun sensitivity associated with disability progression in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

D'hooghe, M B; Haentjens, P; Nagels, G; Garmyn, M; De Keyser, J

2012-04-01

Sunlight and vitamin D have been inversely associated with the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated sunlight exposure and sun sensitivity in relation to disability progression in MS. We conducted a survey among persons with MS, registered by the Flemish MS society, Belgium, and stratified data according to relapsing-onset and progressive-onset MS. We used Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazard regression analyses with time to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 6 as outcome measure. Hazard ratios for the time from onset and from birth were calculated for the potentially predictive variables, adjusting for age at onset, gender and immunomodulatory treatment. 704 (51.3%) of the 1372 respondents had reached EDSS 6. In relapsing-onset MS, respondents reporting equal or higher levels of sun exposure than persons of the same age in the last 10 years had a decreased risk of reaching EDSS 6. In progressive-onset MS, increased sun sensitivity was associated with an increased hazard of reaching EDSS 6. The association of higher sun exposure with a better outcome in relapsing-onset MS may be explained by either a protective effect or reverse causality. Mechanisms underlying sun sensitivity might influence progression in progressive-onset MS.

Diverse Array of New Viral Sequences Identified in Worldwide Populations of the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) Using Viral Metagenomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Nouri, Shahideh; Salem, Nidá; Nigg, Jared C; Falk, Bryce W

2015-12-16

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, is the natural vector of the causal agent of Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease. Together; HLB and D. citri represent a major threat to world citrus production. As there is no cure for HLB, insect vector management is considered one strategy to help control the disease, and D. citri viruses might be useful. In this study, we used a metagenomic approach to analyze viral sequences associated with the global population of D. citri. By sequencing small RNAs and the transcriptome coupled with bioinformatics analysis, we showed that the virus-like sequences of D. citri are diverse. We identified novel viral sequences belonging to the picornavirus superfamily, the Reoviridae, Parvoviridae, and Bunyaviridae families, and an unclassified positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. Moreover, a Wolbachia prophage-related sequence was identified. This is the first comprehensive survey to assess the viral community from worldwide populations of an agricultural insect pest. Our results provide valuable information on new putative viruses, some of which may have the potential to be used as biocontrol agents. Insects have the most species of all animals, and are hosts to, and vectors of, a great variety of known and unknown viruses. Some of these most likely have the potential to be important fundamental and/or practical resources. In this study, we used high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology and bioinformatics analysis to identify putative viruses associated with Diaphorina citri, the Asian citrus psyllid. D. citri is the vector of the bacterium causing Huanglongbing (HLB), currently the most serious threat to citrus worldwide. Here, we report several novel viral sequences associated with D. citri. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Viral membrane fusion: is glycoprotein G of rhabdoviruses a representative of a new class of viral fusion proteins?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.T. Da Poian

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Enveloped viruses always gain entry into the cytoplasm by fusion of their lipid envelope with a cell membrane. Some enveloped viruses fuse directly with the host cell plasma membrane after virus binding to the cell receptor. Other enveloped viruses enter the cells by the endocytic pathway, and fusion depends on the acidification of the endosomal compartment. In both cases, virus-induced membrane fusion is triggered by conformational changes in viral envelope glycoproteins. Two different classes of viral fusion proteins have been described on the basis of their molecular architecture. Several structural data permitted the elucidation of the mechanisms of membrane fusion mediated by class I and class II fusion proteins. In this article, we review a number of results obtained by our laboratory and by others that suggest that the mechanisms involved in rhabdovirus fusion are different from those used by the two well-studied classes of viral glycoproteins. We focus our discussion on the electrostatic nature of virus binding and interaction with membranes, especially through phosphatidylserine, and on the reversibility of the conformational changes of the rhabdovirus glycoprotein involved in fusion. Taken together, these data suggest the existence of a third class of fusion proteins and support the idea that new insights should emerge from studies of membrane fusion mediated by the G protein of rhabdoviruses. In particular, the elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of the G protein or even of the fusion peptide at different pH's might provide valuable information for understanding the fusion mechanism of this new class of fusion proteins.

Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Niels Jørgen; Skall, Helle Frank

2013-01-01

This chapter covers the genetics (genotypes and serotypes), clinical signs, host species, transmission, prevalence, diagnosis, control and prevention of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus.......This chapter covers the genetics (genotypes and serotypes), clinical signs, host species, transmission, prevalence, diagnosis, control and prevention of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus....

Assembly of viral genomes from metagenomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.L. Smits (Saskia); R. Bodewes (Rogier); A. Ruiz-Gonzalez (Aritz); V. Baumgärtner (Volkmar); M.P.G. Koopmans D.V.M. (Marion); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert); A. Schürch (Anita)

2014-01-01

textabstractViral infections remain a serious global health issue. Metagenomic approaches are increasingly used in the detection of novel viral pathogens but also to generate complete genomes of uncultivated viruses. In silico identification of complete viral genomes from sequence data would allow

Viral commercials: the consumer as marketeer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ketelaar, P.E.; Lucassen, P.; Kregting, G.H.J.

2010-01-01

Research into the reasons why consumers pass along viral commercials: their motives, the content characteristics of viral commercials and the medium context in which viral commercials appear. Based on the uses and gratifications perspective this study has determined which motives of consumers,

Automated Damage Onset Analysis Techniques Applied to KDP Damage and the Zeus Small Area Damage Test Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharp, R.; Runkel, M.

1999-01-01

Automated damage testing of KDP using LLNL's Zeus automated damage test system has allowed the statistics of KDP bulk damage to be investigated. Samples are now characterized by the cumulative damage probability curve, or S-curve, that is generated from hundreds of individual test sites per sample. A HeNe laser/PMT scatter diagnostic is used to determine the onset of damage at each test site. The nature of KDP bulk damage is such that each scatter signal may possess many different indicators of a damage event. Because of this, the determination of the initial onset for each scatter trace is not a straightforward affair and has required considerable manual analysis. The amount of testing required by crystal development for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has made it impractical to continue analysis by hand. Because of this, we have developed and implemented algorithms for analyzing the scatter traces by computer. We discuss the signal cleaning algorithms and damage determination criteria that have lead to the successful implementation of a LabView based analysis code. For the typical R/1 damage data set, the program can find the correct damage onset in more than 80% of the cases, with the remaining 20% being left to operator determination. The potential time savings for data analysis is on the order of ∼ 100X over manual analysis and is expected to result in the savings of at least 400 man-hours over the next 3 years of NIF quality assurance testing

Viral Infection in Renal Transplant Recipients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovana Cukuranovic

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Viruses are among the most common causes of opportunistic infection after transplantation. The risk for viral infection is a function of the specific virus encountered, the intensity of immune suppression used to prevent graft rejection, and other host factors governing susceptibility. Although cytomegalovirus is the most common opportunistic pathogen seen in transplant recipients, numerous other viruses have also affected outcomes. In some cases, preventive measures such as pretransplant screening, prophylactic antiviral therapy, or posttransplant viral monitoring may limit the impact of these infections. Recent advances in laboratory monitoring and antiviral therapy have improved outcomes. Studies of viral latency, reactivation, and the cellular effects of viral infection will provide clues for future strategies in prevention and treatment of viral infections. This paper will summarize the major viral infections seen following transplant and discuss strategies for prevention and management of these potential pathogens.

Multiplexed screening of natural humoral immunity identifies antibodies at fine specificity for complex and dynamic viral targets.

Science.gov (United States)

McCutcheon, Krista M; Gray, Julia; Chen, Natalie Y; Liu, Keyi; Park, Minha; Ellsworth, Stote; Tripp, Ralph A; Tompkins, S Mark; Johnson, Scott K; Samet, Shelly; Pereira, Lenore; Kauvar, Lawrence M

2014-01-01

Viral entry targets with therapeutic neutralizing potential are subject to multiple escape mechanisms, including antigenic drift, immune dominance of functionally irrelevant epitopes, and subtle variations in host cell mechanisms. A surprising finding of recent years is that potent neutralizing antibodies to viral epitopes independent of strain exist, but are poorly represented across the diverse human population. Identifying these antibodies and understanding the biology mediating the specific immune response is thus difficult. An effective strategy for meeting this challenge is to incorporate multiplexed antigen screening into a high throughput survey of the memory B cell repertoire from immune individuals. We used this approach to discover suites of cross-clade antibodies directed to conformational epitopes in the stalk region of the influenza A hemagglutinin (HA) protein and to select high-affinity anti-peptide antibodies to the glycoprotein B (gB) of human cytomegalovirus. In each case, our screens revealed a restricted VH and VL germline usage, including published and previously unidentified gene families. The in vivo evolution of paratope specificity with optimal neutralizing activity was understandable after correlating biological activities with kinetic binding and epitope recognition. Iterative feedback between antigen probe design based on structure and function information with high throughput multiplexed screening demonstrated a generally applicable strategy for efficient identification of safe, native, finely tuned antibodies with the potential for high genetic barriers to viral escape.

