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To determine the risk factors that affect surgical outcomes for pediatric pyeloplasty, and whether this may be related to the choice of operative approach.A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate clinicodemographic and operative characteristics of children undergoing dismemberment pyeloplasty by 2 senior pediatric urologists in our tertiary institution between Jan 2008 - Dec 2017. Outcomes included overall complications, re-stenosis, and revision pyeloplasty based on clinic-radiological parameters. Bivariate analysis with Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test followed by multivariate logistic regression with backward likelihood analysis determined an adjusted effect estimate of the identified significant indicators for inferior peri-operative outcomes related to management.A total of 185 (93 open, 92 Laparoscopic) cases with an average follow-up of 31.3±27.4 months were analyzed. Complications occurred in 21 (11.4%) patients. 12 (6.5%) experienced recurrent UPJ obstruction with 10 (5.4%) undergoing redo-pyeloplasty. Of these, 9 were performed open and 1 laparoscopically. Multivariate logistic regression identified open pyeloplasty as an independent predictor for overall complications (HR 3.29, 95%CI 1.14, 9.51), recurrent UPJ obstruction (HR 49.8, 95%CI 3.09, 803.2) and redo-pyeloplasty (HR 9.75, 95%CI 1.21, 78.6) compared to a laparoscopic approach. Missed crossing vessels were identified in seven redo-cases, which all were from prior open pyeloplasty.An initial open approach was identified as an independent predictor of future complications due to a higher incidence missed crossing vessels at initial repair. Surgeons need to remain especially mindful of this phenomenon when working in a confined open field.

We report the facile synthesis of Ni, Co-double hydroxide wire (NCHW)-based electrodes directly grown on a conductive substrate via a hydrothermal process. Various NCHW nanostructures were grown on Ni foam, and the growth was controlled using different compositions of solvents (ethanol and water). With increasing volume ratio of ethanol to water, the density of the wires decreased, and the spatial voids between the wires increased. The formation of large empty spaces improved the electrochemical performance because the exposure of a large surface area of the structure to the electrolyte resulted in a large number of active sites and facile electrolyte penetration into the structure. The different NCHW structures were ascribed to the pivotal role of the solvent in the urea hydrolysis; the solvent triggered the formation of hydroxides during the hydrothermal synthesis. The electrochemical performance of the NCHW electrodes was investigated via galvanostatic charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The highest specific capacitance was 1694.7 m F/cm2 at 2 mA/cm2, with excellent capacitance retention of 81.5% after 5000 cycles. The superior electrochemical performance of the NCHW electrodes is attributed to the large number of active sites and facile electrolyte diffusion into the structure, due to the well-organized structure with an optimized density of nanowires and large voids between the wires.

Four new β-carboline alkaloids, siliendines A–D (1‒4), and four known metabolites (5–8) were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Silene seoulensis using various chromatographic methods. The structures of the new compounds were established using multiple spectroscopic approaches, with techniques such as HRESIMS and NMR, which included HSQC and HMBC. The known compounds were identified by comparing their spectra with those of the reported compounds.

We report a composite material with the high tribological performance, which consists of one-dimensional SnO2 nanotubes (ST) and a high molecular weight poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix in terms of nano-impregnation. Dissolution of PVDF in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) resulted in a facile penetration of PVDF into the inner hollow voids of ST, leading to the close contact. Interaction between PVDF and ST results in a beneficial effect on the chain arrangement of PVDF, providing an α-phase with better tribological property. Upon ST incorporation, the friction coefficient decreased by 85.0% to 0.408, and the specific wear rate decreased by 69.1% to 0.412, demonstrating the pivotal role of ST as a self-lubricating material due to a large interactive area and PVDF chain rearrangement.

