6,284 research outputs found
DOHaD, nutrition and basic research
No full textDOHaD, NUTRITION AND BASIC RESEARCH
C. Mandò, I. Cetin; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco University of Milan, Milan, Italy
The “DOHaD” (Developmental Origin of Health and Disease) theory describes how in utero exposure to environmental factors may have long-term effects on the structural and functional development of the fetus. Extensive retrospective studies, such as those on the Dutch famine of 1944, have reported correlations between maternal diet or nutritional status and the risk of pregnancy pathologies or to develop adverse conditions in the future adult. Indeed, macro- and micronutrients taken with the maternal diet can regulate the stability and expression of fetal/placental DNA and phenotype adaptations through epigenetic modifications, reversible mechanisms that occur without changes in the DNA sequence (DNA methylation, histone acetylation, microRNA) [1]. Recently, a large prospective longitudinal cohort study in humans (MANOE study) reported that maternal intake of methyl donors, especially during the periconceptional period, can affect the epigenoma of the offspring in genes related to obesity and diabetes. However, many observations on this issue are born from basic research studies performed on the placenta: placental epigenetic modifications are one of the main mechanisms through which nutritional and environmental factors affect fetal growth. Epigenetic regulation of placental phenotype and function has been extensively studied in the mouse. For example, “imprinted” placental genes (IGF2, H19) act as “nutritional sensors” by varying their methylation status based on environmental conditions. In our lab, we have recently reported lower functionality in the placenta of overweight/obese women with high gestational weight gain, with an important role in fetal sex [2]. Those placentas also exhibit alterations in mitochondrial content suggesting a bioenergetic placental imbalance resulting from an altered nutritional intake. Methylation of mitochondrial DNA may also be involved in these mechanisms [3]. Future research will allow to fully understand the underlying mechanisms of pregnancy pathologies in relation to maternal-fetal nutrition.
REFERENCES
[1] Vaiman D. Genes, epigenetics and miRNA regulation in the placenta. Placenta. 2017;52:127-33.
[2] Mandò C, Calabrese S, Mazzocco MI, Novielli C, Anelli GM, Antonazzo P, Cetin I. Sex specific adaptations in placental biometry of overweight and obese women. Placenta. 2016;38:1-7.
[3] Novielli C, Mandò C, Tabano S, Anelli GM, Fontana L, Antonazzo P, Miozzo M, Cetin I. Mitochondrial DNA content and methylation in fetal cord blood of pregnancies with placental insufficiency. Placenta. 2017;55:63-70
Pathogenic mechanisms linking periodontal diseases with adverse pregnancy outcomes
No full textIn the last 2 decades, a large proportion of studies have focused on the relationship between maternal periodontal disease and poor obstetric outcomes. The aim of the present review is to summarize the current knowledge about human studies on the pathogenetic mechanisms linking periodontal diseases with adverse pregnancy outcomes. A search of the medical literature was conducted using NIH (National Institute of Health) Pubmed through April 2011. Articles were identified with the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) and free text terms "small for gestational age (SGA)," "preeclampsia," "preterm labor," and "periodontal disease." Experimental human studies have shown that periodontal pathogens may disseminate toward placental and fetal tissues accompanied by an increase in inflammatory mediators in the placenta. As such, new inflammatory reactions within the placental tissues of the pregnant woman may occur, the physiological levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the amniotic fluid may increase and eventually lead to premature delivery. Although many data from clinical trials suggest that periodontal disease may increase the adverse pregnancy outcome, the exact pathogenetic mechanism involved remains controversial. The findings explain the potential link between periodontal infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes. First, periodontal bacteria can directly cause infections both of the uteroplacenta and the fetus; second, systemic inflammatory changes induced by periodontal diseases can activate responses at the maternal-fetal interface. Of note, associative studies have produced different results in different population groups and no conclusive evidence has still been produced for the potential role of preventive periodontal care to reduce the risk factors of preterm birth. © The Author(s) 2012
Cetin, Denkmal kroatischer Geschichte und der Fortifikationsbaukunst
No full textPovijesno ime Cetin pokrivalo je širi prostor oko današnjega Cetingrada, Podcetina i Cetinske Varoši. To je ime nosio i utvrđeni feudalni grad i pod njegovu upravu spadajući feudalni posjed.
