Learning multi-scale features for foreground segmentation

Pattern Analysis and Applications - Foreground segmentation algorithms aim at segmenting moving objects from the background in a robust way under various challenging scenarios....     

Templated growth of carbon nanotubes with controlled diameters using organic-organometallic block copolymers with tailored block lengths

Block copolymer thin films fabricated from polystyrene-polyferrocenylsilane (PS-b-PFS) block copolymers on silicon substrates were used as precursors of well-ordered, nanosized growth catalysts for carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The size of the catalytic domains was tuned by changing the molecular weight of the block copolymer, enabling control of the diameter of the CNTs grown from these substrates. CNT growth on catalytic substrates with larger organometallic domain sizes, using acetylene as a carbon source, resulted in enhanced amounts of CNT deposition compared to smaller PFS domains, which exhibited low catalytic activity. The inner and outer diameters of the multi-walled CNTs obtained were typically 8 and 16 nm, respectively, and were not influenced by the catalytic domain sizes. Various annealing strategies in inert or in hydrogen atmosphere were investigated. The use acetylene with an additional hydrogen flow as gas feed resulted in a significant increase in deposition on all PS-b-PFS decorated substrates. Under these conditions, the CNT diameters could be controlled by the catalyst domain sizes, resulting in decreasing diameters with decreasing domain sizes. Multiwalled CNTs with inner and outer diameters of 4 and 7 nm, respectively, and a narrow diameter distribution were obtained.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Konjac Gum/Polyethylene Glycol-Silver Nanoparticles and their Potential Application as a Colorimetric Sensor for Hydrogen Peroxide

Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials - Green and low-cost synthesis strategies for ultrasonic preparation of polymer blend matrix-based silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and...     

A Facile Technique to Produce Open Cell Titanium Foams

Nature prefers open cell order in most structures such as trees and skeletons. Engineers have been imitating the nature, to obtain high specific strength, to transfer heat, energy absorbance and filtering for various applications such as filters, heat exchangers, impact absorbers, bone implants. Although ceramic foams have been produced and used as heat shields and filters, recently a great effort has been put on metallic foams produced from aluminium, copper, iron, stainless steel, nickel and titanium. Studies on open cell structured titanium foams are steps forward among these materials due its good biocompatibility and high specific strength. In this study, open cell titanium foams are produced utilizing polymer impregnation process accompanied by a facile sintering method. In traditional foam making, long sintering durations reduce the efficiency as far as cost and delivery time for producers. In order to overcome these problems, an alternative solution is made in the production of open cell titanium foams. A facile method is designed to sinter the impregnated polymers by using induction heating. Titanium foams with open cell structures are successfully produced. SEM, XRD, metallographic characterizations are performed. Average hardness value is calculated as 815.093 ± 6.59 Hv0.1.     

Replication of bovine respiratory syncytial virus in bovine and ovine peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes and monocytic cell lines

The present study compared the replication of bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) in bovine and ovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells, ovine and bovine monocytic cell lines and ovine alveolar macrophages. Low titres of virus were detected in ovine and bovine lymphocytes and monocytes 24-96 h post-exposure to the virus but there was no apparent replication of the virus in ovine alveolar macrophages during the culture period. The virus replicated to higher but statistically insignificant titres in ovine and bovine peripheral blood monocytes than in lymphocytes, with lymphocytes yielding peak titres significantly earlier. The secondary cell lines obtained from ovine liver and bone marrow also supported the replication of BRSV to high titres. The titres of BRSV in ovine and bovine lymphocytes and monocytes were significantly lower than in secondary cell lines. The addition of human recombinant tumour necrosis factor alpha after exposure to the virus or pre-incubation of ovine or bovine monocytic cells with either human recombinant interleukin 2 or phorbol myristate acetate before exposure to BRSV, did not significantly affect virus titre. Pre-incubation of cells with indomethacin or actinomycin significantly lowered virus titre (p < 0.05).     

Antifungal Activity of Olive Oil and Ozonated Olive Oil Against Candida Spp. and Saprochaete Spp.

Ozonated olive oil was investigated for their capacity to inhibit growth of 38 yeast strains of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, and Saprochaete capitata. Two different ozonated olive oil (OZO1, OZO2) and two different olive oil (OL1, OL2) samples having different biochemical parameters were assessed in terms of their antifungal ability and comparison was made. Fluconazole was chosen as control antifungal agent. Each sample’s antifungal activity decreased in the following order: OZO1 > OZO2 > OL1 ≥ OL2. This study demonstrated that ozonated olive oil may help to control some fluconazole-resistant and dose-dependent sensitive fungal strains.     

Design of the polyacrylonitrile-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite-based non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor for glucose detection

With the advantages of developed electronic devices, various biosensor applications have become attractive issues with excellent electrochemical performances against biomarkers and molecules in biomedical applications. In this study, novel polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite-based non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensors were prepared to investigate the detection performance of the glucose. The PAN-rGO nanocomposite-based biosensor detected glucose with a high sensitivity and stability due to enhanced redox mechanism arising from rGO additive. PAN-rGO nanocomposite-based biosensor detected glucose in (0.75–12) mM with a high sensitivity of 49 µAmM^?1 cm^?2 (2.5 times higher than PAN-based sensor). Concentration–response graphs correlating the non-enzymatic electrochemical signal to glucose concentration revealed a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.6 mM within 1-min voltammetric cycle. The selectivity results confirmed a significant preferential response of the proposed PAN-rGO nanocomposite-based biosensor for glucose against possible interfering compounds. The proposed PAN-rGO nanocomposite-based biosensor has a great potential to be used as a nanostructured platform for detection of glucose in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) solution with high sensitivity, selectivity, stability, reproducibility, and fast response properties.

     

AXL Knock-Out in SNU475 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Provides Evidence for Lethal Effect Associated with G2 Arrest and Polyploidization

AXL, a member of the TAM family, is a promising therapeutic target due to its elevated expression in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in association with acquired drug resistance. Previously, RNA interference was used to study its role in cancer, and several phenotypic changes, including attenuated cell proliferation and decreased migration and invasion, have been reported. The mechanism of action of AXL in HCC is elusive. We first studied the AXL expression in HCC cell lines by real-time PCR and western blot and showed its stringent association with a mesenchymal phenotype. We then explored the role of AXL in mesenchymal SNU475 cells by CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene knock-out. AXL-depleted HCC cells displayed drastic phenotypic changes, including increased DNA damage response, prolongation of doubling time, G2 arrest, and polyploidization in vitro and loss of tumorigenicity in vivo. Pharmacological inhibition of AXL by R428 recapitulated G2 arrest and polyploidy phenotype. These observations strongly suggest that acute loss of AXL in some mesenchymal HCC cells is lethal and points out that its inhibition may represent a druggable vulnerability in AXL-high HCC patients.