Fluorescence imaging of individual ions and molecules in pressurized noble gases for barium tagging in Xe.

The imaging of individual Ba ions in high pressure xenon gas is one possible way to attain background-free sensitivity to neutrinoless double beta decay and hence establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino. In this paper we demonstrate selective single Ba ion imaging inside a high-pressure xenon gas environment. Ba ions chelated with molecular chemosensors are resolved at the gas-solid interface using a diffraction-limited imaging system with scan area of 1 × 1 cm located inside 10 bar of xenon gas.

Segmentation of LiDAR point cloud data in urban areas using adaptive neighborhood selection technique.

Semantic segmentation of urban areas using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point cloud data is challenging due to the complexity, outliers, and heterogeneous nature of the input point cloud data. The machine learning-based methods for segmenting point clouds suffer from the imprecise computation of the training feature values. The most important factor that influences how precisely the feature values are computed is the neighborhood chosen by each point.

Demonstration of event position reconstruction based on diffusion in the NEXT-white detector.

Noble element time projection chambers are a leading technology for rare event detection in physics, such as for dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay searches. Time projection chambers typically assign event position in the drift direction using the relative timing of prompt scintillation and delayed charge collection signals, allowing for reconstruction of an absolute position in the drift direction. In this paper, alternate methods for assigning event drift distance via quantification of electron diffusion in a pure high pressure xenon gas time projection chamber are explored.

HIV Testing among sexually active Ghanaians: an examination of the rural-urban correlates.

HIV testing is critical in reducing the risk of HIV transmission. We investigated the rural-urban correlates of HIV testing amongst sexually active Ghanaians using data from the 2017/2018 Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Six (GMICS 6). Robust Poisson models (reporting Adjusted Prevalence Ratios (APR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs)) were used to achieve this aim.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Impregnation of Gold Nanoparticles Demonstrates a New Route for the Fabrication of Hybrid Silk Materials.

How many nanoparticles can we load in a fiber? How much will leak? Underlying is the relatively new question of the "space available" in fibers for nanoparticle loading. Here, using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO) as a carrier fluid, we explored the impregnation in four Indian silks (Mulberry, Eri, Muga, and Tasar) with five standard sizes of gold nanoparticles (5, 20, 50, 100 and 150 nm in diameter). All silks could be permanently impregnated with nanoparticles up to 150 nm in size under scCO impregnation.

Sonication enhances the stability of MnO nanoparticles on silk film template for enzyme mimic application.

We have developed an in-situ method using sonication (3 mm probe sonicator, 30 W, 20 kHz) and auto-reduction (control) to study the mechanism of the formation of manganese dioxide (MnO) on a solid template (silk film), and its resulting enzymatic activity on tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate. The fabrication of the silk film was first optimized for stability (no degradation) and optical transparency. A factorial approach was used to assess the effect of sonication time and the initial concentration of potassium permanganate (KMnO).

Conductive and enzyme-like silk fibers for soft sensing application.

A combination of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO) impregnation of pyrrole and sonochemical transformation of permanganate (KMnO) was used to impart conductive and catalytic properties to silk fibers. The results indicated that the conductivity (from polypyrrole -PPy) and catalytic activities (from manganese dioxide -MnO) were independent and complementary within the processing parameters used. The enhanced conductivity was attributed to scCO preferentially distributing the pyrrole monomers along with the silk internal fibrillar structure and hence, yielding a more linear PPy.

Nonmulberry Silk Braids Direct Terminal Osteocytic Differentiation through Activation of Wnt-Signaling.

Silk polymers can regulate osteogenesis by mimicking some features of the extracellular matrix of bone and facilitate mineralized deposition on their surface by cultured osteoprogenitors. However, terminal differentiation of these mineralizing osteoblasts into osteocytic phenotypes has not yet been demonstrated on silk. Therefore, in this study we test the hypothesis that flat braids of natively (nonregenerated) spun nonmulberry silk , possessing mechanical stiffness in the range of trabecular bone, can regulate osteocyte differentiation within their 3D microenvironment.

Rye bran alkylresorcinols suppress adipocyte lipolysis and hormone-sensitive lipase activity.

The effects of alkylresorcinols (ARs) isolated from rye bran on adipocyte lipolysis, hormone-sensitive lipase activity and phosphorylation and on phosphorylation of protein kinase A substrates were studied. Preincubation with ARs for 18 h suppressed catecholamine-stimulated lipolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), a key lipase responsible for stimulated lipolysis, and phosphorylation of protein kinase A substrates, were diminished after preincubation with ARs, whereas HSL protein expression was unaltered.

Bacteriophage receptors, mechanisms of phage adsorption and penetration into host cell.

Bacteriophages are an attractive tool for application in the therapy of bacterial infections, for biological control of bacterial contamination of foodstuffs in the alimentary industry, in plant protection, for control of water-borne pathogens, and control of environmental microflora. This review is mainly focused on structures governing phage recognition of host cell and mechanisms of phage adsorption and penetration into microbial cell.

Fructose-selective calorimetric biosensor in flow injection analysis.

A highly selective, interference free biosensor for the measurement of fructose in real syrup samples was developed. The assay is based on the phosphorylation of D(-)fructose to fructose-6-phosphate by hexokinase and subsequent conversion of fructose-6-phosphate to fructose-1,6-biphosphate by fructose-6-phosphate-kinase. The heat liberated in the second reaction is monitored using an enzyme thermistor.

Enhanced efficiency of industrial-scale anaerobic digestion by the addition of glycosidic enzymes.

