Bone marrow and renal injury associated with haloalkene cysteine conjugates in calves

Almost 40 years ago, it was reported that cattle-feed which had been extracted with hot trichloroethylene and then fed to calves produced renal injury and a fatal aplastic anaemia. The toxic factor was subsequently identified as S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC). These original findings have been confirmed, a single intravenous dose of DCVC at 4 mg/kg, or 0.4 mg/kg intravenously per day administered for 10 days to calves produced aplastic anaemia, and renal injury after a single dose of 4 mg/kg. The toxicity to calves of a number of other haloalkene cysteine conjugates has been examined to ascertain whether, like DCVC, they produce bone marrow and renal injury. Intravenous administration of the N-acetyl cysteine conjugate of DCVC produced renal but not bone marrow injury at a molar equivalent dose to DCVC, indicating that the calf can deacetylate the mercapturic acid and further that sufficient chemical had reached the kidney to be a substrate for the enzyme cysteine conjugate beta-lyase. However, intravenous administration of the alpha-methyl analogue of DCVC, which cannot undergo metabolism via the enzyme cysteine conjugate beta-lyase, was without toxicity at doses about five-fold higher than DCVC. These latter findings provide strong evidence that metabolism of DCVC via the enzyme beta-lyase is necessary for bone marrow and renal injury to occur. The cysteine conjugates of perchloroethylene and hexachloro-1,3-butadiene(HCBD) when given intravenously to calves at molar equivalent doses to DCVC, or above, did not produce either bone marrow or renal injury. In contrast, intravenous administration of the cysteine conjugate of tetrafluoroethylene (TFEC) produced severe renal tubular injury in calves without affecting the bone marrow. In vitro studies with these haloalkene cysteine conjugates showed, like DCVC, that they were good substrates for calf renal cysteine conjugate beta-lyase and toxic to renal cells as judged by their ability to reduce organic anion and cation transport by slices of calf renal cortex and inhibit the renal enzyme glutathione reductase. Calves were also dosed either orally or intravenously with HCBD to assess its toxicity. HCBD at higher molar equivalent doses than DCVC produced mid-zonal necrosis in the liver, renal tubular necrosis but no bone marrow injury in calves. The key findings emerging from these studies are (1) that none of the other cysteine conjugates, at molar equivalent doses to DCVC and above, produce bone marrow injury in calves, (2) TFEC produced only renal injury, suggesting that sufficient of the other conjugates had not reached the kidney for metabolism by beta-lyase to produce cytotoxicity and (3) that HCBD itself is more toxic than its cysteine or mercapturic acid conjugate, suggesting that pharmaco-kinetics and disposition are important factors in determining the toxicity of these conjugates to calves. Further studies are needed to understand the basis for the selective toxicity of DCVC to the bone marrow of calves.     

Spectral nephelometry for making extravirgin olive oil fingerprints

In spectral nephelometry, absorption spectroscopy and nephelometry are innovatively combined to provide simultaneous online monitoring of color and turbidity of edible oils. Spectral nephelometry instrumentation consists of an optoelectronic device that measures the absorption spectrum of the oil sample at different angles. Data processing, carried out by principal component analysis (PCA), allows identification of the oil sample and creates a two-dimensional map as a fingerprint of oil types.     

Local feature selection for multiple instance learning

Journal of Intelligent Information Systems - We propose a local feature selection method for the Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) framework. Unlike conventional feature selection algorithms that...     

An enumeration algorithm for integer‐valued data envelopment analysis

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) models assume real‐valued inputs and outputs, but on many occasions, some inputs and/or outputs can only take integer values. In these cases, using DEA models can result in misleading efficiency assessments and inaccurate performance targets. In this paper, we propose an enumeration algorithm for computing efficiency scores and performance targets of decision‐making units with integer value inputs/outputs. In the presented algorithm, we do not use any of the mixed integer linear programming (MILP) models that are used in previous studies. We show that the result of our algorithm and that of the MILP model presented in this context is the same. We also generalize our algorithm for different types of returns to scale as well as for the hybrid setting with real‐valued data.     

Using bent carbon nanotubes for the fabrication of electromechanical switches

An electromechanical switch based on bent carbon nanotubes was fabricated. The shape and structure of the bent carbon nanotubes allows one to produce a low cost and low working voltage switch. The fabrication process is free of any nanolithography. The electrical characteristics of the fabricated device were investigated, both experimentally and theoretically. Actuation of the fabricated device shows hysteresis behavior in the measured I–V curves depending on the structural parameters of the bent nanotubes. The relationship between the pull-in voltage and the morphology of the bent nanotubes was studied by the obtained hysteresis curves. A scanning electron microscope was used for structural analysis. This study introduced an easy way to fabricate electromechanical switches with controllable on/off states.     

