scholarly journals Assessment of Preservative-Treated Wooden Poles Using Drilling-Resistance Measurements

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgenii Sharapov ◽  
Christian Brischke ◽  
Holger Militz

An IML-Resi PD-400 drilling tool with two types of spade drill bits (IML System GmbH, Wiesloch, Germany) was used to evaluate the internal conditions of 3 m wooden poles made from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Drilling tests were performed on poles that were industrially vacuum-pressure-impregnated with a copper-based preservative (Korasit KS-M) and untreated reference poles. Both types of poles were subject to 10.5 years of in-ground exposure. Wood moisture content (MC) was measured using a resistance-type moisture meter. MC varied between 15% and 60% in the radial and axial directions in both treated and untreated poles. A higher MC was detected in the underground, top, and outer (sapwood) parts of the poles. Typical drilling-resistance (DR) profiles of poles with internal defects were analyzed. Preservative treatment had a significant influence on wood durability in the underground part of the poles. Based on DR measurements, we found that untreated wood that was in contact with soil was severely degraded by insects and wood-destroying fungi. Conversely, treated wood generally showed no reduction in DR or feeding resistance (FR). DR profiling is a potential method for the in-situ or in vitro assessment and quality monitoring of preservative treatments and wood durability. The technological benefits of using drill bits with one major cutting edge, instead of standard drill bits with center-spiked tips and two major cutting edges, were not evident. A new graphical method was applied to present DR data and their spatial distribution in the poles. Future studies should focus on the impact of preservative treatments, thermal modification, and chemical modification on the DR and FR of wood. This may further elucidate the predictive value of DR and FR for wood properties.

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1502
Author(s):  
Jorge García-Hernández ◽  
Manuel Hernández ◽  
Yolanda Moreno

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a human food-borne pathogen with the ability to enter the food chain. It is able to acquire a viable, non-cultivable state (VBNC), which is not detected by traditional methods. The combination of the direct viable count method and a fluorescent in situ hybridization technique (DVC-FISH) makes it possible to detect microorganisms that can present VBNC forms in complex samples The optimization of the in vitro DVC-FISH technique for V. parahaemolyticus was carried out. The selected antibiotic was ciprofloxacin at a concentration of 0.75 μg/mL with an incubation time in DVC broth of 5 h. The DVC-FISH technique and the traditional plate culture were applied to detect and quantify the viable cells of the affected pathogen in artificially contaminated food matrices at different temperatures. The results obtained showed that low temperatures produced an important logarithmic decrease of V. parahaemolyticus, while at 22 °C, it proliferated rapidly. The DVC-FISH technique proved to be a useful tool for the detection and quantification of V. parahaemolyticus in the two seafood matrices of oysters and mussels. This is the first study in which this technique has been developed to detect viable cells for this microorganism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2959
Author(s):  
Paul Triller ◽  
Julia Bachorz ◽  
Michael Synowitz ◽  
Helmut Kettenmann ◽  
Darko Markovic

Malignant gliomas are primary brain tumors with poor prognoses. These tumors are infiltrated by brain intrinsic microglia and peripheral monocytes which promote glioma cell invasion. In our previous studies, we discovered that the activation of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) on microglia/brain macrophages converts them into a protumorigenic phenotype through the induction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 9 and 14. In the present study, we used in vitro and in situ microglia-glioma interaction experimental models to test the impact of a novel inhibitor of TLR 2, ortho vanillin (O-Vanillin) to block TLR2 mediated microglia protumorigenic phenotype. We demonstrate that O-Vanillin inhibits the TLR2 mediated upregulation of MMP 9, MMP 14, IL 6 and iNOS expression. Similarly, the glioma supernatant induced MMP 9 and MMP 14 expression in murine and human microglia is abrogated by O-Vanillin treatment. O-Vanillin is not toxic for microglia, astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. Glioma growth in murine brain slice cultures is significantly reduced after treatment with O-Vanillin, and this reduced glioma growth depends on the presence of microglia. In addition, we also found that O-Vanillin inhibited the glioma induced proliferation of murine primary microglia. In summary, O-Vanillin attenuates the pro-tumorigenic phenotype of microglia/brain macrophages and thus qualifies as a candidate for glioma therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (20) ◽  
pp. 7690
Author(s):  
Tigran Harutyunyan ◽  
Ahmed Al-Rikabi ◽  
Anzhela Sargsyan ◽  
Galina Hovhannisyan ◽  
Rouben Aroutiounian ◽  
...  

