Assessment of microbiological safety of ground water used in rainbow trout farms

Ground water is the main type of water used in aquaculture farming in Armenia. Ground water arrives under pressure from a depth of about 100–180 m.     

The Efficiency of Application Nanosilver in Technological Processes of Making Red Wine

The efficiency of using nanostructured silver in technological processes of making red wine has been studied with the purpose of substituting sulfur dioxide. For preparation of research objects, we used dry wine material of red grape variety ＂Saperavi＂. After completion of malolactic fermentation, the second racking the wine material off the lees and its treatment with antiseptics were carried out. Sulfur dioxide （Kadifit） and different doses of nanostructured silver were used. Microbiological investigation was performed on the presence of lactic bacteria after completion of malolactic fermentation and racking off the lees. The investigation of phenolic compounds was conducted at the following stages of technological processes： （1） after completion of alcoholic fermentation and racking off the lees; （2） after completion of malolactic fermentation; （3） after the second racking off the lees and treatment with antiseptics. By means of the HPLC analysis, the amounts ofcatechins, phenolcarbonic acids and flavonols were determined. It has been established that after conduction of malolactic fermentation in the process of racking the wine material off the lees and storage, the application of 0.6 mg/L of nano-silver for blocking of lactic-acid bacteria and inhibition of oxidation of phenolic compounds has the same effect as sulfitization with 50 mg/L of Kadifit.     

Novel A-Ring Chalcone Derivatives of Oleanolic and Ursolic Amides with Anti-Proliferative Effect Mediated through ROS-Triggered Apoptosis

A series of A-ring modified oleanolic and ursolic acid derivatives including C28 amides (3-oxo-C2-nicotinoylidene/furfurylidene, 3β-hydroxy-C2-nicotinoylidene, 3β-nicotinoyloxy-, 2-cyano-3,4-seco-4(23)-ene, indolo-, lactame and azepane) were synthesized and screened for their cytotoxic activity against the NCI-60 cancer cell line panel. The results of the first assay of thirty-two tested compounds showed that eleven derivatives exhibited cytotoxicity against cancer cells, and six of them were selected for complete dose–response studies. A systematic study of local SARs has been carried out by comparative analysis of potency distributions and similarity relationships among the synthesized compounds using network-like similarity graphs. Among the oleanane type triterpenoids, C2-[4-pyridinylidene]-oleanonic C28-morpholinyl amide exhibited sub-micromolar potencies against 15 different tumor cell lines and revealed particular selectivity for non-small cell lung cancer (HOP-92) with a GI₅₀ value of 0.0347 μM. On the other hand, superior results were observed for C2-[3-pyridinylidene]-ursonic N-methyl-piperazinyl amide 29, which exhibited a broad-spectrum inhibition activity with GI₅₀ < 1 μM against 33 tumor cell lines and <2 μM against all 60 cell lines. This compound has been further evaluated for cell cycle analysis to decipher the mechanism of action. The data indicate that compound 29 could exhibit both cytostatic and cytotoxic activity, depending on the cell line evaluated. The cytostatic activity appears to be determined by induction of the cell cycle arrest at the S (MCF-7, SH-SY5Y cells) or G₀/G₁ phases (A549 cells), whereas cytotoxicity of the compound against normal cells is nonspecific and arises from apoptosis without significant alterations in cell cycle distribution (HEK293 cells). Our results suggest that the antiproliferative effect of compound 29 is mediated through ROS-triggered apoptosis that involves mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and caspase activation.     

Effects of Combined Gentamicin and Furosemide Treatment on Cochlear Macrophages

Combining aminoglycosides and loop diuretics often serves as an effective ototoxic approach to deafen experimental animals. The treatment results in rapid hair cell loss with extended macrophage presence in the cochlea, creating a sterile inflammatory environment. Although the early recruitment of macrophages is typically neuroprotective, the delay in the resolution of macrophage activity can be a complication if the damaged cochlea is used as a model to study subsequent therapeutic strategies. Here, we applied a high dose combination of systemic gentamicin and furosemide in C57 BL/6 and CBA/CaJ mice and studied the ototoxic consequences in the cochlea, including hair cell survival, ribbon synaptic integrity, and macrophage activation up to 15-day posttreatment. The activity of macrophages in the basilar membrane was correlated to the severity of cochlear damage, particularly the hair cell damage. Comparatively, C57 BL/6 cochleae were more vulnerable to the ototoxic challenge with escalated macrophage activation. In addition, the ribbon synaptic deterioration was disproportionately limited when compared to the degree of outer hair cell loss in CBA/CaJ mice. The innate and differential otoprotection in CBA/CaJ mice appears to be associated with the rapid activation of cochlear macrophages and a certain level of synaptogenesis after the combined gentamicin and furosemide treatment.     

