Red Intensity Research Articles

EFFECT OF SCREEN HOUSE MODIFICATION AT FLOWER BUD STADIA ON FLOWER QUALITY OF CHRYSANTHEMUM AT MEDIUM UPLAND ELEVATION

<p class="abstrakinggris">Higher temperature and light intensity at the medium upland elevation decrease the number of blooming flowers, flower diameter, and red color flower intensity of <em>Chrysanthemum morifolium</em>compared to that at the high upland elevation. The environmental modification was needed during the flower development phase to improve the quality of chrysantheum at a medium upland elevation. The study aimed to find the suitable screen house environmental modification for increasing the chrysanthemum quality at the medium upland elevation. The study consisted of two factors. First, environmental modification of a screen house, such as (1) control, (2) the addition of shading net on the rooftop of the screen house, (3) the addition of a misting system in the screen house, and (4) the addition of a combination of shading net on the rooftop and misting system in the screen house. Second, the chrysanthemum varieties, including (1) Yastayuki (white flower), (2) Arosuka Pelangi (yellow flower), and (3) Socakawani (red flower). Experiments were arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications. Data were analyzed by combined ANOVA. The results showed that either the addition of a shading net or misting system reduced the number of flower buds growing. The competition among flower buds was found to be reduced by decreasing the number of flower buds. Consequently, the number and diameter of the blooming flower increased. The addition of a shading net on top of the screen house was the most suitable environmental modification to increase the chrysanthemum quality at the medium upland elevation.</p>

The Effect of Different Lycopene Dyeing Solutions on Rice Colour Stability

Lycopene is a bright red substance that belongs to a group of naturally occurring pigments known as carotenoids, being the most efficient antioxidant of this group. Tomatoes are the major source of natural lycopene in the human diet, but synthetic lycopene is commonly used as a food ingredient. In this experiment, three varieties of Portuguese “Carolino” rice (Oryza sativa L., subsp. japonica) were coloured by saturated solutions of lycopene powder (10% of purity, with starch as excipient), with vinegar (56,5% w/w), ethanol (99,0% w/w), rice bran oil (92% w/w) and water (100% w/w). Colour was measured after colouring and after 21, 42, 63 days of storage. The antioxidant properties of dyed rice were also evaluated at 0 and 63 storage days. The antioxidant activity of most of dyed rice samples did not significantly changed over time. Results showed that vinegar and water conferred a redder colour to the rice kernels and ethanol led to the lower red colour values immediately after dyeing. Red colour intensity of all samples steadily decreased over time. Samples that used water and vinegar still presented at day 63 an evident orange colour, that was considered an appealing sensory attribute being an alternative to conventional white rice.

Persistent Abnormal Immunocytes Induced Systemic Bone Loss in Locally Irradiated Rats.

Chronic and systemic bone complications frequently occur in patients who undergo radiotherapy; however, the pathological mechanisms underlying these complications remain unclear. This study aimed to observe persistent and systemic changes in locally irradiated rats and to determine the systemic pathological changes that persistently affect bone metabolism. We examined the inflammatory and oxidative stress responses that occurred after local irradiation using enzyme immunoassays and biochemical analyses. Lymphocytes obtained from the blood, spleen, thymus, and bone marrow were evaluated using flow cytometry. The proliferation and apoptosis characteristics of co-cultured bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were detected by MTT assay and PI/Annexin V-FITC staining, respectively, and the differentiation of BMSCs was measured according to alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, alizarin red staining, and Oil Red O staining and by evaluating the mRNA expression of ALP, osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), collagen I, Runx2, and PPARγ. Our results revealed that no significant or continuous differences were present in the inflammatory response or the oxidative stress response throughout the body after local irradiation. B lymphocyte levels increased continuously in the blood, spleen, and bone marrow after local irradiation. T lymphocyte levels were decreased at 2weeks after local irradiation, and CD8+T lymphocyte levels were increased in the blood, thymus, and bone marrow at 12weeks after local irradiation. The ratio of CD4+/CD8+T lymphocytes began to decrease during the early phase after local irradiation and became significantly decreased at 12weeks after local irradiation. Normal BMSCs co-cultured with lymphocytes derived from irradiated rats exhibited decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis, and the ALP staining intensity, alizarin red staining intensity, and mRNA expression of related genes were all also decreased. Oil Red O staining intensity and mRNA expression of PPARγ were both increased. Lymphocyte levels contribute to chronic and systemic bone complications after radiotherapy by inhibiting the proliferation and osteoblastogenesis of BMSCs.