The meadowsweet family (genus Filipendula) includes about 30 species, which have been traditionally used in folk medicine to treat various inflammatory diseases. Particularily, F. palmata (Pall.) Maxim. (Siberian meadowsweet) were traditionally and widely used as an ethnic herb in the Oroqen application.Limited studies have been documented on most species, except for two main species, F. ulmaria (L.) Maxim. and F. vulgaris Moench. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and skin-moisturizing effects of 70% ethanolic extract (FPE) of F. palmata on human epidermal keratinocytes.HaCaT keratinocytes were treated with FPE under different conditions. Quantitative real time-PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting methods were used to evaluate the effect and molecular mechanism of the cells treated with FPE. The bioactive compounds in FPE, which are responsible for biological activities, was explored using mass spectrometric analysis.FPE did not show a cytotoxic effect on the cells at concentrations below 200 μg/mL. FPE significantly suppressed the intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide of inflamed HaCaT cells induced by tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ (T + I) and inflammatory chemokine genes and proteins, such as CC chemokine ligands (CCL5, CCL17, and CCL27) and CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL8). These anti-inflammatory activities of FPE were mediated by the downregulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling pathways. In normal HaCaT cells, FPE significantly promoted the production of hyaluronic acid (HA) via the downregulation of hyaluronidase (HYAL1 and HYAL2) and upregulation of hyaluronic acid synthase (HAS1, HAS2, and HAS3) genes, and these effects seemed to be associated with the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry indicated that FPE contains four flavonoids, including (+)-catechin, miquelianin, scutellarin, and quercitrin, as its major phytochemicals. Finally, we demonstrated that miquelianin and quercitrin contribute partially to the anti-inflammatory and HA-producing activity of FPE without cytotoxic effects on HaCaT cells.Our findings suggest that topical applications of FPE can be utilized as an alternative therapy for treating skin inflammation. Additionally, our findings serve as a reference in applying FPE as a functional ingredient to treat inflammatory skin diseases and promote skin health.

To identify and critically appraise available clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) targeting male circumcision using the Appraisal of Guidelines for ResearchEvaluation II (AGREE II) instrument.A literature search was conducted using electronic databases, CPG databases, and national/international societies providing recommendations to guide clinical decision making for male circumcision. We selected pediatric-focused CPGs related to male circumcision published between January 2010 and December 2020. Non-English CPGs and publications involving narrative reviews, primary research, training manuals, patient and allied health professional guidelines, and technical guides were excluded from our search. Complete CPG documents (including full-text articles, supplemental documents, and associated information) were reviewed. Quality appraisal of CPGs was conducted in accordance with the AGREE II manual.A total of 163 CPGs were identified, of which 93 were screened and 13 were reviewed. All AGREE II domains demonstrated good to excellent interrater reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.82 (95% CI, 0.72-0.89) to 0.93 (95% CI, 0.90-0.95). Most CPGs performed satisfactorily in the clarity of presentation domain and performed poorly in the applicability and editorial independence domains. The top 3 CPGs identified were those of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Canadian Urological Association. Consistencies among the CPGs were demonstrated across most recommendations.Current CPGs are of variable quality, and our findings should be taken into consideration by clinicians and health care professionals when selecting appropriate guidelines for male circumcision.

Background:s3-adrenergic receptor agonists (s3 agonists) have been used in treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) and neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) in adults. However, its use in children h...

The microstructure and electrochemical behavior of MnOx@reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites derived from a MnO2/GO template are thoroughly investigated. An as-prepared MnO2/GO mixture is gradually converted to MnO2/rGO in a reduction process and is subsequently annealed under specific conditions to form the Mn3O4/rGO composites. The overall Li+ conversion reactions are visualized and the stability of the transformed MnOx phases is evaluated using density function theory calculations. The semispherical Mn3O4 anchored composite exhibits stable electrode performances, including both the Li+ anode and the Li+-air cathode catalyst, induced by the electrochemically favorable composite with an effective large contact area between the active materials and the electronic conductive rGO. This provides a comparative way of designing the electrode for multiphase metal oxide-based composite electrodes considering the specific electrochemical reactions in view of materials engineering.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanolic extract from the whole plants of Pteridium aquilinum has resulted in the isolation of a new pterosin glycoside, (‒)-pteroside N (1), and a new seco-illudoid sesquiterpene, pterosinone (2). Their structures were identified by analysis of the spectroscopic data including extensive 2D NMR. All of the isolates were evaluated for the anti-Alzheimer disease (anti-AD) activity through enzyme inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and β-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1). (‒)-Pteroside N (1) showed moderate BACE1 inhibitory activity (IC50 value: 30.6 μM), but exhibited potent inhibitory activity against AChE and BChE (IC50 values: 4.47 and 7.39 μM, respectively). On the other hand, pterosinone (2) showed mild AChE and BChE inhibitory activity (IC50 value: 87.7 and 72.9 μM), but exhibited potent inhibitory activity against BACE1 (IC50 value: 19.4 μM). The results of the present study demonstrate that sesquiterpenoids from P. aquilinum might be beneficial in the treatment of AD.

