Gestational Exposure to Sidestream (Secondhand) Cigarette Smoke Promotes Transgenerational Epigenetic Transmission of Exacerbated Allergic Asthma and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Embryonic development is highly sensitive to xenobiotic toxicity and in utero exposure to environmental toxins affects physiological responses of the progeny. In the United States, the prevalence of allergic asthma (AA) is inexplicably rising and in utero exposure to cigarette smoke increases the risk of AA and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in children and animal models. We reported that gestational exposure to sidestream cigarette smoke (SS), or secondhand smoke, promoted nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-dependent exacerbation of AA and BPD in mice. Recently, perinatal nicotine injections in rats were reported to induce peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-dependent transgenerational transmission of asthma. Herein, we show that first generation and second generation progeny from gestationally SS-exposed mice exhibit exacerbated AA and BPD that is not dependent on the decrease in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ levels. Lungs from these mice show strong eosinophilic infiltration, excessive Th2 polarization, marked airway hyperresponsiveness, alveolar simplification, decreased lung compliance, and decreased lung angiogenesis. At the molecular level, these changes are associated with increased RUNX3 expression, alveolar cell apoptosis, and the antiangiogenic factor GAX, and decreased expression of HIF-1α and proangiogenic factors NF-κB and VEGFR2 in the 7-d first generation and second generation lungs. Moreover, the lungs from these mice exhibit lower levels of microRNA (miR)-130a and increased levels of miR-16 and miR-221. These miRs regulate HIF-1α-regulated apoptotic, angiogenic, and immune pathways. Thus the intergenerational effects of gestational SS involve epigenetic regulation of HIF-1α through specific miRs contributing to increased incidence of AA and BPD in the progenies

The Role of Creativity in Entrepreneurship

This paper evaluates the contribution of creativity to entrepreneurship theory and practice in terms of building an holistic and transdisciplinary understanding of its impact. Acknowledgement is made of the subjectivist theory of entrepreneurship which embraces randomness, uncertainty and ambiguity but these factors should then be embedded in wider business and social contexts. The analysis is synthesised into a number of themes, from consideration of its definition, its link with personality and cognitive style, creativity as a process and the use of biography in uncovering data on creative entrepreneurial behaviour. Other relevant areas of discussion include creativity’s link with motivation, actualisation and innovation, as well as the interrogation of entrepreneurial artists as owner/managers. These factors are embedded in a critical evaluation of how creativity contributes to successful entrepreneurship practice. Modelling, measuring and testing entrepreneurial creativity are also considered and the paper includes detailed consideration of several models of creativity in entrepreneurship. Recommendations for future theory and practice are also made

Pain in platin-induced neuropathies: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Platin-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) is a common cause of PN in cancer patients. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the current literature regarding PIPN, with a particular focus on epidemiological and clinical characteristics of painful PIPN, and to discuss relevant management strategies. METHODS: A systematic computer-based literature search was conducted on the PubMed database. RESULTS: This search strategy resulted in the identification of 353 articles. After the eligibility assessment, 282 articles were excluded. An additional 24 papers were identified by scanning the reference lists. In total, 95 papers met the inclusion criteria and were used for this review. The prevalence of neuropathic symptoms due to acute toxicity of oxaliplatin was estimated at 84.6%, whereas PN established after chemotherapy with platins was estimated at 74.9%. Specifically regarding pain, the reported prevalence of pain due to acute toxicity of oxaliplatin was estimated at 55.6%, whereas the reported prevalence of chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in PIPN was estimated at 49.2%. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication in patients receiving platins and can be particularly painful. There is significant heterogeneity among studies regarding the method for diagnosing peripheral neuropathy. Nerve conduction studies are the gold standard and should be performed in patients receiving platins and complaining of neuropathic symptoms post-treatment

Simulation of fluid flow through FEC metal foam using the periodic geometrical model of foam

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki komputerowej symulacji przepływu wody przez pianę ze stopu FeCrAlY (FEC). Symulacje przeprowadzono w obszarze przepływu ograniczonym do reprezentywnej elementarnej objętości piany (REV). Stwierdzono że nawet przy znacznym uproszczenia struktury geometrycznej piany, możliwe jest poprawne odzwierciedlenie zjawisk hydrodynamicznych w przestrzeni komórkowej piany. Wyznaczone na drodze numerycznej opory przepływu różnią się jedynie o kilka procent od oporów zmierzonych. Uzyskany w symulacji rozkład prędkości oraz przebieg linii prądu pozwala określić warunki zmiany charakteru przepływu z laminarnego na turbulentny.The paper presents the results of computer simulation of water flow through FeCrAlY alloy foam (FEC). Simulations were carried out in the flow area limited to a representative elementary volume of foam (REV). It was found that even at the significant simplification of foam structure geometry the hydrodynamic phenomena in cellular foam were properly reflected. Pressure drop values determined by numerical calculations differ from the measured ones only by a few percent. The velocity distribution and a course of its pathway achieved in simulation allow one to specify the conditions for changing flow nature from laminar to turbulent

