Increase In Mean Size Research Articles

Study of interaction between cloud microphysics and chemistry using coupled bin microphysics and bin aqueous chemistry scheme

A bin chemistry scheme was developed to study sulfate production and the effect of aqueous chemistry on cloud microphysics in precipitating stratocumulus cloud using a 2D kinematical model. The impact of air pollution on aerosol processing was investigated by a comprehensive sensitivity study. The numerical simulations were carried out at different concentrations of condensation nuclei and trace gases of SO2, H2O2, O3 and NH3. The results show: (i) Significant amount of sulfate formed due to cloud chemistry even in less polluted atmosphere. The amount of sulfate formed due to the oxidation of S(IV) was affected less by the initial condensation nuclei (hereinafter: CN) concentration and more by the initial mixing ratio of gases in the atmosphere. The amount of sulfate staying in the atmosphere was affected by the initial CN concentration, because it impacted the efficiency of washout. (ii) The aqueous sulfate production impacts the characteristics of aerosol size distribution by increasing mean size and by increasing the concentration of the micron size aerosol particles. The change of aerosol size distribution due to sulfate production has no effect on the amount of surface precipitation if the CN concentration is low (100 cm−3), and significantly reduces accumulated surface precipitation if CN concentration is large (540 cm−3). (iii) Compared to the bin chemistry scheme the bulk chemistry scheme underestimates the sulfate production and overestimates the role of O3 in the sulfate production.

A plane strain testing apparatus characterized by flexible loading and noncontact deformation measurement and its application to the study of shear band failure of sand

A new type of plane strain apparatus is developed to study the mechanical properties and shear band failure of soil, which possesses the advantages of flexible loading for lateral confining pressure and noncontact measurement and high measurement accuracy for surface deformation. In addition, the whole deformation procedure of the specimen can be recorded with images, which can be used to describe the development of strain localization and the shear band. It can be seen that the deformation process has three obvious stages, that is, the hardening stage, the softening stage, and the residual stage. The measured inclination angles of shear bands decrease as confining pressure or the mean size increases. In addition, it can be observed that the sand presents continuing growth of the unrecoverable plastic deformation inside the shear band and exhibits almost elastic deformation outside. From the detection results for local points in the specimen, the stress–strain relationships are different for different parts, and the sand sample behaves like an uneven structure instead of an even element, which means that the usual method of measuring the stress–strain relationship of the soil sample is only a macroscopic approximation.

Use of the 5-Strand Hamstring Autograft Technique in Increasing Graft Size in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

To determine the extent to which a strategy of routinely preparing a 5-strand hamstring autograft would increase graft size in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. A total of 64 patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled study comparing 5-strand and quadrupled semitendinosus-gracilis autografts in single-bundle ACL reconstruction (5-strand group, n= 32; 4-strand group, n= 32). In the 5-strand group, the diameter of the 4-strand construct and the subsequent 5-strand graft used were measured, whereas in the 4-strand group, the diameter of the quadrupled graft used was measured. Quadrupled graft diameter and hamstring tendon lengths were correlated with patient gender, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). The mean diameter of the final graft used in the 5-strand group was 8.8 ± 0.8mm, whereas that in the 4-strand group was 7.8 ± 0.7mm(P < .001). The mean increase in graft size achieved with the use of the 5-strand technique was 1.4 ± 0.3mm. In the 5-strand group, 24 of 32 (75%) patients had graft diameters exceeding 8mm compared with 9 of 32 (28%) patients in the 4-strand group (P < .001). Quadrupled graft diameter was significantly correlated with patient height and BMI, whereas the gracilis and semitendinosus lengths were significantly correlated with patient height. The 5-strand hamstring autograft provides a significantly larger diameter graft compared with the quadrupled hamstring autograft in ACL reconstruction. Graft sizes exceeding 8mm are achievable in 75% of patients with the routine application of this technique. This is significantly more than that obtained with the standard quadrupled hamstring graft. Hamstring tendon length and quadrupled hamstring graft diameter are also significantly correlated with patient height. Level 1, prospective randomized controlled trial.

