The aim of this study is to examine the influence of Online Customer Reviews (OCRs) on consumers' purchase intentions, and to understand the role of attitude on information adoption within the computer-mediated communication platforms. For this purpose, a research model was developed based on the Information Adoption Model (IAM). The model was empirically tested and validated through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The data were collected from a sample of 384 university students. The results confirm that attitude plays an important role on information adoption; and the following are among the key factors which influence consumers' purchase intentions: eWOM quality, eWOM credibility, attitude towards eWOM, perceived eWOM usefulness, and eWOM adoption. Th...

Serotonin (5-HT) receptors are proteins involved in various neurological and biological processes, such as aggression, anxiety, appetite, cognition, learning, memory, mood, sleep, and thermoregulation. They are commonly associated with drug abuse and addiction due to their importance as targets for various pharmaceutical and recreational drugs. However, due to a high sequence similarity/identity among 5-HT receptors and the unavailability of the 3D structure of the different 5-HT receptor, no report was available so far regarding the systematical comparison of the key and selective residues involved in the binding pocket, making it difficult to design subtype-selective serotonergic drugs. In this work, we first built and validated three-dimensional models fo...

Our objective was to determine the presence and quantities of multifunctional cytokines in cyst and ascites fluids obtained from patients with ovarian cancer.Cyst and ascites fluids obtained from 35 patients with ovarian epithelial neoplasms were analyzed for the multifunctional cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and interleukin-6. The fluids were classified on the basis of the pathologic diagnosis of the tumor tissue. Data were evaluated by analysis of variance.The fluids from patients with papillary forms of adenocarcinoma had high levels of all three cytokines when compared with all other pathologic groups. Interleukin-6 was significantly higher than tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interleukin-1 beta in fluids from all diagnostic ca...

A CASE of Chiari's syndrome is reported, with autopsy and observations on the serum phosphatase level and the prothrombin time of the plasma. REPORT OF CASE M. T., a 31/2 year old white boy, was admitted to the Children's Hospital on June 2, 1945, with a history of a "cold" followed by swelling of the face and extremities, oliguria and anorexia. Examination revealed generalized edema and a moderate amount of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. The blood pressure was 98 mm. of mercury systolic and 60 mm. diastolic. The nonprotein nitrogen of the serum measured 34 mg., the total protein 3.8 Gm. and the albumin 1.5 Gm., per hundred cubic centimeters. The serum cholesterol was 572 mg. per hundred cubic centimeters one month after admission and 1,088 mg. two...

IT IS THE purpose of this paper to report 2 cases of thrombosis of hepatic veins and review 95 from over 100 in the literature, to emphasize that the syndrome is not always due to one disease process, as is so commonly implied, and to attempt to give a clearer conception of the various other processes which may cause it. In the majority of reported cases there is gross obstruction of hepatic veins, leading to engorgement and necrosis of the liver and to portal obstruction. In some instances the block occurs as a final episode in an already advanced disease which itself masks the characteristic clinical picture of the Chiari syndrome or leaves no time for its development. There is also a smaller group of cases in which the obstruction is limited to one lobe o...

Abstract A case is presented of a young man who had thrombophlebitis of the legs for many years. At twenty-four years of age thrombosis of the inferior vena cava suddenly developed involving the hepatic veins with the typical symptomatology of Chiari's syndrome. This disease process was complicated by a concurrent endocarditis which responded to penicillin therapy. Six months after the development of the caval thrombosis he began to show evidence of what proved to be chronic glomerulonephritis. A year after the caval thrombosis the patient's collateral circulation had compensated sufficiently so that the ascites and edema disappeared. After a six-month interval the ascites reappeared due to the development of a portal vein thrombosis. Two years after the fir...

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & GynaecologyVolume 57, Issue 1 p. 78-78 CHIARI'S SYNDROME Report of a Case Philip A. Ashkar M.D., Philip A. Ashkar M.D. Associate Professor of Obstetrics, American University, Beirut, Lebanon.Search for more papers by this author Philip A. Ashkar M.D., Philip A. Ashkar M.D. Associate Professor of Obstetrics, American University, Beirut, Lebanon.Search for more papers by this author First published: February 1950 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1950.tb05218.xCitations: 10AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of art...

The new method presented in this paper falls into the category of sampling methods and model management in the optimization process of surrogate related methods. This method was introduced in order to reach the global optimum with a limited number of computer experiments. During these developments, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was used as a smart sampling tool to construct the metamodel. These methods with their stochastic nature can also overcome the problems of local minima. In order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the metamodel (Kriging), a knowledge database with smart sampling methods has been integrated into the optimization model management, to avoid unnecessary finite elements calculations and enrich the collection (sampling) in ea...

GIAO NMR shift calculation has been applied to the challenging task of reliably assigning stereochemistry with quantifiable confidence when only one set of experimental data are available. We have compared several approaches for assigning a probability to each candidate structure and have tested the ability of these methods to distinguish up to 64 possible diastereoisomers of 117 different molecules, using NMR shifts obtained in rapid and computationally inexpensive single-point calculations on molecular mechanics geometries without time-consuming ab initio geometry optimization. We show that a probability analysis based on the errors in each 13C or 1H shift is significantly more successful at making correct assignments with high confidence than are probabil...

Cognitive training, including fast simple numerical calculation (FSNC), has been shown to improve performance on untrained processing speed and executive function tasks in the elderly. However, the effects of FSNC training on cognitive functions in the young and on neural mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated the effects of 1-week intensive FSNC training on cognitive function, regional gray matter volume (rGMV), and regional cerebral blood flow at rest (resting rCBF) in healthy young adults. FSNC training was associated with improvements in performance on simple processing speed, speeded executive functioning, and simple and complex arithmetic tasks. FSNC training was associated with a reduction in rGMV and an increase in resting rCBF in the frontopolar...

As the first line of innate immune defense, neutrophils need to mount a rapid and robust antimicrobial response. Recent studies implicate various positive feedback amplification processes in achieving that goal. Feedback amplification ensures effective migration of neutrophils in shallow chemotactic gradients, multiple waves of neutrophil recruitment to the site of inflammation, and the augmentation of various effector functions of the cells. We review here such positive feedback loops including intracellular and autocrine processes, paracrine effects mediated by lipid (LTB4), chemokine, and cytokine mediators, and bidirectional interactions with the complement system and with other immune and non-immune cells. These amplification mechanisms are not only inv...