Effect of selected thermal processes on antioxidant properties of berry fruit homogenates

Celem pracy było określenie wpływu różnych technik ogrzewania oraz zamrażania, rozmrażania i zamrażalniczego przechowywania na właściwości przeciwutleniające homogenatów z owoców jagodowych. Materiał do badań stanowiły homogenaty owocowe: truskawkowy, z czarnej porzeczki, aroniowy i żurawinowy. Surowce poddano obróbce termicznej: ogrzewaniu (z zastosowaniem kuchenki gazowej, mikrofalowej i urządzenia wielofunkcyjnego Thermomix) i zamrażaniu. Zamrożone próbki przechowywano w temp. -24 ºC: 1) przez 3 dni – w celu określenia wpływu procesu zamrażania na właściwości przeciwutleniające homogenatów, 2) przez 90 dni – w celu określenia wpływu zamrażalniczego przechowywania na te właściwości. Przed badaniem próbki rozmrażano w powietrzu (temp. ok. 21 ºC) i w kuchence mikrofalowej. W surowcach oznaczono zawartość witaminy C, siłę redukującą i zdolność neutralizowania wolnych rodników. Najwięcej witaminy C zawierał homogenat z czarnej porzeczki (6,4 mg/g s. m.), a najwyższą zdolnością redukującą charakteryzował się homogenat truskawkowy (670,2 mg kwasu askorbinowego/g s. m.). Homogenaty aroniowe poddane obróbce termicznej były najefektywniejszym neutralizatorem wolnych rodników (EC50 = 1,52 g s. m./g DPPH•). Temperatura powyżej 95 ºC spowodowała największe straty witaminy C w homogenacie z czarnej porzeczki, przy czym były one mniejsze w wyniku ogrzewania mikrofalowego niż tradycyjnego. Ogrzewanie wpłynęło na wzrost właściwości redukujących i zdolności neutralizowania wolnych rodników, przy czym był on większy podczas podgrzewania metodą tradycyjną. W wyniku zamrażalniczego składowania nastąpiło zmniejszenie zawartości witaminy C i zdolności neutralizowania wolnych rodników (DPPH•). W przypadku siły redukującej wynik przechowywania zależał od surowca. W homogenatach z czarnej porzeczki i truskawki zaobserwowano zmniejszenie siły redukującej, a w żurawinowych i aroniowych - jej wzrost.The objective of the research study was to determine the effect of various heating and freezing techniques, as well as of the defrosting and frozen storage on the antioxidant properties of berry fruit homogenates. The experimental material consisted of strawberry, blackcurrant, cranberry, and chokeberry homogenates. The raw material was thermally treated, i.e. it was heated (using a gas stove, a microwave oven, and a Thermomix multifunction device) and frozen. The frozen samples were stored at a temperature of -24 ºC: 1) for 3 days, to determine the effect of freezing process on the antioxidant properties of homogenates; 2) for 90 days to determine the effect of frozen storage on those properties. Prior to the analysis, the samples were defrosted in air (at a temperature of approx. 21 ºC) and in a microwave oven. In the raw material, there were assayed: content of vitamin C, reducing power, and ability to scavenge free radicals. The blackcurrant homogenate contained the highest amount of vitamin C (6.4 mg/g of dry matter), whereas the strawberry homogenate was characterized by the highest reducing capability (670.2 mg of ascorbic acid/g of dry matter). The thermally treated chokeberry homogenates were the most effective scavengers of free radicals (EC50 = 1.52 g of dry matter/g of DPPH). A temperature above 950C caused the highest losses in vitamin C in the blackcurrant homogenates; those losses were lower in the microwave-heated homogenates than in the conventionally heated ones. The heating caused the reducing properties and free radical-scavenging activity to increase; the increase was higher when heating by a traditional method. The frozen storage caused the content of vitamin C and the scavenging capability of free radicals to decrease. As for the reducing power, the effect of storage depended on the raw material. A decrease was reported in the reducing power of the blackcurrant and strawberry homogenates, while the reducing power of cranberry and chokeberry homogenates increased