Milieu Conditions Research Articles

Milieu effects on the Dark Triad traits and their sex differences in 49 countries

Most research on the development of personality traits like the Dark Triad (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) focuses on local effects like parenting style or attachment, but people live in a larger society that may set the stage for any local effects. Here we paired nation-level data on the traits from 49 nations with several milieu indicators (e.g., life expectancy, homicide rates) from three timepoints (and change among them) where the average participant (≈ 22yo) would have been a child (≈ 6yo), a pre-teen (≈ 11yo), and a teenager (≈ 16yo). Congruent with previous research, variance in narcissism was far more sensitive to variance in milieu conditions in general and across all three time points than variance in Machiavellianism or psychopathy. The milieu conditions differentiated the traits somewhat with income and education revealing negative correlations with narcissism, positive correlations with Machiavellianism, and null correlations with psychopathy. Sex differences in Machiavellianism and narcissism were correlated with homicide rates across the three timepoints. The evidence that changes in milieu conditions in ones' past predicts the traits was erratic, but larger sex differences in the traits were associated with decreased life expectancies and homicide rates between childhood and pre-teens.

Shape Grammar for House Facade along the Alley in Urban Kampung, Tambora, Jakarta

The shape grammar can reveal the socio-spatial uniqueness that moulds the geometric shapes and elements of the house facade in a dense area of the urban kampung. The façade tends to not have the exact pattern due to adjustment of daily activities and needs in Tambora Jakarta. However, the grassroots have formed the pattern of events along the alley that represents contexts like milieu, economics, and social conditions. The alley has overlapping layers between private and public activities, which contribute to the geometric shapes and elements of the façade in Tambora. The house facade depicts activities and relationships inside and outside that manifest in geometric shapes and elements of the facade. Hereafter, this research combines the shape grammar for the geometric pattern of the facade and the pattern language for the qualitative contexts. The first step is categorising the geometric shapes and elements of the facade and the socio-spatial aspects into defined shape rules. Then, mapping the pattern language of activities and needs between inside–house program and outside–the use of space along the alley to delineate spatial relation. The result intends to comprehend the correlation between the logic of the geometric shape and facade elements concerning the qualitative context.

Edifying the Focal Factors Influencing Mesenchymal Stem Cells by the Microenvironment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Low Back Pain.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is one of the main triggers of low back pain, which is most often associated with patient morbidity and high medical costs. IVDD triggers a wide range of pathologies and clinical syndromes like paresthesia, weakness of extremities, and intermittent/chronic back pain. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated to possess immunomodulatory functions as well as the capability of differentiating into chondrocytes under appropriate microenvironment conditions, which makes them potentially epitome for intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration. The IVD microenvironment is composed by niche of cells, and their chemical and physical milieus have been exhibited to have robust influence on MSC behavior as well as differentiation. Nevertheless, the contribution of MSCs to the IVD milieu conditions in healthy as well as degeneration situations is still a matter of debate. It is still not clear which factors, if any, are essential for effective and efficient MSC survival, proliferation, and differentiation. IVD microenvironment clues such as nucleopulpocytes, potential of hydrogen (pH), osmotic changes, glucose, hypoxia, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and hydrogels are capable of influencing the MSCs aimed for the treatment of IVDD. Therefore, clinical usage of MSCs ought to take into consideration these microenvironment clues during treatment. Alteration in these factors could function as prognostic indicators during the treatment of patients with IVDD using MSCs. Thus, standardized valves for these microenvironment clues are warranted.

