PIV characterisation of flocculation dynamics and floc structure in water treatment

Particle flocculation with chemical flocculant addition is an essential step in water treatment. The performance of flocculation and the property of the flocs formed affect the overall results of the treatment process. In addition to particulate impurities, the presence of organic matter in water, such as natural organic materials (NOM), also influence the effectiveness of chemical flocculation. In this paper, the PIV system was employed to investigate the flocculation dynamics for different flocculants in different model waters. With the PIV and image analysis, the change in particle size distribution could be well recorded. Using the sequence of flocculation, shear breakage and re-flocculation on a jar-test device together with the PIV system, the rate of floc formation, the strength of the flocs, the recovery of broken flocs, and the morphological and structural features of the flocs were characterized. The results indicated that the adsorption of HA on the particle will stabilized the particles, hence hindered the flocculation process. Sweep flocculation using a higher chemical coagulant dosage was an effective means of process enhancement for the removal of particulates and associated organic matter. The dynamics of A-B-R process was characterized by particle size distribution (PSD) measurement with PIV setup. The particle strength and reversibility capability were examined. Strength index showed the HA flocs have comparable strength, while recovery index indicated a less recovery capability with the increasing of HA concentration after exposure to a higher shear, especially for ferric HA flocs. It appears that the bonds holding HA flocs together are not purely physical bonds given the limited regrowth seen. Finally, evolution of floc structure during A-B-R process was analysed by investigated the fractal dimension Db. The results were generally consistent with previous PSD measurements. It suggested that the structure of flocs in breakage became more compact with little permeability. An increase in floc compaction provides a further explanation for the limited regrowth for most of flocs. According to the performances of alum and ferric, it can be noticed that HA flocs have different properties dependent on which chemical coagulant is used. Alum produced larger HA flocs which endured a higher recovery capability after exploring higher shear, hence, compared to ferric, it could be preferred to using in the practical enhanced coagulation unit.postprin

Production, bleaching and characterization of pulp from Stipa tenacissima

Alfa grass pulping was successfully performed in hydro-organic acid medium under mild conditions (107°C, atmospheric pressure, cooking time: 3 h). Use of an acetic acid/formic acid/water mixture as pulping liquor was perfectly suitable for selective isolation of pulp, lignin, and hemicelluloses. The unbleached pulp obtained in good yield was first delignified by peroxyacids in organic acid medium and then bleached with hydrogen peroxide in a basic medium to give pulp offering good physico-chemical and mechanical characteristics

Entrepreneurial capital, social values and Islamic traditions: exploring the growth of women-owned enterprises in Pakistan

Main ArticleThis study seeks to explore the variables contributing to the growth of women-owned enterprises in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Based on a previously established multivariate model, it uses two econometric approaches: first classifying variables into predetermined blocks; and second, using the general to specific approach. Statistical analyses and in-depth interviews confirm that women entrepreneurs’ personal resources and social capital have a significant role in their business growth. Further, it reveals that the moral support of immediate family, independent mobility and being allowed to meet with men play a decisive role in the sales and employment growth of women-owned enterprises in an Islamic country such as Pakistan

Diagnostic yield of array CGH in patients with autism spectrum disorder in Hong Kong

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PAX6 MiniPromoters drive restricted expression from rAAV in the adult mouse retina.

Current gene therapies predominantly use small, strong, and readily available ubiquitous promoters. However, as the field matures, the availability of small, cell-specific promoters would be greatly beneficial. Here we design seven small promoters from the human paired box 6 (PAX6) gene and test them in the adult mouse retina using recombinant adeno-associated virus. We chose the retina due to previous successes in gene therapy for blindness, and the PAX6 gene since it is: well studied; known to be driven by discrete regulatory regions; expressed in therapeutically interesting retinal cell types; and mutated in the vision-loss disorder aniridia, which is in need of improved therapy. At the PAX6 locus, 31 regulatory regions were bioinformatically predicted, and nine regulatory regions were constructed into seven MiniPromoters. Driving Emerald GFP, these MiniPromoters were packaged into recombinant adeno-associated virus, and injected intravitreally into postnatal day 14 mice. Four MiniPromoters drove consistent retinal expression in the adult mouse, driving expression in combinations of cell-types that endogenously express Pax6: ganglion, amacrine, horizontal, and Müller glia. Two PAX6-MiniPromoters drive expression in three of the four cell types that express PAX6 in the adult mouse retina. Combined, they capture all four cell types, making them potential tools for research, and PAX6-gene therapy for aniridia

