Gal3 Plays a Deleterious Role in a Mouse Model of Endotoxemia

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia induces an acute systemic inflammatory response that mimics some important features of sepsis, the disease with the highest mortality rate worldwide. In this work, we have analyzed a murine model of endotoxemia based on a single intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg of LPS. We took advantage of galectin-3 (Gal3) knockout mice and found that the absence of Gal3 decreased the mortality rate oflethal endotoxemia in the first 80 h after the administration of LPS, along with a reduction in the tissular damage in several organs measured by electron microscopy. Using flow cytometry, we demonstrated that, in control conditions, peripheral immune cells, especially monocytes, exhibited high levels of Gal3, which were early depleted in response to LPS injection, thus suggesting Gal3 release under endotoxemia conditions. However, serum levels of Gal3 early decreased in response to LPS challenge (1 h), an indication that Gal3 may be extravasated to peripheral organs. Indeed, analysis of Gal3 in peripheral organs revealed a robust up-regulation of Gal3 36 h after LPS injection. Taken together, these results demonstrate the important role that Gal3 could play in the development of systemic inflammation, a well-established feature of sepsis, thus opening new and promising therapeutic options for these harmful conditions.     

Subtle variations in the structure of crosslinked epoxy networks and the impact upon mechanical and thermal properties

Presented here is an investigation of the structure–property relationships of crosslinked networks using three bi-functional glycidyl ether aromatic epoxy resins, two bi-aryl and one tri-aryl, cured with bi- and tri-aryl amines. Subtle changes to the monomer chemistry including changing aromatic substitution patterns from meta to para, methylene to isopropyl and isopropyl to ether were explored. Changing an epoxy resin backbone from methylene to isopropyl enhances backbone rigidity thus increasing glass transition temperature (T_g), yield strength, and strain despite reducing modulus. Changing meta-substitution to para increases T_g and yield strain while leaving strength unaffected and reducing modulus. Changing isopropyl linkages to ether reduces modulus, strength, T_g, and yield strain reflecting increased molecular flexibility. Using three instead of two aromatic rings increases the molecular weight between crosslinks thereby decreasing T_g and yield strain while increasing modulus and strength. Despite the complexities of multiple systems for varying epoxy resins and amine hardeners, the effect upon network properties is explained in terms of short- and long-range molecular and segmental mobility, crosslink density, and equilibrium packing density. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48874.     

Development of bakery products for greater adult consumption based on wheat and rice flour

The present investigation was developed as a contribution to Guatemalan's elderly food and nutrition. Its main objective was to evaluate the chemical, nutritional and sensory quality of bread prepared from the partial substitution of wheat flour with rice flour. Wheat flour substitutions with rice flour in the order of 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60% were evaluated. Differences with the control (100% wheat bread) were found during the process of preparation, as well as texture, volume, height, weight and specific volume. Important effects in dough handling were noted specifically in the 40, 50 and 60% rice bread. Thus, a sandy texture was found in breads of higher rice levels. The bread protein quality increased with the level of substitution; however the protein quality difference between the wheat bread and the bread with 60% rice flour did not achieve statistical significance. Based on a statistical analysis of the physical properties the bread with 30 and 40% rice flour was selected, and through a preference test between these last two, the 30% rice flour bread was selected as the sample best suited to the present study's purposes. This bread was not different to wheat bread in many nutritional parameters, although in others it showed to be superior. Each serving size of bread has a weight of 80 grams (2 slices) that contributes adequate quantity of calories, protein and sodium, although a little less dietary fiber than 100% wheat bread.     

Bioaccessibility of calcium, iron and zinc from three legume samples

Legumes can be a source of mineral elements but also of antinutritional factors which can affect their absorption. An in vitro method including gastrointestinal digestion was used to estimate mineral bioavailability. Soluble (bioaccessible) and insoluble calcium, iron and zinc from white beans, chickpeas and lentils were determined after gastrointestinal digestion. The influence of the original sample weight on the soluble mineral fraction was also estimated. The results obtained show that white beans are the legumes with the highest bioaccessible calcium and iron contents. Lentils have a high iron content but its bioaccessibility is much lower than that of iron from white beans and chickpeas. An increase in sample weight increases the amount of bioaccessible element available for intake, but the increase is not always proportional.     

Physicochemical properties of ready‐to‐eat extruded nixtamalized maize‐based snacks enriched with grasshopper

The aim of this research was to prepare an extruded snack based on nixtamalized maize flour (Zea mays L.) (NMF) enriched with grasshopper meal (Sphenarium purpurascens Ch.) (GM) using a single screw extruder with a compression screw ratio of 3:1. A central experimental design comprising three independent variables, namely, extrusion temperature (T = 120–180 °C), feed moisture content (FMC = 18–22 g/100 g) and the grasshopper meal proportion (GMP = 0–40 g/100 g), was used. Increasing T decreased (P < 0.05) the expansion index (EI), bulk density (BD) and hardness (H). Increasing the FMC increased (P < 0.05) the EI. Increasing the GMP decreased (P < 0.05) the EI, H and water absorption index (WAI) and increased (P < 0.05) the BD and total colour difference (ΔE). The treatments that resulted in better general acceptability were those that contained a lower GMP. An extruded snack acceptable to the consumer can be obtained from a blend of NMF and GM, and up to 8.11 g/100 g of GM can be incorporated without affecting the physicochemical properties and acceptance of the snack.     