Neutrophils and neutrophil-like cells are the major pathogen-fighting immune cells in organisms ranging from slime molds to mammals. Central to their function is their ability to be recruited to sites of infection, to recognize and phagocytose microbes, and then to kill pathogens through a combination of cytotoxic mechanisms. These include the production of reactive oxygen species, the release of antimicrobial peptides, and the recently discovered expulsion of their nuclear contents to form neutrophil extracellular traps. Here we discuss these primordial neutrophil functions, which also play key roles in tissue injury, by providing details of neutrophil cytotoxic functions and congenital disorders of neutrophils. In addition, we present more recent evidence ...

The HECT domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4-1 (Neural precursor cell Expressed Developmentally Down regulated gene 4-1) is frequently overexpressed in human cancers and displays oncogenic-like properties through the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of multiple protein substrates. However, little is known about small molecule enzymatic inhibitors of HECT domain-containing ubiquitin ligases. We now demonstrate that indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural anti-cancer phytochemical derived from cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, represents a new chemical scaffold of small molecule enzymatic inhibitors of NEDD4-1. Using in vitro ubiquitination assays, I3C, its stable synthetic derivative 1-benzyl-I3C and five novel synthetic analogues were sho...

Bacteriocin producing strain BDU3 was isolated from a traditional fermented fish of Manipur Ngari. The strain BDU3 was identified as Bacillus coagulans by phenotypic and genotypic characterization. The BDU3 produced novel bacteriocin, which showed an antimicrobial spectrum toward a wide spectrum of food borne, and closely related pathogens with a MIC that ranged between 0.5 and 2.5 μg/mL. The isolate was able to tolerate pH as low as 2.0 and up to 0.2% bile salt concentration. Three step purification was employed to increase the specific activity of the antimicrobial compound. The fractions were further chromatographed by Rp-HPLC C-18 column and the purified bacteriocin had a specific activity of ∼8500 AU/mg. However, the potency of bacteriocin was suscep...

Papillary tumors of the pineal region (PTPR) are a rare tumor entity first described in 2003, later codified in the 2007 WHO tumor classification system. PTPRs most commonly occur in the third and fourth decades, with exceedingly rare presentations in pediatric populations. Herein, we present an additional case of a 10-year-old female found to have PTPR in conjunction with Trisomy 21 managed successfully with cerebrospinal fluid diversion and gross total resection (GTR). Three years after resection she has returned to baseline without recurrence. We also performed a comprehensive review of the current literature discussing the diagnosis, treatment, and pathophysiologic correlations in children. Diagnosis and management of PTPRs is a topic that is increasingl...

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloblastic leukemia that could be very difficult to treat. Lifitegrast 5% (Xiidra@, Novartis), a new immunosuppressive eye drop, was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of severe dry eye and is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency. In France, lifitegrast has been approved by the French authorities for temporary use in refractory dry eye syndrome resistant to tear substitutes and topical cyclosporine. To date, serious complications have been reported only exceptionally. In this article, we report the case of a 65-year-old patient with a medical history of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosed in 2015 ...

Randomized controlled trial. Patients with Patellofemoral pain (PFP) usually present muscular weakness, pain and impaired motor control. Muscle strengthening is an effective treatment strategy for PFP, but the additional benefits of movement control training remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of movement control training associated with muscle strengthening, with a conventional program of strengthening alone in women with PFP. Thirty-four women were randomly assigned to two groups. The Strengthening group (S group) performed 12 sessions to strengthen the knee and hip muscles. The Movement Control & Strengthening group (MC&S group) performed the same exercises and movement control training of the trunk and lower limbs....

Sampling aquatic ecosystems is a laborious and expensive task, especially when covering large areas. This can be improved using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with various remote sensing sensors. However, the UAV performance and autonomy may vary due to external factors when it is operated outdoors. In some cases, an emergency landing maneuver is necessary to avoid an accident, since in fluvial environments, the UAV control landing becomes a difficult operation. Therefore, it is important to have a backup platform on the water to fix this problem. This paper presents the design and development of a custom-built unmanned surface vehicle using open-source tools and with two types of operation—remotely piloted and autonomous—to support remote sens...

Properties of glowing connections for a variety of electrically conductive materials are presented. The properties investigated include voltage waveforms, RMS voltage with current, and the propensity to initiate glowing. This was done using materials that may be used in residential electrical wiring. The materials and combinations of materials investigated were copper, brass, phosphorous bronze, steel, and stainless steel. It is found that material type has a pronounced effect on the voltage wave-shape of the glowing contact and the associated RMS voltage. It is also shown that the number of make/break operations to get the connection glowing is greatly influenced by the material with steel materials being the easiest to initiate glowing. Waveforms and volta...

BACKGROUND Clinical outcomes and biological behavior of papillary tumors of the pineal region (PTPR) are still under investigation. The best therapeutic strategy has not been defined. OBJECTIVE To perform a comprehensive patient-level analysis of all PTPR cases and identify their clinical features, treatment options, and prognostic factors. METHODS A search of the medical databases for case series and reports on PTPRs from January 2003 to June 2017 was performed. Data addressing PTPR’s clinical presentation, imaging, treatment, and histological features were. Variables associated with the primary outcome of 36-mo survival were identified through Cox regression models. RESULTS The initial search yielded 1164 studies, of which 71 were included (60 case repor...

International Journal for Numerical Methods in EngineeringVolume 28, Issue 6 p. 1475-1475 Book ReviewFree Access Mathematical models in coastal engineering, Christopher G. Koutitas, Pentech Press, distributed by Wiley, 1988. No. of pages: 156 (hardback). ISBN 0–7273–1313–4. Price £22.50 Peter Bettess, Peter Bettess University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, U.K.Search for more papers by this authorPhil Clark, Phil Clark University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, U.K.Search for more papers by this author Peter Bettess, Peter Bettess University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, U.K.Search for more papers by this authorPhil Clark, Phil Clark University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle Upon ...

European anchovy eggs (Engraulis encrasicolus L.) were hatched and larvae reared in the laboratory in order to validate the daily increment deposition in otoliths under different temperature condition. Additionally, the effect of temperature on otolith and larval growth and on the fish length and otolith radius relationship was also analysed. On sagittae, one to four increments can be depositioned during the embryonic stage and the first regular increment was formed the day after hatching. Temperature was found to have a significant effect on the increment deposition rate and otolith growth. A daily increment deposition rate was confirmed in larvae reared under conditions of higher temperatures (20.8 and 22.3 °C), while the apparent rate of increment format...

Papillary tumors of the pineal region (PTPRs) are malignant World Health Organization grade II/III tumors; however, they may perfectly mimic benign tumors (e.g., pineocytomas [World Health Organization grade I]). We present a case of a 28-year-old man with a 35-mm tumor of the pineal region. Considering the typical radiological and pathologic presentation, the tumor was first diagnosed as pineocytoma. However, despite first total resection, the tumor recurred after 7 years. The recurrent neoplasm was composed mainly of papillary structures with low-grade atypical cells positive for CKAE1/AE3 and CK18. This categorization led to the final diagnosis of PTPR. The patient underwent adjuvant radiotherapy, which vastly improved his neurologic condition and resulte...

