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Objectives: Salophen-type Schiff bases functionalized with 4-(dimethylamino)pyridinium halide units are shown to be effective single-component catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from terminal epoxides and carbon dioxide. Methods: Using one of such trifunctional organocatalysts, epichlorohydrin could be selectively converted to the target cyclic carbonate under 2 bar of CO2 at 120 °C. Results: Over 80% conversion of E3 was then observed when organocatalyst S3 was used in the amount of 0.5 mol% (TON = 156) and even the use of 0.05 mol% S3 guaranteed almost 50% conversion of E3 to C3 (TON = 893). Conclusions: The presence of tertiary amine units in the molecules of these homogeneous organocatalysts proved to be crucial for the catalytic activity of developed organocatalysts. However, their catalytic activity was also supported by the presence of acidic phenolic units and halide ions as Lewis bases. Some closely related compounds were found to be clearly less active or inactive catalytically under the applied reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adequacy of anesthesia concept (AoA) in the guidance of general anesthesia (GA) is based on entropy, and it also reflects the actual depth of anesthesia and the surgical pleth index (SPI). Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the potential existence of relationships between SPI values at certain stages of the AoA-guided GA for vitreoretinal surgeries (VRS) and the incidence of intolerable postoperative pain perception (IPPP). A total of 175 patients were each assigned to one of five groups. In the first, the VRS procedure was performed under GA without premedication; in the second group, patients received metamizole before GA; in the third, patients received acetaminophen before GA; in the fourth group, patients received Alcaine before GA; and, in the peribulbar block group, the patients received a peribulbar block with a mix of the solutions of lignocaine and bupivacaine. Between the patients declaring mild and statistically significant differences in the IPPP in terms of SPI values before induction (52.3 ± 18.8 vs. 63.9 ± 18.1, p < 0.05) and after emergence from GA (51.1 ± 13 vs. 68.1 ± 8.8; p < 0.001), it was observed that the patients postoperatively correlated with heart rate variations despite the group allocation. The current study proves the feasibility that preoperative SPI values help with predicting IPPP immediately after VRS under AoA guidance and discrimination (between mild diagnoses and IPPP when based on postoperative SPI values) as they correlate with heart rate variations. Specifically, this applies when the countermeasures of IPPP and hemodynamic fluctuations are understood to be of importance in reducing unwelcome adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary metabolites derived from plants are recognized as valuable products with several successful applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. The major limitation to the broader implementation of these compounds is their low manufacturing efficiency. Current efforts to overcome unprofitability depend mainly on biotechnological methods, especially through the application of plant in vitro cultures. This concept allows unprecedented bioengineering opportunities for culture system modifications with in situ product removal. The silica-based xerogels can be used as a novel, porous biomaterial characterized by a large surface area and high affinity to lipophilic secondary metabolites produced by plant tissue. This study aimed to investigate the influence of xerogel-based biomaterials functionalized with methyl, hydroxyl, carboxylic, and amine groups on Rindera graeca transgenic root growth and the production of naphthoquinone derivatives. The application of xerogel-based scaffolds functionalized with the methyl group resulted in more than 1.5 times higher biomass proliferation than for reference untreated culture. The naphthoquinone derivatives' production was noted exclusively in culture systems supplemented with xerogel functionalized with methyl and hydroxyl groups. Applying chemically functionalized xerogels as in situ adsorbents allowed for the enhanced growth and productivity of in vitro cultured R. graeca transgenic roots, facilitating product isolation due to their selective and efficient accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pancreatic tumours usually require surgical removal. With advancing technology, these operations can be performed using laparoscopic and robotic techniques, which reduce surgical trauma to patients compared to conventional open surgery. In theory, robotic surgery should yield better outcomes due to its superior precision and control. Our study provided more evidence in support of this theory after comparing 62 patients who had laparoscopic surgery with 61 patients who had robotic surgery for the removal of their pancreatic tumours. We found that robotic surgeries resulted in fewer cases of conversion to open operations and fewer complications. Technical limitations of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP), in comparison to robotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP), may translate to high conversion rates and morbidity. LDP and RDP procedures performed between December 2008 and January 2023 in our tertiary referral hepatobiliary and pancreatic centres were analysed and compared with regard to short-term outcomes. A total of 62 consecutive LDP cases and 61 RDP cases were performed. There was more conversion to open surgeries in the laparoscopic group compared with the robotic group (21.0% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.001). The LDP group also had a higher rate of postoperative complications (43.5% vs. 23.0%, p = 0.005). