High Suppression Research Articles

Depressive symptoms across the retirement transition in men and women: associations with emotion regulation, adjustment difficulties and work centrality

BackgroundRetirement is a major life event and factors driving depression in the retirement transition might differ in men and women. The aim was to prospectively study depressive symptoms across the retirement transition in men and women and to test associations with emotion regulation strategies (suppression and reappraisal), adjustment difficulties, and work centrality.MethodsThe sample included 527 individuals from the population-based Health, Aging and Retirement Transitions in Sweden (HEARTS) study who were working at baseline and retired during one of the following four annual measurement waves. Participants contributed with a total of 2635 observations across five measurement waves. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D); total score was modelled as a function of time to and from retirement. Changes over the retirement transition were analyzed with multilevel growth curve models. Gender differences in associations with emotion regulation, adjustment difficulties and work centrality were examined by including interaction effects with sex.ResultsWe observed a general reduction of depressive symptoms in the early years of retirement in both men and women. Higher suppression was related to higher depression scores while higher cognitive reappraisal was related to lower levels of depressive symptoms. Women more often used cognitive reappraisal, and men more often suppression, but no significant gender interaction in associations with depressive symptoms could be shown. Retirement adjustment difficulties and greater importance of work for self-esteem were related to higher depression scores. Greater meaning of work, on the other hand, was related to lower levels of depressive symptoms, and this association was stronger in men.ConclusionsThere was a general reduction of depression scores in the early years of retirement in both women and men. Findings suggest that basing one’s self-esteem on workplace performance was related to higher levels of depressive symptoms after retirement, while perceiving one’s job as important and meaningful may facilitate better adjustment in terms of lower depression symptom levels, especially in men.

Emotion regulation as a mediator in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and symptoms of social anxiety among college students

Objective The current study explored emotion regulation strategies (ie, suppression, cognitive reappraisal, experiential avoidance) as mediators in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and social anxiety. Participants One hundred and ninety-three undergraduate students (M age = 19.5 years; 83.9% female) were recruited from a public university in the northeastern United States. Methods Participants completed measures assessing childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation strategies, and social anxiety. Results Structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediation paths. Childhood maltreatment was negatively associated with cognitive reappraisal and experiential avoidance, and positively associated with suppression. Higher suppression was associated with higher social anxiety, and higher experiential avoidance was associated with lower social anxiety. The association between childhood maltreatment and symptoms of social anxiety was mediated by suppression and experiential avoidance, but not cognitive reappraisal. All other paths were nonsignificant. Conclusions Findings suggest that treatments for childhood maltreatment should aim to bolster experiential avoidance and minimize suppression to address social anxiety symptoms.

Effect of sulfate on the osmoregulatory and physio-biochemical responses of GIFT (Oreochromis niloticus) juveniles reared in potassium-deficient medium saline waters.