The PANTHER classification system ( http://www.pantherdb.org ) is a comprehensive system that combines genomes, gene function classifications, pathways and statistical analysis tools to enable biologists to analyze large-scale genome-wide experimental data. The current system (PANTHER v.14.0) covers 131 complete genomes organized into gene families and subfamilies; evolutionary relationships between genes are represented in phylogenetic trees, multiple sequence alignments and statistical models (hidden Markov models (HMMs)). The families and subfamilies are annotated with Gene Ontology (GO) terms, and sequences are assigned to PANTHER pathways. A suite of tools has been built to allow users to browse and query gene functions and analyze large-scale experimen...

Slow light propagation through photonic crystal (PhC) slab devices has great potential to reduce the size and power consumption of silicon photonic optical circuits. Most commonly, slow light routing through photonic crystals is achieved by using W1 waveguide bends operating near their cutoff frequencies. Unfortunately, this leads to optical pulse distortion due the high group velocity dispersion (GVD) associated with these designs. In this letter, however, we study the coupling between slow light waveguides optimized for near-zero GVD and 60° PhC bends. Using numerical methods and the temporal coupled mode theory, we assess the performance of single bends coupled to input/output waveguides, and S-bends composed of two cascaded bends. In this latter, we obs...

Shubnikov-de Haas type oscillations have been studied in bismuth in magnetic fields up to 88 kG. Oscillations are observed which have been attributed to the hole band in bismuth. A machine calculation of the density of states and of the Fermi level as a function of magnetic field is used to fit the data. The calculation is based on the nonparabolic (two-band) model of the electron band, and includes the possibility of spin splitting for both electrons and holes. It correctly predicts the observed change in Fermi energy with magnetic field. We find that the hole Landau levels are indeed split by spin. The spin splitting is almost twice the Landau level spacing along the trigonal axis and is extremely small perpendicular to the trigonal axis. Spin splitting is...

Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are a heterogeneous group of inherited diseases of the immune system. The definite diagnosis of PID is ascertained by genetic analysis; however, this takes time and is costly. Flow cytometry provides a rapid and highly sensitive tool for diagnosis of PIDs. Flow cytometry can evaluate specific cell populations and subpopulations, cell surface, intracellular and intranuclear proteins, biologic effects associated with specific immune defects, and certain functional immune characteristics, each being useful for the diagnosis and evaluation of PIDs. Flow cytometry effectively identifies major forms of PIDs, including severe combined immunodeficiency, X-linked agammaglobulinemia, hyper IgM syndromes, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, X-li...

Constructing highly proton-conducting metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) remains a difficult challenge. Hence, we developed an effective nanochannel engineering strategy by grafting sulfonic-abundant benzene-1,3,5-trisulfonic acid (BTSA) onto the Zr6-clusters of PCN-222 to act as a proton-conducting intensifier. Although the introduced BTSA dramatically reduced the pore volume, the resultant MOF (PCN-222-BTSA) exhibited strong water affinity and thus significantly enhanced water uptake at low RH values, reaching up to an almost equivalent water adsorption capacity at a high RH value compared with the capacity of pristine PCN-222. Benefiting from the enhanced water adsorption behavior and the proton-donating capability of sulfonic groups, PCN-222-BTSA displaye...

Papillary tumor of the pineal region (PTPR) is a rare neuroepithelial brain tumor, characterized by a high risk of local recurrence (greater than 70 % at 6 years). The aim of our study was to review the available literature on radiotherapy for PTPR in order to evaluate timings, schedules, outcomes and toxicities of this treatment modality. In our review, 72.4 % (84) of the patients diagnosed with PTPR received radiation therapy. There is heterogeneity in the dose prescription, ranging from 45 Gy (25 × 1.8 Gy) to 60 Gy (30 × 2 Gy) for 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy and from 12 Gy to 36 Gy for Stereotactic Radiosurgery. Being considered as a grade II or III tumor, PTPR should receive higher total radiation dose in the adjuvant setting. Our analysis showed a ...

1. Treatment of patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) with arecoline, a muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonist, reportedly improves performance on a picture recognition memory task, but not on other memory measures. To examine further possible performance improvements following arecoline treatment, patients with DAT were treated with a 30 min intravenous infusion of arecoline (5 mg). 2. Psychometric testing was done at five time points (two before and three following the infusion). Patients were tested on a memory task (Buschke selective reminding) and a test of visuo-spatial performance (figure copying). 3. No net change from baseline was seen in mean scores following arecoline infusion. However, the changes in performance on the two tasks wer...

Abstract In this study, we developed nonmetal-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (N-F-TiO2) by a novel synthesis route employing a simple sol–gel method containing a nonionic fluorosurfactant as pore template material to tailor-design the structural properties of TiO2 and fluorine dopant as well as ethylenediamine as nitrogen source for the photocatalytic response towards visible light. The synthesized photocatalyst was characterized by XRD, UV–vis spectroscopy, XPS, HR-TEM, ESEM and porosimetry measurements. The resulting nanoparticles exhibited enhanced structural properties such as high surface area (141 m2/g), high porosity (49%), mesoporous structure (2–10 nm pore size) and low degree of agglomeration (1.07). A reduction in the effective band gap (2.75 e...

It is known that the Curie point $\ensuremath{\theta}$ of the ferroelectric BaTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ shifts to higher temperatures when a dc bias field is applied. If the crystal shows a sharp transition, we expect by applying an ac field at the Curie temperature that the crystal would become alternately ferroelectric and nonferroelectric in the cycle of the ac field. This can be seen in the shape of the hysteresis loop at temperatures slightly above $\ensuremath{\theta}$. In the center of the polarization $P$ versus field $E$ plot, we observe a linear behavior corresponding to the paraelectric state of BaTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ above $\ensuremath{\theta}$. At both high voltage ends, however, we observe a hysteresis loop corresponding to the ferroelectric state. ...

Radiation therapy is well established in the treatment of early and locally advanced rectal cancer, where it has been used in both the pre-operative and postoperative settings. Pre-operatively, radiation therapy has been shown in a series of studies culminating in the Dutch total mesorectal excision (TME) study to significantly reduce the rate of local recurrence at 2 years. However, the overall rate of survival was not improved in this study because radiotherapy failed to reduce the incidence of distant metastases. Chemotherapy, however, may reduce distant metastatic spread, as well as increasing the rate of R0 resectability and sphincter-saving surgery when used in combination with radiotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting. Oxaliplatin is a prime candidate f...

