A REDUCED KINETIC MECHANISM FOR PROPANE FLAMES

Propane is one of the simplest hydrocarbons that can be a representative of higher hydrocarbons used in many applications. Therefore, this work develops a ten-step reduced kinetic mechanism among 14 reactive species for the propane combustion. The model is based on the solution of the flamelet equations. The equations are discretized using the second-order space finite difference method, using LES (Large-Eddy Simulation). Obtained results compare favorably with data in the literature for a propane jet diffusion flame. The main advantage of this strategy is the decrease of the work needed to solve the system of governing equations

Development of glass-stalks-unsaturated polyester hybrid composites

The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility to use agro-residues of the vinification process as a cheaper and eco-friendly fillers to prepare unsaturated polyester composites for interior design building sector. Experimental unsaturated polyester–based resin composite samples, reinforced with grape stalks, were prepared by a simple casting technique. The glass microspheres were added in the mixing to increase the mechanical and physical properties of the final materials. A silane coupling agent was used to increase the interface adhesion between resin and grape stalks. The samples were subjected to several tests. Unfilled samples were analyzed by Differential Scanning calorimetry (DSC). Prepared silanized and non-silanized composites were completely characterized in order to study the effect of stalk fibers concentration on the mechanical, chemical and physical properties. The results showed that mechanical and physical properties for silanized composites were superior to non-silanized composites. The presence of stalks, up to 50% wt. increased Young's Modulus preserving a satisfactory tensile strength and hardness in comparison with the neat resin properties. Then, the final results showed that grape stalks from winemaking can be satisfactory used as natural filler resource to produce composites for interior furniture

Parasitismo de Telenomus remus em ovos de Spodoptera frugiperda e Corcyra cephalonica.

Objetivou-se avaliar as características biológicas de T. remus criado em ovos do hospedeiro alternativo C. cephalonica comparando-se ao hospedeiro natural S. frugiperda. O experimento foi conduzido em sala climatizada (T: 25±2°C; UR: 70±10%; Fotofase: 12h), com delineamento inteiramente casualizado sendo dois tratamentos (hospedeiros) e 20 repetições. Em tubos de vidro de fundo chato, foram colocados 30 ovos parasitados de S. frugiperda. Após a emergência dos adultos (24h), aproximadamente 100 ovos inviabilizados de C. cephalonica e aproximadamente 100 ovos de S. frugiperda, foram colados com cola atóxica (30%) em cartelas de papel e oferecidos aos parasitoides. O parasitismo foi permitido por 24h. Os parâmetros biológicos avaliados foram: porcentagem de parasitismo; viabilidade e razão sexual. As porcentagens de parasitismo (92,64% e 48,27%) e viabilidade (96,79% e 89,14%) apresentaram diferença significativa, já a razão sexual (0,78 e 0,68 fêmeas) não diferiu entre os hospedeiros S. frugiperda e C. cephalonica, respectivamente. O menor parasitismo verificado em ovos do hospedeiro alternativo pode ser atribuído ao fato do parasitoide ser criado por sucessivas gerações em ovos do hospedeiro natural em contrapartida, a alta viabilidade nos ovos de C. cephalonica (>80%) indica um hospedeiro potencial para criações massais de T. remus. Assim, para que o hospedeiro alternativo possa ser utilizado com sucesso, fazem-se necessários estudos de T. remus criados por sucessivas gerações em ovos de C. cephalonica

Is gluten the only culprit for non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity?

The gluten-free diet (GFD) has gained increasing popularity in recent years, supported by marketing campaigns, media messages and social networks. Nevertheless, real knowledge of gluten and GF-related implications for health is still poor among the general population. The GFD has also been suggested for non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity (NCG/WS), a clinical entity characterized by intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms induced by gluten ingestion in the absence of celiac disease (CD) or wheat allergy (WA). NCG/WS should be regarded as an “umbrella term” including a variety of different conditions where gluten is likely not the only factor responsible for triggering symptoms. Other compounds aside from gluten may be involved in the pathogenesis of NCG/WS. These include fructans, which are part of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs), amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and glyphosate. The GFD might be an appropriate dietary approach for patients with self-reported gluten/wheat-dependent symptoms. A low-FODMAP diet (LFD) should be the first dietary option for patients referring symptoms more related to FODMAPs than gluten/wheat and the second-line treatment for those with self-reported gluten/wheat-related symptoms not responding to the GFD. A personalized approach, regular follow-up and the help of a skilled dietician are mandatory

