A New Threshold-Based Method for Extracting Canopy Temperature from Thermal Infrared Images of Cork Oak Plantations

Canopy temperature (Tc) is used to characterize plant water physiology, and thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing is a convenient technology for measuring Tc in forest ecosystems. However, the images produced through this method contain background pixels of forest gaps, thereby reducing the accuracy of Tc observations. Extracting Tc data from TIR images is of great significance for understanding changes in ecosystem water status. In this study, a temperature threshold method was developed to rapidly, accurately, and automatically extract forest canopy pixels for Tc data obtention. Specifically, this method takes the temperature corresponding to the point with a slope of 0.5 in the curve composed of the normalized average temperature and the normalized cumulative number of pixels as the segmentation threshold to separate the forest gap pixels from the forest canopy pixels in the TIR images and extract the separated forest canopy pixels based on the pixel coordinates for Tc data obtention. Taking the Tc values, measured using a thermocouple, as the standard, Tc extraction using the new temperature threshold method and traditional methods (the Otsu algorithm and direct extraction) was compared in cork oak plantations. The results showed that the temperature threshold method offered the highest extraction accuracy, followed by the direct extraction method and the Otsu algorithm. The temperature threshold method was determined to be the most suitable for extracting Tc data from the TIR images of cork oak plantations.

INFLUENCE OF THE CONTENT OF PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS ON THE TASTE CHARACTERISTICS OF FOOD CARROTS

Исследовано изменение содержания фенольных соединений при хранении корнеплодов столовой моркови 14 сортов, перерабатываемых на предприятиях Беларуси. Отбор образцов моркови осуществляли из специализированных овощехранилищ 1 раз в месяц в течение 5 мес. Содержание фенольных соединений определяли по методике, адаптированной авторами для матрицы моркови, на основе реакции окисления фенольных соединений реактивом Фолина–Чокальтеу и последующей фотометрией при длине волны 765 нм. Общую сумму фенольных соединений определяли в пересчете на феруловую кислоту. Установлено, что наименьшее количество фенольных соединений содержали свежеубранные корнеплоды моркови (2,10–7,21 мг/100 г в зависимости от сорта). После 5 мес хранения концентрация водорастворимых фенольных соединений в корнеплодах в зависимости от сорта составила 16,07–40,78 мг/100 г, что превысило исходное содержание в 2,9–7,5 раза. Содержание фенольных соединений в корнеплодах моркови повышалось неравномерно в течение хранения. В 6 образцах рост характеризовался линейной зависимостью с коэффициентами корреляции 0,95 Ј R2 Ј 0,99, в 8 – экспоненциальной (0,92 Ј R2 Ј 0,99). Ощутимая горечь во вкусе появилась во всех образцах корнеплодов моркови после 4 мес хранения. В 11 образцах наблюдалась корреляция 0,91 между показателем ощущения горечи и содержанием фенольных соединений. По совокупности оцененных показателей наиболее предпочтительными для переработки на сок прямого отжима являются сорта столовой моркови Витаминная-6, Белградо, Лявониха, Монанта, Нантская 4. The change in the content of phenolic compounds during the storage of table carrot root crops of 14 varieties processed at Belarusian enterprises has been investigated. Carrot samples were taken from specialized vegetable storages once a month for 5 months. The content of phenolic compounds was determined by the method adapted by us for the carrot matrix, based on the oxidation reaction of phenolic compounds with the Folin–Chocalteu reagent and subsequent photometry at a wavelength of 765 nm. The total amount of phenolic compounds is determined in terms of ferulic acid. It was found that freshly harvested carrot roots contained the least amount of phenolic compounds (2,10–7,21 mg/100 g, depending on the variety). After 5 months of storage, the concentration of water-soluble phenolic compounds in root crops, depending on the variety, was 16,07–40,78 mg/100 g, which exceeded the initial content by 2,9–7,5 times. The content of phenolic compounds in carrot roots increased unevenly during storage. In 6 samples, the growth was characterized by a linear dependence with correlation coefficients of 0,95 Ј R2 Ј 0,99, in 8 – exponential (0,92 Ј R2 Ј 0,99). Palpable bitterness in taste appeared in all samples of carrot root crops after 4 months of storage. A correlation of 0,91 between the feeling of bitterness and the content of phenolic compounds was observed in 11 samples. According to the totality of the estimated indicators, the varieties of food carrots Vitaminnaya-6, Belgrado, Lyavonikha, Monanta, Nanta 4 are. most preferred for processing into juice of direct extraction.

Cycloalkane-modified amphiphilic polymers provide direct extraction of membrane proteins for CryoEM analysis

Membrane proteins are essential for cellular growth, signalling and homeostasis, making up a large proportion of therapeutic targets. However, the necessity for a solubilising agent to extract them from the membrane creates challenges in their structural and functional study. Although amphipols have been very effective for single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM) and mass spectrometry, they rely on initial detergent extraction before exchange into the amphipol environment. Therefore, circumventing this pre-requirement would be a big advantage. Here we use an alternative type of amphipol: a cycloalkane-modified amphiphile polymer (CyclAPol) to extract Escherichia coli AcrB directly from the membrane and demonstrate that the protein can be isolated in a one-step purification with the resultant cryoEM structure achieving 3.2 Å resolution. Together this work shows that cycloalkane amphipols provide a powerful approach for the study of membrane proteins, allowing native extraction and high-resolution structure determination by cryoEM.

