Modulation Of Induction Research Articles

A Meta Analysis of Inductive Learning-Based Modules to Improve Critical Thinking Skills in Science

<p class="Abstract"><span>Critical thinking skills in science learning can be improved by learning accompanied by learning model-based modules. Inductive learning is one of the lessons that can be integrated with the module as an alternative to empower critical thinking skills. This meta-analysis research aims to determine the effectiveness of learning with inductive learning-based modules to improve critical thinking skills, especially in the fields of science (biology, physics, and chemistry). This type of research was survey research and descriptive. Data were collected online and obtained 13 articles in the fields of biology, physics, and chemistry from 2014-2019 published in Indonesia and outside Indonesia. The calculation results show that the average effect size (ES) was 2.1 with the high category. These results indicate that science learning with inductive learning-based modules provides high effectiveness in improving critical thinking skills. Based on the relationship between variables, it was known that the variable in the field of study gives the greatest ES results (ES = 4.3) in the field of physics, while the variable for education level gives the largest ES result (ES = 2.14) at the high school level.</span></p>

Design of Intelligent Somatosensory Deformation Skateboard Based on STM32

Based on the research of the existing intelligent scooter, this paper puts forward a more perfect scheme for the skateboard with STM32 as the core from the aspects of appearance, internal performance and whether the skateboard is safe in the process of running. Firstly, the performance and serial port of STM32 are analyzed, and then the corresponding gravity sensor is selected according to the module and connected to the host chip. Then the simulation debugging of gravity sensing was carried out. After normal operation, the assembly of the whole skateboard was started and the Bluetooth module and LED module were installed. At the same time, a detachable handle is also designed in appearance to ensure driving safety to the greatest extent. Finally, the wireless communication control system is used to achieve humanized design, and the intelligent direction and speed are adjusted through the gravity induction module.

Pre-clinical evaluation of PV-10 for in vitro anti-tumor activity in refractory and high-risk adult solid tumors.

e14544 Background: PV-10 (10% rose bengal disodium; 4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-2’,4’,5’,7’-tetraiodofluorescein) is a novel therapeutic agent previously shown to have potent anti-tumor activity following intratumoral injection in melanoma and refractory neuroblastoma, and currently is undergoing clinical testing as a single-agent for refractory metastatic neuroendocrine cancer (NCT02693067) and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors for metastatic melanoma (NCT02557321) and metastatic uveal melanoma (NCT00986661). Given the established clinical efficacy of PV-10 in adult melanoma and hepatic cancers via intratumoral injection, there is a need to evaluate the therapeutic potential of PV-10 in high-risk and refractory adult solid tumors via systemic administration. Our study aims to identify the clinical potential of systemically-delivered PV-10 by first generating prerequisite in vitro data for adult malignancies. Methods: Cytotoxicity assays were performed using the Alamar Blue assay to study the effects of PV-10 in vitro 96-hours post-treatment against a panel of adult solid tumor cell lines derived from breast (MCF-7, T-47D, MDA-MB-231), colorectal (HCT-116, LoVo, T-84), head and neck (CAL-27, Detroit-562, FaDu, UM-SCC-1), and testicular (NCC-IT, NTERA-2, TCAM-2) tissues. Light microscopy and Western blotting were used to investigate apoptosis induction and target modulation in tumor cells after PV-10 treatment. Results: In vitro results from our study demonstrate that PV-10 is cytotoxic at pharmacologically relevant concentrations across the indicated cell lines. Specifically, tumor cell lines originating from testicular tissues were highly sensitive to PV-10 treatment (Mean ± SD IC50: 37.5 ± 16.4 µM; n = 3) compared to breast (117.5 ± 71.0 µM; n = 3), colorectal (64.79 µM; n = 3), and head and neck (106.6 ± 29.2 µM; n = 4) cell lines. Western blot analyses showed dose- and time-dependent activation of pro-apoptotic protein markers in caspase-3 and PARP cleavage, indicating drug-induced apoptosis. Conclusions: This study provides the first pre-clinical results of PV-10 as a novel systemically-delivered therapeutic agent for a range of high-risk and refractory adult solid tumors. Data obtained from our in vitro experiments using a broad repertoire of cell lines that represent diverse molecular and phenotypic subtypes of solid tumors in adults can serve as prerequisite pre-clinical data to establish clinical testing in these populations.

