Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine as A Regeneration Factor: Beyond the Tissue Repair

Diverse pathologies (inflammation, tissues injuries, cancer, etc.) and physiological conditions (obesity, physical activity, etc.) induce the expression/secretion of the matricellular protein, secrete protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC). SPARC contributes to the creation of an environment that is suitable for tissue regeneration through a variety of roles, including metabolic homeostasis, inflammation reduction, extracellular matrix remodeling and collagen maturation. Such a homeostatic environment optimizes tissue regeneration and improves tissues’ repair ability. These properties that SPARC has within the regeneration contexts could have a variety of applications, such as in obesity, cancer, sarcopenia, diabetes and bioengineering.

Effects of plant-derived immunomodulators and lizak preparation in vitro taken separately or in combination on the immune factors of palatine tonsils of children with chronic tonsillitis

Introduction: Chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract of both microbial and viral origin occur due to the immune deficiency of systemic and local nature. Among a large number of immunomodulation agents, a special role belongs to plant preparations, which are characterized by relative harmlessness and high efficiency, both in case of systemic and local use and they are often combined with antimicrobial agents, therefore the aim of the study was to investigate their effect on the reactions and condition of lymphoid cells of tonsilswith separate and combined use in vitro. Methods: Cell suspensions were prepared mechanically and adjusted to a concentration of 2 million/ml in medium 199 with additives. Then, Lizak preparation was added to the cells and starch solution was used in control. Imupret and Esberitox preparations were added to the culture with or without Lizak preparation. After cultivation, the levels of proinflammatory cytokine – Interleukin-1β, pro-allergic factor – Interleukin-4, Th-1 – derivative of cytokine – interferon-γ were studied in the supernatant using the «Tsitokin LLC» reagent kits (RF), as well as tissue regeneration factor – transforming growth factor –TGF-1β (Austria). The preparation was prepared from the cell pellet, in which the relative nonviable cell count was determined in a sample with trypan blue using a light microscope (Olympus CX21FS1).The statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-distribution. Results: Plant-derived preparations did not have any effect on cell viability in culture, did not reduce the level of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β and did not stimulate the production of the regeneration factor TGF-1β. At the same time, the combined use of plant-derived preparations and the antibacterial preparation Lizak in cell culture of tonsils was accompanied by an increase in cell viability compared to the use of Lizak preparation separately, the stimulation of the regulatory antiviral factor interferon-γ and an increase in the production of tissue regeneration factor. Conclusion: The immunomodulating properties of the antibacterial preparation Lizak and plant-derived immunomodulator Esberitox significantly differ in the points of application. Both plant-derived preparations stimulated the production of γ-interferon by tonsil cells in the presence of Lizak preparation, the transforming growth factor TGF-1β, the viability of tonsil cells was the highest with the combination of Lizak and Esberitox.

The Form and Structure Of The Main Repertoire on Gamelan Monggang Cigugur, Kuningan

The musical form and structure of the main repertoire on Gamelan Monggang Cigugur, Kuningan is a gamelan monggang textual study with restrictions against the issue of the structure and form of the music. This study aimed to answer the related problems of existence and the system of inheritance as one of the gamelan conservation efforts. Problems about gamelan monggang existence, indicated by a regeneration factor they would not run, the lack of documentation of efforts so as to have an impact against the mastery of the material gamelan monggang repertoire by the gamelan players already get older, and the loss of some repertoire. Through qualitative research approach to the analysis of descriptive, a study of the main repertoire on gamelan monggang produce findings regarding the form of the gending consisting of renggong alit and renggong macapat, a similar composition of the structure with between gamelan pelog salendro in musical aesthetic of Sudanese karawitan; consisting of the pangkat gending, pangjadi, bagal gending, ngeureunkeun, naekeun, and nurunkeun.