Ig Glycosylation in Ulcerative Colitis: It’s Time for New Biomarkers

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing disease, which needs a continue monitoring, especially during biological therapies. An increasing number of patients is treated with anti-Tumor Necrosis factor (TNF) drugs, and current research is focalized to identify biomarkers able to monitor the disease and to predict therapeutic outcome. Methods: We enrolled consecutive UC patients treated with anti-TNF, naïve to biologic drugs. Therapeutic outcome was evaluated after 54 weeks of treatment in terms of clinical remission (Partial Mayo Score -PMS- <2) and mucosal healing (Mayo Endoscopic Score <2). On serum samples collected at baseline and after 54 weeks of treatment, a Lectin-based ELISA assay was performed, and specific glycosylation patterns were evaluated by biotin-labelled lectins. We have also collected 21 healthy controls (NHS) samples, age and sex-matched. Results: Out of 44 UC patients enrolled, 22 achieved clinical remission and mucosal healing after 54 weeks. At baseline, when Protein A was used as coating, UC patients non-responders showed a reduced reactivity to Jacalin (JAC) in comparison with NHS (p = 0.04). After one year of treatment, a decrease in JAC binding was seen only in responders, in comparison with baseline (p = 0.04). When JAC binding was tested selecting IgG by means of Fab anti-IgG Fab, UC patients displayed an increased reactivity after anti-TNF therapy (p < 0,0001 vs controls). At baseline, PMS inversely correlates with JAC binding when Fab anti-IgG Fab was used in solid phase (r2 = 0,2211; p = 0,0033). Patients with higher PMS at baseline (PMS ≥5) presented lower binding capacity for JAC in comparison with NHS and with lower PMS patients (p = 0,0135 and p = 0,0089, respectively). Conclusion: Ig glycosylation was correlated with clinical and endoscopic activity in patients with UC. JAC protein A-selected Ig showed a possible role in predicting therapeutic effectiveness. If these data would be confirmed, Ig glycosylation could be used as biomarker in UC

Oral sucrosomial iron is as effective as intravenous ferric carboxy‐maltose in treating anemia in patients with ulcerative colitis

Anemia is a frequent complication of ulcerative colitis, and is frequently caused by iron deficiency. Oral iron supplementation displays high rates of gastrointestinal adverse effects. However, the formulation of sucrosomial iron (SI) has shown higher tolerability. We performed a prospective study to compare the effectiveness and tolerability of oral SI and intravenous ferric carboxy‐maltose (FCM) in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission and mild‐to‐moderate anemia. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive 60 mg/day for 8 weeks and then 30 mg/day for 4 weeks of oral SI or intravenous 1000 mg of FCM at baseline. Hemoglobin and serum levels of iron and ferritin were assessed after 4, 8, and 12 weeks from baseline. Hemoglobin and serum iron increased in both groups after 4 weeks of therapy, and remained stable during follow up, without significant treatment or treatment‐by‐time interactions (p = 0.25 and p = 0.46 for hemoglobin, respectively; p = 0.25 and p = 0.26 for iron, respectively). Serum ferritin did not increase over time during SI supplementation, while it increased in patients treated with FCM (treatment effect, p = 0.0004; treatment‐bytime interaction effect, p = 0.0002). Overall, this study showed that SI and FCM displayed similar effectiveness and tolerability for treatment of mild‐to‐moderate anemia in patients with ulcerative colitis under remission

Low fermentable oligo-di-and mono-saccharides and polyols (Fodmaps) or gluten free diet: What is best for irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a very common functional gastrointestinal disease. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial and not yet clearly defined, and hence, its therapy mainly relies on symptomatic treatments. Changes in lifestyle and dietary behavior are usually the first step, but unfortunately, there is little high-quality scientific evidence regarding a dietary approach. This is due to the difficulty in setting up randomized double-blind controlled trials which objectively evaluate efficacy without the risk of a placebo effect. However, a Low Fermentable Oligo-, Di-and Mono-saccharides And Polyols (FODMAP) Diet (LFD) and Gluten Free Diet (GFD) are among the most frequently suggested diets. This paper aims to evaluate their possible role in IBS management. A GFD is less restrictive and easier to implement in everyday life and can be suggested for patients who clearly recognize gluten as a trigger of their symptoms. An LFD, being more restrictive and less easy to learn and to follow, needs the close supervision of a skilled nutritionist and should be reserved for patients who recognize that the trigger of their symptoms is not, or not only, gluten. Even if the evidence is of very low-quality for both diets, the LFD is the most effective among the dietary interventions suggested for treating IBS, and it is included in the most updated guidelines

Genome-wide activity of unliganded estrogen receptor-\u3b1\ua0 in breast cancer cells

Estrogen receptor-\u3b1 (ER\u3b1) has central role in hormone-dependent breast cancer and its ligand-induced functions have been extensively characterized. However, evidence exists that ER\u3b1 has functions that are independent of ligands. In the present work, we investigated the binding of ER\u3b1 to chromatin in the absence of ligands and its functions on gene regulation. We demonstrated that in MCF7 breast cancer cells unliganded ER\u3b1 binds to more than 4,000 chromatin sites. Unexpectedly, although almost entirely comprised in the larger group of estrogen-induced binding sites, we found that unliganded-ER\u3b1 binding is specifically linked to genes with developmental functions, compared with estrogen-induced binding. Moreover, we found that siRNA-mediated down-regulation of ER\u3b1 in absence of estrogen is accompanied by changes in the expression levels of hundreds of coding and noncoding RNAs. Down-regulatedmRNAs showed enrichment in genes related to epithelial cell growth and development. Stable ER\u3b1 down-regulation using shRNA, which caused cell growth arrest, was accompanied by increased H3K27me3 at ER\u3b1 binding sites. Finally, we found that FOXA1 and AP2\u3b3 binding to several sites is decreased upon ER\u3b1 silencing, suggesting that unliganded ER\u3b1 participates, together with other factors, in the maintenance of the luminal-specific cistrome in breast cancer cell

Corrigendum: FLASH Radiotherapy With Electrons: Issues Related to the Production, Monitoring, and Dosimetric Characterization of the Beam

In the original article, the following authors were missing: Luigi Faillace, Lucia Giuliano, Mauro Migliorati, Luigi Palumbo. The corrected Author Contributions statement appears below. Affiliation 3, ‘Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy’, is also added for authors LF, LG, MM, and LP. The authors apologize for these errors and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated