Simple scanner-based image analysis for corrosion testing: Concrete application

A methodology for the assessment of the crown corrosion in concrete sewer pipes was developed based upon the principle that the surface roughness increases when concrete corrodes. The roughness was quantified by correlating the depths of the surface pits to the lengths of shadows produced in a single source of incident light. A computer program was used to reconstruct a pseudo three-dimensional concrete exterior and obtain the averaged corrosion rate.     

The Extracellular Vesicles from the Commensal Staphylococcus Epidermidis ATCC12228 Strain Regulate Skin Inflammation in the Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis Murine Model

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are evaginations of the cytoplasmic membrane, containing nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, enzymes, and toxins. EVs participate in various bacterial physiological processes. Staphylococcus epidermidis interacts and communicates with the host skin. S. epidermidis’ EVs may have an essential role in this communication mechanism, modulating the immunological environment. This work aimed to evaluate if S. epidermidis’ EVs can modulate cytokine production by keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo using the imiquimod-induced psoriasis murine model. S. epidermidis’ EVs were obtained from a commensal strain (ATC12228EVs) and a clinical isolated strain (983EVs). EVs from both origins induced IL-6 expression in HaCaT keratinocyte cultures; nevertheless, 983EVs promoted a higher expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines VEGF-A, LL37, IL-8, and IL-17F than ATCC12228EVs. Moreover, in vivo imiquimod-induced psoriatic skin treated with ATCC12228EVs reduced the characteristic psoriatic skin features, such as acanthosis and cellular infiltrate, as well as VEGF-A, IL-6, KC, IL-23, IL-17F, IL-36γ, and IL-36R expression in a more efficient manner than 983EVs; however, in contrast, Foxp3 expression did not significantly change, and IL-36 receptor antagonist (IL-36Ra) was found to be increased. Our findings showed a distinctive immunological profile induction that is dependent on the clinical or commensal EV origin in a mice model of skin-like psoriasis. Characteristically, proteomics analysis showed differences in the EVs protein content, dependent on origin of the isolated EVs. Specifically, in ATCC12228EVs, we found the proteins glutamate dehydrogenase, ornithine carbamoyltransferase, arginine deiminase, carbamate kinase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, phenol-soluble β1/β2 modulin, and polyglycerol phosphate α-glucosyltransferase, which could be involved in the reduction of lesions in the murine imiquimod-induced psoriasis skin. Our results show that the commensal ATCC12228EVs have a greater protective/attenuating effect on the murine imiquimod-induced psoriasis by inducing IL-36Ra expression in comparison with EVs from a clinical isolate of S. epidermidis.     

Polypropylene Graft Poly(methyl methacrylate) Graft Poly(N-vinylimidazole) as a Smart Material for pH-Controlled Drug Delivery

Surface modification of polypropylene (PP) films was achieved using gamma-irradiation-induced grafting to provide an adequate surface capable of carrying glycopeptide antibiotics. The copolymer was obtained following a versatile two-step route; pristine PP was exposed to gamma rays and grafted with methyl methacrylate (MMA), and afterward, the film was grafted with N-vinylimidazole (NVI) by simultaneous irradiation. Characterization included Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and physicochemical analysis of swelling and contact angle. The new material (PP-g-MMA)-g-NVI was loaded with vancomycin to quantify the release by UV-vis spectrophotometry at different pH. The surface of (PP-g-MMA)-g-NVI exhibited pH-responsiveness and moderate hydrophilicity, which are suitable properties for controlled drug release.     

Physicochemical and Morphological Characteristics of Nixtamalized Maize Starch

The effect of nixtamalization on physicochemical and morphological characteristics of starch was studied. Determination of total starch, ash and amylose content, of swelling and solubility, gelatinization characteristics and morphological studies were carried out in starch isolated from native (S) and nixtamalized (NS) maize flours. Thermal analysis showed that nixtamalization produced starch annealing due to the higher gelatinization temperature obtained for NS. However, S had slightly lower enthalpy values. The swelling profile was similar for both starches, but the solubility values at the temperatures assessed were slightly higher in the NS samples. At temperatures below gelatinization, the granules showed the Maltese cross while at higher temperatures only ghost of granules were observed. The nixtamalized starch had larger granule sizes than the native starch, due to the partial swelling produced in the heating during the nixtamalization process. Larger granule sizes were also observed by image analysis, because major axis and area parameters were higher in NS samples than in S samples. The nixtamalization process produced changes in chemical, thermal and morphological characteristics, becoming important in products obtained from nixtamalized maize.     