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of major complication or pancreatic fistular after operations (p = 0.20 and p = 0.71, respectively). For planned spleen-preserving operations, the RDP group had a shorter mean operative time (147 min vs. 194 min, p = 0.015) and a reduced total length of hospital stay compared with the LDP group (4 days vs. 7 days, p = 0.0002). The failure rate for spleen preservation was 0% in RDP and 20% (n = 5/25) in the LDP group (p = 0.009). RDP offered a better method for splenic preservation with Kimura's technique compared with LDP to avoid the risk of splenic infarction and gastric varices related to ligation and division of splenic pedicles. RDP should be the standard operation for the resection of pancreatic tumours at the body and tail of the pancreas without involving the celiac axis or common hepatic artery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an improved theoretical view of ab initio thermodynamics for polar GaN surfaces under gallium-rich conditions. The study uses density functional theory (DFT) calculations to systematically investigate the adsorption of gallium atoms on GaN polar surfaces, starting from the clean surface and progressing to the metallic multilayer. First principles phonon calculations are performed to determine vibrational free energies. Changes in the chemical potential of gallium adatoms are determined as a function of temperature and surface coverage. Three distinct ranges of Ga coverage with very low, medium, and high chemical potential are observed on the GaN(000-1) surface, while only two ranges with medium and high chemical potential are observed on the GaN(000-1) surface. The analysis confirms that a monolayer of Ga adatoms on the GaN(000-1) surface is highly stable over a wide range of temperatures. For a second adlayer at higher temperatures, it is energetically more favorable to form liquid droplets than a uniform crystalline adlayer. The second Ga layer on the GaN(0001) surface shows pseudo-crystalline properties even at a relatively high temperature. These results provide a better thermodynamic description of the surface state under conditions typical for molecular beam epitaxy and offer an interpretation of the observed growth window. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High P M 10 concentrations are still a significant problem in many parts of the world. In many countries, including Poland, 50 μ g/m 3 is the permissible threshold for a daily average P M 10 concentration. The number of people affected by this threshold's exceedance is challenging to estimate and requires high-resolution concentration maps. This paper presents an application of random forests for downscaling regional model air quality results. As policymakers and other end users are eager to receive detailed-resolution P M 10 concentration maps, we propose a technique that utilizes the results of a regional CTM (GEM-AQ, with 2.5 km resolution) and a local Gaussian plume model. As a result, we receive a detailed, 250 m resolution P M 10 distribution, which represents the complex emission pattern in a foothill area in southern Poland. The random forest results are highly consistent with the GEM-AQ and observed concentrations. We also discuss different strategies of training random forest on data using additional features and selecting target variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in vitro cultures of Rindera graeca, a rare endemic plant, were developed as a sustainable source of phenolic acids. Various shoot and root cultures were established and scaled up in a sprinkle bioreactor. A multiplication rate of 7.2 shoots per explant was achieved. HPLC–PDA–ESI–HRMS analysis revealed the presence of rosmarinic acid (RA) and lithospermic acid B (LAB) as the main secondary metabolites in both the shoot and root cultures. The maximum RA (30.0 ± 3.2 mg/g DW) and LAB (49.3 ± 15.5 mg/g DW) yields were determined in root-regenerated shoots. The strongest free radical scavenging activity (87.4 ± 1.1%), according to 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate assay, was noted for roots cultivated in a DCR medium. The highest reducing power (2.3 µM ± 0.4 TE/g DW), determined by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay, was noted for shoots cultivated on an SH medium containing 0.5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine. A genetic analysis performed using random amplified polymorphic DNA and start codon targeted markers revealed genetic variation of 62.8% to 96.5% among the investigated shoots and roots. This variability reflects the capacity of cultivated shoots and roots to produce phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) incidence is growing worldwide, with a significant percentage of CKD patients reaching end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and requiring kidney replacement therapies (KRT). Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a convenient KRT presenting benefices as home therapy. In PD patients, the peritoneum is chronically exposed to PD fluids containing supraphysiologic concentrations of glucose or other osmotic agents, leading to the activation of cellular and molecular processes of damage, including inflammation and fibrosis. Importantly, peritonitis episodes enhance peritoneum inflammation status and accelerate peritoneal injury. Here, we review the role of immune cells in the damage of the peritoneal membrane (PM) by repeated exposure to PD fluids during KRT as well as by bacterial or viral infections. We also discuss the anti-inflammatory properties of current clinical treatments of CKD patients in KRT and their potential effect on preserving PM integrity. Finally, given the current importance of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease, we also analyze here the implications of this disease in CKD and KRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine whether early-onset and late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) differentially affects the blood–brain barrier integrity. Furthermore, the purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between the blood–brain barrier breakdown and neurological disorders in FGR newborns. To evaluate the serum tight junction (TJ) proteins and the placental TJ proteins expression, an ELISA method was used. A significant difference in serum OCLN concentrations was noticed in pregnancies complicated by the early-onset FGR, in relation to the intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) occurrence in newborns. No significant differences in concentrations of the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NR1), nucleoside diphosphate kinase A (NME1), S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), occludin (OCLN), claudin-5 (CLN5), zonula occludens-1 (zo-1), the CLN5/zo-1 ratio, and the placental expression of OCLN, CLN5, claudin-4 (CLN4), zo-1 were noticed between groups. The early-onset FGR was associated with a higher release of NME1 into the maternal circulation in relation to the brain-sparing effect and premature delivery. Additionally, in late-onset FGR, the higher release of the S100B into the maternal serum in regard to fetal distress was observed. Furthermore, there was a higher release of zo-1 into the maternal circulation in relation to newborns' moderate acidosis in late-onset FGR. Blood–brain barrier disintegration is not dependent on pregnancy advancement at the time of FGR diagnosis. NME1 may serve as a biomarker useful in the prediction of fetal circulatory centralization and extremely low birth weight in pregnancies complicated by the early-onset FGR. Moreover, the serum zo-1 concentration may have prognostic value for moderate neonatal acidosis in late-onset FGR pregnancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women with single ventricle physiology after the Fontan procedure, despite numerous possible complications, can reach adulthood and give birth. Pregnancy poses a hemodynamic burden for distorted physiology of Fontan circulation, but according to the literature, it is usually well tolerated unless the patient is a "failing" Fontan. Our study aimed to assess maternal and fetal outcomes in patients after the Fontan procedure followed up in two tertiary Polish medical centers. We retrospectively evaluated all pregnancies in women after the Fontan procedure who were followed up between 1995–2022. During the study period, 15 women after the Fontan procedure had 26 pregnancies. Among 26 pregnancies, eleven ended with miscarriages, and 15 pregnancies resulted in 16 live births. Fetal complications were observed in 9 (56.3%) live births, with prematurity being the most common complication (n = 7, 43.8%). We recorded 3 (18.8%) neonatal deaths. Obstetrical complications were present in 6 (40%) out of 15 completed pregnancies—two (13.3%) cases of abruptio placentae, two (13.3%) pregnancies with premature rupture of membranes, and two (13.3%) patients with antepartum hemorrhage. There was neither maternal death nor heart failure decompensation during pregnancy. In two (13.3%) women, atrial arrhythmia developed. One (6.7%) patient in the second trimester developed ventricular arrhythmia. None of the patients suffered from systemic thromboembolism during pregnancy. Pregnancy in women after the Fontan procedure is well tolerated. However, it is burdened by a high risk of miscarriage and multiple obstetrical complications. These women require specialized care provided by both experienced cardiologists and obstetricians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitreoretinal surgery (VRS) is one of the most widely performed precise procedures in ophthalmic surgery; the majority of cases are carried out under regional anaesthesia (RA) only. However, in specific situations (such as when the patient fails to cooperate with the operator for various reasons), general anaesthesia (GA), alone or in combination with GA (combined general–regional anaesthesia, CGR), is the