We report the electrostatic decoration of Pt nanoparticles on SnO2 nanotubes (ST) directly prepared on a conducting substrate and high electrocatalytic activities of the resulting materials. A pre-coating of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) is the key for the direct uniform deposition of the ST, which serves dual functions as a fast electron transport path as well as a physical support for Pt nanoparticles. The self-assembly of Pt nanoparticles on the ST is based on electrostatic interaction between the Pt cations and negatively charged ST surface. A dip-coating method leads to homogeneous decoration of well-connected Pt nanoparticles with a larger surface area. Solar energy conversion devices with a solid polymer electrolyte are fabricated using Pt on ST as the electrocatalyst for the reduction of I3− to I−. The Pt dip-coated ST shows a photovoltaic efficiency of 5.07%, which is higher than those of Pt spin-coated ST (4.88%) and Pt spin-coated on the substrate without ST (4.59%). An increase in the Pt concentration leads to further improvement in the efficiency up to 5.51%, which is a moderate value for solid electrolyte devices. The improved performance is attributed to the decreased electron transfer resistance and increased surface area of the electrode.

Electrochemically active CoO/Co3O4 co-existing microspheres with morphology-inherited porous particles is successfully synthesized via a simple solvothermal method. The as-prepared intermixed composite undergoes a monoxide CoO-preferred conversion reaction with an extremely enhanced capacity retention, ∼905 mA h g−1 after 250 cycles for discharge state, which is 1.6 times higher than the conventional CoOx-based anodes. Moreover, stable catalytic behavior of the electrocatalysts in Li-air cathodes of the given composites is also demonstrated. We believe that the extraordinarily enhanced electrode performance might be due to the novel pore-tempered microspheres packed with double electrochemically active centers of the CoO/Co3O4 composite effectively confine the detrimental volume exchange during the reversible cyclic reactions as well as the preserved multiple reactive sites for a reversible Li+ ⇄ LiOx reaction, which is advantageous for advanced Li rechargeable battery.

A series of photocatalytic TiO 2 membrane was prepared on macroporous Al 2 O 3 support via sol–gel route using polymer templates including Pluronic block copolymers of P123, F127 and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) homopolymer. The TiO 2 layer on Al 2 O 3 support reduced permeability due to pore size reduction regardless of polymers applied. The TiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 composite membrane under UV light reduced organic fouling. The PVC based-homopolymer showed highest adsorption capacity and catalytic function with TiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 composite membrane. Organic removal efficiency of 95% was achieved by PVC based TiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 composite membrane. The precoating with the PVC polymer template led to uniform TiO 2 film by mitigating pore infiltration.

Efficient CO2 capture membranes were prepared using a hybrid comprising the poly(styrene-block-butadiene-block-styrene)-graft-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (SBS-g-POEM) nanostructural copolymer and the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMIMDCA). The SBS-g-POEM copolymer was synthesized via a mass-producible, cheap, free-radical polymerization process. The specific interaction of SBS-g-POEM with EMIMDCA and the good miscibility of these species were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR) and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and by using a universal testing machine (UTM). The microphase-separated nanostructure of the membranes and uniform distribution of EMIMDCA were also observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The neat SBS membrane exhibited a CO2 permeability of 372 Barrer (1 Barrer = 10−10 cm3(STP)·cm/(cm2·s·cmHg) and CO2/N2 selectivity of 16.4; these values increased to 407 Barrer and 21.6, respectively, for the SBS-g-POEM membrane due to the high CO2 affinity of the polar POEM side chains. Upon incorporation of EMIMDCA, the CO2 permeability increased to 514 Barrer without a large sacrifice of the selectivity. In contrast, the blend of neat SBS and EMIMDCA did not show any gas separation ability due to the inhomogeneity and poor mechanical properties, indicating the importance of grafting POEM to the SBS main chains.