Viral Metagenomics: MetaView Software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, C; Smith, J

2007-10-22

The purpose of this report is to design and develop a tool for analysis of raw sequence read data from viral metagenomics experiments. The tool should compare read sequences of known viral nucleic acid sequence data and enable a user to attempt to determine, with some degree of confidence, what virus groups may be present in the sample. This project was conducted in two phases. In phase 1 we surveyed the literature and examined existing metagenomics tools to educate ourselves and to more precisely define the problem of analyzing raw read data from viral metagenomic experiments. In phase 2 we devised an approach and built a prototype code and database. This code takes viral metagenomic read data in fasta format as input and accesses all complete viral genomes from Kpath for sequence comparison. The system executes at the UNIX command line, producing output that is stored in an Oracle relational database. We provide here a description of the approach we came up with for handling un-assembled, short read data sets from viral metagenomics experiments. We include a discussion of the current MetaView code capabilities and additional functionality that we believe should be added, should additional funding be acquired to continue the work.

Acute Pancreatitis in acute viral hepatitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S K.C.

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The association of acute viral hepatitis and acute pancreatitis is well described. This study was conducted to find out the frequency of pancreatic involvement in acute viral hepatitis in the Nepalese population. Methods: Consecutive patients of acute viral hepatitis presenting with severe abdominal pain between January 2005 and April 2010 were studied. Patients with history of significant alcohol consumption and gall stones were excluded. Acute viral hepatitis was diagnosed by clinical examination, liver function test, ultrasound examination and confirmed by viral serology. Pancreatitis was diagnosed by clinical presentation, biochemistry, ultrasound examination and CT scan. Results: Severe abdominal pain was present in 38 of 382 serologically-confirmed acute viral hepatitis patients. Twenty five patients were diagnosed to have acute pancreatitis. The pancreatitis was mild in 14 and severe in 11 patients. The etiology of pancreatitis was hepatitis E virus in 18 and hepatitis A virus in 7 patients. Two patients died of complications secondary to shock. The remaining patients recovered from both pancreatitis and hepatitis on conservative treatment. Conclusions: Acute pancreatitis occurred in 6.5 % of patients with acute viral hepatitis. Cholelithiasis and gastric ulcers are the other causes of severe abdominal pain. The majority of the patients recover with conservative management. Keywords: acute viral hepatitis, acute pancreatitis, pain abdomen, hepatitis E, hepatitis A, endemic zone

Promising approaches for the treatment and prevention of viral respiratory illnesses.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulos, Nikolaos G; Megremis, Spyridon; Kitsioulis, Nikolaos A; Vangelatou, Olympia; West, Peter; Xepapadaki, Paraskevi

2017-10-01

Viral respiratory tract infections are the most common human ailments, leading to enormous health and economic burden. Hundreds of viral species and subtypes have been associated with these conditions, with influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, and rhinoviruses being the most frequent and with the highest burden. When considering prevention or treatment of viral respiratory tract infections, potential targets include the causative pathogens themselves but also the immune response, disease transmission, or even just the symptoms. Strategies targeting all these aspects are developing concurrently, and several novel and promising approaches are emerging. In this perspective we overview the entire range of options and highlight some of the most promising approaches, including new antiviral agents, symptomatic or immunomodulatory drugs, the re-emergence of natural remedies, and vaccines and public health policies toward prevention. Wide-scale prevention through immunization appears to be within reach for respiratory syncytial virus and promising for influenza virus, whereas additional effort is needed in regard to rhinovirus, as well as other respiratory tract viruses. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Viral infection of human lung macrophages increases PDL1 expression via IFNβ.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karl J Staples

Full Text Available Lung macrophages are an important defence against respiratory viral infection and recent work has demonstrated that influenza-induced macrophage PDL1 expression in the murine lung leads to rapid modulation of CD8+ T cell responses via the PD1 receptor. This PD1/PDL1 pathway may downregulate acute inflammatory responses to prevent tissue damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of PDL1 regulation by human macrophages in response to viral infection. Ex-vivo viral infection models using influenza and RSV were established in human lung explants, isolated lung macrophages and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM and analysed by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Incubation of lung explants, lung macrophages and MDM with X31 resulted in mean cellular infection rates of 18%, 18% and 29% respectively. Viral infection significantly increased cell surface expression of PDL1 on explant macrophages, lung macrophages and MDM but not explant epithelial cells. Infected MDM induced IFNγ release from autologous CD8+ T cells, an effect enhanced by PDL1 blockade. We observed increases in PDL1 mRNA and IFNβ mRNA and protein release by MDM in response to influenza infection. Knockdown of IFNβ by siRNA, resulted in a 37.5% reduction in IFNβ gene expression in response to infection, and a significant decrease in PDL1 mRNA. Furthermore, when MDM were incubated with IFNβ, this cytokine caused increased expression of PDL1 mRNA. These data indicate that human macrophage PDL1 expression modulates CD8+ cell IFNγ release in response to virus and that this expression is regulated by autologous IFNβ production.

Viral O-GalNAc peptide epitopes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olofsson, Sigvard; Blixt, Klas Ola; Bergström, Tomas

2016-01-01

Viral envelope glycoproteins are major targets for antibodies that bind to and inactivate viral particles. The capacity of a viral vaccine to induce virus-neutralizing antibodies is often used as a marker for vaccine efficacy. Yet the number of known neutralization target epitopes is restricted o...

Plant Leaf Imaging using Time of Flight Camera under Sunlight, Shadow and Room Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kazmi, Wajahat; Foix, Sergi; Alenya, Guillem

2012-01-01

In this article, we analyze the effects of ambient light on Time of Flight (ToF) depth imaging for a plant's leaf in sunlight, shadow and room conditions. ToF imaging is sensitive to ambient light and we try to find the best possible integration times (IT) for each condition. This is important in...

The impact of early immune destruction on the kinetics of postacute viral replication in rhesus monkey infected with the simian-human immunodeficiency virus 89.6P

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zhiqiang; Schleif, William A.; Casimiro, Danilo R.; Handt, Larry; Chen, Minchun; Davies, Mary-Ellen; Liang Xiaoping; Fu Tongming; Tang Aimin; Wilson, Keith A.; McElhaugh, Michael; Carella, Anthony; Tan, Charles; Connolly, Brett; Hill, Susan; Klein, Hilton; Emini, Emilio A.; Shiver, John W.

2004-01-01

Set-point viral load is positively correlated with the extent of initial viral replication in pathogenic simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the correlation, we conducted a systematic investigation in rhesus monkeys infected with the highly pathogenic SHIV 89.6P. This model is widely used in the preclinical evaluation of AIDS vaccine candidates and a thorough understanding of the model's biology is important to the proper interpretation of these evaluations. We found that the levels of peak viremia were positively correlated not only with the levels of set-point viremia but, importantly, with the extent of initial overall immune destruction as indicated by the degree of CD4 + T cell depletion and lymph node germinal center (GC) formation. The extent of initial overall immune destruction was inversely correlated with subsequent development and maintenance of virus-specific cellular and humoral immune responses. Thus, these data suggest that the extent of early immune damage determines the development and durability of virus-specific immunity, thereby playing a critical role in establishing the levels of set-point viral replication in SHIV infection. Vaccines that limit both the initial viral replication and the extent of early immune damage will therefore mediate long-term virus replication control and mitigation of long-term immune destruction in this model of immunodeficiency virus infection

Host-derived viral transporter protein for nitrogen uptake in infected marine phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Chambouvet, Aurélie; Milner, David S.; Attah, Victoria; Terrado, Ramón; Lovejoy, Connie; Moreau, Hervé; Derelle, Évelyne; Richards, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

Phytoplankton community structure is shaped by both bottom–up factors, such as nutrient availability, and top–down processes, such as predation. Here we show that marine viruses can blur these distinctions, being able to amend how host cells acquire nutrients from their environment while also predating and lysing their algal hosts. Viral genomes often encode genes derived from their host. These genes may allow the virus to manipulate host metabolism to improve viral fitness. We identify in the genome of a phytoplankton virus, which infects the small green alga Ostreococcus tauri, a host-derived ammonium transporter. This gene is transcribed during infection and when expressed in yeast mutants the viral protein is located to the plasma membrane and rescues growth when cultured with ammonium as the sole nitrogen source. We also show that viral infection alters the nature of nitrogen compound uptake of host cells, by both increasing substrate affinity and allowing the host to access diverse nitrogen sources. This is important because the availability of nitrogen often limits phytoplankton growth. Collectively, these data show that a virus can acquire genes encoding nutrient transporters from a host genome and that expression of the viral gene can alter the nutrient uptake behavior of host cells. These results have implications for understanding how viruses manipulate the physiology and ecology of phytoplankton, influence marine nutrient cycles, and act as vectors for horizontal gene transfer. PMID:28827361

