DNA Methylation Signatures of Bone Metabolism in Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis Aging-Related Diseases: An Updated Review

DNA methylation is one of the most studied epigenetic mechanisms that play a pivotal role in regulating gene expression. The epigenetic component is strongly involved in aging-bone diseases, such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Both are complex multi-factorial late-onset disorders that represent a globally widespread health problem, highlighting a crucial point of investigations in many scientific studies. In recent years, new findings on the role of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of aging-bone diseases have emerged. The aim of this systematic review is to update knowledge in the field of DNA methylation associated with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, focusing on the specific tissues involved in both pathological conditions.     

Residuated bilattices

We introduce a new product bilattice construction that generalizes the well-known one for interlaced bilattices and others that were developed more recently, allowing to obtain a bilattice with two residuated pairs as a certain kind of power of an arbitrary residuated lattice. We prove that the class of bilattices thus obtained is a variety, give a finite axiomatization for it and characterize the congruences of its members in terms of those of their lattice factors. Finally, we show how to employ our product construction to define first-order definable classes of bilattices corresponding to any first-order definable subclass of residuated lattices.     

Dynamic mechanical and tensile properties of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone)-poly(ethylene glycol) blends

Mechanical properties of miscible blends of high molecular weight poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) with a short-chain, liquid poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of molecular weight 400 g/mol have been examined as a function of PVP-PEG composition and degree of hydration. The small-strain behavior in the linear elastic region has been evaluated with the dynamic mechanical analysis and compared with the viscoelastic behavior of PVP-PEG blends under large strains in the course of uniaxial drawing to fracture and under cyclic extension. A strong decoupling between the small-strain and the large strain properties of the blends has been observed, indicative of a pronounced deviation from rubber elasticity in the behavior of the blends. This deviation, also seen on tensile tests under fast drawing, is attributed to the peculiar phase behavior of the blends and the molecular mechanism of PVP-PEG interaction. Nevertheless, for the PVP blend with 36% PEG, under comparatively low extension rates, the reversible contribution to the total work of deformation up to ε=300% has been found to be maximum at around 70%, while the blends containing 31 and 41% PEG behave rather as an elastic-plastic solid and a viscoelastic liquid, respectively.     

Spatio-temporal hotspots and application on a disease analysis case via GIS

Hotspot analysis is a spatial analysis that uses cluster techniques for determining areas with elevated concentrations of localized events. We use the consolidated Extended Fuzzy C-Means algorithm to determine the hotspot areas on the map as circles, moreover the advantages of this technique are the linear computational complexity, the robustness to noise and outliers, the automatic determination of the optimal number C of clusters (in the classical FCM algorithm C is chosen a priori). Furthermore it prevents the problem of shifting the clusters with low density area of data points in areas with higher density of such points. We apply this method to study the spatio-temporal variations of the hotspot areas by testing this process on a specific disease problem, precisely we have clusterized 5,000 point-events correspondent to cases of brain cancer detected in the state of New Mexico from 1973 to 1991. We also show that the same results are obtained by using the Extended Gustafson–Kessel algorithm which gives elliptical clusters. We have implemented both algorithms in a Geographic Information System environment. Thus we establish the areas which seem not interested from the incidence of the disease and those areas in which the phenomenon appears to be temporarily attenuated either increased or constant or quite disappeared.     

Robust linear parameter‐varying control of induction motors

The paper deals with the motion control of an induction motor. Because the nonlinear state equations describing the dynamics of such a machine can be embedded into a linear model with the rotor speed ω as a varying parameter, advantage is taken of some recent results on the control of linear parameter‐varying systems, thus ensuring stability independently of how the varying parameter changes in time within a compact set. The adopted control structure consists of a fast inner electric loop that controls the stator currents and an outer mechanical loop that generates the torque acting on the motor shaft. Of crucial importance is the design of the internal model controller for the current loop. In particular, it is proved that an algebraically equivalent electric motor model admits a Lyapunov function that, together with its Lyapunov derivative, is independent of ω and of all motor parameters. This result allows us to find an upper bound on the norm of the Youla–Kucera parameter that ensures robust stability against speed measurement errors. Simulations carried out on a benchmark motor model show that the adopted control strategy performs well. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A vision towards Scientific Communication Infrastructures

The two pillars of the modern scientific communication are Data Centers and Research Digital Libraries (RDLs), whose technologies and admin staff support researchers at storing, curating, sharing, and discovering the data and the publications they produce. Being realized to maintain and give access to the results of complementary phases of the scientific research process, such systems are poorly integrated with one another and generally do not rely on the strengths of the other. Today, such a gap hampers achieving the objectives of the modern scientific communication, that is, publishing, interlinking, and discovery of all outcomes of the research process, from the experimental and observational datasets to the final paper. In this work, we envision that instrumental to bridge the gap is the construction of “Scientific Communication Infrastructures”. The main goal of these infrastructures is to facilitate interoperability between Data Centers and RDLs and to provide services that simplify the implementation of the large variety of modern scientific communication patterns.     

Thymosin β4 is differentially expressed in the cerebrospinal fluid of Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease patients: a MALDI‐TOF MS protein profiling study

MALDI‐TOF protein profiling analysis permits the detection of peptides and small proteins in complex protein mixtures with great accuracy. We applied this analysis to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 15 patients affected by Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD). We compared the levels of the normalized ion signals of 11 sporadic and 4 genetic CJD forms with those from ten healthy control subjects and eight non‐CJD relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis patients. In so doing, we detected 61 differentially expressed ion signals in CJD samples compared to controls. Among the 61 signals, 3 signals had significantly increased levels with high statistical significance (p <0.0001) and were located at 3238.3 m/z, 4963.7 m/z, and 8565.3 m/z. We characterized the 5.0 and 8.6 kDa proteins as thymosin β4 N‐acetylated and free ubiquitin, respectively, while the 3.2‐kDa peptide remained uncharacterized. Although elevated ubiquitin levels have previously been described in CJD, we have demonstrated for the first time the involvement of thymosin β4 in a neurodegenerative disease. To support the validity of thymosin β4 levels obtained by MALDI‐TOF analysis, an independent enzyme immunoassay analysis was performed. Moreover, a validation cohort consisting of CSF from three CJD patients, five healthy subjects, and six non‐CJD relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis patients was analyzed in a similar way, yielding superimposable results. We propose that thymosin β4 is a potential new candidate marker for the ante mortem diagnosis of CJD disease.     

Broccoli leaf powder as an attractive by-product ingredient: effect on batter behaviour,technological properties and sensory quality of gluten-free mini sponge cake

Broccoli by-products, in particular leaves, are rich sources of nutritional and bioactive components thus could constitute a valuable food additive. Although an upsurge in quantity of gluten-free products is observed further studies are required on improvement of their nutritional quality and palatability. This study aimed to investigate the influence of broccoli leaf powder (BLP) on dough behaviour, and technological characteristics and sensory quality of gluten-free mini sponge cake (GFS). Broccoli leaf powder replaced an equivalent amount (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%; w/w) of corn and potato starches in GFS formulation. Applied BLP increased the instrumental firmness of GFS but sensorial attributes (elasticity, crustiness, mastication and adhesiveness) were similar to the control. All broccoli GFS were vividly green, had small size pores properly distributed. Among them, sample with 2.5% BLP was distinguished for its desirable sensory quality, despite a slightly perceived cabbage aroma and taste. Moderate amount of BLP allows to preserve a good quality GFS improving its attractiveness and palatability.