Apoptosis during ZIKA Virus Infection: Too Soon or Too Late?

Cell death by apoptosis is a major cellular response in the control of tissue homeostasis and as a defense mechanism in the case of cellular aggression such as an infection. Cell self-destruction is part of antiviral responses, aimed at limiting the spread of a virus. Although it may contribute to the deleterious effects in infectious pathology, apoptosis remains a key mechanism for viral clearance and the resolution of infection. The control mechanisms of cell death processes by viruses have been extensively studied. Apoptosis can be triggered by different viral determinants through different pathways as a result of virally induced cell stresses and innate immune responses. Zika virus (ZIKV) induces Zika disease in humans, which has caused severe neurological forms, birth defects, and microcephaly in newborns during the last epidemics. ZIKV also surprised by revealing an ability to persist in the genital tract and in semen, thus being sexually transmitted. Mechanisms of diverting antiviral responses such as the interferon response, the role of cytopathic effects and apoptosis in the etiology of the disease have been widely studied and debated. In this review, we examined the interplay between ZIKV infection of different cell types and apoptosis and how the virus deals with this cellular response. We illustrate a duality in the effects of ZIKV-controlled apoptosis, depending on whether it occurs too early or too late, respectively, in neuropathogenesis, or in long-term viral persistence. We further discuss a prospective role for apoptosis in ZIKV-related therapies, and the use of ZIKV as an oncolytic agent.     

Reactions with the arylhydrazones of some α,β-diketoesters

Treatment of the α, β-diketo-ester-α-arylhydrazones 1a–e and 2a–d with GRIGNARD reagents results in the formation of the ketocarbinols 3a–h and 4a–g , respectively. The arylhydrazones of ethyl mesoxalate 5a–e react with phenylmagnesium bromide to yield compounds 3a–e . A novel synthesis of α-arylazo-β-arylchalcones 6a–e and their reaction with hydrazines are reported. Whereas the arylhydrazones 10a, b, 2a, b, d, 13a–c and 14a–c react with piperidine and formaldehyde to yield the MANNICH bases 11a, b, 12a–c and 15a–c , compound 5a was recovered unchanged.     

Osteopathy in Complex Lymphatic Anomalies

Complex Lymphatic Anomalies (CLA) are lymphatic malformations with idiopathic bone and soft tissue involvement. The extent of the abnormal lymphatic presentation and boney invasion varies between subtypes of CLA. The etiology of these diseases has proven to be extremely elusive due to their rarity and irregular progression. In this review, we compiled literature on each of the four primary CLA subtypes and discuss their clinical presentation, lymphatic invasion, osseous profile, and regulatory pathways associated with abnormal bone loss caused by the lymphatic invasion. We highlight key proliferation and differentiation pathways shared between lymphatics and bone and how these systems may interact with each other to stimulate lymphangiogenesis and cause bone loss.     

Multiwalled carbon nanotube polymer composites: Synthesis and characterization of thin films

The aim of this article was to elucidate the basic relationships between processing conditions and the mechanical and electrical properties of multiwalled carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites. In conventional chopped fiber reinforced polymer composites, uniform distributions of fibers throughout the matrix are critical to producing materials with superior physical properties. Previous methods have dispersed carbon nanotubes by aggressive chemical modification of the nanotubes or by the use of a surfactant prior to dispersion. 1 , 2 Here, ultrasonic energy was used to uniformly disperse multiwalled nanotubes (MWNTs) in solutions and to incorporate them into composites without chemical pretreatment. Polystyrene (PS) solutions containing MWNTs were cast and spun to yield thin film MWNT composites. The rheology of PS/MWNT suspensions was modeled using the Carreau equation. MWNTs were found to align at the shear rates generated by the spin casting process. The tensile modulus and strain to failure of samples compared well to classical micromechanical models, increasing with MWNT loading. The composite films showed lower strains at the yield stress than neat PS films. The presence of MWNTs at 2.5 vol % fraction approximately doubles the tensile modulus, and transforms the film from insulating to conductive (surface resistivity, ρ, approaching 10³ Ω/□). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 84: 2660–2669, 2002     

A logistic model of the effects of roadway, environmental, vehicle, crash and driver characteristics on hit-and-run crashes

Leaving the scene of a crash without reporting it is an offence in most countries and many studies have been devoted to improving ways to identify hit-and-run vehicles and the drivers involved. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on identifying factors that contribute to the decision to run after the crash. This study identifies the factors that are associated with the likelihood of hit-and-run crashes including driver characteristics, vehicle types, crash characteristics, roadway features and environmental characteristics. Using a logistic regression model to delineate hit-and-run crashes from nonhit-and-run crashes, this study found that drivers were more likely to run when crashes occurred at night, on a bridge and flyover, bend, straight road and near shop houses; involved two vehicles, two-wheel vehicles and vehicles from neighboring countries; and when the driver was a male, minority, and aged between 45 and 69. On the other hand, collisions involving right turn and U-turn maneuvers, and occurring on undivided roads were less likely to be hit-and-run crashes.     

Using semantic context for multiple concepts detection in still images

Pattern Analysis and Applications - Multimedia documents indexing systems performances have been improved significantly in recent years, especially after the involvement of deep learning...     

Reactions of α-Arylhydrazono-β-oxo-β-phenyl-propionitriles

ω-Cyanoacetophenone was coupled with a variety of aromatic diazonium chlorides to give the corresponding arylazo derivatives 1 a – g . Analysis of the IR and UV spectra of these compounds indicated that they exist mainly as the corresponding arylhydrazones. Compounds 1 a – d, f, g reacted with diazomethane to yield the N-methyl-arylhydrazones 2 a – f . 3-Amino-4-arylazo-5-phenylpyrazoles 5 a – g and 4-arylazo-5-imino-1,3-diphenyl-2-pyrazolines 6 a – g were obtained by the interaction of 1 a – g with hydrazine hydrate and with phenylhydrazine, respectively.