Expression of RCAS1 Correlates with Urothelial Bladder Cancer Malignancy

RCAS1 is a protein that participates in regulation of the tumor microenvironment and its immune responses, all in order to evade the immune system. The aim of this study was to analyze RCAS1 expression in urothelial bladder cancer cells (and in fibroblasts and macrophages of the tumor stroma) and its relationship with the histological pattern of malignancy. Eighty-three postcystectomy patients were enrolled. We analyzed the histological maturity (grade), progress (pT stage), tissue invasion type (TIT), nonclassic differentiation number (NDN), and the ability to metastasize (pN). The expression of RCAS1 protein was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Indicators of histological malignancy were observed solely in association with the RCAS1 expression in cells in the border parts (BPs) of the tumor. Histological malignancy of the tumor, indicated by the pT and pN, and metastasis-free survival time, correlated significantly with RCAS1 expression in tumor neoplastic cells, whereas malignancy determined by grade, TIT, and NDN correlated with RCAS1 expression in fibroblasts and macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. These findings suggest that the increased RCAS1 expression depends on its cellular source and that RCAS1 expression itself is a component of various signaling pathways. The immune escape occurs within the tumor BPs, where the increase in the RCAS1 expression occurs within tumor cells and stromal cells in its microenvironment. We conclude that the histological pattern of tumor malignancy, indicated by grade, TIT, NDN, pT, and pN is a morphological indicator of immune escape.     

Intergenerational Metabolomic Analysis of Mothers with a History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Their Offspring

Shared metabolomic patterns at delivery have been suggested to underlie the mother-to-child transmission of adverse metabolic health. This study aimed to investigate whether mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and their offspring show similar metabolomic patterns several years postpartum. Targeted metabolomics (including 137 metabolites) was performed in plasma samples obtained during an oral glucose tolerance test from 48 mothers with GDM and their offspring at a cross-sectional study visit 8 years after delivery. Partial Pearson’s correlations between the area under the curve (AUC) of maternal and offspring metabolites were calculated, yielding so-called Gaussian graphical models. Spearman’s correlations were applied to investigate correlations of body mass index (BMI), Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI-M), dietary intake, and physical activity between generations, and correlations of metabolite AUCs with lifestyle variables. This study revealed that BMI, ISI-M, and the AUC of six metabolites (carnitine, taurine, proline, SM(-OH) C14:1, creatinine, and PC ae C34:3) were significantly correlated between mothers and offspring several years postpartum. Intergenerational metabolite correlations were independent of shared BMI, ISI-M, age, sex, and all other metabolites. Furthermore, creatinine was correlated with physical activity in mothers. This study suggests that there is long-term metabolic programming in the offspring of mothers with GDM and informs us about targets that could be addressed by future intervention studies.     

Microwave and conventional treatment of low-cement high-alumina castables with different water-to-cement ratio; Part II. Dehydration

Modern refractory castables contain between 3.5 and 5?wt.-% water that is necessary for sufficient flow during emplacement and for the formation of hydrate phases, necessary for the green strength of the material. Prior to the high temperature use of this material, it must be dried very carefully to avoid explosive spalling.This paper will demonstrate that beside conventional drying of pre-shaped materials in resistance furnaces microwave radiation is an energy saving and rapid method to remove pore water as well as hydrate bond water from the castable. In comparison to resistance furnaces, the use of microwave radiation does not affect the castable properties as there are mechanical strength (MOR, CCS), open porosity and pore size distribution. This study proved microwave radiation as valuable alternative with a series of tabular alumina based low cement castables (LLC) in which the water-to-cement-ratio (wcr = 0.64, 0.75, 0.82 and 1.13) was systematically altered by changing the cement concentration at constant mixing water concentration of 4.5%.     

Improving Clairvoyant: reduction algorithm resilient to imbalanced process arrival patterns

The Journal of Supercomputing - The Clairvoyant algorithm proposed in “A novel MPI reduction algorithm resilient to imbalances in process arrival times” was analyzed, commented and...     

