The Diminishment of Novel Endometrial Carcinoma-Derived Stem-like Cells by Targeting Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and MYC

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subpopulation of tumor cells harboring properties that include self-renewal, multi-lineage differentiation, tumor reconstitution, drug resistance and invasiveness, making them key players in tumor relapse. In the present paper, we develop new CSC models and analyze the molecular pathways involved in survival to identify targets for the establishment of novel therapies. Endometrial carcinoma-derived stem-like cells (ECSCs) were isolated from carcinogenic gynecological tissue and analyzed regarding their expression of prominent CSC markers. Further, they were treated with the MYC-signaling inhibitor KJ-Pyr-9, chemotherapeutic agent carboplatin and type II diabetes medication metformin. ECSC populations express common CSC markers, such as Prominin-1 and CD44 antigen as well as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers, Twist, Snail and Slug, and exhibit the ability to form free-floating spheres. The inhibition of MYC signaling and treatment with carboplatin as well as metformin significantly reduced the cell survival of ECSC-like cells. Further, treatment with metformin significantly decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential of ECSC-like cells, while the extracellular lactate concentration was increased. The established ECSC-like populations represent promising in vitro models to further study the contribution of ECSCs to endometrial carcinogenesis. Targeting MYC signaling as well as mitochondrial bioenergetics has shown promising results in the diminishment of ECSCs, although molecular signaling pathways need further investigations.     

Untersuchungen zur Sulfochlorierung von Paraffinen. III. 1H- und 13C-NMR-Spektren aliphatischer und cycloaliphatischer Mono- und Disulfochloride

Studies on the Sulphochlorination of Paraffins. III. ¹H- and ¹³C-N.M.R. Spectra of Aliphatic and Cycloaliphatic Mono- and Disulphonylchlorides Isomeric monosulphonylchlorides of propane, butane, and heptane as well as disulphonylchlorides of propane, butane, and pentane are measured ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r.-spectroscopically. Including several other aliphatic and cycloaliphatic sulphonylchlorides, the use of n.m.r. spectroscopy to identification and estimation of the composition of mono- and disulphonylchloride mixtures is discussed.     

Influences of different preparation variables on polymeric membrane formation via nonsolvent induced phase separation

This work presents a comparative study on the formation of polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) in two different solvent systems. N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone was chosen as conventional solvent and 2-pyrrolidone as a greener alternative. The overall objective was to obtain a mechanistic clarification of the membrane formation process in dependence of the most important controlling parameters. By performing different series of experiments, it was possible to determine the differences between the two solvents regarding the effects of variations in nonsolvent additives, polymer concentration, and precipitation conditions. It was found that a raising concentration of several nonsolvents, the increase of the polymer concentration and changes in the precipitation conditions can suppress the formation of macrovoids, regardless of the applied solvent. In contrast, differences were observed with regard to the performance of the membrane prototypes. This study improves the understanding of membrane formation via NIPS and identifies the effects of different variables. It shows that the choice of the solvent is essential for the dominating formation mechanisms and therefore for the resulting membrane features. It also proves that green solvents can substitute hazardous solvents if the influencing variables are well-understood in order to control them for obtaining desired membrane properties. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Applied Polymer Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48852.     

Effects of flame-retardant additives on the manufacturing,mechanical, and fire properties of basalt fiber-reinforced polybenzoxazine

Basalt fiber-reinforced polybenzoxazines (BFRP) were manufactured through vacuum infusion using resorcinol bis (diphenyl phosphate) and poly-(m-phenylene methylphosphonate) together with bisphenol-F and aniline based benzoxazine. Different types and loadings of flame-retardant additives showed to have catalysis or dilution effects in viscosity measurements. BFRPs show well-penetrated fibers and near-zero porosity. Additive addition did not influence tensile properties, while apparent interlaminar shear strength decreased indicating a lower adhesion between fiber and matrix. BFRP's heat and smoke release properties increased, though time to ignition increased and flammability behavior improved by decreasing delamination yielding oxygen indices in between 72 and 91%.     

