Mechanisms underlying the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in the placental injury and fetal growth restriction in an ovine gestation model

Background Exposure to bisphenol A(BPA),an environmental pollutant known for its endocrine-disrupting properties,during gestation has been reported to increase the risk of fetal growth restriction(FGR)in an ovine model of pregnancy.We hypothesized that the FGR results from the BPA-induced insufficiency and barrier dysfunction of the placenta,oxidative stress,inflammatory responses,autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS).However,precise mechanisms underlying the BPA-induced placental dysfunction,and subsequently,FGR,as well as the potential involvement of placental ERS in these complications,remain to be investigated.Methods In vivo experiment,16 twin-pregnant(from d 40 to 130 of gestation)Hu ewes were randomly distributed into two groups(8 ewes each).One group served as a control and received corn oil once a day,whereas the other group received BPA(5 mg/kg/d as a subcutaneous injection).In vitro study,ovine trophoblast cells(OTCs)were exposed to 4 treatments,6 replicates each.The OTCs were treated with 400μmol/L BPA,400μmol/L BPA+0.5μg/m L tunicamycin(Tm;ERS activator),400μmol/L BPA+1μmol/L 4-phenyl butyric acid(4-PBA;ERS antagonist)and DMEM/F12 complete medium(control),for 24 h.Results In vivo experiments,pregnant Hu ewes receiving the BPA from 40 to 130 days of pregnancy experienced a decrease in placental efficiency,progesterone(P4)level and fetal weight,and an increase in placental estrogen(E2)level,together with barrier dysfunctions,OS,inflammatory responses,autophagy and ERS in type A cotyledons.In vitro experiment,the OTCs exposed to BPA for 24 h showed an increase in the E2 level and related protein and gene expressions of autophagy,ERS,pro-apoptosis and inflammatory response,and a decrease in the P4 level and the related protein and gene expressions of antioxidant,anti-apoptosis and barrier function.Moreover,treating the OTCs with Tm aggravated BPA-induced dysfunction of barrier and endocrine(the increased E2 level and decreased P4 level),OS,inflammatory responses,autophagy,and ERS.However,treating the OTCs with 4-PBA reversed the counteracted effects of Tm mentioned above.Conclusions In general,the results reveal that BPA exposure can cause ERS in the ovine placenta and OTCs,and ERS induction might aggravate BPA-induced dysfunction of the placental barrier and endocrine,OS,inflammatory responses,and autophagy.These data offer novel mechanistic insights into whether ERS is involved in BPA-mediated placental dysfunction and fetal development.

Effect of Salts Stress on the Growth and Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

In order to study the effect of salts stress on the growth and yield of wheat (cv. Inqalab), a pot experiment was conducted in the wire-house of the Department of Soil Science, Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam. The soil was artificially salinized to a range of salinity levels i.e . EC 2.16, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 10.0 dS·m-1 with different salts (MgCl2 + CaCl2 + Na2SO4). The salinized soil used for the experiment was sandy clay in texture, alkaline in reaction (pH > 7.0) and moderate in organic matter (0.95%) content. The results showed that with increasing salinity there was an increase in the ECe, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Cl- and decrease in the K+, SAR and ESP values of the soil Increasing salinity, progressively decreased plant height, spike length, number of spikelets spike-1 1000 grain weight and yield (straw and grain). Adverse effects of salts on plants were associated with the accumulation of less K+ and more Na+ and Cl- in their flag leaf sap, grains and straw. This resulted in lower K+:5Na+ ratio in flag leaf sap, grains and straw of wheat plants. These results indicated that the effects of salts stress were greater at 10 than at 8, 6 and 4 EC dS·m-1.

