In this work, characterization of cohesion reduction at the particle as well as bulk scales is addressed, including the investigation of analytical models to relate the properties at two scales. Two ...techniques, surface silanization and dry particle coating, are utilized to reduce the cohesiveness and improve the flowability of fine cohesive aluminum powders. Cohesiveness of these surface modified powders is evaluated at the particle scale through the particle properties such as surface roughness and surface energy, and at the bulk scale in both consolidated and aerated state using a Sevilla Powder Tester through unconfined tensile strength, solid fraction, settling and bubbling velocity. In addition, bulk-scale characterization using standard Angle of Repose (AoR) method is carried out. An analytical model is proposed, which allows for calculating interparticle pull-off force where the representative surface morphology is randomly generated and the plastic deformation of asperities in contact is taken into account. Experimental results indicate that surface silanization and dry particle coating can dramatically improve the flowability, and make otherwise unfluidizable powder fluidizable. The reduction of cohesiveness is largely ascribed to the reduction of surface free energy, which becomes less than 1/4 of the original value. Bond number is computed for all samples from the interparticle pull-off force and measured particle size. Surface modification drastically reduces the Bond number by approximately 2 orders of magnitude indicating the significant improvement of flowability. Representation of particle cohesiveness by Bond number has good qualitative agreement with the bulk-scale cohesiveness characterized by the Angle of Repose as well as the bubbling velocity which is measured using the Sevilla Powder Tester.
Podoplanin in Inflammation and Cancer Quintanilla, Miguel; Montero-Montero, Lucía; Renart, Jaime ...
International journal of molecular sciences,
02/2019, Letnik:
20, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Podoplanin is a small cell-surface mucin-like glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in the development of the alveoli, heart, and lymphatic vascular system. Emerging evidence indicates that it is ...also involved in the control of mammary stem-cell activity and biogenesis of platelets in the bone marrow, and exerts an important function in the immune response. Podoplanin expression is upregulated in different cell types, including fibroblasts, macrophages, T helper cells, and epithelial cells, during inflammation and cancer, where it plays important roles. Podoplanin is implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, promotes inflammation-driven and cancer-associated thrombosis, and stimulates cancer cell invasion and metastasis through a variety of strategies. To accomplish its biological functions, podoplanin must interact with other proteins located in the same cell or in neighbor cells. The binding of podoplanin to its ligands leads to modulation of signaling pathways that regulate proliferation, contractility, migration, epithelial⁻mesenchymal transition, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. In this review, we describe the diverse roles of podoplanin in inflammation and cancer, depict the protein ligands of podoplanin identified so far, and discuss the mechanistic basis for the involvement of podoplanin in all these processes.
The sustainability of biofuels produced from food crops has become a focus of public and scientific scrutiny in the past few years. In the case of ethanol production, advanced technologies aim at ...avoiding controversy by using instead cellulosic biomass contained in wastes, residues and dedicated energy crops. However, despite the positive expectations that drive the development of the so-called “cellulosic” ethanol, sustainability challenges remain to be elucidated. Expecting to contribute to closing the gap in the field of the social assessment of biofuels, this paper reports and analyses the results of a Delphi survey that explored the perception of biofuel experts from different countries on potential social impacts of cellulosic ethanol. The complexity of appraising impacts emerges as one important conclusion of the study along with the realisation that these will be context-specific. Except for the case of municipal solid waste used as feedstock, such a technological transition might not be able to ameliorate the issues already faced by conventional ethanol, especially when production is based in poorer countries. This is because impacts of cellulosic ethanol depend upon both the technical dimension of its production and the socio-political context of locations where production might take place.
•Impacts of biofuel production are complex and highly context-specific.•Cellulosic ethanol production could be more controversial in poorer countries.•Best-case scenarios involve ethanol produced from municipal solid waste.•Impacts depend on the technical and political dimensions of biofuel developments.
This article presents our study of science coverage in the digital Spanish press over the last decade. We employed automated information retrieval procedures to create a corpus of 50,763 text units ...dealing with science and technology, and used automated text-analysis procedures in order to provide a general picture of the structure, characteristics and evolution of science news in Spain. We found between 6% and 7% of science coverage, a clear high proportion of biomedicine and predominance of science over technology, although we also detected an increase in technological content during the second half of the decade. Analysing the extrinsic and intrinsic features of science culture, we found a predominance of intrinsic features that still need further analysis. Our attempt to use specialised software to examine big data was effective, and allowed us to reach these preliminary conclusions.
Previous studies have reported the increased use of English as the “lingua franca” for academic purposes among non-Anglophone researchers. But despite data that confirm this trend, little is known ...about the reasons why researchers decide to publish their results in English rather than in their first language. The aim of this study is to determine the influence of researchers’ scientific domain on their motivation to publish in English. The results are based on a large-scale survey of Spanish postdoctoral researchers at four different universities and one research centre, and reflect responses from 1717 researchers about their difficulties, motivations, attitudes and publication strategies. Researchers’ publication experiences as corresponding authors of articles in English and in their first language are strongly related to their scientific domain. But surprisingly, Spanish researchers across all domains expressed a similar degree of motivation when they write research articles in English. They perceive a strong association between this language and the desire for their research to be recognized and rewarded. Our study also shows that the target scientific audience is a key factor in understanding the choice of publication language. The implications of our findings go beyond the field of linguistics and are relevant to studies of scientific productivity and visibility, the quality and impact of research, and research assessment policies.
