Antidiabetic Effects of Chamomile Flowers Extract in Obese Mice through Transcriptional Stimulation of Nutrient Sensors of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) Family

Given the significant increases in the incidence of metabolic diseases, efficient strategies for preventing and treating of these common disorders are urgently needed. This includes the development of phytopharmaceutical products or functional foods to prevent or cure metabolic diseases. Plant extracts from edible biomaterial provide a potential resource of structurally diverse molecules that can synergistically interfere with complex disorders. In this study we describe the safe application of ethanolic chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers extract (CFE) for the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes and associated disorders. We show in vitro that this extract activates in particular nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and its isotypes. In a cellular context, in human primary adipocytes CFE administration (300 µg/ml) led to specific expression of target genes of PPARγ, whereas in human hepatocytes CFE-induced we detected expression changes of genes that were regulated by PPARα. In vivo treatment of insulin-resistant high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 mice with CFE (200 mg/kg/d) for 6 weeks considerably reduced insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, plasma triacylglycerol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and LDL/VLDL cholesterol. Co-feeding of lean C57BL/6 mice a HFD with 200 mg/kg/d CFE for 20 weeks showed effective prevention of fatty liver formation and hepatic inflammation, indicating additionally hepatoprotective effects of the extract. Moreover, CFE treatment did not reveal side effects, which have otherwise been associated with strong synthetic PPAR-targeting molecules, such as weight gain, liver disorders, hemodilution or bone cell turnover. Taken together, modulation of PPARs and other factors by chamomile flowers extract has the potential to prevent or treat type 2 diabetes and related disorders

Detection of local recurrence with 3-tesla MRI after radical prostatectomy: A useful method for radiation treatment planning?

Background/Aim: Salvage radiotherapy improves biochemical control in patients with recurrence of prostate cancer after prostatectomy. Radiotherapy target volumes of the prostatic fossa are based on empirical data and differ between different guidelines. Localization of recurrence with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might be a feasible approach to localize recurrent lesions. Patients and Methods: Twenty-one patients with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy were included (median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) =0.17 ng/ml). Multi-parametric MRI was performed using a 3-T MR system. Results: Lesions were detected in seven patients with a median PSA of 0.86 ng/ml (minimum= 0.31 ng/ml). Patients without detectable recurrence had a median PSA of 0.12 ng/ml. All patients with detectable lesions responded to radiotherapy. Eleven out of 14 patients without detectable recurrence also responded. Plasma flow in suspicious lesions was correlated with PSA level. Conclusion: Detection of recurrence at the prostatic fossa with our approach was possible in a minority of patients with a low PSA level. Clinical relevance of plasma flow in suspicious lesions should be further investigated

In situ detection of cracks during laser powder bed fusion using acoustic emission monitoring

Despite rapid development of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and its monitoring techniques, there is still a lack of in situ crack detection methods, among which acoustic emission (AE) is one of the most sensitive. To elaborate on this topic, in situ AE monitoring was applied to L-PBF manufacturing of a high-strength Al92Mn6Ce2 (at. %) alloy and combined with subsequent X-ray computed tomography. By using a structure borne high-frequency sensor, even a simple threshold-based monitoring was able to detect AE activity associated with cracking, which occurred not only during L-PBF itself, but also after the build job was completed, i.e. in the cooling phase. AE data analysis revealed that crack-related signals can easily be separated from the background noise (e.g. inert gas circulation pump) through their specific shape of a waveform, as well as their energy, skewness and kurtosis. Thus, AE was verified to be a promising method for L-PBF monitoring, enabling to detect formation of cracks regardless of their spatial and temporal occurrence

In situ characterization of the functional degradation of a [001] orientated Fe–Mn–Al–Ni single crystal under compression using acoustic emission measurements

Acoustic emission (AE) measurements were conducted in situ during cyclic compressive loading on an [ 00 1 over line ] orientated single crystal of Fe-Mn-Al-Ni shape memory alloy to study functional degradation of its superelastic response. The acoustic investigations were corroborated by optical microscopy, employing video imaging, and transmission electron microscopy. The analysis of acoustic emissions recorded during repeated loading and unloading sessions revealed two categories of AE signals that are differed by their characteristics in time and frequency domains. These two distinct types of AE signals were related to two underlying mechanisms: (i) the nucleation and reverse transformation of stress-induced (twinned) martensite, and (ii) the lateral growth and shrinkage of one dominant martensite variant and related dislocation activities, respectively. In addition, an asymmetry in the AE activity during forward and reverse transformation during mechanical loading and unloading was detected. In particular, an unexpected high AE activity was observed during the superelastic unloading of martensitic microstructure from the point of maximum load/strain. This effect was attributed to the reverse transformation of small, tiny areas of martensite as well as to unpinning and annihilation effects related to dislocations. (c) 2021 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