Stiffness of a recycled composite aggregate

Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is a promising substitute for natural aggregates and the reuse of this demolished material would benefit the construction projects both economically and environmentally. A difficulty associated with the prediction of the behavior of RCA is because of its multi-composition which is linked to the grain size in consideration. In this study, a comprehensive laboratory testing program is conducted on different fractions of RCA for which the ratio of silicon over calcium increases for the coarser fractions due to the limitation of the cement mortar inclusion as the mean size increases. The study incorporates bender/extender element tests capturing small-strain constrained moduli, Young’s moduli and Poisson’s ratio of RCA fractions with different mean grain size and grain size distribution. For the uniform RCA fractions, the results showed that during isotropic compression, the specimens had a clear dependency of their dynamic properties on mean grain size. For the better graded specimens, it was shown that their behavior was dominated to some extend by the finer fraction they were composed rather than being affected equally by the different fractions they consisted of. The results also highlighted the sensitivity of the behavior of the samples to the over-consolidation stress history. For RCA, a multi-composition material, the grain size has a dominant role on the modulus – pressure relationship as well as the sensitivity of material behavior to stress history and these observations must be considered in the analysis of geo-structures where RCA is used as construction material.

Sharks caught in the KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme, South Africa. 14. The smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena (Linnaeus)

The current study provides long-term catch-rate, biological and feeding data for smooth hammerhead sharks, Sphyrna zygaena, caught in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme. In total, 2 512 S. zygaena were caught in net installations between 1978 and 2014, and 72 S. zygaena were caught on drumlines between 2007 and 2014. There was no significant log-linear year trend in the net catch rate over time (slope = 0.0054, t = 1.808, p = 0.07). However, there was a significant temporal increase in mean size of the captured sharks (slope = 0.0012, t = 3.502, p < 0.001). A quasi-Poisson generalised additive mixed model showed that increasing latitude, winter months, colder sea temperatures and the deployment of drumlines all had a significant positive effect on the catch rate of sharks in nets. The size frequency of the catch was unimodal, with significantly more females caught in the nets and more males on the drumlines. The majority (93.1%) of all sharks caught were immature and measured between 80 and 120 cm precaudal length. Teleosts and cephalopods dominated the sharks’ diet in terms of all dietary indices. The prey species consumed indicate that immature S. zygaena are feeding primarily within the pelagic zone of shallow coastal habitats.

Emotion fingerprints or emotion populations? A meta-analytic investigation of autonomic features of emotion categories.

The classical view of emotion hypothesizes that certain emotion categories have a specific autonomic nervous system (ANS) "fingerprint" that is distinct from other categories. Substantial ANS variation within a category is presumed to be epiphenomenal. The theory of constructed emotion hypothesizes that an emotion category is a population of context-specific, highly variable instances that need not share an ANS fingerprint. Instead, ANS variation within a category is a meaningful part of the nature of emotion. We present a meta-analysis of 202 studies measuring ANS reactivity during lab-based inductions of emotion in nonclinical samples of adults, using a random effects, multilevel meta-analysis and multivariate pattern classification analysis to test our hypotheses. We found increases in mean effect size for 59.4% of ANS variables across emotion categories, but the pattern of effect sizes did not clearly distinguish 1 emotion category from another. We also observed significant variation within emotion categories; heterogeneity accounted for a moderate to substantial percentage (i.e., I2 ≥ 30%) of variability in 54% of these effect sizes. Experimental moderators epiphenomenal to emotion, such as induction type (e.g., films vs. imagery), did not explain a large portion of the variability. Correction for publication bias reduced estimated effect sizes even further, increasing heterogeneity of effect sizes for certain emotion categories. These findings, when considered in the broader empirical literature, are more consistent with population thinking and other principles from evolutionary biology found within the theory of constructed emotion, and offer insights for developing new hypotheses to understand the nature of emotion. (PsycINFO Database Record

A comparison of semi-automated volumetric vs linear measurement of small vestibular schwannomas