Converting sunlight into red light in fluorosilicate glass for amorphous silicon solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ming, Chengguo, E-mail: mingchengguo1978@163.com [Physics Department, School of Sciences, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Song, Feng [Photonics Center, College of Physical Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Ren, Xiaobin [Physics Department, School of Sciences, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Yuan, Fengying; Qin, Yueting [Physics Department, School of Sciences, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Photonics Center, College of Physical Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); An, Liqun; Cai, Yuanxue [Physics Department, School of Sciences, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China)

2017-03-15

Fluorosilicate glass was prepared by high-temperature melting method to explore highly efficient luminescence materials for amorphous silicon solar cells. Absorption, excitation and emission spectra of the glass were measured. The optical characters of the glass were discussed in details. The glass can efficiently convert sunlight into red light. Our glass can be applied to amorphous silicon solar cells as a converter of solar spectrum.

First insight into the viral community of the cnidarian model metaorganism Aiptasia using RNA-Seq data

KAUST Repository

Brüwer, Jan D.

2018-03-01

Current research posits that all multicellular organisms live in symbioses with associated microorganisms and form so-called metaorganisms or holobionts. Cnidarian metaorganisms are of specific interest given that stony corals provide the foundation of the globally threatened coral reef ecosystems. To gain first insight into viruses associated with the coral model system Aiptasia (sensu Exaiptasia pallida), we analyzed an existing RNA-Seq dataset of aposymbiotic, partially populated, and fully symbiotic Aiptasia CC7 anemones with Symbiodinium. Our approach included the selective removal of anemone host and algal endosymbiont sequences and subsequent microbial sequence annotation. Of a total of 297 million raw sequence reads, 8.6 million (∼3%) remained after host and endosymbiont sequence removal. Of these, 3,293 sequences could be assigned as of viral origin. Taxonomic annotation of these sequences suggests that Aiptasia is associated with a diverse viral community, comprising 116 viral taxa covering 40 families. The viral assemblage was dominated by viruses from the families Herpesviridae (12.00%), Partitiviridae (9.93%), and Picornaviridae (9.87%). Despite an overall stable viral assemblage, we found that some viral taxa exhibited significant changes in their relative abundance when Aiptasia engaged in a symbiotic relationship with Symbiodinium. Elucidation of viral taxa consistently present across all conditions revealed a core virome of 15 viral taxa from 11 viral families, encompassing many viruses previously reported as members of coral viromes. Despite the non-random selection of viral genetic material due to the nature of the sequencing data analyzed, our study provides a first insight into the viral community associated with Aiptasia. Similarities of the Aiptasia viral community with those of corals corroborate the application of Aiptasia as a model system to study coral holobionts. Further, the change in abundance of certain viral taxa across different

Risks in the transport and storage of liquefied natural gas. Sub-project 5-2: Investigation into building damage

Science.gov (United States)

Gouwens, C.; Dragosavic, M.

The large reserves and increasing use of natural gas as a source of energy have resulted in its storage and transport becoming an urgent problem. Since a liquid of the same mass occupies only a fraction of the volume of a gas, it is economical to store natural gas as a liquid. Liquefied natural gas is stored in insulated tanks and also carried by ship at a temperature of -160 C to 170 C. If a serious accident allows the LNG to escape, a gas cloud forms. The results of a possible explosion from such a gas cloud are studied. The development of a leak, escape and evaporation, size and propagation of the gas cloud, the explosive pressures to be expected and the results on the environment are investigated. Damage to buildings is examined making use of the preliminary conclusions of the other sub-projects and especially the explosive pressures.

Sunlight based irradiation strategy for rapid green synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles using aqueous garlic (Allium sativum) extract and their antibacterial potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rastogi, Lori [National Center for Chemical Characterization of Materials, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, ECIL-PO, Hyderabad 500 062 (India); Arunachalam, J., E-mail: aruncccm@rediffmail.com [National Center for Chemical Characterization of Materials, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, ECIL-PO, Hyderabad 500 062 (India)

2011-09-15

Highlights: {yields} We report green synthetic route for the production crystalline silver nanoparticles using garlic as both reducing and stabilizing agent. {yields} Synthesis has been achieved by exposing the solution mixture of [Ag(NH{sub 3}){sub 2}]{sup +} and aqueous garlic extract under sunlight. {yields} Role of light in the synthesis process has been investigated and is discussed in detail. {yields} The antibacterial effect of the synthesized silver nanoparticles has been assessed against both Gram classes of bacteria. {yields} Synthesized silver colloidal solutions were found to be stable for a very long period and retained their bactericidal potential. - Abstract: A green synthetic route for the production of highly stable silver nanoparticles using aqueous garlic extract is being reported for the first time. The silver nanoparticles were synthesized by exposing a mixture of 0.1 M [Ag(NH{sub 3}){sub 2}]{sup +} and diluted aqueous garlic extract under bright sunlight for 15 min. The garlic extract components served as both reducing and capping agents in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles while the sunlight acted as catalyst in the synthesis process. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometer; transmission electron microscopy (TEM), glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GA-XRD) and Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectrometry. The nanoparticles were found to be poly-dispersed in nature, spherical in shape and of 7.3 {+-} 4.4 nm in size. The FTIR analysis was suggestive of proteins as capping agents around the nanoparticles. The yield of synthesized nanoparticles was calculated to be approximately 80% by dry weight and 85% ICP-AES method. The synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibited good antibacterial potential against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains, as measured using well diffusion assay. Most importantly, the silver colloidal solutions thus synthesized were found to be stable for

Bioactive activities of natural products against herpesvirus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Myoungki; Lee, Minjung; Sung, Gi-Ho; Lee, Taeho; Shin, Yu Su; Cho, Hyosun; Lieberman, Paul M; Kang, Hyojeung

2013-10-01

More than 90% of adults have been infected with at least one human herpesvirus, which establish long-term latent infection for the life of the host. While anti-viral drugs exist that limit herpesvirus replication, many of these are ineffective against latent infection. Moreover, drug-resistant strains of herpesvirus emerge following chemotherapeutic treatment. For example, resistance to acyclovir and related nucleoside analogues can occur when mutations arise in either HSV thymidine kinase or DNA polymerases. Thus, there exists an unmet medical need to develop new anti-herpesvirus agents with different mechanisms of action. In this Review, we discuss the promise of anti-herpetic substances derived from natural products including extracts and pure compounds from potential herbal medicines. One example is Glycyrrhizic acid isolated from licorice that shows promising antiviral activity towards human gammaherpesviruses. Secondly, we discuss anti-herpetic mechanisms utilized by several natural products in molecular level. While nucleoside analogues inhibit replicating herpesviruses in lytic replication, some natural products can disrupt the herpesvirus latent infection in the host cell. In addition, natural products can stimulate immune responses against herpesviral infection. These findings suggest that natural products could be one of the best choices for development of new treatments for latent herpesvirus infection, and may provide synergistic anti-viral activity when supplemented with nucleoside analogues. Therefore, it is important to identify which natural products are more efficacious anti-herpetic agents, and to understand the molecular mechanism in detail for further advance in the anti-viral therapies.

Know-how provider’s right to claim damages for non-pecuniary loss in light of the legal nature of know-how

OpenAIRE

Tuğçe Oral

2017-01-01

The know-how contract is one of the most important means for transferring and developing technology. It is crucial to find out whether the parties of know-how contract have a right to claim damages for non-pecuniary loss in light of the legal nature of knowhow. In this article, I begin by defining the know-how contracts and in particular I will analyze the main obligations of the parties. Secondly, I will deal with the definition and the legal nature of know-how, since considerable uncertaint...

Concentration of sunlight to solar-surface levels using non-imaging optics

Science.gov (United States)

Gleckman, Philip; O'Gallagher, Joseph; Winston, Roland

1989-05-01

An account is given of the design and operational principles of a solar concentrator that employs nonimaging optics to achieve a solar flux equal to 56,000 times that of ambient sunlight, yielding temperatures comparable to, and with further development of the device, exceeding those of the solar surface. In this scheme, a parabolic mirror primary concentrator is followed by a secondary concentrator, designed according to the edge-ray method, which is filled with a transparent oil. The device may be used in materials-processing, waste-disposal, and solar-pumped laser applications.