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) has demonstrated effectiveness in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Therefore the FDA has approved it to treat APL. In patients with refractory metastatic colorectal carcinoma (CRC), we assessed the efficacy and toxicity of As2O3/AA (ascorbic acid) as the outcome of this trial. Five patients with refractory metastatic CRC who failed all previous standard chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. They were treated with 0.25 mg/kg body weight/day As2O3 and 1000 mg/day of ascorbic acid for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Each treatment cycle extended for 7 weeks with 5 weeks of treatment and 2 weeks of rest. All the patients developed moderate to severe toxic side effects to arsenic trioxide/AA therapy and therefore the study was ...

Arsenic is an ubiquitous element in the environment causing oxidative burst in the exposed individuals leading to tissue damage. Antioxidants have long been known to reduce the free radical-mediated oxidative stress. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine whether supplementation of a-tocopherol (400 mg/kg body weight) and ascorbic acid (200 mg/kg body weight) to arsenic-intoxicated rats (100 ppm in drinking water) for 30 days affords protection against the oxidative stress caused by the metalloid. The arsenic-treated rats showed elevated levels of lipid peroxide, decreased levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants and activities of enzymatic antioxidants. Administration of a-tocopherol and ascorbic acid to arsenic-exposed rats showed a decrease in...

Arsenic containing treatments have a history of over two millenniums. Recently, arsenic trioxide (As2O3) has been introduced into the treatment of both de now and relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), with remarkable clinical success. Several investigations using both freshly isolated APL blast cells as well as APL-derived tumor cell lines have shown that the main mechanism by which As2O3 exerts its antileukemic activity in APL is induction of apoptosis in the leukemic cell population. Recently, it has become evident that the apoptotic effects of As2O3 are not restricted to APL cells but may also be observed in malignant cells of non-APL origin. In the present review, history, current clinical use as well as future perspectives of As2O3 therapy in bot...

Mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause ~20% of familial ALS (FALS), which comprises 10% of total ALS cases. In mutant SOD1- (mtSOD1-) induced ALS, misfolded aggregates of SOD1 lead to activation of the unfolded protein response/integrated stress response (UPR/ISR). Protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), a kinase that phosphorylates eukaryotic translation initiator factor 2α (p-eIF2α), coordinates the response by causing a global suppression of protein synthesis. Growth arrest and DNA damage 34 (GADD34) dephosphorylates p-eIF2α, allowing protein synthesis to return to normal. If the UPR/ISR is overwhelmed by the amount of misfolded protein, CCAAT/enhancer-binding homologous protein (CHOP) is activated leading to apop...

The majority of stage III NSCLC patients managed with a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy will develop a locoregional or distant relapse. Concomitant radiochemotherapy allows for improved local control but has no impact on extrathoracic recurrences. To ameliorate this inefficiency the concept of consolidation treatment has been put forward, whereby systemically active doses of chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immune therapy are administered after completion of radiochemotherapy. Randomized trials failed to provide support for consolidation chemotherapy or anti-EGFR therapies. Recently durvalumab, an anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor, administered as consolidation treatment, was shown to substantially improve progression-free survival. This article ...

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a noninvasive strategy for diagnosing and managing asthma, but limited evidence is available for the effects of FENO-guided asthma management in children. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of FENO for asthma management in children.In total, six databases were searched, and 23 randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of FENO-guided asthma management with those not using FENO in pediatric asthma were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Data for relevant endpoints were extracted and analyzed.Our meta-analysis of the effectiveness of FENO for asthma management in children showed that FENO-guided asthma management helped reduce the numbers ...

The Qinling mountains are a typical composite continental orogenic belt which underwent various stages of evolution characterized by different tectonic regimes. Its late Proterozoic to early Mesozoic evolution was dominated by plate subduction and collision processes. The Shangdan fault zone marks the major suture which resulted from the plate subduction and collision and represents the basic division in both the superfacial geology and the deep-seated crustal structure of the Qinling mountains. It is not a simple fault zone but an intricate geologic terrane, characterized by a prolonged and complicated history. It is referred to as Shangdan boundary fault terrane or Shangdan zone for short. The Shangdan zone consists chiefly of five parts: (1) fault systems...

The mechanical adhesion of thermal oxide scales formed on industrial hot-rolled steel strips produced through the electric-arc-furnace route was studied. The samples as-received steel were prepared with the specific shape fitting to the micro-tensile machine in the SEM chamber for observation of surface failure during the test. It was found that oxide transverse cracking and scale spallation are observed. This paper also presented a theoretical model for evaluate adhesion energy from strain and stress values at the first spallation. It was found that the oxide scales on the medium slab exhibited high mechanical adhesion energy. This might be due to the existence of oxide contained Si at steel-scale interfaces. It can promote adhesive interactions between ste...

AbstractNaTaO3 is a stable and wide bandgap n‐type semiconductor material with many different applications. Here, a flux‐mediated synthesis method is presented for NaTaO3 resulting in highly distinctive, substrate covering shapes via precursor chemistry variation at comparatively low temperatures. It is found that the microstructure of the resulting NaTaO3 films can be varied from nanocubes to smooth thin films. These shapes and surface chemistries can be correlated by employing density functional theory calculations and surface sensitive X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy. This study provides guidance on how to synthesize the material and tailor its shape and...

Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in industrialized countries. Cell transplantation could restore function of the ischemic heart likely through the mechanism of cell-induced angiogenesis. We have previously shown that cells isolated from uteri increase angiogenesis and alleviate cardiac dysfunction when transplanted after MI. However, which uterine cell type contributes to angiogenesis is unknown. Here we report that uterine-derived CD11b cells significantly increase vasculogenesis and promote myocardial healing in ischemic cardiomyopathy. We have established a novel and simple methodology for uterine CD11b cell isolation and enrichment and demonstrate that this technique can be used for purifying and establishing viable CD11b cell cul...

Abstract Addition of methane- and benzeneselenenyl bromide or chloride and benzene sulfenyl chloride to carbon-carbon double bonds substituted by electronwithdrawing groups is achieved in solvents of different polarity. Two regioisomeric adducts 6 and 7 or 8 and 9 are generally formed, which can be interconverted by equilibration in refluxing acetonitrile. It is of mechanistic interest that the regioisomers may also derive from selenenyltrihalide adducts. In comparison to acrylic esters, the propiolic ester reacts more slowly, producing mainly the α-selenenyl adduct. Dehydrohalogenation of adducts provides a general and valuable method for the preparation of olefins carrying methyl or phenylselenenyl groups in α-position to electron-withdrawing substituent...