ObjectiveAccurate and precise measurement of vestibular schwannoma (VS) size is key to clinical management decisions. Linear measurements are used in routine clinical practice but are prone to measurement error. This study aims to compare a semi-automated volume segmentation tool against standard linear method for measuring small VS. This study also examines whether oblique tumour orientation can contribute to linear measurement error.Study designExperimental comparison of observer agreement using two measurement techniques.SettingTertiary skull base unit.ParticipantsTwenty-four patients with unilateral sporadic small (< 15 mm maximum intracranial dimension) VS imaged with 1 mm-thickness T1-weighted Gadolinium enhanced MRI.Main outcome measures(1) Intra and inter-observer intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), repeatability coefficients (RC), and relative smallest detectable difference (%SDD). (2) Mean change in maximum linear dimension following reformatting to correct for oblique orientation of VS.ResultsIntra-observer ICC was higher for semi-automated volumetric when compared with linear measurements, 0.998 (95% CI 0.994–0.999) vs 0.936 (95% CI 0.856–0.972), p < 0.0001. Inter-observer ICC was also higher for volumetric vs linear measurements, 0.989 (95% CI 0.975–0.995) vs 0.946 (95% CI 0.880–0.976), p = 0.0045. The intra-observer %SDD was similar for volumetric and linear measurements, 9.9% vs 11.8%. However, the inter-observer %SDD was greater for volumetric than linear measurements, 20.1% vs 10.6%. Following oblique reformatting to correct tumour angulation, the mean increase in size was 1.14 mm (p = 0.04).ConclusionSemi-automated volumetric measurements are more repeatable than linear measurements when measuring small VS and should be considered for use in clinical practice. Oblique orientation of VS may contribute to linear measurement error.

Characterization of Pegylated Liposomal Mitomycin C Lipid-Based Prodrug (Promitil) by High Sensitivity Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy.

The effect of a lipidated prodrug of mitomycin C (MLP) on the membrane of a pegylated liposome formulation (PL-MLP), also known as Promitil, was characterized through high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and cryo-TEM. The thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that MLP led to the formation of heterogeneous domains in the membrane plane of PL-MLP. MLP concentrated in prodrug-rich domains, arranged in high-ordered crystal-like structures, as suggested by the sharp and high enthalpy endotherm in the first heating scanning. After thiolytic cleavage of mitomycin C from MLP by dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment, the crystal-like prodrug domain disappears and a homogeneous membrane with stronger lipid interactions and higher phase transition temperature compared with the blank (MLP-free) liposomes is observed by DSC. In parallel, the rod-like discoid liposomes and the "kissing liposomes" seen by cryo-TEM in the PL-MLP formulation disappear, and liposome mean size and polydispersity increase after DTT treatment. Both MLP and the residual postcleavage lipophilic moiety of the prodrug increased the rigidity of the liposome membrane as indicated by DSC. These results confirm that MLP is inserted in the PL-MLP liposome membrane via its lipophilic anchor, and its mitomycin C moiety located mainly at the region of the phospholipid glycerol backbone and polar headgroup. We hypothesize that π-π stacking between the planar aromatic rings of the mitomycin C moieties leads to the formation of prodrug-rich domains with highly ordered structure on the PL-MLP liposome membrane. This thermodynamically stable conformation may explain the high stability of the PL-MLP formulation. These results also provide us with an interesting example of the application of high sensitivity DSC in understanding the composition-structure-behavior dynamics of liposomal nanocarriers having a lipid-based drug as pharmaceutical ingredient.

Determinants of HDL Cholesterol Efflux Capacity after Virgin Olive Oil Ingestion: Interrelationships with Fluidity of HDL Monolayer.

Cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL (CEC) is inversely associated with cardiovascular risk. HDL composition, fluidity, oxidation, and size are related with CEC. We aimed to assess which HDL parameters were CEC determinants after virgin olive oil (VOO) ingestion. Post-hoc analyses from the VOHF study, a crossover intervention with three types of VOO. We assessed the relationship of 3-week changes in HDL-related variables after intervention periods with independence of the type of VOO. After univariate analyses, mixed linear models were fitted with variables related with CEC and fluidity. Fluidity and Apolipoprotein (Apo)A-I content in HDL was directly associated, and HDL oxidative status inversely, with CEC. A reduction in free cholesterol, an increase in triglycerides in HDL, and a decrease in small HDL particle number or an increase in HDL mean size, were associated to HDL fluidity. HDL fluidity, ApoA-I concentration, and oxidative status are major determinants for CEC after VOO. The impact on CEC of changes in free cholesterol and triglycerides in HDL, and those of small HDL or HDL mean size, could be mechanistically linked through HDL fluidity. Our work points out novel therapeutic targets to improve HDL functionality in humans through nutritional or pharmacological interventions.

