► Seed-priming might improve seed stress-tolerance through ‘priming memory’, which is established during priming and can be recruited later when seeds are exposed to stresses during germination. ► ...‘Priming memory’ may not be abolished by post-priming drying and is constituted by two strategies: advanced germination potential and cross-tolerance. ► Priming provides a ‘head-start’ of seed transition from quiescent to germinating state, thus increasing the germination potential. ► Priming imposes abiotic stress on seeds that represses radicle protrusion but stimulates stress-responsive elements conferring cross-tolerance.
Seed priming is a pre-sowing treatment that partially hydrates seeds without allowing radicle emergence. Consequently, primed seeds are equipped with advanced germination and exhibit improved germination rate and uniformity. Moreover, seed priming is often implicated in improving the stress-tolerance of germinating seeds, cellular mechanism of which is not well understood. Here we propose a hypothetical model illustrating the cellular physiology of priming-induced stress-tolerance, likely achieved via two strategies. First, seed priming sets in motion germination-related activities (e.g. respiration, endosperm weakening, and gene transcription and translation, etc.) that facilitate the transition of quiescent dry seeds into germinating state and lead to improved germination potential. Secondly, priming imposes abiotic stress on seeds that represses radicle protrusion but stimulates stress responses (e.g. accumulation of LEAs), potentially inducing cross-tolerance. Together, these two strategies constitute a ‘priming memory’ in seeds, which can be recruited upon a subsequent stress-exposure and mediates greater stress-tolerance of germinating primed seeds.
Soft set theory acts as a fundamental tool for handling the uncertainty in the data by adding a parameterized factor during the process unlike fuzzy as well as intuitionistic fuzzy set theory. In ...this manuscript, an attempt has been made to compare two Intuitionistic Fuzzy Soft Numbers (IFSNs) and then weighted averaging and geometric aggregation operators for aggregating the different input arguments have been presented. Further, their various properties have been established. The effectiveness of these operators has been demonstrated through a case study.
Background
Hydrosalpinges in infertile women reduce the success of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) by 50%. Surgical management of hydrosalpinges before IVF improves outcome but these procedures are ...often contraindicated in women with dense pelvic adhesions. Tubal occlusion achieved by Essure® via hysteroscopy provides an alternative.
Objectives
To conduct a systematic review on the efficacy and safety of Essure® in the management of hydrosalpinx before IVF.
Search strategy
We searched MEDLINE (January 1950 to July 2013), EMBASE (January 1980 to July 2013) and Web of Science (1899 to July 2013). We also searched reference lists of relevant articles and proceedings of relevant international conferences (2000–2013).
Selection criteria
All types of studies where women with suspected infertility and presence of hydrosalpinx had hysteroscopic tubal occlusion with Essure® before IVF.
Data collection and analysis
Two authors independently selected studies and extracted data. Where necessary, study authors were contacted for further data.
Main results
In all, 115 women in 11 studies received Essure®, mainly in the outpatient setting where local anaesthesia by paracervical block and/or intravenous sedation was used. Successful placement of Essure® was achieved in 96.5% (95% confidence interval 95% CI 91.1–98.9%) of women and tubal occlusion in 98.1% (95% CI 93.1–99.9%). Subsequent IVF resulted in 38.6% pregnancy rate (95% CI 30.9–46.8%), 27.9% live birth rate (95% CI 21.1–35.8%) and 28.6% combined ongoing pregnancy and live birth rate (95% CI 21.7–36.6%) per embryo transfer.
Author's conclusions
Essure® appears to be an effective option for management of hydrosalpinx in women before IVF although evidence from a randomised controlled clinical trial is lacking.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in an aging population. Unfortunately, current treatments for AF are suboptimal, in large part ...because the molecular mechanisms underlying AF are not well understood. Recent advances in our understanding of the AF disease state have led to the preclinical development of gene‐based therapies that are targeted to key molecular mechanisms involved in the genesis and maintenance of AF.
