The alteration degree of the metacrystalline rocks based on UAI,Bolu (Turkey)

The geomechanical properties of the metacrystalline rock masses vary due to alteration. The Devonian aged Yedigoller formation crops out in the Asarsuyu valley (Bolu, Turkey). The aim of this study is to investigate the alteration degree of the amphibolite and metagranodiorites based on their geomechanical and petrographical properties. The P-wave velocity is 1,613–5,588 m/s and the unconfined compressive strength varies between 12.75 and 99.86 MPa. Several weathering products occurred due to carbonisation, oxidation and sericitation. These rocks, subjected to hydrothermal effects, are classified as “fresh” to “completely altered” according to the unified alteration index (UAI). In addition, the values of the loss on ignition, modified weathering potential index and chemical index of alteration were taken into account for supporting the alteration process. Since the main process is hydrothermal alteration, the rocks which were exposed to alteration are weathered on the slopes after excavation. Weathering classification and the chemical indices indicate this process. Thus, UAI is concluded to be more suitable and credible in order to evaluate the hydrothermal alteration process of such crystalline rocks numerically.     

Effect of different cell disruption methods on lipid yield of Schizochytrium sp.

In this study, it was investigated to increase the lipid yield of the microalgae Schizochytrium sp., by applying different cell disruption methods; acid treatment with HCl, osmotic shock, enzyme applications and ultrasonic homogenizer were combined with the Bligh and Dyer or Soxhlet methods. In the Soxhlet method, the lipid and fatty acid yields decreased due to the inability of the method to break down the lipid cells sufficiently and the high temperature application. Enzyme application (hemicellulase treatment at 55°C for 2 days) prior to Bligh and Dyer method (BDE) was found more efficient in terms of lipid and DHA yield compared to other methods. BDE process increased the lipid yield to 21.72 ± 0.74% and DHA content to 19.25 ± 0.09% from lipid yield of 18.87 ± 0.4% and DHA content of 18.41 ± 0.20% by the Bligh and Dyer control (BDC). Major saturated fatty acids were 14:0, 16:0, 18:0, 24:0 and the highest saturated fatty acid was 16:0 (palmitic acid). Lipid health indices such as n-6/n-3, PUFA/SFA, atherogenicity index, thrombogenicity index and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios were almost favorable. With this study, appropriate lipid extraction methods were studied to provide an economical and environmental friendly suggestion for future studies to be used in areas such as food, feed and cosmetics grade. It was concluded that the most convenient method among the cell disruption methods was BDE owing to lipid and fatty acid yield.     

The Effect of Ozone Gas on IL-1β and IL-10 Levels of Gingival Crevicular Fluid in Aggressive Periodontitis Patients

ABSTRACT

Although the use of ozone therapy in dentistry has become widespread, the number of controlled clinical trials evaluating its effectiveness in periodontal therapy is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ozone treatment, that is used in concert with scaling and root planning (SRP), on clinical periodontal parameters and to analyze its effect on cytokine levels of GCF in aggressive periodontitis patients. Totally, 27 patients with aggressive periodontitis were randomly selected into groups of treatment with either subgingival SRP followed by application of ozone with a periodontal probe (SRP+ozone) or subgingival SRP followed by irrigation with serum irrigation (SRP-control). The following parameters were evaluated at baseline (T0), and 6 weeks (T1): plaque index (PI); gingival index (GI); probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), GCF volume, GCF Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and GCF Interleukin-10 (IL-10) cytokine levels. There was a significant difference in terms of clinical periodontal parameters before and after treatment in both groups. When comparing between groups, there was no significant difference between the treatment methods after 6 weeks with respect to the PI, PPD, CAL, and GCF IL-10 levels. In contrast, GI, GCF volume, and GCF IL-1β levels were statistically significantly different between the two groups at the 6th week after treatment. Application of ozone as an adjunctive therapy to SRP was shown to provide a statistically significant improvement in treatment results compared to SRP plus serum irrigation.     