The inland saline waters were continuously observed to have low potassium concentrations compared to their seawater counterpart of the same salinity. We hypothesize that the toxic effect of sulfate may manifest in low potassium saline (LPSW) waters compared to brackish water of the same salinity. Thus, LC50 trials were performed in GIFT (genetically improved farmed tilapia) fry (0.5 ± 0.02 g) to determine the acute sulfate toxicity in freshwater (FW, 0.5 g L-1), artificial seawater (ASW, 10 g L-1), and LPSW (10 g L-1). The median lethal concentrations (96h LC50) of sulfate ion in FW, LPSW, and ASW for the GIFT were 5.30 g L-1, 2.56 g L-1, and 2.98 g L-1, respectively. A second experiment was conducted for 21 days, exposing fish to a sub-lethal level of sulfate ion (SO42-) concentration (1000 mg L-1, one-fifth of FW LC50) with different types of waters (FW, freshwater, 0.5 g L-1; ASW, artificial seawater, 10 g L-1; LPSW, low potassium saline water, 10 g L-1) with and without sulfate inclusion to constitute the treatments as follows, (FW, FW + SO4, ASW, ASW + SO4, LPSW, LPSW + SO4). The effect of sulfate on GIFT reared in sulfate-rich potassium-deficient medium saline water was evaluated by focusing on the hematological adjustments, stress-induced oxidative damage, and osmoregulatory imbalances. The survival was not altered due to the sulfate concentration and K+ deficiency; however, there were significant changes in branchial NKA (Na+/K+-ATPase) activity and osmolality. The increase in NKA was highest in LPSW treatment, suggesting that internal ionic imbalance was triggered due to an interactive effect of sulfate and K+ deficiency. The cortisol levels showed a pronounced increase due to sulfate inclusion irrespective of K+ deficiency. The antioxidant enzymes, i.e., SOD (superoxide dismutase), catalase, GST (glutathione-S-transferase), and GPX (glutathione peroxidase), reflected a similar pattern of increment in the gills and liver of the LPSW + SO4 groups, suggesting a poor antioxidant status of the exposed group. The hepatic peroxidation status, i.e. TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), and the peroxide values were enhanced due to both K+ deficiency and sulfate inclusion, suggesting a possible lipid peroxidation in the liver due to handling the excess sulfate anion concentration. The hematological parameters, including haemoglobin, total erythrocyte count, and hematocrit level, reduced significantly in the LPSW + SO4 group, indicating a reduced blood oxygen capacity due to the sulfate exposure and water potassium deficiency. The hepatic acetylcholine esterase activity was suppressed in all the treatments with sulfate inclusion, while the highest suppression was observed in the LPSW + SO4 group. Thus, it is concluded that sulfate-induced physiological imbalances manifest more in potassium-deficient water, indicating that environmental sulfate is more detrimental to inland saline water than freshwater or brackish water of the same salinity.

Suppression of laser speckle contrast using negative dielectric anisotropy nematic liquid crystal doped with an ionic medium

ABSTRACT A liquid crystal (LC) with negative dielectric anisotropy called N-(4-Methoxybenzylidene)-4-Butylaniline (MBBA) doped with the ionic agent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) has been investigated as a speckle suppression device to reduce the laser’s speckle contrast. The electrohydrodynamic instabilities (EHDI) effect in LC is exploited to reduce speckle contrast. The EHDI effect causes chaotic turbulence in LC, resulting in dynamic scattering of the incident light beam. In order to investigate the electro-optic properties and frequency region for optimal performance, optical measurements and dielectric spectroscopy of the pristine and doped LC are performed. The dielectric characteristics of the LC demonstrate that the frequency range to produce the EHDI effect in the LC cell is broadened as the ionic agent is doped. The inclusion of ions also enhances the ion density, mobility, and conductivity in LC. The increase in ion density and mobility enhances the turbulence in the LC at a faster rate; as a result, the dynamic scattering becomes more rapid. When measured with a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, the faster dynamic scattering provides higher suppression in the laser’s speckle contrast. This method can be used to reduce the speckle contrast in laser source-based imaging and projection displays.

Capability of Three Yeast Species in Suppressing Green Mold (Penicillium Digitatum) on Siam Citrus Fruit (Citrus Nobilis)

Green mold is one of the main diseases in citrus fruits caused by Penicillium digitatum . One of the managements that can be used to control this disease is by using yeasts as antagonistic agents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of yeast to suppress Green mold caused by P. digitatum in siam citrus ( Citrus nobilis Lour.). The study was conducted using a completely randomized design. The treatments were the application of yeast, consisting of Aureobasidium pullulans isolate Dmg 11 DEP, Rhodotorula minuta isolate Dmg 16 BE, Candida tropicalis isolate Lm 13 BE, fungicide benomyl, and control. The results showed that A. pullulans isolate Dmg 11 DEP, C. tropicalis isolate Lm 13 BE, and R. minuta isolate Dmg 16 BE were able to suppress the growth of P. digitatum in vitro on dual culture method, with suppression levels ranged from 14.64%-21.02%. The greatest suppression was caused by R. minuta isolate Dmg 16 BE. The formation of volatile compounds test results were ranged from 14.51%-34%, and the highest suppression was on C. tropicalis isolate Lm 13 BE. Application of the yeasts on siam citrus fruit was able to reduce the pathogen’s growth, and the suppressions were 28.87% to 68.72%. R. minuta isolate Dmg 16 BE caused the highest suppression.