Exploring Potential Carcinogenic Activity of Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances Utilizing High-Throughput Toxicity Screening Data.

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous, persistent, and toxic chemicals that pose public health risks. Recent carcinogenicity concerns have arisen based on epidemiological studies, animal tumor findings, and mechanistic data. Thousands of PFAS exist; however, current understanding of their toxicity is informed by studies of a select few, namely, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Hence, the computational, high-throughput screening tool, the US EPA CompTox Chemical Dashboard's ToxCast, was utilized to explore the carcinogenicity potential of PFAS. Twenty-three major PFAS that had sufficient in vitro ToxCast data and covered a range of structural subclasses were analyzed with the visual analytics software ToxPi, yielding a qualitative and quantitative assessment of PFAS activity in realms closely linked with carcinogenicity. A comprehensive literature search was also conducted to check the consistency of analyses with other mechanistic data streams. The PFAS were found to induce a vast range of biological perturbations, in line with several of the International Agency for Research on Cancer-defined key carcinogen characteristics. Patterns observed varied by length of fluorine-bonded chains and/or functional group within and between each key characteristic, suggesting some structure-based variability in activity. In general, the major conclusions drawn from the analysis, that is, the most notable activities being modulation of receptor-mediated effects and induction of oxidative stress, were supported by literature findings. The study helps enhance understanding of the mechanistic pathways that underlie the potential carcinogenicity of various PFAS and hence could assist in hazard identification and risk assessment for this emerging and relevant class of environmental toxicants.

Linalool Inhibits MCF-7 Tumor Growth in a Xenograft Model by Apoptosis Induction and Immune Modulation

In this study, the anti-cancer activity of linalool was investigated in MCF-7 breast cancer-bearing mice. Natural killer (NK) and B cell populations in peripheral blood were studied by flow cytometry. The expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 in xenograft tumors were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to investigate apoptosis induction in an in vivo model. The results indicated that linalool possesses an inhibitory effect on breast cancer growth in the xenograft model. Linalool reduced B cell counts, but increased NK cell counts in mice peripheral blood. The immunosignals of PCNA and Ki-67 were significantly lower in the linalool treatment group than those of the control group. The TUNEL assay showed that linalool significantly induced apoptosis compared to the control group. The findings of this study provide insight and evidence on the antiproliferative activity of linalool on human breast cancer.

A heparin\u2013rosuvastatin-loaded P(LLA-CL) nanofiber-covered stent inhibits inflammatory smooth-muscle cell viability to reduce in-stent stenosis and thrombosis

BackgroundAn endovascular covered-stent has unique advantages in treating complex intracranial aneurysms; however, in-stent stenosis and late thrombosis have become the main factors affecting the efficacy of covered-stent treatment. Smooth-muscle-cell phenotypic modulation plays an important role in late in-stent stenosis and thrombosis. Here, we determined the efficacy of using covered stents loaded with drugs to inhibit smooth-muscle-cell phenotypic modulation and potentially lower the incidence of long-term complications.MethodsNanofiber-covered stents were prepared using coaxial electrospinning, with the core solution prepared with 15% heparin and 20 µM rosuvastatin solution (400: 100 µL), and the shell solution prepared with 120 mg/mL hexafluoroisopropanol. We established a rabbit carotid-artery aneurysm model, which was treated with covered stents. Angiography and histology were performed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and incidence rate of in-stent stenosis and thrombosis. Phenotype, function, and inflammatory factors of smooth-muscle cells were studied to explore the mechanism of rosuvastatin action in smooth-muscle cells.ResultHeparin–rosuvastatin-loaded nanofiber scaffold mats inhibited the proliferation of synthetic smooth-muscle cells, and the nanofiber-covered stent effectively treated aneurysms in the absence of notable in-stent stenosis. Additionally, in vitro experiments showed that rosuvastatin inhibited the smooth-muscle-cell phenotypic modulation of platelet-derived growth factor-BB induction and decreased synthetic smooth-muscle-cell viability, as well as secretion of inflammatory cytokines.ConclusionRosuvastatin inhibited the abnormal proliferation of synthetic smooth-muscle cells, and heparin–rosuvastatin-loaded covered stents reduced the incidence of stenosis and late thrombosis, thereby improving the healing rates of stents used for aneurysm treatment.Graphic abstract