High‐temperature ternary oxide phases in Ta/Nb‐Alumina composite materials

Coarse-grained composites of refractory ceramics and refractory metals are a novel approach for materials at application temperatures up to 1500 °C. Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$ and the refractory metals Nb and Ta are suitable candidates for enhanced thermal shock capability, as they show similar thermal expansion. During fabrication, a key aspect to consider is the possible formation of additional phases upon interaction of the constituent phases as well as through reaction with the environment. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and investigations of the microstructure with scanning electron microscopy methods unveil Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$–Nb composite to form NbO, whereas for Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$–Ta the ternary compound aluminum tantalate (AlTaO$_{4}$) is found. Thermodynamic calculations show that the changing oxygen solubility in Nb accounts for the formation of NbO, and explain the absence of a corresponding niobate (AlNbO4) phase. AlTaO$_{4}$ is identified as the disordered tetragonal high-temperature modification

Synthetic Peptide CK2.3 Enhances Bone Mineral Density in Senile Mice.

Background: Osteoporosis is a silent disease caused by low bone mineral density that results in bone fractures in 1 out of 2 women and 1 in 4 men over the age of 50. Although several treatments for osteopenia and osteoporosis are available, they have severe side effects and new treatments are desperately needed. Current treatments usually target osteoclasts and inhibit their activity or differentiation. Treatments that decrease osteoclast differentiation and activity but enhance osteogenesis and osteoblast activity are not available. We recently developed a peptide, CK2.3, that induces bone formation and increases bone mineral density as demonstrated by injection over the calvaria of 6 to 9-day-old mice and tail vein injection of 8-week-old mice. CK2.3 also decreased osteoclast formation and activity. However, these studies raise questions: does CK2.3 induce similar results in old mice and if so, what is the effective CK2.3 concentration and, is the bone mineral density of vertebrae of the spinal column increased as well? Methods: CK2.3 was systematically injected into the tail vein of female 6-month old mice with various concentrations of CK2.3: 0.76 μg/kg, 2.3 μg/kg, or 6.9 μg/kg per mice. Mice were sacrificed one week, two weeks, and four weeks after the first injection. Their spines and femurs were collected and analyzed for bone formation. Results: Femur and lumbar spine analyses found increased bone mineral density (BMD) and mineral apposition rate, with greater stiffness observed in femoral samples four weeks after the first injection. Histochemistry showed that osteoclastogenesis was suppressed in CK2.3 treated senile mice. Conclusions: For the first time, this study showed the increase of lumbar spine BMD by CK2.3. Moreover, it showed that enhancement of femur BMD was accompanied by increased femur stiffness only at medium concentration of CK2.3 four weeks after the first injection indicating the maintenance of bone\u27s structural integrity by CK2.3

Coarse‐Grained Refractory Composite Castables Based on Alumina and Niobium

Niobium-alumina composite aggregates with 60 vol% metal content and with particle sizes up to 3150 μm are produced using castable technology followed by sintering, and a crushing and sieving process. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals phase separation during crushing as the niobium:corundum volume ratios is between 37:57 and 64:31 among the 4 produced aggregate classes 0–45, 45–500, 500–1000, and 1000–3150 μm. The synthesized aggregates are used to produce coarse-grained refractory composites in a second casting and sintering step. The fine- and coarse-grained material shows porosities between 32% and 36% with a determined cold modulus of rupture of 20 and 12 MPa, and E-moduli of 37 and 46 GPa, respectively. The synthesized fine-grained composites reached true strain values between 0.08 at 1100 °C and 0.18 at 1500 °C and the coarse-grained ones values between 0.02 and 0.09. The electrical conductivity for the fine-grained and the coarse-grained material is 448±66 and 111±25  S cm$^{−1}$, respectively

