Slight Imbalance Research Articles

Unexpected asymmetric distribution of cholesterol and phospholipids in equilibrium model membranes

Lipid compositional asymmetry across the leaflets of the plasma membrane is a ubiquitous feature in eukaryotic cells. How this asymmetry is maintained is thought to be primarily controlled by active transport of lipids between leaflets. This strategy is facilitated by the fact that long-tail phospholipids and sphingolipids diffuse through the lipid bilayer slowly—taking many hours or days. However, a lipid-like cholesterol—which is the most abundant lipid in the plasma membrane of animal cells—has been harder to pinpoint in terms of its favored side. In this work we show that, when a saturated lipid is added to a mix of the unsaturated lipid palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) and cholesterol, both cholesterol and the long-tail phospholipids organize asymmetrically across the membrane’s leaflets naturally. In these extruded unilamellar vesicles, most cholesterol as well as the saturated lipid—dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine or sphingomyelin—segregated to the inner leaflet while POPC preferentially localized in the outer leaflet. This asymmetric arrangement generated a slight phospholipid number imbalance favoring the outer leaflet and thus opposite to where cholesterol and the saturated lipids preferentially partitioned. These results were obtained using magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR in combination with small-angle neutron scattering using isotope labeling to differentiate lipid species. We suggest that sidedness in membranes can be driven by thermodynamic processes. In addition, our MAS NMR results show that the lower bound for cholesterol’s flip-flop half-time at 45°C is 10 ms, which is at least two orders of magnitude slower than current MD simulations predict. This result stands in stark contrast to previous work that suggested that cholesterol’s flip-flop half-time at 37°C has an upper bound of 10 ms.

Fluid simulations for a finite size plasma

Studies on finite-size plasma have attracted a lot of attention lately. They can form by ionizing liquid droplets by lasers. The dynamical behavior of such plasma droplets is, therefore, a topic of significant interest. In particular, questions related to the linear and nonlinear characteristics (associated with the inhomogeneous density typically at the edge of the droplet), the behavior of plasma expansion, etc., are of interest. A one-dimensional fluid simulation study has been carried out to investigate this behavior. It is observed that a slight imbalance in the charge density leads to oscillations that are concentrated and keep acquiring higher amplitude and sharper profiles at the inhomogeneous edge region. Such oscillations lead to the expansion of the droplet. Though the fluid description breaks when the sharpness of these structures becomes comparable to the grid size, it provides a reasonable estimate of wave-breaking time. The presence of dissipative effects such as diffusion is shown to arrest the sharpness of these structures. The dynamics of these structures in the presence of an externally applied oscillating electric field corresponding to long wavelength radiation have also been studied.

A Review on the Role and Function of Cinnabarinic Acid, a "Forgotten" Metabolite of the Kynurenine Pathway.

In the human body, the majority of tryptophan is metabolized through the kynurenine pathway. This consists of several metabolites collectively called the kynurenines and includes, among others, kynurenic acid, L-kynurenine, or quinolinic acid. The wealth of metabolites, as well as the associated molecular targets and biological pathways, bring about a situation wherein even a slight imbalance in the kynurenine levels, both in the periphery and central nervous system, have broad consequences regarding general health. Cinnabarinic acid (CA) is the least known trace kynurenine, and its physiological and pathological roles are not widely understood. Some studies, however, indicate that it might be neuroprotective. Information on its hepatoprotective properties have also emerged, although these are pioneering studies and need to be replicated. Therefore, in this review, I aim to present and critically discuss the current knowledge on CA and its role in physiological and pathological settings to guide future studies.

The influence of nutrition on patients with digestive diseases

Abstract. Maintaining health, improving the quality of life is largely related to the way of eating and the quality of food consumption. The way of eating is a central life issue, because apart from the very important social activities and other recreational activities, man still has three meals daily. Diet and nutrition are of paramount importance in disease prevention and health promotion. In fact, a slight imbalance in the quantitative and/or qualitative consumption of food can and does have long-term effects on health. In order to determine how nutrition influences the lifestyle of people suffering from digestive diseases, a retrospective study was conducted at the Municipal Hospital, St. Ierah Dr. Luca,, Onești during the period 1.01.2015-31.03.2020. In this study, 1019 patients with digestive pathology (gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, acute haemorrhagic gastritis, gastritis, gastroduodenitis) were included. As indicated by the research, it was found that the 1019 tested patients were diagnosed with ulcers, gastritis and gastro-duodenitis. According to the research, we can conclude that improper eating habits are risk factors in triggering, maintaining, or aggravating digestive pathology.

