ANXA1 Contained in EVs Regulates Macrophage Polarization in Tumor Microenvironment and Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression and Metastasis

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a dynamic system where nontumor and cancer cells intercommunicate through soluble factors and extracellular vesicles (EVs). The TME in pancreatic cancer (PC) is critical for its aggressiveness and the annexin A1 (ANXA1) has been identified as one of the oncogenic elements. Previously, we demonstrated that the autocrine/paracrine activities of extracellular ANXA1 depend on its presence in EVs. Here, we show that the complex ANXA1/EVs modulates the macrophage polarization further contributing to cancer progression. The EVs isolated from wild type (WT) and ANXA1 knock-out MIA PaCa-2 cells have been administrated to THP-1 macrophages finding that ANXA1 is crucial for the acquisition of a protumor M2 phenotype. The M2 macrophages activate endothelial cells and fibroblasts to induce angiogenesis and matrix degradation, respectively. We have also found a significantly increased presence of M2 macrophage in mice tumor and liver metastasis sections previously obtained by orthotopic xenografts with WT cells. Taken together, our data interestingly suggest the relevance of ANXA1 as potential diagnostic/prognostic and/or therapeutic PC marker.     

Energy use in two Italian and Chinese tile manufacturers: A comparison using an enterprise input–output model

It is becoming evident that sustainable development methods are now being considered by governments and corporations from all countries at both local and global level. Firms are increasingly looking to strike a balance between profit, preserving the local environment, and energy savings, rather than just looking for profit. In this paper, an enterprise input–output analysis based on production processes is used to investigate two tile manufacturers, one located in China and the other in Italy. The aim of the paper is to describe their energy/materials use and consequent pollution/waste emissions, and to make a comparison between them. As this industry uses huge quantities of energy, it is useful to monitor these consumption uses along with pollution levels. This accounting can help in planning future local development strategies that would make production cycles more efficient and sustainable.     

Ultrastructure of multicellular dwarf males with external gametangium in Oedogonium macrandrium (Oedogoniales,Chlorophyta)

This is the first comprehensive ultrastructural study on dwarf males with external gametangia in the ge in the genus Oedogonium, from androspore germination to the liberation of mature male gametes. The ultrastructure of the process in O. macrandrium Wittrok is similar to that of Bulbochaete hiloensis (Nordstedt) Tiffany, butwith two remarkable differences. In O. macrandrium : 1) instead of a true transverse wall, only condensed mucilage appears between the gametes of each antheridial cell, and 2) the cell wall between the basal cell and the basal most antheridial cell has simple plasmodesmata similar to those present in the transverse walls of vegetative cells, which are absent in B. hiloensis.     

Current methods for mycotoxins analysis and innovative strategies for their reduction in cereals: an overview

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by moulds in food that are considered a substantial issue in the context of food safety, due to their acute and chronic toxic effects on animals and humans. Therefore, new accurate methods for their identification and quantification are constantly developed in order to increase the performance of extraction, improve the accuracy of identification and reduce the limit of detection. At the same time, several industrial practices have shown the ability to reduce the level of mycotoxin contamination in food. In particular, a decrease in the amount of mycotoxins could result from standard processes naturally used for food processing or by procedures strategically introduced during processing, with the specific aim of reducing the amount of mycotoxins. In this review, the current methods adopted for accurate analyses of mycotoxins in cereals (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, trichothecenes, fumonisins) are discussed. In addition, both conventional and innovative strategies adopted to obtain safer finished products from common cereals intended for human consumption will be explored and analysed. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Fluid phase behavior modeling of CO2 + molten polymer systems using cubic and theoretically based equations of state

