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With the global whisky market reaching $65.6 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $89.48 billion by the end of 2029, the incentives for fraud in relation to (and adulteration of) this alcoholic beverage are self-evident. Law enforcement agencies worldwide have taken actions against crimes of this nature, with forensic scientists playing crucial roles (mainly through expert testimonies on sample authenticities) during legal proceedings. Important issues associated with Scotch whisky authentication include: (a) understanding the typical manufacturing process; (b) acquisition of reference samples; and (c) effective utilization of instrumentations to characterize features derived from the manufacturing process and strategic approaches for the interpretation of analytical findings. Following a brief review of the definition/classification, manufacturing, and adulteration/counterfeiting of Scotch whiskies, this review focuses on the characterization of manufacturing-derived features and interpretation of analytical findings as grouped into: (a) quantitative analysis of single compounds; (b) qualitative analysis and intensity ratio of multiple compounds; (c) chemometric analysis of selected multi-compounds; and (d) quantitative analysis of selected elements. Finally, a flowchart for conducting the authentication process, from various significantly different perspectives, is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-154 on myocardial apoptosis in rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and to analyze whether Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was involved in the regulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Sprague- Dawley (SD) rat model of AMI was established via l igation o f l eft a nterior d escending a rtery. Rats were randomly divided into model group (M group, n=12) and ICG-001 intervention group (I group, n=12). At the same time, sham operation group (S group, n=12) was established. In I group, ICG-001 (5 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected every day after operation. Meanwhile, an equal amount of normal saline was injected in rats of S group and M group. 21 d after operation, the cardiac function of rats in each group was detected via echocardiography. After that, the rats were immediately executed. MI area in each group was detected via 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Myocardial apoptosis level in each group was detected via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Moreover, the changes of apoptotic proteins in rat myocardial cells were detected via Western blotting. Moreover, the expression level of miR-154 in myocardial cells of rats was detected via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Furthermore, the influence of miR-154 on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was detected via Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with S group, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, %) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS, %) were significantly decreased in M group (p<0.01). However, left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole (LVIDd) and left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole (LVIDs) were significantly increased (p<0.01). In I group, LVEF (%) and LVFS (%) were significantly higher than those of M group (p<0.05), whereas LVIDs and LVIDd were significantly lower (p<0.05). MI area in M group was remarkably larger than that of S group (p<0.01). Meanwhile, MI area in I group was significantly smaller than that of M group (p<0.01). Compared with S group, the number of apoptotic myocardial cells and the protein expression level of cleaved caspase-3 were significantly increased in M group (p<0.01). However, the expression level of B-cell lymphoma-2/Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bcl-2/Bax) was significantly decreased (p<0.01). The number of apoptotic myocardial cells and the protein expression level of cleaved caspase-3 were significantly declined in I group when compared with those of M group (p<0.01). However, the expression level of Bcl-2/Bax was significantly increased in I group (p<0.01). The expression level of miR-154 in myocardial cells of M group and I group was remarkably increased when compared with that of S group (p<0.01). Furthermore, the expression levels of β-catenin and Cyclin D1 in myocardial cells of M group were remarkably higher than those of S group and I group (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: AMI significantly increases the expression level of miR-154. Moreover, miR- 154 can activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, eventually promoting myocardial apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in situ observation of magnetic domain structure evolution in the presence of an external magnetic field induced from a live current strip produced underneath patterned permalloy thin films is presented. The signal due to the electro-static force was avoided during the magnetic force microscope imaging by adding an electrically grounded metal film in-between the patterned films and the current strip. Magnetization reversal on a 6 [micro]m permalloy disk was imaged, whereas magnetic domain structure on higher aspect ratios of ellipse and rectangle permalloy elements showed great changes but a much higher field was required for magnetization saturation due to their high coercive and saturation fields. Index Terms--Magnetic force microscope, magnetization reversal, patterned permalloy thin film.

A novel method for in-situ investigation of patterned magnetic domain structures is presented. Micron-length scales of permalloy thin film fabricated by a lift-off process using electron beam lithography were placed on the top and adjacent to an Aluminum strip. A magnetic force microscope was used to take continuous images of the patterned permalloy films while an electrical current was applied in the aluminum strip, with which a magnetic field was established through the patterned permalloy films in the perpendicular and plane direction. As a result, changes of the magnetic domain structures were observed in the presence of the applied magnetic field. Index Terms--electron beam lithography, magnetic domain structures, magnetic force microscope.

