Use of FIB to Study ZDDP Tribofilms

Focussed ion beam milling (FIB) followed by TEM has been used to study ZDDP tribofilms on rubbed steel surfaces. It has been found that the impact of high energy platinum and gallium ions during FIB causes significant morphological and structural changes to the uppermost 30–50 nm of a ZDDP tribofilm. This can be prevented by the low energy deposition of a quite thick gold layer prior to installation of the sample in the FIB facility. This problem, and its solution, have been quite widely reported in the non-tribology literature but have not previously been highlighted in the application of FIB to study tribological surfaces. It has also been found, using this gold pre-deposition method, that the bulk of the ZDDP tribofilm studied has a polycrystalline structure.     

The Role of Testosterone in the Elderly: What Do We Know?

Testosterone is the most important hormone in male health. Aging is characterized by testosterone deficiency due to decreasing testosterone levels associated with low testicular production, genetic factors, adiposity, and illness. Low testosterone levels in men are associated with sexual dysfunction (low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction), reduced skeletal muscle mass and strength, decreased bone mineral density, increased cardiovascular risk and alterations of the glycometabolic profile. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) shows several therapeutic effects while maintaining a good safety profile in hypogonadal men. TRT restores normal levels of serum testosterone in men, increasing libido and energy level and producing beneficial effects on bone density, strength and muscle as well as yielding cardioprotective effects. Nevertheless, TRT could be contraindicated in men with untreated prostate cancer, although poor findings are reported in the literature. In addition, different potential side effects, such as polycythemia, cardiac events and obstructive sleep apnea, should be monitored. The aim of our review is to provide an updated background regarding the pros and cons of TRT, evaluating its role and its clinical applicability in different domains.     

Novel Insights into Autophagy and Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Autophagy is a complex process involved in several cell activities, including tissue growth, differentiation, metabolic modulation, and cancer development. In prostate cancer, autophagy has a pivotal role in the regulation of apoptosis and disease progression. Several molecular pathways are involved, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, depending on the cellular context, autophagy may play either a detrimental or a protective role in prostate cancer. For this purpose, current evidence has investigated how autophagy interacts within these complex interactions. In this article, we discuss novel findings about autophagic machinery in order to better understand the therapeutic response and the chemotherapy resistance of prostate cancer. Autophagic-modulation drugs have been employed in clinical trials to regulate autophagy, aiming to improve the response to chemotherapy or to anti-cancer treatments. Furthermore, the genetic signature of autophagy has been found to have a potential means to stratify prostate cancer aggressiveness. Unfortunately, stronger evidence is needed to better understand this field, and the application of these findings in clinical practice still remains poorly feasible.     

Encrypted Workflows: The Secret World of Objects

Specific Objects is a New York-based interdisciplinary design practice. Rhett Russo , one of its directors, is developing architectural assemblies that are informed by the specific properties of ceramics, how these traits become encrypted through technology, and at what cost. Drawing on the philosophical writings of Tristan Garcia, Bernard Stiegler and Graham Harman, the art of Jiří Kolář and a competition design by his own firm, he explores ways that the peculiar nature of objects initiate new workflows.     

IgG from Adult Atopic Dermatitis (AD) Patients Induces Thymic IL-22 Production and CLA Expression on CD4+ T Cells: Possible Epigenetic Implications Mediated by miRNA

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common relapsing inflammatory skin disorder characterized by immune-mediated inflammation and epidermal barrier dysfunction. The pathogenesis of AD is multifactorial and has not been fully elucidated to date. This study aimed to evaluate whether serum IgG from adult AD patients could modulate the thymic maturation of IL-22-producing T cells and CLA+ T cells of non-atopic infants. Given that miRNAs regulate immune response genes, we evaluated whether miRNA expression is also altered in cultured thymocytes. Thymocytes were cultured with purified IgG from AD patients or control conditions (mock, Intravenous-IgG (IVIg), non-atopic IgG, or atopic non-AD IgG). Using flow cytometry analysis, we assessed the expression of CLA and intracellular levels of IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-22 on double-positive T cells (DP T), CD4 T cells, or CD8 T cells. We also investigated the frequency of IgG isotypes and their direct interaction with the thymic T cells membrane. The miRNA profiles were evaluated by the Illumina small RNA-seq approach. MiRNA target gene prediction and enrichment analyses were performed using bioinformatics. Increased frequencies of IL-22 and CLA+ producing CD4+ T cells cultured with IgG of AD patients was seen in non-atopic infant thymocytes compared to all control conditions. No alterations were observed in the frequency of IgG isotypes among evaluated IgG pools. Evidence for a direct interaction between IgG and thymic DP T, CD4 T, and CD8 T cells is presented. The small RNA-seq analysis identified ten mature miRNAs that were modulated by AD IgG compared to mock condition (miR-181b-5p, hsa-miR-130b-3p, hsa-miR-26a-5p, hsa-miR-4497, has-miR-146a, hsa-let-7i-5p, hsa-miR-342-3p, has-miR-148a-3p, has-miR-92a and has-miR-4492). The prediction of the targetome of the seven dysregulated miRNAs between AD and mock control revealed 122 putative targets, and functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Our results enhance our understanding of the mechanism by which IgG can collaborate in thymic T cells in the setting of infant AD.     