Long-term effects of early postnatal nicotine exposure on cholinergic function in the mouse hippocampal CA1 region

In rodent models of smoking during pregnancy, early postnatal nicotine exposure results in impaired hippocampus-dependent memory, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Given that hippocampal cholinergic systems modulate memory and rapid development of hippocampal cholinergic systems occurs during nicotine exposure, here we investigated its impacts on cholinergic function. Both nicotinic and muscarinic activation produce transient or long-lasting depression of excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampal CA1 region. We found that postnatal nicotine exposure impairs both the induction and nicotinic modulation of NMDAR-dependent long-term depression (LTD). Activation of muscarinic receptors decreases excitatory synaptic transmission and CA1 network activity in both wild-type and α2 knockout mice. These muscarinic effects are still observed in nicotine-exposed mice. M1 muscarinic receptor activity is required for mGluR-dependent LTD. Early postnatal nicotine exposure has no effect on mGluR-dependent LTD induction, suggesting that it has no effect on the function of m1 muscarinic receptors involved in this form of LTD. Our results demonstrate that early postnatal nicotine exposure has more pronounced effects on nicotinic function than muscarinic function in the hippocampal CA1 region. Thus, impaired hippocampus-dependent memory may arise from the developmental disruption of nicotinic cholinergic systems in the hippocampal CA1 region.

Intrinsic and extrinsic tunability of Rashba spin-orbit coupled emergent inductors

The emergent induction of spiral magnets that was proposed [Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 58, 120909 (2019)] and recently demonstrated [Nature 586, 232 (2020)] is shown to be further extended by a comprehensive treatment of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling and the electron spin relaxation that affect the underlying processes of spin-transfer torque and spinmotive force. Within adiabatic approximation, we show that the output voltages are widely altered intrinsically via the Rashba effect whereas extrinsically via the nonadiabatic correction due to the spin relaxation and sample disorder. The findings respectively clarify the origins for the amplitude modulation and sign change of the emergent inductance with tunability by electrical gating and careful sample preparation.

The Wonderful Activities of the Genus Mentha: Not Only Antioxidant Properties.

Medicinal plants and their derived compounds have drawn the attention of researchers due to their considerable impact on human health. Among medicinal plants, mint (Mentha species) exhibits multiple health beneficial properties, such as prevention from cancer development and anti-obesity, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and cardioprotective effects, as a result of its antioxidant potential, combined with low toxicity and high efficacy. Mentha species are widely used in savory dishes, food, beverages, and confectionary products. Phytochemicals derived from mint also showed anticancer activity against different types of human cancers such as cervix, lung, breast and many others. Mint essential oils show a great cytotoxicity potential, by modulating MAPK and PI3k/Akt pathways; they also induce apoptosis, suppress invasion and migration potential of cancer cells lines along with cell cycle arrest, upregulation of Bax and p53 genes, modulation of TNF, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8, and induction of senescence phenotype. Essential oils from mint have also been found to exert antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and many others. The current review highlights the antimicrobial role of mint-derived compounds and essential oils with a special emphasis on anticancer activities, clinical data and adverse effects displayed by such versatile plants.

