Surface layer condition and the fatigue strength of an AZ91 alloy after ball peening

The present work compares the states of the surface textures and the oscillatory fatigue strengths of specimens made of an AZ91 alloy after turning and dynamic bearing ball peening. It was found that the specimens ball peened at different time have similar surface geometric structure parameters but different strengthening intensity. It was shown that fatigue strength follows greater peening intensity and random and isotropic surface. It was also ascertained that improving (by peening) the condition of the surface layer means enhancing fatigue strength by 20–87% compared with turning.     

Effect of polymer structure on the molecular dynamics and thermal behavior of poly(allyl acetoacetate) and copolymers

In this paper, dielectric and calorimetric studies of the small-molecule glass former allyl acetoacetate monomers as well as its newly synthetized homopolymer and copolymers with different styrene composition were performed in both the liquid and glassy states. The molecular dynamics studies by the broadband dielectric spectroscopy and the stochastic temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry enabled us to explore relaxation processes of examined materials in the wide frequency range. We found that the copolymers reveal two co-existing glass transitions characterized by the glass transition temperatures, which are very close to those of the corresponding homopolymers. These results suggest that the copolymers exhibited some sequences of acetoacetate units with a microphase-separated morphology in agreement with the value of reactivity ratio previously determined. We investigated effects of copolymerization compositions on the glass transition temperature, the isobaric fragility index, the dielectric and calorimetric intensity, and the dynamic heterogeneity on the glass transitions of the materials.     

Long-Term Changes in Ovarian Follicles of Gilts Exposed Neonatally to Methoxychlor: Effects on Oocyte-Derived Factors,Anti-Müllerian Hormone,Follicle-Stimulating Hormone,and Cognate Receptors

In this paper, we investigated the effects of neonatal exposure to methoxychlor (MXC), a synthetic organochlorine used as an insecticide with estrogenic, antiestrogenic, and antiandrogenic activities on ovarian follicles of adult pigs. Piglets were injected with MXC (20 μg/kg body weight) or corn oil (controls) from postnatal Day 1 to Day 10 (n = 5 per group). Then, mRNA expression, protein abundance and immunolocalization of growth and differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and cognate receptors (ACVR1, BMPR1A, BMPR1B, TGFBR1, BMPR2, and AMHR2), as well as FSH receptor (FSHR) were examined in preantral and small antral ovarian follicles of sexually mature gilts. The plasma AMH and FSH levels were also assessed. In preantral follicles, neonatal exposure to MXC increased GDF9, BMPR1B, TGFBR1, and BMPR2 mRNAs, while the levels of AMH and BMP15 mRNAs decreased. In addition, MXC also decreased BMP15 and BMPR1B protein abundance. Regarding small antral follicles, neonatal exposure to MXC upregulated mRNAs for BMPR1B, BMPR2, and AMHR2 and downregulated mRNAs for AMH, BMPR1A, and FSHR. MXC decreased the protein abundance of AMH, and all examined receptors in small antral follicles. GDF9 and BMP15 were immunolocalized in oocytes and granulosa cells of preantral follicles of control and treated ovaries. All analyzed receptors were detected in the oocytes and granulosa cells of preantral follicles, and in the granulosa and theca cells of small antral follicles. The exception, however, was FSHR, which was detected only in the granulosa cells of small antral follicles. In addition, MXC decreased the plasma AMH and FSH concentrations. In conclusion, the present study may indicate long-term effects of neonatal MXC exposure on GDF9, BMP15, AMH, and FSH signaling in ovaries of adult pigs. However, the MXC effects varied at different stages of follicular development. It seems that neonatal MXC exposure may result in accelerated initial recruitment of ovarian follicles and impaired cyclic recruitment of antral follicles.     