Separation of sago starch from model suspensions by tangential flow filtration

Sago starch producing mills in Malaysia generate approximately 20 tons of effluent per ton of starch produced. The effluent contains mainly starch and very low concentrations of nitrogenous compounds. The starch could be recoverable by Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF). The aim of this study was to apply TFF to separate the starch from 1% (w/v) model suspensions in simulated sago effluent. Polysulfone membrane filter cassettes of 0.45 µm pore size and 0.1 m² were used for these experiments. Fifty-liter of a starch suspension was concentrated to less than 10-L. The main finding in this study was that increasing membrane filtration area improved the filtration efficiency from 81% to 85.4%, when lower transmembrane pressure (TMP) was employed. Turbidity, total suspended solids, and chemical oxygen demand before and after the treatment were significantly different (p?<?0.05). In conclusion, TFF functioned efficiently to separate sago starch from suspensions. It was found that membrane area and low TMP enhanced the flux rate and minimized the reversible clogging. Moreover, membrane permeability was recovered and cleaned almost to its original permeability.     

Stress-Temperature Effects on Transitions in PEO17PPO60PEO17 Triblock Copolymer Micellar Solutions

In this work, the shear thickening behavior of micellar solutions of the PEO₁₇PPO₆₀PEO₁₇ triblock copolymer as a function of applied shear stress and temperature is reported. Both, dynamic light scattering and rheological measurements, confirm micellar growth upon increasing temperature and/or applied stress, after an induction time. A synergetic effect of temperature and stress on the intensity of shear thickening (up to three-order of magnitude) is demonstrated by a combination of T-jump experiments and application of shear stress. The effect of temperature on the induction and saturation times, detected during the viscosity rise after applying both, a T-jump and shear stress, is also examined.     

Ensuring the quasi-termination of needed narrowing computations

We present a characterization of first-order functional programs which are quasi-terminating with respect to the symbolic execution mechanism of needed narrowing, i.e., computations in these programs consist of a sequence of finitely many different function calls (up to variable renaming). Quasi-terminating programs are particularly useful for program analysis and transformation, since in this context quasi-termination often amounts to full termination.     

Detection of peroxidase activity in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is a well-known technique to detect proteins and identify them by mass spectrometry. Peroxidase activity is commonly revealed in different fields of investigation by adding a substrate to the enzyme in the sample, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. From these two points, a useful procedure to detect this enzymatic activity on two-dimensional gels is described. The novelty and interest of this technique is that the electrophoresis developed combines a nondenaturing gel with running denaturing conditions, allowing peroxidase activity to remain after the whole process. Therefore, the isoelectric point and the molecular weight can be used to separate different isoforms of peroxidase on a two-dimensional gel.     

Development of an optimized multi-biomarker panel for the detection of lung cancer based on principal component analysis and artificial neural network modeling

Lung cancer is a public health priority worldwide due to the high mortality rate and the costs involved. Early detection of lung cancer is important for increasing the survival rate, however, frequently its diagnosis is not made opportunely, since detection methods are not sufficiently sensitive and specific. In recent years serum biomarkers have been proposed as a method that might enhance diagnostic capabilities and complement imaging studies. However, when used alone they show low sensitivity and specificity because lung cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Recent reports have shown that simultaneous analysis of biomarkers has the potential to separate lung cancer patients from control subjects. However, it has become clear that a universal biomarker panel does not exist, and optimized panels need to be developed and validated in each population before their application in a clinical setting. In this study, we selected 14 biomarkers from literature, whose diagnostic or prognostic value had been previously demonstrated for lung cancer, and evaluated them in sera from 63 patients with lung cancer and 87 non-cancer controls (58 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients and 29 current smokers). Principal component analysis and artificial neural network modeling allowed us to find a reduced biomarker panel composed of Cyfra 21.1, CEA, CA125 and CRP. This panel was able to correctly classify 135 out of 150 subjects, showing a correct classification rate for lung cancer patients of 88.9%, 93.3% and 90% in training, validation and testing phases, respectively. Thus, sensitivity was increased 18.31% (sensitivity 94.5% at specificity 80%) with respect to the best single marker Cyfra 21.1. This optimized panel represents a potential tool for assisting lung cancer diagnosis, therefore it merits further consideration.