Effects of thermal annealing on the optical characteristics of k -na + waveguides

We present a systematic study of the changes induced in the refractive-index profile of different sets of K -Na + ion-exchanged waveguides on soda-lime and BK7 substrates because of thermal annealing in the presence or absence of salt vapors. The concentration of potassium is recovered by secondary ion mass spectrometry, and the propagation losses are measured by means of the three-prism configuration.     

Open Questions in Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review

Over the past decade, we witnessed a promising application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) in cancer therapy. The aim of this systematic review was to provide an exhaustive state of the art of CAP employed for the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC), a tumor whose late diagnosis, local recurrence, distant metastases, and treatment failure are the main causes of patients’ death. Specifically, the characteristics and settings of the CAP devices and the in vitro and in vivo treatment protocols were summarized to meet the urgent need for standardization. Its molecular mechanisms of action, as well as the successes and pitfalls of current CAP applications in HNC, were discussed. Finally, the interesting emerging preclinical hypotheses that warrant further clinical investigation have risen. A total of 24 studies were included. Most studies used a plasma jet device (54.2%). Argon resulted as the mostly employed working gas (33.32%). Direct and indirect plasma application was reported in 87.5% and 20.8% of studies, respectively. In vitro investigations were 79.17%, most of them concerned with direct treatment (78.94%). Only eight (33.32%) in vivo studies were found; three were conducted in mice, and five on human beings. CAP showed pro-apoptotic effects more efficiently in tumor cells than in normal cells by altering redox balance in a way that oxidative distress leads to cell death. In preclinical studies, it exhibited efficacy and tolerability. Results from this systematic review pointed out the current limitations of translational application of CAP in the urge of standardization of the current protocols while highlighting promising effects as supporting treatment in HNC.     

Downexpression of miR-200c-3p Contributes to Achalasia Disease by Targeting the PRKG1 Gene

Achalasia is an esophageal smooth muscle motility disorder with unknown pathogenesis. Taking into account our previous results on the downexpression of miR-200c-3p in tissues of patients with achalasia correlated with an increased expression of PRKG1, SULF1, and SYDE1 genes, our aim was to explore the unknown biological interaction between these genes and human miR-200c-3p and if this relation could unravel their functional role in the etiology of achalasia. To search for putative miR-200c-3p binding sites in the 3′-UTR of PRKG1, SULF1 and SYDE1, a bioinformatics tool was used. To test whether PRKG1, SULF1, and SYDE1 are targeted by miR-200c-3p, a dual-luciferase reporter assay and quantitative PCR on HEK293 and fibroblast cell lines were performed. To explore the biological correlation between PRKG1 and miR-200c-3p, an immunoblot analysis was carried out. The overexpression of miR-200c-3p reduced the luciferase activity in cells transfected with a luciferase reporter containing a fragment of the 3′-UTR regions of PRKG1, SULF1, and SYDE1 which included the miR-200c-3p seed sequence. The deletion of the miR-200c-3p seed sequence from the 3′-UTR fragments abrogated this reduction. A negative correlation between miR-200c-3p and PRKG1, SULF1, and SYDE1 expression levels was observed. Finally, a reduction of the endogenous level of PRKG1 in cells overexpressing miR-200c-3p was detected. Our study provides, for the first time, functional evidence about the PRKG1 gene as a direct target and SULF1 and SYDE1 as potential indirect substrates of miR-200c-3p and suggests the involvement of NO/cGMP/PKG signaling in the pathogenesis of achalasia.     

Academic in-group bias in the top five economics journals

Scientometrics - This paper studies academic in-group bias in the top five economics journals. We examine citation counts for articles published in these journals during the years 2006–2015,...     

Solvent vapor treatment controls surface wettability in PMMA femtosecond-laser-ablated microchannels

A solvent vapor treatment was applied to femtosecond-laser-ablated microchannels in PMMA to selectively restore the original hydrophilic wetting behavior of the pristine surface. The hydrophobic surface of the microchannels from the submicron porosity induced by ablation becomes smoother and more transparent after the treatment. This simple and low-cost method, together with suitable masking, can produce wettability patterns that may be exploited to develop passive microfluidic elements such as valves and mixers.     

A Phenylacetamide Resveratrol Derivative Exerts Inhibitory Effects on Breast Cancer Cell Growth

Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural compound that displays several pharmacological properties, including anti-cancer actions. However, its clinical application is limited because of its low solubility and bioavailability. Here, the antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activity of a series of phenylacetamide RSV derivatives has been evaluated in several cancer cell lines. These derivatives contain a monosubstituted aromatic ring that could mimic the RSV phenolic nucleus and a longer flexible chain that could confer a better stability and bioavailability than RSV. Using MTT assay, we demonstrated that most derivatives exerted antiproliferative effects in almost all of the cancer cell lines tested. Among them, derivative 2, that showed greater bioavailability than RSV, was the most active, particularly against estrogen receptor positive (ER+) MCF7 and estrogen receptor negative (ER-) MDA-MB231 breast cancer cell lines. Moreover, we demonstrated that these derivatives, particularly derivative 2, were able to inhibit NO and ROS synthesis and PGE2 secretion in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated U937 human monocytic cells (derived from a histiocytoma). In order to define the molecular mechanisms underlying the antiproliferative effects of derivative 2, we found that it determined cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, modified the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins, and ultimately triggered apoptotic cell death in both breast cancer cell lines. Taken together, these results highlight the studied RSV derivatives, particularly derivative 2, as promising tools for the development of new and more bioavailable derivatives useful in the treatment of breast cancer.     

Impact of Debaryomyces hansenii strains inoculation on the quality of slow dry-cured fermented sausages

Debaryomyces hansenii strains, M4 and P2, isolated from natural fermented sausages were inoculated in slow fermented sausages to study their effect on processing parameters, microbial population, volatile compound and sensory characteristics. The inoculation of D. hansenii strains, M4 and P2, did not affect the ripening process as no differences in pH and Aw were detected. The dominance of the inoculated yeast strains along the process was followed by RAPDs of M13 minisatellite. The inoculated yeasts, P2 and M4, were recovered at the end of the ripening process although P2 appeared in higher counts than M4. The sausages inoculated with P2 resulted in a decrease in lipid oxidation values (TBARS) and a reduction of lipid-oxidation derived aldehydes in addition to a highest acid compound abundance. M4 inoculated sausages resulted in highest sulphur containing compound abundance. However, no differences in consumer acceptance were detected. Moreover, both yeast strains were responsible for the generation of ethyl methyl-branched ester compounds in the dry-cured sausages.