The tumor microenvironment (TME) includes a number of non-cancerous cells that affect cancer cell survival. Although CD8+ T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells suppress tumor growth through induction of cell death in cancer cells, there are various immunosuppressive cells such as regulatory T cells (Tregs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), etc., which drive cancer cell proliferation. These cells may also support tumor growth and metastasis by stimulating angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and resistance to apoptosis. Interactions between cancer cells and other cells, as well as molecules released into EMT, play a key role in tumor growth and suppress...

Targeting the estrogen pathway has been proven effective in the treatment for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. There are currently two common groups of anti-estrogenic compounds used in the clinic; Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs, e.g. tamoxifen) and Selective Estrogen Enzyme Modulators (SEEMs e.g. letrozole). Among various naturally occurring, biologically active compounds, resveratrol and melatonin have been suggested to act as aromatase inhibitors, which make them potential candidates in hormonal treatment of breast cancer. Here we used a co-culture model in which we previously demonstrated that primary human breast adipose fibroblasts (BAFs) can convert testosterone to estradiol, which subsequently results in estrogen receptor-medi...

This research examines the complex patterns by which distinct dimensions of critical consciousness may lead marginalized adolescents toward distinct forms of political action. Structural equation modeling was applied to nationally representative data from the Civic Education Study (2,811 ninth graders; Mage = 14.6), first establishing the measurement invariance of constructs across samples of poor or working class African American and Latino/a adolescents. Perceptions of societal inequality and aspirational beliefs that society ought to be more equal differentially predicted expected voting, conventional political action, and social action-while controlling for civic achievement and with nuances between ethnic and racial groups. Contrary to hypotheses and ex...

Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Immunotherapy is the most promising cancer therapeutics in recent years and has gain positive results in several cancers in the clinic. This study was aimed to investigate the roles and mechanism of IFI16 in cervical cancer immunotherapy. We observed an abnormally high expression of Programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) and Interferon‐inducible 16 (IFI16) in Human papillomavirus (HPV) positive cervical cancer cells compared with HPV negative cervical cancer cells. Moreover, IFI16 promotes cervical cancer development in vitro and in vivo as the oncogenic role of PD-L1. In the subsequent mechanism investigation, we found that IFI16 activated STING-TBK1-mediated immunoregulation, ...

Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor with a poor prognosis, and the interaction between tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) further contributes to progression and treatment failure. Recent studies have revealed the potential value of melatonin in cancer therapy, but its role in gastric cancer and CAFs requires further exploration. CAFs were isolated using the tissue block method. Cell Counting Kit-8 and cell cycle assays were used to determine the cell proliferation ability, while the cell metastatic capacity was detected by a wound healing assay and Transwell migration/invasion assay. Furthermore, the expression levels of proteins involved were examined using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Melatonin not only inhib...

This manuscript goals to explain and refine the relationship of green marketing strategies between environmental culture, eco-orientation, green promotion, green innovation and corporate social responsibility towards firm's performance for sustainability development to green economy. Given the relevance of green marketing strategies to the success of a sustainability business, the emphasis on green marketing strategies and its effect on profitability to the green economy in future are inadequate. This research tackles the breach by offering a full view of tactical green marketing strategies and its competitive advantage. Specifically, the findings draw on contemporary green marketing literature indicate that an essential interaction exists among strategy and...

Introduction: The transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) is the first line of defense against a plethora of environmental or endogenous deviations in redox metabolism, proteostasis, inflammation, etc. Therefore, pharmacological activation of Nrf2 is a potential therapeutic approach for several diseases related to oxidative stress and inflammation, such as cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases.Areas covered: The authors first describe the biological function of Nrf2 and the molecular regulatory mechanism of Keap1-Nrf2-ARE ((Kelch-like ECH-Associating protein 1)-Nrf2-(antioxidant response element)). Then, they review recent progress of covalent activators and non-covalent Keap1-Nrf2 protein-protein interaction ...

Purpose: To compare the power of the 4 intraocular pressure (IOP) measures, that is, peak, mean, range, and SD, over a 24-hour period in predicting IOP variations in order to determine which measure of IOP fluctuation correlates best with actual office-hour readings in glaucoma patients and healthy subjects. Methods: For this prospective study, 25 subjects with untreated primary open-angle glaucoma and 33 healthy individuals were hospitalized for 24 hours. Measurements of the subjects’ IOP for both eyes were recorded with a Goldmann applanation tonometer every 3 hours in the sitting position during the daytime (9 AM to 9 PM) and with a TonoPen in both the sitting and supine positions for 24 hours. Only 1 eye was selected randomly per subject for the final ...

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a key mediator of changes in immune, endocrine and metabolic activities, collectively called the acute phase response, seen during infection and tissue injury. The purpose of the present study was to clarify a possible role of the sympathetic nervous system in the responses to IL-1 in rats. Intraperitoneal injection of IL-1 elicited an increase in rectal temperature and white blood cell count and a decrease in the plasma levels of glucose, iron and triglyceride. Pretreatment of rats with 6-hydroxydopamine or a ganglionic blocking agent abolished some of the responses, such as hypoglycemia and the increased white blood cell count. IL-1 injection also accelerated norepinephrine turnover, an index of sympathetic nerve activity, in the sp...

Mutations in the POLG gene have emerged as one of the most common causes of inherited mitochondrial disease in children and adults. They are responsible for a heterogeneous group of at least 6 major phenotypes of neurodegenerative disease that include: 1) childhood Myocerebrohepatopathy Spectrum disorders (MCHS), 2) Alpers syndrome, 3) Ataxia Neuropathy Spectrum (ANS) disorders, 4) Myoclonus Epilepsy Myopathy Sensory Ataxia (MEMSA), 5) autosomal recessive Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia (arPEO), and 6) autosomal dominant Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia (adPEO). Due to the clinical heterogeneity, time-dependent evolution of symptoms, overlapping phenotypes, and inconsistencies in muscle pathology findings, definitive diagnosis relies on the molecula...

Norepinephrine (NE) turnover, an index of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, was measured in interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT), heart and pancreas of 3-weeks-old pre-obese monosodium-L-glutamate (MSG) mice and at 6-weeks-old mildly obese MSG mice. In IBAT, rates of NE turnover were slower not only in 3-weeks-old MSG mice but also in older obese MSG mice than in their saline controls. In heart, rates of NE turnover were slower in 6-weeks-old mildly obese MSG mice, but not in pre-obese MSG mice. No significant difference in NE turnover in pancreas was observed at either age. The low NE turnover in IBAT of MSG-treated mice prior to the onset of gross obesity suggests that low SNS activity may be an initial contributor to their high energy effici...