Short-term cooling increases serum triglycerides and small high-density lipoprotein levels in humans

Cold exposure and β3-adrenergic receptor agonism, which both activate brown adipose tissue, markedly influence lipoprotein metabolism by enhancing lipoprotein lipase-mediated catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and increasing plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and functionality in mice. However, the effect of short-term cooling on human lipid and lipoprotein metabolism remained largely elusive. The objective was to assess the effect of short-term cooling on the serum lipoprotein profile and HDL functionality in men. Body mass index-matched young, lean men were exposed to a personalized cooling protocol for 2hours. Before and after cooling, serum samples were collected for analysis of lipids and lipoprotein composition by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance. Adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1)-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL was measured using [3H]cholesterol-loaded ABCA1-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. Short-term cooling increased serum levels of free fatty acids, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Cooling increased the concentration of large very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles accompanied by increased mean size of VLDL particles. In addition, cooling enhanced the concentration of small LDL and small HDL particles as well as the cholesterol levels within these particles. The increase in small HDL was accompanied by increased ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux invitro. Our data show that short-term cooling increases the concentration of large VLDL particles and increases the generation of small LDL and HDL particles. We interpret that cooling increases VLDL production and turnover, which results in formation of surface remnants that form small HDL particles that attract cellular cholesterol.

Preparation and characterization of dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers coated with stearic acid-chitosan oligomer for topical delivery

Dutasteride, used for treating benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), promotes hair growth. To enhance delivery to the hair follicles and reduce systemic effects, in this study dutasteride has been formulated for topical application, in a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) coated with chitosan oligomer-stearic acid (CSO-SA). CSO-SA has been successfully synthesized, as confirmed using 1H NMR and FTIR. Formulation of dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (DST-NLCs) was optimized using a 23 full factorial design. This formulation was coated with different concentrations of stearic acid-chitosan solution. Coating DST-NLCs with 5% SA-CSO increased mean size from 187.6±7.0nm to 220.1±11.9nm, and modified surface charge, with zeta potentials being −18.3±0.9mV and +25.8±1.1mV for uncoated and coated DST-NLCs respectively. Transmission electron microscopy showed all formulations comprised approximately spherical particles. DST-NLCs, coated and uncoated with CSO-SA, exhibited particle size stability over 60days, when stored at 4–8°C. However, NLCs coated with CSO (without conjugation) showed aggregation when stored at 4–8°C after 30days. The measured particle size for all formulations stored at 25°C suggested aggregation, which was greatest for DST-NLCs coated with 10% CSO-SA and 5% CSO. All nanoparticle formulations exhibited rapid release in an in vitro release study, with uncoated NLCs exhibiting the fastest release rate. Using a Franz diffusion cell, no dutasteride permeated through pig ear skin after 48h, such that it was not detected in the receptor chamber for all samples. The amount of dutasteride in the skin was significantly different (p<0.05) for DST-NLCs (6.09±1.09μg/cm2) without coating and those coated with 5% CSO-SA (2.82±0.40μg/cm2), 10% CSO-SA (2.70±0.35μg/cm2) and CSO (2.11±0.64μg/cm2). There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the cytotoxicity (IC50) between dutasteride alone and in the nanoparticles. DST-NLCs coated and uncoated with CSO-SA increased the maximum non-toxic concentration by 20-fold compared to dutasteride alone. These studies indicate that a stearic acid-chitosan conjugate was successfully prepared, and modified the surface charge of DST-NLCs from negative to positive. These stable, less cytotoxic, positively-charged dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers, with stearic acid-chitosan oligomer conjugate, are appropriate for topical delivery and have potential for promotion of hair growth.