Novel metal organic frameworks improves solubility and oral absorption of mebendazole: Physicochemical characterization and in vitro-in vivo evaluation

We aimed to synthesize Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework (ZIF-8) at milieu conditions in a hydrated environment. In this work, the aptness of ZIF-8 as a budding carrier system for delivery of an anti-parasitic drug, Mebendazole was examined. Mebendazole was loaded sedentary into the ZIF-8 fragments at the time of assimilation using the impregnation approach. After the synthesis of ZIF-8, these were subjected to physicochemical characterization techniques such as FTIR, PXRD, DSC, FE-SEM, and TEM. PXRD confirmed the structural integrity of ZIF-8 and it did not reveal any change in its structure after encapsulation of MBZ. FE-SEM and TEM micrographs of pure ZIF-8 revealed the formation of hexagonal nanoclusters with built facets which were in the size range of 100–150 nm. The triumphant impregnation of the drug, i.e. MBZ upon the surface of ZIF-8 was validated by UV–Visible and FTIR spectroscopy studies. Solubility studies showed 11 fold enhancement in solubility of MBZ@ZIF-8 in comparison to the free drug (104.4 ± 17.880 v/s 10.92 ± 1.984). In vitro release studies showed ∼80% ± 8.89 drug release in 24 h in a buffer solution (pH 6.8). Thereafter, in vivo pharmacokinetic studies exhibited approximately four-fold enhanced bioavailability (AUC0-ꝏ 134.256 ± 26.91 v/s 34.628 ± 6.92), and six-fold improved distribution half-life (6.142 ± 1.22 v/s 1.00 ± 2.00). Therefore, metal-organic frameworks could be a potential strategy to improve the biopharmaceutical attributes of hydrophobic drugs.

Concentration-dependent changes in the reaction behavior of whey proteins: Diffusion-controlled or transition state-controlled reactions?

The denaturation of whey proteins can be used in a controlled manner to design protein-based products with new specific structures or functionalities e.g., meat and dairy analogues, as well as protein-based emulsifiers and thickeners with specific functionalities. For this, the influence of thermal and/or mechanical treatment, and milieu conditions including the protein concentration, on the denaturation reaction must be determined. Previous results of whey protein denaturation at concentrations above 50% suggested a strong change in the reaction behavior of whey proteins compared to more dilute conditions (concentration < 20%). Therefore, in this study the reaction behavior of whey proteins at a broad range of concentrations 17–70% after thermal and mechanical treatment was investigated. The results of this study suggest that the reaction limiting step depends on the concentration of the system. Calculations of the collision rate as a function of protein concentration indicate that the collision theory can only be applied to explain the denaturation reaction mechanisms for certain conditions. At dilute- and semi-dilute conditions, since the protein molecules are quasi-isolated and unentangled, the diffusion of molecules controls the aggregation step, and consequently the denaturation reaction is a diffusion-limited reaction. In contrast at concentrated conditions, the protein molecules are entangled, which can hinder the unfolding of the globular structure and consequently the formation of a transition-state becomes the limiting step.

Janus Magnetic-Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Magnetically Guided and Thermally Activated Cancer Therapy.

Progress of thermal tumor therapies and their translation into clinical practice are limited by insufficient nanoparticle concentration to release therapeutic heating at the tumor site after systemic administration. Herein, the use of Janus magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles, made of gold nanostars and iron oxide nanospheres, as efficient therapeutic nanoheaters whose on-site delivery can be improved by magnetic targeting, is proposed. Single and combined magneto- and photo-thermal heating properties of Janus nanoparticles render them as compelling heating elements, depending on the nanoparticle dose, magnetic lobe size, and milieu conditions. In cancer cells, a much more effective effect is observed for photothermia compared to magnetic hyperthermia, while combination of the two modalities into a magneto-photothermal treatment results in a synergistic cytotoxic effect in vitro. The high potential of the Janus nanoparticles for magnetic guiding confirms them to be excellent nanostructures for in vivo magnetically enhanced photothermal therapy, leading to efficient tumor growth inhibition.

