Textural profile characteristic of the curd mass from camel milk for gero diet

There are not so many fermented milk products recommended for use in gerodiet. Among them, for the first time, the textural characteristics of curd mass made from camel milk with the addition of flaxseed flour were investigated. As a result of the study, it was found that camel milk curd differs in hardness, adhesion and distribution compared to cow milk curd. In terms of adhesion, the camel milk curd was 44.52% higher than the cow milk curd and 85% lower than the cow and camel milk curd. The adhesion of the curd mass from cow's milk was the least important among the curd mass. It was noted that the time taken to dispense the camel curd was 50% less than the time taken to dispense the cow's milk curd. However, all samples of curd mass did not differ significantly in hardness. As a result of the study, it can be concluded that camel milk curd mass in terms of chewing, distribution and firmness can have an effective texture profile compared to other samples.

Detection of an energetic flare from the M5V secondary star in the Polar MQ Dra

MQ Dra is a strongly magnetic Cataclysmic Variable whose white dwarf accretes material from its secondary star through a stellar wind at a low rate. TESS observations were made of MQ Dra in four sectors in Cycle 2 and show a short duration, high energy flare (∼1035 erg) which has a profile characteristic of a flare from the M5V secondary star. This is one of the few occasions where an energetic flare has been seen from a Polar. We find no evidence that the flare caused a change in the light curve following the event and consider whether a coronal mass ejection was associated with the flare. We compare the frequency of energetic flares from the secondary star in MQ Dra with M dwarf stars and discuss the overall flare rate of stars with rotation periods shorter than 0.2 d and how such fast rotators can generate magnetic fields with low differential rotation rates.

Cycloparaphenylene-Phenalenyl Radical and Its Dimeric Double Nanohoop

<p>We report the first example of a neutral spin-delocalized carbon-nanoring radical, achieved by integration of an open-shell graphene fragment phenalenyl into cycloparaphenylene (CPP). We show that spin distribution in this hydrocarbon partially extends from the phenalenyl onto the CPP segment as an interplay of steric and electronic effects. The resulting geometry is reminiscent of a diamond ring, with pseudo-perpendicular arrangement of the radial and the planar π-surface. Remarkably, this geometry gives rise to a steric effect that governs a highly selective dimerization pathway, yielding a giant double nanohoop. Its π-framework made of 158 sp2-carbon atoms was unambiguously elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, which revealed a three-segment CPP–peropyrene–CPP structure. This nanocarbon shows a fluorescence profile characteristic of peropyrene, regardless of which segment gets excited. These results in conjunction with DFT suggest that adjustment of the size of the CPP segments in this double nanohoop could deliver true donor–acceptor systems.</p>

Cycloparaphenylene-Phenalenyl Radical and Its Dimeric Double Nanohoop

<p>We report the first example of a neutral spin-delocalized carbon-nanoring radical, achieved by integration of an open-shell graphene fragment phenalenyl into cycloparaphenylene (CPP). We show that spin distribution in this hydrocarbon partially extends from the phenalenyl onto the CPP segment as an interplay of steric and electronic effects. The resulting geometry is reminiscent of a diamond ring, with pseudo-perpendicular arrangement of the radial and the planar π-surface. Remarkably, this geometry gives rise to a steric effect that governs a highly selective dimerization pathway, yielding a giant double nanohoop. Its π-framework made of 158 sp2-carbon atoms was unambiguously elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, which revealed a three-segment CPP–peropyrene–CPP structure. This nanocarbon shows a fluorescence profile characteristic of peropyrene, regardless of which segment gets excited. These results in conjunction with DFT suggest that adjustment of the size of the CPP segments in this double nanohoop could deliver true donor–acceptor systems.</p>

Analysis of a Preliminary microRNA Expression Signature in a Human Telangiectatic Osteogenic Sarcoma Cancer Cell Line

Telangiectatic osteosarcoma (TOS) is an aggressive variant of osteosarcoma (OS) with distinctive radiographic, gross, microscopic features, and prognostic implications. Despite several studies on OS, we are still far from understanding the molecular mechanisms of TOS. In recent years, many studies have demonstrated not only that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in OS tumorigenesis, development, and metastasis, but also that the presence in high-grade types of OS of cancer stem cells (CSCs) plays an important role in tumor progression. Despite these findings, nothing has been described previously about the expression of miRNAs and the presence of CSCs in human TOS. Therefore, we have isolated/characterized a putative CSC cell line from human TOS (TOS-CSCs) and evaluated the expression levels of several miRNAs in TOS-CSCs using real-time quantitative assays. We show, for the first time, the existence of CSCs in human TOS, highlighting the in vitro establishment of this unique stabilized cell line and an identification of a preliminary expression of the miRNA profile, characteristic of TOS-CSCs. These findings represent an important step in the study of the biology of one of the most aggressive variants of OS and the role of miRNAs in TOS-CSC behavior.