Limon, Portakal, Greyfurt ve Nar Meyvelerinin Kabuklarının Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949'ya Karşı Kullanımı

Çalışmada limon, portakal, greyfurt ve nar meyvelerinin kabuklarının sulu ekstraktlarının tekli ve kombine uygulamalarının Meloidogyne incognita ikinci dönem larvalarına (L2) karşı öldürücü etkisi ile yumurtadan çıkışı baskılama üzerindeki nematostatik etkileri araştırılmıştır. Uygulamadan 24 saat sonra sadece nar ve sadece greyfurt meyve kabuğunun sulu ekstraktlarının L2 üzerindeki etkisi %50’nin üzerinde tespit edilirken, sadece portakal meyve kabuğu uygulaması (%41,5) sadece limon uygulamasından (%18,7) yüksek belirlenmiştir. Uygulamadan 24 saat sonra limon meyve kabuğu sulu ekstraktı’nın L2 üzerindeki öldürücü etkisi düşük bulunurken, 48 saat sonra %77,5 ölüm saptanmıştır. Kırk sekiz saat sonra, limon+nar, limon+greyfurt, portakal+nar, portakal+greyfurt ve nar+greyfurt meyve kabuğu sulu ekstrakt ikili uygulamalarında tüm L2’lerin öldüğü belirlenmiş ve öldürücü etkileri nematisit Velum (Fluopyram) ile benzer bulunmuştur. Tekli uygulamalarda yumurtadan çıkış üzerindeki en yüksek baskılama sadece greyfurt (%54,2) meyve kabuğu sulu ekstraktında belirlenmiştir. İkili uygulamaların tümünde yumurtadan çıkışı baskılama %57’nin üzerinde tespit edilmiştir. Nar+greyfurt (%90,7) meyve kabuğu sulu ekstrakt uygulamasının yumurtadan çıkışı baskılama yüzdesi ile Velum (%98,5) uygulaması arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark bulunamamıştır (P≥0.05). Bu sonuçlar limon, portakal, greyfurt ve nar meyve kabuğu sulu ekstrakt uygulamalarının nematisitlere iyi bir alternatif olduğunu desteklemektedir.

Emotion regulation strategies and perceived stress during pregnancy in expectant mothers and fathers

ABSTRACT Background Stress during pregnancy can increase physical and mental health risks in parents and offspring. Emotion regulation (ER) may protect against prenatal stress; however, ER is understudied in expectant parents, particularly expectant fathers. This study aimed to evaluate associations between ER strategies (reappraisal, suppression, ratio of suppression-to-reappraisal) and perceived stress among expectant parents, and also test whether expectant mothers and fathers differed in ER strategy use and perceived stress levels. Methods N = 83 expectant parents (62.7% mothers) in the third trimester completed measures assessing perceived stress,reappraisal, and suppression. ANCOVA, hierarchical regression, and multilevel models were used to evaluate associations between ER strategies and perceived stress, and test for sex differences. Results Controlling for age and education, lower reappraisal and higher suppression were associated with higher perceived stress; in addition, higher suppression-to-reappraisal ratios were associated with greater perceived stress. Mothers and fathers did not differ in perceived stress, reappraisal, or suppression; however, suppression-to-reappraisal ratios significantly differed. Conclusion Increasing ER skills such as reappraisal while reducing suppression may be beneficial for decreasing stress in expectant parents. Expectant fathers report similar levels of perceived stress to mothers and would benefit from prenatal mental health screening and intervention.

Antihypertensive Effect of Dietary β-Conglycinin in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR).

