ROS/TNF-α Crosstalk Triggers the Expression of IL-8 and MCP-1 in Human Monocytic THP-1 Cells via the NF-κB and ERK1/2 Mediated Signaling

IL-8/MCP-1 act as neutrophil/monocyte chemoattractants, respectively. Oxidative stress emerges as a key player in the pathophysiology of obesity. However, it remains unclear whether the TNF-α/oxidative stress interplay can trigger IL-8/MCP-1 expression and, if so, by which mechanism(s). IL-8/MCP-1 adipose expression was detected in lean, overweight, and obese individuals, 15 each, using immunohistochemistry. To detect the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/TNF-α synergy as a chemokine driver, THP-1 cells were stimulated with TNF-α, with/without H₂O₂ or hypoxia. Target gene expression was measured by qRT-PCR, proteins by flow cytometry/confocal microscopy, ROS by DCFH-DA assay, and signaling pathways by immunoblotting. IL-8/MCP-1 adipose expression was significantly higher in obese/overweight. Furthermore, IL-8/MCP-1 mRNA/protein was amplified in monocytic cells following stimulation with TNF-α in the presence of H₂O₂ or hypoxia (p ˂ 0.0001). Synergistic chemokine upregulation was related to the ROS levels, while pre-treatments with NAC suppressed this chemokine elevation (p ≤ 0.01). The ROS/TNF-α crosstalk involved upregulation of CHOP, ERN1, HIF1A, and NF-κB/ERK-1,2 mediated signaling. In conclusion, IL-8/MCP-1 adipose expression is elevated in obesity. Mechanistically, ROS/TNF-α crosstalk may drive expression of these chemokines in monocytic cells by inducing ER stress, HIF1A stabilization, and signaling via NF-κB/ERK-1,2. NAC had inhibitory effect on oxidative stress-driven IL-8/MCP-1 expression, which may have therapeutic significance regarding meta-inflammation.     

Biomathematical study of non‐Newtonian nanofluid in a diverging tube

The present article deals with the peristaltic ?ow of a nano‐Eyring Prandtl ?uid model in a diverging tube. The governing equations for the considered model in view of the nanoparticles are presented in cylindrical coordinates using long wavelength and low Reynolds number approximation. The resulting nonlinear di?erential equations are solved for velocity, temperature, nanoparticle, and pressure gradient using the homotopy perturbation method. Numerical integration has been carried out for pressure rise, frictional forces, velocity, temperature, and nanoparticles. The numerical results are discussed through graphs. The e?ects of various emerging parameters are investigated for ?ve di?erent peristaltic waves. Streamlines have been plotted at the end of the article for the considered waveforms. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/htj). DOI 10.1002/htj.21047     

Production of mixed methyl/ethyl esters from waste fish oil through transesterification with mixed methanol/ethanol system

Biodiesel (mixed fatty acid methyl/ethyl esters) was prepared from waste fish oil through base-catalyzed transesterification with mixed methanol/ethanol system. Effect of methanol/ethanol (% v/v), type and concentration of the catalyst, mixed alcohols to oil molar ratio, the reaction temperature, and the reaction time on the biodiesel yield was optimized. Maximum biodiesel yield (97.30?wt%) was produced by implementing 1:1 methanol/ethanol (v/v), 1.0?wt% KOH, 6:1 mixed alcohols to oil molar ratio, 40°C reaction temperature, and 30?min of reaction time. Conversion of the waste fish oil to mixed methyl/ethyl esters was confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Fuel properties of the resulting biodiesel in addition to its blends with petrodiesel were in good agreement with specifications of ASTM D6751 and ASTM D7467, respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that using mixed alcohol system for biodiesel production could reduce the production cost through reducing conditions required for maximum conversion.     

Cloud‐based decision support system for the detection and classification of malignant cells in breast cancer using breast cytology images

The advancement of computer‐ and internet‐based technologies has transformed the nature of services in healthcare by using mobile devices in conjunction with cloud computing. The classical phenomenon of patient–doctor diagnostics is extended to a more robust advanced concept of E‐health, where remote online/offline treatment and diagnostics can be performed. In this article, we propose a framework which incorporates a cloud‐based decision support system for the detection and classification of malignant cells in breast cancer, while using breast cytology images. In the proposed approach, shape‐based features are used for the detection of tumor cells. Furthermore, these features are used for the classification of cells into malignant and benign categories using Naive Bayesian and Artificial Neural Network. Moreover, an important phase addressed in the proposed framework is the grading of the affected cells, which could help in grade level necessary medical procedures for patients during the diagnostic process. For demonstrating the e effectiveness of the proposed approach, experiments are performed on real data sets comprising of patients data, which has been collected from the pathology department of Lady Reading Hospital of Pakistan. Moreover, a cross‐validation technique has been performed for the evaluation of the classification accuracy, which shows performance accuracy of 98% as compared to physical methods used by a pathologist for the detection and classification of the malignant cell. Experimental results show that the proposed approach has significantly improved the detection and classification of the malignant cells in breast cytology images.     

Analyzing viscoelastic effects in piston skirts EHL at small radial clearances in initial engine start up

Non-Newtonian engine lubricant and EHL film enhance engine life at small clearance in normal engine operation. It is not so in initial engine startup. This study models 2-D Maxwell viscoelastic hydrodynamic and EHL of piston skirts in initial engine startup. The 2-D Reynolds equation and the inverse solution technique are used for EHL solutions. Numerical solutions predict viscoelastic effects on piston eccentricities, hydrodynamic pressures and EHL films at different small radial clearances. Results are compared with Newtonian model, which suggest that viscoelasticity is beneficial for skirts lubrication at small radial clearances. Outcomes optimize small radial clearance in initial engine startup.     