Session 6: photo-catalytic degradation of Toluene using sunlight-type excitation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuerte, A.; Hernandez-Alonso, M.D.; Martinez-Arias, A.; Conesa, J.C.; Soria, J.; Fernandez-Garcia, M. [Instituto de Catalisis y Petroleoquimica, CSIC, -Madrid (Spain)

2004-07-01

In this report we investigate the doping of anatase-TiO{sub 2} with nine different cations. It is shown that W can be one of the best options for toluene photo-degradation using sunlight-type excitation. Thermal and hydrothermal treatments were applied to amorphous Ti-W mixed oxide precursors with varying W:Ti atomic ratio for obtaining nano-structured particles having different properties. All Ti-W precursors were prepared by a microemulsion method and the mixed oxides characterized by using XRD, XPS, as well as XAFS, Raman and UV-Vis Spectroscopies. (authors)

Viral infections in transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Razonable, R R; Eid, A J

2009-12-01

Solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are uniquely predisposed to develop clinical illness, often with increased severity, due to a variety of common and opportunistic viruses. Patients may acquire viral infections from the donor (donor-derived infections), from reactivation of endogenous latent virus, or from the community. Herpes viruses, most notably cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus, are the most common among opportunistic viral pathogens that cause infection after solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The polyoma BK virus causes opportunistic clinical syndromes predominantly in kidney and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. The agents of viral hepatitis B and C present unique challenges particularly among liver transplant recipients. Respiratory viral illnesses due to influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus may affect all types of transplant recipients, although severe clinical disease is observed more commonly among lung and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Less common viral infections affecting transplant recipients include those caused by adenoviruses, parvovirus B19, and West Nile virus. Treatment for viruses with proven effective antiviral drug therapies should be complemented by reduction in the degree of immunosuppression. For others with no proven antiviral drugs for therapy, reduction in the degree of immunosuppression remains as the sole effective strategy for management. Prevention of viral infections is therefore of utmost importance, and this may be accomplished through vaccination, antiviral strategies, and aggressive infection control measures.

[Viral hepatitis in travellers].

Science.gov (United States)

Abreu, Cândida

2007-01-01

Considering the geographical asymmetric distribution of viral hepatitis A, B and E, having a much higher prevalence in the less developed world, travellers from developed countries are exposed to a considerable and often underestimated risk of hepatitis infection. In fact a significant percentage of viral hepatitis occurring in developed countries is travel related. This results from globalization and increased mobility from tourism, international work, humanitarian and religious missions or other travel related activities. Several studies published in Europe and North America shown that more than 50% of reported cases of hepatitis A are travel related. On the other hand frequent outbreaks of hepatitis A and E in specific geographic areas raise the risk of infection in these restricted zones and that should be clearly identified. Selected aspects related with the distribution of hepatitis A, B and E are reviewed, particularly the situation in Portugal according to the published studies, as well as relevant clinical manifestations and differential diagnosis of viral hepatitis. Basic prevention rules considering enteric transmitted hepatitis (hepatitis A and hepatitis E) and parenteral transmitted (hepatitis B) are reviewed as well as hepatitis A and B immunoprophylaxis. Common clinical situations and daily practice "pre travel" advice issues are discussed according to WHO/CDC recommendations and the Portuguese National Vaccination Program. Implications from near future availability of a hepatitis E vaccine, a currently in phase 2 trial, are highlighted. Potential indications for travellers to endemic countries like India, Nepal and some regions of China, where up to 30% of sporadic cases of acute viral hepatitis are caused by hepatitis E virus, are considered. Continued epidemiological surveillance for viral hepatitis is essential to recognize and control possible outbreaks, but also to identify new viral hepatitis agents that may emerge as important global health

Sunlight and Vitamin D

Science.gov (United States)

Wacker, Matthias; Holick, Michael F.

2013-01-01

Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin that has been produced on this earth for more than 500 million years. During exposure to sunlight 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin absorbs UV B radiation and is converted to previtamin D3 which in turn isomerizes into vitamin D3. Previtamin D3 and vitamin D3 also absorb UV B radiation and are converted into a variety of photoproducts some of which have unique biologic properties. Sun induced vitamin D synthesis is greatly influenced by season, time of day, latitude, altitude, air pollution, skin pigmentation, sunscreen use, passing through glass and plastic, and aging. Vitamin D is metabolized sequentially in the liver and kidneys into 25-hydroxyvitamin D which is a major circulating form and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D which is the biologically active form respectively. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D plays an important role in regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism for maintenance of metabolic functions and for skeletal health. Most cells and organs in the body have a vitamin D receptor and many cells and organs are able to produce 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. As a result 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D influences a large number of biologic pathways which may help explain association studies relating vitamin D deficiency and living at higher latitudes with increased risk for many chronic diseases including autoimmune diseases, some cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes. A three-part strategy of increasing food fortification programs with vitamin D, sensible sun exposure recommendations and encouraging ingestion of a vitamin D supplement when needed should be implemented to prevent global vitamin D deficiency and its negative health consequences. PMID:24494042

Assembly of viral genomes from metagenomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saskia L Smits

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Viral infections remain a serious global health issue. Metagenomic approaches are increasingly used in the detection of novel viral pathogens but also to generate complete genomes of uncultivated viruses. In silico identification of complete viral genomes from sequence data would allow rapid phylogenetic characterization of these new viruses. Often, however, complete viral genomes are not recovered, but rather several distinct contigs derived from a single entity, some of which have no sequence homology to any known proteins. De novo assembly of single viruses from a metagenome is challenging, not only because of the lack of a reference genome, but also because of intrapopulation variation and uneven or insufficient coverage. Here we explored different assembly algorithms, remote homology searches, genome-specific sequence motifs, k-mer frequency ranking, and coverage profile binning to detect and obtain viral target genomes from metagenomes. All methods were tested on 454-generated sequencing datasets containing three recently described RNA viruses with a relatively large genome which were divergent to previously known viruses from the viral families Rhabdoviridae and Coronaviridae. Depending on specific characteristics of the target virus and the metagenomic community, different assembly and in silico gap closure strategies were successful in obtaining near complete viral genomes.

Natural plant polyphenols for alleviating oxidative damage in man ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

prevent the body from oxidative damage over human life span. This review .... Antioxidant supplementation/treatment has been adopted for .... deacetylase family regulates gene silencing and .... Drug News Perspect 2007; 20: 579-. 585. 12.

Viral respiratory diseases: vaccines and antivirals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lennette, E H

1981-01-01

Acute respiratory diseases, most of which are generally attributed to viruses, account for about 6% of all deaths and for about 60% of the deaths associated with all respiratory disease. The huge cost attributable to viral respiratory infections as a result of absenteeism and the disruption of business and the burden of medical care makes control of these diseases an important objective. The viruses that infect the respiratory tract fall taxonomically into five viral families. Although immunoprophylaxis would appear to be the logical approach, the development of suitable vaccines has been confronted with numerous obstacles, including antigenic drift and shift in the influenzaviruses, the large number of antigenically distinct immunotypes among rhinoviruses, the occurrence after immunization of rare cases of a severe form of the disease following subsequent natural infection with respiratory syncytial virus, and the risk of oncogenicity of adenoviruses for man. Considerable expenditure on the development of new antiviral drugs has so far resulted in only three compounds that are at present officially approved and licensed for use in the USA. Efforts to improve the tools available for control should continue and imaginative and inventive approaches are called for. However, creativity and ingenuity must operate within the constraints imposed by economic, political, ethical, and legal considerations.

Bleaching of the thermoluminescence of feldspars by selected wavelengths present in sunlight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, G.B.; Prescott, J.R.; Hutton, J.T.

1993-01-01

Feldspars occur in many sediments, and dating them by thermoluminescence (TL) requires a knowledge of how efficiently sunlight bleaches these minerals. The relative bleaching efficiencies of various wavelengths have been investigated for four alkali feldspars and an oligoclase, using the natural TL of the samples and the artificial TL induced by laboratory irradiation, bleached by wavelengths in the range 322-550 nm. Ultraviolet wavelengths are more efficient than the longer wavelengths at bleaching all the glow-curve peaks and are responsible for most of the phototransfer from high-temperature peaks to low-temperature peaks. Some feldspars show an initial increase in TL intensity with bleaching. Two sanidines of similar bulk composition but different TL glow curves show different dependences on bleaching wavelength. In a sodic sanidine with a dominant 240 o C peak the energy required to bleach to 50% was a thousand times greater at 550 nm than at 322 nm. In contrast, another sanidine with a complex glow curve between 150 and 450 o C showed a much slower change in the 330 o C peak with wavelength - a factor of 10 between 322 and 550 nm - with a region between 400 and 500 nm which was almost independent of wavelength. This behaviour is explained by competing mechanisms of phototransfer and bleaching which depend on wavelength in different ways. (author)

Viral marketing as epidemiological model

OpenAIRE

Rodrigues, Helena Sofia; Fonseca, Manuel

2015-01-01

In epidemiology, an epidemic is defined as the spread of an infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time. In the marketing context, a message is viral when it is broadly sent and received by the target market through person-to-person transmission. This specific marketing communication strategy is commonly referred as viral marketing. Due to this similarity between an epidemic and the viral marketing process and because the understanding of...

