Proinflammatory Interleukin-33 Induces Dichotomic Effects on Cell Proliferation in Normal Gastric Epithelium and Gastric Cancer

Interleukin (IL)-33 is a member of the interleukin (IL)-1 family of cytokines linked to the development of inflammatory conditions and cancer in the gastrointestinal tract. This study is designed to investigate whether IL-33 has a direct effect on human gastric epithelial cells (GES-1), the human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (AGS), and the gastric carcinoma cell line (NCI-N87) by assessing its role in the regulation of cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Cell cycle regulation was also determined in ex vivo gastric cancer samples obtained during endoscopy and surgical procedures. Cell lines and tissue samples underwent stimulation with rhIL-33. Proliferation was assessed by XTT and CFSE assays, migration by wound healing assay, and apoptosis by caspase 3/7 activity assay and annexin V assay. Cell cycle was analyzed by means of propidium iodine assay, and gene expression regulation was assessed by RT-PCR profiling. We found that IL-33 has an antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect on cancer cell lines, and it can stimulate proliferation and reduce apoptosis in normal epithelial cell lines. These effects were also confirmed by the analysis of cell cycle gene expression, which showed a reduced expression of pro-proliferative genes in cancer cells, particularly in genes involved in G0/G1 and G2/M checkpoints. These results were confirmed by gene expression analysis on bioptic and surgical specimens. The aforementioned results indicate that IL-33 may be involved in cell proliferation in an environment- and cell-type-dependent manner.     

Recent Biophysical Issues About the Preparation of Solute-Filled Lipid Vesicles

Here we report some recent biophysical issues on the preparation of solute-filled lipid vesicles and their relevance to the construction of “synthetic cells.” First, we introduce the “semi-synthetic minimal cells” as the liposome-based cell-like systems, which contain a minimal number of biomolecules required to display simple and complex biological functions. Next, we focus on recent aspects related to the construction of synthetic cells. Emphasis is given to the interplay between the methods of synthetic cell preparation and the physics of solute encapsulation. We briefly introduce the notion of structural and compositional “diversity” in synthetic cell populations.     

Order allocation in purchasing management: a review of state-of-the-art studies from a supply chain perspective

Supplier selection (SS) and order allocation (OA) are strategic decisions that have a substantial effect on a company’s performance. However, order allocation is often neglected, since it results from supplier selection and is considered supplementary: little attention has been paid to its specific nature and complexity. Consequently, the authors conducted a systematic literature review specifically regarding order allocation methods. The research aimed to evaluate how often and when the issue has been dignified with an individual focus, independently of the supplier selection problem. This study conducted a comprehensive examination of the order allocation models and solutions, criteria for order quantity allocation, features of suppliers, items, planning periods, and demand most commonly considered in the literature. Finally, it aimed to discover whether supply chain configurations and trends have been considered in efforts to find a solution to the problem. The scientific contribution of this study is threefold: (i) to expand the review of scientific literature regarding order allocation models, (ii) to identify research gaps and highlight research opportunities, and (iii) to suggest a research agenda for the development of order allocation models according to the requirements of current trends in supply chain management.     

Improved all-optical switching in a three-slab nonlineardirectional coupler with gain

We propose and study numerically with a split-step finite-element method, an all-optical switching device made of three nonlinear active optical planar waveguides. Solving directly the nonlinear partial differential equations for the transverse electric polarised fields, the method can analyze real slab structures, where the gain is introduced by doping the guiding region with high erbium concentration. The effect of different amount of gain and loss on the switching performance is investigated. The introduction of suitable gain overcomes the problem of performance degradation due to losses, decreases the switching power and allows the input power to be successfully switched, by a simple power control, among all the three output ports     

Machines for olive paste preparation producing quality virgin olive oil

Polyphenolic substances enhance the resistance to oxidation of virgin olive oils, but an excess of polyphenols determines a marked bitter, somewhat tannic taste of the oil, similar to the taste of unripe olives. Tests have been carried out on drupes of different cultivars in industrial productions to evaluate the effect of the machines used to prepare olive pastes on the contents of polyphenols in the oils. Notably greater amounts of polyphenols were found in the oils extracted from hammer-crushed pastes than in the oils extracted from milled pastes. The kneading process which follows, especially if it is long, often reduces the amounts of total polyphenols. Therefore, in order to obtain the best organoleptic and chemical quality in extra virgin olive oils, two systems are suggested for the processing procedures. For olives of certain cultivars (Coratina) and for not-blackened or slightly blackened drupes yielding oils with a very high content of total polyphenols, it is most expedient to use the stone-mill together with a kneader system. But it is more suitable to utilize the hammercrusher together with a kneader system in processing olives (such as the Ogiiarola Salentina or Leccino cultivars) yielding normally “sweet” oils with a low content of total polyphenols.     

A new procedure for nonlinear statistical model extraction of GaAs FET‐integrated circuits

A new statistical nonlinear model of GaAs FET MMICs which allows the representation of distance‐dependent technological parameter variations by means of equivalent circuit parameters, and an automatic extraction procedure, are presented. The capability to reproduce statistical distribution has been successfully checked on S parameters at different distances in the 1–50 GHz frequency range. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 13, 348–356, 2003.     

Performance limits in amplified dense WDM networks in the presenceof four-wave mixing and gain peaking

The performance of amplified dense wavelength division multiplexed systems is theoretically analysed to evaluate the limitations owing to four-wave mixing and gain peaking effects. Optimisation of dispersion management and wavelength allocation result in the possible transmission of 88 channels (0.25 nm spacing) over 500 km