Development of deep red–emitting CaBiVO5:Pr3+ phosphor for multifunctional optoelectronic applications

AbstractOrthorhombic Pr3+‐doped calcium bismuth vanadate (CBV: Pr3+) phosphors have been synthesized successfully via a citrate‐gel method. The single‐phase formation of CBV: Pr3+ phosphor has been endorsed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image reveals dense‐particle packaging with the quasi‐spherical shape for the prepared CBV: Pr3+ phosphors. Under blue light excitation, CBV: Pr3+ phosphors exhibit intense red emission bands located at 608 and 656 nm wavelengths, overlapping with the absorption spectrum of PR phytochrome, which is present in plants. To achieve the maximum red intensity, the Pr3+ ion concentration is optimized to be 1.25 mol% in the CBV host, after which the emission intensity ceases due to concentration quenching. Dexter's theory disclosed the possibility of d‐d multipolar interaction among Pr3+ ions at higher concentrations of Pr3+ ions in the CBV host. The CIE coordinates are found to be positioned in the pure red region for CBV: Pr3+ phosphor and in the proximity of red‐emitting commercial phosphor. The temperature‐dependent spectral studies manifest substantial thermal stability of the as‐synthesized phosphor. All the studies mentioned above specify the tremendous potentiality of thermally stable CBV: Pr3+ phosphor in agricultural lighting and w‐LED applications.

Analysis of Mitochondrial Metabolic Profile As a Predictor of Clinical Aggressiveness of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Introduction:Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clonal hematopoietic malignancy characterized by dysregulated differentiation, unrestricted growth, and inhibition of apoptosis of immature myeloid progenitors. A feature in AML is increased metabolic demand despite genetic heterogeneity. Mitochondria regulate ATP generation, metabolism, apoptosis and are central to proliferation and differentiation in normal and cancer cells. The Translocase of the Outer Mitochondrial Membrane Member 20 (TOMM20), a member of the outer membrane translocator complex, plays a critical role in import of precursor proteins like nuclear encoded oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) subunits from cytosol to mitochondria, required for ATP generation. TOMM20 expression and uptake of the mitotracker (a fluorescent dye taken up by mitochondria with intact membrane potential), correlate with functional mitochondrial mass and OXPHOS activity. We aim to characterize the metabolic profile of AML, using TOMM20 as a surrogate marker of mitochondrial OXPHOS, and to assess in a subgroup of subjects, differences in mitotracker uptake between AML and non-cancer cells.Methods:This is a retrospective evaluation of 67 patients with AML treated at Thomas Jefferson University between 2005 and 2015. The patients were divided into 3 cohorts with (a) relapsed disease post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) [n=20], (b) remission post-HSCT [n=27] and (c) refractory disease post induction therapy [n=20].The study hypotheses were: (1) Mitochondrial metabolism measured by TOMM20 expression is increased in AML compared to normal bone marrow biopsy specimens and there is higher mitotracker uptake in AML cells than non-cancer bone marrow cells (2) Biologic behavior of AML can be predicted by TOMM20 expression with patients who relapse having higher expression than those that maintain a remission and (3) At relapse, there will be an increase in TOMM20 expression from initial diagnosis with the patient serving as his/her own control. Immunostaining of TOMM20 in bone marrow specimens was graded by two pathologists (blinded to clinical characteristics) as 1+: faint fine granular staining in areas of maximum staining, 2+: coarse granular staining with distinctly visible granules in areas of maximum staining and 3+: coarse coalesced granular staining in areas of maximum staining. Overall survival in relation to TOMM20 expression was measured.The association of TOMM20 expression with unpaired categorical data was performed using chi-square or Fisher's exact test and paired data using the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Kaplan-Meier test was used to evaluate survival rates and compared using the log-rank test. Mitotracker deep red mean fluorescent intensity in CD34+ and CD34 bone marrow cells in AML were compared using a paired t-test.Results:The median age at AML diagnosis was 58 (range: 20-78) years and 63% were female. Per the Revised Disease Risk Index, patients fell into low (13%), intermediate (64%) and high (23%) risk groups. In the control bone marrow specimens analyzed (n=6), only scattered myeloid precursors showed 1+ TOMM20 expression compared to AML blasts that showed uniform 1+ to 3+ staining [figure 1]. Mitotracker uptake was 7.7 fold higher (p<0.05) in AML cells than in non-cancer bone marrow cells in 5 subjects with AML whose cancer cells expressed CD34.There was no significant difference in TOMM20 expression between the 3 patient groups at diagnosis (p=0.26). In the patient group relapsing post HSCT, there was a statistically significant increase in median TOMM20 expression compared to baseline (Z=-3.2, p=0.001). Patients with high TOMM20 expression (3+) had the lowest overall survival compared to those with 1+ or 2+ expression, although not statistically significant (Log rank p value=0.217) [figure 2].Discussion:We demonstrate that AML blasts have increased TOMM20 expression and mitotracker uptake, markers of mitochondrial metabolism, compared to normal myeloid precursors. We did not observe a significant difference in TOMM20 expression at diagnosis between patient cohorts. In AML patients who relapse post HSCT, there is an increase in functional mitochondrial mass as demonstrated by increased expression of TOMM20. Mitochondrial OXPHOS inhibitors are promising oncotherapeutic agents warranting prospective evaluation in treatment strategies for relapsed and/or refractory AML. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Analysis of Digital Images on a Mobile Device to Estimate Surface Area and Volume of Mango Fruit (Mangifera indica L.)