Dietary β-conglycinin has been shown to increase plasma adiponectin concentration and decrease visceral adipose tissue weight in rats. Since adiponectin is one of the factors regulating blood pressure, as well as modulating lipid metabolism, we examined whether dietary β-conglycinin affects blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The experimental diets were prepared according to the AIN-93G formula containing 20% protein, either casein (Control) or casein replaced with soy protein isolate (SOY) or β-conglycinin (β-CON) at the proportion of 50%. Male rats (SHR/Izm, 6 wk-old) were fed the diets for 7 weeks. The SOY compared with the Control significantly suppressed the blood pressure both at week 4 (p = 0.011, Control vs. SOY) and thereafter, and β-CON had even higher suppression (p = 0.0002, Control vs. β-CON). SOY and β-CON increased plasma adiponectin concentration followed by an increase in plasma nitric oxide and possibly a decreasing trend of gene expressions of angiotensinogen in the liver and renin in the kidney. The results indicated suppression by β-conglycinin of increasing blood pressure through an enhancement of plasma adiponectin, probably in combination with a regulation of the renin–angiotensin system in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Impact of different mulching treatments on weed flora and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The concerns on weed control through herbicides are increasing due to their negative impacts on environment and human health. Therefore, alternative weed management methods are inevitable for sustainable crop production and lowering the negative consequences of herbicides. Mulching is an environment-friendly weed management approach capable of substituting herbicides to significant extent. Therefore, this study evaluated the role of different mulching treatments on suppressing weed flora in maize (Zea mays L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) crops. Furthermore, the impact of different mulching treatments on the productivity of both crops was also investigated. Three mulch treatments, i.e., plastic mulch (PLM), sorghum mulch (SM) and paper mulch (PM) along with two controls, i.e., weed-free (WF) and weedy-check (WC) were included in the study. Different mulch treatments significantly altered weed flora in both crops. The PLM and PM resulted in the highest suppression (43–47%) of weed flora compared to WC treatment in both crops. The highest and the lowest weed diversity was recorded for WC and WF treatments, respectively. Different allometric traits, i.e., leaf area index, crop growth rate and root length of both crops were significantly improved by PLM as compared to the WC. Overall, maize crop recorded higher density of individual and total weeds compared to sunflower with WC treatment. The density of individual and total weeds was significantly lowered by PLM compared to WC treatment in both crops. Similarly, higher growth and yield-related traits of both crops were noted with PLM compared to the rest of the mulching treatments. Results of the current study warrant that PLM could suppress weed flora and improve the productivity of both crops. However, PLM alone could not provide 100% control over weed flora; therefore, it should be combined with other weed management approaches for successful weed control in both crops.

Bioagent consortia assisted suppression in grey blight disease with enhanced leaf nutrients and biochemical properties of tea (Camellia sinensis)

Microbial bioagents and botanicals contrastingly different in modes of action, and despite being used over the years, their comparative efficacy are not yet fully explored with regard to management of grey blight disease caused by Pseudopestalotiopsis curvatispora Petch in tea plantation of Assam, India. Four microbial antagonists-based formulations and seven botanicals at 2.5–10% concentration were tesed against mycelial growth of grey blight pathogen through dual culture assay and poisoned food technique, respectively, under in vitro conditions. Resultantly, two botanicals viz., Pongamia pinnata L. and Xanthium strumarium L. and two microbial bioformulations viz., Biometa as Metarhizium anisopliae and Biogreen as Trichoderma viride -based consortium of microbial antagonists were evaluated, singly and in combination through field studies in a grey blight affected 12-year -old tea plantation (grey blight susceptible clone TV-23) established on acidic Inceptisol with regard to suppression in grey blight disease incidence (PDI), green tea yield, culturable soil microbial population, leaf nutrients composition, and biochemical properties of tea. The consortium of microbial antagonists (Biogreen + Biometa) registered 11.34% higher suppression in grey blight disease at 4% concentration over combination of P. pinnata + X. strumarium at 10% concentration, both sprayed 5 times at 30 days interval in 150- days period, besides single microbial antagonist (Biometa) being inferior to consortium of microbial antagonists (Biogreen). Such a reduction in PDI resulted in 22.9% higher yield of green tea leaves with consortium of bioagents over botanicals due to significant elevation in soil culturable microbial population, and leaf nutrient composition. These responses were eventually associated with an improvement in biochemical properties (Polyphenols, caffeines, and antioxidants acivity) of tea. Our study, hence, provided both, in vitro and field evidence in favor of multipronged benfits of consortium of microbial antagonists for an extended control of grey blight disease of tea, a reliable alternative to conventionally used chemical fungicides towards tea health care with enhanced quality parameters.