The present study was carried out to investigate the tissue specificity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) response to acute exercise in adult mice exposed to four ambient temperatures. SNS activity estimates in heart, pancreas, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) were obtained from the measurement of the dopamine (DA) tissue contents 1 h after the inhibition of the DA-beta-hydroxylase with 1-cyclohexyl-2-mercaptoimidazole (CHMI). DA was measured by electrochemical detection after the separation of the monoamine using high-performance liquid chromatography. In both heart and pancreas, temperature and activity influenced DA tissue contents after the CHMI injection. In these tissues, and regardless of whether mice were resting or exercising, the DA contents gr...

Diet-induced obesity (DIO) developed in 1-mo-old male Sprague-Dawley rats over an 8-wk period on a relatively high-fat (16%) high-calorie (4.6 kcal/g) diet (DIO diet). Percent carcass lipid (56%) and body weight gain (15%) were greater, whereas food intake was decreased over the first 3-5 wk in DIO diet-compared with chow-fed controls. Overall, 8-wk body weight gain (15%), percent carcass lipid (26%), and feed efficiency (15%) were greater, but food intake was not increased. Norepinephrine (NE) turnover rate, indicative of organ sympathetic activity, increased in interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT; 57-218%), heart (21-44%), and pancreas (25%) during the first 3 wk and remained elevated for the entire 8 wk. IBAT weight (51%) and in vitro lipolytic capac...

This study investigated the effect of aqueous fat separation and defatting using organic solvents (99% methanol, ethanol, and n-hexane) on the characteristics and functionality of proteins extracted from Protaetia brevitarsis. The defatting efficiency, amino acid composition, protein solubility, and technical properties were the highest when proteins were defatted using n-hexane. Proteins defatted using ethanol were similar in foam capacity and emulsifying capacity. Surface hydrophobicity decreased when using organic solvents, and excessive fat content disrupted the functional properties of the extracted proteins. Proteins extracted using the different solvents displayed different pH values. The pH of the aqueous extract was the lowest. CIE L* a* b* color va...

The advent of pulsed power technology in the 1960s has enabled the development of very high peak power sources of electromagnetic radiation in the microwave and millimeter wave bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such sources have applications in plasma physics, particle acceleration techniques, fusion energy research, high-power radars, and communications, to name just a few. This article describes recent ongoing activity in this field in both Russia and the United States. The overview of research in Russia focuses on high-power microwave (HPM) sources that are powered using SINUS accelerators, which were developed at the Institute of High Current Electronics. The overview of research in the United States focuses more broadly on recent accomplishments of...

Cytochrome P450 3A4 is the predominant isoform in liver, and it metabolizes more than 50% of the clinical drugs commonly used. However, CYP3A4 is also responsible for metabolic activation of drugs, leading to liver injury. Benzodiazepines are widely used as hypnotics and sedatives for anxiety, but some of them induce liver injury in humans. To clarify whether benzodiazepines are metabolically activated, 14 benzodiazepines were investigated for their cytotoxic effects on HepG2 cells treated with recombinant CYP3A4. By exposure to 100 microM flunitrazepam, nimetazepam, or nitrazepam, the cell viability in the presence of CYP3A4 decreased more than 25% compared with that of the control. In contrast, in the case of other benzodiazepines, the changes in the cell ...

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is emerging as a factor for the pathogenesis of granular corneal dystrophy type 2 (GCD2). This study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of melatonin on ER stress in GCD2. Our results showed that GCD2 corneal fibroblasts were more susceptible to ER stress-induced death than were wild-type cells. Melatonin significantly inhibited GCD2 corneal cell death, caspase-3 activation, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 cleavage caused by the ER stress inducer, tunicamycin. Under ER stress, melatonin significantly suppressed the induction of immunoglobulin heavy-chain-binding protein (BiP) and activation of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), and their downstream target, alternativ...

It has been difficult, so far, to obtain melatonin analogs possessing high selectivity for the respective melatonin receptors, mt1 and MT2. In the present work, we report the synthesis and pharmacological characterization of a new compound N-{2-[5-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-1H-indol-3-yl)] ethyl} acetamide or 5-hydroxyethoxy-N-acetyltryptamine (5-HEAT). To assess the activity of the compound, the following tests were performed: affinity determination for the high- and low-affinity receptor states (2-[ I]iodomelatonin binding), potency and intrinsic activity in inducing G protein activation ([ S]GTPγS binding assay). 5-HEAT showed little selectivity for the mt1 receptor, with pKi values of 7.77 for mt1 and 7.12 for the MT2 receptors, respectively. 5-HEAT was able to ...

Targeting the protein-protein interaction (PPI) between the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its repressor, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), constitutes a promising strategy for treating diseases involving oxidative stress and inflammation. Here, a fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) campaign resulted in novel, high-affinity ( K i = 280 nM), and cell-active noncovalent small-molecule Keap1-Nrf2 PPI inhibitors. We screened 2500 fragments using orthogonal assays─fluorescence polarization (FP), thermal shift assay (TSA), and surface plasmon resonance (SPR)─and validated the hits by saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR, leading to 28 high-priority hits. Thirteen co-structures showed fragments bindin...

LETM1 is a mitochondrial inner-membrane protein, which is encoded by a gene present in a locus of 4p, which, in turn, is deleted in the Wolf–Hirschhorn Syndrome, and is assumed to be related to its pathogenesis. The cellular damage caused by the deletion is presumably related to oxidative stress. Melatonin has many beneficial roles in protecting mitochondria by scavenging reactive oxygen species, maintaining membrane potential, and improving functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin administration to LETM1-silenced mouse embryonic fibroblast cells as a cellular model for LETM1 deficiency. We transfected mouse embryonic fibroblast cells with a pair of siRNA against LETM1 and monitored the oxidative stress and mitochondrial...

3-(Acetylaminomethyl)-2-(ethoxycarbonyl)-6-methoxy-1,3,4,5-tetrahydrobenzo[cd]indole (2) is a rigid melatonin analogue that as a racemate displays about the same affinity and intrinsic activity of melatonin (1) in in vitro experiments. We report here the resolution of the racemate by preparative medium pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) and the X-ray determination of the R absolute configuration of the (-)-enantiomer. The two enantiomers were separately tested as MT1 and MT2 ligands, and the (+)-(S)-2 showed a potency comparable to that of melatonin and about three orders of magnitude greater than that of its enantiomer. The information obtained by crystallographic analysis and NMR studies about the conformational preference for 2 and by the pharmacologic...

Norepinephrine (NE) turnover, which is a reliable indicator of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, was measured in the interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT), heart, and pancreas of ovariectomized (OVX), sham-operated rats receiving injections of estradiol benzoate (EB). Ovariectomized rats (OVX rats) ate much more than controls and became obese, whereas the administration of EB to obese OVX rats decreased their food intake to the level below that of sham-operated animals and body weight to the level of sham controls. The results from studies using the inhibition of NE biosynthesis with α-methyl-p-tyrosine or radiolabeled NE to measure NE turnover significantly demonstrated reductions in SNS activity in IBAT of OVX rats than in sham controls, wher...