Organic contamination in online laser-based plant stem and leaf water isotope measurements for pre-extracted samples

ABSTRACT Water stable isotopes have been widely used as natural tracers to investigate soil–plant–atmosphere interactions. Recent developments in induction module cavity ring-down spectroscopy (IM-CRDS) have made it possible to rapidly complete isotope analyses, and to combust co-extracted organic compounds at the same time. However, the agreement between IM-CRDS and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) analyses has generally been poor and was primarily attributable to spectral interference of IM-CRDS. Here we evaluated the impacts of organic contamination on the isotope ratios using IM-CRDS with two different methods. No spectral interference was observed for solid samples measured directly by IM-CRDS, whereas clear organic contamination occurred in isotope analyses for pre-extracted plant stem and leaf samples. Our results demonstrate that IM-CRDS can fully combust co-extracted organic compounds by in-line oxidation in the direct measurement of solid samples, although this may not guarantee that the IM-CRDS can obtain better isotopic data than IRMS. It may be risky to evaluate the performance of IM-CRDS by measuring pre-extracted water samples because cryogenic vacuum distillation is likely to introduce extra organic compounds, which may not be fully removed during subsequent IM-CRDS measurement. In addition, spectral variables are useful for post-processing corrections.

Using Magnetic Control of DC-DC Converters in LED Driver Applications

In this paper a research on magnetic control of DC-DC converters applied to LED drivers is presented. The proposed control method is based on the modulation of the effective inductance of the DC-DC converter operated in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). Thus, by using a variable inductor (VI), the converter output can be controlled in order to regulate the current through the LED. This work demonstrates how the method of magnetic control can be effectively be used to control DC-DC converters with an LED load, as well as be combined with other control parameters as duty cycle or switching frecuency to improve the converter performance. An experimental prototype has been built to test the control method analysis and modeling methodology, and to verify its feasibility and possibilities.

Effect of rock mechanical properties on electromagnetic radiation mechanism of rock fracturing

The influence of rock mechanical properties on the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) mechanism of rock fracturing is an important research topic in solid mechanics and earthquake prediction. In this study, an EMR model of rock fracturing considering the fracture factor, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, radiation distance and crack length is derived based on the Hertz oscillator array assumption. An experimental system, including an electromagnetic shielding module, an EMR signal induction and transmission module, a signal recording module and a loading module, is developed to understand the EMR characteristics of four different rocks. The validity of the EMR theoretical model is verified and the relationships between the rock cracking morphology and the EMR waveform, amplitude and frequency are revealed. It is found that rock mechanical properties have obvious influences on the EMR waveform, amplitude and frequency during rock fracturing. This study provides a better understanding on the EMR mechanism of rock fracturing and can help to improve the accuracy of rock disaster prediction based on EMR.

Cellular senescence in ageing: from mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities.

Cellular senescence, first described in vitro in 1961, has become a focus for biotech companies that target it to ameliorate a variety of human conditions. Eminently characterized by a permanent proliferation arrest, cellular senescence occurs in response to endogenous and exogenous stresses, including telomere dysfunction, oncogene activation and persistent DNA damage. Cellular senescence can also be a controlled programme occurring in diverse biological processes, including embryonic development. Senescent cell extrinsic activities, broadly related to the activation of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype, amplify the impact of cell-intrinsic proliferative arrest and contribute to impaired tissue regeneration, chronic age-associated diseases and organismal ageing. This Review discusses the mechanisms and modulators of cellular senescence establishment and induction of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype, and provides an overview of cellular senescence as an emerging opportunity to intervene through senolytic and senomorphic therapies in ageing and ageing-associated diseases.