Attitudes towards ethnic minoritites. Analyses with the European Social Survey

Gegenstand der beiden Beiträge dieses Bandes, die im Rahmen eines Forschungspraktikums im Fach Migrationssoziologie im Wintersemester 2008/2009 und im Sommersemester 2009 an der Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg entstanden, sind Einflussfaktoren fremden- bzw. ausländerfeindlicher Einstellungen der einheimischen Bevölkerung, die anhand der Daten des European Social Surveys (ESS) analysiert werden. Im ersten Beitrag wird der Frage nachgegangen, wodurch sich die im Vergleich zu Westdeutschland höhere Fremdenfeindlichkeit in Ostdeutschland erklären lässt. Hierzu werden die Kontakt- und die Konflikthypothese simultan getestet. Bei der Operationalisierung der Konflikthypothese werden erstmals sowohl Gruppen berücksichtigt, die sich im Sinne der Konflikttheorie durch Zuwanderer bedroht fühlen sollten, als auch das tatsächliche Ausmaß geäußerter Bedrohungsgefühle. Es zeigt sich, dass sich das höhere Ausmaß an Fremdenfeindlichkeit in Ostdeutschland durch den geringeren Kontakt und den stärker empfundenen Konflikt erklären lässt. Im zweiten Beitrag wird im Rahmen eines Vergleichs von 18 EU-Ländern der Frage nachgegangen, inwieweit das Ausmaß fremdenfeindlicher Einstellungen durch das Kollektivgutdilemma der Sozialstaatlichkeit erklärt werden kann. Hierzu wird zunächst das Ausmaß der Fremdenfeindlichkeit auf Mikroebene geschätzt und anschließend für jedes der betrachteten 18 EU-Staaten ein vergleichbarer Indexwert berechnet – der so genannter Human Average Nationalism Statistical Index (HANSI). Dieser Wert geht im zweiten Schritt jeweils als abhängige Variable in das Modell zur Analyse der Makrofaktoren ein. Dabei zeigt sich, dass je umfassender die sozialstaatlichen Leistungen im Sinne eines Kollektivguts interpretiert werden können, desto höher ist das Ausmaß fremdenfeindlicher Einstellungen.The articles in this volume resulted from a teaching research project in migration studies that was conducted during winter term 2008/2009 and summer term 2009 at the Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg. Using data of the European Social Survey (ESS), causes and influencing factors of xenophobic attitudes of the native population are analysed. The first article asks for an explanation regarding the higher degree of Xenophobia in Eastern Germany compared to Western Germany. For this purpose the contact and the conflict hypothesis are tested simultaneously. When operationalising the conflict hypothesis, for the first time not only groups that should feel threatened by immigrants are considered (e.g. the unemployed or the poor), but also the degree of expressed feelings of menace. The authors can show that a higher degree of Xenophobia in Eastern Germany can be explained by a lesser extent of contacts and a higher extent of felt conflict. The second article deals with the question to what extent xenophobic respectively hostile attitudes of the native population towards immigrants can be explained by structural factors on the macro level, especially the public good dilemma of the welfare state. For this purpose 18 countries of the EU are compared. In a first step, the degree of Xenophobia is estimated on the micro level and afterwards a comparable value for every single country is calculated using the estimated coefficients - the so called Human Average Nationalism Statistical Index (HANSI). In a second step, this HANSI-value enters as dependent variable in a model to analyse the impacts of the macro factors. The authors can show that the more the benefits of the welfare state can be seen as a public good, the higher is the degree of Xenophobia

Mechanical High-Temperature Properties and Damage Behavior of Coarse-Grained Alumina Refractory Metal Composites

The present study provides the mechanical properties of a new generation of refractory composites based on coarse-grained Al2O3 ceramic and the refractory metals Nb and Ta. The materials were manufactured by refractory castable technology and subsequently sintered at 1600 °C for 4 h. The mechanical properties and the damage behavior of the coarse-grained refractory composites were investigated at high temperatures between 1300 and 1500 °C. The compressive strength is given as a function of temperature for materials with two different volume fractions of the refractory metals Ta and Nb. It is demonstrated that these refractory composites do not fail in a completely brittle manner in the studied temperature range. The compressive strength for all materials significantly decreases with increasing temperature. Failure occurred due to the formation of cracks along the ceramic/metal interfaces of the coarse-grained Al2O3 particles. In microstructural observations of sintered specimens, the formation of tantalates, as well as niobium oxides, were observed. The lower compressive strength of coarse-grained Nb-Al2O3 refractory composites compared to Ta-Al2O3 is probably attributed to the formation of niobium oxides. The formation of tantalates, however, seems to have no detrimental effect on compressive strength

Mechanism of CK2.3, a Novel Mimetic Peptide of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor Type IA, Mediated Osteogenesis

Background: Osteoporosis is a degenerative skeletal disease with a limited number of treatment options. CK2.3, a novel peptide, may be a potential therapeutic. It induces osteogenesis and bone formation in vitro and in vivo by acting downstream of BMPRIA through releasing CK2 from the receptor. However, the detailed signaling pathways, the time frame of signaling, and genes activated remain largely unknown. Methods: Using a newly developed fluorescent CK2.3 analog, specific inhibitors for the BMP signaling pathways, Western blot, and RT-qPCR, we determined the mechanism of CK2.3 in C2C12 cells. We then confirmed the results in primary BMSCs. Results: Using these methods, we showed that CK2.3 stimulation activated OSX, ALP, and OCN. CK2.3 stimulation induced time dependent release of CK2β from BMPRIA and concurrently CK2.3 colocalized with CK2α. Furthermore, CK2.3 induced BMP signaling depends on ERK1/2 and Smad1/5/8 signaling pathways. Conclusion: CK2.3 is a novel peptide that drives osteogenesis, and we detailed the molecular sequence of events that are triggered from the stimulation of CK2.3 until the induction of mineralization. This knowledge can be applied in the development of future therapeutics for osteoporosis