Thermo-responsive, UV-active poly(phenyl acrylate)-b-poly(diethyl acrylamide) block copolymers

The homopolymerization of phenyl acrylate (PA) was investigated for the first time by nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP) with the succinimidyl form of the SG1-based unimolecular initiator 2-[N-tert-butyl-2,2-(dimethylpropyl)-aminooxy]propionic acid (BlocBuilder MA). The control of PPA homopolymerization was improved by the use of 15 mol% additional free nitroxide SG1 ([tert-butyl[1-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-2,2-dimethylpropyl]amino]oxidanyl) and dispersities, Mw/Mn, of around 1.2 were achieved. A PPA homopolymer was then successfully chain-extended with diethyl acrylamide (DEAAm) to form a block copolymer of PPA-b-PDEAAm where the PDEAAm segment is thermo-responsive, while the PPA block is potentially UV-active. The thermo-responsive behavior of the block copolymer in 0.5 wt% aqueous solution was studied by UV-Vis spectrometry and dynamic light scattering (DLS), indicating cloud point temperatures of 26–30°C, close to that reported for PDEAAm homopolymers

The emergent role of digital technologies in the context of humanitarian supply chains: a systematic literature review

The role of digital technologies (DTs) in humanitarian supply chains (HSC) has become an increasingly researched topic in the operations literature. While numerous publications have dealt with this convergence, most studies have focused on examining the implementation of individual DTs within the HSC context, leaving relevant literature, to date, dispersed and fragmented. This study, through a systematic literature review of 110 articles on HSC published between 2015 and 2020, provides a unified overview of the current state-of-the-art DTs adopted in HSC operations. The literature review findings substantiate the growing significance of DTs within HSC, identifying their main objectives and application domains, as well as their deployment with respect to the different HSC phases (i.e., Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery). Furthermore, the findings also offer insight into how participant organizations might configure a technological portfolio aimed at overcoming operational difficulties in HSC endeavours. This work is novel as it differs from the existing traditional perspective on the role of individual technologies on HSC research by reviewing multiple DTs within the HSC domain

Toward prevention of doping in youth sport: Cross-sectional analysis of correlates of doping tendency in swimming

Doping is recognized as one of the most important problems in sports, but a limited number of studies have investigated doping problems in youth athletes. This study aimed to evaluate doping tendency (potential doping behavior (PDB)) and correlates of PDB in youth age swimmers. The participants were 241 competitive swimmers (131 females; 15.3 ± 1.1 years of age, all under 18 years old). Variables included predictors and PDB (criterion). Predictors consisted of sociodemographic factors (gender and age), sport-related variables (i.e., experience in swimming and sport achievement), variables explaining coaching strategy and training methodology, consumption of dietary supplements (DS), knowledge about doping, and knowledge about sports nutrition and DS (KSN). In addition to the descriptive statistics and differences between genders, a multinomial regression using PDB as the criterion (negative-, neutral-, or positive-PDB, with a negative-PDB as the reference value) was calculated to define associations between predictors and criterion. With only 71% of swimmers who declared negative-PDB results indicated an alarming figure. Boys with better KSN were more negatively oriented toward positive-PDB (OR: 0.77, 95%CI: 0.60–0.95). In girls, lower competitive achievement was evidenced as a risk factor for neutral-PDB (OR: 0.39, 95%CI: 0.24–0.63). Also, higher neutral-PDB (OR: 0.88, 95%CI: 0.81–0.96) and positivePDB (OR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.83–0.99) were identified in girls who began with intensive training in younger age. Because of the alarming figures of PDB, there is an evident need for the development of systematic antidoping educational programs in youth swimming. In doing so, focus should be placed on girls who began intensive training at an earlier age and those who did not achieve high competitive results

Angiotensin II inhibits growth of cultured embryonic renomedullary interstitial cells through the AT2 receptor