Objective: To develop a technique based on the partition method, to estimate the surface area and volume of mango fruit (Mangifera indica L. cv. “Ataulfo”) using two digital orthogonal images, obtained and processed on a mobile device with the Android® operating system, segmented by different discriminants. Design/Methodology/Approach: A technique was developed to estimate the surface area and volume of “Ataulfo” mango fruit based on digital images and was implemented directly on a smartphone with the Android® operating system. Three discriminants were evaluated for segmentation (red channel, green channel, and HIS intensity) and applied in n=30 fruits. The precision and accuracy of the technique was determined. Results: The surface area and volume of the fruit when estimated using the red channel presented a coefficient of variation of less than 2.0% in both variables and the estimation error was less than 3% for surface area and less than 5% for volume. Study Limitations/Implications: This technique was limited to fruit with an elliptical cross-section and smooth surface. Findings/Conclusions: The proposed technique is a non-destructive alternative to estimate the surface area and volume of “Ataulfo” mango fruit with a reasonable margin of error and can be implemented directly on an Android® device using only the red channel as a segmentation discriminant.

Tuning the structural and luminescence properties of LiYF4:Yb, Er upconversion phosphor: Understanding the role of K ion concentration

Influence of K+ ion concentrations on the upconversion emissions of LiYF4: Yb, Er phosphor has been investigated. Li1−xKxY0.77F4:Yb0.2, Er0.03 phosphors are synthesized by solid-state reaction method under reduced atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a major phase transition from tetragonal LiYF4 to hexagonal KYF4 as the concentration of K+ ion increases. Blue, green and red upconversion emissions are observed when the samples are excited at 980 nm. Green and red luminescence intensities are affected by the inclusion of K+ ion concentrations in the host lattice. Downshifting photoluminescence and the corresponding decay analysis are carried out for the Li1−xKxY0.77F4:Yb0.2, Er0.03 phosphors under the excitation wavelength of 378 nm. Significant changes in the emission intensity of the green to red ratio suggest the tuning of the emission color with the modification of the K+ ion concentrations in Li1−xKxY0.77F4:Yb0.2, Er0.03 host and such successful tuning in the color of emission can find potential applications in the field of display devices.