The N-Terminal of Aquareovirus NS80 Is Required for Interacting with Viral Proteins and Viral Replication.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Zhang

Full Text Available Reovirus replication and assembly occurs within viral inclusion bodies that formed in specific intracellular compartments of cytoplasm in infected cells. Previous study indicated that aquareovirus NS80 is able to form inclusion bodies, and also can retain viral proteins within its inclusions. To better understand how NS80 performed in viral replication and assembly, the functional regions of NS80 associated with other viral proteins in aquareovirus replication were investigated in this study. Deletion mutational analysis and rotavirus NSP5-based protein association platform were used to detect association regions. Immunofluorescence images indicated that different N-terminal regions of NS80 could associate with viral proteins VP1, VP4, VP6 and NS38. Further co-immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed the interaction between VP1, VP4, VP6 or NS38 with different regions covering the N-terminal amino acid (aa, 1-471 of NS80, respectively. Moreover, removal of NS80 N-terminal sequences required for interaction with proteins VP1, VP4, VP6 or NS38 not only prevented the capacity of NS80 to support viral replication in NS80 shRNA-based replication complementation assays, but also inhibited the expression of aquareovirus proteins, suggesting that N-terminal regions of NS80 are necessary for viral replication. These results provided a foundational basis for further understanding the role of NS80 in viral replication and assembly during aquareovirus infection.

Evidence for repair of ultraviolet light-damaged herpes virus in human fibroblasts by a recombination mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, J.D.; Featherston, J.D.; Almy, R.E.

1980-01-01

Human cells were either singly or multiply infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) damaged by ultraviolet (uv) light, and the fraction of cells able to produce infectious virus was measured. The fraction of virus-producing cells was considerably greater for multiply infected cells than for singly infected cells at each uv dose examined. These high survival levels of uv-irradiated virus in multiply infected cells demonstrated that multiplicity-dependent repair, possibly due to genetic exchanges between damaged HSV-1 genomes, was occurring in these cells. To test whether uv light is recombinogenic for HSV-1, the effect of uv irradiation on the yield of temperature-resistant viral recombinants in cells infected with pairs of temperature-sensitive mutants was also investigated. The results of these experiments showed that the defective functions in these mutant host cells are not required for multiplicity-dependent repair or uv-stimulated viral recombination in herpes-infected cells

Nocturnal light pollution and underexposure to daytime sunlight: Complementary mechanisms of circadian disruption and related diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolensky, Michael H; Sackett-Lundeen, Linda L; Portaluppi, Francesco

2015-01-01

Routine exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) in work, home, and community settings is linked with increased risk of breast and prostate cancer (BC, PC) in normally sighted women and men, the hypothesized biological rhythm mechanisms being frequent nocturnal melatonin synthesis suppression, circadian time structure (CTS) desynchronization, and sleep/wake cycle disruption with sleep deprivation. ALAN-induced perturbation of the CTS melatonin synchronizer signal is communicated maternally at the very onset of life and after birth via breast or artificial formula feedings. Nighttime use of personal computers, mobile phones, electronic tablets, televisions, and the like--now epidemic in adolescents and adults and highly prevalent in pre-school and school-aged children--is a new source of ALAN. However, ALAN exposure occurs concomitantly with almost complete absence of daytime sunlight, whose blue-violet (446-484 nm λ) spectrum synchronizes the CTS and whose UV-B (290-315 nm λ) spectrum stimulates vitamin D synthesis. Under natural conditions and clear skies, day/night and annual cycles of UV-B irradiation drive corresponding periodicities in vitamin D synthesis and numerous bioprocesses regulated by active metabolites augment and strengthen the biological time structure. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are widespread in children and adults in developed and developing countries as a consequence of inadequate sunlight exposure. Past epidemiologic studies have focused either on exposure to too little daytime UV-B or too much ALAN, respectively, on vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency or melatonin suppression in relation to risk of cancer and other, e.g., psychiatric, hypertensive, cardiac, and vascular, so-called, diseases of civilization. The observed elevated incidence of medical conditions the two are alleged to influence through many complementary bioprocesses of cells, tissues, and organs led us to examine effects of the totality of the artificial light

Nuclear DNA damage-triggered NLRP3 inflammasome activation promotes UVB-induced inflammatory responses in human keratinocytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, Tatsuya, E-mail: tatsuya.hasegawa@to.shiseido.co.jp; Nakashima, Masaya; Suzuki, Yoshiharu

2016-08-26

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight can result in DNA damage and an inflammatory reaction of the skin commonly known as sunburn, which in turn can lead to cutaneous tissue disorders. However, little has been known about how UV-induced DNA damage mediates the release of inflammatory mediators from keratinocytes. Here, we show that UVB radiation intensity-dependently increases NLRP3 gene expression and IL-1β production in human keratinocytes. Knockdown of NLRP3 with siRNA suppresses UVB-induced production of not only IL-1β, but also other inflammatory mediators, including IL-1α, IL-6, TNF-α, and PGE{sub 2}. In addition, inhibition of DNA damage repair by knockdown of XPA, which is a major component of the nucleotide excision repair system, causes accumulation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. In vivo immunofluorescence analysis confirmed that NLRP3 expression is also elevated in UV-irradiated human epidermis. Overall, our findings indicate that UVB-induced DNA damage initiates NLRP3 inflammasome activation, leading to release of various inflammatory mediators from human keratinocytes. - Highlights: • UVB radiation induces NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human keratinocytes. • NLRP3 knockdown suppresses production of UVB-induced inflammatory mediators. • UVB-induced DNA damage triggers NLRP3 inflammasome activation. • NLRP3 expression in human epidermis is elevated in response to UV radiation.

Nuclear DNA damage-triggered NLRP3 inflammasome activation promotes UVB-induced inflammatory responses in human keratinocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Tatsuya; Nakashima, Masaya; Suzuki, Yoshiharu

2016-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight can result in DNA damage and an inflammatory reaction of the skin commonly known as sunburn, which in turn can lead to cutaneous tissue disorders. However, little has been known about how UV-induced DNA damage mediates the release of inflammatory mediators from keratinocytes. Here, we show that UVB radiation intensity-dependently increases NLRP3 gene expression and IL-1β production in human keratinocytes. Knockdown of NLRP3 with siRNA suppresses UVB-induced production of not only IL-1β, but also other inflammatory mediators, including IL-1α, IL-6, TNF-α, and PGE_2. In addition, inhibition of DNA damage repair by knockdown of XPA, which is a major component of the nucleotide excision repair system, causes accumulation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. In vivo immunofluorescence analysis confirmed that NLRP3 expression is also elevated in UV-irradiated human epidermis. Overall, our findings indicate that UVB-induced DNA damage initiates NLRP3 inflammasome activation, leading to release of various inflammatory mediators from human keratinocytes. - Highlights: • UVB radiation induces NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human keratinocytes. • NLRP3 knockdown suppresses production of UVB-induced inflammatory mediators. • UVB-induced DNA damage triggers NLRP3 inflammasome activation. • NLRP3 expression in human epidermis is elevated in response to UV radiation.

Molecular concepts of water splitting. Nature's approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cox, Nicholas; Lubitz, Wolfgang [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Chemische Energiekonversion, Muelheim an der Ruhr (Germany)

2013-07-01

Based on studies of natural systems, much has also been learned concerning the design principles required for biomimetic catalysis of water splitting and hydrogen evolution. In summary, these include use of abundant and inexpensive metals, the effective protection of the active sites in functional environments, repair/replacement of active components in case of damage, and the optimization of reaction rates. Biomimetic chemistry aims to mimic all these features; many labs are working toward this goal by developing new approaches in the design and synthesis of such systems, encompassing not only the catalytic center, but also smart matrices and assembly via self-organization. More stable catalysts that do not require self-repair may be obtained from fully artificial (inorganic) catalytic systems that are totally different from the biological ones and only apply some basic principles learned from nature. Metals other than Mn/Ca, Fe, and Ni could be used (e.g. Co) in new ligand spheres and other matrices. For light harvesting, charge separation/stabilization, and the effective coupling of the oxidizing/reducing equivalents to the redox catalysts, different methods have been proposed - for example, covalently linked molecular donor-acceptor systems, photo-voltaic devices, semiconductor-based systems, and photoactive metal complexes. The aim of all these approaches is to develop catalytic systems that split water with sunlight into hydrogen and oxygen while displaying high efficiency and long-term stability. Such a system - either biological, biomimetic, or bioinspired - has the potential to be used on a large scale to produce 'solar fuels' (e.g. hydrogen or secondary products thereof). (orig.)