Phase equilibrium data of CO₂ + molten polymer systems are of great relevance for chemical engineers because these are necessary for the optimal design of polymer final‐treatment processes. This kind of processes needs information about gas solubilities in polymers at several temperatures and pressures. In this work, CO₂ solubilities in molten polymers were modeled by the perturbed chain‐statistical associating fluid theory (PC‐SAFT) equation of state (EoS). For comparison, the solubilities were also calculated by the lattice gas theory (LGT) EoS, and by the well‐known Peng‐Robinson (PR) cubic EoS. To adjust the interactions between segments of mixtures, there were used classical mixing rules, with one adjustable temperature‐dependent binary parameter for the PC‐SAFT and PR EoS, and two adjustable binary parameters for the LGT EoS. The results were compared with experimental data obtained from literature. The results in terms of solubility pressure deviations indicate that the vapor–liquid behavior for CO₂ + polymer systems is better predicted by the PC‐SAFT model than by LGT and PR models. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Effect of experimental conditions on the parameters used for evaluating the performance of the catalyst Mo/Al2O3 in diesel soot combustion

The literature reported different studies of soot combustion reaction under very distinct experimental conditions, which can include different values of catalyst:soot weight ratios, gas flow and heating rates. Therefore, avoiding screening of innumerable catalysts or empirical experiments, this work aims to present a general methodology based on a statistical experimental design of experiments with soot combustion, evaluating different reaction conditions and parameters that can be used for any other similar study. In this way, the effect of experimental conditions on the parameters used for evaluating the performance of Mo/Al₂O₃, a promising system previously studied, and Pt/Al₂O₃, a notorious catalytic system, were studied by a complete factorial experimental design. The results have shown that the experimental conditions strongly interfere with the parameters used for evaluating the catalytic performance and then it may generate incorrect conclusions.The effects of interaction between different conditions on the activity and mainly on the selectivity of CO₂ permitted to explain the performance of catalysts on soot combustion and to distinguish different pathways of catalytic and non-catalytic reactions under specific reaction conditions.The most appropriate conditions for studying soot combustion seem to be high cat:soot ratios, low heating rates and high gas flow rates, which, according to this work, must be equal to: 95:1, 2 K min⁻¹ and 115 mL min⁻¹, respectively.     

MT1‐Selective Melatonin Receptor Ligands: Synthesis,Pharmacological Evaluation,and Molecular Dynamics Investigation of N‐{[(3‐O‐Substituted)anilino]alkyl}amides

The design of compounds selective for the MT₁ melatonin receptor is still a challenging task owing to the limited knowledge of the structural features conferring selectivity for the MT₁ subtype, and only few selective compounds have been reported so far. N‐(Anilinoalkyl)amides are a versatile class of melatonin receptor ligands that include nonselective MT₁/MT₂ agonists and MT₂‐selective antagonists. We synthesized a new series of N‐(anilinoalkyl)amides bearing 3‐arylalkyloxy or 3‐alkyloxy substituents at the aniline ring, looking for new potent and MT₁‐selective ligands. To evaluate the effect of substituent size and shape on binding affinity and intrinsic activity, both flexible and conformationally constrained derivatives were prepared. The phenylbutyloxy substituent gave the best result, providing the partial agonist 4 a , which was endowed with high MT₁ binding affinity (pK_i=8.93) and 78‐fold selectivity for the MT₁ receptor. To investigate the molecular basis for agonist recognition, and to explain the role of the 3‐arylalkyloxy substituent, we built a homology model of the MT₁ receptor based on the β₂ adrenergic receptor crystal structure in its activated state. A binding mode for MT₁ agonists is proposed, as well as a hypothesis regarding the receptor structural features responsible for MT₁ selectivity of compounds with lipophilic arylalkyloxy substituents.     

Sorption of humic acids by a zeolite-feldspar-bearing tuff in batch and fixed-bed column

The sorption of humic acids (HA) on zeolite-feldspar-bearing Phlegraean Yellow Tuff enriched with calcium ions has been investigated at neutral pH both on fixed-bed columns and in batch. A two-step sorption kinetics and a relatively long time to reach the equilibrium were observed in batch. In line with this behaviour, the breakthrough curves and shipping curves from exhaust columns showed distinctive properties that cannot be easily modelled by the common mass balance equations; noteworthy, the breakthrough curves were dependent on the space velocity also for very slow processes and the bed sorption capacity decreased linearly with the space velocity. Moreover, after an initial high-rate burst, HA desorption from exhausted columns proceeded at a very slow rate, particularly so for columns loaded with higher amounts of HA.