Investigation into the effects of leukemia inhibitory factor on the bone repair capacity of BMSCs-loaded BCP scaffolds in the mouse calvarial bone defect model.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is known to play a major role in bone physiology. In the present study, we examined the in vitro effects of LIF on osteoblast differentiation of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) and explored in vivo effects of LIF on the bone repair capacity of BMSCs-loaded biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds in mouse calvarial bone defect model. The mRNA and protein expression levels in the BMSCs were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot, respectively; the in vitro osteoblast differentiation of the BMSCs was evaluated by using Alizarin Red S staining. The bone volume and bone density in the repaired calvarial bone defect were determined by Micro-CT. Bone regeneration was also histologically evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining. Hypoxia treatment induced the up-regulation of Lif mRNA and LIF protein in the BMSCs. Lif overexpression up-regulated the mRNA expression levels of osteopontin and Runt-related transcription factor 2, and increased intensity of Alizarin Red S staining in the BMSCs; while Lif silence exerted the opposite effects. The in vivo studies showed that implantation of Lif-overexpressing BMSCs-loaded BCP scaffolds significantly increased the bone volume and bone density at 4 and 8weeks after transplantation, and promoted the regeneration of bone tissues in the mouse calvarial bone defect at 8weeks after transplantation when compared to the BMSCs-loaded BCP scaffolds group; while Lif-silencing BMSCs-loaded BCP scaffolds had the opposite effects. The present study for the first time demonstrated that LIF promoted the in vitro osteoblast differentiation of hypoxia-treated BMSCs; and further studies revealed that LIF exerted enhanced effects on the bone repair capacity of BMSCs-load BCP scaffolds in mouse calvarial bone defect model. However, future studies are warranted to determine the detailed mechanisms of LIF in the large-scale bone defect repair.

Multicolor Coding Up-Conversion Nanoplatform for Rapid Screening of Multiple Foodborne Pathogens.

Technologies for rapid screening of multiple foodborne pathogens have been urgently needed because of the complex food matrix and high outbreaks of foodborne diseases. In this study, multicolor coding up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) were synthesized and applied for rapid and simultaneous detection of five kinds of foodborne pathogens. The multicolor coding UCNPs were obtained through doping different concentrations of a sensitizer (Yb3+) on the shell of the synthesized NaYF4:Yb3+, Tm3+ (20%/2%)@NaYF4:Yb3+, and Er3+ (x %/2%) core/shell nanocrystals. All the UCNPs could emit red and green luminescence simultaneously once excited with near-infrared wavelength (980 nm), and the ratio of red and green (R/G ratio) emission light intensity of each kind of UCNPs varied depending on the Yb3+ doping concentration. In addition, the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) modified with the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the target bacteria were used to capture and separate the bacteria, resulting in obtaining the MNP-bacterium complexes. Different UCNPs with multicolor coding acted as signal probes were also modified with the mAbs to react with the MNP-bacterium complexes to form the MNP-bacterium-UCNP sandwich complexes. After the sandwich complexes were excited with a wavelength of 980 nm, the obtained R/G ratios and the green photoluminescence intensity (PL intensity) could be used to distinguish and quantitatively detect foodborne pathogens, respectively. This proposed nanoplatform could detect five foodborne pathogens simultaneously within 2 h with good sensitivity and specificity, showing great potential for multiplex detection of other targets in the fields of medical diagnosis and food security.

Influence of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.) essential oil yield under inter - cropping with pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;with special reference to the plant - soil relationship

The rain - fed/oasis areas, where lemongrass and pomegranate are grown as intercropping crops, are considered as the best ecosystem with particular properties. No research has been made to investigate the relationship between lemongrass essential oil and pomegranate fruit quality in such an environment. A comparison between pomegranate trees was intercropped with lemongrass crop and regular orchards with full sun conditions have been investigated in terms of yield of lemongrass essential oil and pomegranate fruit quality. The intercropped microclimate was more favourable for the production of lemongrass essential oil and pomegranate arils with attractive red colour and high total anthocyanin content. Pomegranates under these conditions contained total volatile content that was about two times higher than that in separate fruits. Particularly, hexanal and limonene were the most abundant compounds characterizing the aroma profile of fruits cultivated under intercropped, and their arils were the most appreciated in terms of colour, odour, and taste by Indian consumers. However, fruits from partial shade oasis provided the sweetest juices with high concentrations of glucose and fructose. Titratable acidity and total organic acid content were also higher in fruits grown under the two conditions. Red colour intensity, monoterpenes, hexanal, citric and quinic acids were useful to discriminate full shade oasis. These compounds seem to contribute to the typical organoleptic properties of oasis pomegranate fruits. The correlations between intercropped varieties of pomegranate and lemongrass, irrigated water, soil, and manure factors, elevated moisture in the soil in the intercropping impaired the expression of high yield of fresh herb and lemongrass oil of the good quality and pomegranate fruits production.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Ex Vivo High Glucose Exposure Induce a Switch in the Mechanism of Microvascular Dilation That is Rescued by Activation of Autophagy

