Palyno‐anatomical studies of monocot taxa and its taxonomic implications using light and scanning electron microscopy

Palyno‐anatomical study of monocots taxa using Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was first time conducted with a view to evaluating their taxonomic significance. Studied plants were collected from different eco‐climatic zones of Pakistan ranges from tropical, sub‐tropical, and moist habitats. The aim of this study is to use palyno‐anatomical features for the correct identification, systematic comparison, and investigation to elucidate the taxonomic significance of these features, which are useful to taxonomists for identifying monocot taxa. A signification variation was observed in quantitative and qualitative characters by using the standard protocol of light microscopy (LM) and SEM. Epidermal cell length varied from maximum in Allium griffthianum (480 ± 35.9) μm at the adaxial surface to minimum in Canna indica (33.6 ± 8.53) μm on abaxial surface. Maximum exine thickness was observed in Canna indica (4.46) μm and minimum in Allium grifthianum (0.8) μm. Variation was observed in shape and exine ornamentation of the pollen, shape of the epidermal cell, number, size, and type of stomata, guard cell shape, and anticlinal wall pattern. Based on these palyno‐anatomical features a taxonomic key was developed, which help in the discrimination of studied taxa. In conclusion, LM and SEM pollen and epidermal morphology is explanatory, significant, and can be of special interest for the plant taxonomist in the correct identification of monocots taxa.     

Dietary intake and clinical response of hospitalized patients with acute diarrhea

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea and malnutrition remain major health problems among children of developing countries. During diarrhea, the patient's dietary intake and absorption of nutrients are reduced while nutritional requirements are increased. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between food intake and clinical response during the hospital stay of patients with acute diarrhea. METHODS: A hospital-based longitudinal study was conducted in 118 patients with acute diarrhea aged 6 to 59 months who required treatment for at least 3 days in the in-patient ward in Dhaka Hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B). Daily food intake was measured and anthropometric measurements were taken to assess nutritional status. Daily stool weight and clinical records were collected. The data were analyzed with SPSS/PC+, version 10, and EPI STAT, version 3.2.2. RESULTS: The duration of diarrhea was 50% greater in patients with lower energy intake (less than 50% of the recommended dietary allowance [RDA]) than in those with higher energy intake (6 vs. 4 days, p = <.001). Patients with lower energy intake had 22% greater stool output than those with higher energy intake (122.65 vs. 100.37 mL/kg body weight/day, p = .04). Among patients with lower energy intake, the weight-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores (WAZ and WHZ) at discharge from the hospital were higher than those at admission (-3.53 +/- 1.25 vs. -3.67 +/- 1.31 and 1.95 +/- 1.23 vs. -2.14 +/- 1.22, respectively; p = .001 for both comparisons), but these scores did not differ at admission and discharge among patients with higher energy intake. The Kaplan-Meier survival function showed that 80% of well-nourished children (WAZ > or = -2), as compared with 58% of malnourished children (WAZ < -2), recovered by the 4th day of treatment (p < .01). The length of the recovery period was related negatively with total energy intake (p = < .001) and mid-upper-arm circumference (p = .004) and positively with stool weight. CONCLUSIONS: Food intake was reduced in the hospitalized children because of severe illness. Patients with lower energy intake as a percentage of RDA had delayed clinical recovery and higher stool output.     

Contribution of the Estrogen-Degrading Bacterium Novosphingobium sp. Strain JEM-1 to Estrogen Removal in Wastewater Treatment

This study aimed to investigate the contribution to estrogen removal from the activated sludge of an estrogen-degrading bacterium, Novosphingobium sp. Strain JEM-1, isolated by the writers from the activated sludge. The cell numbers of the Strain JEM-1 were investigated in two full-scale wastewater-treatment plants using real-time PCR. Strain JEM-1 appears to be commonly distributed in the activated sludge. The cell numbers of Strain JEM-1 in the oxidation ditch process were higher than those in the conventional activated sludge (CAS) process, and the effluent concentrations of E1 in the CAS process tended to decrease with increased cell numbers of Strain JEM-1. In a bench-scale experiment to investigate bioaugmentation with Strain JEM-1, there was a significant difference in the effluent concentrations of estrogens between the experimental series and the control series. Linear relationships were observed between cell numbers of Strain JEM-1 and the efficiency of removal of estrogens. These results suggest that Strain JEM-1 contributes to the estrogen removal in the activated sludge.     