Influence of pH on the stability and structure of single casein microparticles

The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of pH on the structure and stability of casein microparticles prepared by depletion flocculation of casein micelles in solution followed by drying into a solid pellet. We have developed a microfluidic sample environment to perform microscopic single particle analyses. The setup allows a detailed investigation of the particle size and the internal structure after changes of milieu conditions. While the particles remain stable in HCl and ultrapure water, the addition of NaOH leads to a two-step swelling process, which finally results in degradation of the microparticle at pH values ≥ 11. At moderate pH values, the structural changes take several hours at pH 8, a few minutes at pH 11 and a few seconds at pH 14. The pH-induced size changes of the microparticle are described with a dynamic model assuming two independent solvent inflows occurring at different times and depending on a constant rate coefficient and the current particle volume. The model analysis shows that from pH 8 to pH 14 the characteristic times of the swelling processes decrease by three orders of magnitude while the rate coefficients increase by four orders of magnitude. Microparticles consist of building blocks, which are microscopically detectable as a microstructure with a characteristic size of a few μm. These building blocks are stretched in the first phase of the swelling process. This leads to the assumption that at basic pH values the microstructure swells in a first step and then in a second step the swollen microparticle disintegrates due to the weakening of the stabilizing contacts between the building blocks.

Structural and conformational behavior of MurE ligase from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi at different temperature and pH conditions

MurE ligase is known to play a significant role in peptidoglycan biosynthesis. It catalyzes the addition of meso-diaminopimelic acid to nucleotide precursor. The protein can adopt different conformations for its proper functioning. Different environmental conditions can alter the stability and function of enzyme due to their ability to disrupt interactions between different domains. We have explored the pH and temperature dependent conformational changes in MurE ligase from Salmonella Typhi and estimated the protein stability. The study enabled us to decipher the effect of different milieu condition in the enzyme activity. At acidic pH 3.0, StMurE ligase forms molten globule (MG) state and at alkaline pH it is in unfolded state. The different states of StMurE ligase were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques. These techniques including near-UV CD, far-UV CD, ANS fluorescence, differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy helped to determine the secondary structural changes and detect local conformational modifications. The structural analysis using StMurE ligase homology model revealed the variations in ionization states of catalytic amino acid residues involved in substrate binding. This study provides an insight into the dynamics states of StMurE ligase at different environmental conditions during bacterial pathogenesis.

Relation of Photochemical Internalization to Heat, pH and Ca2+ Ions.

The inefficient endosomal escape of drugs or macromolecules is a major obstacle to achieving successful delivery to therapeutic targets. An efficient approach to circumvent this barrier is photochemical internalization (PCI), which uses light and photosensitizers for endosomal escape of the delivered macromolecules. The PCI mechanism is related to photogenerated singlet oxygen, but the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we examined the relation of PCI to heat, pH and Ca2+ ions using cell penetrating peptide (CPP)-cargo-photosensitizer (Alexa546 or Alexa633) conjugates. A cell temperature changing experiment demonstrated that heat (thermal mechanism) does not significantly contribute to the photoinduced endosomal escape. Inhibition of V-ATPase proton pump activity and endosomal pH upregulation indicated that PCI-mediated endosomal escape needs endosomal acidification prior to photoirradiation. Imaging of the CPP-cargo-photosensitizer and Ca2+ ions during photostimulation showed that intracellular calcium increase is not the cause of the endosomal escape of the complex. The increment is mainly due to Ca2+ influx. These findings show the importance of extra- and intracellular milieu conditions in the PCI mechanism and enrich our understanding of PCI-related changes in cell.

Myricetin prevents thapsigargin-induced CDK5-P66Shc signalosome mediated pancreatic β-cell dysfunction

Chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has deleterious effects on pancreatic β-cell function and survival in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) plays a critical role in β-cell failure under diabetic milieu conditions. However, little information is available on CDK5's ability to impair the function of β-cells via a chemical ER stress inducer thapsigargin.Myricetin, a natural flavonoid, has therapeutic potential for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, we examined the effect of CDK5 on thapsigargin-induced β-cell apoptosis, and explored the relationship between myricetin and CDK5. Exposure of beta cells with thapsigargin, induced a Src-mediated redox signaling (VAV2-Rac1-NOX) formation and CDK5 activation. Activated CDK5 induced antiapoptotic protein myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (Mcl-1) degradation which was associated with p66Shc serine 36 phosphorylation, causing beta cell apoptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction. Exposure of beta cells to myricetin resulted in an acute inhibition of Src-mediated redox signaling (VAV2-Rac1-NOX) formation and CDK5 activation. Myricetin inhibited CDK5 activation by directly binding to its ATP-binding pocket. Treatment with myricetin also enhanced the stability of Mcl-1 after thapsigargin treatment. Inhibition of CDK5 with myricetin or roscovitine, a CDK5 inhibitor attenuates thapsigargin induced p66Shc serine 36 phosphorylation and also reduced mitochondrial dysfunction by decreasing mitochondrial ROS and caspase-3 activation. In addition, myricetin was observed to enhance PDX-1 and insulin mRNA expression and potentiate glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Taken together, these findings indicate that thapsigargin-induced early molecular events lead to CDK5-p66Shc signalosome contributes to thapsigargin-induced pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Myricetin blocked thapsigargin induced CDK5-p66Shc signalosome formation and prevented pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that thapsigargin initiated CDK5-p66Shc signalosome mediates the pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and myricetin protects the pancreatic beta cells through the inhibition of CDK5-p66Shc signalosome.