Enhanced viability and function of mesenchymal stromal cell spheroids is mediated via autophagy induction

ABSTRACT Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have received attention as promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of various diseases. However, poor post-transplantation viability is a major hurdle in MSC-based therapy, despite encouraging results in many inflammatory disorders. Recently, three dimensional (3D)-cultured MSCs (MSC3D) were shown to have higher cell survival and enhanced anti-inflammatory effects, although the underlying mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which MSC3D gain the potential for enhanced cell viability. Herein, we found that macroautophagy/autophagy was highly induced and ROS production was suppressed in MSC3D as compared to 2D-cultured MSCs (MSC2D). Interestingly, inhibition of autophagy induction caused decreased cell viability and increased apoptotic activity in MSC3D. Furthermore, modulation of ROS production was closely related to the survival and apoptosis of MSC3D. We also observed that HMOX1 (heme oxygenase 1) was significantly up-regulated in MSC3D. In addition, gene silencing of HMOX1 caused upregulation of ROS production and suppression of the genes related to autophagy. Moreover, inhibition of HIF1A (hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha) caused suppression of HMOX1 expression in MSC3D, indicating that the HIF1A-HMOX1 axis plays a crucial role in the modulation of ROS production and autophagy induction in MSC3D. Finally, the critical role of autophagy induction on improved therapeutic effects of MSC3D was further verified in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis. Taken together, these results indicated that autophagy activation and modulation of ROS production mediated via the HIF1A-HMOX1 axis play pivotal roles in enhancing the viability of MSC3D. Abbreviations: 3D: three dimensional; 3MA: 3 methlyadenine; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; Baf A1: bafilomycin A1; CFSE: carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester; CoCl2: cobalt chloride; CoPP: cobalt protoporphyrin; DSS: dextran sulfate sodium; ECM: extracellular matrix; FOXO3/FOXO3A: forkhead box O3; HIF1A: hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha; HMOX1/HO-1: heme oxygenase 1; HSCs: hematopoietic stem cells; IL1A/IL-1α: interleukin 1 alpha; IL1B/IL-1β: interleukin 1 beta; IL8: interleukin 8; KEAP1: kelch like ECH associated protein 1; LAMP1: lysosomal associated membrane protein 1; LAMP2: lysosomal associated membrane protein 2; MSC2D: 2D-cultured MSCs; MSC3D: 3D-cultured MSCs; MSCs: mesenchymal stromal cells; NFE2L2/NRF2: nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2; PGE2: prostaglandin E2; PIK3C3/VPS34: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3; PINK1: PTEN induced kinase 1; ROS: reactive oxygen species; siRNA: small interfering RNA; SIRT1: sirtuin 1; SOD2: superoxide dismutase 2; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TGFB/TGF-β: transforming growth factor beta.

Induction of osteogenesis in bone tumour cells by purine-conjugated zinc-hydroxyapatite

This study aimed to improve the biocompatibility and osteogenic property of hydroxyapatite (HAP). So HAP nanoparticles were doped with zinc (Zn), and their surface was modified with a purine nucleotide, guanosine 5′-triphosphate (GTP). GTP-loaded nanoparticles (GTP@ZnHAP) were characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, zeta potential and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. Biological experiments revealed that GTP@ZnHAP nanoparticles were internalised by the cells, inhibiting tumour cell (osteoblast-like cells, Saos-2) expansion with an efficiency more than that observed for ZnHAP nanoparticles and GTP alone. Furthermore, Saos-2 cells were committed to differentiate into the normal osteoblast cells under the influence of GTP@ZnHAP nanoparticles demonstrated by the quantitative assessment of bone-related protein expression (Runx2 and osteocalcin) and cell morphological changes. Moreover, high-performance liquid chromatography analyses disclosed a significant enhancement of intracellular GTP content in GTP@ZnHAP-treated cells, proposing perturbation of intracellular nucleotide equilibrium during the process of osteogenesis induced by GTP@ZnHAP nanoparticles. Overall, GTP@ZnHAP exhibits a better synergistic effect on the modulation of cell growth and induction of osteogenic differentiation in osteosarcoma cells than ZnHAP nanoparticles and GTP alone do. Therefore, GTP@ZnHAP may be regarded as a promising biomaterial for the treatment of bone-related diseases.

Synthesis and Characterization of Green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with Antiproliferative Effects through Apoptosis Induction and MicroRNA Modulation in Breast Cancer Cells.