Effect of different granular insecticides on suppression of rice stem borers and plant hopper under rice-wheat cropping system

Field experiments were conducted at three different locations in central Punjab, Pakistan to evaluate the efficacy of different granular insecticides on suppression of rice stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas & Scirpophaga innotata) and plant hopper (Nilapervata lugens & Sogatella forcifera ) for two years (2018 and 2019) during Kharif season. Treatments comprised different granular insecticides; Cartap 4% G, Fipronil 0.3 G, Mover Plus 4.3 % (fipronil 0.3 % + cartap hydrochloride 4%) and Virteko 0.6 GR (chlorantraniliprole 0.2 % + thiamethoxam 0.4 %) @ 22.0, 20.0, 11.0 and 10 kg ha-1 respectively. All the insecticides showed varied efficacy against rice stem borer and plant hopper in minimizing the symptoms of dead hearts, white heads and hopper burn. The highest suppression efficacy was recorded with the chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam followed by fipronil + cartap hydrochloride against plant hoppers and stem borers. Experimental units treated with chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam showed the lowest hopper infestation (9,11 and 8 hoppers per plant) as compared to control where 70, 75 and 68 hoppers per plant was recorded for location I, II and III, respectively. Granular insecticide i.e. chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam also reduced the stem borer infestation @ 76, 81 & 78 % at location I, II and III respectively. The experimental unit treated with chlorantraniliprol + thiamethoxam showed a 22% (4266.6 kg ha-1) and 23% (4288.3 kg ha-1) higher paddy yield than control for 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Kepadatan populasi dan waktu efektif pelepasan tungau predator Neoseiulus longispinosus Evans untuk pengendalian Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida

Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida (Tetranychidae) merupakan salah satu tungau hama paling penting di Indonesia. Tungau ini dikenal sebagai hama pada berbagai komoditi pertanian, termasuk ubi kayu. Neoseiulus longispinosus Evans (Phytoseiidae) merupakan salah satu tungau predator lokal yang banyak ditemukan pada tanaman terserang T. kanzawai. Tungau predator ini mempunyai potensi yang besar untuk dikembangkan sebagai agen pengendalian hayati T. kanzawai. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji kepadatan populasi dan waktu efektif pelepasan N. longispinosus untuk pengendalian T. kanzawai pada tanaman ubi kayu. Penelitian dilaksanakan di rumah kaca. Tanaman yang digunakan adalah ubi kayu kultivar Mentega. Tungau hama, T. kanzawai, diinfestasikan pada tanaman ubi kayu berumur 2 minggu setelah tanam (MST) dengan kepadatan populasi 5 imago betina/tanaman. Tungau predator diintroduksikan dengan rasio predator:mangsa 0:5, 1:5, 2:5, dan 3:5, pada satu, dua, dan tiga minggu setelah infestasi T. kanzawai. Populasi T. kanzawai dan N. longispinosus, serta tingkat kerusakan tanaman dihitung pada 6 MST. Pelepasan predator N. longispinosus dapat menurunkan populasi T. kanzawai dengan penekanan paling tinggi pada interaksi rasio 3:5 dan waktu pelepasan satu minggu setelah infestasi T. kanzawai. Tidak ada pengaruh signifikan pelepasan predator N. longispinosus pada berbagai rasio dan waktu pelepasan terhadap intensitas serangan T. kanzawai pada tanaman ubi kayu.