Lateral Laxity in Flexion Influences Patient-Reported Outcome After Total Knee Arthroplasty

IntroductionSlight lateral laxity exists in normal knee especially in flexion. The lateral laxity in flexion has possibility to affect the outcome after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine how intraoperative laxity in flexion affects patient-reported outcome after total knee arthroplasty.MethodsWe retrospectively analysed 98 knees with osteoarthritis that underwent total knee arthroplasty. After bone resection, ligament imbalance and joint component gaps were measured using an offset-type tensor while applying a 40-lb joint distraction force at 0° and 90° of knee flexion. The lateral laxity in flexion was determined by subtracting polyethylene insert thickness from the lateral gap at 90°. All patients were divided into three groups: ≤ 2 mm (A), 2–5 mm (B), and > 5 mm (C). One year after surgery, patients were asked to fill out questionnaires using the new Knee Society Score after examination outside the consultation room.ResultsThe mean intraoperative lateral laxities at 90° were − 0.2 ± 2.1 mm, 3.5 ± 0.7 mm, and 6.7 ± 1.9 mm in groups A, B, and C, respectively. The symptom score of group C was significantly lower than those of groups A or B. There were no significant differences in terms of satisfaction or the expectation and activity scores among all groups. There were no significant differences in terms of alignment after total knee arthroplasty among all groups.ConclusionsExcessive lateral laxity possibly resulted in worse patient-reported outcomes. However, slight lateral laxity of 2–5 mm might have no effect on patient-reported outcome and this slight varus imbalance could be acceptable. Altogether, our findings would lead to avoidance of excessive medial release in soft tissue balancing.

Maintenance of appropriate size scaling of the C. elegans pharynx by YAP-1

Even slight imbalance between the growth rate of different organs can accumulate to a large deviation from their appropriate size during development. Here, we use live imaging of the pharynx of C. elegans to ask if and how organ size scaling nevertheless remains uniform among individuals. Growth trajectories of hundreds of individuals reveal that pharynxes grow by a near constant volume per larval stage that is independent of their initial size, such that undersized pharynxes catch-up in size during development. Tissue-specific depletion of RAGA-1, an activator of mTOR and growth, shows that maintaining correct pharynx-to-body size proportions involves a bi-directional coupling between pharynx size and body growth. In simulations, this coupling cannot be explained by limitation of food uptake alone, and genetic experiments reveal an involvement of the mechanotransducing transcriptional co-regulator yap-1. Our data suggests that mechanotransduction coordinates pharynx growth with other tissues, ensuring body plan uniformity among individuals.

Dynamic Evolution and Trend Analysis of the Coupling Coordination Between Sci-Tech Popularization and Sci-Tech Innovation in China

Sci-Tech Popularization (STP) and Sci-Tech Innovation (STI) are two significant components to realize China’s innovation development. STI provides direction and content for STP, while STP creates an intense atmosphere for STI. By establishing two evaluation index systems of STP and STI, the STP index and the STI index of China and Chinese 31 provinces from 2010 to 2019 was calculated, and the STP index and the STI index from 2020 to 2024 were predicted. Finally, the relative development degree (RDD), the coupling coordination degree (CCD) and the dynamic degree of STP and STI were figured out. The results showed that: (1) From 2010 to 2024, the STP index and the STI index of China and Chinese 31 provinces showed a growing trend. The growth rate of STI was higher than that of STP, but the STP and the STI were low. (2) The RDD results showed that the development of STP lagged behind that of STI after 2018, and the gap between them showed a growing trend. (3) The CCD of STP and STI in China spanned three grades: moderate imbalance, slight imbalance, and approaching imbalance. The CCD in Chinese each province spanned five grades: severe imbalance, moderate imbalance, slight imbalance, approaching imbalance, reluctant coordination. The CCD was developing in a good direction, China and most Chinese provinces were still in an unbalanced level instead. Finally, suggestions on infrastructure, technical means, personnel, and social responsibility were put forward to promote the coordinated development between STP and STI in China.