Cetin je bilo i ime podgrađa toga feudalnog grada u kojem se nalazio franjevački samostan i crkva Svete Marije, poznat ponajviše po tome što je tu 1. siječnja 1527. godine bio izabran i svečano proglašen novim hrvatskim kraljem nadvojvoda Ferdinand iz dinastije Habzburga. Burne povijesne promjene, koje su donosile stoljeća izgradnje, ali i duga razdoblja razaranja i uništavanja, bogatu su baštinu življenja toga prostora pokapale u zaboravljene arheološke slojeve koje su tek u najnovije vrijeme, tijekom arheoloških istraživanja 2000. i 2001. godine, arheolozi počeli sistematski otkrivati. Istraživačka arheološka iskopavanja bila su u prvom
redu usmjerena središnjem spomeniku današnjega Cetingrada, na veliku ruševinu utvrđenoga grada Cetina, te na lokacije koje povijesni i topografski izvori i tradicija označavaju kao središnja mjesta življenja i događanja stare srednjovjekove i novovjeke povijesti toga prostora. Povijest Cetina, nakon dosadašnjih rezultata istraživanja, moguće je jasno razdijeliti na četiri velike vremenske razdjelnice, na doba cetinske povijesti prije tatarske provale u Hrvatsku (1241. god.), na skoro dva stoljeća frankopanske vladavine Cetinom (14 - 16. st.), na više od stoljeća turske vlasti nad Cetinom (1670 - 1791.) i posljednje povijesno, krajiško razdoblja života na starom Cetinu. Ta istraživanja bitno dopunjavaju onu sliku povijesnoga razvoja Cetina koju nam vrlo fragmentarno ocrtavaju rijetki sačuvani pisani povijesni izvori. Prve zapisane sačuvane vijesti o Cetinu potječu tek iz 14. stoljeÊa. Prvi je pisani povijesni
izvor poznati popis crkvenih župa Zagrebačke biskupije iz 1334. godine, a prva isprava koja spominje Cetin kao uređeni feudalni posjed s utvrđenim plemičkim gradom datirana je tek godinom 1387. Posve je sigurno da je i prije 1334. godine Cetin postojao kao uređeno župsko naselje sa svojom utvrdom i župnom crkvom, te da je i prije 1387. godine Cetin bio već razvijeni i uređeni feudalni posjed sa svojim feudalnim utvrđenim gradom, u okvirima srednjovjekovne hrvatske države.
