One Dimensional Inverse Dielectric Profiling of Embedded Slabs by a Quadratic Approximation

In this paper the inverse problem of the determination of the dielectric profile of a slab embedded into a homogeneous half space starting from the knowledge of the scattered field for different illumination angles is considered. A comparison between the features of a linear and a quadratic distorted approximation of the scattering problem is carried out, in order to determine the kind of profiles that can be reconstructed. In particular, the investigation of the direct problem reveals that, under the linear approximation, only a limited number of Fourier harmonics of the profile give contribution to the scattered field. The use of the quadratic approximation allows to change the number and order of the harmonic that can be imaged. The dependence of the results on the dielectric permittivity of the host medium is also highlighted. Numerical examples support the theoretical considerations.     

Profiling Voids Embedded in a Slab by a Non-Linear Model

In this paper, by applying a non linear model for the electromagnetic inverse scattering, a technique for the dielectric profiling of a planarly layered medium is investigated and applied to void localization and diagnostics inside a homogeneous lossless slab (one-dimensional geometry). Data are collected under plane wave multifrequency normal incidence. Suitable finite dimensional representations for the unknown functions are introduced and their influence on the model is discussed. The resulting functional equation is solved by the method of weighted residuals and the solution algorithm amounts to minimizing a non quadratic function, where particular attention is devoted to reduce the occurrence of local minima. Finally, the inversion algorithm is validated by applications to both simulated and experimental data.     

Pig prothrombin: purification and properties

A procedure for the preparation of highly purified pig prothrombin is described. Compared to the initial clotting activity of the starting plasma, this protein was purified 776 times with a final yield of 8 per cent. The purified zymogen showed a specific activity of 1,460 NH units/mg of protein , a molecular weight of 65,000 as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide disc gel electroesis, E 1.0 mg/ml 1.0 cm, 280 nm = 1.45 at pH 7.0 and the following amino acid composition: Asx 51, Thr 38, Glx 62, Pro 23, Gly44, Ala 25, Half-Cys 30, Val 35, Met 3, Ile 30, Leu 32, Tyr 19, Phe 22, Lys 36, His 8, Arg 28, and Trp 13, which accounts for a minimum molecular weight of 59,370 (carbohydrates not computed). Alanine was found as the only N-terminal residue. Carboxypeptidases A and B failed to release any C-terminal residue. By hydrazinolysis however 0.4 mole of serine was released per mole of prothrombin. The activation of crude and chromatographed pig prothrombin was investigated.     

Quercetin‐induced apoptotic cascade in cancer cells: Antioxidant versus estrogen receptor α‐dependent mechanisms

The flavonol quercetin, especially abundant in apple, wine, and onions, is reported to have anti‐proliferative effects in many cancer cell lines. Antioxidant or pro‐oxidant activities and kinase inhibition have been proposed as molecular mechanisms for these effects. In addition, an estrogenic activity has been observed but, at the present, it is poorly understood whether this latter activity plays a role in the quercetin‐induced anti‐proliferative effects. Here, we studied the molecular mechanisms of quercetin committed to the generation of an apoptotic cascade in cancer cells devoid or containing transfected estrogen receptor α (ERα; i.e., human cervix epitheloid carcinoma HeLa cells). Although none of tested quercetin concentrations increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in HeLa cells, quercetin stimulation prevents the H₂O₂‐induced ROS production both in the presence and in the absence of ERα. However, this flavonoid induces the activation of p38/MAPK, leading to the pro‐apoptotic caspase‐3 activation and to the poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase cleavage only in the presence of ERα. Notably, no down‐regulation of survival kinases (i.e., AKT and ERK) was reported. Taken together, these findings suggest that quercetin results in HeLa cell death through an ERα‐dependent mechanism involving caspase‐ and p38 kinase activation. These findings indicate new potential chemopreventive actions of flavonoids on cancer growth.     