Impact of Storm-Water Runoff on Clogging and Fecal Bacteria Reduction in Sand Columns

Storm-water runoff has been identified as a major cause of coastal water quality degradation. Storm-water outfalls, common in many coastal towns, convey bacteria and other pollutants into the ocean and estuaries. In an effort to minimize this impact, the Town of Kure Beach, North Carolina, installed Dune Infiltration Systems (DIS) at two storm-water outfalls to receive storm-water runoff and allow infiltration beneath the beach dunes. A laboratory column experiment was performed to supplement this installation and determine the potential hydraulic and bacterial removal efficiency of the sand comprising the Kure Beach dunes. Columns constructed using sand collected at different depths of the dune were used to analyze the affect of bacteria application on infiltration and to examine the changes in bacteria removal that occur as infiltration rates are affected by bacteria-laden water application. Sand columns were loaded over a 60-day period with either bacteria-free storm water or storm water spiked with Escherichia coli. The seepage rate for the bacteria-spiked storm-water treatment was significantly lower (p<0.05) than the seepage rate of the bacteria-free treatment, particularly toward the end of the study. Bacteria application likely compounds the impact of sediment clogging at the sand/storm-water interface. This study indicates the need for maintenance when implementing a DIS or similar sand filter to maintain design infiltration rates, especially if reduced infiltration rates are not planned for in the design. However, a decrease in seepage rate was correlated with a decrease in effluent bacteria concentration in the bacteria-spiked storm-water sand columns. Thus, optimization is required to provide maximum infiltration of storm-water while maintaining bacteria removal efficiency.     

User-generated contents and reasoning-based personalization: Ingredients for a novel model of mobile TV

During the last years, we have witnessed the boom of the digital market due to the proliferation of emergent audiovisual services and the increasing number of broadband networks. In this scenario, users insistently demand innovative services for exchanging and sharing their own audiovisual contents. In order to meet these needs, in this paper we propose a system that broadcasts user-generated audiovisual contents for handheld devices in a mobile network based on the DVB-H broadcasting standard. Besides, our system offers diverse added-value services to these new active users, such as: (i) multi modal access (via Web or by client applications running locally in handheld devices) to digital contents, (ii) exploitation of return channels to transmit interactive contents that enhance the user’s experience, and (iii) annotation, sharing and personalized distribution of audiovisual contents. To achieve these goals, our system adopts well-known technologies for broadcasting and semantic annotation of audiovisual contents, as well as emergent technology from the so-called Web 2.0. A prototype of our system has been experimentally evaluated with a group of students from the University of Vigo, who were enthusiastic about the personalization capabilities offered by our TV system for a mobile setting.     

Atmospheric DMSO degradation in the gas phase: Cl-DMSO reaction. Temperature dependence and products

The reactions of Cl atoms and ClO radicals with CH3-SOCH3 (DMSO) have been studied using the discharge flow method with direct detection of DMSO, CO, and products by mass spectrometry. The absolute rate constant at room temperature measured for reaction 1, (CH3)2SO + Cl --> products, was k(1) = (1.7 +/- 0.3) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). For reaction 2, (CH3)2SO + ClO --> products, only an upper limit could be established, k(2) < or = 6 x 10(-14) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) Reaction 1 has been found to proceed through adduct formation and further decomposition involving the cleavage of the C-S bound. The pressure effect on the Cl-DMSO reaction from 0.5 to 3 Torr was negligible, and the temperature dependence in the range 273-335 K was also very slight. The results obtained are related to previous studies of sulfur compounds, and the atmospheric implications are also discussed in relation to the homogeneous sinks of DMSO. Tropospheric lifetimes of DMSO based on average Cl and ClO concentrations and the measured rate constants have been calculated showing that the contribution of reaction 1 must be of minor relevance in the marine boundary layer. Reaction 2 is so slow that it does not play any role within the atmospheric sulfur chemistry.     

MHP‐OSGi convergence: a new model for open residential gateways

Nowadays, we are living in a time of important technological changes that affect our lives at home and our communication with the outside world. Among them, the developments in Interactive Digital TV (IDTV) and the smart home field can be considered as particularly important. Related to the former, the new Set‐Top Boxes (STBs) are not only a decoder for digital television broadcast but also an entry point to the Information Society and a suitable platform to support the execution of interactive applications. With regards to the latter, the Residential Gateways (RGs) combine different network technologies to allow the connection of different electronics devices and appliances at home, not only with each other but also with the Internet. Since there is no widespread consensus about the configurations and functions of the RGs, we propose to coordinate the two aforementioned worlds by extending the functionality of STBs to become a RG. Our proposal consists of merging the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP), one of the main standard frameworks for IDTV, with Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi), the most widely used open platform to set up RGs. To overcome the radically different nature of these specifications—the function‐oriented MHP middleware and the service‐oriented OSGi framework—we define a new kind of application, coined as XbundLET. This application is able to bridge the gap between the two frameworks and make their interaction feasible. We also show how this proposal has the potential to enable the production of scenarios that cannot currently be put into practice in a natural way. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.