Investigation on Particular Contractual Issues in Construction

Construction companies have to challenge difficulties in undertaking private or public projects in domestic and international venues. This study focused on contractual issues encountered by Turkish companies as a case study. The main aim of the research was to investigate particular difficulties encountered by Turkish companies and remedies to overcome or prevent the adverse effects. This research focused on the problem areas, their causes, and executed contracts. In order to meet these aims, research methods included literature survey, analysis of courts of cessation decisions, interviews with 37 contractual staff in 30 companies which are members of Turkish Contractors’ Association, and analysis of 41 contracts to understand their types and conditions. Throughout this investigation, the findings revealed classification of contractual issues as finance, time, compliance, technical documentation, and clauses related difficulties. Practitioners can benefit from this paper by obtaining information through experiences of other companies. By reading this paper the readers can better prepare themselves to avoid and cope with claims and issues. Furthermore, companies intending to establish joint venture or consortium with Turkish construction companies will be able to foresee and prevent/overcome possible difficulties.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyurethane/polybutyl methacrylate interpenetrating polymer networks

A series of castor oil based polyurethane (PU) and poly (butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) (PU/PBMA; 80/20, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60 and 20/80) were prepared by sequential polymerization method using toluene diisocyanate (TDI), dibutyl tin dilaurate (DBTL) as catalyst and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM) as crosslinker. Tensile strength, percentage elongation at break and surface hardness; FTIR and optical properties of the IPNs are reported. Thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA) studies of the IPNs are performed in order to establish their thermal stability. TGA thermogram shows that the thermal degradation of IPN was found to proceed in three steps. The microcrystalline parameters such as crystal size (N) and lattice disorder (g in%) of IPNs have been estimated using wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) studies. The surface morphology of the IPNs has been studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM).     

Synthesis,Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Transition Metal Complexes Derived from N,S Bidentate Ligands

Two bidentate NS ligands were synthesized by the condensation reaction of S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate (S2MBDTC) with 2-methoxybenzaldehyde (2MB) and 3-methoxybenzaldehyde (3MB). The ligands were reacted separately with acetates of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) yielding 1:2 (metal:ligand) complexes. The metal complexes formed were expected to have a general formula of [M(NS)₂] where M = Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and various spectroscopic techniques. The magnetic susceptibility measurements and spectral results supported the predicted coordination geometry in which the Schiff bases behaved as bidentate NS donor ligands coordinating via the azomethine nitrogen and thiolate sulfur. The molecular structures of the isomeric S2M2MBH (1) and S2M3MBH (2) were established by X-ray crystallography to have very similar l-shaped structures. The Schiff bases and their metal complexes were evaluated for their biological activities against estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. Only the Cu(II) complexes showed marked cytotoxicity against the cancer cell lines. Both Schiff bases and other metal complexes were found to be inactive. In concordance with the cytotoxicity studies, the DNA binding studies indicated that Cu(II) complexes have a strong DNA binding affinity.     

Analysis of the optical absorption characteristics of CuInSe2 thin films

Thin films of compound CuInSe₂ have been developed onto glass substrates by in situ thermal annealing of the stack of successively evaporated elemental layers in vacuum. The atomic compositions and the optical properties of the films have been determined by proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method and spectrophotometry in the photon wavelength range of 300–2500 nm, respectively. The typical optical absorption characteristic of the films has been critically analysed. The absorption coefficients vary from 10³ to 10⁵ cm⁻¹ in the measured wavelength range. The films have more than one type of fundamental electronic transitions. Direct allowed and direct forbidden transitions vary between 0.947 to 0.989 eV and 1.099 to 1.204 eV, respectively, depending on the composition of the films. The former transition varies inversely with the Cu/In ratio while the latter shows no such dependence. Valence band splittings due to spin–orbit coupling converge towards the single-crystal value for the near-stoichiometric (NS) and Cu-rich films.     