Softset theory acts as a fundamental tool for handling uncertainty in the data by adding a parameterization factor during the process as compared to fuzzy and intuitionistic fuzzy set theory. In the ...present manuscript, the work has been done under environment of the Intuitionistic Fuzzy SoftSets (IFSSs), and some new averaging/ geometric prioritized aggregation operators have been proposed whose preferences, related to attributes, are made in the form of IFSSs. Their desirable properties have also been investigated. Furthermore, based on these operators, an approach to investigating the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem has been presented. The effectiveness of these operators has been demonstrated through a case study.
•Influence of pyrolysis modeling on CFD entrained coal gasification modeling.•Suitable empirical pyrolysis models calibrated using network models.•Multiple particle heating rates used for the ...calibration.•Very good prediction of flame position considering detailed pyrolysis kinetics.
CFD modeling results for entrained flow coal gasification using advanced submodels for coal conversion are presented and compared to detailed experimental data. The focus of this investigation is on the accurate modeling of the pyrolysis process. An iterative procedure is proposed and validated to bridge the gap between detailed pyrolysis models such as CPD, FLASHCHAIN or FG-DVC and empirical models based on single- or multiple-step kinetic expressions, which are usually used in CFD. Multiple particle heating rates from the CFD solution are taken to perform detailed pyrolysis calculations and these results are used to find optimal kinetic parameters for the empirical models using an automated procedure. It is shown that the heating rate strongly influences the devolatilization process (rate and yield). CFD simulations are performed for the BYU entrained flow gasifier. Due to the high heating rate in entrained flow gasification, the volatile yield can differ significantly from the proximate analysis value. Accurate pyrolysis modeling is shown to be important to capture coal flame ignition, flame location, species distribution and outlet composition. Since the final volatile yield determines the split in carbon conversion between pyrolysis and the subsequent fast conversion in the gas phase and the heterogeneous char conversion, which is a comparatively slow process under gasification conditions, it also directly influences the overall carbon conversion. Overall, the application of the new comprehensive CFD model including the fitted kinetic rates is shown to give similar results to the full coupling of the CFD and pyrolysis software. The comparison between the simulations and the experiments shows very good agreement for three out of four coals. The fourth coal (lignite with high O/C ratio) is well outside the range for which the detailed models were developed, but reasonable agreement is still obtained.
Background
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic and systemic inflammation, results in destruction of joints and cartilages. Effectiveness of curcumin has been established in a wide variety of ...inflammatory disorders, but its utility as a therapeutic agent is limited by its poor absorption, rapid metabolism and fast systemic elimination. To apprehend these limitations, we propose to use highly bioavailable curcumin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (C‐SLNs) for the treatment of RA.
Methods
In the present study, the protective effect of curcumin and its SLNs was evaluated in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)‐induced arthritis in rats.
Results
Arthritic rats exhibited marked decrease in paw withdrawal threshold in Randall–Selitto and von Frey hair test along with decreased reaction time in hot plate. Arthritic rats also showed significant joint hyperalgesia, joint stiffness and increased paw volume along with marked decrease in mobility score. Arthritic rats showed a significant increase in blood leukocyte count, oxidative‐nitrosative stress, tumour necrosis factor‐α, C‐reactive protein, cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody levels and radiological alterations in tibiotarsal joint. C‐SLN administration (10 and 30 mg/kg), when compared with free curcumin (10 and 30 mg/kg), significantly and dose dependently ameliorated various symptoms of arthritis in rats, improved biochemical markers and preserved radiological alterations in joints of arthritic rats.
Conclusions
The current findings suggest the protective potential of curcumin‐SLNs in ameliorating CFA‐induced arthritis in rats through attenuation of oxido‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory cascade. Further, the results emphasize that SLNs are a novel approach to deliver curcumin into the inflamed joints and improve its biopharmaceutical performance.
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