Gene silencing by siRNA nanoparticles synthesized via sonochemical method

The knowledge that small RNAs can affect gene expression has had a tremendous impact on basic and applied research, and gene silencing is currently one of the most promising new approaches for disease therapy. However, RNAs cannot easily penetrate cell membranes, therefore RNA delivery become one of the major challenges for gene silencing technology. In the current paper we discuss a general approach for converting siRNA molecules into a dense siRNA nanoparticles using environmentally friendly sonochemical method. The RNA nanoparticulation enhance its gene-silencing activity in vascular bovine endothelial as well as in cancer 293T/GFP-Puro cell lines without causing any toxic effect. We show that ultrasonic waves do not lead to RNA degradation or any changes in its chemical structure. Moreover, sonochemically produced siRNA nanoparticles have been shown to be resistant to a variety of environmental stresses including pH levels, enzymes and temperatures, hence solving problem of the short half-life of the RNA molecules. As the siRNA nanoparticles are biocompatibile and biodegradabile, and their RNA release properties may be controlled within limits, sonochemical formation of siRNA nanoparticles represent a new promising approach for generation of functional bionano materials.(undefined

Possibilities of Developing of Metallurgical Data Dumps

Data about the technological production characteristics are sent to the archive, where they will be stored for many years. However, the stored data contains many undisclosed links between technological factors and technical and economic production indicators. The article presents a hypothesis about the possibility of processing data generated during production processes of industrial enterprises by analogy developing mining and physical dumps. The article provides an example of studying the sufficiency of the volume of a data metallurgical dump for constructing mathematical models using the experimental planning method. Samples from real production data dumps can compensate for the difficulties of implementing a modern active experiment in training future specialists in secondary vocational and higher education institutions. It is established that the data accumulated over the year in the production archive contain the necessary combinations of realizations of random variables for the two-factor model. The interval method of varying the levels of variables enables to construct an experimental matrix for a three-factor model as well. Keywords: data dump, production data, metallurgical data, data analysis in metallurgy, matrix, mathematical planning, production management, model, model parameters identification, interval method

Sonochemically-induced spectral shift as a probe of green fluorescent protein release from nano capsules

Encapsulation in the form of micro and nanocapsules is an attractive route for controlling the delivery and release of active proteins and peptides. Many approaches exist to probe the morphology of such capsules as well as their mechanisms of formation. By contrast, the release of proteins from such components in a complex biological environment has been challenging to probe directly. In this paper we show that the spectral differences between green fluorescent protein (GFP) in capsules and in its free form can be used to monitor in situ the release of the protein from the confinement of capsules. These findings represent a new route towards engineering the spectral characteristics of GFP through physical rather than chemical means. We demonstrate the use of GFP protein capsules for monitoring in real time the release of protein in live cells by exposing rat L6 myotubes to protein capsules. The GFP spheres with a blue fluorescent signal dissociate inside the L6 myotubes to individual GFP molecules with a change in fluorescent signal from blue to green. These sensitive spectral characteristics enabled us to resolve the dissociation of capsules inside the cells in both time and space. We discuss the implications of our results for quantifying parameters crucial for the delivery of proteins in biological environments

Foundry production digitalization

Domestic companies upgrade their production facilities as it is an imperative of the economy changing over to a new technological mode right now. Industrial companies use more automation and robotization of production, and the level of digital intellectualization is growing. Introduced into technological processes, digital technologies save time and costs of production and reduce the human factor effect. Foundry industry is no exception. The authors suggest considering a foundry process as a set of stages: designing and manufacturing casting models, preparation of charge materials, preparation of initial molding materials, smelting, mixing, casting metal in ladles, mold manufacturing, pouring smelt in mold, knocking castings out of mold, stumping and cleaning of castings, heat treatment of castings, quality inspection of castings. The article organizes information about the digital technologies used at each of the selected stages of the foundry castings by pouring the melt into sand molds. The application of computer technology, digital devices, and software is considered in detail at the stages of the casting model design, charging and molding materials preparation, sand mold manufacturing and casting quality inspection. Digital technologies optimize production, save time and costs. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Possibilities of information technologies application to production problems solving by math modeling methods

Nowadays there exist a great number of program packages, allowing solution of common tasks of automation of the math modeling. Industries with their specific features may demand particular approaches to solving their problems. Modern information technologies allow development of a special application software for processing a specific task in such cases. The article suggests a description of a general architecture concept of the application software, which can automate tasks of the math modeling to solve different issues related to the industrial production. It describes a detailed algorithm of data processing in such a product using the capabilities of the information technologies. The capabilities of such an application software are shown in the example of preliminary draft model design of large pouring ladle stopper durability. The results that have been achieved with the help of the extemporized model allow making a conclusion that a model that has been built by the same techniques based on an annual scope of collected information will make it possible to get reliable answers for the tasks of production management. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Pedagogia de Humberto Mauro: a natureza em Azulão e O João de Barro

Observamos atualmente uma crescente utilização do audiovisual na produção de materiais educativos, porém, quase sempre, sem a contrapartida de uma reflexão sobre o alcance pedagógico da imagem em movimento. Interessados sobretudo no conteúdo a ser passado, os vídeos educativos, em geral, acabam reproduzindo a estética da televisão e do cinema industrial, que raramente permite o estabelecimento de uma relação de aprendizagem satisfatória com os filmes. Este artigo analisa dois filmes educativos do cineasta Humberto Mauro: Azulão (1948) e O João de Barro (1956), produzidos pelo Instituto Nacional de Cinema Educativo (INCE). A partir de uma investigação sobre o método do cineasta, tentamos entender como ele representa a natureza em seus filmes. Buscamos com isso contribuições para uma discussão mais aprofundada a respeito da aprendizagem com imagens, avançando algumas sugestões para a produção contemporânea de vídeos educativos.We observed that nowadays there is a growing use of audiovisual in the production of educative materials, although most of these materials don’t contain a reflection about the pedagogic scope that images in movement can provide. Interested especially in the contents to be transmitted, most educative videos reproduce the television and industrial cinema esthetic, which rarely allows a satisfactory learning relation with the films. This paper analyzes two educative films of the director Humberto Mauro: Azulão (1948) and O João de Barro (1956), produced by the Instituto Nacional de Cinema Educativo (INCE). Based on an investigation of his method, we tried to understand how he represents nature in these films. We hope to contribute to the discussion about the learning process with images, presenting some suggestions for the production of contemporary educative video

