Bacterial Cellulose: A sustainable source to develop value-added products - A review

In recent decades, worldwide economic and environmental issues have prompted research scientists to re-direct their interests to bio-based resources, which are sustainable in nature. In this context, microbial polysaccharides, such as bacterial cellulose (BC), also known as microbial cellulose (MC), are some of the upcoming and emergent resources and have potential application in various bio- and non-bio-based sectors of the modern world. Many researchers have already established novel BC/MC production methods, and many new studies have been published on lab-scale and large-scale production aspects of BC/MC to date. To further expand the novel use of this sustainable source, significant progress toward the development of BC/MC has appeared in recent years. Specifically, there have been many publications and/or research reports on the valorization of BC/MC in the food, paper, materials, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical industries, among others. This review will address the novel application aspects of BC/MC today, with the aim of demonstrating the importance of this sustainable and novel source in the development of value-added products

Conservative Treatment Of The Dentigerous Cyst: Report Of Two Cases

The purpose of this paper is to present two cases of dentigerous cyst associated to permanent teeth in children treated by conservative techniques. Dentigerous cyst is the most common developmental cysts of the jaws. Conservative treatment is very effective to this entity and aims at eliminating the cystic tissue and preserving the permanent tooth involved in the pathology. Two techniques are described as conservative treatment for these cysts, marsupialization and the decompression. Two children presented with dentigerous cysts. A female child was affected by a large lesion at the right side of the mandible associated to tooth 45. The other lesion arose at the left maxilla associated to tooth 21 of a male child. Each dentigerous cyst promoted severe tooth displacement. The first patient was treated with decompression and the second with marsupialization.1215256Kumar, R., Singh, R.K., Pandey, R.K., Mohammad, S., Ram, H., Inflammatory dentigerous cyst in a ten-year-old child (2012) Natl J Maxillofac Surg, 3, pp. 80-83Pinheiro, R.S., Castro, G.F., Roter, M., Netto, R., Meirelles Jr., V., Janini, M.E., An unusual dentigerous cyst in a young child (2013) Gen Dent, 61, pp. 62-64Picciotti, M., Divece, L., Parrini, S., Pettini, M., Lorenzini, G., Replantation of tooth involved in dentigerous cyst: a case report (2012) Eur J Paediatr Dent, 13, pp. 349-351Marwah, N., Bishen, K.A., Prabha, V., Goenka, P., A conservative approach in the management of inflammatory dentigerous cyst in transitional dentition: a case report (2012) Eur J Paediatr Dent, 13, pp. 349-351Benn, A., Altini, M., Dentigerous cysts of inflammatory origin A clinicopathologic study (1996) Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 81, pp. 203-209de Matos, F.R., Nonaka, C.F., Pinto, L.P., de Souza, L.B., de Almeida Freitas, R., Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor: retrospective study of 15 cases with emphasis on histopathologic features (2012) Head Neck Pathol, 6, pp. 430-437Lima, G.S., Fontes, S.T., de Araújo, L.M., Etges, A., Tarquinio, S.B., Gomes, A.P., A survey of oral and maxillofacial biopsies in children: a single-center retrospective study of 20 years in Pelotas-Brazil (2008) J Appl Oral Sci, 16, pp. 397-402Hyomoto, M., Kawakami, M., Inoue, M., Kirita, T., Clinical conditions for eruption of maxillary canines and mandibular premolars associated with dentigerous cysts (2003) Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop, 124, pp. 515-520Horowitz, R.A., Giannasca, P.J., Woodcock, C.L., Ultrastructural preservation of nuclei and chromatin: improvement with low-temperature methods (1990) J Microsc, 157, pp. 205-224Benichou, G., Tonsho, M., Tocco, G., Nadazdin, O., Madsen, J.C., Innate immunity and resistance to tolerogenesis in allotransplantation (2012) Front Immunol, 3, p. 73Gervasio, A.M., Silva, D.A., Taketomi, E.A., Souza, C.J., Sung, S.S., Loyola, A.M., Levels of GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-6 in fluid and tissue from human radicular cysts (2005) J Dent Res, 81, pp. 64-68Takagi, S., Koyama, S., Guided eruption of an impacted second premolar associated with a dentigerous cyst in the maxillary sinus of a 6-year-old child (1999) J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 56, pp. 237-245Miyawaki, S., Hyomoto, M., Tsubauchi, J., Eruption speed and rate of angulation change of a cyst-associated mandibular second premolar after marsupialization of a dentigerous cyst (1999) Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop, 116, pp. 578-58

