Interaction of silicon-based quantum dots with gibel carp liver: oxidative and structural modifications

Quantum dots (QDs) interaction with living organisms is of central interest due to their various biological and medical applications. One of the most important mechanisms proposed for various silicon nanoparticle-mediated toxicity is oxidative stress. We investigated the basic processes of cellular damage by oxidative stress and tissue injury following QD accumulation in the gibel carp liver after intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 2 mg/kg body weight Si/SiO₂ QDs after 1, 3, and 7 days from their administration.QDs gradual accumulation was highlighted by fluorescence microscopy, and subsequent histological changes in the hepatic tissue were noted. After 1 and 3 days, QD-treated fish showed an increased number of macrophage clusters and fibrosis, while hepatocyte basophilia and isolated hepatolytic microlesions were observed only after substantial QDs accumulation in the liver parenchyma, at 7 days after IP injection.Induction of oxidative stress in fish liver was revealed by the formation of malondialdehyde and advanced oxidation protein products, as well as a decrease in protein thiol groups and reduced glutathione levels. The liver enzymatic antioxidant defense was modulated to maintain the redox status in response to the changes initiated by Si/SiO₂ QDs. So, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were upregulated starting from the first day after injection, while the activity of superoxide dismutase increased only after 7 days. The oxidative damage that still occurred may impair the activity of more sensitive enzymes. A significant inhibition in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione-S-transferase activity was noted, while glutathione reductase remained unaltered.Taking into account that the reduced glutathione level had a deep decline and the level of lipid peroxidation products remained highly increased in the time interval we studied, it appears that the liver antioxidant defense of Carassius gibelio does not counteract the oxidative stress induced 7 days after silicon-based QDs exposure in an efficient manner.     

Current daylighting design practice: a survey

What are the current daylighting design practices among design teams with an explicit interest in sustainable design? A survey was undertaken: (1) to understand which daylight performance indicators and design tools are currently used by design practitioners to integrate daylighting in their projects; (2) to identify the additional information needed beyond that available in current design guides; and (3) to advise on the content and format of a new daylighting design guide that addresses these needs. The responses obtained from 177 participants showed that over 90% of the practitioners surveyed support the development of a new daylighting design guide that would provide online access to both simple calculation methods as well as more advanced daylighting design tools. Survey results also showed that a variety of non-standardized daylight prediction methods – primarily rules of thumb – are currently being used, and that there is no commonly acknowledged method of how to assess the performance and quality of a daylighting system in terms of energy savings, glare prevention, daylight factors, and the view to the outside.

Quelles sont actuellement les pratiques conceptuelles en matière d'éclairage naturel dans les bureaux d'étude s'intéressant de manière explicite à la conception durable? Une étude a été entreprise pour (1) comprendre quels indicateurs de performances d'éclairage naturel et outils de conception sont actuellement utilisés par les bureaux d'étude pour intégrer l'éclairage naturel dans leurs projets; (2) identifier les informations complémentaires nécessaires en plus de celles qui sont disponibles dans les guides de conception; (3) conseiller sur le contenu et le format d'un nouveau guide de conception sur l'éclairage naturel pour répondre à ces besoins. Les réponses fournies par 177 participants montrent que plus de 99% des praticiens interrogés sont en faveur de la préparation d'un nouveau guide de conception sur l'éclairage naturel qui donnerait accès en ligne à la fois à des méthodes de calcul simples et à des outils de conception d'éclairage naturel plus complexes. Les résultats de cette enquête montrent également que plusieurs méthodes de prédiction de l'éclairage naturel non normalisées, principalement empiriques, sont actuellement utilisées et qu'il n'existe aucune méthode reconnue d'évaluation des performances et de la qualité d'un système d'éclairage naturel en termes d'économies d'énergie, de prévention de l'éblouissement, de coefficient d'éclairage diurne et de vue sur l'extérieur.

éclairage naturel, paramètres de l'éclairage naturel, guide de conception, pratiques conceptuelles, outils de conception, indicateurs de performances, conception durable     

Power and Resource Allocation in Wireless Communication Network

Wireless Personal Communications - Present-day wireless methods are necessary to support a variety of higher-speed data communication facilities for its subscribers such as cloud-based video...     

Integrated analytical study for the authentication of five Russian icons (XVI–XVII centuries)

This article presents an integrated approach for the authentication of five Russian icons through the study of their paint materials (elemental composition and stratigraphic mapping), state of conservation and artistic technique. The results of the applied analytical protocol, involving optical and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectrometry and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy/microspectroscopy, led to the conclusion that the five icons belong to the same group and iconographic school (from Northern Russia) and date from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of 17th century. Because of massive overpainting, the icons “suffered” a change in iconographic style and significance, and restoration treatment brought to light the original painting and its attribution. Identification of the composition of the original chromatic palette used by the iconographer, the stratigraphic mapping and the conservation state of the painting materials, along with the features of the original artistic technique, furnished key elements for the icons' authentication. Here, we present the first experimental data concerning the identification of the authentication characteristics, being part of a large project that has as its final aim the evaluation of the effectiveness and effects of the cleaning agent on the paint layers. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Cellular and Molecular Mechanism of Pulmonary Fibrosis Post-COVID-19: Focus on Galectin-1, -3, -8, -9