Translocation of mtDNA in the nuclear genome is an ongoing process that contributes to the development of pathological conditions in humans. However, the causal factors of this biological phenomenon in human cells are poorly studied. Here we analyzed mtDNA insertions in the nuclear genome of human lymphocytes after in vitro treatment with doxorubicin (DOX) using a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. The number of mtDNA insertions positively correlated with the number of DOX-induced micronuclei, suggesting that DOX-induced chromosome breaks contribute to insertion events. Analysis of the odds ratios (OR) revealed that DOX at concentrations of 0.025 and 0.035 µg/mL significantly increases the rate of mtDNA insertions (OR: 3.53 (95% CI: 1.42–8.76, p < 0.05) and 3.02 (95% CI: 1.19–7.62, p < 0.05), respectively). Analysis of the distribution of mtDNA insertions in the genome revealed that DOX-induced mtDNA insertions are more frequent in larger chromosomes, which are more prone to the damaging action of DOX. Overall, our data suggest that DOX-induced chromosome damage can be a causal factor for insertions of mtDNA in the nuclear genome of human lymphocytes. It can be assumed that the impact of a large number of external and internal mutagenic factors contributes significantly to the origin and amount of mtDNA in nuclear genomes.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2185
Author(s):  
Miroslava Kačániová ◽  
Lucia Galovičová ◽  
Petra Borotová ◽  
Veronika Valková ◽  
Hana Ďúranová ◽  
...  

The essential oil of Syzygium (S.) aromaticum (CEO) is known for its good biological activity. The aim of the research was to evaluate in vitro and in situ antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of the essential oil produced in Slovakia. The main components of CEO were eugenol 82.4% and (E)-caryophyllene 14.0%. The antimicrobial activity was either weak or very strong with inhibition zones ranging from 4.67 to 15.78 mm in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and from 8.22 to 18.56 mm in yeasts and fungi. Among the tested bacteria and fungi, the lowest values of MIC were determined for Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and Penicillium (P.) expansum, respectively. The vapor phase of CEO inhibited the growth of the microscopic filamentous fungi of the genus Penicillium when tested in situ on bread. The strongest effect of mycelia inhibition in a bread model was observed against P. expansum at concentrations of 250 and 500 μL/mL. The best antimicrobial activity of CEO in the carrot model was found against P. chrysosenum. Differences between the mass spectra of Bacillus (B.) subtilis biofilms on the tested surfaces (wood, glass) and the control sample were noted from the seventh day of culture. There were some changes in mass spectra of Stenotrophomonas (S.) maltophilia, which were observed in both experimental groups from the fifth day of culture. These findings confirmed the impact of CEO on the protein structure of older biofilms. The findings indicate that, besides being safe and sensorially attractive, S. aromaticum has antimicrobial activity, which makes it a potential substitute for chemical food preservatives.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristel Parv ◽  
Nestori Westerlund ◽  
Kevin Merchant ◽  
Milad Komijani ◽  
Robin S. Lindsay ◽  
...  

The tissue microenvironment in the mouse pancreas has been shown to promote very different polarizations of resident macrophages with islet-resident macrophages displaying an inflammatory “M1” profile and macrophages in the exocrine tissue mostly displaying an alternatively activated “M2” profile. The impact of this polarization on tissue homeostasis and diabetes development is unclear. In this study, the ability of pancreas-resident macrophages to phagocyte bacterial and endogenous debris was investigated. Mouse endocrine and exocrine tissues were separated, and tissue-resident macrophages were isolated by magnetic immunolabeling. Isolated macrophages were subjected to flow cytometry for polarization markers and qPCR for phagocytosis-related genes. Functional in vitro investigations included phagocytosis and efferocytosis assays using pH-sensitive fluorescent bacterial particles and dead fluorescent neutrophils, respectively. Intravital confocal imaging of in situ phagocytosis and efferocytosis in the pancreas was used to confirm findings in vivo. Gene expression analysis revealed no significant overall difference in expression of most phagocytosis-related genes in islet-resident vs. exocrine-resident macrophages included in the analysis. In this study, pancreas-resident macrophages were shown to differ in their ability to phagocyte bacterial and endogenous debris depending on their microenvironment. This difference in abilities may be one of the factors polarizing islet-resident macrophages to an inflammatory state since phagocytosis has been found to imprint macrophage heterogeneity. It remains unclear if this difference has any implications in the development of islet dysfunction or autoimmunity.


2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 477-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Theres Weber ◽  
Matthias Hannig ◽  
Sandra Pötschke ◽  
Franziska Höhne ◽  
Christian Hannig

Objectives: Antiadherent and antibacterial effects of certain plant extracts have been proven to be beneficial in preventive dentistry. In the present in situ/in vitro crossover study, the impact of plant extracts rich in polyphenols on the erosion-protective properties of the in situ pellicle was evaluated. Methods: Individual splints were prepared for 12 subjects for intraoral exposure of bovine enamel specimens. Following formation of a 1-min pellicle, watery plant extracts (leaves of the wild form of Ribes nigrum, the wild form of Origanum as well as a combination of both) were administered for 10 min in situ. Alternatively, a mouth rinse with fluorides (Elmex Kariesschutz) was performed for 1 min. After further oral exposure for 19/28 min, respectively, slabs were removed and incubated with HCl in vitro over 120 s (pH 2, 2.3, 3). The resulting calcium and phosphate release was quantified photometrically. Slabs with and without a 30-min in situ pellicle served as controls. The modification of pellicle ultrastructure was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: Plant extracts modulated the erosion-protective properties of the native in situ pellicle in all test groups in a pH-dependent manner. The combination of R. nigrum leaves and Origanum enhanced the protective properties of the pellicle at all pH values; the administration of this preparation was comparable, yet superior, to the effect of the fluoridated mouth rinse. TEM images indicated that rinsing with R. nigrum leaves/Origanum yielded a distinctly thicker and more electron-dense pellicle. Conclusion: The combination of certain plant extracts offers a novel approach to the complementary prevention of dental erosion.


