DNA Methylation Mediates EMT Gene Expression in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines

Due to abundant stroma and extracellular matrix, accompanied by lack of vascularization, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by severe hypoxia. Epigenetic regulation is likely one of the mechanisms driving hypoxia-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), responsible for PDAC aggressiveness and dismal prognosis. To verify the role of DNA methylation in this process, we assessed gene expression and DNA methylation changes in four PDAC cell lines. BxPC-3, MIA PaCa-2, PANC-1, and SU.86.86 cells were exposed to conditioned media containing cytokines and inflammatory molecules in normoxic and hypoxic (1% O₂) conditions for 2 and 6 days. Cancer Inflammation and Immunity Crosstalk and Human Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition RT² Profiler PCR Arrays were used to identify top deregulated inflammatory and EMT-related genes. Their mRNA expression and DNA methylation were quantified by qRT-PCR and pyrosequencing. BxPC-3 and SU.86.86 cell lines were the most sensitive to hypoxia and inflammation. Although the methylation of gene promoters correlated with gene expression negatively, it was not significantly influenced by experimental conditions. However, DNA methyltransferase inhibitor decitabine efficiently decreased DNA methylation up to 53% and reactivated all silenced genes. These results confirm the role of DNA methylation in EMT-related gene regulation and uncover possible new targets involved in PDAC progression.     

Elimination of Separation Processes for Post‐Consumer Polyolefin Waste: Reactive Blending Using 1,3‐Phenylene Dimaleimide in Presence of Filler

A novel approach using reactive processing is explored that eliminates the labour‐intensive separation of post‐consumer polyolefin waste from the mixed plastics waste stream. The reactive compatibiliser BMI has been used to form a modified blend of PCPW with 40% improved tensile strength relative to the uncompatibilised control. Addition of 60 wt.‐% magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH)₂] during reactive compatibilisation with BMI gave rise to an even more significant enhancement (up to 100%) of the tensile strength. BMI was also able to usefully enhance the properties of a composite based on calcium carbonate and the polyolefin waste.

     

Experimental and Theoretical Determination of Phase Fraction in the Fe-B-V Alloys

In the present work the fraction of equilibrium phases in various Fe-B-V alloys was determined by various methods. Area fractions were determined from pictures of microstructures of alloys by means of software Gwyddion. Fractions were calculated also by lever rule from experimentally determined values. All experimentally determined fractions were compared with equilibrium fractions of phases calculated with software Thermo-Calc. Good agreement between theoretical and experimental values was found. The reason of the study was to verify the parameters for thermodynamics calculations for the Fe-B-V system Homolová et al. (J. Alloys Compd. 520:30-35, 2012).     

The measurement method solving the problems of engine output characteristics caused by change in atmospheric conditions on the principle of the theory of optimal temperature range of exhaust system

All high-performance engines are sensitive to changes in external atmospheric conditions, which are immediately reflected in changes in the engine output characteristics. At best only they effect decreasing of the maximum engine power. However, in a more difficult situation, there is the possibility of excessive detonation combustion process during certain changes in atmospheric conditions. The exhaust system temperature significantly affects the maximum output power and the combustion engine characteristics. With increasing temperature of combustion products in the exhaust system there is an overall reduction in maximum power and its transfer to a higher engine speed because of the length of an exhaust manifold is theoretically shorten. Therefore, to achieve the maximum values of output parameters, it is necessary to ensure an optimal temperature value of the combustion products in the exhaust system. This article also provides optimal temperature range of working temperature as well as it presents a theoretical analysis of the impact for atmospheric conditions in this interval. Based on theoretical results there has been developed a measuring method, which allows to regulate the input amount of the fuel mixture supplied to a cylinder during change in atmospheric conditions and its functionality was experimentally verified.     

ZnO Coated Anodic 1D TiO2 Nanotube Layers: Efficient Photo‐Electrochemical and Gas Sensing Heterojunction

The authors demonstrate, in this work, a fascinating synergism of a high surface area heterojunction between TiO₂ in the form of ordered 1D anodic nanotube layers of a high aspect ratio and ZnO coatings of different thicknesses, produced by atomic layer deposition. The ZnO coatings effectively passivate the defects within the TiO₂ nanotube walls and significantly improve their charge carrier separation. Upon the ultraviolet and visible light irradiation, with an increase of the ZnO coating thickness from 0.19 to 19 nm and an increase of the external potential from 0.4–2 V, yields up to 8‐fold enhancement of the photocurrent density. This enhancement translates into extremely high incident photon to current conversion efficiency of ≈95%, which is among the highest values reported in the literature for TiO₂ based nanostructures. In addition, the photoactive region is expanded to a broader range close to the visible spectral region, compared to the uncoated nanotube layers. Synergistic effect arising from ZnO coated TiO₂ nanotube layers also yields an improved ethanol sensing response, almost 11‐fold compared to the uncoated nanotube layers. The design of the high‐area 1D heterojunction, presented here, opens pathways for the light‐ and gas‐assisted applications in photocatalysis, water splitting, sensors, and so on.