Nuclear Localization of DNAJB6 is Associated with Survival of Patients with Esophageal Cancer and Reduces AKT Signaling and Proliferation of Cancer Cells

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: The DnaJ (Hsp40) homolog, subfamily B, member 6 (DNAJB6) is part of a family of proteins that regulate chaperone activities. One of its isoforms, DNAJB6a, contains a nuclear localization signal and regulates β-catenin signaling during breast cancer development. We investigated the role of DNAJB6 in pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical analyses of primary ESCC samples and lymph node metastases from a cohort of 160 patients, who underwent esophagectomy with no pre-operative chemo-radiotherapy at Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital. Data were collected on patient outcomes over a median time of 12.1±2.9 months. Retrospective survival association analyses were performed. Wild-type and mutant forms of DNAJB6a were overexpressed in cancer cell lines (KYSE510, KYSE 30TSI, KYSE140, and KYSE70TS), which were analyzed in proliferation and immunoblot assays, or injected subcutaneously into nude mice. Levels of DNAJB6 were knocked down in ESCC cell lines (KYSE450 and T.Tn), immortalized normal esophageal epithelial cell lines (NE3 and NE083), and other cells with short hairpin RNAs or by genome engineering. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation was used to study interactions between proteins in living cells. RESULTS: In primary ESCC samples, patients whose tumors had high nuclear levels of DNAJB6 had longer overall survival times (19.2±1.8 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15.6-22.8 months) than patients whose tumors had low nuclear levels of DNAJB6 (12.6±1.4 months; 95% CI, 9.8-15.4 months; P=.004, by log rank test). Based on Cox regression analysis, patients whose tumors had high nuclear levels of DNAJB6 had a lower risk of death than those with low levels (hazard ratio=0.562; 95% CI, 0.379-0.834; P=.004). Based on log rank analysis and Cox regression analysis, the combination of nuclear level of DNAJB6 and the presence of lymph node metastases at diagnosis could be used to stratify patients into groups with good or bad outcomes (P<.0005 for both analyses). There was a negative association between the nuclear level of DNAJB6 and the presence of lymph node metastases (P=.022; Pearson χ2 test). Cancer cell lines that overexpressed DNAJB6a formed tumors more slowly in nude mice than control cells or cells that expressed a mutant form of DNAJB6a that did not localize to the nucleus. DNAJB6 knockdown in cancer cell lines promoted their growth as xenograft tumors in mice. A motif of histidine, proline, and aspartic acid (HPD) in the J domain of DNAJB6a was required for its tumor suppressive effects and signaling via AKT1. Loss of DNAJB6a resulted in upregulation of AKT signaling in cancer cell lines and immortalized esophageal epithelial cells. Expression of a constitutively active form of AKT1 restored proliferation to tumor cells that overexpressed DNAJB6a, and DNAJB6a formed a complex with AKT1 in living cells. Expression of DNAJB6a reduced the sensitivity of ESCC to AKT inhibitors; the expression level of DNAJB6a affected AKT signaling in multiple cancer cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Nuclear localization of DNAJB6 is associated with longer survival times of patients with ESCC. DNAJB6a reduces AKT signaling, and DNAJB6 expression in cancer cells reduces their proliferation and growth of xenograft tumors in mice. DNAJB6a might be developed as biomarker for progression of ESCC.postprin