Cosmological constraints from the cluster contribution to the power spectrum of the soft X-ray background. New evidence for a low sigma_8

We use the X-ray power spectrum of the ROSAT all-sky survey in the R6 band (approximately 0.9-1.3 keV) to set an upper limit on the galaxy cluster power spectrum. The cluster power spectrum is modelled with a minimum number of robust assumptions regarding the structure of the clusters. The power spectrum of ROSAT sets an upper limit on the Omega_m-sigma_8 plane which excludes all the models with sigma_8 above sigma_8 = 0.5/(Omega_m^0.38) in a flat LCDM universe. We discuss the possible sources of systematic errors in our conclusions, mainly dominated by the assumed L_x-T relation. Alternatively, this relation could be constrained by using the X-ray power spectrum, if the cosmological model is known. Our conclusions suggest that only models with a low value of sigma_8 (sigma_8 < 0.8 for Omega_m = 0.3) may be compatible with our upper limit. We also find that models predicting lower luminosities in galaxy clusters are favoured. Reconciling our cosmological constraints with these arising by other methods might require either a high entropy floor or wide-spread presence of cooling flows in the low-redshift clusters.Comment: 14 pages, 19 plots (2 as gif files). MNRAS submitte

Potential reactivity assessment of mechanically activated kaolin as alternative cement precursor

This work aims to assess the potential reactivity of a mechanically activated kaolin for its use as an alternative cement precursor. The mechanical activation was successfully achieved by grinding at different rotation speeds (250, 300, and 350 rpm) and times (60, 90, and 120 min), obtaining a highly amorphous and reactive material. The amorphization was monitored through XRD with amorphous content estimation and FTIR deconvolution. The potential reactivity was evaluated through chemical attacks, obtaining SiO2 and Al2O3 availabilities up to 95 wt% and 93 wt% of total SiO2 and Al2O3 content. XRD and FTIR also allowed the identification of the nonreactive phases on the insoluble residue after chemical attacks. NMR analysis revealed that part of the aluminium was in IV coordination, limiting the reactivity in the alkali activation process. This work demonstrated the effectiveness of mechanical activation as a greener treatment than thermal dehydroxylation to increase the raw kaolin's reactivity

A positive feedback loop between AMPK and GDF15 promotes metformin antidiabetic effects

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metformin, the most prescribed drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, has been recently reported to promote weight loss by upregulating the anorectic cytokine growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15). Since the antidiabetic effects of metformin are mostly mediated by the activation of AMPK, a key metabolic sensor in energy homeostasis, we examined whether the activation of this kinase by metformin was dependent on GDF15. METHODS: Cultured hepatocytes and myotubes, and wild-type and Gdf15(-/-) mice were utilized in a series of studies to investigate the involvement of GDF15 in the activation of AMPK by metformin. RESULTS: A low dose of metformin increased GDF15 levels without significantly reducing body weight or food intake, but it ameliorated glucose intolerance and activated AMPK in the liver and skeletal muscle of wild-type mice but not Gdf15(-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet. Cultured hepatocytes and myotubes treated with metformin showed AMPK-mediated increases in GDF15 levels independently of its central receptor GFRAL, while Gdf15 knockdown blunted the effect of metformin on AMPK activation, suggesting that AMPK is required for the metformin-mediated increase in GDF15, which in turn is needed to sustain the full activation of this kinase independently of the CNS. CONCLUSION: Overall, these findings uncover a novel mechanism through which GDF15 upregulation by metformin is involved in achieving and sustaining full AMPK activation by this drug independently of the CNS