Improved Flexible Transparent Conductive Electrodes based on Silver Nanowire Networks by a Simple Sunlight Illumination Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Kou, Pengfei; Yang, Liu; Chang, Cheng; He, Sailing

2017-01-01

Silver nanowire (Ag NW) networks have attracted wide attention as transparent electrodes for emerging flexible optoelectronics. However, the sheet resistance is greatly limited by large wire-to-wire contact resistances. Here, we propose a simple sunlight illumination approach to remarkably improve their electrical conductivity without any significant degradation of the light transmittance. Because the power density is extremely low (0.1 W/cm2, 1-Sun), only slight welding between Ag NWs has been observed. Despite this, a sheet resistance of solar concentrations. Due to the reduced resistance, high-performance transparent film heaters as well as efficient defrosters have been demonstrated, which are superior to the previously-reported Ag NW based film heaters. Since the sunlight is environmentally friendly and easily available, sophisticated or expensive facilities are not necessary. Our findings are particularly meaningful and show enormous potential for outdoor applications. PMID:28169343

Vaccines against viral hemorrhagic fevers: non-human primate models.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrion, Ricardo; Patterson, Jean L

2011-06-01

Viral hemorrhagic fevers are a group of disease syndromes caused by infection with certain RNA viruses. The disease is marked by a febrile response, malaise, coagulopathy and vascular permeability culminating in death. Case fatality rates can reach 90% depending on the etiologic agent. Currently, there is no approved antiviral treatment. Because of the high case fatality, risk of importation and the potential to use these agents as biological weapons, development of countermeasures to these agents is a high priority. The sporadic nature of disease outbreaks and the ethical issues associated with conducting a human trial for such diseases make human studies impractical; therefore, development of countermeasures must occur in relevant animal models. Non-human primates are superior models to study infectious disease because their immune system is similar to humans and they are good predictors of efficacy in vaccine development and other intervention strategies. This review article summarizes viral hemorrhagic fever non-human primate models.

Creation of a cardiotropic adeno-associated virus: the story of viral directed evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Lin

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Adeno-associated virus (AAV is an important vector system for human gene therapy. Although use of AAV serotypes can result in efficient myocardial gene transfer, improvements in the transduction efficiency and specificity are still required. As a method for artificial modification and selection of gene function, directed evolution has been used for diverse applications in genetic engineering of enzymes and proteins. Since 2000, pioneering work has been performed on directed evolution of viral vectors. We further attempted to evolve the AAV using DNA shuffling and in vivo biopanning in a mouse model. An AAVM41 mutant was characterized, which was found to have improved transduction efficiency and specificity in myocardium, an attribute unknown for any natural AAV serotypes. This review focuses on the development of AAV vector for cardiac gene transfer, the history of directed evolution of viral vectors, and our creation of a cardiotropic AAV, which might have implications for the future design and application of viral vectors.

Constrained pattern of viral evolution in acute and early HCV infection limits viral plasticity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katja Pfafferott

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Cellular immune responses during acute Hepatitis C virus (HCV and HIV infection are a known correlate of infection outcome. Viral adaptation to these responses via mutation(s within CD8+ T-cell epitopes allows these viruses to subvert host immune control. This study examined HCV evolution in 21 HCV genotype 1-infected subjects to characterise the level of viral adaptation during acute and early HCV infection. Of the total mutations observed 25% were within described CD8+ T-cell epitopes or at viral adaptation sites. Most mutations were maintained into the chronic phase of HCV infection (75%. The lack of reversion of adaptations and high proportion of silent substitutions suggests that HCV has structural and functional limitations that constrain evolution. These results were compared to the pattern of viral evolution observed in 98 subjects during a similar phase in HIV infection from a previous study. In contrast to HCV, evolution during acute HIV infection is marked by high levels of amino acid change relative to silent substitutions, including a higher proportion of adaptations, likely reflecting strong and continued CD8+ T-cell pressure combined with greater plasticity of the virus. Understanding viral escape dynamics for these two viruses is important for effective T cell vaccine design.

Germ warfare in a microbial mat community: CRISPRs provide insights into the co-evolution of host and viral genomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John F Heidelberg

Full Text Available CRISPR arrays and associated cas genes are widespread in bacteria and archaea and confer acquired resistance to viruses. To examine viral immunity in the context of naturally evolving microbial populations we analyzed genomic data from two thermophilic Synechococcus isolates (Syn OS-A and Syn OS-B' as well as a prokaryotic metagenome and viral metagenome derived from microbial mats in hotsprings at Yellowstone National Park. Two distinct CRISPR types, distinguished by the repeat sequence, are found in both the Syn OS-A and Syn OS-B' genomes. The genome of Syn OS-A contains a third CRISPR type with a distinct repeat sequence, which is not found in Syn OS-B', but appears to be shared with other microorganisms that inhabit the mat. The CRISPR repeats identified in the microbial metagenome are highly conserved, while the spacer sequences (hereafter referred to as "viritopes" to emphasize their critical role in viral immunity were mostly unique and had no high identity matches when searched against GenBank. Searching the viritopes against the viral metagenome, however, yielded several matches with high similarity some of which were within a gene identified as a likely viral lysozyme/lysin protein. Analysis of viral metagenome sequences corresponding to this lysozyme/lysin protein revealed several mutations all of which translate into silent or conservative mutations which are unlikely to affect protein function, but may help the virus evade the host CRISPR resistance mechanism. These results demonstrate the varied challenges presented by a natural virus population, and support the notion that the CRISPR/viritope system must be able to adapt quickly to provide host immunity. The ability of metagenomics to track population-level variation in viritope sequences allows for a culture-independent method for evaluating the fast co-evolution of host and viral genomes and its consequence on the structuring of complex microbial communities.

Meteorological Reference Years of Daily Mean Temperature during the Sunlight Time; Anos Tipos de Temperaturas Medias Diarias durante las Horas de Sol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marchante Jimenez, M.; Ramirez Santigosa, L.N.; Mora Lopez, L.; Sidrach de Cardona Ortin, M.

2002-07-01

In this work the characterization of the daily mean temperature during the sunlight time has been analyzed. An algorithm for the hourly series generation from extreme daily values has been applied to evaluate the daily mean temperature during the sunlight time. A generic algorithm has been enounced as a function of the sunrise time. This algorithm allows taking into account the fractions related to the sunrise and sunset hours. This methodology has been applied in data from 45 Spanish stations, uniformly distributed in the Iberian Peninsula. Data for a period of 14 years has been used in most of locations, and once the interest variable has been calculated, the meteorological reference year of the daily mean temperature during the sunlight time has been evaluated in each stations. The next step is the evaluation of the daily mean temperature during the sunlight time in any point into the zone of evaluation, not only in the measured stations. >From the result data in each measured station, an geographic information system has been used in order to calculate the interpolation, obtaining maps with a data each 5 km for each of the 365 days of the year. Then, this results can be superposed with the solar radiation evaluation obtaining the input data for the sizing of the photovoltaic grid connected system in any point of the Spanish geography. (Author) 8 refs.

DNA damage and repair in plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Britt, A.B.

1996-01-01

The biological impact of any DNA damaging agent is a combined function of the chemical nature of the induced lesions and the efficiency and accuracy of their repair. Although much has been learned frommicrobes and mammals about both the repair of DNA damage and the biological effects of the persistence of these lesions, much remains to be learned about the mechanism and tissue-specificity of repair in plants. This review focuses on recent work on the induction and repair of DNA damage in higher plants, with special emphasis on UV-induced DNA damage products. (author)

Bile acids for viral hepatitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Weikeng; Liu, J; Gluud, C

2007-01-01

Trials have assessed bile acids for patients with viral hepatitis, but no consensus has been reached regarding their usefulness.......Trials have assessed bile acids for patients with viral hepatitis, but no consensus has been reached regarding their usefulness....