Microstructural,Mechanical,Electrical,and Thermal Properties of the Bi-Sn-Ag Ternary Eutectic Alloy

The development of lead-free solders has emerged as one of the key issues in the electronics packaging industries.Bi-Sn-Ag eutectic alloy has been considered as one of the lead-free solder materials that can replace the toxic Pb-Sn eutectic solder without increasing soldering temperature.We investigated the effects of temperature gradient and growth rate on the mechanical,electrical and thermal properties of the BiSn-Ag ternary eutectic alloy.Bi-47 wt%Sn-0.68 wt%Ag alloy was directionally solidified upward with different temperature gradients（G=2.33-5.66 K/mm） at a constant growth rate（V=13.25 μm/s） and with different growth rates（V=6.55-132.83 μm/s） at a constant temperature gradient（G=2.33 K/mm） in the growth apparatus.The microstructures（λ）,microhardness（HV）,tensile stress（σ）,electrical resistivity（ρ）,and thermal properties（△H,Cp,Tm） were measured on directionally solidified samples.The dependency of the λ,HV,σ,and ρ on G and V was investigated.According to the experimental results,X values decrease with increasing G and V,but HV,λ,and ρ values increase with increasing G and V.Variations of electrical resistivity（ρ） for cast samples with the temperature in the range of 300-400 K were also measured by using a standard dc four-point probe technique.The enthalpy of fusion（△H） and specific heat（Cp） for the same alloy was also determined by means of differential scanning calorimeter（DSC） from heating trace during the transformation from eutectic liquid to eutectic solid.

Apprehending the potential of BABY BOOM transcription factors to mitigate cotton regeneration and transformation

Since the advent of transgenic technology,the incorporation of gene(s)encoding traits of economic importance in cotton is being practiced worldwide.However,factors like recalcitrant nature of cotton cultivars,in vitro regeneration via tissue culture(especially via somatic embryogenesis),genotype dependency,long and toilsome protocols impede the pace of development of transgenic cotton.Besides that,types and age of explants,media composition,plant growth regulators and other environmental factors affect in vitro cotton regeneration significantly.The studies of genetic control of in vitro regeneration in plants have elucidated the role of certain transcription factor genes that are induced and expressed during somatic embryogenesis.Among these transcription factors,BABY BOOM(BBM)plays a very important role in signal transduction pathway,leading to cell differentiation and somatic embryos formation.The role of BBM has been established in plant cell proliferation,growth and development even without exogenous growth regulators.This review intends to provide an informative summary of regeneration and transformation problems in cotton and the latest developments in utilization of BBM transcription factors in cotton.We believe that the use of BBM will not only ease cotton genetic improvement but will also accelerate cotton breeding programmes.

Parameters Calibration of the Combined Hardening Rule through Inverse Analysis for Nylock Nut Folding Simulation

Locking nuts are widely used in industry and any defects from their manufacturing may cause loosening of the connection during their service life.In this study,simulations of the folding process of a nut’s flange made from AISI 1040 steel are performed.Besides the bilinear isotropic hardening rule,Chaboche’s nonlinear kinematic hardening rule is employed with associated flow rule and Hill48 yield criterion to set a plasticity model.The bilinear isotropic hardening rule’s parameters are determined by means of a monotonic tensile test.The Chaboche’s parameters are determined by using a low cycle tension/compression test by applying curve fitting methods on the low cycle fatigue loop.Furthermore,the parameter calibrations are performed in the finite element simulations by using an optimization approach based on the inverse analysis.Dimensional accuracy for the nut is of primary concern due to the tolerance constraints of the nut manufacturers.Experimental diameter and height measurements of the folded locking nut are compared with those obtained from the optimized model.The results reveal that the folding dimensions can be predicted more accurately when the model parameters are determined by using the combined hardening rule.The calibrated parameters are presented for the folding and cycling deformation processes.

Application of Markovian models for non-ergodic and non-stationary earthquake times series for the identification of seismic patterns and future projections

The current earthquake forecast algorithms are not free of shortcomings due to inherent limitations.Especially,the requirement of stationarity in the evaluation of earthquake time series as a prerequisite,significantly limits the use of forecast algorithms to areas where stationary data is not available.Another shortcoming of forecast algorithms is the ergodicity assumption,which states that certain characteristics of seismicity are spatially invariant.In this study,a new earthquake forecast approach is introduced for the locations where stationary data are not available.For this purpose,the spatial activity rate density for each spatial unit is evaluated as a parameter of a Markov chain.The temporal pattern is identified by setting the states at certain spatial activity rate densities.By using the transition patterns between the states,1-and 5-year forecasts were computed.The method is suggested as an alternative and complementary to the existing methods by proposing a solution to the issues of ergodicity and stationarity assumptions at the same time.