Vitamin D and &#969;-3 Supplementations in Mediterranean Diet During the 1st Year of Overt Type 1 Diabetes: A Cohort Study

Vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acid (\u3c9-3) co-supplementation potentially improves type 1 diabetes (T1D) by attenuating autoimmunity and counteracting inflammation. This cohort study, preliminary to a randomized control trial (RCT), is aimed at evaluating, in a series of T1D children assuming Mediterranean diet and an intake of cholecalciferol of 1000U/day from T1D onset, if \u3c9-3 co-supplementation preserves the residual endogen insulin secretion (REIS). Therefore, the cohort of 22 \u201cnew onsets\u201d of 2017 received \u3c9-3 (eicosapentenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 60 mg/kg/day), and were compared retrospectively vs. the 37 \u201cprevious onsets\u201d without \u3c9-3 supplementation. Glicosilated hemoglobin (HbA1c%), the daily insulin demand (IU/Kg/day) and IDAA1c, a composite index (calculated as IU/Kg/day 7 4 + HbA1c%), as surrogates of REIS, were evaluated at recruitment (T0) and 12 months later (T12). In the \u3c9-3 supplemented group, dietary intakes were evaluated at T0 and T12. As an outcome, a decreased insulin demand (p &lt; 0.01), particularly as pre-meal boluses (p &lt; 0.01), and IDAA1c (p &lt; 0.05), were found in the \u3c9-3 supplemented group, while HbA1c% was not significantly different. Diet analysis in the \u3c9-3 supplemented group, at T12 vs. T0, highlighted that the intake of arachidonic acid (AA) decreased (p &lt; 0.01). At T0, the AA intake was inversely correlated with HbA1c% (p &lt; 0.05; r;. 0.411). In conclusion, the results suggest that vitamin D plus \u3c9-3 co-supplementation as well as AA reduction in the Mediterranean diet display benefits for T1D children at onset and deserve further investigation

Affective Man-Machine Interface: Unveiling human emotions through biosignals

As is known for centuries, humans exhibit an electrical profile. This profile is altered through various psychological and physiological processes, which can be measured through biosignals; e.g., electromyography (EMG) and electrodermal activity (EDA). These biosignals can reveal our emotions and, as such, can serve as an advanced man-machine interface (MMI) for empathic consumer products. However, such a MMI requires the correct classification of biosignals to emotion classes. This chapter starts with an introduction on biosignals for emotion detection. Next, a state-of-the-art review is presented on automatic emotion classification. Moreover, guidelines are presented for affective MMI. Subsequently, a research is presented that explores the use of EDA and three facial EMG signals to determine neutral, positive, negative, and mixed emotions, using recordings of 21 people. A range of techniques is tested, which resulted in a generic framework for automated emotion classification with up to 61.31% correct classification of the four emotion classes, without the need of personal profiles. Among various other directives for future research, the results emphasize the need for parallel processing of multiple biosignals

Intercalibration of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS experiment at start-up

Calibration of the relative response of the individual channels of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS detector was accomplished, before installation, with cosmic ray muons and test beams. One fourth of the calorimeter was exposed to a beam of high energy electrons and the relative calibration of the channels, the intercalibration, was found to be reproducible to a precision of about 0.3%. Additionally, data were collected with cosmic rays for the entire ECAL barrel during the commissioning phase. By comparing the intercalibration constants obtained with the electron beam data with those from the cosmic ray data, it is demonstrated that the latter provide an intercalibration precision of 1.5% over most of the barrel ECAL. The best intercalibration precision is expected to come from the analysis of events collected in situ during the LHC operation. Using data collected with both electrons and pion beams, several aspects of the intercalibration procedures based on electrons or neutral pions were investigated