Cube of Space Sampling for 3D Model Retrieval

Since the number of 3D models is rapidly increasing, extracting better feature descriptors to represent 3D models is very challenging for effective 3D model retrieval. There are some problems in existing 3D model representation approaches. For example, many of them focus on the direct extraction of features or transforming 3D models into 2D images for feature extraction, which cannot effectively represent 3D models. In this paper, we propose a novel 3D model feature representation method that is a kind of voxelization method. It is based on the space-based concept, namely CSS (Cube of Space Sampling). The CSS method uses cube space 3D model sampling to extract global and local features of 3D models. The experiments using the ESB dataset show that the proposed method to extract the voxel-based features can provide better classification accuracy than SVM and comparable retrieval results using the state-of-the-art 3D model feature representation method.

Current Strategies for Cancer Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Cancer Therapy

Cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicles (CEVs), a novel type of therapeutic agent in cancer treatment, can be prepared from the autocrine secretion of various cancer cells, the direct extraction of cancer cells and the combination of cancer cell-derived membranes with advanced materials. With various bioactive molecules, exosomes are produced by cells for intercellular communication. Although cancer cell-derived exosomes are known to inhibit tumor apoptosis and promote the progression of cancer, researchers have developed various innovative strategies to prepare anti-tumor vesicles from cancer cells. With current strategies for anti-tumor vesicles, four different kinds of CEVs are classified including irradiated CEVs, advanced materials combined CEVs, chemotherapeutic drugs loaded CEVs and genetically engineered CEVs. In this way, CEVs can not only be the carriers for anti-tumor drugs to the target tumor area but also act as immune-active agents. Problems raised in the strategies mainly concerned with the preparation, efficacy and application. In this review, we classified and summarized the current strategies for utilizing the anti-tumor potential of CEVs. Additionally, the challenges and the prospects of this novel agent have been discussed.

369. Alternative Workflow for SARS-CoV-2 Testing Using a Heat Lysis Protocol for Respiratory Specimens

Background The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has demonstrated the need for streamlined workflows in high-throughput testing. In extraction-based testing, limited extraction reagents and required proprietary instrumentation may pose a bottleneck for labs. As a solution, ChromaCode developed a Direct Extraction protocol for the HDPCR™ SARS-CoV-2 Assay, distributed in accordance with the guidance on Policy for Coronavirus Disease-2019 Tests During the Public Health Emergency, Section IV.C., which allows for the processing of specimens without an extraction system. In lieu of an extraction system, the Direct Extraction protocol uses a thermal cycler to lyse and inactivate specimens which are directly added to the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Methods The Limit of Detection (LoD), Clinical Performance, and effect of Interfering Substances was determined for the Direct Extraction protocol. The LoD was established on 6 PCR platforms with dilutions of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus spiked into residual, negative nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) matrix. Clinical performance was assessed with 48 positive and 50 negative frozen retrospective samples using the Direct Extraction protocol compared to an external Emergency Use Authorized (EUA) comparator assays (cobas® Liat® SARS-CoV-2 & Influenza A/B assay and the Hologic Panther Fusion® SARS-CoV-2 Assay respectively) on three PCR platforms. The Direct Extraction protocol was evaluated for performance in the presence of 13 potentially interfering substances that can be present in a respiratory specimen. Results The LoD of the Direct Extraction protocol ranges from 1000 – 3000 genomic equivalents (GE)/mL. The clinical performance of the assay was 95.8% positive agreement (95% CI of 84.6% - 99.3%) and 100% negative agreement (95% CI of 90.9% - 100% or 91.1% – 100%) across all three PCR platforms tested. The viral target was detected at 3X LoD for all interferents tested. Conclusion The Direct Extraction protocol of ChromaCode’s SARS-CoV-2 Assay is a sensitive test that eliminates the need for sample extraction and performs very well against traditional extraction-based workflows. The inclusion of this protocol can reduce costs, reliance on extraction systems, and time associated with extraction-based protocols. Disclosures Meghna Yadav, Ph.D. Molecular Biology, ChromaCode Inc. (Employee, Shareholder) Tiffany Martinez, n/a, ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder) Isabel Regoli, MS, Bioinformatics, ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder) Osvaldo Hernandez, B.S., Molecular Biology, ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder) Phuong Le, B.S., Biochemistry, ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder) Heather Carolan, Masters, Computational Molecular Biology, ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder) Brad Brown, Ph.D Biomedical Sciences, ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder) Karen Menge, Ph.D. Biochemistry, ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder)ChromaCode (Employee, Shareholder)

Enrichment of Protein Content in Rice-Based Dried Distillers’ Grain from Food-Ethanol Factory by Chemical Method

Dried distillers’ grain (DDG) from rice-based alcohol factories contains relatively high protein (ca. 79% of dry matter). However, this vegetative protein source has only been used for animal feeding. To enhance the value of this by-product, i.e. toward application for the food industry, this study has applied different approaches for the enrichment of protein content in this by-products. These approaches were either using solvents to directly extract and precipitate protein or removing non-protein components in rice-based DDG. The results showed that the direct extraction and precipitation of protein was not effective as the removal of non-protein components. The use of NaOH 10 mM has increased protein content up to 87% of dry matter by washing out the non-protein components such as starch from DDG. Preliminary, the protein-enriched DDG was used up to 15% as an ingredient for cookies without negative effect on the taste or color of this product.

Feasibility study and direct extraction of endogenous free metallic cations combining hemodialysis and chelating polymer

In this article, we report the conception and the use of dialysis-based medical device for the extraction of metals. The medical device is obtained by addition in the dialysate of a functionalized chitosan that can chelate endogenous metals like iron or copper. This water-soluble functionalized chitosan is obtained after controlled reacetylation and grafting of DOTAGA. Due to the high mass of chitosan, the polymer cannot cross through the membrane and the metals are trapped in the dialysate during hemodialysis. Copper extraction has been evaluated in vitro using an hemodialysis protocol. Feasibility study has been performed on healthy sheep showing no acute toxicity througout the entire dialysis procedure and first insights of metallic extraction even on healthy animals.