Injector of the Turkish light source facility TURKAY

A synchrotron radiation source called TURKAY is proposed as a sub-project of the Turkish Accelerator Center Project. The storage ring of TURKAY is a low emittance synchrotron and the radiation ranges between 0.01 and 60 keV can be generated from the insertion devices and bending magnets placed on it. The injector system of the facility will mainly consist of a 150 MeV linac and full energy booster. In this study, we present design considerations and beam dynamics studies of the pre-injector linac and booster ring for TURKAY.

Neutralization versus Compression Plate on Lateral Malleolus Fracture:Is Lag Screw Necessary?

Introduction: Our aim was to compare clinical and radiological results of lateral malleolus fracture treated with neutralization and compression plate. Material and Methods: 54 patients with isolated lateral malleolus fractures treated between March 2012 and April 2015 at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital were evaluated with the Ankle-Hindfoot Scale of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score (excellent, ≥90;good, 75 - 89;acceptable, 50 - 74;poor, Results: There was no significant change in AOFAS, VAS, PSS and the union rates between two plating techniques. Conclusion: Similar results have shown both of two plating techniques were successful treating isolated lateral malleolus fracture.

Egypt, Possible Conflict and Cooperation Areas in the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran

A country’s foreign policy process is also a decision-making process. Foreign policy is a rational, multifaceted, and balanced area that needs to be thought and executed. States operate within the framework of the decisions of governments. The decision-making process can change its direction with reflections and influences from national, regional, and international politics. While some theories think that governments/decision-makers are rational actors, there are other theories. Decision-makers/governments are able to make decisions in accordance with national interests. Who or which institution will determine what a country’s national interest is and whether its foreign policy is in the national interest. Claiming that a foreign policy carried out by political will is in line with national interest and gives it a certain degree of legitimacy and authority. The main problem here is the identification of national interest with the discourse/policies of those officially responsible for the conduct of foreign policy. National interest can best be determined if it has become a verifiable expression of the priorities of a nation. Heads of state trust their advisors in their immediate surroundings when making foreign policy decisions, so it is important to recognize the composition of the immediate environment. In authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, such as Iran, ideology and leader are vital in foreign policy. The Iranian geopolitics, the ideological structure of the political regime, and the constitutional structure, which is constitutionally effective and superior, should be analyzed in order to examine Iran’s foreign policy. This comprehensive assay will naturally exceed the purpose and scope of this study.

Effective AIDS Treatment with Resonance Medicine

The article discusses two forms of resonance in medicine in the treatment of AIDS. The first form is the destruction resonance. This is well known and we have used it to kill tumors or infectious diseases. The second form of resonance is the resonance of creation, which leads to the restoration of degenerated or destroyed organs. The article talks about the so-called “nosodes”—wave copies of the disease and “organopreparations”—wave copies of normally functioning organs. The author uses the method of high potency bioresonance therapy since the use of low potency nosode therapy is completely ineffective in the treatment of AIDS. Thus, the principle of high potency destruction resonance has proven to be extremely effective in the treatment of AIDS. The principle of the resonance of creation proved to be effective in restoring destroyed tissue.

Quantum Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Warm Dense Li Plasma

The behavior of Li warm plasma (i.e. T in 1 eV range) is reported for a range of temperatures () and densities ( ), spanning moderate to dense conditions. Quantum Molecular Dynamics (QMD), in Carr-Parinello approach, is used to advance and equilibrate an ensemble of 54 Li atoms at desired temperature and density. The charge distribution and ions positions are further input in a DFT finite temperature calculation, producing, self consistently, a large number of energy levels (300 - 1500) and occupation numbers, from which real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function are obtained. Optical quantities like index of refraction, reflectivity, absorption coefficients and Rosseland means are deduced. Zero frequency static conductivity , diffusion coefficients and a Hugoniot curve are calculated.