Continuous size-based focusing and bifurcating microparticle streams using a negative dielectrophoretic system

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an electrokinetic phenomenon which is used for manipulating micro- and nanoparticles in micron-sized devices with high sensitivity. In recent years, electrode-based DEP by patterning narrow oblique electrodes in microchannels has been used for particle manipulation. In this theoretic study, a microchannel with triangular electrodes is presented and a detailed comparison with oblique electrodes is made. For each shape, the behavior of particles is compared for three different configurations of applied voltages. Electric field, resultant DEP force, and particle trajectories for configurations are computed by means of Rayan native code. The separation efficiency of the two systems is assessed and compared afterward. The results demonstrate higher lateral DEP force, responsible for particle separation, distributed wider across the channel width for triangular shape electrodes in comparison with the oblique ones. The proposed electrode shape also shows the ability of particle separation by attracting negative DEP particles to or propelling them from the flow centerline, according to the configuration of applied voltages. A major deficiency of the oblique electrodes, which is the streamwise variation of the lateral DEP force direction near the electrodes, is also eliminated in the proposed electrode shape. In addition, with a proper voltages configuration, the triangular electrodes require lower voltages for particle focusing in comparison with the oblique ones.     

Mortality response of folate receptor-activated,PEG–functionalized TiO2 nanoparticles for doxorubicin loading with and without ultraviolet irradiation

TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by hydrothermal assisted sol–gel technique. In the next step, as-synthesized NPs were modified by poly ethylene glycol (PEG). Then, folic acid (FA) was conjugated to TiO₂–PEG. Finally, Doxorubicin (Dox) as an anticancer drug was loaded on as-prepared TiO₂–PEG–FA nanocarrier. The optimization of TiO₂ and FA concentration and the influence of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on photocatalytic activity of nanocarrier and Dox loaded carrier were assessed by utilizing the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)-assay method.     

Use of a selective extractant-impregnated resin for removal of Pb(II) ion from waters and wastewaters: Kinetics,equilibrium and thermodynamic study

Adsorption of Pb(II) ion by a novel extractant-impregnated resin, EIR, was studied as a function of various experimental parameters using batch adsorption experiments. The new EIR was prepared by impregnating gallocyanine (GCN) onto Amberlite XAD-16 resin beads. The EIR was characterized by nitrogen analysis and SEM micrographs. The new EIR showed excellent selectivity factor values (α) for Pb(II) adsorption respect to other metal ions. The effects of some chemical and physical variables were evaluated and the optimum conditions were found for Pb(II) removal from aqueous solutions. The equilibrium adsorption isotherm was fitted with the Langmuir adsorption model. The maximum adsorption capacity (q_max) of EIR for Pb(II) ions was found to be 367.92 mg g⁻¹. The kinetic studies showed that the intra-particle diffusion is the rate-controlling step. Also, the intra-particle diffusion coefficients, D_ip values, were of the order of 10⁻¹² m² s⁻¹. The values of enthalpy (ΔH°) were positive, which confirms the endothermic nature of adsorption process. Also, the positive entropy changes (ΔS°) were showed that the randomness increased along with the adsorption process. In addition, the obtained negative values of Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) indicated feasible and spontaneous nature of the adsorption process at different temperatures. The new adsorbent was very stable so that it can be successfully used for many consecutive cycles without significant loss in its adsorption capacity.     

Optical collection efficiency and orientation of a solar trough medium-power plant installed in Italy

Parabolic trough collectors were investigated, applying the study results to a plant prototype installed in Florence (Italy) for residential supply. Ray tracing simulations examined optical characteristics and collection performance on the base of prototype geometry and functionality. The purpose was to control the realisation errors and overcome the difficulties arising in the development of the solar trough plant. The paper summarises the results of several studies analysing the interactions between collection efficiency, angular misalignments, mirror deformations, sun tracking and trough placement. The mirror deformations are reproduced introducing an original procedure. The unusual subject of imprecision in trough axis placement is discussed.     

In vitro bioactivity and biocompatibility of lithium substituted 45S5 bioglass

In this study, different concentrations of Li₂O (0–12 wt.%) were substituted for Na₂O in 45S5 bioglass® and the effect of these substitutions on both in vitro apatite formation ability and osteoblastic cell responses was studied. For these purposes, the structural and topographical properties of the glasses were studied using, XRD, FTIR, SEM/EDXA and AFM techniques, before and after storing in simulated body fluid for different time intervals. Additionally, the proliferation rate and activity of newborn rat calvaria-derived osteoblastic cells on different samples were examined by using dimethylthiazol diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assessment methods. From XRD and FTIR data, it was found that poor crystalline carbonated nanoapatite phase was formed on the surface of glasses with maximum concentration of Li or without Li, while at low substitutions an inhibition of apatite formation was observed. The apatite layer formed on the surfaces of the glasses had similar morphology, flakes which tightly entangled to others. All samples had the same surface roughness before soaking but different values after that. It was found that both proliferation rate and alkaline phosphatase activity of the cells cultured on Li-substituted glasses were higher than those of Li-free sample in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that lithia-modified glasses may be successfully used as bone defect filler even with more effectiveness than 45S5 bioglass®.