Exploring the host factors affecting asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection: insights from a rural Burkina Faso study

BackgroundAsymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia forms a reservoir for the transmission of malaria disease in West Africa. Certain haemoglobin variants are known to protect against severe malaria infection. However, data on the potential roles of haemoglobin variants and nongenetic factors in asymptomatic malaria infection is scarce and controversial. Therefore, this study investigated the associations of iron homeostasis, inflammation, nutrition, and haemoglobin mutations with parasitaemia in an asymptomatic cohort from a P. falciparum-endemic region during the high transmission season.MethodsA sub-study population of 688 asymptomatic individuals (predominantly children and adolescents under 15 years, n = 516) from rural Burkina Faso previously recruited by the NOVAC trial (NCT03176719) between June and October 2017 was analysed. Parasitaemia was quantified with conventional haemocytometry. The haemoglobin genotype was determined by reverse hybridization assays targeting a selection of 21 HBA and 22 HBB mutations. Demographics, inflammatory markers (interleukins 6 and 10, hepcidin), nutritional status (mid upper-arm circumference and body mass index), and anaemia (total haemoglobin, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor) were assessed as potential predictors through logistic regression.ResultsMalaria parasites were detected in 56% of subjects. Parasitaemia was associated most strongly with malnutrition. The effect size increased with malnutrition severity (OR = 6.26, CI95: 2.45–19.4, p < 0.001). Furthermore, statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) with age, cytokines, hepcidin and heterozygous haemoglobin S were observed.ConclusionsAccording to these findings, asymptomatic parasitaemia is attenuated by haemoglobin S, but not by any of the other detected genotypes. Aside from evidence for slight iron imbalance, overall undernutrition was found to predict parasitaemia; thus, further investigations are required to elucidate causality and inform strategies for interventions.

Recent advances in aptamer-based biosensors for potassium detection.

Maintaining a stable level of potassium is crucial for proper bodily function because even a slight imbalance can result in serious disorders like hyperkalemia and hypokalemia. Therefore, detecting and monitoring potassium ion (K+) levels are of utmost importance. Various biosensors have been developed for rapid K+ detection, with aptamer-based biosensors garnering significant attention due to their high sensitivity and specificity. This review focuses on aptamer-based biosensors for K+ detection, providing an overview of their signal generation strategies, including electrochemical, field-effect transistor, nanopore, colorimetric, and fluorescent systems. The analytical performance of these biosensors is evaluated comprehensively. In addition, factors that affect their efficiency, such as their physicochemical properties, regeneration for reusability, and linkers/spacers, are listed. Lastly, this review examines the major challenges faced by aptamer-based biosensors in K+ detection and discusses potential future developments.

The influence of flux rope heating models on solar prominence formation

Context. Prominences are cool, dense clouds suspended within the solar corona. Their in situ formation through the levitation-condensation mechanism is a textbook example of the thermal instability, where a slight energy imbalance leads to a runaway process resulting in condensed filamentary structures embedded within the concave-up portions of a flux rope. The detailed interplay between local radiative losses and the global heating of the solar corona is investigated here for prominence-forming flux rope structures. Aims. We begin by exploring the influence of two classes of commonly adopted heating models on the formation behaviour of solar prominences. These models consider either an exponential variation dependent on height alone, or local density and magnetic field conditions. We highlight and address some of the limitations inherent to these early approximations by proposing a new, dynamic 2D flux rope heating model that qualitatively accounts for the 3D topology of the twisted flux rope field. Methods. We performed 2.5D grid-adaptive numerical simulations of prominence formation via the levitation-condensation mechanism. A linear force-free arcade is subjected to shearing and converging motions, leading to the formation of a flux rope containing material that may succumb to thermal instability. The eventual formation and subsequent evolution of prominence condensations was then quantified as a function of the specific background heating prescription adopted. For the simulations that consider the topology of the flux rope, reduced heating was considered within a dynamically evolving ellipse that traces the flux rope cross-section. This ellipse is centred on the flux rope axis and tracked during runtime using an approach based on the instantaneous magnetic field curvature. Results. We find that the nature of the heating model is clearly imprinted on the evolution and morphology of any resulting prominences: one large, low-altitude condensation is obtained for the heating model based on local parameters, while the exponential model leads to the additional formation of smaller blobs throughout the flux rope which then relocate as they tend towards achieving hydrostatic equilibrium. Finally, a study of the condensation process in phase space reveals a non-isobaric evolution with an eventual recovery of uniform pressure balance along flux surfaces.

