The Effect of Size and Thermal Treatment on the Photoluminescent Properties of Europium-Doped SiO2 Nanoparticles Prepared in One Pot by Sol-Gel

Europium (Eu)-doped silica nanoparticles have attracted great interest for different applications, in particular in biomedicine as biosensors or for tissue regeneration. Sol-gel is the most common process used to prepare those particles, with size varying from tens to hundreds of nanometers. In this article, we focus our attention on the comparison between two commonly used sol-gel derived methods: reverse microemulsion (for particles smaller than 100 nm) and Stöber method (for particles larger than 100 nm). Europium concentration was varied between 0.2 and 1 mol%, and the nanoparticle diameters were 10, 50 and 100 nm. The link between the local environment of europium ions and their optical properties was investigated and discussed. Using Transmission Electron Microscopy, nitrogen sorption, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-Transform Infra-Red and pulsed doubled Nd:YAG laser, we confirmed that fluorescence lifetime was improved by thermal treatment at 900 °C due to the elimination of aqueous environment and modification of structure disorder. The size of nanoparticles, the amount of europium and the thermal treatment of obtained materials influence the emission spectra and the decay curves of Eu3+.

Association of N-Terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide With Volume Status and Cardiac Function in Hemodialysis Patients

Introduction: N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) is secreted by cardiomyocytes in cases of cardiac structure disorder and volume overload. However, the relationship between NT-pro BNP level and body fluid status in dialysis patients with reduced cardiac ejection function (EF) is uncertain. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this relationship.Methods: We enrolled patients who had been receiving hemodialysis for >3 months. Blood sample, transthoracic echocardiographic, and bioimpedance spectroscopy measurements were performed during a midweek non-dialysis day. The predictive value of NT-pro BNP in hemodialysis patients with volume overload was analyzed.Results: A total of 129 hemodialysis patients (74 men and 55 women; mean age: 59.4 ± 13.0 years) were recruited. The average hemodialysis duration was 55.5 (23.9–93.4) months, the NT-pro BNP level was 4992 (2,033–15,807) pg/mL, and the value of overhydration was 2.68 ± 0.19 (−1.9 to 12.2) L. The NT-pro BNP level was independently correlated with overhydration in both the LVEF ≥ 60% (β = 0.236, P = 0.044) and LVEF <60% (β = 0.516, P = 0.032) groups, even after adjustments for potentially confounding variables. In receiver operating characteristic curves of NT-pro BNP for predicting volume overload, the area under the curve was 0.783 [95% CI (0.688–0.879), P < 0.001) and 0.788 [95% CI (0.586–0.989), P < 0.001] in the LVEF ≥ 60% and LVEF < 60% groups, respectively.Conclusions: NT-pro BNP is a predictive factor for volume overload in hemodialysis patients with or without EF declines.

Prediction of protein-binding residues: dichotomy of sequence-based methods developed using structured complexes versus disordered proteins

Motivation There are over 30 sequence-based predictors of the protein-binding residues (PBRs). They use either structure-annotated or disorder-annotated training datasets, potentially creating a dichotomy where the structure-/disorder-specific models may not be able to cross-over to accurately predict the other type. Moreover, the structure-trained predictors were shown to substantially cross-predict PBRs among residues that interact with non-protein partners (nucleic acids and small ligands). We address these issues by performing first-of-its-kind comparative study of a representative collection of disorder- and structure-trained predictors using a comprehensive benchmark set with the structure- and disorder-derived annotations of PBRs (to analyze the cross-over) and the protein-, nucleic acid- and small ligand-binding proteins (to study the cross-predictions). Results Three predictors provide accurate results: SCRIBER, ANCHOR and disoRDPbind. Some of the structure-trained methods make accurate predictions on the structure-annotated proteins. Similarly, the disorder-trained predictors predict well on the disorder-annotated proteins. However, the considered predictors generally fail to cross-over, with the exception of SCRIBER. Our study also reveals that virtually all methods substantially cross-predict PBRs, except for SCRIBER for the structure-annotated proteins and disoRDPbind for the disorder-annotated proteins. We formulate a novel hybrid predictor, hybridPBRpred, that combines results produced by disoRDPbind and SCRIBER to accurately predict disorder- and structure-annotated PBRs. HybridPBRpred generates accurate results that cross-over structure- and disorder-annotated proteins and produces relatively low amount of cross-predictions, offering an accurate alternative to predict PBRs. Availability and implementation HybridPBRpred webserver, benchmark dataset and supplementary information are available at http://biomine.cs.vcu.edu/servers/hybridPBRpred/. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