Functional Properties of Gelatin/Polyvinyl Alcohol Films Containing Black Cumin Cake Extract and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Produced via Casting Technique

This study aimed to develop and characterize gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol (G/PVA) films loaded with black cumin cake extract (BCCE) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs). The BCCE was also applied for the green synthesis of ZnONPs with an average size of less than 100 nm. The active films were produced by a solvent-casting technique, and their physicochemical and antibacterial properties were investigated. Supplementation of G/PVA film in ZnONPs decreased the tensile strength (TS) from 2.97 MPa to 1.69 MPa. The addition of BCCE and ZnONPs increased the elongation at the break (EAB) of the enriched film by about 3%. The G/PVA/BCCE/ZnONPs film revealed the lowest water vapor permeability (WVP = 1.14 × 10⁻⁹ g·mm·Pa⁻¹·h⁻¹·mm⁻²) and the highest opacity (3.41 mm⁻¹). The QUick, Easy, New, CHEap and Reproducible (QUENCHER) methodologies using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) were applied to measure antioxidant capacity (AC) of the prepared films. The incorporation of BCCE and ZnONPs into G/PVA films enhanced the AC by 8–144%. The films containing ZnONPs and a mixture of BCCE and ZnONPs inhibited the growth of three Gram-positive bacterial strains. These nanocomposite films with desired functional properties can be recommended to inhibit microbial spoilage and oxidative rancidity of packaged food.     

Compendium on Food Crop Plants as a Platform for Pharmaceutical Protein Production

Tremendous advances in crop biotechnology related to the availability of molecular tools and methods developed for transformation and regeneration of specific plant species have been observed. As a consequence, the interest in plant molecular farming aimed at producing the desired therapeutic proteins has significantly increased. Since the middle of the 1980s, recombinant pharmaceuticals have transformed the treatment of many serious diseases and nowadays are used in all branches of medicine. The available systems of the synthesis include wild-type or modified mammalian cells, plants or plant cell cultures, insects, yeast, fungi, or bacteria. Undeniable benefits such as well-characterised breeding conditions, safety, and relatively low costs of production make plants an attractive yet competitive platform for biopharmaceutical production. Some of the vegetable plants that have edible tubers, fruits, leaves, or seeds may be desirable as inexpensive bioreactors because these organs can provide edible vaccines and thus omit the purification step of the final product. Some crucial facts in the development of plant-made pharmaceuticals are presented here in brief. Although crop systems do not require more strictly dedicated optimization of methodologies at any stages of the of biopharmaceutical production process, here we recall the complete framework of such a project, along with theoretical background. Thus, a brief review of the advantages and disadvantages of different systems, the principles for the selection of cis elements for the expression cassettes, and available methods of plant transformation, through to the protein recovery and purification stage, are all presented here. We also outline the achievements in the production of biopharmaceuticals in economically important crop plants and provide examples of their clinical trials and commercialization.     

The WWOX/HIF1A Axis Downregulation Alters Glucose Metabolism and Predispose to Metabolic Disorders

Recent reports indicate that the hypoxia-induced factor (HIF1α) and the Warburg effect play an initiating role in glucotoxicity, which underlies disorders in metabolic diseases. WWOX has been identified as a HIF1α regulator. WWOX downregulation leads to an increased expression of HIF1α target genes encoding glucose transporters and glycolysis’ enzymes. It has been proven in the normoglycemic mice cells and in gestational diabetes patients. The aim of the study was to determine WWOX’s role in glucose metabolism regulation in hyperglycemia and hypoxia to confirm its importance in the development of metabolic disorders. For this purpose, the WWOX gene was silenced in human normal fibroblasts, and then cells were cultured under different sugar and oxygen levels. Thereafter, it was investigated how WWOX silencing alters the genes and proteins expression profile of glucose transporters and glycolysis pathway enzymes, and their activity. In normoxia normoglycemia, higher glycolysis genes expression, their activity, and the lactate concentration were observed in WWOX KO fibroblasts in comparison to control cells. In normoxia hyperglycemia, it was observed a decrease of insulin-dependent glucose uptake and a further increase of lactate. It likely intensifies hyperglycemia condition, which deepen the glucose toxic effect. Then, in hypoxia hyperglycemia, WWOX KO caused weaker glucose uptake and elevated lactate production. In conclusion, the WWOX/HIF1A axis downregulation alters glucose metabolism and probably predispose to metabolic disorders.