The Coupling Coordination Development of Rural E-commerce and Rural Revitalization: A Case Study of 10 Rural Revitalization Demonstration Counties in Guizhou

In order to promote the coordinated development of rural e-commerce and rural revitalization, 10 rural revitalization demonstration counties in Guizhou were taken as the research object. Based on the in-depth analysis of the coupling mechanism between the two, the evaluation index system of rural e-commerce and rural revitalization was constructed. The entropy weight TOPSIS method was used to measure the level of rural e-commerce and rural revitalization from 2015 to 2019, and the coupling coordination degree model were used to analyze the change characteristics and time differences. The research results show that: the coupling coordination degree of rural e-commerce and rural revitalization in the 10 rural revitalization demonstration counties in Guizhou is not high; the coupling coordination degree types span six levels: severe imbalance, moderate imbalance, slight imbalance, near imbalance, reluctant coordination and primary coordination. The proportions of rural e-commerce lagging type, rural revitalization lagging type, and double lagging type are 20%, 20% and 60% respectively. From 2015 to 2019, the overall trend of the coupling coordination degree of rural e-commerce and rural revitalization is upward. And the rate of increase is higher than the rate of decline.

Spatiotemporal Evolution Patterns and Driving Factors of Synergistic Development of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Industries: The Case Study of China

Synergistic development of the culture, sports, and tourism industries is an emerging trend in China, providing new formats for industrial evolution and fresh momentum for industrial upgrading. Therefore, building a robust framework to evaluate the synergistic development is relevant to China’s economic and social development. This study used a coupling coordination model to calculate the coupling coordination degree of the three industries, for 31 provinces in China from 2013 to 2017. Subsequently, it employed spatial autocorrelation techniques and GeoDetector to identify factors affecting the synergistic development from global and local perspectives before discussing the driving mechanisms. The results showed that (1) the synergistic development of the three industries was generally stable with a slight imbalance. (2) The development level varied across regions. The general spatial pattern was low in northeastern and western China, stable and average in the central region, and high in the eastern region. (3) The synergistic development has a prominent “proximity dependence” effect reflected by a notable spatial agglomeration feature and positive spatial autocorrelation trend and (4) twenty-one indicators of six driving factors (industrial pulling force, population supporting force, consumer purchasing power, transportation pushing force, resource attraction force, and economic driving force) affected the synergistic development.

Study on Compulsory Classification Management and Behavior Synergy of Municipal Solid Waste

There is a general phenomenon of incoordination between garbage classification management and participation behavior, which seriously affects the sustainable management efficiency of domestic garbage. In order to solve this problem, this paper introduced the subject-object-process model into the waste classification management system, and constructed a mandatory classification management model of municipal solid waste and a comprehensive evaluation index system. Taking Beijing, China, as an example, the coupling coordination degree of garbage classification behaviors of residents in different was compared, and the coordination status of household waste management and behaviors was obtained. The results show that the synergy between government management and residents’ household waste classification behavior is between 0.40 and 0.68, and the synergy between enterprises’ participation in governance and residents’ behavior is between 0.45 and 0.75. The coordination degree between domestic waste management and residents’ participation behavior is generally in primary coordination or slight imbalance. The synergy degree between the secondary indicators of domestic waste management and residents’ behavior is higher than that of the tertiary indicators. Superposition effect of integrated management measures is better; among the psychological factors affecting residents’ classification behavior, the awareness rate and recognition degree of waste classification are very high, the awareness of environmental responsibility and social pressure are lagging behind. The study of synergy under the framework of subject-object-process not only quantifies the overall synergy between management and residents’ behavior, but also provides a method to further implement garbage classification management in a targeted manner. Based on the synergy analysis, according to the weak links of various regions, classified management is carried out around publicity and education, supervision and management, assessment, rewards and punishments.

