Amadurecimento e qualidade pós-colheita de kiwis gold3.

bitstream/item/131075/1/Circular-Tecnica-121.pd

Evaluation of hyperforin analogues for inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase

The acylphloroglucinol hyperforin (Hyp) from St. John''s wort possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties which were ascribed among others to the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase. Here, we investigated whether Hyp also interferes with prostanoid generation in biological systems, particularly with key enzymes participating in prostaglandin (PG)E(2) biosynthesis, i.e., cyclooxygenases (COX)-1/2 and microsomal PGE(2) synthase (mPGES)-1 which play key roles in inflammation and tumorigenesis. Similar to the mPGES-1 inhibitors MK-886 and MD-52, Hyp significantly suppressed PGE(2) formation in whole blood assays starting at 0.03-1 \u3bcM, whereas the concomitant generation of COX-derived 12(S)-hydroxy-5-cis-8,10-trans-heptadecatrienoic acid, thromboxane B(2), and 6-keto PGF(1\u3b1) was not significantly suppressed up to 30 \u3bcM. In cell-free assays, Hyp efficiently blocked the conversion of PGH(2) to PGE(2) mediated by mPGES-1 (IC(50)\u2009=\u20091 \u3bcM), and isolated COX enzymes were not (COX-2) or hardly (COX-1) suppressed. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of Hyp (4\u2009mg kg(-1)) to rats impaired exudate volume and leukocyte numbers in carrageenan-induced pleurisy associated with reduced PGE(2) levels, and Hyp (given i.p.) inhibited carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema formation (ED(50)\u2009=\u20091\u2009mg kg(-1)) being superior over indomethacin (ED(50)\u2009=\u20095\u2009mg kg(-1)). We conclude that the suppression of PGE(2) biosynthesis in vitro and in vivo by acting on mPGES-1 critically contributes to the anti-inflammatory efficiency of Hyp

Photonic crystal gas sensors

The bandstructure of photonic crystals offers intriguingpossibilities for the manipulation of electromagnetic waves. During the last years, research has mainly focussed on theapplication of these photonic crystal properties in the telecomare a. We suggest utilization of photonic crystals for sensorapplications such as qu alitative and quantitative gas and liquidanalysis. Taking advantage of the low group velocity and certainmode distributions for some k-points in the bandstructure of a photonic crystal should enable the realization of verycompact sensor devices. We show different device configurations of a photonic crystal based on macro porous silicon that fulfill the demands to serve as a compact gas sensor

Sex and anti-inflammatory treatment affect outcome of melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer patients with rheumatic immune-related adverse events

Background Rheumatic immune-related adverse events (R-irAEs) occur in 5–15% of patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and, unlike other irAEs, tend to be chronic. Herein, we investigate the factors influencing cancer and R-irAEs outcomes with particular focus on adverse effects of anti-inflammatory treatment.Methods In this prospective, multicenter, long-term, observational study, R-irAEs were comprehensively analyzed in patients with malignant melanoma (MM, n=50) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, n=41) receiving ICI therapy who were enrolled in the study between August 1, 2018, and December 11, 2022.Results After a median follow-up of 33 months, progressive disease or death occurred in 66.0% and 30.0% of MM and 63.4% and 39.0% of patients with NSCLC. Male sex (progression-free survival (PFS): p=0.013, and overall survival (OS): p=0.009), flare of a pre-existing condition (vs de novo R-irAE, PFS: p=0.010) and in trend maximum glucocorticoid (GC) doses >10 mg and particularly ≥1 mg/kg prednisolone equivalent (sex-adjusted PFS: p=0.056, OS: p=0.051) were associated with worse cancer outcomes. Patients receiving disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) showed significantly longer PFS (n=14, p=0.011) and OS (n=20, p=0.018). Effects of these variables on PFS and/or OS persisted in adjusted Cox regression models. Additionally, GC treatment negatively correlated with the time from diagnosis of malignancy and the latency from ICI start until R-irAE onset (all p<0.05). R-irAE features and outcomes were independent of other baseline patient characteristics in both studied cancer entities.Conclusion Male sex, flare of pre-existing rheumatologic conditions and extensive GC treatment appeared to be linked with unfavorable cancer outcomes, while DMARD use had a favorable impact. These findings challenge the current dogma of restrictive DMARD use for R-irAE and thus may pave the way to better strategies and randomized controlled trials for the growing number of patients with R-irAE