We report the development of improved antifouling and photocatalytic membranes based on an organized mesoporous TiO2 (om-TiO2) layer on a porous alumina (Al2O3) support. The om-TiO2 layer was templated by an amphiphilic graft copolymer, i.e., poly(vinyl chloride)-graft-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC-g-POEM), and was 50–70 nm in pore size with high porosity and good pore interconnectivity. The precoating of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) on a porous alumina support was the key to providing a flat platform and improving the adhesion properties of alumina with TiO2, which allowed for the formation of om-TiO2 membranes. Fouling of photocatalytic om-TiO2 on the alumina membrane was also investigated using a laboratory-scale photocatalytic dead-end filtration reactor using a model dye compound. The fouling rate was observed to be much slower for the om-TiO2 membrane compared to the bare alumina support under UV illumination during 6 h of membrane operation. The PVP precoating on the alumina support improved the permeation quality of the om-TiO2 membrane. The improved removal of the organic dye compound was thought to result from the enhanced adsorption capability of organic compounds and subsequent photocatalytic reactions on the om-TiO2 layer. However, UV illumination performed for longer than 6 h gradually increased the fouling rate due to the deposition of the organic dye compound on the membrane surface, and prohibited the accessibility of the UV light to the TiO2 layer.

Bimodal porous TiO2 (BP-TiO2) with large surface area, high porosity, good interconnectivity, and excellent light-scattering ability are synthesized via a facile one-step method using a self-assembled blend template consisting of an amphiphilic poly(vinyl chloride)-g-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC-g-POEM) graft copolymer and a hydrophobic poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) homopolymer. The hydrophilically surface-modified TiO2 nanoparticles selectively interact with the hydrophilic POEM chains, while the addition of the PVC homopolymer increases the hydrophobic domain size, resulting in the formation of dual pores (i.e., macropores and mesopores). The sizes and numbers of macropores can easily be controlled by changing the molecular weight and amount of the PVC homopolymer. The polymer electrolyte dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated with BP-TiO2 photoanodes exhibited energy conversion efficiencies of up to 7.6% at 100 mW cm−2, which is much higher than those of mesoporous TiO2 (5.8%) with PVC-g-POEM only and conventional nanocrystalline TiO2 (4.9%) with commercial Dyesol paste. The enhanced energy conversion efficiencies mostly resulted from the light-scattering effects of the macropores, which increased the light-harvesting efficiencies. The improved light-harvesting and photovoltaic performances of the DSSCs were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency analysis, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy, and intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy.

In the present study, we investigated the effect and molecular mechanism of ethyl caffeate (EC), a natural phenolic compound isolated from Ligularia fischeri, on human ovarian cancer cell proliferation and progression. EC-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation in SKOV-3 cells was accompanied by reduced expression of cell cycle-related proteins such as cyclin-dependent kinases and cyclins, resulting in pRb hypophosphorylation and G₁ phase cell cycle arrest. Moreover, EC treatment markedly inhibited cell migration and invasion. These regulatory effects of EC on ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion were associated with inactivation of mitogenic signaling pathways such as Akt, ERK and p38(MAPK), and down-regulation of cell surface signaling molecules including receptor tyrosine kinases, integrin α3β1 and N-cadherin. Taken together, these findings suggest further evaluation and development of EC for the treatment and prevention of ovarian cancer.

Ni-rich mixed metal oxides (LiNi0.80Co0.15Mn0.05O2) as a high capacity cathode material for lithium ion battery are synthesized in two different heat-treatment atmospheres of air and oxygen, respectively. A cell with LiNi0.80Co0.15Mn0.05O2 heat-treated in the oxygen atmosphere shows better electrochemical performance of initial (193.7 mAh/g) and retention (185.2 mAh/g) capacities than a cell with the cathode material heat-treated in the air atmosphere (initial capacity: 185.2 mAh/g and retention capacity: 172.0 mAh/g). In order to find the reasons of the different electrochemical performance, the samples have been characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The structural differences are revealed at the nanometer scale from the experimental works of scanning transmission electron microscopy images mapped with orientation and reliability indices and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The NiO phase of the rock salt structure is considerably developed on the surfaces of the materials in the less oxidative environment of the air atmosphere; this is related to the poor electrochemical performances.

Three-dimensional (3D) poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films were demonstrated as an efficient Pt-free catalyst in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The 3D PEDOT films were fabricated by the deposition of a polystyrene (PS) bead (diameter = 1 μm) monolayer on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass, followed by electrochemical polymerization (EP) of ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer. For comparison, a flat PEDOT film and Pt counter electrodes were additionally prepared by solution casting polymerization (SCP) and the thermal reduction of a spin-coated H2PtCl6 solution, respectively. When these films were implemented as counter electrodes in quasi-solid-state DSSCs with a nanogel electrolyte, the cell efficiency of the 3D PEDOT film prepared by EP for 30 sec reached 5.05%, which is higher than those of the flat PEDOT (4.11%) and Pt counter electrode (4.59%). The improved efficiency of the 3D PEDOT-based cell is attributed to its higher electrocatalytic performance and improved light reflectance, as determined by cyclic voltammogram (CV), incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses.

Crack-free, hierarchically-ordered TiO 2 films were prepared via one-step co-assembly of a 400-nm polystyrene bead and hydrophilically preformed TiO 2 . Large volume loss of titanium(IV) bis(ammonium lactato) dihydroxide, a commonly used precursor, led to substantial crack formation of the film. However, the use of preformed TiO 2 resulted in less cracked films with higher thickness and a meso/macroscopic scale hierarchical structure. This is because the preformed TiO 2 particles electrostatically assembled onto the polystyrene bead surface, as confirmed by scanning electron microscope and a zeta potential analyzer. When these structures were implemented as photoanodes in quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using a nanogel electrolyte, the efficiency of the preformed TiO 2 -based cell was 1.8-fold greater than that of a titanium(IV) bis(ammonium lactato) dihydroxide-based cell, indicating the importance of the precursor. Upon fabrication of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using a high molecular weight polymer and the TiCl 4 -treated TiO 2 film, the efficiency was much greater than that of less-organized, nanoparticle-based cells fabricated with commercially available paste (Dyesol, 18NR-T). This indicates the increased effectiveness of the film in solid-state high molecular weight systems.

Background Methyl gallate (MG) possesses a wide range of biological properties that include anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial activities. However, its anti-tumor activity has not been extensively examined in cancer cells. Thus, we examined the effect of MG in both glutamate-induced rat C6 and human U373 glioma cell proliferation and migration. Methods MG was isolated from the stem bark of Acer barbinerve. Cell viability and migration were analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and scratch wound-healing assay, respectively. Focal adhesion formation was detected with immunofluorescence. Results Treatment of C6 and U373 glioma cells with MG significantly reduced cell viability, migration, and Akt phosphorylation level. Glutamate stimulation markedly increased the level of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. However, cells treated with MG displayed decreased ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Inhibition of ERK1/2 by MG or MEK1/2 inhibitor significantly inhibited paxillin phosphorylation at Ser83 and focal adhesion turn-over produced inefficient glioma cell migration. In addition, activation of Akt and ERK1/2 upon glutamate stimulation was independently regulated by Ca2 + and protein kinase C activity, respectively, via the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methy-4-isoxazolepropionate acid glutamate receptor and metabotropic glutamate receptor. General significance Our results clearly indicate that MG has a strong anti-tumor effect through the down-regulation of the Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. Thus, methyl gallate is a potent anti-tumor and novel therapeutic agent for glioma.

Two new furostanol glycosides, named terrestrinones A1/A2 (1a/1b), were isolated from the fruits of Tribulus terrestris L. together with four known compounds, and their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR experiments. All of the isolates (1–5) were evaluated for their potential to inhibit the LPS-induced production of nitric oxide in murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Of these, compounds 2 and 3 inhibited nitric oxide production with IC50 values of 7.1 and 46.6 μM.

