ABSTRACT
We present an analysis of morphological, kinematic, and spectral asymmetries in observations of atomic neutral hydrogen (H i) gas from the Local Volume H i Survey (LVHIS), the VLA Imaging of ...Virgo in Atomic Gas (VIVA) survey, and the Hydrogen Accretion in Local Galaxies Survey. With the aim of investigating the impact of the local environment density and stellar mass on the measured H i asymmetries in future large H i surveys, we provide recommendations for the most meaningful measures of asymmetry for use in future analysis. After controlling for stellar mass, we find signs of statistically significant trends of increasing asymmetries with local density. The most significant trend we measure is for the normalized flipped spectrum residual (Aspec), with mean LVHIS and VIVA values of 0.204 ± 0.011 and 0.615 ± 0.068 at average weighted 10th nearest-neighbour galaxy number densities of log (ρ10/Mpc−3) = −1.64 and 0.88, respectively. Looking ahead to the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind survey on the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, we estimate that the number of detections will be sufficient to provide coverage over 5 orders of magnitude in both local density and stellar mass increasing the dynamic range and accuracy with which we can probe the effect of these properties on the asymmetry in the distribution of atomic gas in galaxies.
In order to utilize the psyllium husk, a medicinally important natural polysaccharide, for developing the novel hydrogels meant for the controlled drug delivery devices, we have prepared psyllium and ...polyacrylamide based polymeric networks by using
N,
N′-methylenebisacrylamide (
N,
N-MBAAm) as crosslinker. The polymeric networks thus formed were characterized with scanning electron micrography (SEM), FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques to study various structural aspects of the networks. This paper discusses the swelling responses of the polymeric networks as a function of time, temperature, pH and NaCl. Equilibrium swelling has been observed to be dependent on both structural aspects of the polymers and swelling environment. Percent swelling (Ps) has been observed to be decrease with increase in
NN-MBAAm in the polymeric networks. It increases abruptly from 1437% to 4975% by changing the swelling medium from distilled water to solution of 0.5
M NaOH, which indicates the smart behavior of the network. Maximum Ps 4975 was observed at 6.4
×
10
−3
mol/L of
NN-MBAAm. These observations indicate that these hydrogels are pH sensitive and have potential for use in colon specific drug delivery.
•Synthesis of bis-quaternary structural unit in starch by green protocol.•Applied protocol is efficient for high extent of modification and almost good uniformity.•The synthesized gemini like ...structure supports high degree of quaternization of 62% by different analytical estimations.•Such a high value of quaternary functionality will impart high potential for applications in water and industrial applications.
This paper presents the synthesis of bis-quaternary starch by innocuous reagents. For this, starch was functionalized to di-aldehyde structure by periodate oxidation. Aldehyde is reactive and amenable to further derivatization to amine structure. It was functionalized to amine via the modified Leuckart–Wallach reaction. Then, the aminated starch was modified to the quaternary form by the exhaustive methylation. The structural characterization of synthesized compounds was performed using titrimetric analytical estimation, FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and SEM-EDX. Analytical results showed 58.8% aldehyde content in di-aldehyde starch. The synthesized quaternary derivatives with gemini like structure showed high degree of quaternization 62%. In conclusion, the applied protocol is efficient and revealed high extent of modification with almost good uniformity from the characterization studies.
Immature seeds of soybean are becoming increasingly popular as a snack/vegetable to harness the health benefits of soybean. They are shelled from the immature pods picked from the mother plant at ...different reproductive stages. Information concerning changes in antioxidant constituents and antioxidant capacity during reproductive phases of soybean seeds is scarce. The aim of the present study was to determine whether immature seeds picked at different reproductive stages differ in tocopherol, isoflavone, total phenolic contents, free radical scavenging activity, and total antioxidative capacity. Seeds shelled from the soybean pods picked at three reproductive stages (R5, R6, and R7) as well as at full maturity were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography analyses for tocopherol and isoflavone contents. Significantly higher values (P < 0.05) were observed for tocopherols and isoflavones in immature seeds picked at late reproductive stages. At the first reproductive stage, that is, R5 stage, δ-tocopherol was the predominant form of tocopherol, whereas in subsequent reproductive stages as well as at complete maturity stage, the γ-isomer contributed maximum proportion to the total tocopherol content. Genistein was, in general, the major form of isoflavone at all reproductive stages. Reduction in free radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic content in late-picked seeds concomitant with increased concentration of tocopherol and isoflavone isomers was observed. The results show that bioactive constituents other than isoflavones and tocopherols may decline with the advancement of maturity.