Adapted motivational interviewing to improve the uptake of treatment for glaucoma in Nigeria: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease associated with irreversible visual loss. In Africa, glaucoma patients often present late, with very advanced disease. One-off procedures, such as laser or surgery, are recommended in Africa because of lack of or poor adherence to medical treatment. However, acceptance of surgery is usually extremely low. To prevent blindness, adherence to treatment needs to improve, using acceptable, replicable and cost-effective interventions. After reviewing the literature and interviewing patients in Bauchi (Nigeria) motivational interviewing (MI) was selected as the intervention for this trial, with adaptation for glaucoma (MIG). MI is designed to strengthen personal motivation for, and commitment to a specific goal by eliciting and exploring a person's reasons for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion. The aim of this study is to assess whether MIG increases the uptake of laser or surgery amongst glaucoma patients where this is the recommended treatment. The hypothesis is that MIG increases the uptake of treatment. This will be the first trial of MI in Africa. METHODS: This is a hospital based, single centre, randomized controlled trial of MIG plus an information sheet on glaucoma and its treatment (the latter being "standard care") compared with standard care alone for glaucoma patients where the treatment recommended is surgery or laser.Those eligible for the trial are adults aged 17 years and above who live within 200 km of Bauchi with advanced glaucoma where the examining ophthalmologist recommends surgery or laser. After obtaining written informed consent, participants will be randomly allocated to MIG plus standard care, or standard care alone. Motivational interviewing will be delivered in Hausa or English by one of two MIG trained personnel. One hundred and fifty participants will be recruited to each arm. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants undergoing laser or surgery within two months of the date given to re attend for the procedure. MIG quality will be assessed using the validated MI treatment integrity scale. DISCUSSION: Motivational interviewing may be an important tool to increase the acceptance of treatment for glaucoma. The approach is potentially scalable and may be useful for other chronic conditions in Africa. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN79330571 (Controlled-Trials.com)

Grey and white matter correlates of recent and remote autobiographical memory retrieval:Insights from the dementias

The capacity to remember self-referential past events relies on the integrity of a distributed neural network. Controversy exists, however, regarding the involvement of specific brain structures for the retrieval of recently experienced versus more distant events. Here, we explored how characteristic patterns of atrophy in neurodegenerative disorders differentially disrupt remote versus recent autobiographical memory. Eleven behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia, 10 semantic dementia, 15 Alzheimer's disease patients and 14 healthy older Controls completed the Autobiographical Interview. All patient groups displayed significant remote memory impairments relative to Controls. Similarly, recent period retrieval was significantly compromised in behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease, yet semantic dementia patients scored in line with Controls. Voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging analyses, for all participants combined, were conducted to investigate grey and white matter correlates of remote and recent autobiographical memory retrieval. Neural correlates common to both recent and remote time periods were identified, including the hippocampus, medial prefrontal, and frontopolar cortices, and the forceps minor and left hippocampal portion of the cingulum bundle. Regions exclusively implicated in each time period were also identified. The integrity of the anterior temporal cortices was related to the retrieval of remote memories, whereas the posterior cingulate cortex emerged as a structure significantly associated with recent autobiographical memory retrieval. This study represents the first investigation of the grey and white matter correlates of remote and recent autobiographical memory retrieval in neurodegenerative disorders. Our findings demonstrate the importance of core brain structures, including the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, irrespective of time period, and point towards the contribution of discrete regions in mediating successful retrieval of distant versus recently experienced events

Targeted knock-down of miR21 primary transcripts using snoMEN vectors induces apoptosis in human cancer cell lines

We have previously reported an antisense technology, 'snoMEN vectors', for targeted knock-down of protein coding mRNAs using human snoRNAs manipulated to contain short regions of sequence complementarity with the mRNA target. Here we characterise the use of snoMEN vectors to target the knock-down of micro RNA primary transcripts. We document the specific knock-down of miR21 in HeLa cells using plasmid vectors expressing miR21-targeted snoMEN RNAs and show this induces apoptosis. Knock-down is dependent on the presence of complementary sequences in the snoMEN vector and the induction of apoptosis can be suppressed by over-expression of miR21. Furthermore, we have also developed lentiviral vectors for delivery of snoMEN RNAs and show this increases the efficiency of vector transduction in many human cell lines that are difficult to transfect with plasmid vectors. Transduction of lentiviral vectors expressing snoMEN targeted to pri-miR21 induces apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells, which express high levels of miR21, but not in human primary cells. We show that snoMEN-mediated suppression of miRNA expression is prevented by siRNA knock-down of Ago2, but not by knock-down of Ago1 or Upf1. snoMEN RNAs colocalise with Ago2 in cell nuclei and nucleoli and can be co-immunoprecipitated from nuclear extracts by antibodies specific for Ago2