Surface Segmental Mobility and Adhesion—Effects of Filler and Molecular Mass

The adhesion of thin films of poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) on glass slides in contact with tape has been measured as a function of thickness, molecular mass, and amount of silica-based filler. In all cases studied the polymer thin-film, tape-peel tests resulted in linear force-velocity plots. The best-fit lines were extrapolated to find the fracture energies at zero velocity. For thin layers of rubbery PMA on glass slides the PMA-tape fracture energies were found to decrease (from 55–20 J/m²) with increasing PMA thickness (50–1000 nm). Thin films made from glassy poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were found to have no thickness dependence and much higher fracture energies (～ 140 J/m²). The effect of PMA molecular mass was found to be smaller than the effect of film thickness. Including silica in the films at low levels dramatically increased the fracture energies, with a maximum (182 J/m²) found with 5.2% silica. With larger amounts of silica, the fracture energy declined significantly.     

Kinetics of graft copolymerization of acrylamide and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate monomer mixture onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers were grafted with acrylamide (AAm) and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) using benzoyl peroxide (Bz₂O₂) as initiator in aqueous media. PET fibers were swelled in dichloroethane (DCE) for 2 h at 90 °C to promote the incorporation and the subsequent polymerization of AAm/HEMA onto PET fibers. Variations of graft yield with time, temperature, initiator concentration and monomer mixture ratio were investigated. The optimum initiator concentration was found to be 10 mmol/L. The maximum graft yield was obtained (prep.) 273%. The optimum temperature and polymerization time were found to be 85 °C and 120 min, respectively. The rate of grafting was found to be proportional of the 1.39 and 0.37 powers of AAm/HEMA and Bz₂O₂ concentrations, respectively. The grafted PET fibers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Further changes in properties of grafted PET fibers such as water absorption capacity and diameter were determined. The dyeability of the PET fibers increased with an increase in grafting with acidic and basic dyes.     

Kinetics of swelling assisted grafting of 4-vinyl pyridine onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers using a benzoyl peroxide initiator

Summary Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers were grafted with 4-vinyl pyridine (4-VP) using benzoyl peroxide (Bz₂O₂) as initiator. Fibers were swelled in dichloroethane (DCE) for 2 h at 90 °C to promote the incorporation and the subsequent polymerization of 4-VP onto PET fibers. Variations of graft yield with time, temperature, initiator and monomer concentrations were investigated. Percent grafting was enhanced significantly by increasing Bz₂O₂ concentration up to 2 × 1 0 ^-3 mol/L and then decreased upon further increase in initiator concentration. Increasing the 4-VP concentration up to 0.6 mol/L improves the graft yield significantly. The optimum temperature and polymerization time was found to be 50 °C and 2 h respectively. Further changes in properties of grafted PET fibers such as moisture absorption capacity and intrinsic viscosity were determined. Grafted PET fibers were charactarized by thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Molar mass of the grafted chains was also determined.     

Inhibition of Carbonic Anhydrase IX Promotes Apoptosis through Intracellular pH Level Alterations in Cervical Cancer Cells

Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a hypoxia-related protein that plays a role in proliferation in solid tumours. However, how CAIX increases proliferation and metastasis in solid tumours is unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate how a synthetic CAIX inhibitor triggers apoptosis in the HeLa cell line. The intracellular effects of CAIX inhibition were determined with AO/EB, AnnexinV-PI, and γ-H2AX staining; measurements of intracellular pH (pHi), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP); and analyses of cell cycle, apoptotic, and autophagic modulator gene expression (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-12, Beclin, and LC3), caspase protein level (pro-caspase 3 and cleaved caspase-3, -8, -9), cleaved PARP activation, and CAIX protein level. Sulphonamide CAIX inhibitor E showed the lowest IC₅₀ and the highest selectivity index in CAIX-positive HeLa cells. CAIX inhibition changed the morphology of HeLa cells and increased the ratio of apoptotic cells, dramatically disturbing the homeostasis of intracellular pHi, MMP and ROS levels. All these phenomena consequent to CA IX inhibition triggered apoptosis and autophagy in HeLa cells. Taken together, these results further endorse the previous findings that CAIX inhibitors represent an important therapeutic strategy, which is worth pursuing in different cancer types, considering that presently only one sulphonamide inhibitor, SLC-0111, has arrived in Phase Ib/II clinical trials as an antitumour/antimetastatic drug.