Biosorption of nickel from protonated rice bran

In the present study biosorption technique, the accumulation of metals by biomass was used for the removal of nickel from aqueous medium. The rice bran in its acid treated (H(3)PO(4)) form was used as a low cost sorbent. The adsorption characteristics of nickel on protonated rice bran were evaluated as a function of pH, biosorbent size, biosorbent dosage, initial concentration of nickel and time. Within the tested pH range (pH 1-7), the protonated rice bran displayed more resistance to pH variation, retaining up to 102 mg/g of the nickel binding capacity at pH 6. Meanwhile, at lower pH values the uptake capacity decreased. The % age removal of nickel was maximum at 0.25 g of biosorbent dose and 0.25 mm biosorbent size. At the optimal conditions, metal ion uptake was increased as the initial metal ion concentration increased up to 100mg/L. Kinetic and isotherm experiments were carried out at the optimal pH 6.0 for nickel. The metal removal rate was rapid, with 57% of the total adsorption taking place within 15-30 min. The Freundlich and Langmuir models were used to describe the uptake of nickel on protonated rice bran. The Langmuir and Freundlich model parameters were evaluated. The equilibrium adsorption data was better fitted to Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The adsorption followed pseudo second-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic assessment of the metal ion-rice bran biomass system indicated the feasibility and spontaneous nature of the process and DeltaG degrees values were evaluated as ranging from -22.82 to -24.04 kJ/mol for nickel sorption. The order of magnitude of the DeltaG degrees values indicated an ion-exchange physiochemical sorption process.     

Natural Convection Heat Transfer in an Enclosed Assembly of Thin Vertical Cylinders – A CFD Study

A thermal hydraulic study of convective heat transfer in 3 × 3 square array of heated vertical cylinders is carried out using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Two different CFD approaches were used, i.e., full structural details (FSD) and porous media modeling (PMM). The computational requirement in PMM declined significantly due the porous media approximation. The PMM only gives the overall flow and temperature field. In the FSD model all the geometry details are presented without any approximation. The PMM and FSD results are compared to experimental data. In general, the prediction of temperature profiles from both PMM and FSD agreed well with the experimental data.     

High-Rate Printing of Micro/Nanoscale Patterns Using Interfacial Convective Assembly

Printing of electronics has been receiving increasing attention from academia and industry over the recent years. However, commonly used printing techniques have limited resolution of micro- or sub-microscale. Here, a directed-assembly-based printing technique, interfacial convective assembly, is reported, which utilizes a substrate-heating-induced solutal Marangoni convective flow to drive particles toward patterned substrates and then uses van der Waals interactions as well as geometrical confinement to trap the particles in the pattern areas. The influence of various assembly parameters including type of mixing solvent, substrate temperature, particle concentration, and assembly time is investigated. The results show successful assembly of various nanoparticles in patterns of different shapes with a high resolution down to 25 nm. In addition, the assembly only takes a few minutes, which is two orders of magnitude faster than conventional convective assembly. Small-sized (diameter below 5 nm) nanoparticles tend to coalesce during the assembly process and form sintered structures. The fabricated silver nanorods show single-crystal structure with a low resistivity of 8.58 × 10⁻⁵ Ω cm. With high versatility, high resolution, and high throughput, the interfacial convective assembly opens remarkable opportunities for printing next generation nanoelectronics and sensors.     

Effect of Polymer Concentration on Autoclaved Cryogel Properties

Biomaterial sterilization is a prerequisite prior to patient's use, especially for scaffold implantation or injection. Various sterilization processes are mandated by the Food and Drug Administration including high‐pressure steam sterilization. Although high‐pressure steam or autoclave sterilization eliminates pathogens, it often leads to irreversible damages on soft materials such as hydrogels. In the current study, the impact of autoclave sterilization on cryogels made from several naturally‐derived polymeric precursors (alginate, hyaluronic acid, and gelatin) is analyzed. Specifically, the impact of polymer concentration on the structural and physical properties of autoclaved cryogels such as mechanics, swelling ratio, pore interconnectivity, and shape‐memory features is studied. The results demonstrate that at a given optimal polymer concentration, unique for each biopolymer investigated, autoclave sterilization does not substantially alter the microarchitectural or physical characteristics of cryogels, including their syringe injectability signature. In summary, when formulated under optimized polymer concentrations, autoclavable cryogels hold great potential for several biomedical applications, as they can be easily translated into clinical practice to benefit public health.     

Predicting and reducing “hospital-acquired infections” using a knowledge-based e-surveillance system

The use of automated computer methods when detecting hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) enhances the validity of the surveillance in an effective manner. This is because manual infection control systems used by hospitals are time consuming and are often restricted to intensive care units. This paper proposes a new knowledge-based electronic surveillance system to predict and reduce HAIs. The system can gather patient-associated data from hospital databanks to automatically predict patient injury based on the standard central line-associated bloodstream infection algorithm for HAI detection rules. The application of the proposed electronic system reduces the number of central lines associated with infection of the bloodstream and reduces the length of stay for patient treatment and thus reduces costs. The proposed system has several advantages: (a) It is a web-based system that collects actual data from patients from several IT sources, which will help collect patient data safely and quickly, thereby predicting HAIs effectively. (b) It has an integrated simulator to generate patient records, providing the ability to train medical personnel and nurses to enhance their skills. (c) It is a multimedia-based system to improve patient health reporting. (d) It assists policymakers in reviewing and approving control plans and policies to reduce and prevent hospital injuries. (e) The investigational results of the system showed an enhancement value equal to 87%.