Improved In Vitro Test Procedure for Full Assessment of the Cytocompatibility of Degradable Magnesium Based on ISO 10993-5/-12.

Magnesium (Mg)-based biomaterials are promising candidates for bone and tissue regeneration. Alloying and surface modifications provide effective strategies for optimizing and tailoring their degradation kinetics. Nevertheless, biocompatibility analyses of Mg-based materials are challenging due to its special degradation mechanism with continuous hydrogen release. In this context, the hydrogen release and the related (micro-) milieu conditions pretend to strictly follow in vitro standards based on ISO 10993-5/-12. Thus, special adaptions for the testing of Mg materials are necessary, which have been described in a previous study from our group. Based on these adaptions, further developments of a test procedure allowing rapid and effective in vitro cytocompatibility analyses of Mg-based materials based on ISO 10993-5/-12 are necessary. The following study introduces a new two-step test scheme for rapid and effective testing of Mg. Specimens with different surface characteristics were produced by means of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) using silicate-based and phosphate-based electrolytes. The test samples were evaluated for corrosion behavior, cytocompatibility and their mechanical and osteogenic properties. Thereby, two PEO ceramics could be identified for further in vivo evaluations.

Antifungal activity of selected natural preservatives against the foodborne molds Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus westerdijkiae.

The present study examines the inhibitory effect of the essential oil (EO) of Origanum vulgare, its active components carvacrol and thymol, and a few active components of other EOs, namely, eugenol, trans-cinnamaldehyde and 1,8-cineole, against Penicillium verrucosum CBS 302.48, Aspergillus westerdijkiae CBS 112803 and Aspergillus westerdijkiae CBS 112804. Therefore, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by broth macrodilution of each antifungal agent. Regarding their antifungal activity, the following ranking in order of decreasing inhibitory action is: trans-cinnamaldehyde>carvacrol=thymol>O. vulgare EO>eugenol>1,8-cineole. The combined effects of the natural preservatives were studied by checkerboard assay. The results are based on the fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICIs), which are interpreted as 'synergy', 'no interaction' or 'antagonism'. The indices ranging from 0.8 to 1.3 and thus show no interaction. In addition, the dependence of the natural inhibitors on different pH values (pH 7.0, 5.6, 4.5 and 3.5) and water activity (0.99, 0.92, 0.90 and 0.87 aw) was investigated. All tested natural preservatives are tolerant to the different examined milieu conditions, with the lowest MICs recorded at pH 3.5 and 0.87 aw.

MODELIZATION OF AMYLOID FIBRIL SELF-ASSEMBLY

Intermolecular noncovalent interactions between protein molecules result in the formation of a wide spectrum of supramolecular assemblies the structure of which varies from disordered amorphous aggregates to the crystals with strictly defined translational symmetry in three directions. One-dimensional protein aggregates (amyloid fibrils) represent highly ordered semiflexible polymers with unique mesoscopic properties which can be tuned by both intrinsic physicochemical characteristics of polypeptide chain and milieu conditions. In the present work the molecular mechanisms of amyloid formation are discussed and mathematical description of the existing models of protein fibrillization are given. For disease-related amyloids, deeper understanding of fibril growth process may shed light on the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms of the disorders, as well as on the strategies of amyloidosis prevention at atomistic level. In the context of nanotechnology and functional material science, knowing the details of amyloid formation is crucially required for the design of novel nanomaterials with unprecedented qualities.