Flow-mediated dilation, (FMD) manifests as arteriolar vasodilation in response to shear stress in an endothelium-dependent manner. Nitric oxide (NO) is the primary mediator of FMD in health, while hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) predominates in chronic disease states such as coronary artery disease (CAD). We have previously demonstrated that autophagy, a cell recycling process, is critical in mediating the switch in dilator mechanism in CAD. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is an independent risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, with hyperglycemia a widely-acknowledged hallmark of the disease. We sought to examine if presence of T2DM or high glucose exposure induce a switch in the mechanism of microvascular dilation to shear stress that is dependent upon autophagic flux. Human arterioles from discarded adipose tissue from T2DM subjects and healthy controls were isolated and prepared for videomicroscopy. Arterioles from healthy subjects were exposed to ex vivo high glucose (HG; 20 mM D-glucose) and exposed to an autophagy activator (trehalose, 10 mM). Shear-induced autophagic flux was measured using Lysotracker Red DND-99 in the presence and absence of the lysosomal inhibitor bafilomycin A (BAFA1). Internal diameters were measured after graded increases in intraluminal pressure gradients (flow) in the presence/absence of a NOS inhibitor (L-NAME; 100μM) or H2O2 scavenger (Peg-Catalase, Peg-Cat; 500 units/mL). Data are expressed as fold change in fluorescence (shear-induced autophagy) and % maximal dilation (FMD). Significance was defined as P<0.05. Shear-induced autophagy is repressed in arterioles from T2DM subjects vs. controls as addition of BAFA1 did not change Lysotracker Red DND-99 fluorescence intensity, while addition of BAFA1 to arterioles from healthy subjects repressed Lysotracker intensity. Presence of T2DM and exposure to ex vivo HG induces a switch in the mechanism of dilation from NO to H2O2, as the magnitude of dilation is reduced in the presence of the H2O2 scavenger Peg-Cat (T2DM control: 62.0±8.0% vs. 16.1±4.0%, P<0.05; HG: 66.7±8.9% vs. 17.8±9.5%, P<0.05), but not L-NAME. Activation of autophagy with trehalose preserved NO as the primary mechanism of dilation as evidenced by a reduction in magnitude of vasodilation in the presence of L-NAME (T2DM: 80.3±5.5% vs. 36.9±9.4%*, P<0.05; HG: 85.7±3.9% vs. 27.5±12.2%, but not Peg-Cat. Our data demonstrate that T2DM, an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and hyperglycemia, a hallmark of T2DM, result in a pathological switch in the mechanism of microvascular vasodilation from NO to H2O2. In both cases, this disease-associated response is a result of decreased autophagic flux, and activation of autophagic flux preserves NO as the primary mechanism of dilation.

Anthocyanin profiles and color properties of red wines made from Vitis davidii and Vitis vinifera grapes

Spine grape (Vitis davidii Foex.) is an important wild grape species native to China. Fifteen red spine grape clones and three red Vitis vinifera grape varieties were used to evaluate the differences in the anthocyanin profiles and color properties of wines made from V. davidii and V. vinifera grapes. Among spine wines, ‘Junzi #2’ wine had the highest total phenolic and total anthocyanin, ‘Xiangzhenzhu’ wine had the highest total flavonoids, and ‘Junzi #1’ wine had the highest total tannin. The anthocyanin compositions of all of the spine wines were dominated by Mv-3,5-diglucoside. The total individual anthocyanin contents in spine wines, except ‘Gaoshan #5’, ‘Junzi #5055’, ‘Junzi #5061’, and ‘Junzi #5044’, were significantly higher than in V. vinifera wines. Most of the spine wines had a stronger red intensity and a brighter chroma with a bluer hue than V. vinifera wines. Correlation analysis revealed that the color properties were closely related to the anthocyanin composition. These results suggest that wines made from spine grapes may be useful for the wine industry for their color properties and high individual anthocyanin contents.

