Diabetes education infrastructure and capacity in hospitals and home health agencies in Maryland and Pennsylvania

Sex-peptide (SP), which is secreted by the accessory gland of Drosophila males, is transferred to the female during copulation, thereby reducing her sexual appetite (receptivity to males) and stimulating ovulation/oviposition. SP is known to be taken up into the hemolymph of mated females, but it is not clear whether there are two separate target tissues, for behavioral changes and ovulation or only one target for both responses. We have employed the GAL4-UAS system to express SP transgene constructs, both in different tissues and in different cellular components of virgin females. A cytoplasmic form of SP lacking a signal sequence did not evoke any responses, even when expressed ubiquitously. In contrast, a membrane-bound form of SP induced typical post-mating behavior, indicating that SP must be outside the cell in order to exert its biological effects. A total of 204 randomly selected P[GAL4] enhancer-trap lines were screened for their ability to induce SP responses in combination with the membrane-bound SP expressed under GAL4 control. Thirty-three lines were associated with both behavioral change and stimulated ovulation. No line was associated with only one of the two responses, implying that the SP target(s) mediating the two responses are either identical, very closely located, or present in two distinct tissues with a common set of genetic determinants. Western blot analysis of head, thorax, and abdominal extracts revealed that the biological activity was correlated with expression in the head fraction.     

Antioxidant vs. Prooxidant Properties of the Flavonoid,Kaempferol, in the Presence of Cu(II) Ions: A ROS-Scavenging Activity,Fenton Reaction and DNA Damage Study

Kaempferol is a flavonoid that occurs in tea and in many vegetables and fruits, including broccoli, cabbage, beans, grapes, apples, and strawberries. The efficacy of Kaempferol has been demonstrated in the treatment of breast, esophageal, cervical, ovarian, and liver cancers and leukemia, which very likely arises from its prooxidant properties and the activation of pro-apoptotic pathways. Indeed, this matter has already been the focus of a number of published studies and reviews. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the antioxidant vs. prooxidant properties of flavonoids in the presence of the redox-active metal, copper (II) ion, by means of the Fenton reaction. The specific motivation of this work is that, since an increased level of Cu(II) ions is known to be associated with many disease states such as neurological conditions (Alzheimer’s disease) and cancer, any interaction between these ions and flavonoids might affect the outcome of therapeutic uses of the latter. The structure of the Cu-kaempferol complex in DMSO was investigated by means of low temperature EPR spectroscopy, which confirmed the existence of at least two distinct coordination environments around the copper (II) ion. UV vis-spectra of kaempferol and its Cu(II) complex in DMSO revealed an interaction between the 5-OH (A ring) group and the 4-CO (C ring) group of kaempferol with Cu(II) ions. An ABTS assay confirmed that kaempferol acted as an effective radical scavenger, and that this effect was further enhanced in the form of the Cu(II)-kaempferol complex. Quantitative EPR spin trapping experiments, using DMPO as the spin trap, confirmed suppression of the formation of a mixture of hydroxyl, superoxide, and methyl radicals, in a Fenton reaction system, upon coordination of kaempferol to the redox-active Cu(II) ions, by 80% with respect to the free Cu(II) ions. A viscometric study revealed a better DNA-intercalating ability of the Cu-kaempferol complex than for free kaempferol, essential for conferring anticancer activity of these substances. The results of the viscometric measurements were compared with those from a DNA damage study of Cu-kaempferol complexes in a Fenton reaction system, using gel electrophoresis. At low concentrations of kaempferol (Cu–kaempferol ratios of 1:1 and 1:2), a very weak protective effect on DNA was noted, whereas when kaempferol was present in excess, a significant DNA-protective effect was found. This can be explained if the weakly intercalated kaempferol molecules present at the surface of DNA provide protection against attack by ROS that originate from the Fenton reaction involving intercalated Cu(II)-kaempferol complexes. Following the application of ROS scavengers, L-histidine, DMSO, and SOD, gel electrophoresis confirmed the formation of singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide radical anions, respectively. We propose that the prooxidant properties of Cu-kaempferol complexes may provide anticancer activity of these substances. When present in excess, kaempferol displays antioxidant properties under Cu-Fenton conditions. This suggests that kaempferol might prove a suitable candidate for the prevention or treatment of oxidative stress related medical conditions that involve a disturbed metabolism of redox metals such as copper, for example, Menkes disease, and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. For the potential use of kaempferol in clinical practice, it will be necessary to optimize the dose size and critical age of the patient so that this flavonoid may be beneficial as a preventive drug against cancer and neurological disorders.     

Terahertz time domain spectroscopy of graphene and MXene polymer composites

The rising demand for faster and more efficient electronic devices forces electronics industry to shift toward terahertz frequencies. Therefore there is a growing need for efficient, lightweight, and easy to produce absorbing materials in the terahertz range for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and related applications. This study presents a study on basic optical properties of two types polymer-based composites loaded with two-dimensional structures—graphene and MXene phases (Ti₂C). In said range, total EMI shielding efficiency (SE) and its components, the absorption coefficient (α ), refractive index, and complex dielectric function are investigated. The ratio of SE absorption component to reflection component (SE_ABS :SE_R ) of fabricated composites is equal or higher than 30:1 in over 80% of studied range. The fabricated composites exhibit low (<0.1) loss tangent in studied range. The addition of 1 wt% of graphene increases the composite α over 10-fold in respect to pure polymer–up to 60 cm⁻¹ for frequency higher than 2 THz.     