Optical activity of a nucleotide-sensitive tryptophan in myosin subfragment 1 during ATP hydrolysis

Male rats of the Wistar strain were divided 4 groups, and give a liquid diet of control feed, bezafibrate (150 mg/kg), ethanol, and ethanol plus bezafibrate for 5 week. The effect of bezafibrate supplementation on rats fed ethanol was examined in terms of the fatty acid composition of the phospholipids in the erythrocyte membrane. In the phospholipids profiles of erythrocyte membranes, PI was significantly decreased. The decrease in PI caused by bezafibrate appeared to substantially affect the membrane and consequently lead to changes in the membrane anchor. In the fatty acid composition of the PC, C20: 4 was significantly decreased in the group receiving alcohol (p < 0.05) but increased in the groups receiving bezafibrate (p < 0.05). In the fatty acid composition of the PE, C16: 0 was significantly increased in the three groups when compared with the control, and C20: 4 was decreased in the alcohol group (p < 0.05). In the fatty acid of SM and PI, C20: 4 was decreased and C18: 0 increased in the alcohol group. In the PS, C14: 0 was increased in the alcohol group, and decreased in the alcohol plus bezafibrate group (p < 0.01). The levels of arachidonic acid in the total fatty acids that constituted the membrane phospholipids were decreased in the rats given ethanol (p < 0.05). However, arachidonic acid in the group of bezafibrate supplementation on rats fed ethanol were elevated in comparison with the alcohol group (p < 0.05). With decreasing arachidonic acid as a marker of alcohol tissue injury following chronic alcohol intake, the effects of bezafibrate supplementation appear to contribute to membrane fluidity by altering the biochemical flexibility of the membrane.     

Finite‐Element Simulations of the Intercritical Deformation of a Low‐Carbon Steel

A mathematical model has been developed to describe the intercritical deformation of a low‐carbon steel under compression. It applies the finite‐element method in a 2D axially symmetric computation domain. By means of a special algorithm different types of microstructures to be used by the deformation model can be constructed, as far as ferrite and austenite phase fractions and distributions are concerned. Calculated results on the basis of constructed microstructures deviate significantly from mixture‐rule predictions. Compression curves exhibit a decreasing strength with increasing connected areas of either phase. The corresponding strain ratios demonstrate the difference in strain behaviour between the ferrite and the austenite phase. In the case of larger connected areas the contribution of the soft ferrite phase to the total strain is much more pronounced than that of the hard austenite phase.     

Meiothermus cerbereus sp. nov., a new slightly thermophilic species with high levels of 3-hydroxy fatty acids

Strains of Meiothermus cerbereus sp. nov. were isolated from the hot springs within the Geysir geothermal area of Iceland. The strains of Meiothermus cerbereus produce red-orange-pigmented colonies, have an optimum growth temperature of about 55 degrees C, and have higher levels of 3-OH fatty acids than the strains of the other species of the genus Meiothermus. These strains, unlike all other strains of the species of the genus Meiothermus examined previously, required cysteine, thiosulfate, or thioglycolate for growth in liquid Thermus medium, but not in the corresponding medium solidified with agar. Several strains belonging to Meiothermus silvanus, isolated from Geysir, also required reduced sulfur compounds for growth in liquid medium, leading to the hypothesis that this requirement is not a taxonomic characteristic of the new species. The new species represented by strains GY-1T and GY-5 can be distinguished from the other species of the genus Meiothermus by biochemical characteristics, fatty acid composition, DNA-DNA reassociation values, and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence. The type strain for Meiothermus cerbereus is GY-1 (= DSM 11376).     

Polydomain model predictions of molecular orientation in isothermal channel flows of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers

We report process simulations of molecular orientation of liquid crystalline polymers for isothermal channel flows in extrusion. The simulations use a “polydomain” model due to Larson and Doi (Larson and Doi, J. Rheol., 35, 539 (1991)), which is implemented by exploiting a nearly exact analogy with a fiber orientation model that is widely used for analysis of composites processing. Simulation results are compared to experimental data previously obtained using a customized X‐ray capable extrusion die that allows a wide range of channel flow geometries to be explored. Competition between inhomogeneous shear and extension in these kinematically complex flows has a profound effect on the resulting molecular orientation distributions. We find that the Larson–Doi model successfully predicts most aspects of the experimental observations, demonstrating its utility for process modeling. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Sick Building Syndrome in an Office Building Formerly Used by a Pharmaceutical Company: A Case Study

Abstract In the past two decades, a group of health problems related to the indoor environment – generally termed sick building syndrome (SBS) – has emerged. We present an investigation of SBS in employees of a ministry working in a naturally ventilated office building that formerly had been used by a pharmaceutical company. A preceding environmental monitoring had failed to identify the cause(s) for the complaints. We conducted a questionnaire-based investigation and categorized the building sections and rooms according to their renovation status and their former use, respectively. The highest level of complaints was found among the employees working in rooms that in the past had been used for the production or storage of various pharmaceutical products suggesting that pharmaceutical odors may be a risk factor for SBS. Clinical laboratory tests did not show any unusual results. We conclude that the former use of a building for production and storage of pharmaceutical products should be considered as a possible risk factor for complaints about indoor air quality, e.g., when advising about or planning for renovations of buildings formerly used for production, handling, or storing of chemicals.