伊朗青蜂科、锤角细蜂科、螯蜂科、环腹蜂科和细蜂科(膜翅目)的区系研究（英文）

报道了伊朗膜翅目Hymenoptera 5个科,青蜂科Chrysididae、锤角细蜂科Diapriidae、螯蜂科Dryinidae、环腹蜂科Figitidae和细蜂科Proctotrupidae的区系调查。采集和鉴定了青蜂科的6属12种、锤角细蜂科的4属5种、螯蜂科的5属7种、环腹蜂科的4属5种和细蜂科的3属3种。

静脉功能不全患者发生溃疡的直接促发因素

Background: More than 80% of leg ulcers are caused by venous insufficiency. The actual causes of venous ulcers, beyond the presence of venous insufficiency, are rarely referred to in the literature. This study evaluates the direct triggers for ulceration in patients with venous insufficiency. Methods: Sixty-four patients with 110 chronic venous ulcers, treated in the Chronic Wounds Clinic of Soroka University Medical Center from 1999 through 2002, were included in the study. In each patient, the actual trigger of ulceration was determined by history taking and reviewing of the medical chart. Results: The actual triggers of ulceration, based on data for 64 patients with an overall total of 110 ulcers, were identified as follows: cellulitis (or erysipelas), 17 ulcers (15.4% of 110 ulcers); penetrating injury, 13 ulcers (11.8% ); contact dermatitis, 12 ulcers (10.9% ); rapidly aggravating leg edema, 12 ulcers (10.9% ); burn wound, seven ulcers (6.3% ); dry skin with subsequent scratching, six ulcers (5.4% ); blunt trauma, five ulcers (4.5% ); deliberately self-inflicted trauma, five ulcers (4.5% ); insect bite, two ulcers (1.8% ); bleeding from a supeficial varicose vein, two ulcers (1.8% ). In 29 ulcers (26.3% ) no specific trigger was identified. Conclusions: The development of a cutaneous ulcer is not necessarily “ spontaneous” and should not be attributed solely to the presence of venous insufficiency. In many cases, it is possible to identify a specific trigger that causes the ulceration. Clinical implementation of the above findings in routine examination and treatment of patients with venous insufficiency may prevent the development of venous ulcers.

Determination and Improvement of Deposition Parameters of TiO2 Thin Films via ALD

In recent years,with the development of technology,interest in microelectronics and thin film devices has increased considerably.Future improvements in microelectronics and thin film devices are dependent on the progress of novel materials and new deposition processes.In particular,the continuing drive to some devices such as silicon devices will soon require SiO2 gate and oxide layers with a thickness on the order of a few nanometers as 1 or 2 nm.Titanium dioxide is a candidate material in microelectronic and thin film devices,a wide band gap semiconductor that exhibits various crystal structures.Similarly,thin film techniques like ALD(atomic layer deposition)attract attention for the preparation of these candidate materials with higher film uniformity and conformity.Present study demonstrates how TiO2 thin films were growth by ALD technique on silicon substrates at 100℃,150℃and 200℃temperatures.Different deposition conditions were examined to determine to increase film quality and efficient production of set up.XPS(X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy)technique was used to obtain the surface composition of the TiO2 films.Film thicknesses and crystal structures of the films were investigated by ellipsometry and XRD(X-ray diffraction)methods.Electrical properties of the films were measured by using four probe techniques,as well.Obtained results were evaluated in terms of repeatability of recipes and application potential.

药物暴露和寻常型银屑病:病例对照和病例交叉研究

Intake of drugs is considered a risk factor for psoriasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between drugs and psoriasis. A case-control study including 110 patients who were hospitalized for extensive psoriasis was performed. A control group (n=515) was defined as patients who had undergone elective surgery. A case-crossover study included 98 patients with psoriasis. Exposure to drugs was assessed during a hazard period (3 months before hospitalization) and compared to a control period in the patient’s past. Data on drug sales were extracted by data mining techniques. Multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression and conditional logistic regression. In the case-control study, psoriasis was associated with benzodiazepines (OR 6.9), organic nitrates (OR 5.0), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (OR 4.0) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (OR 3.7). In the case-crossover study, psoriasis was associated with ACE inhibitors (OR 9.9), beta-blockers (OR 9.9), dipyrone (OR 4.9)-and NSAIDs (OR 2.1). Extensive psoriasis may be associated with intake of ACE inhibitors, NSAIDs or beta-blockers.