Effect of Acute Sprint Exercise on Myokines and Food Intake Hormones in Young Healthy Men

Physical exercise is known to influence hormonal mediators of appetite, but the effect of short-term maximal intensity exercise on plasma levels of appetite hormones and cytokines has been little studied. We investigated the effect of a 30 s Wingate Test, followed by a postprandial period, on appetite sensations, food intake, and appetite hormones. Twenty-six physically active young males rated their subjective feelings of hunger, prospective food consumption, and fatigue on visual analogue scales at baseline, after exercise was completed, and during the postprandial period. Blood samples were obtained for the measurement of nesfatin-1, ghrelin, leptin, insulin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), human growth factor (hGH) and cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), irisin and plasma lactate concentrations, at 30 min before exercise, immediately (210 s) after exercise, and 30 min following a meal and at corresponding times in control sedentary males without ad libitum meal intake, respectively. Appetite perceptions and food intake were decreased in response to exercise. Plasma levels of irisin, IL-6, lactate, nesfatin-1 and ghrelin was increased after exercise and then it was returned to postprandial/control period in both groups. A significant rise in plasma insulin, hGH and PP levels after exercise was observed while meal intake potentiated this response. In conclusion, an acute short-term fatiguing exercise can transiently suppress hunger sensations and food intake in humans. We postulate that this physiological response involves exercise-induced alterations in plasma hormones and the release of myokines such as irisin and IL-6, and supports the notion of existence of the skeletal muscle–brain–gut axis. Nevertheless, the detailed relationship between acute exercise releasing myokines, appetite sensations and impairment of this axis leading to several diseases should be further examined.     

Mathematical modelling and numerical simulation of ordered porosity metal materials formation

Ordered porosity metal materials belong to a relatively new class of porous materials named gasars. This paper presents a mathematical model of the complex physical phenomena in the production of gasars. Analyses for heat transfer, solidification kinetics and gas diffusion were coupled to describe the formation of unique gasar structure. Several criterial functions were introduced to provide significant quantitative information about the relationship between the operating technological parameters and the final structure. The computational outcomes of the numerical simulation were compared with the characteristics of real gasar ingots. The model was applied to determine the boundary conditions that would provide approximately constant physical conditions on the solidification front. The structure sensitiveness of gasars with respect to the different technological parameters is discussed.     

Corroles as receptors in liquid membrane electrodes and their potentiometric response towards salicylic acid

Here, we report on the application of corroles as analytically active compounds in liquid membrane electrodes (ISE) that are sensitive towards salicylic acid and salicylate.The potentiometric signals generated by corrole-incorporated ISEs strongly depend on the pH of the aqueous sample solution and the membrane composition, such as the presence of lipophilic sites. Corrole incorporating ISEs are characterised by a low detection limit (4.0 × 10⁻⁵ M) and a wide linear range (4.0 × 10⁻⁵ to 5.3 × 10⁻³ M). Also, they are free from interference versus other organic anions.The mechanism of the generation of the potentiometric signals of corrole incorporating ISEs in the presence of salicylate anion, as well salicylic acid, will be discussed.     

Crystallization of Polymer-Derived Silicon Carbonitride at 1873 K under Nitrogen Overpressure

The chemical stability of an amorphous silicon carbonitride ceramic, having the composition 0.57SiC·0.43Si₃N₄·0.49C is studied as a function of nitrogen overpressure at 1873 K. The ceramic suffers a weight loss at p _N2 < 3.5 bar (1 bar = 100 kPa), does not show a weight change from 3.5 to 11 bar, and gains weight above 11 bar. The structure of the ceramic changes with pressure: it is crystalline from 1 to 6 bar, amorphous at ∼10 bar, and is crystalline above ∼10 bar. The weight-loss transition, at 3.5 bar, is in excellent agreement with the prediction from thermodynamic analysis when the activities of carbon, SiC, and Si₃N₄ are set equal to those of the crystalline forms; this implies that the material crystallizes before decomposition. The amorphous to crystalline transition that occurs at ∼10 bar, and which is accompanied by weight gain, is likely to have taken place by a different mechanism. A nucleation and growth reaction with the atmospheric nitrogen is proposed as the likely mechanism. The supersaturation required to nucleate α-Si₃N₄ crystals is calculated to be 30 kJ/mol.     

Thermodynamic Analysis of Various Dehumidifying Dryers for Wood

Typical methods of dehumidification of air circulating in the dehumidifying driers (indirect and direct cooler and partial exchange of the air) were analysed. Energy aspect of cooler operation was evaluated. The method for minimization of unit thermal energy consumption in a dehumidifying drier by the optimal selection of the cooler point was also given. Methods of the heat recovery of heat conveyed in a cooler lending to save energy (heat regeneration. expansion and compression of the air, a dehumidifier) were analysed. It was indicated that introduction of dehumidifiers into contemporary wood driers caused significant improvement of energy aspects of their operation