Milk ultrafiltrate analysis by ion chromatography and calcium activity for SMUF preparation for different scientific purposes and prediction of its supersaturation

In milk, the serum phase is in a dynamic equilibrium with insoluble salts within the casein micelle and therefore saturated with respect to calcium phosphate depending on pH, temperature and other compositional factors. In this study, simulated milk ultrafiltrate (SMUF) was therefore considered as a dynamic medium that approximates ultrafiltration (UF) permeates of a certain milieu condition resulting in changes in calcium and phosphate content as detected by ion chromatography. Due to reported spontaneous precipitation of existing SMUF solutions and interference with measurements and experiments, SMUF solutions were developed according to the chemical composition and physical parameters of UF permeate at different temperatures. SMUF solutions were proven to be as stable as their corresponding ultrafiltration permeates as they were similar in composition and calcium activity. Calcium activity was considered as a useful parameter to estimate the onset of supersaturation and spontaneous precipitation depending on calcium concentration and pH.

Viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 incorporated into ice cream using three different methods

AbstractAlthough ice cream is a good vehicle to convey probiotics to human hosts, probiotics are not stable in ice cream because of milieu conditions, species- and product-related properties. Studies on the incorporation of probiotics into ice cream have been conducted; however, there is a need for development of a production method in which probiotics maintain their viability and the physicochemical properties of ice cream are preserved. In this study, the aim was to compare the physicochemical properties of ice cream containing Lactobacillus acidophilus (ATCC 4356) that was incorporated using different methods, as well as to determine the viability of L. acidophilus in the samples. Ice cream was produced using three methods: method 1, ice cream mix was fermented with L. acidophilus prior to freezing; method 2, milk (10% of total milk used in the preparation of ice cream mix) was taken and subsequently fermented with L. acidophilus; the fermented milk was introduced to the remaining ice cream mix prior to freezing; and method 3, L. acidophilus was added to the ice cream mix and the mix was not fermented with L. acidophilus prior to freezing. The viability of L. acidophilus in ice cream was better for methods 1 and 2 of ice cream production when compared to method 3. The viable counts after 90 days of storage were higher than the target level (>106 cfu.g−1) only in samples produced using methods 1 and 2.

Conditioned Medium from Early-Outgrowth Bone Marrow Cells Is Retinal Protective in Experimental Model of Diabetes.

Bone marrow-derived cells were demonstrated to improve organ function, but the lack of cell retention within injured organs suggests that the protective effects are due to factors released by the cells. Herein, we tested cell therapy using early outgrowth cells (EOCs) or their conditioned media (CM) to protect the retina of diabetic animal models (type 1 and type 2) and assessed the mechanisms by in vitro study. Control and diabetic (db/db) mice (8 weeks of age) were randomized to receive a unique intravenous injection of 5×105EOCs or 0.25 ml thrice weekly tail-vein injections of 10x concentrated CM and Wystar Kyoto rats rendered diabetic were randomized to receive 0.50 ml thrice weekly tail-vein injections of 10x concentrated CM. Four weeks later, the animals were euthanized and the eyes were enucleated. Rat retinal Müller cells (rMCs) were exposed for 24 h to high glucose (HG), combined or not with EOC-conditioned medium (EOC-CM) from db/m EOC cultures. Diabetic animals showed increase in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and oxidative damage markers; the treatment with EOCs or CM infusions significantly reduced this damage and re-established the retinal function. In rMCs exposed to diabetic milieu conditions (HG), the presence of EOC-CM reduced reactive oxygen species production by modulating the NADPH-oxidase 4 system, thus upregulating SIRT1 activity and deacetylating Lys-310-p65-NFκB, decreasing GFAP and VEGF expressions. The antioxidant capacity of EOC-CM led to the prevention of carbonylation and nitrosylation posttranslational modifications on the SIRT1 molecule, preserving its activity. The pivotal role of SIRT1 on the mode of action of EOCs or their CM was also demonstrated on diabetic retina. These findings suggest that EOCs are effective as a form of systemic delivery for preventing the early molecular markers of DR and its conditioned medium is equally protective revealing a novel possibility for cell-free therapy for the treatment of DR.