c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) plays a vital role in malignant transformation of different cancers, and JNK is highly activated in basal-like triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the roles ...of JNK in regulating cancer stem-like cell (CSC) phenotype and tumorigenesis in TNBC are not well defined. JNK is known to mediate many cellular events via activating c-Jun. Here, we found that JNK regulated c-Jun activation in TNBC cells and that JNK activation correlated with c-Jun activation in TNBC tumors. Furthermore, the expression level of c-Jun was significantly higher in TNBC tumors than in non-TNBC tumors, and high c-Jun mRNA level was associated with shorter disease-free survival of patients with TNBC. Thus, we hypothesized that the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway contributes to TNBC tumorigenesis. We found that knockdown of JNK1 or JNK2 or treatment with JNK-IN-8, an adenosine triphosphate-competitive irreversible pan-JNK inhibitor, significantly reduced cell proliferation, the ALDH1
and CD44
/CD24
CSC subpopulations, and mammosphere formation, indicating that JNK promotes CSC self-renewal and maintenance in TNBC. We further demonstrated that both JNK1 and JNK2 regulated Notch1 transcription via activation of c-Jun and that the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway promoted CSC phenotype through Notch1 signaling in TNBC. In a TNBC xenograft mouse model, JNK-IN-8 significantly suppressed tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner by inhibiting acquisition of the CSC phenotype. Taken together, our data demonstrate that JNK regulates TNBC tumorigenesis by promoting CSC phenotype through Notch1 signaling via activation of c-Jun and indicate that JNK/c-Jun/Notch1 signaling is a potential therapeutic target for TNBC.
To assess the scope for enhancing productivity of soybean (
Glycine max L. Merr.), the CROPGRO-Soybean model was calibrated and validated for the diverse soybean-growing environments of central and ...peninsular India. The validated model was used to estimate potential yields (water non-limiting and water limiting) and yield gaps of soybean for 21 locations representing major soybean regions of India. The average water non-limiting potential yield of soybean for the locations was 3020
kg
ha
−1, while the water limiting potential was 2170
kg
ha
−1 indicating a 28% reduction in yield due to adverse soil moisture conditions. As against this, the actual yields of locations averaged 1000
kg
ha
−1, which was 2020 and 1170
kg
ha
−1 less than the water non-limiting potential and water limiting potential yields, respectively. Across locations the water non-limiting potential yields were less variable than water limited potential and actual yields, and strongly correlated with solar radiation during the season (
R
2
=
0.83,
p
≤
0.01). Both simulated water limiting potential yield (
R
2
=
0.59,
p
≤
0.01) and actual yield (
R
2
=
0.33,
p
≤
0.05) had significant but positive and curvilinear relationships with crop season rainfall across locations. The gap between water non-limiting and water limiting potential yields was very large at locations with low crop season rainfall and narrowed down at locations with increasing quantity of crop season rainfall. On the other hand, the gap between water limiting potential yield and actual farmers yield was narrow at locations with low crop season rainfall and increased considerably at locations with increasing amounts of rainfall. This yield gap, which reflects the actual yield gap in rainfed environment, is essentially due to non-adoption of improved crop management practices and could be reduced if proper interventions are made. The simulation study suggested that conservation of rainfall and drought resistant varieties in low rainfall regimes; and alleviation of water-logging and use of water-logging tolerant varieties in high rainfall regimes will be the essential components of improved technologies aimed at reducing the yield gaps of soybean. Harvesting of excess rainfall during the season and its subsequent use as supplemental irrigation would further help in increasing crop yields at most locations.
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•PMMA nano-fiber membrane diameter modeled by artificial neural networks (ANN).•ANN model predicted fiber diameter at new instances.•The model provided process window for the desired ...fiber diameter.•ANN model identified the importance of process parameters on fiber diameter.•Graphical user interface of the ANN model is designed.
Relationship between the electrospun fiber diameters of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibers with process parameters are complex and nonlinear. We used artificial neural networks technique to estimate the electrospun PMMA nanofiber diameter as a function of polymer concentration, nozzle-collector distance, temperature, flow rate, and voltage. The average errors of the predicted fiber diameters for training and testing data were found to be 1.26% and 5.74%, respectively. Process window for optimum nanofiber diameter was generated. The proposed index of relative importance, evaluated in this study, will be a useful guide to quantitatively and qualitatively identify and define the importance of different electrospinning parameters on the fiber diameter.
This study explores the preservative potential of herbs
Cinnamomum
and
Origanum
in extending the shelf life of bread prepared with meat and dietary fibres. Three groups consisting of one control (
C
...) and two treatments (
T
1 &
T
2) were prepared, aerobically packaged and stored under refrigeration for twelve days. The breads were evaluated for physicochemical qualities, lipid oxidation, antioxidant potential, microbial and sensorial qualities on every third day of storage. Treatments exemplified better storage stability than control (lower pH changes, PV, TBARS, FFA values, SPC, psychrophile count and higher aw, DPPH inhibition,
a*, b*
, overall acceptability) throughout. The effect of storage on groups and quality parameters were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA). The results indicated better physicochemical, microbial and quality characteristics of
Origanum
added breads over
Cinnamomum
and control breads. It was concluded that
Cinnamomum
and
Origanum
added breads had higher shelf life than control, while
Origanum
added breads maintained better quality characteristics than
Cinnamomum
added breads during storage.
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