Potentiality of some essential oils and algae extract spray treatments on suppressing wheat stem rust severity under field conditions

Evaluation of some essential oils as well as algal extracts on stem rust severity of three wheat cultivars were conducted for two successive growing seasons under field conditions. Suppressing disease severity in response to the applied treatments was observed at the two growing seasons. Spraying wheat plants with tested essential oils had superior effect against disease severity followed by algal extracts, the fungicide (Topsin M70) and untreated control, respectively. Garlic oil revealed the highest suppression of disease severity followed by cinnamon, thyme, onion and clove oils, respectively. Meanwhile, the algal extract of S. platensis showed the highest reduction in disease severity followed by A. coffeaeformis and N. oculata, in respective order. The increase in produced yield showed in reverse relation with disease severity. The applied treatments showed their effectivity to suppress stem rust disease severity as a safe alternative method to chemical fungicides under field conditions.

Cover crops as green mulching for weed management in rice

A field study was carried out in 2017 and 2018 in two Italian rice farms (at Livorno Ferraris and Rovasenda) to assess the effect of using cover crops as green mulching on weed control and rice yield. Three different rice fields were sown in each site after rice harvest with either Vicia villosa, Lolium multiflorum, or a mixture of both (V. villosa 40% + L. multiflorum 60%); at Rovasenda, a small percentage of Brassica napus and Triticale was also present in the mixture. An additional field at both sites without cover crop was considered as a control reference. Rice was broadcasted sown within the cover crop in May. After few days, the cover crop was terminated in half of each field using a roller-crimper, while in the other half, it was terminated by shredding. Within 10 days, the fields were flooded for about a week to promote the degradation of the cover crop biomass. Then, the fields were cultivated in flooding conditions without further weed control. Weed density and weed cover were evaluated three times during the growing season. At harvest, rice yield and harvest index were determined. Mixed nested Mixed nested ANOVAs were performed for each site to assess the effect of cover crop species, termination technique, and the interaction between cover crop and year. L. multiflorum showed high biomass before termination, while V. villosa had a more variable development. At Rovasenda, V. villosa growth was limited because of the combination of scarce emergence due to sod-seeding and frost damage. In general, green mulching significantly affected weed density. The best weed suppression was observed with L. multiflorum and mix at Rovasenda, with values of weed density <40 plants m–2 recorded in 2018. At both sites, rice yield was variable in the two years. The highest rice yield (>5 t ha–1) was observed in 2018 in the shredded mixture at Rovasenda and in V. villosa at Livorno Ferraris in 2017. Generally, control fields showed lower yields (1-3 t ha–1) at both sites. The termination methods did not significantly affect both weed density and rice yield. The results highlighted that green mulching could reduce weed infestations, even though alone is not able to avoid weed development completely. Some critical issues of the technique were observed, such as the need for a good cover crop establishment which eventually results in abundant biomass production and significant weed suppression. Highlights - Green mulching reduces weed pressure, but it should be integrated with other weed control techniques. - Hairy vetch showed poor establishment because of the combination of scarce emergence due to sod-seeding and low temperatures. - Italian ryegrass was more tolerant to low temperatures and showed a good cover that contained weed growth. - Cover crop mixture showed variable results with higher suppression probably related to the number of cover crop species present in the mixture. - The termination methods (crimping and shredding) did not affect weed density and rice yield.

