Thermo-Mechanical and Wear Behaviour of Surface-Treated Pineapple Woven Fibre and Nano-Silica Dispersed Mahua Oil Toughened Epoxy Composite

Silicon - In this present investigation effect of adding surface treated pineapple and nano-silica into mahua seed oil (Madhuca longifolia) toughened epoxy bio composite material was studied. The...     

The plasmid profiles of fish pathogenic isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida, Vibrio anguillarum, and Vibrio ordalii from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada

The plasmid profiles of oxytetracycline- and streptomycin-resistant isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida, Vibrio anguillarum, and Vibrio ordalii were examined by agarose gel electrophoresis. Bacterial isolates were from disease outbreaks in fish on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Resistant isolates were examined when grown in the presence and absence of antibiotic. Alkaline lysis methods were used for plasmid isolation. Vibrio spp. were predominantly plasmidless, except for a 47-kilobase (kb) plasmid. Atlantic coast isolates of A. salmonicida possessed four or six plasmids, with four smaller plasmids ranging in size from 4.3 to 8.1 kb being consistently observed. The plasmid profiles of antibiotic-sensitive ATCC strains were identical. The plasmid profiles of the Pacific coast isolates of A. salmonicida varied slightly from those of the Atlantic coast isolates with six plasmids observed, ranging in size from 4.2 to 8.9 kb. Resistance to the antibiotics was not altered following plasmid curing experiments and resistance was not transferable to Escherichia coli. Thus, resistance to oxytetracycline and streptomycin did not appear to be plasmid mediated.     

Gastric bypass in morbidly obese kidney transplant recipients

Severe post-transplant obesity has previously been shown to have a negative impact on graft survival following kidney transplantation. It also contributes to late patient mortality and is associated with hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. We undertook Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (GBP) in three morbidly obese (200-260% ideal body weight) (IBW) patients 6-8 yr following kidney transplantation. Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy to a 30 ml stapled gastric pouch was created with the jejunojejunostomy (both loops) 80-120 cm from the ligament of Treitz. By 12 months post-GBP, weight loss plateaued at 100-150% IBW. Both patients that had developed post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) had complete resolution within 9 months following GBP. On average the patients required 3 less hypertension (HTN) medications after GBP; 2 of the 3 patients are now normotensive off medication. Improvements in hyperlipidemia were also shown. The absolute cyclosporine (CsA) requirement (mg/d) increased by approximately 33% (p = NS), and there was also a significant increase in the weight adjusted CsA requirement from 1.8 to 3.5 mg/kg/d (p = 0.02, ANOVA) following GBP in order to maintain similar TDX trough CsA levels. GBP offers significant reduction in weight, HTN, PTDM and hyperlipidemia in morbidly obese kidney transplant recipients. However, CsA dose requirements may increase after GBP as a consequence of the defunctionalized intestine.     

Tensile properties of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) blown films

Various linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE; density ～ (0.920 g/cm³)) resins that encompass those polymerized using Ziegler‐Natta, metallocene, and chromium oxide based catalysts were blown into film at similar process conditions, and the tensile properties of the resulting films were investigated in relation to their orientation characteristics. The tensile properties of the subject blown films were observed to be significantly different from those of isotropic/un‐oriented polyethylene specimens of similar density (crystallinity). Further, the tensile properties were different in the machine and transverse directions. These were explained in terms of the orientation and lamellar organization characteristics of the LLDPE blown films. Investigation of the temperature dependence (between ?50°C and +50°C) of these tensile properties indicated an increase in modulus, yield stress and break stress with decreasing temperature pointing to the possible role played by the decreased mobility of the non‐crystalline phase at lower temperatures. Excellent correlation between the Elmendorf tear properties of the LLDPE blown films and their tensile yield characteristics was observed. This added substantial credibility to previous hypotheses that specimen stretching plays a significant role in Elmendorf tear tests and further supported the previously identified structural features and microstructural deformation mechanisms that are deemed responsible for the discernment of LLDPE blown film tear resistance.     

Apocynin exerts neuroprotective effects in fumonisin b1–induced neurotoxicity via attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis in an animal model

The Fusarium verticillioides produces a mycotoxin, that is, fumonisin b1 (Fb1), which commonly infects corn and agricultural commodities. The Fb1 showed hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and carcinogenicity in animals. Hence, the present investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of apocynin (AP) on Fb1-induced neurotoxic effects and its mechanism in the mice model and cell line. The male Balb/c mice, with the 6.75 mg/kg bwt of Fb1 were injected subcutaneously for 5 days to induce neurotoxicity. A significant elevation of serotonin (5-HT) was observed in mice treated with Fb1 in the whole brain showing biogenic amines may reflect Fb1 neurotoxicity, but the negatively regulated mechanisms were attenuated by the pretreatment of AP. In addition, AP pretreatment normalized apoptotic changes in histology and immunohistochemistry studies. In Western blotting studies, apoptotic genes were upregulated and oxidative stress genes were downregulated due to Fb1 treatment; while treating with AP, these gene expressions were rectified. Further cell cytotoxicity was investigated by MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays in SH-SY5Y cell line. MTT and LDH assays indicated the IC₅₀ value to be 150 µM of Fb1, which was protected by 100 µg of AP. The electron microscopy evaluated the Fb1-induced apoptotic conditions and its cell morphology recovery by AP. These results suggest that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen oxidase–mediated reactive oxygen species is the primary upstream signal leading to increased Fb1-mediated neurotoxicity in mice. The use of the antioxidant AP reversed the toxin-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by its antioxidant potency.