Registration and imaging polarimetry of the Fe 6374 Å red coronal line during the 2017 total solar eclipse

ABSTRACT Strict registration is critical for imaging polarimetry; a highly accurate registration approach to the coronal image and imaging polarimetry of the Fe 6374 Å red coronal line have been researched in this paper. In order to improve the registration accuracy, this paper proposes the idea of image enhancement based on blind deconvolution combined with noise-adaptive fuzzy equalization algorithms. After image enhancement, the cross-correlation registration algorithm achieves better results. To diagnose a low-temperature corona, the polarization brightness of the red coronal line data and the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO)/KCor data are compared to study the structural features and polarization information of the inner corona. We found that the polarization brightness radiation of the red coronal line has overall features similar to that of the MLSO/KCor data, but it has more detailed features, such as the cavity, polar plume, and interplume characteristics. Active regions, polar plumes, and interplumes show similar performance in red coronal line intensity, polarization brightness, degree of linear polarization, K-corona, and electron density along with the radial height. An interesting finding is that the polarization brightness of the red coronal line changes drastically along with the radial height across the cavity above the solar west limb, while neither the K-corona nor the electron density changes obviously. This seems to be a piece of possible evidence indicating that the red coronal line is not unpolarized in the cavity region.

Biosensing the Presence of Metal Nanoparticles by Spectrally- and Time-Resolved Endogenous Fluorescence in Water Moss Fontinalis antipyretica

Pollution by heavy metals represents a significant environmental burden. We employed confocal microscopy with spectral detection and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) to evaluate the effect of nanoparticles (NPs) from various metals (Zinc, Nickel, Cobalt, Copper) on endogenous fluorescence of Fontinalis antipyretica moss. Short term (3–5 day) exposure to NPs, designed and fabricated by direct synthesis using femtosecond laser ablation in water, was studied. The green flavonoid and/or lignin endogenous fluorescence peaking between 500 and 560 nm was found to be increased by Zn and significantly reduced by Cu. The overall red chlorophyll fluorescence intensity with a maximum of 680 nm remained largely unchanged after exposure to Ni and Zn, but was decreased in the presence of Co and completely abolished by Cu. All NPs but Zn induced changes in the fluorescence lifetimes, demonstrating increased sensitivity of this parameter to environmental pollution. Gathered data indicate fast responsiveness of the endogenous fluorescence in the Fontinalis antipyretica moss to the presence of heavy metals that can thus potentially serve as a biosensing tool for monitoring environmental pollution in the moss natural environment.

Structural characterization and optical properties of nanostructured indium (III) phthalocyanine chloride/FTO thin films for photoelectric applications

In photoelectric applications, indium chloride phthalocyanine (InClPc) films are used. However, these films have not been extensively studied. The deposition of InClPc films on cleaned fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates was achieved by the thermal vacuum evaporating technique. The structure and morphology of the InClPc/FTO sample were checked by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. It was found that the films consist of fine particles with spherical structures dispersed across the surface with the grain size increased from 79 to 126 nm as film thicknesses increase from 48 to 137 nm, respectively. The linear optical constants of InClPc films are extracted from spectroscopy of reflectance and transmittance in the wavelength range of 250−2500 nm. The InClPc films have two energy gaps with values of Eg1 = 1.37 eV and Eg2 = 2.84 eV, which slightly change with the effect of thickness. According to Miller's law, nonlinear optical parameters were evaluated. Two separate laser sources (red He-Ne laser and green diode laser) were used for the optical limiting testing. As well as the red He-Ne laser power intensity performance is high.

Wall Redness of Enlarged Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm

ObjectivesThe wall of enlarged unruptured cerebral aneurysm (EUCA) is thought to be reddish, thin, and fragile. This study aimed to evaluate the EUCA wall redness based on quantitative signal intensity method and to compare the clinical and radiological characteristics between EUCA and non-EUCA. Materials & methodsIn this retrospective analysis, red (R), green (G), blue (B), and RGB signal intensities of aneurysm were quantitatively measured using an intraoperative digital picture in 150 cases. Color intensities were measured by two independent investigators. Aneurysm redness was defined as an R/RGB ratio since the brightness of the operative field differed by each surgery or angle of the microscope. ResultsThe median aneurysm size was 4.9 mm (IQR 3.9-5.9 mm). Median color intensity of R, G, B, RGB, and R/RGB ratio were 206 (185-215), 129 (107-150), 136 (115-157), 157 (140-174), and 1.26 (1.20-1.38), respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient for R/RGB ratio was 0.73 (P<0.0001). The proportion of female sex was significantly higher for EUCA (p = 0.019). Median R/RGB ratio in GUCA was significantly larger than that of non-EUCA (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.19-1.35) (p = 0.035). Even after adjustment of female sex, a R/RGB ratio ≧1.36 was related to EUCA (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.30-7.02). ConclusionsThe present study showed that a R/RGB ratio could be calculated easily and a larger R/RGB ratio was related to EUCA. When EUCA is managed by surgical treatment, more careful manipulation should be needed compared to non-EUCA due to a “red” wall of EUCA.