Cardioprotective Effects of Osteopontin-1 during Development of Murine Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Repetitive brief ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is associated with ventricular dysfunction in pathogenesis of murine ischemic cardiomyopathy and human hibernating myocardium. We investigated the role of matricellular protein osteopontin-1 (OPN) in murine model of repetitive I/R. One 15-min LAD-occlusion followed by reperfusion was performed daily over 3, 5, and 7 consecutive days in C57/Bl6 wildtype- (WT-) and OPN−/−-mice (n=8/group). After echocardiography hearts were processed for histological and mRNA-studies. Cardiac fibroblasts were isolated, cultured, and stimulated with TGF-β1. WT-mice showed an early, strong, and cardiomyocyte-specific osteopontin-expression leading to interstitial macrophage infiltration and consecutive fibrosis after 7 days I/R in absence of myocardial infarction. In contrast, OPN−/−-mice showed small, nontransmural infarctions after 3 days I/R associated with significantly worse ventricular dysfunction. OPN−/−-mice had different expression of myocardial contractile elements and antioxidative mediators and a lower expression of chemokines during I/R. OPN−/−-mice showed predominant collagen deposition in macrophage-rich small infarctions. We found lower induction of tenascin-C, MMP-9, MMP-12, and TIMP-1, whereas MMP-13-expression was higher in OPN−/−-mice. Cultured OPN−/−-myofibroblasts confirmed these findings. In conclusion, osteopontin seems to modulate expression of contractile elements, antioxidative mediators, and inflammatory response and subsequently remodel in order to protect cardiomyocytes in murine ischemic cardiomyopathy

U-2012: An improved Lowry protein assay, insensitive to sample color, offering reagent stability and enhanced sensitivity

Traditional colorimetric protein assays such as Biuret, Lowry, and modified Lowry (U-1988) are unsuitable for colored biological samples. Here we describe an improved Lowry protein assay (U-2012), which utilizes stable reagents and offers enhanced sensitivity over the U-1988 assay. U-2012 circumvents interference from colored pigments and other substances (for example sugars) bound to perchloric acid (PCA) precipitated proteins by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced oxidation at 50°C. Unused hydrogen peroxide is neutralized with sodium pyruvate before protein estimation for a stable end color. The U-2012 assay is carried out on the PCA precipitated protein pellet after neutralization (with Na2CO3 plus NaOH), solubilization (in Triton-NaCl), decolorization (by H2O2) and pyruvate treatment. Protein contents in red wine and homogenates of beetroot and blueberry are calculated from standard curves established for various proteins and generated using a rectangular hyperbola with parameters estimated with Microsoft Excel's Solver add-in. The U-2012 protein assay represents an improvement over U-1988 and gives a more accurate estimation of protein content

Intelligente Gassensoren (IGS). Integrierte Intelligente Metalloxid-Gassensorsysteme Abschlussbericht

Gas sensor arrays with SnO_2 as an active material were developed on Si and sapphire substrates. The sensitivity and selectivity were varied applying design and technology parameters. Solid-state physics interpretations of sensor effects are suggested. The chemico-analytical properties are analyzed applying a newly set-up gas measuring technique. Multivariate analytical methods and pattern recognition methods are successfully applied to high-purity gas mixtures and to olfactometric problems. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RO 7155(1996,13)+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Supplementary Material for: Beurteilung und Förderung der arbeitsbezogenen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung in der Psychotherapie: Ergebnisse einer Sekundäranalyse einer randomisiert-kontrollierten Studie

Hintergrund: Arbeitsbezogene Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen (aSW) gelten als Prädiktor für eine erfolgreiche Rückkehr an den Arbeitsplatz bei Arbeitnehmenden mit psychischen Störungen. Spezifische Interventionen zur Förde­rung der aSW existieren bislang jedoch nicht. In der vorliegenden Sekundäranalyse wurde untersucht, ob ein neu entwickeltes kognitiv-imaginatives aSW-Modul geeignet erscheint, (1) imaginative Bewältigungserfahrungen zu erzeugen, (2) reale Bewältigungsbestrebungen vorzuberei­ten (Verhaltensrelevanz; VR) und (3) die aSW zu adressieren. Methoden: Das aSW-Modul wurde im Rahmen einer ar­beitsplatzbezogenen Kurzzeitintervention durchgeführt und videographiert (N = 22). Die aSW und Indikatoren für imaginative Bewältigungserfahrungen (IB) sowie für die VR wurden anhand der Videoaufzeichnungen durch unabhängige Beurteiler:innen eingeschätzt. Zusätzlich erfolgten Selbstbeurteilungen der aSW vor Behandlungsbeginn und zum Zeitpunkt des aSW-Moduls. Ergebnisse: Alle IB-Indikatoren (Kooperation, Lebhaftigkeit, emotionale Beteiligung, kognitive Flexibilität) waren eher hoch ausgeprägt. Bezüglich der VR-Indikatoren zeigte sich, dass Erkenntnisgewinne mode­rat, Intentionen für Verhaltensänderungen eher hoch und die Identifikation von erfolgreichen Modellen gering ausgeprägt waren. Die Fremdberichte der aSW korrelierten mit der selbstberichteten aSW vor Behandlungsbeginn (r = 0,47, p = 0,025) und während des aSW-Moduls (r = 0,51, p = 0,014). Schlussfolgerung: Im aSW-Modul wurden (1) imaginative Bewältigungserfahrungen erzeugt, (2) Intentionen für Verhaltensänderungen gefördert und (3) selbstwirk­sam­keits­relevante Kognitionen aktiviert. Es erscheint geeignet zur kognitiv-motivationalen Vorbereitung von Bewältigungsbestrebungen. Forschungsbedarf besteht hinsichtlich der Effekte des Interventionsmoduls auf reale Bewältigungs­erfahrungen und die Entwicklung der aSW