Fractional Fourier Transform (FRFT) is regarded as an effective method for detection of Linear Frequency Modulation (LFM) signals in recent years. However, the performance of FRFT detection will deteriorate sharply in the weak noise scene. An alternative solution is the use of bistable system, which can generate stochastic resonance (SR), and is relatively easy to achieve. This paper proposes a novel LFM weak signal detection algorithm based on bistable system and FRFT, named BSFRFT. We use the SR effect of bistable system to amplify LFM signal, and then apply FRFT to the previous output. We also present an evaluation criteria to measure the ability of detection methods and to compare performance of FRFT and BSFRFT. Numerical simulations show that the algori...

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal interstitial lung disease associated with disruption of alveolar epithelial cell layer and expansion of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts. Excessive levels of oxidative/nitrosative stress, induction of apoptosis, and insufficient autophagy may be involved in IPF pathogenesis; hence, the targeting of these pathways may ameliorate IPF. Areas covered: We describe the ameliorative effect of melatonin on IPF. We summarize the research on IPF pathogenesis with a focus on oxidative/nitrosative stress, autophagy and apoptosis pathways and discuss the potential effects of melatonin on these pathways. Expert opinion: Oxidative/nitrosative stress, apoptosis and autophagy could be interesting targets for therapeutic intervention i...

The metaphase II (MII) spindle of the human oocyte may be damaged by cryopreservation. High performance confocal microscopy was used to assess meiotic spindle and chromosome organization in oocytes after vitrification by the cryoleaf system. Three hours after retrieval, donor mature oocytes were fixed or vitrified. Vitrification was performed by equilibration in 7.5% ethylene glycol (EG) and 7.5% dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), transfer to 15% EG, 15% DMSO and 0.5 mol/l sucrose, and loading onto cryoleaf strips. Tubulin staining was found in all survived vitrified-warmed oocytes, the majority (62.8%) of which displayed a bipolar spindle. A normal bipolar spindle configuration and equatorial chromosome alignment was observed only in a part of vitrified-warmed oocy...

Oxidative stress and down-regulated trophic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of nigrostriatal dopamine(DA)rgic neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is a survival factor for various cell types; however, the effect of FGF9 on DA neurons has not been studied. The antioxidant melatonin protects DA neurons against neurotoxicity. We used MPP(+) to induce neuron death in vivo and in vitro and investigated the involvement of FGF9 in MPP(+) intoxication and melatonin protection. We found that MPP(+) in a dose- and time-dependent manner inhibited FGF9 mRNA and protein expression, and caused death in primary cortical neurons. Treating neurons in the substantia nigra and mesencephalic cell cultures with FGF9 protein inhibit...

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of preprocedural prediction of the best tube angle obliquity for visualization of the uterine artery origin by using three-dimensional (3D)–reconstructed contrast material–enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography on the radiation dose, fluoroscopy time, and contrast medium volume during uterine artery embolization (UAE). Materials and Methods: The study was approved by the institutional review board. Informed consent was obtained. The prospective study included 20 consecutive prospective patients (age range, 37–56 years) for whom preprocedural prediction of the best tube angle obliquity was determined by using 3D-reconstructed contrast-enhanced MR angiography; the best tube angle obliquity was provided to the interve...

Inadequate sleep increases inflammatory and proinflammatory markers among many other influences. Due to its potential to influence inflammation and oxidative stress, which are the main pathogenetic mechanisms actually recognized in the periodontal damage, poor sleep quality could be a factor for periodontitis and quality of life (QoL). In this context, the aim of this study is to investigate the association of stage-grade of periodontitis with sleep quality. and the effect of periodontitis on QoL.The study consisted of clinical examination and a questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on demographic information, Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Patients were diagnosed according to the 2017 World Workshop ...

Pinealectomy leads to increased formation of fibrous tissue in the abdominal cavity, increased skin pigmentation and elevated cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase levels. It also leads to reduced formation and/or action of prostaglandin (PG) E1 and thromboxane (TX) A2. PGE1 plays an important role in enhancing function of T suppressor lymphocytes which control overactive antibody-producing B lymphocytes. In primary biliary cirrhosis there are increased skin pigmentation, hepatic fibrosis, elevated cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase levels, defective T lymphocytes and hyperactive B lymphocytes. Primary biliary cirrhosis may be a pineal deficiency disease. Serotonin is important in the pineal and the serotonin antagonist methysergide may cause retroperitonea...

The hallmark of granular corneal dystrophy type 2 (GCD2) is the deposit of mutant transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced protein (TGFBIp) in the cornea. We have recently shown that there is a delay in autophagic degradation of mutant-TGFBIp via impaired autophagic flux in GCD2 corneal fibroblasts. We hypothesized that melatonin can specifically induce autophagy and consequently eliminate mutant-TGFBIp in GCD corneal fibroblasts. Our results show that melatonin activates autophagy in both wild-type (WT) and GCD2-homozygous (HO) corneal fibroblast cell lines via the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent pathway. Melatonin treatment also led to increased levels of beclin 1, which is involved in autophagosome formation and maturation. Furthermor...

Abstract Collagen scar formation at the cut end of a peripheral nerve, an important problem in clinical practice for neurosurgeons, obstructs sprouting of axons into appropriate distal fascicles, and thereby limits the regeneration process. Researchers have attempted to control collagen accumulation and neuroma formation with various physical and chemical methods, but with limited functional success. Recently, it has been demonstrated that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) play an important role in collagen production by fibroblasts and in Schwann cell activity. In our study, rats were divided into a control group, a melatonin-treated group, a surgical pinealectomy group, and a group treated with melatonin...

New in vitro studies have demonstrated that N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (Melatonin) has cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on various cell types although most of the previous investigations document that it is a potent antioxidant. However, the precise molecular mechanism(s) of its effects are not fully elucidated. In this study, we examined dose-dependent cytotoxic, genotoxic, apoptotic and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating effects of melatonin in human epidermoid carcinoma cells (A-431) and human normal skin fibroblastic cells (CCD-1079Sk). The cells were incubated with different doses of melatonin (0.031-5 mM) for 24 h. Cell viability was assessed based on luminometric ATP cell viability assay. Intracellular ROS was detected using 2,7-dichlorodihydro...