Angiotensin II inhibits growth of cultured embryonic renomedullary interstitial cells through the AT2 receptor. The high abundance of angiotensin II (Ang II) AT2, relative to the AT1 receptor subtype in developing kidneys may be related to their potential as mediators of cell growth, although little evidence exists to support this concept. Renomedullary interstitial cells (RMICs) differentiate early in embryonic kidneys and are important in subsequent nephron development. These cells have been shown in vivo to possess AT2 binding sites, although the functional significance of these sites remains unknown. The aim of the current investigation was to examine the actions of Ang II on cultured embryonic renomedullary interstitial cells (ERMICs). 125I-[Sar1, Ile8]Ang II specifically bound to AT1 and AT2 receptors on ERMICs, and their mRNAs were detected by reverse transcription—polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Angiotensin II (10−6M) increased intracellular IP3 concentrations at 20 seconds, and decreased intracellular cAMP concentrations after 10 minutes. Angiotensin II (10−6M) induced an increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation, mediated through the AT1 receptor subtype. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF; 20 ng/ml) also increased 3[H]thymidine incorporation after 24 hours of treatment, an effect that was attenuated by subsequent addition of Ang II (10−6M). This antiproliferative action of Ang II was blocked by PD 123319 (10−6M), an AT2 receptor antagonist, and was not affected by losartan (10−6M), an AT1 receptor antagonist. These results indicate a dual role for Ang II in regulating ERMIC mitogenesis: a growth stimulating effect mediated by the AT1 receptor subtype, and an antiproliferative effect mediated by the AT2 receptor subtype

Longitudinal metabolic and gut bacterial profiling of pregnant women with previous bariatric surgery

Due to the global increase in obesity rates and success of bariatric surgery in weight reduction, an increasing number of women now present pregnant with a previous bariatric procedure. This study investigates the extent of bariatric-associated metabolic and gut microbial alterations during pregnancy and their impact on fetal development. Design A parallel metabonomic (1H NMR spectroscopy) and gut bacterial (16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing) profiling approach was used to determine maternal longitudinal phenotypes associated with malabsorptive/mixed (n=25) or restrictive (n=16) procedures, compared to women with similar early pregnancy body mass index but without bariatric surgery (n=70). Metabolic profiles of offspring at birth were also analysed. Results Previous malabsorptive, but not restrictive, procedures induced significant changes in maternal metabolic pathways involving branched-chain and aromatic amino acids with decreased circulation of leucine, isoleucine and isobutyrate, increased excretion of microbial-associated metabolites of protein putrefaction (phenylacetlyglutamine, p-cresol sulfate, indoxyl sulfate and p-hydroxyphenylacetate), and a shift in the gut microbiota. Urinary concentration of phenylacetylglutamine was significantly elevated in malabsorptive patients relative to controls (P=0.001) and was also elevated in urine of neonates born from these mothers (P=0.021). Furthermore, the maternal metabolic changes induced by malabsorptive surgery were associated with reduced maternal insulin resistance and fetal/birth weight. Conclusion Metabolism is altered in pregnant women with a previous malabsorptive bariatric surgery. These alterations may be beneficial for maternal outcomes, but the effect of elevated levels of phenolic and indolic compounds on fetal and infant health should be investigated further

Gephyrin, the enigmatic organizer at GABAergic synapses

GABAA receptors are clustered at synaptic sites to achieve a high density of postsynaptic receptors opposite the input axonal terminals. This allows for an efficient propagation of GABA mediated signals, which mostly result in neuronal inhibition. A key organizer for inhibitory synaptic receptors is the 93 kDa protein gephyrin that forms oligomeric superstructures beneath the synaptic area. Gephyrin has long been known to be directly associated with glycine receptor β subunits that mediate synaptic inhibition in the spinal cord. Recently, synaptic GABAA receptors have also been shown to directly interact with gephyrin and interaction sites have been identified and mapped within the intracellular loops of the GABAA receptor α1, α2, and α3 subunits. Gephyrin-binding to GABAA receptors seems to be at least one order of magnitude weaker than to glycine receptors (GlyRs) and most probably is regulated by phosphorylation. Gephyrin not only has a structural function at synaptic sites, but also plays a crucial role in synaptic dynamics and is a platform for multiple protein-protein interactions, bringing receptors, cytoskeletal proteins and downstream signaling proteins into close spatial proximity