Prediction of interactions between viral and host proteins using supervised machine learning methods.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ranjan Kumar Barman

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Viral-host protein-protein interaction plays a vital role in pathogenesis, since it defines viral infection of the host and regulation of the host proteins. Identification of key viral-host protein-protein interactions (PPIs has great implication for therapeutics. METHODS: In this study, a systematic attempt has been made to predict viral-host PPIs by integrating different features, including domain-domain association, network topology and sequence information using viral-host PPIs from VirusMINT. The three well-known supervised machine learning methods, such as SVM, Naïve Bayes and Random Forest, which are commonly used in the prediction of PPIs, were employed to evaluate the performance measure based on five-fold cross validation techniques. RESULTS: Out of 44 descriptors, best features were found to be domain-domain association and methionine, serine and valine amino acid composition of viral proteins. In this study, SVM-based method achieved better sensitivity of 67% over Naïve Bayes (37.49% and Random Forest (55.66%. However the specificity of Naïve Bayes was the highest (99.52% as compared with SVM (74% and Random Forest (89.08%. Overall, the SVM and Random Forest achieved accuracy of 71% and 72.41%, respectively. The proposed SVM-based method was evaluated on blind dataset and attained a sensitivity of 64%, specificity of 83%, and accuracy of 74%. In addition, unknown potential targets of hepatitis B virus-human and hepatitis E virus-human PPIs have been predicted through proposed SVM model and validated by gene ontology enrichment analysis. Our proposed model shows that, hepatitis B virus "C protein" binds to membrane docking protein, while "X protein" and "P protein" interacts with cell-killing and metabolic process proteins, respectively. CONCLUSION: The proposed method can predict large scale interspecies viral-human PPIs. The nature and function of unknown viral proteins (HBV and HEV, interacting partners of host

HTLV Tax: a fascinating multifunctional co-regulator of viral and cellular pathways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert eCurrer

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1 has been identified as the causative agent of adult T cell leukemia (ATL and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP. The virus infects between 15 and 20 million people worldwide of which approximately 2 to 5% develop ATL. The past 35 years of research have yielded significant insight into the pathogenesis of HTLV-1, including the molecular characterization of Tax, the viral transactivator and oncoprotein. In spite of these efforts, the mechanisms of oncogenesis of this pleiotropic protein remain to be fully elucidated. In this review, we illustrate the multiple oncogenic roles of Tax by summarizing a recent body of literature that refines our understanding of cellular transformation. A focused range of topics are discussed in this review including Tax-mediated regulation of the viral promoter and other cellular pathways, particularly the connection of the NF-κB pathway to both post-translational modifications of Tax and sub-cellular localization. Specifically, recent research on polyubiquitination of Tax as it relates to the activation of the IkappaB kinase (IKK complex is highlighted. Regulation of the cell cycle and DNA damage responses due to Tax are also discussed, including Tax interaction with minichromosome maintenance proteins and the role of Tax in chromatin remodeling. The recent identification of HTLV-3 has amplified the importance of the characterization of emerging viral pathogens. The challenge of the molecular determination of pathogenicity and malignant disease of this virus lies in the comparison of the viral transactivators of HTLV-1, -2, and -3 in terms of transformation and immortalization. Consequently, differences between the three proteins are currently being studied to determine what factors are required for the differences in tumorogenesis.

HTLV Tax: A Fascinating Multifunctional Co-Regulator of Viral and Cellular Pathways

Science.gov (United States)

Currer, Robert; Van Duyne, Rachel; Jaworski, Elizabeth; Guendel, Irene; Sampey, Gavin; Das, Ravi; Narayanan, Aarthi; Kashanchi, Fatah

2012-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has been identified as the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The virus infects between 15 and 20 million people worldwide of which approximately 2–5% develop ATL. The past 35 years of research have yielded significant insight into the pathogenesis of HTLV-1, including the molecular characterization of Tax, the viral transactivator, and oncoprotein. In spite of these efforts, the mechanisms of oncogenesis of this pleiotropic protein remain to be fully elucidated. In this review, we illustrate the multiple oncogenic roles of Tax by summarizing a recent body of literature that refines our understanding of cellular transformation. A focused range of topics are discussed in this review including Tax-mediated regulation of the viral promoter and other cellular pathways, particularly the connection of the NF-κB pathway to both post-translational modifications (PTMs) of Tax and subcellular localization. Specifically, recent research on polyubiquitination of Tax as it relates to the activation of the IkappaB kinase (IKK) complex is highlighted. Regulation of the cell cycle and DNA damage responses due to Tax are also discussed, including Tax interaction with minichromosome maintenance proteins and the role of Tax in chromatin remodeling. The recent identification of HTLV-3 has amplified the importance of the characterization of emerging viral pathogens. The challenge of the molecular determination of pathogenicity and malignant disease of this virus lies in the comparison of the viral transactivators of HTLV-1, -2, and -3 in terms of transformation and immortalization. Consequently, differences between the three proteins are currently being studied to determine what factors are required for the differences in tumorogenesis. PMID:23226145

Economic valuation of acidic deposition damages: Preliminary results from the 1985 NAPAP [National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program] damage assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callaway, J.M.; Darwin, R.F.; Nesse, R.J.

1985-01-01

This paper identifies methods used to evaluate the economic damages of acid deposition in the 1985 Damage Assessment being coordinated by the National Acid Precipitation Program. It also presents the preliminary estimates of economic damages for the Assessment. Economic damages are estimated for four effect areas: commercial agriculture and forests, recreational fishing and selected types of materials. In all but the last area, methods are used which incorporate the behavioral responses of individuals and firms or simulated physical damages to resources at risk. The preliminary nature of the estimated damages in each area is emphasized. Over all, the damage estimates should be interpreted with caution. 44 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs

A discontinuous RNA platform mediates RNA virus replication: building an integrated model for RNA-based regulation of viral processes.

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Baodong Wu

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Plus-strand RNA viruses contain RNA elements within their genomes that mediate a variety of fundamental viral processes. The traditional view of these elements is that of local RNA structures. This perspective, however, is changing due to increasing discoveries of functional viral RNA elements that are formed by long-range RNA-RNA interactions, often spanning thousands of nucleotides. The plus-strand RNA genomes of tombusviruses exemplify this concept by possessing different long-range RNA-RNA interactions that regulate both viral translation and transcription. Here we report that a third fundamental tombusvirus process, viral genome replication, requires a long-range RNA-based interaction spanning approximately 3000 nts. In vivo and in vitro analyses suggest that the discontinuous RNA platform formed by the interaction facilitates efficient assembly of the viral RNA replicase. This finding has allowed us to build an integrated model for the role of global RNA structure in regulating the reproduction of a eukaryotic RNA virus, and the insights gained have extended our understanding of the multifunctional nature of viral RNA genomes.

Viral Hepatitis: A through E and Beyond

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... National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse What is viral hepatitis? Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by ... and serious. Drugs are available to treat chronic hepatitis. 4 Viral Hepatitis: A through E and Beyond What else ...

Viral Hepatitis: Information for Gay and Bisexual Men

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VIRAL HEPATITIS Information for Gay and Bisexual Men What is viral hepatitis? Viral hepatitis is an infection of the liver caused by one of several ... each virus is spread in different ways. Are gay and bisexual men at risk for viral hepatitis? ...

Assessing Zika virus replication and the development of Zika-specific antibodies after a mid-gestation viral challenge in guinea pigs.

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Bierle, Craig J; Fernández-Alarcón, Claudia; Hernandez-Alvarado, Nelmary; Zabeli, Jason C; Janus, Bradley C; Putri, Dira S; Schleiss, Mark R

2017-01-01

Primary Zika virus (ZIKV) infections that occur during pregnancy can cause spontaneous abortion and profoundly disrupt fetal development. While the full range of developmental abnormalities associated with congenital Zika syndrome is not yet known, severe cases of the syndrome can present with microcephaly, extensive neurologic and ocular damage, and pronounced joint malformations. Animal models that accurately recapitulate congenital Zika syndrome are urgently needed for vaccine development and for the study of ZIKV pathogenesis. As guinea pigs have successfully been used to model transplacental infections by cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and Listeria monocytogenes, we sought to test whether ZIKV could productively infect guinea pigs and whether viral transmission with attendant fetal pathology would occur after a mid-gestation viral challenge. We found that guinea pig cells supported ZIKV replication in vitro. Experimental infection of non-pregnant animals did not result in overt disease but low-level, detectable viremia was observed. When pregnant guinea pigs were challenged with ZIKV at between 18 and 21 days gestational age, ZIKV was not detected in maternal or pup blood, plasma, or tissues and no significant differences in maternal weight gain or pup size were observed following challenge. Nonetheless, a robust antibody response against ZIKV was detected in both the pups and dams. These results suggest that, while guinea pigs can model aspects of the immune response to ZIKV infection during pregnancy, naturally circulating ZIKV strains are not pathogenic during the pregnancy of immunocompetent guinea pigs and do not interfere with normal pup development.