Variable Helix Cutter Design to Suppress Regenerative Effect

Regeneration is a major mechanism to generate self-excited chatter vibration in cutting. Variable helix cutters are useful to suppress regeneration. Although simultaneous optimization of pitch/helix angles is significantly important, there is no practical design methodology to optimize the variable helix cutter geometry so far. In order to attain robust regeneration suppression, a new design method of variable helix cutters is proposed in the present study. The pitch angles vary along axial position due to disagreement of the helix angles. Because of this nature, regeneration can be suppressed in a robust manner with respect to changes of chatter frequency and/or spindle speed. The proposed design satisfies robustness against axial depth of cut variations. Optimal pitch/helix angles are formulated on the basis of distinctive relationship between the cutter geometry and “Regeneration Factor (RF)”, which is an index to quantify influence of regeneration in the process. Through analytical investigations, it is confirmed that regeneration can be suppressed effectively by the proposed method, resulting in significant chatter stability increase. Low immersion milling experiment verified significant stability and robustness of the proposed variable helix design.

Study on the Eligibility of Introducing Hybrid-Drive Buses into the Public Passenger Transport

The article presents the research related to the feasibility of introduction of alternative power source vehicles (hybrid system) into the public passenger transport (PPT) implemented as public service obligation of public passenger transport (PSO_PPT). The study examines and evaluates the existing implementation of 10 lines of PSO_PPT and implements the methods of mathematical calculations of the energy necessary to overcome the driving resistances of vehicles operating on these lines. The applied mathematical methods also include calculations of possible energy savings from implementing regenerative braking and a simulation of the reduction in air pollutant emissions. Furthermore the article presents the development of the experimental methods involving measurement of driving speeds, fuel consumption, altitude differences, number of brake applications as well as the time of braking during the bus ride along one of the observed lines in the pilot region. The results on the observed line were compared with mathematical calculations of the possible amount of energy regeneration. Based on the comparative analysis, we introduced the regeneration factor and used it to correct the previous mathematical calculations of the possible amount of energy regeneration due to braking on the other 9 lines in the selected pilot region. The final analysis has proven the eligibility of such research, which has demonstrated significant effects in energy savings (7 %) and the reduction of emissions (20 %) in the pilot area.

An investigation of the soil seedbank and seed germination of perennial species in Belah (Casuarina pauper) woodlands in north-west Victoria

Semiarid and arid woodlands across much of southern Australia have been subject to prolonged high total grazing pressure leading to loss of species diversity and a lack of recruitment of long-lived perennial species. Regeneration of perennial species requires grazing pressure to be maintained at low levels, but gaps remain in our ecological understanding of regeneration potential. The present study investigated the abundance of germinable seed in the soil seedbank in high quality remnants of Casuarina pauper F.Muell. ex L.A.S.Johnson (Belah) woodlands in north-west Victoria. Seed viability and response to six seed pretreatments including dry heat, wet heat, smoky water, soaking in distilled water, cold stratification and sand scarification were also tested to determine whether seed factors may be limiting regeneration. Results suggest that seed viability was not a limiting regeneration factor for nine out of the 10 perennial species tested with the exception of Alectryon oleifolius S.T. Reynolds. Only small amounts of seed from perennial species, largely Chenopodiaceae species and C. pauper, were found in the soil seedbanks of intact sites, suggesting component perennial species do not maintain long-term soil seedbanks. Results suggest that natural recovery of perennial species diversity in depauperate sites will depend on seed dispersal.

Classifying Patterns of Understory Vegetation in Mixed-Oak Forests in Two Ecoregions of Pennsylvania

Understory plots in mixed-oak stands in the Ridge and Valley and Allegheny Plateau ecoregions of Pennsylvania were classified to summarize the range of understory conditions common to the region and to evaluate relationships between understory vegetation, overstory conditions, and advance tree regeneration. Factor analysis and cluster analysis were used to identify understory classes. Vegetation cover data including 15 variables (plant species, bare ground, and rocky ground cover) and 4 composite variables (plant species groups) were observed on 1,208 204-m2 plots.The eight vegetation classes resulting from the analyses were associated with different overstory compositions and advance regeneration densities. The understory classes identified in this study may provide insight on the distribution and diversity of problematic and nonproblematic vegetation types.