Viability In Medium Research Articles

Comparative Evaluation of Total Cost of Ownership of Battery-Electric and Diesel Trucks in India

Whereas battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are on their path to maturity in the light-duty segment, their viability in medium- and heavy-duty applications faces greater skepticism. Furthermore, their higher upfront cost relative to diesel trucks is perceived as even more challenging for less wealthy nations such as India. Here, we undertake a total cost of ownership (TCO) assessment of battery electric trucks (BETs) for four different classes of freight trucks in India using a bottom-up vehicle subsystem level cost estimation. We estimate that, in a scenario in which the incremental upfront cost of BETs relative to a diesel truck is simply the extra cost of the battery pack procured at close to current average international battery pack prices, BETs could have lower TCO, less than 5-year payback, and deliver substantial life cycle cost savings, even without accounting for their environmental benefits. In addition to eliminating tailpipe pollution, they already deliver lower life cycle greenhouse gas emissions based on the current average electricity mix in India. Achieving a scale production that yields lower TCO will, however, require public support over a long maturation phase marked by learning-by-doing externalities and lack of economies of scale when BETs will be costlier. Currently, while there exist multiple types of incentive for light-duty BEVs as well as for cell manufacturing in India, targeted policies for zero emissions trucks are absent; this is a gap that needs to be filled if BETs are to emerge as a serious alternative to diesel trucks in a decade or so.

Степень интродукции некоторых древесных растений в условиях ex situ (Азербайджан)

The article analyzes the degree of introduction of phanerophytes, which form the cultural dendroflora of the northeastern part of the Greater Caucasus (Azerbaijan). The research showed that out of 115 species studied, 11 were naturalized (CH1), 71 species had good viability (CH2), 25 species had medium viability (CH3), 8 species had poor viability (CH4), resistant species (CH5 group) were not found. As a result of the research, it was concluded that woody plants that form the cultural dendroflora of the study area had a different degree of introduction in accordance with environmental requirements. The results of the study showed that for the successful introduction of the studied woody plants, planting and sowing must be carried out from different geographically productive individuals with different geno- and phenotypic characteristics in the natural habitat, taking into account the bioecological characteristics of the species and their historical past, i. e. phylogenesis. It is more expedient to collect and mobilize material.

Biological Characteristics of Subsilicone Oil Fluid and Differences With Other Ocular Humors.

PurposeSubsilicone oil fluid (SOF) in eyes with silicone oil (SO) endotamponade possibly has a role in complications (e.g., vision loss); thus, we aimed to examine inflammatory cytokine and electrolyte levels and retinal glial cell viability in SOF.MethodsWe measured major inflammatory cytokine levels and electrolytes in SOF and compared them with those in vitreous fluid (VF) and anterior chamber fluid (ACF). We analyzed the correlation between inflammatory cytokines and retinal thickness in SO-filled eyes. Further, we measured the MIO-M1 cell viability in medium with SOF and compared it with that containing VF.ResultsWe collected and examined 57 SOF, 22 ACF, and 21 VF samples from eyes with PVR, PDR, RD, and MH. Interleukin (IL)-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 levels in SOF were significantly higher than those in ACF. There was no significant difference for all cytokines between SOF and VF. Retinal thickness changes during SO endotamponade were not correlated with the presence of any inflammatory cytokines. Levels of ferrous iron, but not of potassium, showed a significant decrease in SOF compared with VF. The WST-1 assay showed that SOF-added medium induced higher MIO-M1 cell viability than VF-added medium.ConclusionsWe found no significant correlation between the change in the retinal thickness and cytokine levels, but SOF contains higher concentrations of cytokines and lower concentrations of ferrous iron and can be biologically distinguished from ACF and VF.Translational RelevanceNovel knowledge of inflammatory cytokine levels and electrolytes in SOF provides better understanding of pathology of SO-filled eyes.

#BPCares: Sinking Oil, Spreadable Détournement

In a 2014 episode of HBO’s VICE, Shane Smith interviews Louisianans still suffering the effects of the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Smith expresses shock upon learning that negative environmental impacts, ranging from respiratory and skin issues to deformed, oily seafood, are still emerging four years after the spill was supposedly cleaned up. While Smith anticipates viewers’ own disbelief that the spill’s effects seem to be intensifying long after the media has stopped paying attention, his interviewees are far more equanimous. For example, Plaquemines Parish’s Coastal Zone Director, P.J. Hahn, explains that once BP and the Coast Guard sunk the oil, it was “out of sight, out of mind. There’s no story if you don’t see the oil” (“Crude Awakening”). This refrain of invisibility is echoed throughout the episode by victims who understand all too well the direct link between visibility and media viability, between invisibility and limited liability. Smith and, through him, the viewers struggle to comprehend how a spill that was publicly proclaimed to be cleaned up and resolved when its oily seepage was no longer visible could be causing problems an entire four years later.