Effects of P25 TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Free Radical-Scavenging Ability of Antioxidants upon Their Exposure to Simulated Sunlight.

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Li, Meng; Chong, Yu; Fu, Peter P; Xia, Qingsu; Croley, Timothy R; Lo, Y Martin; Yin, Jun-Jie

2017-11-15

Although nanosized ingredients, including TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs), can be found in a wide range of consumer products, little is known about the effects these particles have on other active compounds in product matrices. These NPs can interact with reactive oxygen species (ROS), potentially disrupting or canceling the benefits expected from antioxidants. We used electron spin resonance spectrometry to assess changes in the antioxidant capacities of six dietary antioxidants (ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, glutathione, cysteine, epicatechin, and epicatechin gallate) during exposure to P25 TiO 2 and/or simulated sunlight. Specifically, we determined the ability of these antioxidants to scavenge 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical, superoxide radical, and hydroxyl radical. Exposure to simulated sunlight alone did not lead to noticeable changes in radical-scavenging abilities; however, in combination with P25 TiO 2 NPs, the scavenging abilities of most antioxidants were weakened. We found glutathione to be the most resistant to treatment with sunlight and NPs among these six antioxidants.

A study of the effect of natural radiation damage in a zircon crystal using thermoluminescence, fission track etching and X-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, Y.M.

1989-01-01

The natural radiation damage in zircon caused by the decay of uranium and thorium, present as impurities, is studied. The radiation damage is first gauged by etching the fission tracks. It is found that thermoluminescence (TL) sensitivity (defined as light output per unit test-dose) decreases as the radiation damage increases, suggesting a destruction of TL centers. The spacing d of the (112)-plane is also measured. It is also found that the d-value increases with radiation damage, suggesting the displacement of atoms from their normal lattice sites. However, as the track density increases beyond ≅ 3x10 6 tracks/cm 2 , the d-value remains at ≅ 2.52 A. By annealing the crystal, the displaced atoms are found to return to the original lattice sites, and this is followed by a reduction in d-value as well as the recovery of TL sensitivity. The fission track density also decreases and all the tracks disappear at the annealing temperature of ≅ 800 0 C. (orig.)

Contagious Content: Viral Video Ads Identification of Content Characteristics that Help Online Video Advertisements Go Viral

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Yentl Knossenburg

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Why do some online video advertisements go viral while others remain unnoticed? What kind of video content keeps the viewer interested and motivated to share? Many companies have realized the need to innovate their marketing strategies and have embraced the newest ways of using technology, as the Internet, to their advantage as in the example of virality. Yet few marketers actually understand how, and academic literature on this topic is still in development. This study investigated which content characteristics distinguish successful from non-successful online viral video advertisements by analyzing 641 cases using Structural Equation Modeling. Results show that Engagement and Surprise are two main content characteristics that significantly increase the chance of online video advertisements to go viral.  

Coordinating ecological risk assessment with natural resource damage assessment: A panel discussion.

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Sanders, Brenda; Ammann, Mike; Hoff, Rebecca; Huston, Mark; Jenkins, Kenneth; Palagyi, Tony; Pelto, Karen; Rettig, Todd; Wagner, Anne

2016-10-01

Contaminated sites in the United States undergo remediation and restoration through regulatory programs that lead the 2 processes through independent but often parallel pathways with different objectives. The objective of remediation is to reduce risk to human health and the environment, whereas that of restoration is to restore injured resources and compensate the public for lost use of the services that natural resources provide. More complex sites, such as those associated with large river systems and urban waterways, have resulted in increasingly larger-scale ecological risk assessments (ERAs) and natural resource damage assessments (NRDAs) that take many years and involve diverse practitioners including scientists, economists, and engineers. Substantial levels of effort are now frequently required, creating a need for more efficient and cost-effective approaches to data collection, analyses, and assessments. Because there are commonalities in the data needs between ERAs and NRDAs, coordination of the design and implementation of site-specific studies that meet the needs of both programs could result in increased efficiency and lower costs. The Association for Environmental Health and Sciences Foundation convened a panel of environmental practitioners from industry, consulting, and regulatory bodies to examine the benefits and challenges associated with coordinating ERA and NRDA activities in the context of a broad range of regulatory programs. This brief communication presents the opinions and conclusions of the panelists on these issues and reports 2 case studies for which coordinated ERA and NRDA activities produced a positive outcome. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:616-621. © 2015 SETAC. © 2015 SETAC.

Formation of rutile fasciculate zone induced by sunlight irradiation at room temperature and its hemocompatibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xuan-Hui; Zheng, Xiang; Cheng, Yuan; Li, Guo-Hua; Chen, Xiao-Ping; Zheng, Jian-Hui

2013-01-01

The fasciculate zone of phase pure rutile was fabricated under sunlight irradiation at room temperature, using titanium tetrachloride as a sole precursor. The crystal phase, morphology and microstructure, and optical absorption behavior of the samples were characterized by X-ray Diffraction, High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) and UV–vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectra (DRS), respectively. XRD results show that the crystal phase of the sample is composed of rutile only, and a lattice distortion displays in the crystallite of the sample. HRTEM results show that the morphology of rutile particle is fasciculate zone constituted of nanoparticles with a diameter of 4–7 nm, and these particles grow one by one and step by step. The pattern of the selected area electron diffraction of the sample is Kikuchi type, which can be attributed to the predominant orientation growth of rutile nanoparticles along [001] induced by sunlight irradiation. DRS results show that the absorption threshold of the sample is 415 nm, corresponding to the band gap energy of 2.99 eV, which is lower than the band gap energy of rutile, 3.03 eV. Blood compatibility measurement shows that the sample has no remarkable effect on hemolytic and coagulation activity. The percent hemolysis of red blood cells is less than 5% even treated with a big dosage of the fasciculate rutile and under UV irradiation, and there are no obvious changes of plasma recalcification time after the rutile treatment. Thus, the novel structure of rutile fasciculate has low potential toxicity for blood and is hemocompatibility safe. Highlights: • A novel approach to fabricate the fasciculate zone of phase pure rutile • The fasciculate grows from a particle to nanorod and to fasciculate, step by step. • A preferred orientation growth induced by sunlight irradiation in the fasciculate • The rutile fasciculate is low toxicity for blood and is hemocompatibility safe

Radiation damage studies on synthetic NaCl crystals and natural rock salt for waste disposal applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klaffky, R.W.; Swyler, K.J.; Levy, P.W.

1979-01-01

Radiation damage studies are being made on synthetic NaCl and natural rock salt crystals from various localities, including potential repository sites. Measurements are being made with equipment for recording the radiation induced F-center and colloid particle absorption bands during irradiation with 1.5 MeV electrons at various temperatures. A technique has been developed to resolve the overlapping F-center and colloid bands. The resulting spectra and curves of absorption vs. dose provide information on colloid particle size and concentration, activation energies for processes occurring during colloid formation, and additional data suggesting that both strain and radiation induced dislocations contribute to the colloid formation process

Murine Leukemia Virus Uses TREX Components for Efficient Nuclear Export of Unspliced Viral Transcripts

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Toshie Sakuma

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Previously we reported that nuclear export of both unspliced and spliced murine leukemia virus (MLV transcripts depends on the nuclear export factor (NXF1 pathway. Although the mRNA export complex TREX, which contains Aly/REF, UAP56, and the THO complex, is involved in the NXF1-mediated nuclear export of cellular mRNAs, its contribution to the export of MLV mRNA transcripts remains poorly understood. Here, we studied the involvement of TREX components in the export of MLV transcripts. Depletion of UAP56, but not Aly/REF, reduced the level of both unspliced and spliced viral transcripts in the cytoplasm. Interestingly, depletion of THO components, including THOC5 and THOC7, affected only unspliced viral transcripts in the cytoplasm. Moreover, the RNA immunoprecipitation assay showed that only the unspliced viral transcript interacted with THOC5. These results imply that MLV requires UAP56, THOC5 and THOC7, in addition to NXF1, for nuclear export of viral transcripts. Given that naturally intronless mRNAs, but not bulk mRNAs, require THOC5 for nuclear export, it is plausible that THOC5 plays a key role in the export of unspliced MLV transcripts.

Use of external fixators for damage-control orthopaedics in natural disasters like the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.

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Awais, Syed; Saeed, Ayesha; Ch, Asad