Synthesis of SnO $$_2$$ 2 nanoparticles by electrooxidation of tin in quaternary ammonium salt for application in dye-sensitized solar cells

A facile synthetic route has been employed to prepare tin oxide nanoparticles. The route comprises anodic dissolution of metallic tin in the presence of tetramethylammonium chloride called electrooxidation. The effect of experimental parameters was investigated with special focus on solution pH. The obtained nanostructures have been characterized by XRD, EDS, TEM, FESEM, FTIR and UV–visible studies. The results show that the solution pH has a critical influence on the nanoparticles properties. The hydrophilic feature of nanoparticles decreases with pH growth, whereas their mean size increases. On the other hand, the size distribution is much uniform for the samples prepared at low pH. Having achieved the nanoparticles by electrooxidation, the dye-sensitized solar cells based on the produced SnO $$_2$$ nanoparticles were fabricated and the influence of nanoparticles on their performance was investigated. By variation in solution pH, we prepared nanoparticles with different particle sizes and photoanodes with various dye-loading abilities. The dye absorption and consequently current density of cells increased in acidic case, and therefore, power conversion efficiency grew up by 33% in acidic synthetic environment.

Blow-assisted multi-jet electrospinning of poly-L-lactic acid nanofibers

Regardless the low production rate, electrospinning remains the attractive technique for the nanofibers production in various fields. Thus, the development of a multi-jet technologies for electrospinning gives an opportunity to scale up and increase throughput of the fibers production. However, the multi-jet electrospinning technologies exhibit one major drawback– electrostatic mutual jet repulsion issue. In present research, we propose air blow-assisted multi-jet electrospinning system allowing production of nanofibers with yield, at least, tenfold higher than single jet electrospinning. The system produces nanofibers in two modes: multi-jet electrospinning and blow-assisted multi-jet electrospinning. In case of the latter, the application of sheath air stream allows the system to overcome the electrostatic mutual repulsion issue. These lead to the reduction of deviation of the polymer solution jets, the reduction of instabilities of the jets and the improvement of the control of the nanofibers deposition. Nanofibers morphology and size were investigated based on the scanning electron microscope micrographs. The comparison of the two modes shows changes in nanofibers morphology from beaded structure to fine nanofibers, and the slight increase in fiber mean size when the blowing assistance was applied to the process.

Stomatal traits relate to habitat preferences of herbaceous species in a temperate climate

Stomata enable plants to balance uptake of CO2 with water loss via transpiration. Previous studies have shown that stomatal size and density trade-off with one another and are related to a suite of environmental factors (light, atmospheric CO2 concentrations, moisture and temperature) which influence gas exchange. We examined the hypothesis that the habitat preferences of species are reflected in stomatal traits. Thus, we examined the relation of stomatal size and density of 36 herbaceous species along elevational gradients in relation to Ellenberg indicator values for light and moisture. The light value is a proxy for the transpiration demand due to exposure to radiation and air mass exchange, the moisture value reflects water supply. Additionally we measured carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C), a proxy for intrinsic water use efficiency and internal CO2 concentration. Stomatal size changed in parallel on both sides of a leaf, whereas changes in density differed between sides depending on species identity. There was an increase in absolute variation of sizes and densities with increasing mean size and density respectively, but not in relative variation. Species with few but large stomata tended to adjust stomatal size across environmental gradients, whereas species with small but many stomata mainly adjusted stomatal density. A higher Ellenberg indicator value for light and a lower value for moisture was associated with equal distribution of stomata between leaf sides. The carbon isotope discrimination data indicated that amphistomatic species, which illustrated a preference for high radiation and high air mass exchange as well as for dry habitats, had higher water use efficiency. We conclude that stomatal traits such as size, density or the distribution between the two sides of the leaf are indicators of how species optimize carbon uptake and balance water loss and radiation gain.

A microreactor-based continuous process for controlled synthesis of poly-methyl-methacrylate-methacrylic acid (PMMA) nanoparticles.