Phase synchronization in the system of supply voltage parameters correction by the adaptive filtration method

An adaptive phase-locked loop is considered, which makes it possible to improve the stability of synchronous active filters, to achieve compensation for high-quality harmonic components of the current consumed by autonomous objects. Therefore, the use of such an active filter will improve the power quality and the normal trouble-free operation of the equipment in general. A control system with an adaptive phase-locked loop often has the advantages of a reliable and efficient control system. It makes it possible to quickly respond to dynamic changes in the load, which is typical for the operation of functional equipment of autonomous objects. The control system becomes more flexible, reliable, efficient and provides an instantaneous value of the compensation current from the measured values of the load current curve. Calculations can be carried out in real time. LMS, NLMS, RLS algorithms are considered as adjusting the weighted adaptive phase-locked loop in the system for correcting the supply voltage parameters. Based on the simulation of algorithms carried out in the MATLAB environment, a comparative analysis of their effectiveness is made. It is shown that the NLMS algorithm has the highest suppression quality and minimum transient time. The NLMS algorithm works in real time and is recommended for use in the supply voltage correction system.

Self-assembly of polymer-doxorubicin conjugates to form polyprodrug micelles for pH/enzyme dual-responsive drug delivery

Functionality of polymers is crucially fundamental to polymers. However, the application of polymers faces great challenges due to the insufficient function of hydrophobic chain, especially in drug delivery. One novel approach to solve this dilemma involves the use of medicated hydrophobic chains. Herein, the polymer-doxorubicin conjugates are synthesized from hydrophilic copolymer and hydrophobic chain composed of doxorubicin (DOX). DOX, a common hydrophobic anticancer drug, is used to serve as a hydrophobic pendant for inducing self-assembly of polymer-doxorubicin conjugates. The self-assembly of polymer-drug conjugates is employed to encapsulate the unreacted drug for the first time and form drug-loaded polyprodrug micelles that possess a low critical micelle concentration (CMC), which improves the use efficiency of expensive drug. The detachment of DOX moieties from polymer-doxorubicin conjugates caused by amidase facilitates the disintegration of DOX-loaded polyprodrug micelles to trigger the enhanced release of DOX in a slightly acidic medium. It is demonstrated that the DOX-loaded polyprodrug micelles have a higher suppression against cancer cells in in vitro investigations. This work thus proposes a strategy to modify the poor functionality of polymer-based nanostructures, through designing the medicated hydrophobic chains. This strategy facilitates the potential application of polymer-drug conjugates and provides profound insights into the effect of medicated polymer on drug delivery system.

Potentials of potassium humate, ammonium humate, and vermicompost tea in controlling root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne arenaria and improving biochemical components in eggplant

The impact of potassium humate, ammonium humate and vermicompost tea on the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne arenaria, and their effect on plant growth and some biochemical parameters in eggplant were determined in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro results showed that egg hatching and juvenile mortality of M. arenaria were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by treatments. Ammonium humate 3 and 2% were more effective in inhibiting egg hatching after 4 days by 61.6 and 82.6% respectively. Also, in ammonium humate 3%, the increase of exposure period from 24 to 48 hrs. raised mortality from 73.3 to 82%. In vivo experiment treatments were applied under greenhouse conditions with two different application methods (soil drenching, and foliar spray) and two concentrations (2 and 3%) on the root-knot nematode, M. arenaria population, and their impact on eggplant. All tested treatments significantly decreased nematode number to different levels compared to control. The highest suppression in total nematode population was recorded with drenching by 3% ammonium humate. A similar trend was noticed with reproduction factor and number of galls or egg- masses per root system. Plants grown in soil drenched by 3 % ammonium humate recorded the highest value in fresh and dry weight, as well as shoot and root length. Also, these plants gave the highest values of carotenoids, phenolic compounds and total amino acids. While, the highest value of proline content appeared with control. Also, the results showed that the total chlorophyll, total protein and reducing sugar content increased in all treatments compared to control.