Effect of natural fermentation on the content of inositol phosphates in lentils

The effects of natural fermentation upon phytic acid and less phosphorylated inositol phosphates ofLens culinaris var vulgaris cultivar Magda-20 were investigated. Seven fermentation runs were made following a 2² complete factorial design with three replicated centre points to study the effect of different conditions of temperature (28, 35 and 42°C) and broth concentration (79, 150 and 221 g/l). Samples were taken for each of them at daily intervals (0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h). The pH value declined sharply in the first 24 h of fermentation, becoming stabilized from this time. The relation between lactic acid and titratable acidity presented important differences between the different fermentations, ranging from 30–80%. Phytic acid (IP ₆), inositol pentakis (IP ₅), tetrakis (IP ₄) and tris-(IP ₃) phosphates were quantitatively determined. The content of total inositol phosphates showed a maximum reduction of 63% at 72 h under the fermentation conditions of 42°C and 79 g/l.     

Factors influencing the soil-air partitioning and the strength of soils as a secondary source of polychlorinated biphenyls to the atmosphere

Soils are a major reservoir of persistent organic pollutants, and soil-air partitioning and exchange are key processes controlling the atmospheric concentrations and regional fate of pollutants. Here, we report and discuss the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soils, their measured fugacities in soil, the soil-air partition coefficients (K(SA)) and soil-air fugacity gradients in rural background areas of N-NE Spain and N-NW England. Four sampling campaigns were carried out to assess seasonal and daily variability and differences between sampling sites. K(SA) values were significantly dependent on soil temperature and soil organic matter quantity, and to a minor extent organic matter type. All the PCB congeners in the soil are close to equilibrium with the atmosphere at rural Ebro sites, but soil fugacities tend to be higher than ambient air fugacities in early and late summer, consistent with the influence of temperature on soil-air partitioning. Therefore, during warm periods, soils increment their strength as secondary sources to the atmosphere. The mixture of PCBs found in the atmosphere is clearly strongly influenced by the mixture of PCBs which escape from soil, with significant correlations between them (R(2) ranging between 0.35 and 0.74 and p-level <0.001 for the Ebro sampling sites). Conversely, the close-to-equilibrium to net sink status of rural UK sites, suggest a close coupling of air and soil concentrations, but it is not possible to elucidate the importance of these soils as secondary sources yet, and presumably there are still significant primary sources to the regional/global environment.     

Changes in wine yeast storage carbohydrate levels during preadaptation,rehydration and low temperature fermentations

The metabolism of glycogen and trehalose was analysed in a wine yeast strain fermenting at 25 and 13 degrees C. Trehalose and glycogen degradation were completed during the lag phase of fermentation. Ammonia was taken up rapidly and once it had been reduced to negligible amounts, the synthesis of trehalose started. Glycogen followed a similar pattern. If trehalose synthesis was taken as a stress indicator, the fermentation at 13 degrees C could not be considered stressful because the maximum concentrations are similar at both temperatures. In industrial fermentations, and after a preadaptation in grape must for several hours at 18 degrees C, the lag phase was reduced significantly, and this may be why trehalose and glycogen were completely depleted at the beginning of the low temperature fermentation. Various preadaptation conditions were tested so that their influence on trehalose and glycogen degradation could be determined. The presence of fermentable carbon sources, such as glucose or fructose, triggered the mobilisation and use of trehalose. However, just increasing the osmotic pressure did not reduce the trehalose content. No such differences were observed in glycogen metabolism.     

Reduced Levels of ABCA1 Transporter Are Responsible for the Cholesterol Efflux Impairment in β-Amyloid-Induced Reactive Astrocytes: Potential Rescue from Biomimetic HDLs

The cerebral synthesis of cholesterol is mainly handled by astrocytes, which are also responsible for apoproteins’ synthesis and lipoproteins’ assembly required for the cholesterol transport in the brain parenchyma. In Alzheimer disease (AD), these processes are impaired, likely because of the astrogliosis, a process characterized by morphological and functional changes in astrocytes. Several ATP-binding cassette transporters expressed by brain cells are involved in the formation of nascent discoidal lipoproteins, but the effect of beta-amyloid (Aβ) assemblies on this process is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated how of Aβ_1-42-induced astrogliosis affects the metabolism of cholesterol in vitro. We detected an impairment in the cholesterol efflux of reactive astrocytes attributable to reduced levels of ABCA1 transporters that could explain the decreased lipoproteins’ levels detected in AD patients. To approach this issue, we designed biomimetic HDLs and evaluated their performance as cholesterol acceptors. The results demonstrated the ability of apoA-I nanodiscs to cross the blood–brain barrier in vitro and to promote the cholesterol efflux from astrocytes, making them suitable as a potential supportive treatment for AD to compensate the depletion of cerebral HDLs.