Pulmonary fibrosis is a consequence of the pathological accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), which finally leads to lung scarring. Although the pulmonary fibrogenesis is almost known, the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its post effects added new particularities which need to be explored. Many questions remain about how pulmonary fibrotic changes occur within the lungs of COVID-19 patients, and whether the changes will persist long term or are capable of resolving. This review brings together existing knowledge on both COVID-19 and pulmonary fibrosis, starting with the main key players in promoting pulmonary fibrosis, such as alveolar and endothelial cells, fibroblasts, lipofibroblasts, and macrophages. Further, we provide an overview of the main molecular mechanisms driving the fibrotic process in connection with Galactin-1, -3, -8, and -9, together with the currently approved and newly proposed clinical therapeutic solutions given for the treatment of fibrosis, based on their inhibition. The work underlines the particular pathways and processes that may be implicated in pulmonary fibrosis pathogenesis post-SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. The recent data suggest that galectin-1, -3, -8, and -9 could become valuable biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of lung fibrosis post-COVID-19 and promising molecular targets for the development of new and original therapeutic tools to treat the disease.     

The Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Syndecan-3 Promotes Ovarian Cancer Pathogenesis

Syndecans are transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans that integrate signaling at the cell surface. By interacting with cytokines, signaling receptors, proteases, and extracellular matrix proteins, syndecans regulate cell proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and inflammation. We analyzed public gene expression datasets to evaluate the dysregulation and potential prognostic impact of Syndecan-3 in ovarian cancer. Moreover, we performed functional in vitro analysis in syndecan-3-siRNA-treated SKOV3 and CAOV3 ovarian cancer cells. In silico analysis of public gene array datasets revealed that syndecan-3 mRNA expression was significantly increased 5.8-fold in ovarian cancer tissues (n = 744) and 3.4-fold in metastases (n = 44) compared with control tissue (n = 46), as independently confirmed in an RNAseq dataset on ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma tissue (n = 374, controls: n = 133, 3.5-fold increase tumor vs. normal). Syndecan-3 siRNA knockdown impaired 3D spheroid growth and colony formation as stemness-related readouts in SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells. In SKOV3, but not in CAOV3 cells, syndecan-3 depletion reduced cell viability both under basal conditions and under chemotherapy with cisplatin, or cisplatin and paclitaxel. While analysis of the SIOVDB database did not reveal differences in Syndecan-3 expression between patients, sensitive, resistant or refractory to chemotherapy, KM Plotter analysis of 1435 ovarian cancer patients revealed that high syndecan-3 expression was associated with reduced survival in patients treated with taxol and platin. At the molecular level, a reduction in Stat3 activation and changes in the expression of Wnt and notch signaling constituents were observed. Our study suggests that up-regulation of syndecan-3 promotes the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer by modulating stemness-associated pathways.     

Neuroprotection in Stroke—Focus on the Renin-Angiotensin System: A Systematic Review

Stroke is the primary cause of disability in the adult population. Hypertension represents the leading risk factor being present in almost half the patients. The renin-angiotensin system is involved in the physiopathology of stroke and has an essential impact on hypertension as a risk factor. This article targeted the role of the renin-angiotensin system in stroke neuroprotection by reviewing the current literature available. The mechanism of action of the renin-angiotensin system was observed through the effects on AT1, AT2, and Mas receptors. The neuroprotective properties ascertained by angiotensin in stroke seem to be independent of the blood pressure reduction mechanism, and include neuroregeneration, angiogenesis, and increased neuronal resistance to hypoxia. The future relationship of stroke and the renin-angiotensin system is full of possibilities, as new agonist molecules emerge as potential candidates to restrict the impairment caused by stroke.     

Macrophage-like Cells Are Responsive to Titania Nanotube Intertube Spacing—An In Vitro Study

With the introduction of a new interdisciplinary field, osteoimmunology, today, it is well acknowledged that biomaterial-induced inflammation is modulated by immune cells, primarily macrophages, and can be controlled by nanotopographical cues. Recent studies have investigated the effect of surface properties in modulating the immune reaction, and literature data indicate that various surface cues can dictate both the immune response and bone tissue repair. In this context, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of titanium dioxide nanotube (TNT) interspacing on the response of the macrophage-like cell line RAW 264.7. The cells were maintained in contact with the surfaces of flat titanium (Ti) and anodic TNTs with an intertube spacing of 20 nm (TNT20) and 80 nm (TNT80), under standard or pro-inflammatory conditions. The results revealed that nanotube interspacing can influence macrophage response in terms of cell survival and proliferation, cellular morphology and polarization, cytokine/chemokine expression, and foreign body reaction. While the nanostructured topography did not tune the macrophages’ differentiation into osteoclasts, this behavior was significantly reduced as compared to flat Ti surface. Overall, this study provides a new insight into how nanotubes’ morphological features, particularly intertube spacing, could affect macrophage behavior.     

Duodenal Ampulla Neuroendocrine Tumor with GISTs of the Proximal Jejunum: A Case Report

Neuroendocrine tumors (NEN) are a type of heterogenous, slow-growing tumors, that only in about half of the cases can be found in the gastrointestinal tract. Half of these is in the small intestine. The ampullary NENs are rare, accounting for less than 1% of gastroenteropancreatic NENs. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are a more common type of tumors of the gastrointestinal tract that consist of pacemaker cells. The occurrence of both tumors simultaneously is rare, but in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1, the co-existence of NEN and GIST is more often. Here we report a case of simultaneous occurrence of a well-differentiated NEN and a GIST in a patient without neurofibromatosis. Also, we provide a short review of the current knowledge and treatment strategies regarding these tumors.