Do sada obavljena arheolo¹ka iskopavanjanam potvrðuju da je na poloæaju danas poznatom pod imenom “Mala Crkvina” stajalo nekada staro hrvatsko naselje s utvrdom građenom u romaničkom
vremenu, a tu je negdje bila i prva župna crkva toga naselja posvećena Sv.Emeriku. Pokretni arheološki nalazi potvrđuju da je to naselje na tom mjestu živjelo već negdje u doba stare hrvatske države, u vrijeme hrvatskih knezova i kraljeva i razvijalo se sve do provale Tatara 1241. godine. Vjerojatno je tek poslije toga počela gradnja nove utvrde i razvoj njenog, novog podgrađa, s novom crkvom posvećenom Svim Svetima. Tu utvrdu u 14. stoljeću
dobivaju u feudalni posjed knezovi Frankopani i dalje je dograđuju, a naselje se razvija između položaja današnjih cetingradskih ruševina i položaja “Velike Crkvine”. Tako organizirano i razvijeno naselje i feudalni posjed s utvrđenim starim gradom dočekali su vrijeme
turskih prodora u hrvatske zemlje, 16. stoljeće. U tom se vremenu feudalni utvrđeni grad Cetin pretvara u obrambenu utvrdu koju brane njegovi gospodari knezovi Frankopani, a za njegovu
se obranu brine i Hrvatski sabor i krajiška vojna uprava. U tom se razdoblju u Cetinu dogodio i jedan od najvažnijih događaja hrvatske povijesti. Frankopani su na samom kraju 1526. godine u Cetnu okupili hrvatsko plemstvo koje je tu slobodnim izborom izabralo
habzburškog nadvojvodu Ferdinanda novim hrvatskim kraljem. Tu je odluku svečano obznanilo i proglasilo 1. siječnja 1527. godine u crkvi franjevačkog samostana što potvrđuje i svečana izborna isprava pisana i izdana u Cetinu istoga datuma. Cijelo 16. stoljeće traje rat za opstojnost Cetina. U tom su vremenu nestala stara hrvatska
naselja toga prostora. Razorene su crkve i druge srednjovjekovne utvrde i cijeli je cetinski kraj bio opustošen. Utvrđeni Cetin s krajiškom vojnom posadom najduæe se održao. Turci ga
nisu uspjeli osvojiti ni u prvoj polovici 17. stoljeća, premda su to pokušavali i u dvije duge opsade grada 1638. i 1646. godine. Uspjelo im je to tek 1670. godine. Od toga vremena počinje treće povijesno razdoblje Cetina, razdoblje turske vlasti i izgradnje Cetina kao turske granične utvrde. Ta je izgradnja dokumentirana kamenim spomen pločama koje dokazuju da su se veliki građevinski radovi odvijali tijekom 1739. godine i 1765-1766. godine. Stara je utvrda bila opasana cijelim sustavom vanjskih, donjih i gornjih obrambenih zidova i kula, tzv. tabija (Babića tabija, Senkovića i Begova tabija, kula Nebojša). Najbolje je bio utvrđen nutarnji, središnji dio grada, gdje je bila podignuta visoka turska kula zvana “Icziszar” u prijevodu
značenja “Duboki biser”. Tako utvrđeni Cetin Turci su smatrali neosvojivom utvrdom koja je zaista izdržala sve pokušaje krajiških vojskih da je oslobode, sve do posljednjeg velikog oslobodilačkog
rata 1791.godine. Nakon dobrih priprema i snaæne artiljerijske opsade, turska posada Cetina bila je prisiljena na predaju i utvrda je oslobođena. Četvrto, posljednje povijesno vrijeme Cetina počinje krajiškom obnovom Cetina. Tu nam obnovu dokumentiraju mnogi krajiški planovi Cetina. Cetin je sada pretvoren u graničnu utvrdu
i vojarnu krajiške vojne sile na granici prema turskoj Bosni. Obnovljene su u ratu oštečene utvrde i sagrađeni mnogi novi objekti potrebni graničnoj vojnoj posadi. Krajiška vojna vlast držala je Cetin sve do polovice 19. stoljeća, a tada, jer joj strateški više nije bio važan kao nekada, ali i zbog troškova njegova održavanja, donosi odluku o njegovom napuštanju i rušenju. Usprkos protivljenju mnogih hrvatskih Društava i Hrvatskoga sabora, krajiška vojska
napustila je Cetin, odnjela iz njega sve što se moglo odnjeti, a zatim ga 1865. godine zapalila i porušila sve krajiške objekte i veći dio njegovih starih utvrda. Od toga se vremena do danas Cetin pretvara u veliku povijesnu ruševinu. Zadnjih godina počela su već spomenuta
arheološka istraživanja i ove stare “gradine” i širega povijesnog prostora oko nje. Njegove ruševine prvorazredan su spomenik graditeljstva i vrlo slojevito arheološko nalazište hrvatske