Unravelling the role of osteoprotegerin in osteoarthritis by applying a human isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell model

Purpose: Founded by the hypothesis that the OA disease pathway of the previously identified high impact gain-of-function mutation in TNFRSF11B could be extrapolated to common, age-related, OA disease phenotypes, we set out to functionally study its effect. To this end, we established in vitro hiPS derived spherical chondrogenic and osteogenic pellets and compared TNFRSF11B mutated cells generated from affected family members to CRISPR/Cas9 repaired isogenic control cells. Given that the mutant OPG decoy receptor more efficiently antagonizes osteoclastogenesis, we expect that the mutation affects matrix mineralization hence inflicting the observed chondrocalcinosis phenotype. Methods: Using skin fibroblasts, hiPSCs of an affected family member were created (FOA) and differentiated to induced mesenchymal stromal stem cells (iMSCs). These were differentiated for 6 weeks to deposit neo-cartilaginous and neo-osseous pellets or neo-bone in parallel with a CRISPR-Cas9 repaired hiPSC line (FOA-R) serving as an isogenic control. Presence of glycosaminoglycans was determined by Alcian blue while mineralization was determined by Alizarin red staining. Gene expression analyses were performed to study anabolic markers and hypertrophy (ie, COL2A1, COL1A1, COL10A1) and matrix mineralization (ie, ALPL, MGP). Results: As demonstrated by the intensity of Alcian blue and Alizarin red staining of spherical neo-cartilaginous and neo-osseous pellets, respectively (Figure 1) the bi-directional differentiation via iPSC derived iMSCs appeared successful. Additionally, while only subtle differences in intensity were observed for the Alcian blue staining, the Alizarin red staining intensity in FOA mutated neo-osseous pellets was clearly higher as that of the FOA-repaired pellets, indicating increased matrix mineralization (Figure 1). Gene expression analyses of neo-cartilaginous pellets, showed, however, that in the presence of the FOA TNFRSF11B mutation, MGP levels were considerably decreased (FD=0.14 P=1.6x10-13), indicating cell signaling towards matrix mineralization also in the mutated neo-cartilaginous tissues. In line with this, neo-cartilaginous tissues from FOA mutated cells compared to FOA repaired cells expressed lower levels of COL2A1 (FD=-6.8, P-value=3.9x10-3) concomitant with higher levels of COL1A1 (FD=1.7, P-value=7.4x10-3). Additionally, in the FOA mutated neo-osseous pellets gene expression analysis showed a higher expression of RUNX2 (FD=2.6, P-value= 8.29x10-3) and a trend towards a higher expression of COL1A1 (FD=1.54, P-value= 0.079) and ALPL (FD=1.57, P-value=0.055) relative to FOA repaired neo-osseous pellets.supplements. Conclusions: Employing hiPS-cells from early-onset OA family members (FOA) and CRISPR/Cas9 repaired isogenic controls (FOA-R) in an established spherical 3D in vitro chondrogenic and osteogenic pellet model confirmed that the previously identified gain of function mutation in TNFRSF11B encoding OPG acts via increased matrix mineralization of cartilage and bone. In cartilage, likely, this is modulated via MGP expression as suggested by the significant lower levels in the mutant cells. This may raise the possibility to slow down OA progression in early-onset family members with the use of vitamin K.

Up-conversion luminescence of Lu6O5F8: 1%Er3+/10%Yb3+ nanoparticles for temperature sensing and Cu2+ detection