Stem Cell Therapy: From Idea to Clinical Practice

Regenerative medicine is a new and promising mode of therapy for patients who have limited or no other options for the treatment of their illness. Due to their pleotropic therapeutic potential through the inhibition of inflammation or apoptosis, cell recruitment, stimulation of angiogenesis, and differentiation, stem cells present a novel and effective approach to several challenging human diseases. In recent years, encouraging findings in preclinical studies have paved the way for many clinical trials using stem cells for the treatment of various diseases. The translation of these new therapeutic products from the laboratory to the market is conducted under highly defined regulations and directives provided by competent regulatory authorities. This review seeks to familiarize the reader with the process of translation from an idea to clinical practice, in the context of stem cell products. We address some required guidelines for clinical trial approval, including regulations and directives presented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States, as well as those of the European Medicine Agency (EMA). Moreover, we review, summarize, and discuss regenerative medicine clinical trial studies registered on the Clinicaltrials.gov website.     

Functionalized chitosan with super paramagnetic hybrid nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery of curcumin

Recently, hydrophobically functionalized polymers have been deployed as carriers to improve the encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. The metal nanocomposites are extensively used to improve the biocompatibility of the formulation and target the drug to the specialized site. In our current study, naphthalene acetate (NAA) was incorporated into the amine group of chitosan to form a hydrophobically functionalized chitosan–NAA drug delivery carrier. The calcium ferrite nanoparticles (CFNP) were embedded in the chitosan–NAA matrix to form a super paramagnetic hybrid nanocarrier for controlled curcumin drug delivery. Various analytical techniques were performed to ensure the functional group modifications, thermal stability, surface nature and morphological behavior of synthesized hybrid carriers. The maximum encapsulation efficiency of 93.6% was obtained under the optimized conditions of drug to chitosan–NAA at 0.1, CFNP to chitosan–NAA at 0.75 and TPP to chitosan–NAA at 1.0 (w/w) ratios, respectively, by adapting Taguchi method. Drug release studies were conducted to determine the effect of pH, drug loading concentrations and magnetic field responses. The drug release data were fitted to various kinetic release models to understand the drug release mechanism. The biocompatibility of the hybrid material was tested using L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The cytotoxicity test against breast cancer cells (MCF-7) was also performed to study the anticancer property of the hybrid paramagnetic material. The prepared curcumin-loaded chitosan–NAA/CFNP was very active against cancer cells in comparison to the normal cells. The results confirmed the applicability of the hybrid nanocarriers in cancer cell-targeted drug delivery.     

Gamma Secretase Inhibitors as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Notch Signaling in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is a rare and aggressive cancer with few effective therapeutics. The Notch signaling pathway is evolutionarily conserved with oncogenic properties, but it has not been well studied in uLMS. The purpose of our study was to determine expression of Notch family genes and proteins and to investigate the therapeutic effect of γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), indirect inhibitors of Notch signaling, in uLMS. We determined expression of Notch genes and proteins in benign uterine smooth muscle tissue, fibroids, and uLMS samples by immunostaining and in two uLMS cell lines, SK-UT-1B (uterine primary) and SK-LMS-1 (vulvar metastasis) by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunostaining. We exposed our cell lines to GSIs, DAPT and MK-0752, and measured expression of HES1, a downstream effector of Notch. Notch proteins were differentially expressed in uLMS. Expression of NOTCH3 and NOTCH4 was higher in uLMS samples than in benign uterine smooth muscle and fibroids. Expression of NOTCH4 was higher in SK-LMS-1 compared to SK-UT-1B. Exposure of SK-UT-1B and SK-LMS-1 to DAPT and MK-0752 decreased expression of HES1 and decreased uLMS cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner that was unique to each GSI. Our findings suggest that GSIs are potential therapeutics for uLMS, albeit with limited efficacy.