Accretion Belt Characteristics in a Hydrodynamic Evolution of a Contact Binary

Abstract We compare features from the circulation model developed in Stȩpień for contact binaries to a long-term hydrodynamical evolution of a symmetric contact binary. The numerical evolution is fully three-dimensional and begins from an equilibrium structure in contact at one grid cell. As the evolution is conducted with Flow-ER, an explicit hydrodynamics code for self-gravitating fluids, we are not able to address energy transport or evolution on a thermal timescale. However, we are able to investigate the width and height of the equatorial accretion belt and the flow of material in and out of the inner Lagrange point. The flow of material between the two components arises quickly in the evolution and does not change significantly through tens of orbital periods. As the stellar components are modeled as polytropes of index 3/2 a slight numerical mass imbalance causes one component to only gain mass over the course of the simulation leading eventually to a dynamical merger of the contact binary.

The Human Vaginal Microbiota: Boon or Bane

We are soaked in microbiota, both, externally and internally. The balance between harmful and beneficial keeps us healthy, however even slight imbalance in their ratio may make cause of ill health. Many of the species of Lactobacillus keeps the vagina healthy; even some species of Lactobacillus are troublesome to the vagina. Other pathogenic bacteria and fungus cause many diseases. Lactobacillus spp prevents harmful bacteria to infect the vagina; nevertheless their population varies due to various factors mentioned in the text. Because of this the woman suffers even with infertility, abortions etc.

Effects of Rootstocks on Blade Nutritional Content of Two Minority Grapevine Varieties Cultivated under Hyper-Arid Conditions in Northern Chile

In the 90s, as in other countries, transformation of Chilean viticulture brought about the introduction and spread of European grapevine varieties which has resulted in a massive loss of minor local and autochthonous grapevine varieties traditionally grown in several wine growing regions. Fortunately, in recent years, autochthonous and minority varieties have been revalued due to their high tolerance to pests and diseases and because of their adaptation to thermal and water stress triggered by global warming. In this study, we assessed the nutritional status of two autochthonous grapevines grafted onto four different rootstocks under the hyper-arid climatic conditions of Northern Chile over three consecutive seasons. The results showed that R32 rootstock induced high N, P, Ca, Mg and Mn levels in blades compared to Harmony rootstock. R32 rootstock and to a lesser extent, 1103 Paulsen and 140 Ruggeri rootstocks kept balanced levels of nutrients in blades collected from Moscatel Amarilla and Moscatel Negra grapevine varieties. Additionally, Harmony presented slight nutritional imbalance compared to the rest of studied rootstocks due to its low absorption of Mg, Mn, Ca and P, and its high K absorption, which was exacerbated under warm weather and salinity soil conditions. These results may provide a basis for specific cultivar/rootstock/site combinations, a nutritional guide for the viticulturists of Northern Chile, and options to diversify their production favoring the use of minority and autochthonous varieties that adapt well to hyper-arid conditions of Northern Chile.

The meridional circulation of the Sun: Observations, theory and connections with the solar dynamo