The impact of firm corporate political activity and media viability on obtaining contracts

Competing for, and being awarded, a government contract is a highly competitive context, even for firms that already have established political ties. As such, many firms actively invest in corporate political activity (CPA) to influence legislators and bureaucratic decision makers, regarding the granting of contracts. However, it remains unclear as to what types of CPA result in the rewarding of government contracts, and under what conditions this relationship is likely to occur. Consequently, this study examines not only the CPA-contract relationship, but also assesses the impact of media visibility (and the impact of public scrutiny) on this relationship. Using frameworks drawn from resource dependency, political marketplace, and sub- government theories, hypotheses are developed and tested. Results indicate that, for both defense and civilian contracts, CPA is positively associated with being awarded contracts as well as the financial amount of the contracts. Media visibility negatively moderates the CPA-contract link. Surprisingly, the pattern of results is comparable for both defense and civilian contracts. While results indicate that CPA impacts the ability of firms to obtain (and the value of) government contracts, other variables must also be considered when determining if CPA is an effective strategy.

The evaluation ofin vitropharmacodynamic properties of amphotericin B, voriconazole and caspofungin againstA. fumigatusisolates by the conventional and colorimetric time-kill assays

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for life-threatening infections in immuncompromised patients. Data about the in vitro pharmacodynamics of antifungals against A. fumigatus are limited. In the present study, we investigated the fungicidal activities, at concentrations of 1, 4 and 16 times the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), of caspofungin (CAS), amphotericin B (AMB) and voriconazole (VORI) against eight A. fumigatus isolates through the use of time kill and 2,3-Bis [2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-(sulfenylamino) carbonyl-2H-tetrazolium-hydroxide] (XTT) reduction tests. By the conventional time kill test, AMB was fungicidal (≥99.9% reduction in colony forming units; CFU) for all isolates at 4-16 MICs after 48 h incubation. The fungicidal effect for VORI was determined at 4 × MIC for one isolate and at 16 × MIC for four isolates at 48 h of exposure. CAS was also fungicidal at 1 × MIC for one isolate and at 4-16 MICs for two isolates at 48 h. While the percentage of median killing of AMB was found by the time-kill method with XTT as 99% at 4 × MIC and 99.28% at 16 × MIC, that of VORI was 94.5% at 4 × MIC and 92.88% at 16 × MIC after 48 h of incubation. However, a significant increase was observed compared to initial inoculum size with CAS after 48 h. Since the XTT method measures all cellular viability in media, it may give more reliable results about pharmacodynamics of antifungal agents against Aspergillus spp. than the time kill test.

Bioactive Magnetoelastic Materials as Coatings for Implantable Biomaterials

Enhanced fibroblast activity at the soft tissue-implant interface can dramatically decrease the stability, function, and lifespan of biomedical implants such as bone anchored prostheses. Although bone anchoring systems dramatically improve prosthetic limb mechanical stability, uncontrolled fibrosis at the soft tissue-mounting post interface is a significant problem. The aberrant cell growth leads to irregular skin folds that prevent proper sealing to the bone anchoring post and also serves as a site for opportunistic infection and failure of the prosthetic system. We are developing a bioactive vibrational coating to control fibrous tissue overgrowth. The coating is based on a magnetoelastic (ME) material that can be set to vibrate at a predetermined amplitude and frequency using a controlled magnetic field. We hypothesize that small local vibrations can be used to selectively control cell adhesion and gene expression to promote and maintain functional stability at the implant-tissue interface. For bone anchored prostheses, the ME coating would be applied around the mounting post at the soft tissue interface. The specific aims of this work were to (1) modify the coating for use in contact with a biologic environment and (2) determine if local vibrational strain can efficiently control cell attachment to the coating without significantly influencing viability. First, two common biocompatible polymers, polyurethane and chitosan, were deposited as thin films on the ME coating to allow for its use in tissue culture. An indirect cytotoxicity test was used to determine fibroblast (L929) viability in media conditioned for 24 and 48 hours with uncoated, chitosan coated, and polyurethane coated ME materials. Results demonstrated that both polymer coatings returned cell survival to levels statistically indistinguishable from controls (cells cultured on tissue cultured polystyrene, TCP) with cell viability over 96% under all coating conditions. Second, the affect of local vibrations on cell adhesion was tested in vitro. A cell viability assay (Calcein-AM) followed by fluorescent imaging was used to quantify attachment and viability of fibroblasts cultured directly on the bioactive ME material. Results clearly indicated that controlled local vibrations can induce complete cell detachment from the ME material compared with non-vibrated controls at up to 72 hours post-seeding. Further, cells detached via applied vibrations showed no significant decrease in viability compared to adherent controls. These results suggest the potential for this novel coating to effectively control fibrous tissue overgrowth using the mild application of tunable local vibrations, a significant and cost-effective approach that could improve the stability, function, and lifespan of biomedical implants and reduce the need for surgical revision.

