Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of cell-derived submicron vesicles released under physiological or pathological conditions. EVs mediate the cellular crosstalk, thus contributing to defining the tumor microenvironment, including in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The available literature investigating the role of EVs in EOC has been reviewed following PRISMA guidelines, focusing on the role of EVs in early disease diagnosis, metastatic spread, and the development of chemoresistance in EOC. Data were identified from searches of Medline, Current Contents, PubMed, and from references in relevant articles from 2010 to 1 April 2020. The research yielded 194 results. Of these, a total of 36 papers, 9 reviews, and 27 original types of research were retained and analyzed. The literature findings demonstrate that a panel of EV-derived circulating miRNAs may be useful for early diagnosis of EOC. Furthermore, it appears clear that EVs are involved in mediating two crucial processes for metastatic and chemoresistance development: the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and tumor escape from the immune system response. Further studies, more focused on in vivo evidence, are urgently needed to clarify the role of EV assessment in the clinical management of EOC patients.     

High-Temperature Heat-Insulating Materials Based on Vermiculite

The production technology and composition of high-temperature heat-insulating materials based on vermiculite have been developed, as applied to the conditions of the Borovichi Refractory Works. Using these materials makes it possible to lower material consumption in thermal machinery, reduce inefficient heat losses, and decrease by 10 – 15 times the total fuel consumption in continuous furnaces and by more than 45% in batch furnaces.     

Kinetics of concentrating and ultrapurifying dichlorosilane by batch distillation with periodical withdrawals

The results of theoretical and experimental studies for the kinetics of separating dichlorosilane from a mixture of volatile chlorosilanes and ultrapurifying the dichlorosilane concentrate by batch distillation are reported. A mathematical model of the process is proposed. It is shown that the model and computational algorithm adequately describe both processes. The obtained experimental and theoretical data made it possible to design a concentration and ultrapurification process with a maximal productivity at a specified product purity.     

A “Golden Age” for the discovery of new antileishmanial agents: Current status of leishmanicidal gold complexes and prospective targets beyond the trypanothione system

Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected diseases worldwide and is considered a serious public health issue. The current therapeutic options have several disadvantages that make the search for new therapeutics urgent. Gold compounds are emerging as promising candidates based on encouraging in vitro and limited in vivo results for several Au^I and Au^III complexes. The antiparasitic mechanisms of these molecules remain only partially understood. However, a few studies have proposed the trypanothione redox system as a target, similar to the mammalian thioredoxin system, pointed out as the main target for several gold compounds with significant antitumor activity. In this review, we present the current status of the investigation and design of gold compounds directed at treating leishmaniasis. In addition, we explore potential targets in Leishmania parasites beyond the trypanothione system, taking into account previous studies and structure modulation performed for gold-based compounds.     

Vermiculite — a Promising Material for High-Temperature Heat Insulators

Vermiculite, a mineral of natural occurrence of the group of hydromicas, when heated to above 300°C, expands to become a highly efficient heat-insulating material. The expanded vermiculite, owing to its unique properties – low bulk density, low heat conductivity, relatively high melting point, chemical inertness, endurance, and environmental safety – can be used as a filler for heat-insulating materials. Heat insulators based on expanded vermiculite can be used in thermal power units with the hot-wall temperature not exceeding 1150°C as replacement for lightweight chamotte components and fibrous heat insulators.     

Wear of magnesia spinel refractories in portion vacuum-processing steel plant

Conclusions The processes of wear in the lining of vacuum chambers of outdoor-furnace vacuum-treatment plants (UPVS) are due to the simultaneous action of high temperatures, deep vacuum, gaseous medium, molten metal, and slag. The corrosion and erosion of aggressive melts of slag and metal are the decisive forms of wear.Laboratory investigations established the relationship between slag resistance in vacuum and the ratio of corrosive and erosive constituents in the wear of different magnesia-spinel refractories and their phase composition, structure, and properties.Refractories obtained from fused periclase-chromite material with a low content of fusible silicates showed that in laboratory vacuum equipment and during service in the linings of the vaccum chamber of industrial plant they have higher slag resistance and lower wear than refractories based on sintered magnesite, spinel, and chromite ores.Translated from Ogneupory, No. 3, pp. 14–21, March, 1980.     

Natural graphite ahes and their effect on the properties of carbonized periclase refractories

The properties of Chinese natural graphite of grades FG+194 and FG+198 and their ashes are investigated. The extent of the effect of ash content in graphite on the technical parameters of carbonized periclase refractories with an increased carbon content is demonstrated. The advisability of using low-ash graphite for carbon-bearing refractories is justified. __________ Translated from Novye Ogneupory, No. 5, pp. 35–40, May, 2007.     

A low-cost real time virtual system for postural stability assessment at home

Background and objective

The degeneration of the balance control system in the elderly and in many pathologies requires measuring the equilibrium conditions very often. In clinical practice, equilibrium control is commonly evaluated by using a force platform (stabilometric platform) in a clinical environment.In this paper, we demonstrate how a simple movement analysis system, based on a 3D video camera and a 3D real time model reconstruction of the human body, can be used to collect information usually recorded by a physical stabilometric platform.

Methods

The algorithm used to reconstruct the human body model as a set of spheres is described and discussed. Moreover, experimental measurements and comparisons with data collected by a physical stabilometric platform are also reported. The measurements were collected on a set of 6 healthy subjects to whom a change in equilibrium condition was stimulated by performing an equilibrium task.

Results

The experimental results showed that more than 95% of data collected by the proposed method were not significantly different from those collected by the classic platform, thus confirming the usefulness of the proposed system.

Conclusions

The proposed virtual balance assessment system can be implemented at low cost (about 500$) and, for this reason, can be considered a home use medical device. On the contrary, astabilometric platform has a cost of about 10,000$ and requires periodical calibration. The proposed system does not require periodical calibration, as is necessary for stabilometric force platforms, and it is easy to use. In future, the proposed system with little integration can be used, besides being an emulator of a stabilometric platform, also to recognize and track, in real time, head, legs, arms and trunk, that is to collect information actually obtained by sophisticated optoelectronic systems.     

Synthesis and Characterization of a New Sillenite Compound—Bi12(B0.5P0.5)O20

A new sillenite compound, Bi₁₂(B_0.5P_0.5)O₂₀, was synthesized using a solid-state reaction method. The stoichiometry was confirmed by XRD analyses, microstructural investigations, and quantitative elemental analysis. An investigation of the dielectric properties at frequencies from 100 Hz to 1 MHz revealed a broad, highly frequency-dispersive, relaxor-like dielectric anomaly, which appeared in the temperature range of −80°–100°C. The permittivity, Q × f value, and temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency, measured at ∼5.5 GHz, were determined to be 37.4, 850 GHz, and −19 ppm/K, respectively.