Changes in the expression of microRNAs can affect cancer cells' viability and behavior and the impact on cancer treatment. In this study, the expression of miR-155-5p, miR-203a-3p, and miR-223-3p in the MCF7 cancer cell line was studied when exposed to ZnO nanoparticles synthesized through a green route. Mentioned ZnO-NPs were well characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, DLS, XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX, zeta potential, and AFM analyses. Cellular studies were conducted using ZnO-NPs before miRNA investigations including MTT cytotoxicity test against MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and HFF cell lines. Moreover, apoptosis assays were performed using morphological analysis, fluorescent dyes, flow cytometry, and evaluation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 gene expression. Biological properties such as the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of these novel ZnO-NPs were considered. MTT assays showed that the inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ZnO-NPs after 24 h was 11.16 μg/mL, 60.08 μg/mL, and 26.3 μg/mL on MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and HFF cells, respectively. The qRT-PCR results showed reduced expression of miR-155-5p, miR-203a-3p, and miR-223-3p when the MCF7 cells were treated with the IC50 concentration of ZnO-NPs (11.16 μg/mL). The antioxidant activity results showed EC50 values at 57.19 μg/mL and 31.5 μg/mL in DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of ZnO-NPs was determined on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains and fungi using MIC and MBC assays. These NPs had a significant effect in reducing the expression of microRNAs in breast cancer cells. Finally, ZnO-NPs exerted antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.

Spatial-temporal change of the geomagnetic field: environmental aspect

The geomagnetic field, along with other environmental factors, is a necessary component of life on the Earth. Currently, there are relevant ecological standards for the values of constant and variable fields. Taking them into account, it is possible to determine the conditions necessary for the normal functioning of biological objects in general and humans in particular. In a number of regulations, certain limit values for a constant magnetic field are introduced, as well as the maximum permissible time of a human being stay in such fields. In this regard, the article considers the spatiotemporal change in induction B on the Earth’s surface using the example of its main magnetic field according to the international model IGRF-13 for the time interval 1950—2020. In more detail for this time interval, the induction module B and its perturbation were analyzed for geomagnetically different regions that are, namely, the territories of Ukraine, of Yamal (Russia) and around the Ukrainian Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station. For the planet in whole, a significant decrease in the geomagnetic field is shown, against the background of which its sharp jumps are observed (in 1960—1965, 1980—1985 and in 2000—2005), and after 2005 to the present, a deceleration in the decrease of the geomagnetic field is observed. Against the background of a decrease in the geomagnetic field of the planet, areas with extreme changes both in the direction of increase (Ukraine, Yamal) and decrease (AV station) are distinguished. The spatiotemporal changes in the geomagnetic field detected on the Earth’s surface determine the structure and dynamics of its magnetosphere, which by-turn affects the nature of the interaction with it of solar wind substance and of cosmic radiation, as well as the flow altitudes of magnetospheric and ionospheric currents. According to the distribution of the geomagnetic field anomalies on the surface of the planet, as well as to their changes over the studied time interval, regions with different (as compared with proposed ecological norms) values of the constant magnetic field and its disturbances are distinguished. In particular, for the epoch of 2020, for the territory in the vicinity of the AV station, the induction vector module B is on average 15,000 nT less than its value for the territory of Ukraine and 25,000 nT — of Yamal. Significant changes in the geomagnetic field were determined: an increase of 1765 nT for Ukraine, 1418 nT for Yamal and a decrease of — 7081 nT in the vicinity of AV station. At the same time, the perturbation of the geomagnetic field of the territory of Ukraine is within its ecological norm, deviates from it in the direction of increase on the Yamal Peninsula, and near the AV station it will soon go beyond its limits in the direction of decrease, while maintaining modern field changes.