Fourier description of the propagation and focusing of an extraordinary beam in a planar uniaxial medium

The scalar-angular-spectrum approach is used to examine a focused extraordinary wave propagating along an arbitrary direction in a homogeneous uniaxial planar medium, and the Fraunhofer diffraction formula is generalized for this case. The size of the focal spot is found to be inversely proportional to an effective index, depending on the refractive indices and the propagation direction. The validity of the paraxial model is checked by nonparaxial (but scalar) numerical calculations. They show that the paraxial formulas predict the spot size correctly, but if the beam propagates neither parallel with nor perpendicular to the optic axis, they do not reproduce the symmetries of the amplitude distribution in the focal line.     

Acrylic bone cements modified with poly(ethylene glycol)‐based biocompatible phase‐change materials

The high polymerization temperature of acrylic bone cements used in hip replacement implantation may cause thermal necrosis of surrounding tissues. In order to reduce the polymerization temperature, acrylic bone cement has been modified with a biocompatible polymeric phase‐change material (PCM) based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of different molecular weights and stabilized with potato starch. Structural and morphological studies were performed, and the thermal and mechanical properties were investigated. The incorporation of PEG‐based PCM led to a decrease in the polymerization temperature of bone cement from 70 °C for unmodified cement to 58 °C for modified cement. Modified cement materials were stable in incubation tests, although acoustic analysis data revealed a decrease in propagation speed after incubation, which indicates formation of material defects (pores, cracks, voids, etc.) due to water activity. However, in the regeneration process, these defects can be filled by freshly grown bone tissue leading to better incorporation of bone cement replacements into tissue. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43898.     

Geostatistical assessment and validation of uncertainty for three-dimensional dioxin data from sediments in an estuarine river

Contaminated sediment management is an urgent environmental and regulatory issue worldwide. Because remediation is expensive, sound quantitative assessments of uncertainty aboutthe spatial distribution of contaminants are critical, butthey are hampered bythe physical complexity of sediment environments. This paper describes the use of geostatistical modeling approaches to quantify uncertainty of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin concentrations in Passaic River (New Jersey) sediments and to incorporate this information in decision-making processes, such as delineation of contaminated areas and additional sampling needs. First, coordinate transformation and analysis of three-dimensional semivariograms were used to describe and modelthe directional variability accounting forthe meandering course of the river. Then, indicator kriging was employed to provide models of local uncertainty at unsampled locations without requiring a prior transform (e.g. log-normal) of concentrations. Cross-validation results show that the use of probability thresholds leads to more efficient delineation of contaminated areas than a classification based on the exceedence of regulatory thresholds by concentration estimates. Depending on whether additional sampling aims at reducing prediction errors or misclassification rates, the variance of local probability distributions or a measure of the expected closeness to the regulatory threshold can be used to locate candidate locations.     

Assessment of cytotoxicity and immune compatibility of phytochemicals‐mediated biosynthesised silver nanoparticles using Cynara scolymus

The study was focused on the phytochemicals‐mediated biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using leaf extracts and infusions from Cynara scolymus. To identify the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content, the 1,1‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl and Folin–Ciocalteau methods were applied, respectively. The formation and stability of the reduced silver ions were monitored by UV–vis spectrophotometer. The particle sizes of the silver nanoparticles were characterised using the dynamic light scattering technique and scanning electron microscope. The phase composition of the obtained silver nanoparticles was characterised by X‐ray diffraction. The silver nanoparticles suspension, artichoke infusion, and silver ions were separately tested towards potential cytotoxicity and pro‐inflammatory effect using mouse fibroblasts and human monocytes cell line, respectively. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of ethanol extract and infusion were found significantly higher as compared to aqueous extract and infusion. The UV–visible spectrophotometric analysis revealed the presence of the characteristic absorption band of the Ag nanoparticles. Moreover, it was found that with the increasing volume of plant extract, the average size of particles was increased. Biocompatibility results evidently showed that silver nanoparticles do not induce monocyte activation, however in order to avoid their cytotoxicity suspension at a concentration <2 ppm should be applied.Inspec keywords: pharmaceuticals, health and safety, renewable materials, toxicology, organic compounds, antibacterial activity, X‐ray diffraction, nanomedicine, nanoparticles, nanofabrication, suspensions, ultraviolet spectra, visible spectra, scanning electron microscopy, silver, particle sizeOther keywords: phytochemicals‐mediated biosynthesis, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, dynamic light scattering technique, silver nanoparticles suspension, scanning electron microscopy, Cynara scolymus, 1,1 diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl method, cytotoxicity, immune compatibility, leaf extracts, UV‐vis spectrophotometry, particle size, Folin‐Ciocalteau methods, phase composition, X‐ray diffraction, artichoke infusion, pro‐inflammatory effect, mouse fibroblasts, human monocytes cell line, Ag