Abstract The ultra-small Lu6O5F8: 1%Er3+/10%Yb3+ up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) were prepared via a co-precipitation method and used for detection of metal ions. Compared with other metal ions (Na+, Mg2+, Al3+, Fe2+, Co2+, Cd2+, etc), the up-conversion luminescence (UCL) intensity was reduced by 90% in the presence of Cu2+. Moreover, Strong quenching (65%) of the emission was observed upon the addition of Cu2+ in the concentration range of 0–10 μM. Meanwhile, the Cu2+ luminescence quenching mechanism was studied in detail. Under the 980 nm (1550 nm) excitation, the red UCL intensity of (Lu0.79Y0.1)6O5F8: 1%Er3+/10%Yb3+ and (Lu0.85Gd0.04)6O5F8: 1%Er3+/10%Yb3+ UCNPs enhanced about 4.67 (19.3) times and 3.95 (8.89) times than that of Y3+, Gd3+-absent samples, respectively. The temperature-sensing effect of Lu6O5F8: 1%Er3+/10%Yb3+ was also studied in detail, including not only this thermally coupled level (Er3+ 2H11/2, 4S3/2), but also the non-thermally coupled levels (Er3+ 2H11/2, 4F7/2). The absolute (Sa) and relative sensitivity (Sr) of Lu6O5F8: 1%Er3+/10%Yb3+ based on non-thermally coupled levels is much higher than that based on thermally coupled levels in the 293–473 K range. The maximum Sa and Sr is 0.087 and 0.0185 K−1 at 293 K. These meaningful results indicate that Lu6O5F8: 1%Er3+/10%Yb3+ materials have broad prospects in UCL multifunctional applications.

Wavelengths of LED light affect the growth and cannabidiol content in Cannabis sativa L

Given the special pharmacological value of cannabidiol (CBD), industrial hemp (hemp) has become a real “hot” crop. Though indoor farming of hemp has been widely used, the effects of red and blue light-emitting diode (LED) acting as supplementary light on the CBD synthesis in hemp remains unclear. Herein, a pot experiment with six treatments [CK, high-pressure sodium as light source, (R:B (ratio of red light to blue light) 9.30:1, PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) 191); LED1 (R:B 9.20:1; PPFD 129); LED2 (R:B 1.61:1; PPFD 540); LED3 (R:B 6.47:1; PPFD 28.2); LED4 (R:B 7.15:1; PPFD 41.7); LED5 (R:B 16.8:1; PPFD 252)] was carried out to study the effects of LED light quality on the growth and cannabinoid synthesis of hemp. Results showed that LED2 and LED5 could well maintain hemp growth compared with CK in terms of plant height, stem diameter, and leaf numbers. Compared with CK, the treatment of LED1, LED4, and LED3 significantly decreased the aboveground biomass, while LED2 and LED5 notably improved the aboveground biomass with an increment of 15.2 % and 55.1 %; the biomass of hemp flowers for LED2 and LED5 was markedly increased compared with that for CK with increments of 238 % and 61.5 %, respectively, but the other LED light treatments significantly reduced the flowers yield; LED2 could significantly increase the CBD content of both leaves (1.81 %) and flowers (5.83 %) compared to CK (leaves 1.38 %, flowers 4.27 %) while LED5 only notably increased the CBD content of leaves; among the LED treatments, the theoretic CBD yield for a per plant of LED2 and LED5 was 26.8 % and 9.0 % higher than that of CK. In conclusion, different red and blue LED light intensity ratios would dramatically influence the growth and cannabinoid synthesis of hemp, LED2 and LED5 can be good choices for indoor farming of hemp targeted for higher CBD yield.

Development and characterization of alginate-based edible film incorporated with hawthorn berry (Crataegus pinnatifida) extract

In this study, alginate (AG) based edible films incorporated with Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) berry extract (HBE) at the concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4% (v/v) were developed and their physical, mechanical and antimicrobial properties were investigated. The results showed that the addition of HBE from 0 to 4% (v/v) enhanced the film thickness and water solubility, while reducing the moisture content of the films. The film containing 4% (v/v) HBE exhibited the highest water solubility (77.60%) and the lowest moisture content (14.54%). The colour profile analysis revealed that the presence of HBE increased the opacity, yellow and red intensity of the films. The incorporation of HBE produced films with reduced tensile strength (TS) and enhanced elongation at break (EB%). However, at 4% (v/v) HBE, the EB% of film decreased (from 43.57% to 27.67%) due to the high content of HBE. The inhibition zones against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus increased (p 0.05) in inhibition zones were observed between films containing from 2 to 4% (v/v) HBE against both bacteria. Therefore, the AG-HBE film with 2% (v/v) HBE was considered as the optimal film due to its good TS (14.47 MPa) and EB% (41.13%), as well as its antibacterial properties. In conclusion, the alginate film incorporated with HBE has potential to be used in the active secondary food packaging application.