We have developed a microreactor-based continuous process for synthesizing PMMA nanoparticles (NPs), based on the principle of nanoprecipitation. Our objective was to identify the critical parameters governing the size of nanoparticles, produced in microreactors, to enable reproducible synthesis of mono-disperse particles. Experiments were carried out in a microreactor, where parameters like flow rates of aqueous and organic phases, residence time and polymer concentrations were varied to examine their influence on particle size and homogeneity. The results from Dynamic Light Scattering confirmed that the particle size decreased with decreasing residence time, whereas when the aqueous to organic phase flow rate ratio was changed sequentially from 9 : 1, 4 : 1, 7 : 3, 3 : 2, to 1 : 1 (v/v), the particle size increased. Particles fabricated using a microreactor demonstrated a narrow and homogenous distribution, thus confirming their monodispersity. TEM, SEM and XRD were also performed for morphology analysis and phase identification of the particles. Further, paclitaxel encapsulated PMMA nanoparticles were prepared using the microreactor, demonstrating an increase in mean size of around 30 nm and a slightly higher polydispersity index compared to the blank nanoparticles. The drug encapsulation efficiency and drug release kinetics of these nanoparticles were comparable to those prepared in batch-experiments, thus establishing the suitability of the technology for preparing drug-loaded nanoparticles. Also, it was observed that at all the residence times (10 min to 10 s), about 80% of the polymer got transformed into nanoparticulate form, thus confirming the efficiency of the microreactor. In recent times, much work has been conducted to synthesize polymeric nanoparticles using different types of microreactors, but they lack detailed investigation of the effect of various parameters on the physiochemical properties of the resulting particles. Our investigation synthesizes PMMA NPs, using microreactor technology, for the very first time, to the best of our knowledge. Furthermore, we have performed a detailed analysis of the influence of various process parameters on the size and uniformity of the resulting nanoparticles. These critical parameters can serve as a useful tool to synthesize a myriad of nanoparticles of alternative polymers, using microreactor technology.

Chronic immunosuppression does not potentiate the malignant progression of mucinous pancreatic cystic lesions

BackgroundPremalignant mucinous pancreatic cystic lesions (mPCLs) are increasingly identified. AimsIn this study, we aim to assess the effect of selected immunosuppressive therapies on the progression of mPCLs, including side-branch intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and mucinous cystic neoplasms. MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with mPCLs diagnosed over a 24-year period who received chronic immunosuppression. Controls were matched on age at cyst diagnosis (±11 yrs) and cyst size (±8 mm). Measured outcomes included increase in cyst size, development of “worrisome features” as defined by consensus guidelines, progression to malignancy, and rate of surgical resection. Results39 patients (mean age 60 yrs) with mPCLs were on immunosuppression. Leading indications for immunosuppression were solid organ transplant (n = 14), inflammatory bowel disease (n = 6), and rheumatoid arthritis (n = 5). 33% were on biologics, 77% on antimetabolites and 79% on multiple medications. Mean cyst size increased from 12.6 mm to 17.8 mm over a median of 16.5 months. 6 patients elected for surgical resection, and none ultimately developed malignancy. 26 cases with follow-up were matched to control subjects, with no significant differences among cases and controls in initial cyst size (12.8 mm vs 11.9 mm, P = 0.69), mean size increase (6.9 mm vs 5 mm, P = 0.47), follow-up interval (24.3 months vs 21.5 months, P = 0.44). No significant differences in the rate of worrisome features, malignancy, or surgical resection. ConclusionsPatients with mPCLs exposed to immunosuppressive medications did not have higher rates of malignancy or development worrisome features in the short term. This suggests that patients with mPCLs can be initiated or maintained on these agents without changes to surveillance practices.