A nomological network for misophonia in two German samples using the S-Five model for misophonia

The Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome Scale (S-Five) is a contemporary and multidimensional self-report instrument measuring different aspects of misophonia. The five-factor scale consists of 25 items measuring the severity of the misophonic experience. The items capture misophonia in relation to internalising and externalising appraisals, perceived threat, aggressive behavior (outbursts), and adverse impact on individuals’ lives. It is complemented by a trigger checklist (S-Five-T), measuring the emotional nature and intensity of reactions to sensory triggers. In this work, we administered the S-Five in two German samples with a majority of individuals with significant misophonia. The S-Five and the supplementary S-Five-T were both translated into German using a rigorous translation procedure (i.e., TRAPD) and were separately tested in large German community samples. Psychometric analyses included the evaluation of the factor structure, measurement invariance with respect to age and gender, reliability (internal consistency and stability over time), and an extensive examination of the construct validity in a proposed nomological network. The nomological network we explore in this work consists of several constructs including different misophonic manifestations, anger and aggression, disgust propensity, anxiety sensitivity, depression, obsessive–compulsive traits, and functional impairment in different life domains. Results indicate evidence in line with the nomological network as demonstrated by strong correlations between the S-Five dimensions and convergent measures. All S-Five dimensions strongly correlated with overall misophonic symptoms (r ≥ 0.53). Internalising appraisals were highly associated with insight into excessive or disproportionate reactions to sounds (r ≥ 0.59), externalising appraisals with anger and irritability (r ≥ 0.46), threat with trait anxiety and dysregulation facets (r ≥ 0.62), aggressive behavior (outbursts) with anger and behavioral dysregulation (r ≥ 0.70), and impact with distress and functional impairment (r ≥ 0.64). The results demonstrate that the S-Five has a robust five-factor structure and allows to draw reliable and valid conclusions about misophonic experiences in German samples. The proposed nomological network gives an initial insight into the nature of misophonia and provides a formalized fundament to develop and test further hypotheses about misophonia in a more sophisticated and symptom-oriented way

A nomological network for misophonia in two German samples using the S-Five model for misophonia

The Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome Scale (S-Five) is a contemporary and multidimensional self-report instrument measuring different aspects of misophonia. The five-factor scale consists of 25 items measuring the severity of the misophonic experience. The items capture misophonia in relation to internalising and externalising appraisals, perceived threat, aggressive behavior (outbursts), and adverse impact on individuals’ lives. It is complemented by a trigger checklist (S-Five-T), measuring the emotional nature and intensity of reactions to sensory triggers. In this work, we administered the S-Five in two German samples with a majority of individuals with significant misophonia. The S-Five and the supplementary S-Five-T were both translated into German using a rigorous translation procedure (i.e., TRAPD) and were separately tested in large German community samples. Psychometric analyses included the evaluation of the factor structure, measurement invariance with respect to age and gender, reliability (internal consistency and stability over time), and an extensive examination of the construct validity in a proposed nomological network. The nomological network we explore in this work consists of several constructs including different misophonic manifestations, anger and aggression, disgust propensity, anxiety sensitivity, depression, obsessive–compulsive traits, and functional impairment in different life domains. Results indicate evidence in line with the nomological network as demonstrated by strong correlations between the S-Five dimensions and convergent measures. All S-Five dimensions strongly correlated with overall misophonic symptoms (r ≥ 0.53). Internalising appraisals were highly associated with insight into excessive or disproportionate reactions to sounds (r ≥ 0.59), externalising appraisals with anger and irritability (r ≥ 0.46), threat with trait anxiety and dysregulation facets (r ≥ 0.62), aggressive behavior (outbursts) with anger and behavioral dysregulation (r ≥ 0.70), and impact with distress and functional impairment (r ≥ 0.64). The results demonstrate that the S-Five has a robust five-factor structure and allows to draw reliable and valid conclusions about misophonic experiences in German samples. The proposed nomological network gives an initial insight into the nature of misophonia and provides a formalized fundament to develop and test further hypotheses about misophonia in a more sophisticated and symptom-oriented way

Wild-type and mutant SOD1 share an aberrant conformation and a common pathogenic pathway in ALS.

Many mutations confer one or more toxic function(s) on copper/zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) that impair motor neuron viability and cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). Using a conformation-specific antibody that detects misfolded SOD1 (C4F6), we found that oxidized wild-type SOD1 and mutant SOD1 share a conformational epitope that is not present in normal wild-type SOD1. In a subset of human sporadic ALS (SALS) cases, motor neurons in the lumbosacral spinal cord were markedly C4F6 immunoreactive, indicating that an aberrant wild-type SOD1 species was present. Recombinant, oxidized wild-type SOD1 and wild-type SOD1 immunopurified from SALS tissues inhibited kinesin-based fast axonal transport in a manner similar to that of FALS-linked mutant SOD1. Our findings suggest that wild-type SOD1 can be pathogenic in SALS and identify an SOD1-dependent pathogenic mechanism common to FALS and SALS