The meridional circulation of the Sun, which is observed to be poleward at the surface, should have a return flow at some depth. Since large-scale flows like the differential rotation and the meridional circulation are driven by turbulent stresses in the convection zone, these flows are expected to remain confined within this zone. Current observational (based on helioseismology) and theoretical (based on dynamo theory) evidences point towards an equatorward return flow of the meridional circulation at the bottom of the convection zone. Assuming the mean values of various quantities averaged over turbulence to be axisymmetric, we study the large-scale flows in solar-like stars on the basis of a 2D mean field theory. Turbulent stresses in a rotating star can transport angular momentum, setting up a differential rotation. The meridional circulation arises from a slight imbalance between two terms which try to drive it in opposite directions: a thermal wind term (arising out of the higher efficiency of convective heat transport in the polar regions) and a centrifugal term (arising out of the differential rotation). To make these terms comparable, the poles of the Sun should be slightly hotter than the equator. We discuss the important role played by the meridional circulation in the flux transport dynamo model. The poloidal field generated by the Babcock-Leighton process at the surface is advected poleward, whereas the toroidal field produced at the bottom of the convection zone is advected equatorward. The fluctuations in the meridional circulation (with coherence time of about 30–40 yr) help in explaining many aspects of the irregularities in the solar cycle. Finally, we discuss how the Lorentz force of the dynamo-generated magnetic field can cause periodic variations in the large-scale flows with the solar cycle.

A Novel Volt-Second Self-Balancing SVPWM Scheme to Eliminate Steady-State DC Bias for a Three-Phase Isolated AC–DC Matrix Converter

For a three-phase isolated ac-dc matrix converter, the slight volt-second imbalance caused by variable input voltage is an inherent defect and has been neglected in most PWM schemes. The analysis in this paper shows that the imbalance lies in a single direction during the entire input cycle, and it might generate a large dc bias to severely decrease the efficiency of the steady-state operation. Therefore, the imbalance phenomenon is first investigated, and the generation mechanism of the steady-state dc bias is derived in detail. To eliminate such a dc bias, a novel transformer primary-side voltage pulse is originally defined. Based on the special crisscrossing operation mode with the above pulse, a simple but effective four-segment space vector PWM (4S-SVPWM) scheme is proposed. Compared with the conventional more-segment SVPWM schemes, the novel 4S-SVPWM scheme can achieve volt-second self-balancing without auxiliary methods, as well as a 1/2 reduction in the common-mode voltage (CMV) peak value and a 1/3 reduction in the switching actions. The overall efficiency and power density of the converter are greatly improved. Finally, an experimental prototype is built to validate the correctness and effectiveness of the novel scheme.

Assessment of the Adaptive Stability of the Holstein Cows in the Conditions of the Ecological Plasticity in Northern Steppe of Ukraine

Background: Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine is located in the northern steppe subzone, where livestock is actively developing, including dairy farming. Cows, imported from other ecological and climatic conditions undergo appropriate acclimatization to new conditions of exploitation. The current research was based on the assessment of the adaptive properties of Holstein cows of different ages to manage and control the level of their milk productivity and reproductive function during exploitation. Methods: All researches were carried out on the milk complex of “Agro-Soyuz”. The information base was data on productive qualities in individual cards of cows, results of assessment of zootechnical and veterinary accounting. To achieve this goal, an analysis was conducted from the first to the seventh lactation of Holstein cows. Result: Our researches allowed establishing the adaptability of Holstein cows of different ages in terms of ecological plasticity of the northern steppe of Ukraine. With a slight imbalance of the organism and the environment cows show high productive qualities at unsatisfactory reproductive function. This work will be a complementary the comprehensive study the adaptation of Holstein cows in different climatic conditions.

Changes in intestinal barrier functions and gut microbiota in rats exposed to zearalenone

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin that causes serious health problems in humans and animals. However, few studies have focused on the destruction of the intestinal barrier caused by ZEN. In this study, rats were exposed to different dosages of ZEN (0, 0.2, 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg bw) by gavage for 4 weeks. The results showed that 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg ZEN impaired gut morphology, induced the inflammatory response, reduced mucin expression, increased intestinal permeability, decreased the expression of TJ proteins and activated the RhoA/ROCK pathway. However, 0.2 mg/kg ZEN had no significant effect on intestinal barrier except for reducing the expression of some TJ proteins and mucins. Moreover, exposure to ZEN led to slight imbalance in microbiota. In conclusion, ZEN exposure resulted in intestinal barrier dysfunction by inducing intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, decreasing the expression of TJ proteins, activating the RhoA/ROCK pathway, and inducing the inflammatory response.