To test the hypothesis that clinically significant depression (particularly severe depression) increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
A longitudinal, three-wave epidemiologic study was ...implemented in a sample of individuals aged 55 years and older (n = 4,803) followed up at 2.5 years and 4.5 years. This was a population-based cohort drawn from the Zaragoza Dementia and Depression (ZARADEMP) Project, in Zaragoza, Spain. Participants included individuals cognitively intact at baseline (n = 3,864). The main outcome measures were depression as assessed by using the diagnostic interview Geriatric Mental State- Automated Geriatric Examination for Computer Assisted Taxonomy package; and AD diagnosed by a panel of research psychiatrists according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria. The Fine and Gray multivariate regression model was used in the analysis, accounting for mortality.
At baseline, clinically significant depression was diagnosed in 452 participants (11.7%); of these, 16.4% had severe depression. Seventy incident cases of AD were found at follow-up. Compared with nondepressed individuals, the incidence rate of AD was significantly higher in the severely depressed subjects (incidence rate ratio: 3.59 95% confidence interval: 1.30-9.94). A consistent, significant association was observed between severe depression at baseline and incident AD in the multivariate model (hazard ratio: 4.30 95% CI: 1.39-13.33). Untreated depression was associated with incident AD in the unadjusted model; however, in the final model, this association was attenuated and nonsignificant.
Severe depression increases the risk of AD, even after controlling for the competing risk of death.
Abstract Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been recently used to investigate neuropsychiatric disorders. We aimed to study retinal OCT measures of patients with schizophrenia with respect to ...healthy controls, and to evaluate possible differences between recent illness episode (RIE) and non-recent illness episode (NRIE) patients. Thirty schizophrenia patients were classified as RIE ( n =10) or NRIE ( n =20), and compared with 30 matched controls. Statistical analyses included linear mixed-effects models to study the association between OCT measures and group membership. Multivariate models were used to control for potential confounders. In the adjusted linear mixed-effects regression model, patients had a significantly thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in overall measurements, and in the nasal, superior and inferior quadrants. Macular inner ring thickness and macular volume were also significantly smaller in patients than controls. Compared with controls, in the adjusted model only NRIE (but not RIE) patients had significantly reduced RNFL overall measures, superior RNFL, nasal RNFL, macular volume, and macular inner ring thickness. No significant correlation was found between illness duration and retinal measurements after controlling for age. In conclusion, retinal parameters observed using OCT in schizophrenia patients could be related to clinical status and merit attention as potential state biomarkers of the disorder.
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that clinically significant depression detected in a population sample increases the risk of diabetes mellitus. The authors examined the effect of ...characteristics of depression frequently found in the community on the risk of incident diabetes mellitus.
A large community sample of adults aged > or = 55 years (N=4,803) was assessed at baseline in a longitudinal three-wave epidemiological enquiry using a psychiatric interview and the Geriatric Mental State Schedule. Cases of depression were diagnosed according to standardized criteria, and diabetes was assessed using a risk factors questionnaire. Follow-up evaluations, conducted 2.5 and 5 years later, were completed to determine the incidence of diabetes.
At baseline, 379 case subjects with depression were identified. The risk of incident diabetes mellitus was higher among subjects with depression when compared with nondepressed subjects, and the association remained significant after controlling for potential confounders, including diabetes risk factors. The estimated rate of diabetes mellitus attributable to depression was 6.87%. An increased risk of diabetes mellitus was also associated with the following characteristics of depression: nonsevere depression, persistent depression, and untreated depression. Treatment with antidepressants was not associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus.
Clinically significant depression is associated with a 65% increased risk of diabetes mellitus. Characteristics of depression frequently found in the community, namely nonsevere depression, persistent depression, and untreated depression, may play a role in the development of diabetes in a predominantly elderly adult population.
Podoplanin is a small membrane mucin expressed in tumors associated with malignant progression. It is enriched at cell-surface protrusions where it colocalizes with members of the ERM (ezrin, ...radixin, moesin) protein family. Here, we found that human podoplanin directly interacts with ezrin (and moesin) in vitro and in vivo through a cluster of basic amino acids within its cytoplasmic tail, mainly through a juxtamembrane dipeptide RK. Podoplanin induced an epithelial-mesenchymal transition in MDCK cells linked to the activation of RhoA and increased cell migration and invasiveness. Fluorescence time-lapse video observations in migrating cells indicate that podoplanin might be involved in ruffling activity as well as in retractive processes. By using mutant podoplanin constructs fused to green fluorescent protein we show that association of the cytoplasmic tail with ERM proteins is required for upregulation of RhoA activity and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, expression of either a dominant-negative truncated variant of ezrin or a dominant-negative mutant form of RhoA blocked podoplanin-induced RhoA activation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These results provide a mechanistic basis to understand the role of podoplanin in cell migration or invasiveness.
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