Purple corn has been classified as a functional food rich in anthocyanins possessing potential disease-preventive properties. This study examined whether purple corn anthocyanins (PCA) mainly comprised cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-(6″-malonylglucoside) can attenuate high-glucose (HG)-promoted mesangial cell (MC) proliferation and matrix accumulation, major features of diabetic glomerulosclerosis. Human renal MC were cultured for 3 days in media containing 5.5 mM glucose plus 27.5 mM mannitol as osmotic controls or media containing 33 mM glucose in the absence and presence of 1–20 μg/ml PCA. The HG exposure of MC caused substantial increases in connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression and collagen IV secretion with mesangial hyperplasia, which were repealed by adding PCA. PCA boosted HG-plummeted membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase expression and dampened HG-elevated tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression through disturbing transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)–SMAD signaling, facilitating extracellular matrix degradation. This study further revealed that PCA ameliorated HG-inflamed mesangial inflammation accompanying induction of intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) responsible for CTGF expression. The induction of intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 and MCP-1 was mediated via TGF-β signaling, which was suppressed by PCA. In addition, the HG-promoted CTGF expression entailed nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling involved in MCP-1 transcription. The HG–TGF-β induction was blocked in the presence of a NF-κB inhibitor, and the nuclear NF-κB translocation was blunted by a TGF-β receptor 1 inhibitor. PCA dampened NF-κB translocation in HG-exposed MC. These results demonstrate that there was a crosstalk between TGF-β–SMAD and NF-κB pathways in the diabetes-associated mesangial fibrosis and inflammation, which appeared to be severed by PCA.

Conventional spacecraft structural function has been limited to supporting loads and mounting avionics only. In contrast, the technology of ‘multi-functional structures’ can integrate thermal and electronic functions into the spacecraft’s inherent load-bearing capability. In addition, sufficient radiation shielding effectiveness can be provided for the anticipated mission environment. Utilizing this concept, the ratio of electrical functionality to spacecraft volume can be dramatically increased and significant mass savings can be obtained. In this paper, spacecraft electronics are miniaturized using advanced IT applications such as flexible circuitry, miniaturized components, featherweight connectors, and so on, that they can be easily embedded within a structural panel. A sandwich structural panel consists of an aluminum honeycomb core and lightweight CFRP facesheets. Integration of electronics is implemented within the panel by mounting electronics on a multi-layered composite enclosure with multi-materials. This composite enclosure provides a load-bearing, effective thermal conduction, radiation shielding capabilities and an available space for embedding electronics. A series of environmental tests and analyses is carried out to demonstrate that the flight hardware is qualified for the expected mission environments. This approach will be utilized for the advanced small satellite ‘STSAT-3’ to validate the multi-functional structures concept.

A simple mathematical model for biological estimation of UV light dose concomitant to ionizing radiation was suggested. This approach was applied to determine the dependency of equivalent UV light dose accompanied by 100 Gy of ionizing radiation on energy of sparsely ionizing radiation and on volume of the exposed cell suspension. It was revealed that the relative excitation contribution to the total lethal effect and the value of UV dose was greatly increased with an increase in energy of ionizing radiation and volume of irradiated suspensions. It is concluded that these observations are in agreement with the supposition that Cerenkov emission is responsible for the production of UV light damage and the phenomenon of photoreactivation observed after ionizing exposure of bacterial and yeast cells hypersensitive to UV light. A possible synergistic interaction of the damages produced by ionizations and excitations as well as a probable participation of UV component of ionizing radiation in the mechanism of hormesis and adaptive response observed after ionizing radiation exposure is discussed.

The suitability of some single/binary liquid electrolytes and polymer electrolytes with a 1 M solution of LiCF3SO3 was evaluated for discharge capacity and cycle performance of Li/S cells at room temperature. The liquid electrolyte content in the cell was found to have a profound influence on the first discharge capacity and cycle property. The optimum, stable cycle performance at about 450 mAh g−1 was obtained with a medium content (12 μl) of electrolyte. Comparison of cycle performance of cells with tetra(ethylene glycol)dimethyl ether (TEGDME), TEGDME/1,3-dioxolane (DIOX) (1:1, v/v) and 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME)/di(ethylene glycol)dimethyl ether (DEGDME) (1:1, v/v) showed better results with the mixed electrolytes based on TEGDME. The addition of 5 vol.% of toluene in TEGDME had a remarkable effect of increasing the initial discharge capacity from 386 to 736 mAh g−1 (by >90%) and stabilizing the cycle properties, attributed to the reduced lithium metal interfacial resistance obtained for the system. Polymer electrolyte based on microporous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) membrane and TEGDME/DIOX was evaluated for ionic conductivity at room temperature, lithium metal interfacial resistance and cycle performance in room-temperature Li/S cells. A comparison of the liquid electrolyte and polymer electrolyte showed a better performance of the former.