Holzforschung ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 1017-1024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myung Jae Lee ◽  
Paul Cooper

Abstract Copper precipitation is one of the important Cu fixation mechanisms of Cu-amine-treated wood. In the present work, possible pathways of Cu precipitation have been investigated via in vitro and in situ studies focusing on effects of pH and temperature and Cu species formed in Cu-monoethanolamine (Cu-Mea)-treated wood. Higher-concentration Cu-Mea solutions required a lower pH and higher amounts of acid for the precipitation because of the higher amount of free Mea in the preservative-wood system. For this reason, Cu fixation during wet conditioning of wood treated to high Cu retention (2.0% treating solution) resulted in only a slight pH decrease and low Cu fixation. When lower-concentration solutions (0.67% and 0.2%) were applied, the pH decreased enough for Cu precipitation, and the much higher Cu fixation rate was driven by both chemisorption and precipitation. Evaluation of leaching after wet conditioning and drying showed that additional Cu precipitation could occur during drying. Wet conditioning of Cu-Mea-treated wood at 50°C showed outwardly faster and higher Cu fixation, but resulted in higher Cu leaching. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, the in vitro precipitated Cu was a mixture of azurite and malachite, and possibly, Cu2O formed as a result of Cu-Mea decomposition.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Sadat Sajadi-Javan ◽  
Jaleh Varshosaz ◽  
Mina Mirian ◽  
Maziar Manshaei ◽  
Atousa Aminzadeh

Abstract In-situ forming hydrogels have gained noticeable attention to encapsulate osteogenic agents and regenerate irregular-shape bone defects. In this study, a novel thermosensitive hydrogel based on blended methylcellulose (MC) with Persian gum (PG) was fabricated and enriched with taxifolin (TAX) loaded halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) to enhance mechanical and biological characteristics of the hydrogel in bone tissue engineering. The injectability, mechanical and rheological tests were performed for different hydrogel formulations containing 0.25-1.5 w/v% PG and 1-7 w/v% HNTs. Also, to evaluate the impact of PG and HNTs on hydrogel behavior, the degradation rate and swelling degree of hydrogels were assessed. The optimized MC/PG/HNTs hydrogel containing 1% PG and 3% HNTs (MC/PG-1/HNTs 3%) was easily injectable and gelled rapidly at physiological temperature, while it had the highest mechanical strength due to the existence of PG and HNTs. In vitro release study of TAX from this system also revealed more sustained release compared to HNTs-TAX nanoparticles. Furthermore, the interaction of cells with hydrogel and osteo-conductivity was studied using osteoblast-like cells (MG-63). Results showed higher cell adhesion, proliferation, and gene expression for MC/PG-1/HNTs-TAX hydrogel compared to MC/PG-1 and MC/PG-1/HNTs 3% possibly due to the synergic effect of HNTs and TAX. In addition, Alizarin Red S staining and alkaline phosphatase measurements indicated that the existence of HNTs-TAX promoted osteogenic differentiation. Eventually, animal studies on the femoral defects indicated improved remedy when using the MC/PG-1/HNTs-TAX hydrogel carrying MG-63 cells.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Dae-Ji Kim ◽  
Jaewon Kim ◽  
Booyeong Lee ◽  
Min-Seok Shin ◽  
Joo-Young Oh ◽  
...  

This study suggests a method for quantitatively estimating the drilling performance of the down-the-hole (DTH) hammer during percussive drilling of rock surfaces. A pneumatic dynamic model of the DTH hammer was developed that considers the mass flow rate relations representing the orifice opening areas of the air tube, the piston, and bit flushing channels. A drill bit motion model was developed to represent the dynamics of a drill bit impacted by a dropped piston and explain the impact stress propagation and rock-crushing mechanism. The rock-crushing effect of the drill button bit was measured through a piston drop test. The pneumatic hammer model and drill bit motion model were then combined in a prediction model to determine the impact efficiency according to different rock types (i.e., soft, medium-hard, and very hard). The drilling efficiency was defined as the input value of the prediction model, which was used to simulate the drilling performance of DTH hammers considering the rock type and dynamic effect of the drill bit. Finally, the simulation results were compared with the results of in situ drilling tests for verification.


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