The Reduced Folate Carrier (RFC) Is Cytotoxic to Cells under Conditions of Severe Folate Deprivation: RFC AS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD IN FOLATE HOMEOSTASIS

The reduced folate carrier (RFC), a bidirectional anion transporter, is the major uptake route of reduced folates essential for a spectrum of biochemical reactions and thus cellular proliferation. However, here we show that ectopic overexpression of the RFC, but not of folate receptor alpha, a high affinity unidirectional folate uptake route serving here as a negative control, resulted in an approximately 15-fold decline in cellular viability in medium lacking folates but not in folate-containing medium. Moreover to explore possible mechanisms of adaptation to folate deficiency in various cell lines that express the endogenous RFC, we first determined the gene expression status of the following genes: (a) RFC, (b) ATP-driven folate exporters (i.e. MRP1, MRP5, and breast cancer resistance protein), and (c) folylpoly-gamma-glutamate synthetase and gamma-glutamate hydrolase (GGH), enzymes catalyzing folate polyglutamylation and hydrolysis, respectively. Upon 3-7 days of folate deprivation, semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis revealed a specific approximately 2.5-fold decrease in RFC mRNA levels in both breast cancer and T-cell leukemia cell lines that was accompanied by a consistent fall in methotrexate influx, serving here as an RFC transport activity assay. Likewise a 2.4-fold decrease in GGH mRNA levels and approximately 19% decreased GGH activity was documented for folate-deprived breast cancer cells. These results along with those of a novel mathematical biomodeling devised here suggest that upon severe short term (i.e. up to 7 days) folate deprivation RFC transport activity becomes detrimental as RFC, but not ATP-driven folate exporters, efficiently extrudes folate monoglutamates out of cells. Hence down-regulation of RFC and GGH may serve as a novel adaptive response to severe folate deficiency.

Genetic Control of Cell Growth and Development in the YeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae: I. Phenotypic Selection of Mutants among Strains of the Peterhof Genetic Collection

Results of identifying phenotypes intrinsic to mutations of genes that regulate the activity of the signal transduction pathway of RAS-cyclic adenosinemonophosphate in six strains belonging to the Peterhof genetic collection of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiaeare presented: an increase or decrease in the amount of the accumulated glycogen, resistance or sensitivity to heat shock and nitrogen starvation, and the growth and viability in media containing unfermentable carbon sources (potassium acetate, ethanol, and glycerol) at temperatures 30 and 70°C. Collectively these phenotypic characteristics in five examined yeast strains can be interpreted as indicating disturbances in the activity of the RAS/cAMP pathway. However, the discrepancies revealed between cellular phenotypes in these strains and in the strains with a decreased or increased activity of the RAS/cAMP pathway did not allow them to be assigned to a particular functional activity group. The inconsistencies between phenotypes detected in this study may be prerequisites for the identification of new genes responsible for this signal transduction pathway or new mutations in the known genes that determine other phenotypic combinations.

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate-induced apoptosis depends on cell type, density, and the presence of Cu(2+) and Zn(2+).

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) has been found to induce or inhibit apoptosis in different cell types. Here we show that PDTC dose-dependently reduced the viability of rat smooth muscle cells (rSMC), human fibroblasts, and endothelial cells at low but not at high cell density. Endothelial cells were least sensitive, fibroblasts showed a medium sensitivity, and rSMC showed a high sensitivity to PDTC-mediated cell death. An early reduction in the mitochondrial membrane potential indicated a rapid onset of apoptosis in rSMC. Apoptosis was further confirmed by annexin V staining and DNA fragmentation analysis. Gel shift analysis demonstrated increased nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activity in high-density rSMC compared with low-density cells. NF-kappaB has recently been shown to regulate the induction of anti-apoptotic proteins. Although PDTC is widely used as an inhibitor for NF-kappaB and a radical scavenger, our data show that PDTC rather enhanced NF-kappaB activity and, alone or in combination with menadione, induced oxygen radical generation. Notably, PDTC failed to reduce rSMC viability in medium without Cu(2+) or Zn(2+), and addition of Cu(2+) or Zn(2+) resulted in a dose-dependent increase in PDTC-induced cell death. Addition of both Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) showed synergistic effects. Our results indicate that the induction of apoptosis by PDTC requires Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) and is dependent on cell type and density. Such differential effects may have implications for studies of PDTC as an anti-atherosclerotic or immunomodulatory drug.