The results of the action of two glycosidic enzymes added to an anaerobic digester processing mixed wastewater sludge are reported in this paper. The experiment was performed at a continuously operating full-scale wastewater treatment plant during a 6-month period. The addition of the enzyme mixture resulted in improved gas production and dewatering properties.

Isolation of anacardic acid from natural cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) using supercritical carbon dioxide.

Solvent extracted cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), conventionally known as natural CNSL, is a mixture of several alkenyl phenols. One of these alkenyl phenols is anacardic acid, which is present at the highest concentration. In view of anticipated industrial applications of anacardic acid, the objective of this work was to isolate anacardic acid from natural CNSL by supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2).

Characterization of antimicrobial compounds produced by Pseudomonas aurantiaca S-1.

Pseudomonas aurantiaca S-1 can serve as a natural source of pesticides towards phytopathogens like Fusarium oxysporum P1 and Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea BIM B-280. The largest pool of produced antimicrobial compounds was found in four days-old spent culture supernatant.

The function of cation-binding agents in the enzymatic treatment of municipal sludge.

Treatment of sludge with enzymes has previously been shown to efficiently release organic matter. However, the added enzymes were partially adsorbed to, entrapped by or bound to the sludge structure. Simultaneous decrease of enzymes activities was observed.

Analysis of factors that predict clinical performance in medical school.

Academic achievement indices including GPAs and MCAT scores are used to predict the spectrum of medical student academic performance types. However, use of these measures ignores two changes influencing medical school admissions: student diversity and affirmative action, and an increased focus on communication skills. To determine if GPA and MCAT predict performance in medical school consistently across students, and whether either predicts clinical performance in clerkships.

Application of enzymes, sodium tripolyphosphate and cation exchange resin for the release of extracellular polymeric substances from sewage sludge. Characterization of the extracted polysaccharides/glycoconjugates by a panel of lectins.

The study describes extraction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from sewage sludge by applying enzymes and enzymes combined with sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP). Additionally, a systematic study of two non-enzymatic extraction agents is described. The assessment of the released products is made by colorimetrical methods and polysaccharides/glycoconjugates identification by the interaction with four immobilized lectins.

The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of conjugated trans-2-nonenal (T2N), an off-flavor compound in beer and heat processed food arising from lipid oxidation.

This study investigates the toxic effect of E(2)nonenal (trans-2-nonenal, T2N) and its conjugate with horse muscle myoglobin (Mb) tested on murine cell line L929 and human cell line A549, as well as the genotoxic effect of these compounds assayed by measuring of micronuclei in human cells K562. It is an aldehyde, which is occurring as the substance responsible for an off flavour in aged beers, but originates also from lipid oxidation in heat processed food. T2N is an aldehyde formed from linoleic acid as a secondary oxidation product.

A novel procedure for the isolation of glycolipids from Bifidobacterium adolescentis 94 BIM using supercritical carbon dioxide.

This study describes a novel isolation procedure for major glycolipids from Bifidobacterium adolescentis 94 BIM. The procedure consists of the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) with hydro-methanolic solution as co-solvent. The major glycolipids were isolated using the following operating conditions: pressure, 30 MPa, co-solvent concentration, 10% (9:1, methanol/water, v/v), CO(2) flow rate, 5 g/min, extraction time and temperature, 2h and 55 degrees C, respectively.

Improvement of NaNO2-oxidizing activity in Nitrobacter vulgaris by coentrapment in polyacrylamide containing polydimethylsiloxane copolymer and DEAE-sephadex.

Removal of nitrite and nitrate from drinking water has attracted great attention in recent years because of the human health risk induced by the exposure to contaminated groundwater and surface water. We have therefore tested a model nitrite oxidation system by coentrapping the NaNO2 oxidizer Nitrobacter vulgaris with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) copolymer and DEAE-Sephadex in a polyacrylamide gel. The copolymer and the anion exchanger facilitate the diffusion of oxygen and NaNO2, respectively, into the gel matrix.

Extraction of rye bran by supercritical carbon dioxide: influence of temperature, CO2, and cosolvent flow rates.

Process parameter optimization for the supercritical CO(2) extraction of rye bran to obtain alkylresorcinols (AR) was studied by carrying out a two-level fractional design experiment. Four parameters, temperature, CO(2) flow rate, cosolvent percentage, and extraction time, presumed to influence the extraction process, were analyzed. A tentative fractionation of the crude extract was also carried out and is discussed.

Optical lectin based biosensor as tool for bacteria identification.

Biosensor techniques are based on biospecific interaction between the biological parts of biosensor with the analyte. In biosensor construction, antibodies are usually used for the detection of analytes such as microorganism, because of very strong and highly specific interaction. The disadvantages of this assay are a long time needed for antibody isolation and purification as well as difficult regeneration of biosensor chip.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) biosynthesis in the biofilm of Alcaligenes eutrophus, using glucose enzymatically released from pulp fiber sludge.

Glucose, enzymatically released from pulp fiber sludge, was combined with inorganic salts and used as a growth medium for Alcaligenes eutrophus, a gram-negative strain producing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). By controlling the concentrations of the inorganic salts in the growth medium, almost 78% of the cell mass was converted to pure PHB. Efforts were made to find conditions for bacterial growth in the form of a biofilm on a cheap and reusable carrier.

Novel peptide surface for reversible immobilization of concanavalin A.

Concanavalin A (Con A) was spontaneously adsorbed on polymyxin B surface. This peptide-lectin interaction was strong, K(D)=1.9 x 10(-10), based predominantly on creation of hydrophobic bonds, and was completely reversible.