The appropriate regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is essential for cell movement, changes in cell shape, and formation of membrane protrusions like lamellipodia and filopodia. Moreover, several regulatory proteins affecting actin dynamics have been identified in the motile regions of cells. Here, we provide evidence for the involvement of SPIN90 in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton and actin comet tail formation. SPIN90 was distributed throughout the cytoplasm in COS-7 cells, but exposing the cells to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) caused a redistribution of SPIN90 to the cell cortex and the formation of lamellipodia (or membrane ruffles), both of which were dramatically inhibited in SPIN90-knockdown cells. In addition, the binding of the C terminus of SPIN90 with both the Arp2/3 complex (actin-related proteins Arp 2 and Arp 3) and G-actin activates the former, leading to actin polymerization in vitro. And when coexpressed with phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5 kinase, SPIN90 was observed within actin comet tails. Taken these findings suggest that SPIN90 participates in reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and in actin-based cell motility.

The frequency of cytogenetic effects in spring barley intercalar meristem cells was studied in the presence of a range of different stressors. There was a non-linear dependence on the concentrations of 137Cs, Cd, Pb, and dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide contamination in the exposure ranges used. The frequency of cytogenetic effects increased at the lower concentrations of the pollutants more rapidly than at the higher concentrations. Contamination of the soil by lead at a concentration that meets the current standards for permissible content in soil, and by 2,4-D herbicide at the application levels recommended for agricultural use resulted in a significant increase in aberrant cell frequency. In these cases, the extent of the observed cytogenetic effects was comparable with the effect induced by a 137Cs soil contamination of 49.2 kBq/kg, a level that exceeds by 10-fold the maximum level permitted in radionuclide-contaminated areas where people are resident. In most cases, the experimentally observed combined effects of the pollutants studied differed from those expected from an additive hypothesis. When combined with 137Cs contamination, antagonistic effects became increasingly stronger when the second stressor was changed from cadmium to lead, and then to the herbicide, as measured both by tests of the 'frequency of aberrant cells' and the 'aberrations per cell'. Data from this study and previous reported literature suggest that synergistic increases in cytogenetic effects can be induced by the simultaneous influence of several stressors even at low intensities. This indicates that there is a capability for mutual intensification of the effects of environmental factors that actually occur in situations of low-level exposure.

A new biodegradable water-soluble phosphazene trimer–doxorubicin conjugate was synthesized, in which equimolar hydrophilic methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) with a molecular weight of 350 (MPEG350) and a tumor-specific tetrapeptide (Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly) were grafted to cyclotriphosphazene. The present conjugate exhibited cytotoxicity lower than that of free doxorubicin (IC50 = 0,10 μM) but a reasonably higher in vitro cytotoxicity (IC50 = 1.1 μM) against the leukemia L1210 cell line probably due to its enzymatically controlled release.

The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of cyclotriphosphazenes and polyphosphazenes grafted with a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and a hydrophobic amino acid ester (AAE) as side groups could be quantitatively correlated with the overall hydrophobicity given by linear combination of the logarithmic partition coefficients of the corresponding free PEG and AAE measured in the 1-octanol/water system. Thus the LCSTs of phosphazenes were found to be well described as a linear function of a new parameter Pt defined as linear combination of the logarithmic partition coefficients of the free side groups, Kpeg and Kaae: P t =x log K peg +(2−x) log K aae where x is the mole fraction of PEG. The LCST of cyclotriphosphazenes has shown to be more sensitive to change in hydrophobicity than polyphosphazenes, indicating that the nature of the molecular structure plays an important role in determining their LCST. The additivity of the logarithms of the two partition coefficients for the parameter may indicate that the contribution of each constituent is independent, providing a facile method for prediction of the LCST of thermosensitive polymers.