Primary mitochondrial activity of gossypol in yeast and mammalian cells

Gossypol showed primary antimitochondrial activity in yeast cells in that the drug (1) inhibited growth of cells utilizing mitochondrial substrates as carbon and energy sources, and (2) selectively inhibited mitochondrial protein synthesis. Primary antimitochondrial activity was demonstrated in guinea-pig keratinocytes (GPK) by early arrest of growth and loss of viability in medium with glutamine (a mitochondrial substrate) as carbon and energy source compared with cells utilizing glucose. Gossypol depressed oxygen uptake directly in respiring cells. Gossypol interacted with the known antimitochondrial agents ethidium bromide and 5-fluorouracil (FU), potentiating the activity of FU but reversing that of ethidium bromide in yeast and GPK. Also, the activity of the mitochondrial inhibitor oligomycin was reversed by the presence of gossypol in yeast cells but not tested in GPK. The uptake and retention of the mitochondria-specific dye rhodamine 123 were much depressed by gossypol in GPK. Gossypol showed little or no inhibitory effects in yeast or GPK in the presence of ethanol (0.2–0.5%). The drug was not mutagenic with respect to the yeast mitochondrial system. It was tentatively suggested that mitochondrial perturbation could explain the antifertility effect of gossypol if it is assumed that mitochondria have a special role to play in spermatogenesis and sperm motility, making these tissues more sensitive to mitochondrial inhibitors than somatic cells.

Ecological Isolation in Artemia: Population Differences in Tolerance of Anion Concentrations

ABSTRACT Artemia cysts were collected from 15 North American habitats: 6 sea-water salterns where the prevailing anion is chloride and nine inland lakes where the prevailing anion is either chloride, sulfate, or carbonate. On a yeast diet, 14 of the 15 populations have optimum nauplius-to-adult viability in media with sodium concentrations of 1.1-1.3 M (with sodium comprising > 90% of relative molar cationic composition). However, nauplii from Jesse Lake require less concentrated media (0.6 M sodium) for the first week of development. The range of anionic tolerance of each population greatly exceeds the range encountered in the source water. Saltern shrimps live in waters with less than 5% sulfate (expressed as percentage molar anionic composition), yet thrive in media with up to 29% sulfate. Penley Artemia tolerate laboratory media which are 23% carbonate, although Penley Lake is reported to contain < 1% carbonate relative molar anionic composition. Each of the four populations from carbonate lakes tolerates 0.2% to 66% of the anionic molar composition as carbonate. Media with high carbonate concentrations (up to 11 g carbonate/l, pH 9.7, obligate low magnesium and calcium) killed shrimps from high-chloride habitats but permitted nauplius-to-adult development of Artemia from 5 low-chloride lakes (Penley, Fallon, Kiathuthlanna, Jesse, and Mono lakes). Low-carbonate media (<0.2 g combined carbonate and bicarbonate/1) distinguished clusters of populations by the criterion of tolerance of chloride/sulfate (Cl/SO4) ratio. In complex solutions, differences in Cl/SO4 ratio are confounded with changes in osmolarity, ionic strength, pH, and specific gravity. Observation of viability of Artemia in an array of media matched for the other parameters revealed authentic population differences in tolerance of Cl/SO4 ratios. In order of descending relative chloride tolerance, the sequence is: 3 Caribbean populations, 6 other populations from high-chloride habitats, and 3 populations tested from low-chloride habitats (Fallon, Penley, and Jesse). Jesse nauplii show the least tolerance of high absolute chloride concentration. In medium No. 70 (1.1 M sodium, Cl/SO4 molar ratio of 2.5, 80 g total dissolved solids/1) all populations except Jesse Lake Artemia have high fertility and viability, much higher than when cultured in sea water. Interpopulation matings in No. 70 and other permissive media produced fertile F, and F2 progeny. Thus, these 15 populations belong to the A. franciscana Kellogg superspecies. Some populations (or clusters of populations) are ecologically isolated in nature and represent incipient species or sibling species.

Conditions Affecting the Viability of Spheroplasts in Urine

Penicillin-induced spheroplasts from Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris, which at neutral pH had little resistance to osmotic lysis, retained viability in media of low osmolality at pH 5.0 to 5.5. In the presence of 1,000 IU of penicillin per ml (pH 5.0) in liquid media, E. coli remained in rod form without conspicuous growth. On hypotonic agar media at pH 5.2 with 1,000 IU of penicillin per ml, the bacteria grew out as L-type colonies. These findings are discussed in relation to penicillin therapy.