Single and combined deactivating effect of alkali metals and HCl on commercial SCR catalysts

Two commercial SCR catalysts, with a nominal W content of about 9 wt.% and a V nominal content of 0.55 and 1.8 wt.%, respectively, were contacted with different amounts of Na and K and with HCl vapours in order to simulate poisoning by species more specifically contained in exhaust gases from MSW combustion. Catalysts were characterised using XRD analysis, SEM/EDX analysis, BET and pore size distribution measurements, NH₃ TPD, TG analysis. Poisoning agents do not cause loss of surface area nor pore occlusion. A significant loss of surface acidity was observed upon alkali metals poisoning whereas a decreasing of vanadium content was observed for the more concentrated catalysts upon HCl poisoning. Catalysts deactivation is proportional to the number of acid sites neutralised by alkali metals adsorbing ammonia in the temperature range typical of SCR process. HCl promotes the formation of new acid sites showing a lower activity compared to the original one.     

Multiple Tank Explosions in an Edible‐Oil Refinery Plant: A Case Study

Multiple explosions occurred when five workers were acting on a footbridge structure at the top of crude olive pomace oil tanks. Welding on the tank roofs was performed without previously cleaning the tanks stopping their operation. First, one of the several ～ 650‐m³ reservoirs exploded, provoking a pool fire that spread throughout the tank farm. Roughly 1 h later, two other reservoirs exploded causing the launching of missiles to a distance of 60–80 m and a huge fire that extended throughout the entire tank farm. Four workers were killed instantaneously. The explosion was caused by the unusually high content of hexane in the crude olive pomace oil and, hence, by the inefficiency of the desolventization process which creates a flammable and explosive oil from a combustible one.     

Organometallic Pt(II) containing polymer as silver protection against sulfide tarnishing

In this work, the use of a film of an organometallic polymer, namely Pt‐DEBP, has been tested for the selective capture of sulfides with the aim of protecting silver object. Ag foils were exposed to different environmental conditions in the presence of Pt‐DEBP films. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, and colorimetric studies allowed to assess that the polymeric layer selectively captures H₂S, preventing the tarnishing of the silver substrate over a period at least of 2 months, without any manipulation of the sample. This approach open new perspectives for the prevention of aging effects on silver objects of artistic interest, for which cleaning or coating procedures should be avoid. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Controlled Mesoporosity in SiOC via Chemically Bonded Polymeric “Spacers”

Silicon oxycarbides with controlled porosity in the mesopore range have been obtained through high‐temperature pyrolysis of newly developed reactive siloxane formulations. The starting gels have been synthesized via Pt catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction between polyhydromethylsiloxane (PHMS) and vinyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of different molecular weights in the presence of tetravinyltetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane as a crosslinking enhancer. In our approach, the PDMS serves the double purpose of size‐controlling templating agent as well as solvent at the early stages of the synthesis. During the curing step, the vinyl‐terminated PDMS is chemically bonded to the preceramic network through the extremely efficient hydrosilylation reaction and “solidify.” Accordingly, its removal during pyrolysis occurs through decomposition of a solid phase with retention of the formed porosity. The structural and morphological evolution of the preceramic gels containing the molecular spacers have been investigated as a function of the thermal treatment temperature by N₂ physisorption measurements, thermogravimetry, and SEM analyses. The results show that the pore size distribution of the resulting SiOCs depends on the molecular weight of the PDMS and is directly related to the molecular volume assumimg that the PDMS chains are entangled into spheroidal shapes. The total pore volume is related to the initial amount of templating PDMS assuming its complete decomposition during pyrolysis.