EEA1-carrying vesicles are not autophagosomes in serum-deprived HeLa cells

According to current model, stimulation of EGF-receptor endocytosis results in recruitment onto early endosomes cytosolic tether protein EEA1 necessary for their further fusions. However, EEA1-positive vesicles are found in the cells not treated with growth factor, that were incubated in serum-free conditions. It is known also that prolonged serum deprivation induces autophagosomes formation, the process possibly involving endocytic compartments. To check whether EEA1-positive vesicles seen in serum-deprived HeLa cells are autophagosomes, we here evaluated colocalization of EEA1 and autophagosome marker LC3 and studied dynamics of the EEA1- and LC3-vesicles’ number and size during 12—36 h cell cultivation in serum-free medium. It was found that the number of autophagosomes per cell is significantly less than the number of EEA1-vesicles. We show that serum starvation results in increase of only mean autophagosomes’ size, while the number and size of EEA1-vesicles did not changed. Colocalization of EEA1 and LC3 in serum-free cells was very low during first 12—18 h of starvation and increased insignificantly only by 36 h. Biosynthetic pathway inhibition by Golgi apparatus disruption by brefeldin A, decreased the number and increased the size of EEA1-vesicles. LC3-vesicles also demonstrated an increase of mean size and growth of colocalization with EEA1. Thus, we conclude that the majority of EEA1-vesicles in serum-starved cells are not autophagosomes. More pronounced effect of brefeldin A indicates that blockade of biosynthetic pathway is more strong stress factor comparing to serum deprivation in HeLa cells. This also suggests that this pathway is involved in EEA1-vesicles biogenesis.

Contour currents of the North Atlantic during the last glacial cycle

The mean size of mineral particles of the 10–63 μm fraction (the so-called “sortable silt” mean size (\(\overline {SS} \))) was used as proxy for the variations in paleocurrent intensity. The modes of grain-size distribution were also examined. Sediments with bimodal grain size distribution (the second mode varies from 10 to 28 μm) correlate with the increased mean size of sortable silt (up to 18–23 μm) at the Hatton and Snorry Drifts. These parameters indicate an increase in bottom-current intensity during MIS 1, 3, and 5e. There is no correlation between grain-size distribution and climatic cyclicity of variations in contour-current intensity at the Gloria Drift. The similarity between AMK-4493 sediments and IRD-containing hemiturbidites of the Labrador Sea render doubtful the contourite nature of the Gloria Drift.

Response of top shell assemblages to cyclogenesis disturbances. A case study in the Bay of Biscay

Cyclones and other climate disturbances profoundly affect coastal ecosystems, promoting changes in the benthic communities that require time, sometimes even years, for a complete recovery. In this study we have analysed the morphological and genetic changes occurred in top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis and Phorcus lineatus) assemblages from the Bay of Biscay following explosive cyclogenesis events in 2014. Comparison with previous samples at short (three years before the cyclogenesis) and long (Upper Pleistocene) temporal scales served to better evaluate the extent of change induced by these disturbances in a more global dimension. A significant increase in mean size after the cyclogenesis was found for the two species, suggesting selective sweeping of small individuals weakly adhered to substrata. Loss of haplotype variants at the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene suggests a population bottleneck, although it was not intense enough to produce significant changes in haplotype frequencies. The high population connectivity and metapopulation structuring of the two species in the area likely help the populations to recover from disturbances. At a wider temporal scale, cyclogenesis effects seemed to compensate the apparent decreasing trends in size for P. lineatus occurred after the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. Considering disturbance regimes for population baselines is recommended when the long-term effects of climate and anthropogenic pressures are evaluated.

Surface Plasmon Properties of Silver Nanostructures Fabricated Using Extremely Non-Equilibrium, Hot and Dense Plasma

We present fabrication of silver nanostructures on glass substrates using highly energetic and high fluence material ions generated by one shot of hot, dense and extremely non-equilibrium plasma such as found in modified dense plasma focus (DPF) device. The substrates were first placed at 4.0 cm and 6.0 cm from the top of anode. Nanodots and nanocapsules are observed in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of silver ions deposited with DPF shot on glass. The interparticle distance is found to decrease whereas mean size of nanodots is found to increase slightly when the distance of glass substrate is increased from 4.0 cm to 6.0 cm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the fabricated nanostructures has peaks at 2θ equals 37.90o, 44.24o and 64.20o which correspond to (111), (200) and (220) planes of silver having face-centered cubic structure. The nanostructures obtained on glass placed at 4.0 cm show surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 420 nm whereas nanostructures obtained on glass placed at 6.0 cm has a SPR peak at 428 nm. Redshift of the SPR peak is attributed to increased interaction as a result of decrease in interparticle distance of the nanostructures as well as increase in mean size of nanodots.