A Cytogenetic Study on Spermophilus Xanthoprymnus(Bennett,1835)in Isparta Province

This study was conducted to explain the karyological characteristics of S.xanthoprymnus from Gencali in Turkey.The chromosomes of the specimens were traditionally stained and examined according to standard procedures.The chromosomes were determined according to centromere positions by examining the photographs of metaphase cells.The karyotype of S.xanthoprymnus contained 42 chromosomes(2n=42)and fundamental number of chromosomal arms NF=81 and the number of autosomal arms NFa=78.The karyotype includes four metacentric chromosomes ranging from large to small,three pairs of large and medium-sized submetacentric autosome,twelve ranging from large to medium size subtelocentric,and a pair of acrocentric autosomes.The X chromosome was determined as large subtelocentric and Y chromosome as small acrocentric.Due to there is no karyological information and geographical distribution of existentence cytotypes in Turkey,revelation of chromosomal structure in Anatolian ground squirrel populations will provide properly assessment of taxonomy of those rodents in further studies.

Aluminum Toxicity:A Case Study on Tobacco(Nicotiana tabacum L.)

Aluminum is an abundant metal in the earth’s crust that turns out to be toxic in acidic environments.Many plants are affected by the presence of aluminum at the whole plant level,at the organ level,and at the cellular level.Tobacco as a cash crop(Nicotiana tabacum L.)is a widely cultivated plant worldwide and is also a good model organism for research.Although there are many articles on Al-phytotoxicity in the literature,reviews on a single species that are economically and scientifically important are limited.In this article,we not only provide the biology associated with tobacco Al-toxicity,but also some essential information regarding the effects of this metal on other plant species(even animals).This review provides information on aluminum localization and uptake process by different staining techniques,as well as the effects of its toxicity at different compartment levels and the physiological consequences derived from them.In addition,molecular studies in recent years have reported specific responses to Al toxicity,such as overexpression of various protective proteins.Besides,this review discusses data on various organelle-based responses,cell death,and other mechanisms,data on tobacco plants and other kingdoms relevant to these studies.

Speculative bubbles and herding in cryptocurrencies

This study investigates speculative bubbles in the cryptocurrency market and factors affecting bubbles during the COVID-19 pandemic.Our results indicate that each cryptocurrency covered in the study presented bubbles.Moreover,we found that explosive behavior in one currency leads to explosivity in other cryptocurrencies.During the pandemic,herd behavior was evident among investors;however,this diminishes during bubbles,indicating that bubbles are not explained by herd behavior.Regarding cryptocurrency and market-specific factors,we found that Google Trends and volume are positively associated with predicting speculative bubbles in time-series and panel probit regressions.Hence,investors should exercise caution when investing in cryptocurrencies and follow both crypto currency and market-related factors to estimate bubbles.Alternative liquidity,volatility,and Google Trends measures are used for robustness analysis and yield similar results.Overall,our results suggest that bubble behavior is common in the cryptocurrency market,contradicting the efficient market hypothesis.

Reconstruction of pile-up events using a one-dimensional convolutional autoencoder for the NEDA detector array

Pulse pile-up is a problem in nuclear spectroscopy and nuclear reaction studies that occurs when two pulses overlap and distort each other,degrading the quality of energy and timing information.Different methods have been used for pile-up rejection,both digital and analogue,but some pile-up events may contain pulses of interest and need to be reconstructed.The paper proposes a new method for reconstructing pile-up events acquired with a neutron detector array(NEDA)using an one-dimensional convolutional autoencoder(1D-CAE).The datasets for training and testing the 1D-CAE are created from data acquired from the NEDA.The new pile-up signal reconstruction method is evaluated from the point of view of how similar the reconstructed signals are to the original ones.Furthermore,it is analysed considering the result of the neutron-gamma discrimination based on charge comparison,comparing the result obtained from original and reconstructed signals.

Impact of Electric Vehicle Aggregator with Communication Time Delay on Stability Regions and Stability Delay Margins in Load Frequency Control System

This paper investigates the impact of electric vehicle(EV)aggregator with communication time delay on stability regions and stability delay margins of a single-area load frequency control(LFC)system.Primarily,a graphical method characterizing stability boundary locus is implemented.For a given time delay,the method computes all the stabilizing proportional-integral(PI)controller gains,which constitutes a stability region in the parameter space of PI controller.Secondly,in order to complement the stability regions,a frequency-domain exact method is used to calculate stability delay margins for various values of PI controller gains.The qualitative impact of EV aggregator on both stability regions and stability delay margins is thoroughly analyzed and the results are authenticated by time-domain simulations and quasi-polynomial mapping-based root finder(QPmR)algorithm.