srednjovjekovne i novovjeke povijesti. Cetin zaslužuje i potrebna sustavna arheološka istraživanja i doličnu konzervaciju i prezentaciju, kao spomenik hrvatske i europske povijesti i graditeljstva.Cetin ist ein vielschichtiger archäologische und historische Forschungsarbeiten rechtfertigender Denkmalort. Diese Arbeit ist das Resultat einer mehrjährigen Erforschung der Geschichte Cetins vom kroatischen Mittelalter bis zum heutigen Zustand der historischen Lokalitäten Cetins reichend. Diese Forschungsarbeit bezieht sich auf die Analyse und Valorisierung des erhaltenen Schriftmaterials und der Resultate der in Angriff genommenen archäologischen Erforschung der Baureste der denkmalhistorischen Lokalitäten Cetins
Image Classification of Human Carcinoma Cells Using Complex Wavelet-Based Covariance Descriptors
No full textCancer cell lines are widely used for research purposes in laboratories all over the world. Computer-assisted classification of
cancer cells can alleviate the burden of manual labeling and help cancer research. In this paper, we present a novel
computerized method for cancer cell line image classification. The aim is to automatically classify 14 different classes of cell
lines including 7 classes of breast and 7 classes of liver cancer cells. Microscopic images containing irregular carcinoma cell
patterns are represented by subwindows which correspond to foreground pixels. For each subwindow, a covariance
descriptor utilizing the dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DT- WT) coefficients and several morphological attributes are
computed. Directionally selective DT- WT feature parameters are preferred primarily because of their ability to characterize
edges at multiple orientations which is the characteristic feature of carcinoma cell line images. A Support Vector Machine
(SVM) classifier with radial basis function (RBF) kernel is employed for final classification. Over a dataset of 840 images, we
achieve an accuracy above 98%, which outperforms the classical covariance-based methods. The proposed system can be
used as a reliable decision maker for laboratory studies. Our tool provides an automated, time- and cost-efficient analysis of
cancer cell morphology to classify different cancer cell lines using image-processing techniques, which can be used as an
alternative to the costly short tandem repeat (STR) analysis. The data set used in this manuscript is available as
supplementary material through http://signal.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/cancerCellLineClassificationSampleImages.html
Image Feature Extraction Using 2D Mel-Cepstrum
No full textIn this paper, a feature extraction method based
on two-dimensional (2D) mel-cepstrum is introduced.
Feature matrices resulting from the 2D mel-cepstrum,
Fourier LDA approach and original image matrices are
individually applied to the Common Matrix Approach
(CMA) based face recognition system. For each of these
feature extraction methods, recognition rates are obtained
in the AR face database, ORL database and Yale
database. Experimental results indicate that recognition
rates obtained by the 2D mel-cepstrum method is
superior to the recognition rates obtained using Fourier
LDA approach and raw image matrices. This indicates
that 2D mel-cepstral analysis can be used in image feature
extraction problem
Comparison of sequential and simultaneous synthesis of heat integrated water networks
No full textV magistrskem delu smo primerjali dva pristopa pridobivanja toplotno integriranega vodnega omrežja. Prvi pristop je bil zaporedni pristop, katerega smo zasnovali s konstrukcijo vodnega omrežja v prvem koraku s pomočjo nelinearnega programiranja (NLP). Na podlagi pridobljenega vodnega omrežja smo sestavili niz različnih možnih toplotnih tokov, glede na možnosti mešanja tokov. Na podlagi pridobljenih tokov smo izvedli različne primere toplotne integracije s pomočjo mešano celoštevilskega nelinearnega programiranja (MINLP) in modela Synheat ter primerjali njihove skupne letne stroške. Drugi pristop je bil simultani pristop, kjer smo hkrati optimirali celotno toplotno integrirano vodno omrežje s pomočjo mešano celoštevilskega nelinearnega programiranja (MINLP). V obeh pristopih je bila namenska funkcija definirana kot minimiranje skupnih letnih stroškov toplotno integriranega vodnega omrežja.