SPIN90 is a widely expressed Nck-binding protein that contains one Src homology 3 (SH3) domain, three Pro-rich motifs, and a serine/threonine-rich region, and is known to participate in sarcomere assembly during cardiac myocyte differentiation. We used in vitro binding assays and yeast two-hybrid screening analysis to identify Nck, betaPIX, Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP), and ERK1 as SPIN90-binding proteins. It appears that betaPIX, WASP, and SPIN90 form a complex that interacts with Nck in a manner dependent upon cell adhesion to extracellular matrix. The betaPIX.WASP.SPIN90.Nck interaction was abolished in suspended and cytochalasin D-treated cells, but was recovered when cells were replated on fibronectin-coated dishes. The SPIN90.betaPIX.WASP complex was stable, even in suspended cells, suggesting SPIN90 serves as an adaptor molecule to recruit other proteins to Nck at focal adhesions. In addition, we found that overexpression of the SPIN90 SH3 domain or Pro-rich region, respectively, abolished SPIN90.Nck and SPIN90.betaPIX interactions, resulting in detachment of cells from extracellular matrix. SPIN90 was phosphorylated by ERK1, which was, itself, activated by cell adhesion and platelet-derived growth factor. Such phosphorylation of SPIN90 likely promotes the interaction of the SPIN90.betaPIX.WASP complex and Nck. It thus appears that the interaction of the betaPIX.WASP.SPIN90 complex with Nck is crucial for stable cell adhesion and can be dynamically modulated by SPIN90 phosphorylation that is dependent on cell adhesion and ERK activation.

In experiments with wild-type diploid yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the synergistic interaction of ultraviolet (UV) light (wavelength, 254 nm) and heat (45–60°C) was studied both for mutagenic and inactivation effects. Simultaneous hyperthermia and UV light treatments increase the frequency of UV-induced mitotic intergenic recombination (crossing-over) and cell inactivation. The enhancing effect was a function of UV light fluence rate. It is concluded that the effect of hyperthermia on low fluence UV or high fluence UV irradiation results in comparable effects on survival and mitotic recombination suggesting similar modulation by hyperthermia of the effects induced by UV at different fluence rates. The interpretation of the data obtained was carried out within the widely accepted point of view considering the synergistic effects as a result of repair ability damage.

The advantage of using the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var. xanthi) mutagenicity assay is the ability to analyze and compare on the same plants under identical treatment conditions both the induced acute DNA damage in somatic cells as measured by the Comet assay and the yield of induced leaf somatic mutations. Gamma-irradiation of tobacco seedlings induced a dose-dependent increase in somatic mutations from 0.5 (control) to 240 per leaf (10Gy). The increased yield of somatic mutations was highly correlated (r = 0.996) with the increased DNA damage measured by the Comet assay immediately after irradiation. With increased dose of gamma-irradiation, the averaged median tail moment values ( +/- S.E.) significantly increased from 1.08 +/- 0.10 (control) to 20.26 +/- 1.61 microm (10Gy). Nuclei isolated from leaves 24h after irradiation expressed tail moment values that were not significantly different from the control (2.08 +/- 0.11). Thus a complete repair of DNA damage induced by gamma-irradiation and measurable by the Comet assay was observed, whereas the yield of somatic mutations increased in relation to the radiation dose. Data on the kinetics of DNA repair and of DNA damage induced by gamma-radiation on isolated tobacco nuclei, and on nuclei isolated from irradiated leaves and roots are presented.

The present study was performed to obtain the evidence of the radioprotective function of melatonin on gamma-radiation-induced follicular atresia in mouse ovary. Three-week-old immature mice received 10 and 100 microg of melatonin dissolved in 100 microl of the alcoholic saline. Two hours after the treatments, they were whole-body irradiated with a dose of LD(80(30)) (8.3 Gy). The ovaries were dissected out of the animals at -2, 2, 8, 14 h after the onset of irradiation. The total number of follicles including the normal and atretic follicles examined in the largest cross sections was 125. The number was reduced to 103 in the irradiated group. The number of primordial follicles of the irradiation group or the melatonin-treated group was smaller than that of the control group. However, the number of primary, preantral, and antral follicles was not different from that of the control group. In the group pretreated with 100 microg of melatonin before irradiation, the ratio of normal primordial follicles was significantly higher than that of the irradiation group at any time point after irradiation. The high concentration of melatonin also reduced the radiation-induced degeneration of the primary follicles at 14 h after irradiation. On the other hand, the pretreatment of 10 microg of melatonin had little or no effect on the radiation-induced degeneration of primary follicles. However, it gave a protective effect on the radiation-induced degeneration in the primordial follicles at 2 h after irradiation, and 14 h after irradiation in preantral and antral follicles. From the above results, it is concluded that the exogenous melatonin has different functions depending on the follicle stages, and that the radioprotective effect of exogenous melatonin on the follicular degeneration is related to its concentration.