The effect of microstructure refinement on magnetic properties in single-phase Ll0 Fe58Pt42 films was studied. Samples with thickness t of 100, 200, and 300 nm were sputtering deposited on glass substrate with elevated temperatures Ta of 400 and 800 °C. In the t=300 series of films, the order parameter of films with Ta=400 and 800 °C were identical, about 0.663, but the average grain size is different by approximately eight times in diameter (from ∼75 to ∼610 nm). Comparing to the film of Ta=800 °C with large grains, significant enhancement in remanence of about 32% was obtained in the 400 °C annealed film (∼880 emu/cm3) and the energy density was achieved an increment of about 72% (19.6 MG Oe), which exceeds the theoretical preditions. The reasonable explanations are summarized as the dimension confinement of interactions and the degradation of anisotropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression level of long non-coding RNA promoter of CDKN1A antisense DNA damage activated RNA (lncRNA PANDAR) in cervical cancer and to analyze the effects of PANDAR on biological behaviors of cervical cancer and the clinical significance of PANDAR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 68 pairs of cervical cancer and paired cancer-adjacent tissue specimens were collected. The relative expression of PANDAR in tissues was detected by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) so as to analyze the relationship between PANDAR and clinicopathological factors of cervical cancer and evaluate its clinical significance. qRT-PCR was used to detect the relative expression of PANDAR in cervical cancer cells. Interference in PANDAR was conducted. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the changes in cell proliferation capacity. RESULTS: The results of qRT-PCR showed that the expression level of PANDAR was significantly up-regulated in cervical cancer tissues compared with that in cancer-adjacent tissues. Statistical analysis showed that PANDAR expression was correlated with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging, tumor size and tumor invasion degree. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the survival time of patients with highly expressed PANDAR was shorter than that of patients with lowly expressed PANDAR. Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that PANDAR could be used as an independent prognostic factor for patients with cervical cancer. CCK-8 results showed that interference in PANDAR significantly inhibited tumor cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: The expression level of PANDAR is up-regulated in cervical cancer tissues and cells, and PANDAR promotes tumor growth. PANDAR may be a biomarker for the early diagnosis of cervical cancer and a potential therapeutic target for reversing the malignant phenotype of tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The gene AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A), is frequently down regulated and inactivated in endometriosis. This report is focused on the molecular mechanism of the correlation between oxidative stress and ARID1A gene expression in endometrial cell oxidative damage model. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, the ARID1A gene expression level and its promoter methylation level were detected in 30 endometriosis and normal tissues. The primary endometrial cell was co-cultured with H2O2. Then, MDA and Gpx level were used to test the ROS level, RT-PCR was employed to detect the expression level of ARID1A. At last, the ARID1A gene promoter methylation level was detected by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Finally, the expression level of DNMT1 was detected by both RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The expression level of ARID1A gene was down regulated in endometriosis compared with normal tissues. The low expression level of ARID1A gene was associated with its promoter hyper-methylation. In H2O2 simulated endometrial cells, ARID1A gene expression level was decreased. Finally, ROS regulated ARID1A gene expression by changing the methylation level of ARID1A gene promoter. Finally, both the mRNA level and protein level of DNMT1 increased in H2O2 simulated endometrial cells. CONCLUSIONS: In endometriosis, the down-regulated ofARID1A gene was highly correlated with its promoter hyper-methylation. ROS decreased the expression level of ARID1A gene via regulating methylation of its promoter which contributing to the understanding of the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The possible mechanism of ARID1A gene promoter hyper-methylation is ROS up-regulated DNMT1gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic domain configurations of microstructured permalloy exchange coupled by an antiferromagnetic (NiO) thin film is presented. NiO/NiFe bilayer micrometer array elements were fabricated using electron beam lithography through a lift-off technique. The magnetic force microscopy images of the elliptical and rectangular elements with various aspect ratios showed dipole-like magnetic domain structures. The bright/dark arc contrast associated with the magnetic pole strength was dependent on the anisotropic exchange field. Furthermore, the shape anisotropy can overwhelm anisotropic exchange in patterned elements with a high aspect ratio and thicker permalloy film. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]