Efficient Excitation of Hybrid Modes in a THz Clinotron

Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves - Various regimes of hybrid, bulk-surface, modes being excited in the clinotron oscillator with a sheet electron beam and nonuniform grating...     

The Role of microRNAs in Development of Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most deadly cancer worldwide, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one of the critical factors in CRC carcinogenesis. IBD is responsible for an unphysiological and sustained chronic inflammation environment favoring the transformation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to a class of highly conserved short single-stranded segments (18–25 nucleotides) non-coding RNA and have been extensively discussed in both CRC and IBD. However, the role of miRNAs in the development of colitis-associated CRC (CAC) is less clear. The aim of this review is to summarize the major upregulated (miR-18a, miR-19a, miR-21, miR-31, miR-155 and miR-214) and downregulated (miR-124, miR-193a-3p and miR-139-5p) miRNAs in CAC, and their roles in genes’ expression modulation in chronic colonic-inflammation-induced carcinogenesis, including programmed cell-death pathways. These miRNAs dysregulation could be applied for early CAC diagnosis, to predict therapy efficacy and for precision treatment.     

Sofosbuvir Selects for Drug-Resistant Amino Acid Variants in the Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA-Polymerase Complex In Vitro

The nucleotide analog sofosbuvir, licensed for the treatment of hepatitis C, recently revealed activity against the Zika virus (ZIKV) in vitro and in animal models. However, the ZIKV genetic barrier to sofosbuvir has not yet been characterized. In this study, in vitro selection experiments were performed in infected human hepatoma cell lines. Increasing drug pressure significantly delayed viral breakthrough (p = 0.029). A double mutant in the NS5 gene (V360L/V607I) emerged in 3 independent experiments at 40–80 µM sofosbuvir resulting in a 3.9 ± 0.9-fold half- maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) shift with respect to the wild type (WT) virus. A triple mutant (C269Y/V360L/V607I), detected in one experiment at 80 µM, conferred a 6.8-fold IC₅₀ shift with respect to the WT. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the double mutant V360L/V607I impacts the binding mode of sofosbuvir, supporting its role in sofosbuvir resistance. Due to the distance from the catalytic site and to the lack of reliable structural data, the contribution of C269Y was not investigated in silico. By a combination of sequence analysis, phenotypic susceptibility testing, and molecular modeling, we characterized a double ZIKV NS5 mutant with decreased sofosbuvir susceptibility. These data add important information to the profile of sofosbuvir as a possible lead for anti-ZIKV drug development.     

Thermo-physical properties of as deposited and aged thermal barrier coatings (TBC) for gas turbines: State-of-the art and advanced TBCs

In the perspective of fuelling the future generations of gas turbines by hydrogen rich syngas, the evaluation of the effect of a higher water vapour content into the flue gases on the TBC used, or potentially usable, is a need. For this purpose YPSZ APS TBC with two different microstructures have been exposed for 500?h at different temperatures in the range 1000?°C–1250?°C either in air and air +20% vol. H₂O. The comparison between the different testing conditions has been performed in terms of sintering kinetics and phase stability, as evaluated by thermal diffusivity measurements and Synchrotron X-Rays diffraction, respectively. Furthermore the characterisation of thermal properties of two innovative TBCs (GZO-YPSZ and YAG) potentially able to withstand the CMAS attack and erosive environments, respectively, has been carried out.No clear evidence of a different behaviour of TBC has been observed, at least in the considered aging time and temperature range.     

Up- and down-regulation of calpain inhibitor polypeptide, calpastatin, in postischemic hippocampus

A dental student developed swelling of the lips and peri-oral urticaria, immediately after placement of a dental rubber dam during a chairside demonstration of clinical dentistry. A provisional diagnosis of a Type I hypersensitivity reaction to natural rubber latex was made and an appointment organised for specialist investigations. The student reported an atopic history and allergy to peanuts. A Radioallergosorbent Test (RAST), to measure Ig-E antibodies to latex, was positive. The dental student was given advice concerning the avoidance of natural rubber latex. Dental staff must be aware of potentially serious reactions to natural rubber latex in the dental surgery.     

An innovative semianalytical technique for ceramic evaluation at microwave frequencies

We have developed an innovative semianalytical technique for various substrate material characterization. The developed technique is a measurement procedure and data-reduction formulation that takes into consideration the radiation loss in a resonant structure, allowing for a more effective means of dielectric- and conductor-loss determination for a microstrip ring resonator and its substrate material. We separate dielectric and conductor loss precisely, evaluate the contribution of each term in the overall loss performance, and analytically predict the error in their respective predicted value.     

Dispersion compensation with SBS-suppressed fibre phase conjugator using synchronised phase modulation

204 km, 10 Gbit/s standard optical fibre transmission is successfully demonstrated using the mid-span spectral inversion technique with a stimulated Brillouin scattering suppressed fibre phase conjugator, proposed recently by Tani and Yamashita. Transmission performance has been improved compared with a conventional phase conjugator.     

The Strategic Control of Multiple Routes in Imitation of Actions.

The aim of this study was to bring to the surface the strategic use of imitative processes in the context of a 2-route model: (a) direct imitation, used in reproducing new, meaningless actions, and (b) imitation based on stored semantic knowledge of familiar meaningful actions. Three experiments were carried out with healthy participants who reproduced meaningful and meaningless actions within an established time limit. The study investigated 3 factors that could potentially affect the selection of processes used for imitation: (a) the composition of the experimental list (blocked or mixed presentation), (b) the presence-absence of instructions (Experiments 1 and 2), and (c) the relative proportions of the stimuli (Experiment 3). Overall, the results suggest that each of these factors influences the selection of imitative strategies in healthy individuals with temporarily reduced capacities, as happens in the case of brain-damaged patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of oxygen on the wettability of sapphire by liquid palladium

The surface tension of liquid palladium and the contact angle between liquid palladium and sapphire have been measured at 1833 K as a function of oxygen pressure by the sessile drop method. Oxygen acted as a surface-active element on the surface of liquid palladium and at the interface between liquid palladium and sapphire, resulting in the decrease of the surface tension and the contact angle. The work of adhesion calculated from their values increased with increasing oxygen pressure, and had a constant value above 400 Pa. The maximum excess concentration of oxygen was estimated to be 7.3×10^–6 mol m^–2 for the surface and 6.9×10^–6 mol m^–2 for the interface.     

Change in bacterial community during biodegradation of aniline

A modification of the standard electrodiagnostic test was developed in an effort to provide a more sensitive electrodiagnostic evaluation in radial tunnel syndrome. Radial motor nerve latency recordings were obtained in 3 different forearm positions: neutral, passive supination, and passive pronation. The maximal difference in these recordings, the differential latency, in 25 patients with radial tunnel syndrome of greater than 6 months duration (test group) was compared with those in 25 asymptomatic volunteers (control group). Differential latency recordings were obtained in all patients in the test group before and after surgery. Radial nerves that were compressed demonstrated a significantly greater differential latency (0.44+/-0.12 ms) versus controls (0.12+/-0.008 ms). Following radial nerve decompression, differential motor latencies in the test group decreased below control values, demonstrating a resolution of the provoked electrical response with a postoperative differential latency of 0.07+/-0.05 ms. Our results demonstrate the differential motor latency of the radial nerve to be a sensitive electrodiagnostic tool in patients with radial tunnel syndrome. A differential latency of > or =0.30 ms was considered indicative of radial tunnel syndrome.