A melatonin-related receptor was cloned from an ovine genomic library. The sequenced gene has a similar structure to that of the melatonin receptor gene family and consists of two exons separated by an intron of approximately 3 kb. Exon 1 and exon 2 of the ovine melatonin-related receptor encode a protein of 575 amino acids which is 73.8% homologous to the human melatonin-related receptor and shows 40.9% homology with the ovine Mel1a melatonin receptor. COS-7 cells transiently expressing ovine melatonin-related receptors did not bind 2-[125I]iodomelatonin or 3H-melatonin. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization studies revealed expression of the ovine melatonin-related receptor in the hypothalamus, pituitary, retina...

The dye penetrant technique was used to measure crack lengths in the volume of SENB specimens of polycrystalline alumina tested using three-point bending. The incremental work of fracture was calculated from these crack length values assuming linear elastic behaviour (GR∗), and the R curve was derived taking into account linear non-elastic behaviour (GR∗ = φ - Ğ). In the first case the incremental work of fracture starts from 26 J m2 and increases up to a plateau value of 73 J m-2 while in the second case the resistance increases continuously. Crack mouth bridging by grains partially pulled out is shown to be at the origin of these R curves, the increase in which was used to evaluate the bridging stress in the wake of the propagating crack. The cumula...

The scornea and sclera have been shown to exhibit circadian rhythms in cellular proliferation, wound healing and extracellular matrix synthesis. The distribution of melatonin Mel1a and Mel1c receptors was examined in the cornea and sclera of the Xenopus laevis eye in order to determine whether melatonin may potentially influence the growth and/or development of these ocular tissues. Sections of adult X. laevis eyes were analyzed by immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy, using antibodies prepared against specific peptide sequences of the Xenopus Mel1a and Mel1c receptor proteins. Antibodies were pre- incubated with their appropriate antigenic peptides to control for non-specific labelling. Analysis of the distribution of Mel1a and Mel1c receptor immunor...

Primary vaginal cancer is a rare cancer and clinical evidence to support recommendations on its optimal management is insufficient. Because primary vaginal cancer resembles cervical cancer in many aspects, treatment strategies are mainly adopted from evidence in locally advanced cervical cancer. To date, the organ-sparing treatment of choice is definitive radiotherapy, consisting of external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy, combined with concurrent chemotherapy. Brachytherapy is an important component of the treatment and its steep dose gradient enables the delivery of high doses of radiation to the primary tumour, while simultaneously sparing the surrounding organs at risk. The introduction of volumetric CT or MRI image-guided adaptive brachytherapy in ...

Abstract In spite of the reasonably large number of works relating to CO2 laser irradiation of teeth, the effects of power level and impact time on dentine have not yet been analysed in detail, in particular the effects of power level on the development of microcracks and the blocking phenomenon of tubules. For this purpose, thermal effects were investigated by single and multiple impacts on dentinal hydroxyapatite. Results obtained from numerous samples show that laser irradiation may produce deep craters, the size of which depends on the power level and duration of the laser beam. The craters thus formed are composed of three distinct heat-affected zones. Formation of the craters is accompanied by the development of microcracks in the heat-affected zones a...

Children's engagement in music practice is associated with enhancements in literacy-related language skills, as demonstrated by multiple reports of correlation across these two domains. Training studies have tested whether engaging in music training directly transfers benefit to children's literacy skill development. Results of such studies, however, are mixed. Interpretation of these mixed results is made more complex by the fact that a wide range of literacy-related outcome measures are used across these studies. Here, we address these challenges via a meta-analytic approach. A comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed music training studies was built around key criteria needed to test the direct transfer hypothesis, including: (a) inclusion of musi...

The curing kinetic analysis is an important technique for the characterization of the curing behavior of reactive polymeric systems. In this study, fluoroepoxy oligomer was synthesized from trifluoromethyl aniline and epichlorohydrin. The epoxide equivalent weight (EEW) and the number average molecular weight (M n ) of the systhesized fluroepoxy oligomer determined from acid titration and gel permeation chromatography were found to be 312.16 g/eq and 534 g/mol, respectively. The mixtures of the fluoroepoxy oligomer were mixed with the cycloaliphatic amine in various stiochiometric ratios (1:1, 1: 1.5 and 1:2). The effects of the stiochiometric ratio on the curing behaviors were studied using both isothermal and non-isothermal DSC methods. Ozawas, Kissingers ...

Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and essential hypertension (EH) are two of several manifestations of the insulin resistance syndrome. Although subjects with NIDDM and subjects with EH share a common defect in carbohydrate metabolism, only diabetics are advised to avoid sugar. We tested the theory that an adverse effect of diuretics treatment in men with EH with respect to risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) would depend on the intake of dietary sugar using sugar in hot beverages as a marker. The cohort consisted of 2,899 men from the Copenhagen Male Study aged 53-74 years (mean 63) who were without overt cardiovascular disease. Potential confounders were: age, alcohol,smoking, physical activity, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting lipi...

[1] In this work, we propose a theoretical model based on the distribution functions of initial liftoff velocity and angular velocity of sand grains to describe a sand saltation process in which both wind field–sand grain coupling and the Magnus force experienced by saltating sand grains have been incorporated. The computation results showed that the Magnus force had significant effects on sand grain saltation. In particular, when the Magnus force was incorporated, the calculated sand transport fluxes and sand transport rate per unit width were closer to the experimental value than when this force was excluded. The sand transport flux is enhanced because the Magnus force owing to particle rotation causes the particles to have higher and longer trajectories...

Abstract Cast Fe-21.2 Mn-2.99 Si-2.73 Al-0.02 wt.% C alloy ingot was homogenized at 1150 °C, hot-rolled at starting temperature 1000 °C, solution treated at 1150 °C for 1 h and cold-rolled to 56% thickness reduction. Metallographic and X-ray diffraction studies revealed that, for small degrees of deformation, e martensite had nucleated within numerous stacking faults. EBSD analysis showed that α ′ martensite also formed within the e plates. Plastic deformation occurred by mechanical twinning and martensitic transformations, both γ  →  e and γ  →  e  →  α ′ (TWIP and TRIP effect), with the Burgers (Shoji–Nishiyama) {0 0 0 1} e ||{1 1 1} γ , 〈1 1 2 0〉  e  || 〈1 1 0〉  γ and Kurdjumov–Sachs {1 1 1} γ ||{...

Diphlorethohydroxycarmalol (DPHC) is a marine polyphenolic compound derived from brown alga Ishige okamurae. A previously study has suggested that DPHC possesses strong mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity. However, the anti-melanogenesis effect of DPHC has not been reported at cellular level. The objective of the present study was to clarify the melanogenesis inhibitory effect of DPHC and its molecular mechanisms in murine melanoma cells (B16F10) and zebrafish model. DPHC significantly inhibited tyrosinase activity and melanin content dose-dependently in α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 cells. This polyphenolic compound also suppressed the expression of phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) by attenua...