Diagnostic utility of serum procalcitonin as a biomarker of sepsis and infection in post-operative patients at tertiary care centre

Background: Procalcitonin (PCT), the precursor peptide of calcitonin, a hormone involved in calcium homeostasis, is present in normal subjects in extremely low serum levels (0.1 to 0.5 ng/ml). In response to bacterial infectious stimulation serum procalcitonin rises substantially and its role in inflammatory response includes chemotactic function modulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and induction of cytokines, among other. The objective of this study to assess serum procalcitonin as a biomarker of sepsis and infection in post op patients.Methods: The present descriptive observational study was conducted at Department of Surgery, Aarupadai Veedu Medical College and Hospital, Puducherry from September 2018 to June 2020. Total 48 patients who had undergone surgery and presented with post-surgical sepsis were included. Data entered in MS excel sheet and analysed by using SPSS 24.0 version IBM USA.Results: Out of 48 cases, majority of cases i.e. 18 (37.5%) were from 36-50 years age group followed by 11 (22.9%) from 51-60 years age group. Prevalence of sepsis was 20.8%, septic shock 25%, severe sepsis 33.3% and SIRS 14.6%. Procalcitonin (PCT) assay shows positive in 47 (97.9%) cases. E. coli were isolated from 5 (45.5%) cases with PCT 2-10 as compared to 6 (16.7%) cases with PCT >10.Conclusions: PCT shares remarkable promise as a marker of sepsis and can be used as a routine lab parameter. It was also found to be an accurate diagnostic parameter for differentiating various stages of sepsis and predicting the outcome.

ELECTROTECHNICAL MODULAR COMPLEX FOR HEATING VISCOUS LIQUIDS IN PIPELINE TRANSPORT FACILITIES

The article discusses the problem of increasing the effi - ciency of installations for heating viscous liquids during their transportation through pipeline systems. The posed problem is solved by intensifying the heat transfer process between heat sources and a heated liquid. Intensify the heat transfer process in heating systems by using a modular heating system. Each module consists of an induction heating section and an induction mixer. The mixer is installed at the outlet of the heating section. The process of mixing the liquid is carried out by an induction mixer of a special design. A method for calculating the temperature of the oil fl ow in the pipeline behind the induction heater and after the mixer is proposed. The methodology was developed on the basis of a balance of heat fl ows. The temperature distribution for a multi-section heater consisting of several induction modules is calculated. It is shown that the use of a modular system can signifi cantly reduce the overall dimensions of the induction heater and reduce energy costs for transporting liquid.

Clostridia protect from food allergy by promoting intestinal barrier integrity and modulating retinoic acid metabolism

Abstract We previously reported that intestinal bacteria of the Clostridia class modulate epithelial barrier function through induction of IL-22 and hypothesized that this was crucial for their allergy protective effect. We now confirm that hypothesis and further describe the mechanisms underlying this protection. Clostridia colonization of weanling germ free mice induced colonic IL-22 production and expression of the antimicrobial peptides Reg3b and Reg3g within three days. At the same time, the numbers of CD11b+, CD103+ and CD11b+CD103+ dendritic cells (DC) in the colonic lamina propria were reduced, while the number of macrophages remained unaltered. Seven days post colonization, the numbers of those same DC subsets were increased in the colon draining mesenteric lymph node (cMLN) and we detected an increased ability to produce retinoic acid (RA) in CD11c+ cells in the cMLN. We also observed increased expression of Reg3b, Reg3g and the retinol dehydrogenase Rdh7 in the ileum and the RA-responsive gene Isx in colon epithelial cells. At 14 days, Clostridia colonization increased percentages of RORγt+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are known to efficiently suppress type 2 immune responses. Finally, preliminary data showed that the TLR5 ligand flagellin replicates Clostridia-induced production of IL-22 and intestinal barrier protection but not modulation of RA metabolism. With the rapid induction of IL-22, which supports intestinal barrier integrity, and the slower modulation of retinoic acid metabolism and Treg induction we describe two mechanisms by which Clostridia promote tolerance to food antigens. Detailed knowledge of these mechanisms will enable us to develop new strategies to combat the dramatic rise of food allergies.