WEAR APPRAISAL OF MOVEMENT JOINTS’ STRUCTURES AND WAYS TO IMPROVE THEIR DURABILITY

Movement joints are one of the most important structural elements of bridge structure and represent gaps between end face of span structure and cabinet wall of support or head part of support. The durability of the structure as a whole depends largely on the correct choice and, then, the installation of the movement joints. The results of numerous technical surveys of bridges and overpasses show that the main defects and damages of movement joints structural elements are: weld structure disorder due to incorrect selection and installation; Formation of cracks in the zone of seams on the coating of different length and with different opening width. In addition to the above-mentioned defects, the formation of gauge due to differences in the marks of the bridge web at the joint of the road clothes and the movement joints plays a major role in the process of breaking the coating in the zone of movement joints. Destruction of coating in zones of movement joints in many cases is due to intensive gauge formation, at the same time, formation of wheels is due to difference of marks of road clothes and movement joints. To prevent colour formation in the zone of movement joints the following technical solutions are used: arrangement of pedestrian zones; Application of concrete tides (boundaries). In these zones it is recommended to arrange tides on the basis of polymer composite materials (PCM), having high damping properties and cyclic durability. Endurance tests and the study of damping properties were carried out according to conventional methods for polymer betons FAM and FAZIS-30. The values of the vibration decree for the above-mentioned materials and their cyclic durability are obtained.

Protective Effect of Hydroxysafflor Yellow A on Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Fibrosis in Rats

Aim: Present research was to explore the effects and mechanisms of hydroxysafflor yellow A in treatment of isoproterenol-induced myocardial fibrosis in rats. Methods: Dividing 50 SD rats as the normal control, ISO and HSYA treated groups, 10 rats in each group. Administering Rats by ISO subcutaneously (2 mg/kg · d) for 10 days induce myocardial fibrosis. HSYA treated groups were treated with 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg · d HSYA for 4 weeks (ig). The normal control and the model groups were treated with saline at equivalent volume. Measurement of hemodynamics index to evaluate the changes of cardiac function. And evaluating the relative index of difference groups. Results: Treatment of HSYA significantly inhibited heart rate (HR) and LVEDP, meanwhile improving LVSP compared with model group with dose-dependent. HE staining and Masson staining showed that diltiazem improve heart structure disorder, excessive accumulation of collagen fibers, meanwhile decreasing the value of collagen volume fraction (CVF) (P < 0.05). The result showed diltiazem inhibited Collagen I and Collagen II which were up-regulation (P < 0.001). HSYA could significantly increase SOD, GSH-Px levels (P < 0.001), meanwhile reducing the MDA levels in ISO-induced myocardial fibrosis model (P < 0.001) with dose-dependent. In addition, the elevated NF-κB, TGF-β1, CTGF expressions were effectively restored by HSYA(P < 0.001). Conclusion: HSYA alleviated ISO induced myocardial fibrosis in rat, which might be correlation with the improvement of reduction of oxidative stress and inhibition of NF-κB signal pathway.

Menopause, Hormonal Changes and Osteoporosis among Women in Region of the Western Macedonia

Menopause is known as the end of natural transition in a woman&rsquo;s reproductive life. Otherwise, is the period when progesterone and estrogen production is significantly reduced. The ovaries forbid the cell production and woman loses the ability of getting pregnant. Menopause is defined a period after 12 months without a menstrual cycle or even more. Osteoporosis is defined as bone tissue disorder characterized by loss of bone mass and bone structure disorder, enabling increased risk for fracture and bone fracture in general. Osteoporosis is considered the most prevalent disease around the age of 50. The prevalence of this disease on the basis of the most pronounced gender is in females compared to males, respectively a ratio of 3:1 (WHO, 2010). It is known that loss of osteoarthritis occurring in women during premenopausal is related to estrogen deficiency and the lack of hormonal imaging character that occurs in women during menopause and premenopause. Status of vitamin D plays a key role in bone health and early prevention of vitamin D deficiency disorders of rakitis and osteomalacia are very important but may also have a low vitamin D implication bone loss, muscle weakness and reduced fractures in older people and these are very important in public health issues in terms of morbidity, quality of life and costs for health services.