Posture and gait in the early course of schizophrenia

While correlations between postural stability deficits and schizophrenia are well documented, information on dynamic motor alterations in schizophrenia are still scarce, and no data on their onset are available yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was i) to measure gait pattern(s) in patients with schizophrenia; ii) to identify posture and gait alterations which could potentially be used as a predictive clinical tool of the onset of the disorder. Body composition, posture and gait parameters were assessed in a group of 30 patients with schizophrenia and compared to 25 healthy subjects. Sway area was significantly higher in the schizophrenia group compared to controls regardless of whether the participants were in eyes open or eyes closed condition. Gait cadence and speed were significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia, while stride length was similar. We concluded that the combination of an increased sway area (independent from eye closure) and a gait cadence reduction—in the presence of normal gait speed and stride length—might be considered peculiar postural and gait profile characteristic of early schizophrenia.

A non-olfactory shark adenosine receptor activates CFTR with unique pharmacology and structural features

Adenosine receptors (ADORs) are G-protein coupled purinoceptors that have several functions including regulation of chloride secretion via CFTR in human airway and kidney. We cloned an ADOR from Squalus acanthias (shark) that likely regulates CFTR in the rectal gland. Phylogenic- and expression-analyses indicate that elasmobranch ADORs are non-olfactory, and appear to represent extant predecessors of mammalian ADORs. We therefore designate the shark ADOR as the A0 receptor. We co-expressed A0 with CFTR in Xenopus laevis oocytes and characterized the coupling of A0 to the chloride channel. Two electrode voltage clamping was performed and current-voltage (I-V) responses were recorded to monitor CFTR status. Only in A0- and CFTR-co-injected oocytes did adenosine analogs produce a significant dose-dependent activation of CFTR consistent with its electrophysiological signature. A pharmacological profile for A0 was obtained for ADOR agonists and antagonists that differed markedly from all mammalian ADOR subtypes (agonists: R-PIA > S-PIA > CGS21680 > CPA > 2ClADO > CV1808 = DPMA > NECA) and (antagonists: DPCPX > PD115199 > 8PT > CGC > CGS15943). Structures of human ADORs permitted a high-confidence homology model of the shark A0 core which revealed unique structural features of ancestral receptors. We conclude: (1) A0 is a novel and unique adenosine receptor ancestor by functional and structural criteria; (2) A0 likely activates CFTR in vivo and this receptor activates CFTR in oocytes indicating an evolutionary coupling between ADORs and chloride secretion; and (3) A0 appears to be a non-olfactory evolutionary ancestor of all four mammalian ADOR subtypes.Significance StatementWe have cloned and characterized an ancient adenosine receptor from sharks that is unlikely to be olfactory in function. The shark receptor, which we designate as A0, has a unique pharmacological profile, characteristic structural features, and is also highly likely to be the dominant ADOR regulator of the shark ancient ortholog of the Cystic Fibrosis chloride channel, called CFTR.

How Laser Physics Brought Optics to the World of Photonic Crystals

A brief review of authors’ research is presented. An emphasis is made on the photon localization in the helical structure of a chiral liquid crystal (CLC), which was first experimentally registered by the authors. An analysis of the spectral and lasing characteristics of distributed feedback (DF) lasers based on natural CLCs (type 1) and on chiral nematics (type 2) led to a conclusion that the model of photonic crystal is suitable to describe the lasing mechanism in type-2 CLC lasers, but not in type-1 ones. This conclusion is evidenced by the absence of lasing bands at the opposite edges of the selective reflection (SR) band; at the same time, the lasing line is located at its center. It is shown that if the SR band of the CLC overlaps the maximum of the laser dye fluorescence band, the lasing line coincides with the SR band center to an error of ±1 nm. If the layer thickness in the CLC lasers of both types does not exceed 50 мm, when a high-quality planar texture is retained and a low generation threshold is achieved, a significant difference between their optical characteristics takes place. Namely, the SR spectrum for a type-1 CLC laser is approximately described by a Lorentzian profile, whereas the contour of the SR spectrum for a type-2 CLC laser has a profile characteristic of the transmittance through multilayer dielectric mirrors. The origins of the differences between the optical and laser characteristics of the CLC lasers of both types have been analyzed from the viewpoint of two lasing models: DF and photonic-crystal ones.

TGFβ in the obese liver mediates conversion of NK cells to a less cytotoxic ILC1-like phenotype

The liver contains both NK cells and their less cytotoxic relatives, ILC1. Here, we investigate the role of NK cells and ILC1 in the obesity-associated condition, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In the livers of mice suffering from NAFLD, NK cells are less able to degranulate, express lower levels of perforin and are less able to kill cancerous target cells than those from healthy animals. This is associated with a decreased ability to kill cancer cells in vivo. On the other hand, we find that perforin-deficient mice suffer from less severe NAFLD, suggesting that this reduction in NK cell cytotoxicity may be protective in the obese liver, albeit at the cost of increased susceptibility to cancer. The decrease in cytotoxicity is associated with a shift towards a transcriptional profile characteristic of ILC1, increased expression of the ILC1-associated proteins CD200R1 and CD49a, and an altered metabolic profile mimicking that of ILC1. We show that the conversion of NK cells to this less cytotoxic phenotype is at least partially mediated by TGFβ, which is expressed at high levels in the obese liver. Finally, we show that reduced cytotoxicity is also a feature of NK cells in the livers of human NAFLD patients.