     

Design of a low-cost sensor system for the determination of thenumber of somatic cells in milk using bioluminescence analysis

Mastitis, inflammation of the mammary glands of cows, causes big financial losses in milk production each year. As these losses have been calculated to reach $50 million US in several countries, a good screening method for the rapid detection of mastitis helps minimize this problem. The determination of the somatic cell content of milk is a valuable means of detecting mastitis. Conventional methods used to estimate it include electronic cell counting and microscopy techniques. The presence of several chemical compounds in milk has also been suggested as providing the basis for new screening methods to detect mastitis. One of the most promising of these methods is that described in this paper: the determination of the number of somatic cells in milk using bioluminescence analysis     

Behavioral Alterations and Decreased Number of Parvalbumin-Positive Interneurons in Wistar Rats after Maternal Immune Activation by Lipopolysaccharide: Sex Matters

Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy represents an important environmental factor in the etiology of schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Our goal was to investigate the impacts of MIA on the brain and behavior of adolescent and adult offspring, as a rat model of these neurodevelopmental disorders. We injected bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 mg/kg) to pregnant Wistar dams from gestational day 7, every other day, up to delivery. Behavior of the offspring was examined in a comprehensive battery of tasks at postnatal days P45 and P90. Several brain parameters were analyzed at P28. The results showed that prenatal immune activation caused social and communication impairments in the adult offspring of both sexes; males were affected already in adolescence. MIA also caused prepulse inhibition deficit in females and increased the startle reaction in males. Anxiety and hypolocomotion were apparent in LPS-affected males and females. In the 28-day-old LPS offspring, we found enlargement of the brain and decreased numbers of parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the frontal cortex in both sexes. To conclude, our data indicate that sex of the offspring plays a crucial role in the development of the MIA-induced behavioral alterations, whereas changes in the brain apparent in young animals are sex-independent.     

Two‐node‐connected star problem

In this study, a two‐node‐connected star problem (2NCSP) is introduced. We are given a simple graph and internal and external costs for each link of the graph. The goal is to find the minimum‐cost spanning subgraph, where the core is two‐node‐connected and the remaining external nodes are connected to the core. First, we show that the 2NCSP belongs to the class of NP‐hard computational problems. Therefore, a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) heuristic is developed, enriched with a variable neighborhood descent (VND). The neighborhood structures include exact integer linear programming models to find the best paths and two‐node‐connected replacements, as well as a shaking operation in order to prevent being trapped in a local minima. The ring star problem (RSP) represents a relevant model in network optimization, where the core is a ring instead of an arbitrary two‐node‐connected graph. We contrast our GRASP/VND methodology with a previous reference work on the RSP in order to highlight the effectiveness of our heuristic. The heuristic is competitive, and the best results produced for several instances so far are under study. In this study, a discussion of the results and trends for future work are provided.     

Nutritional value and antinutritional factor content of precooked flours prepared from Canavalia ensiformis

There is a great body of evidence linking a high fat diet with the formation of gallstones. However, the effect of fat per se on obstructive liver damage (not involving gallstone formation) has not been assessed. The aim of this work was to study the effect of a high fat diet on liver damage induced by bile duct ligation in rats. Male 21-day-old Wistar rats were divided into two groups: group 1 received standard Purina chow diet 5001 containing 4.5% fat, group 2 received Purina chow diet 5001 enriched with 33% pork fat. Animals were allowed food and water ad libitum for 5 weeks. Obstructive jaundice was induced by double ligation and division of the common bile duct. The animals were sacrificed 1 week after biliary obstruction. Control animals were sham operated. Serum bilirubins and alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and glutamic pyruvic transminase enzyme activities increased by biliary obstruction. Glycogen content decreased in the bile duct-ligated rats. These effects were more important in the group fed a 33% fat diet. Our results show that a high animal fat diet increases liver damage in experimental biliary obstruction in rats. Owing to our experimental design (bile duct ligation), the effect of a high fat diet cannot be attributed to an increase in the formation of gallstones but a direct effect must be considered. The mechanism by which fat augmented liver damage can be associated with an increase of total bile content and its toxicity.