High-resolution Spectra of Earth-like Planets Orbiting Red Giant Host Stars

Abstract In the near future we will have ground- and space-based telescopes that are designed to observe and characterize Earth-like planets. While attention is focused on exoplanets orbiting main-sequence stars, more than 150 exoplanets have already been detected orbiting red giants, opening the intriguing question of what rocky worlds orbiting in the habitable zone (HZ) of red giants would be like and how to characterize them. We present a high-resolution spectral database of reflection and emission spectra for nominal Earth-like planets orbiting in the red giant HZ from the visible to infrared (0.4–20 μm) for planets orbiting at the Earth-equivalent distance. We also show the change of such planetary spectra through the evolution of their red giant hosts. While the luminosity of the host increases the contrast ratio between star and planet, the increased orbital distance of the HZ for red giant hosts relaxes the light suppression requirements close to the star, which could make such planets interesting targets to characterize and search for signs of life, if new coronagraph designs with higher suppression at larger orbital separations could be developed. We assess the feasibility of characterizing atmospheric features including biosignatures for such planets with the proposed mission concept Large UV/Optical/IR Surveyor (LUVOIR).

The Role of Imidazolium-Based Surface-Active Ionic Liquid to Restrain the Excited-State Intramolecular H-Atom Transfer Dynamics of Medicinal Pigment Curcumin: A Theoretical and Experimental Approach.

The naturally occurring polyphenolic compound curcumin has shown various medicinal and therapeutic effects. However, there are various challenges associated with curcumin, which limits its biomedical applications, such as its high degradation rate and low aqueous solubility at neutral and alkaline pH. In the present study, efforts have been directed towards trying to resolve such issues by encapsulating curcumin inside the micelles formed by imidazolium-based surface-active ionic liquid (SAIL). The shape and size of the micelles formed by the SAIL have been characterized by using DLS analysis as well as TEM measurements. The photo-physics of curcumin in the presence of ionic liquid (IL) and also with the addition of salt (NaCl) has been explored by using different optical spectroscopic tools. The time-dependent absorption studies have shown that there is relatively higher suppression in the degradation rate of curcumin after encapsulation by the imidazolium-based SAIL in an aqueous medium. The TCSPC studies have revealed that there is deactivation in the nonradiative intramolecular hydrogen transfer process of curcumin in the presence of IL micelles as well as with the addition of salt. Furthermore, the time-dependent fluorescence anisotropy measurement has been carried out to figure out the location of curcumin inside the micellar system. In order to correlate all experimental findings, density functional theory (DFT) and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at neutral pH media have been performed. It has been found that the van der Waals force of interactions plays a major role in the stabilization of curcumin in the micelles rather than the coulombic forces. It also has been observed that the van der Waals interactions remain unaffected in the presence of salt. However, as revealed by the MD simulation results, the micelles are found to be more compact in size after the addition of salt. The RMSD results show that the micelles formed by the SAIL achieve greater stability after a particular time constraint. Our results have divulged that the SAIL could act as a promising drug delivery system.

Maltose and Totally Impermeable Film Enhanced Suppression of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation on Soilborne Pathogens and Increased Strawberry Yield

Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is widely used to control soilborne diseases in organic crop production. The effect of ASD used different sealed films on soilborne pathogens and strawberry growth was evaluated in two laboratory studies and two field trials. Under maltose as carbon sources, 28 °C temperature and 30% of soil moisture optimal conditions ASD decreased Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora spp. by 100%. ASD used maltose as an organic amendment and sealed with totally impermeable film (TIF) obtained the highest suppression (>96%) against Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora spp. (>91%). According to the laboratory results, the efficacy of ASD utilizing 6 or 9 t/ha maltose and sealing with TIF was evaluated and compared with reference treatment with chloropicrin (Pic) or solarization (Sol) in the field trials. Compared with the untreated soil, ASD treatments greatly reduced the pathogenic population of Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora spp., and successfully controlled the damage of fusarium wilt with evidence of lower mortality (6%). ASD significantly increased soil nutrition promoted plant growth and increased strawberry yield, which was similar as the Pic, but better than Sol treatment. The analyzed fungal and bacterial microbiota did not show significant differences in the taxonomic richness and diversity between the compared treatments. Nevertheless, the abundance of some bacterial and fungal taxa tended to change between treated. The evidence showed that adding maltose and sealing TIF for ASD has the potential to replace Pic for pathogen control in commercial strawberry production.