Theoretical Study of Charge Mobility in Crystal Porphine and a Computer Design of a Porphine-Based Semiconductive Discotic Liquid Mesophase

Organic semiconductors are the focus of numerous studies; they are used in electronic devices. Modern research involves the production of neuromorphic organic materials, including those based on liquid crystal materials. The purpose of this work involves the theoretical modeling of molecules (the “core with branches” type) to construct a discotic mesophase capable of performing the functions of a neuromorphic material. For this purpose, the conductivity of crystal porphine, which can act as the nucleus of a molecule of the “core with branches” type, was investigated. The Marcus theory charge mobility values for the hole and electron were 0.148 and 0.088 cm²/V·s, respectively (the MOO method for calculating transfer integrals), and 0.561 and 0.160 cm²/V·s (DIPRO method). Based on TD-HF (HF-3c level of theory) calculations, possible structures of molecules for the formation of a discotic mesophase are proposed.     

Effects of additives on zinc electrowinning from industrial waste products

An investigation of the effects of some additives on zinc electrowinning from a weak acidic sulphate electrolyte prepared from an industrial waste product has been carried out. Experiments were done in the presence of additives such as aluminium sulphate, animal glue and an extract of horse-chestnut nuts (HCE), used alone or in different mixtures.Using a rotating disc electrode (RDE) and cyclic voltammetry, the influence of the additives on the polarization curves and on the voltammograms was studied. SEM was used to determine the structure and the morphology of deposits.The results indicated that the additives tested exert a beneficial effect on the quality of the zinc deposits. They increase the cathodic polarization and promote levelling. Al₂(SO₄)₃ influences the reduction of zinc ions, increasing the nucleation overpotential and the deposition rate of zinc on the cathode. The conjoint use of Al₂(SO₄)₃, animal glue and HCE results in smooth, slightly bright deposits, showing a beneficial effect of the mixture on zinc electrodeposition. The analysis of deposit purity suggested that the additives inhibit the discharge rate of impurity metal ions, such as copper and lead, whose deposition is diffusion controlled.     

Limited context semantic translation from a single knowledge-base for a natural language and structuring metarules

The article introduces an experimental system which produces multilingual semantic translations from relatively short texts from a given context. The system was conceived as an investigation instrument whose characteristics are the following: —the elaboration of a single analyzer and generator able to receive, in the form of data, specific information concerning national language, within the limits of a given area of application; —the use of exclusively semantic internal representation, whose formation is derived from “frames” (an object is defined as a list of “attribute-value” couples, permitting recursion); —a single knowledge-base is used for each natural language as initial data (the grammar transmitted was of a semantic-syntacticatn type); —the structure of grammar used in computer language processing being rarely as well adapted to analysis as to generation, the system itself is provided with the possibility of transforming and reorganizing the information for more efficient use at one stage of processing (thus, theatns are used directly in analysis, whereas for the purposes of generation they are “explored” and their information reorganized); —to produce a text, the use of general structuring principles (independent of language) are experimented with. These principles are given in the form of metarules. The application of these metarules to the restructured grammar of a natural language produces specific structuration rules, peculiar to this language. Although the system was conceived for any conceptual area or language, the present knowledge-base of the system (the experimental support) is based on a collection of elementary exercises in three-dimensional geometry written in Rumanian and in French. She does research in the CNRS group C.F. Picard headed by Professor Pitrat, University of Paris 6.     

Carotenoids extracts as natural colorants in poly(lactic acid) films

The use of vivid packaging colors is a strategy to attract consumers' attention and interest. In this context, the awareness of harmful effects caused by the use of synthetic colorants has led to an increasing interest in naturally derived alternatives. The use of carotenoids as colorants for polymeric materials represents an environmentally friendly way of obtaining colored packaging. The incorporation of carotenoids extracts rich in bixin, lycopene, and β‐carotene into poly(lactic acid) films was evaluated, where the presence of carotenoids (100 μg/g) reduced oxygen permeability and presented a lubricant effect, increasing films elasticity up to 50%. No effect on films crystallinity was observed. Carotenoids reduced films transparency and bixin was the most stable carotenoid at dark and light conditions. The color stability of films, evaluated through kinetic parameters of color degradation, presented Chroma half‐life times (40 °C/light) of 111, 51, and 5 days for bixin, lycopene, and β‐carotene, respectively. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46585.     

Peak activation of lower limb musculature during high flexion kneeling and transitional movements

Few studies have measured lower limb muscle activation during high knee flexion or investigated the effects of occupational safety footwear. Therefore, our understanding of injury and disease mechanisms, such as knee osteoarthritis, is limited for these high-risk postures. Peak activation was assessed in eight bilateral lower limb muscles for twelve male participants, while shod or barefoot. Transitions between standing and kneeling had peak quadriceps and tibialis anterior (TA) activations above 50% MVC. Static kneeling and simulated tasks performed when kneeling had peak TA activity above 15% MVC but below 10% MVC for remaining muscles. In three cases, peak muscle activity was significantly higher (mean 8.9% MVC) when shod. However, net compressive knee joint forces may not be significantly increased when shod. EMG should be used as a modelling input when estimating joint contact forces for these postures, considering the activation levels in the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles during transitions.

Practitioner Summary: Kneeling transitional movements are used in activities of daily living and work but are linked to increased knee osteoarthritis risk. We found peak EMG activity of some lower limb muscles to be over 70% MVC during transitions and minimal influence of wearing safety footwear.