Pri zaporednem pristopu smo obravnavali štiri različne primere pridobivanja toplotnih tokov. Rešitev je bila toplotno integrirano vodno omrežje. Omrežje, ki je po optimizaciji doseglo najnižje skupne letne stroške (TAC) smo nato primerjali z rešitvijo simultanega omrežja. Pri primerjavi smo se osredotočili na postavitev omrežja, tokove, ki so določeni, količino izmenjane oz. oddane toplote, potrebne velikosti prenosnikov in grelcev ter investicijo in obratovalne stroške. Ugotovili smo, da simultani pristop zagotavlja nižje skupne letne stroške toplotno integriranega vodnega omrežja, saj omogoča optimalno razmerje cepitve tokov za zmanjšane površine prenosnikov, česar pri zaporednem pristopu ne moremo napovedati, saj obstaja neskončno mnogo možnosti za razmerje cepitve tokov.In the master\u27s thesis, we compared two approaches for obtaining heat integrated water networks. The first approach was a sequential approach, which we designed with the construction of the water network in the first step using non-linear programming (NLP). Based on the obtained water network, we derived a set of different possible heat streams, according to the possibilities of mixing flows. On the basis of the obtained streams, we carried out different examples of heat integration using mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) of the Synheat model and compared their total annual costs. The second approach was a simultaneous approach, where we simultaneously optimized the entire heat integrated water network using mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP). In both approaches, the objective function was defined as minimizing the total annual cost of the heat integrated water network.
We considered four different cases in the sequential approach of obtaining heat streams. The solution was a heat integrated water network. The network that achieved the lowest total annual costs (TAC) after optimization was then compared with the simultaneous network solution. In the comparison, we focused on the layout of the network, the streams that are determined, the amount of exchanged or emitted heat, the required sizes of heat exchangers, coolers and heaters, as well as investment and operating costs. We found that the simultaneous approach provides lower total annual costs of the heat integrated water networks, as it enables the optimal flow splitting ratio for reduced heat exchanger areas, which cannot be predicted with the sequential approach since there are infinitely many possibilities for the flow splitting ratio
Optimization of electrochromic tape using different metal oxides
No full textV diplomskem delu raziskujemo delovanje in odziv elektrokromnih trakov, sestavljenih na principu konfiguracije \u27\u27inverznega sendviča\u27\u27. Zanima nas barvni odziv sestavljenih naprav, njihova stabilnost, potreba po velikosti vložene električne napetosti, reverzibilnost ter življenjska doba le-teh. Elektrokromni trak je sestavljen iz dveh elektrod, kjer je na eni elektrodi nanesena plast kovinskega oksida, na drugi pa plast grafita. Ločuje ju izolator, ki preprečuje kratek stik, povezuje pa ju elektrolit, ki zagotavlja prenos naboja iz ene elektrode na drugo. Celoten trak povezuje nosilec elektrolita iz vpojnega papirja, ter prosojna plastična skrčka, ki omogoča optimalno zatesnjenost traku. Preučujemo različne vrste kovinskih oksidov, ki jih bomo na jeklo nanašali na enostaven način s pomočjo tankoplastnih tehnik \u27\u27Doctor Blade\u27\u27 in metode \u27\u27zniževanja gladine\u27\u27 (angl. Inverse dipping). Prav tako raziskujemo različne vrste elektrolitov, ki bodo uporabljeni v sestavi elektrokromnega traku in bodo omogočali dovolj hiter odziv, hkrati pa ne bodo imeli kvarnega vpliva na stabilnost in delovanje naprave. S pomočjo različnih karakterizacijskih metod, kot so kronoamperometrija, UV-Vis reflektančna spektroskopija, elektrokemična impedančna spektroskopija, SEM (angl. Scanning electron microscope) in EDS (angl. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) smo posneli različne tipe meritev in na osnovi teh določili učinkovitost sestavljenih elektrokromnih trakov.In this thesis work we are investigating the working nature and response of electrochromic tapes, composed on the principle of "inverse sandwich" configuration. We are interested in the color response, it\u27s stability, the need for the applied electrical voltage, reversibilityand their life span. The electrochromic tape consists of two electrodes, where a layer of metal oxide is applied to one electrode and a layer of graphite is applied to the other. The two are separated by an insulator, which prevents short circuits, and connected by an electrolyte, which ensures charge transfer from one electrode to the other. The entire tape is connected by an electrolyte holder made of absorbent paper and a transparent plastic shrink, which enables optimal sealing of the tape. We study different types of metal oxides, which will be applied to steel in a simple way with the help of thin-layer techniques such as "Doctor Blade" and the "Inverse dipping" method. We are also investigating diffrent types of electrolytes that will be used in the composition of the electrochromic tape and will allow for a sufficiently fast response, while not having detrimental effects on the stability and operation of the device. Using various characterization methods, such as chronoamperometry, reflectance, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, SEM (Scanning electron microscope) and EDS (Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), we performed diffrent types of measurments and based on these we determined the effectiveness of the composited electrochromic tapes
Large liquidity expansion of super-hedging costs.
No full textWe consider a financial market with liquidity cost as in Cetin, Jarrow and Protter [3] where the supply function S"(s; ) depends on a parameter " 0 with S0(s; ) = s corresponding to the perfect liquid situation. Using the PDE characterization of Cetin, Soner and Touzi [6] of the super-hedging cost of an option written on such a stock, we provide a Taylor expansion of the super-hedging cost in powers of ". In particular, we explicitly compute the first term in the expansion for a European Call option and give bounds for the order of the expansion for a European Digital Option.Super-replication; liquidity; viscosity solutions; asymptotic expansions;
Levels of circulating endothelial cells and circulating progenitor cells in normal and intrauterine growth restriction pregnancies
No full textIntroduction: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells involved in adult vasculogenesis that are reduced in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are mature endothelial cells detached from the vascular intimal layer whose increased numbers are taken to imply vascular damage. Deficient remodelling of the uterine vessels in the first trimester of pregnancy is a cause of placental insufficiency, leading to clinical maternal or fetal disorders in later pregnancy as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). In this study we investigated posssible alterations in EPC and CEC balance in pregnancies complicated by IUGR.
Materials and methods: Maternal pheripheral blood was obtained from pregnancy complicated by idiopathic IUGR (n=12) in the third trimester and in normal pregnancy (n=22) at the same gestational age. EPCs and CECs were counted in blood samples by flow cytometry. EPCs were identified as either CD45dim/CD34+/KDR+ or CD45dim/CD34+/KDR+/CD133+cells; CECs as CD45dim/CD31+/CD146+ cells. EPC:CEC ratio was also calculated, as a potential marker of imbalance between endothelial damage and repair.
Results: Women in IUGR pregnancy had a reduced number of EPCs compared with normal pregnancy. This reduction was evident when EPCs were identified as either CD45dim/CD34+/KDR+ (mean±s.e.: 570±123 cells/ml vs 1022±124; p<0.02) or CD45dim/CD34+/KDR+/CD133+ cells (353±115 vs 525±83; p=0.08). On the contrary, women in IUGR pregnancy showed higher CEC levels (1246±387 vs 525±144; p<0.05). As a consequence, women in IUGR pregnancy had lower EPC:CEC ratios (CD45dim/CD34+/KDR+ EPCs: 0.81±0.27 vs 2.76±0.80, p<0.01; CD45dim/CD34+/ KDR+/CD133+ EPCs: 0.49±0.24 vs 1.21±0.40, p<0.05).
Conclusion: The altered levels of EPCs, CECs and their ratios observed in pregnancy complicated by IUGR are strongly indicative of an imbalance between endothelial damage and repair that may be related to the dysfunctional processes occurring in the placental vascular endothelium
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