Antioxidant activity of milk suppresses laccase induced radicals and the subsequent modification of acidified milk protein gels

Laccase has been shown to crosslink milk proteins in model systems in literature. Owing to its acidic pH optimum, we postulated that it can improve the structure of milk gels in a post acidification step. ABTS radical intermediates induced by laccases in a model system were quenched in the presence of an antioxidant, namely ascorbic acid. This indicated that the antioxidant activity of different milk components can influence the reaction mechanism at a molecular level. Acidified microgel suspensions from skim milk with <5% and >99% denatured β-lactoglobulin and from sodium caseinate in distilled water or ultrafiltration permeate were treated with laccase at 20 °C for 24 h. This resulted in primarily lower molecular compounds, a decrease in gel firmness, apparent viscosity and particle size. Thus, substrate accessibility and milieu conditions influence the laccase induced crosslinking of proteins and its effect on gel structure.

Biodegradation of chloro- and bromobenzoic acids: Effect of milieu conditions and microbial community analysis

Monohalogenated benzoic acids often appear in industrial wastewaters where biodegradation can be hampered by complex mixtures of pollutants and prevailing extreme milieu conditions. In this study, the biodegradation of chlorinated and brominated benzoic acids was conducted at a pH range of 5.0–9.0, at elevated salt concentrations and with pollutant mixtures including fluorinated and iodinated compounds. In mixtures of the isomers, the degradation order was primarily 4-substituted followed by 3-substituted and then 2-substituted halogenated benzoic acids. If the pH and salt concentration were altered simultaneously, long adaptation periods were required. Community analyses were conducted in liquid batch cultures and after immobilization on sand columns. The Alphaproteobacteria represented an important fraction in all of the enrichment cultures. On the genus level, Afipia sp. was detected most frequently. In particular, Bacteroidetes were detected in high numbers with chlorinated benzoic acids.

Structural Study on Hen-egg Yolk High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Granules

Hen egg yolk’s main fractions, granules and plasma contribute to the formation and the stability of disperse systems like emulsions by constituting an interfacial film. However, yolk is still used empirically and physical properties of yolk fractions are not entirely understood. Therefore, one of the main approaches is to fractionate egg yolk in its single components and to close the lack of understanding of the molecular and structural characteristics of each fraction. As our sedimentation experiments show, separation efficiency of granules from hen egg yolk varies with changing solution pH. Under isoelectric conditions at pH 4.0, granules bind more low density lipoprotein (LDL; plasma-fraction), as atomic force microscopy reveals. We show that besides reduced electrostatic repulsion forces also structural changes of the granules support a higher incorporation of LDL-vesicle at pH 4.0. Varying amounts of lipid with pH make a structural analysis difficult by imaging techniques alone. We report on X-ray scattering experiments in reflection geometry performed on films of hen-egg granules. The observed scattering patterns provide prominent lateral distances in the film and a repeating distance from the phospholipids of the LDL vesicles. At pH 4.0 the repeating distance is larger and less diffuse compared to pH 6.5. We extracted two prominent lateral particle sizes in the HDL-granule film from two significant shoulders in the scattering functions. At pH 4.0 the obtained radii of gyration are Rg1 = 83 nm and Rg2 = 2.4 nm. At pH 6.5 we observed a significant expansion of both sizes. This indicates rougher contact areas and a stronger steric hindering for the incorporation of the LDL vesicle in the HDL-granules under native milieu conditions.

Polyvariant architectural model of Crambe koktebelica ( Junge) N. Busch shoot system

The article is devoted to integrated biomorphological study on Crambe koktebelica (Junge) N. Busch. Different variants of ontogenesis and basic architectural model were ascertained by for this rare species. Influence of milieu conditions on shoot system structure of the species individuals was shown.