only safe way to perform VRS. While monitoring the efficacy of an intraoperative rescue opioid analgesia (IROA) during surgery (assessing the adequacy of anaesthesia (AoA)) may be challenging, the surgical pleth index (SPI) is a useful tool for detecting the reaction to noxious stimuli and allows for the rational titration of opioid analgesics (AO) during surgery. The current study investigated the influence of the SPI-based titration of fentanyl (FNT) in combination with various pre-emptive analgesia (PA) techniques on intraoperative pain perception during various stages of VRS performed under AoA. A total of 176 patients undergoing VRS under GA were enrolled in the study. They were randomly assigned to one of the five following study arms: Group GA (control group)—patients who received general anaesthesia alone; Group PBB—GA with preprocedural peribulbar block (with 0.5% bupivacaine and 2% lidocaine); Group T—GA with preventive, topical 2% proparacaine; Group M—GA with a preprocedural intravenous infusion of 1.0 g of metamizole; and Group P—GA with a preprocedural intravenous infusion of 1.0 g of paracetamol. The whole procedure was divided in four stages: Stage 1 and 2—preoperative assessment, PA administration, and the induction of GA; Stage 3—intraoperative observation; Stage 4—postoperative observation. the SPI values were monitored during all stages. The occurrence of nociception (expressed as ∆SPI >15) during various manipulations in the surgical field was observed, as were cumulative doses of rescue analgesia, depending on the PA administered. During the course of VRS, rescue FNT doses varied depending on the stage of surgery and the group investigated. The majority of patients, regardless of their group allocation, needed complementary analgesia during trocar insertion, with Group GA patients requiring the highest doses. Likewise, the highest cumulative doses of IROA were noted during endophotocoagulation in Group GA. Preventive PBB and topical anaesthesia were proven to be most efficient in blunting the response to speculum installation, while topical anaesthesia and paracetamol infusion were shown to be more efficient analgesics during endophotocoagulation than other types used PA. In the performed study, none of the PA techniques used were superior to GA with FNT dosing under the SPI with respect to providing efficient analgesia throughout the whole surgery; there was a necessity to administer a rescue OA dose in both the control and investigated groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses an important issue for today's mobile world striving for sustainable development, namely ecotourism. The major objective of the study presented in this article was to carry out a comparative analysis of the conventional tourist trip along the Kharkov (Ukraine)–Varna (Bulgaria) route in an electric car and by air transport. The main criteria for comparing two variants of tourist trip were cost price, time, mobility, and incidental cost. The authors used the Pareto method and the shortest distance to the target method. Comparative analysis of the travel options "electric car" and "air transport" by the Pareto method and the method of the shortest distance to the target showed that traveling by electric car is almost one and a half times more profitable than traveling by plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro plant cell and tissue culture systems allow for controlling a wide range of culture environmental factors selectively influencing biomass growth and the yield of secondary metabolites. Among the most efficient methods, complex supplementation of the culture medium with elicitors, precursors, and other functional substances may significantly enhance valuable metabolite productivity through a stress induction mechanism. In the search for novel techniques in plant experimental biotechnology, the goal of the study was to evaluate stress-inducing properties of novel biodegradable ester-based scaffolds made of poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) influencing on the growth and deoxyshikonin productivity of Rindera graeca hairy roots immobilized on the experimental constructs. Rindera graeca hairy roots were maintained under the dark condition for 28 days in three independent systems, i.e., (i) non-immobilized biomass (a reference system), (ii) biomass immobilized on PGS scaffolds, and (iii) biomass immobilized on PLA scaffolds. The stress-inducing properties of the applied polymerized esters selectively impacted R. graeca hairy roots. The PGS scaffolds caused the production of deoxyshikonin, which does not occur in other culture systems, and PLA promoted biomass proliferation by doubling its increase compared to the reference system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their initial identification three decades ago, there has been extensive research regarding cancer stem cells (CSCs). It is important to consider the biology of cancer stem cells with a particular focus on their phenotypic and metabolic plasticity, the most important signaling pathways, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulating these cellular entities. Furthermore, the current status of therapeutic approaches against CSCs is an important consideration regarding employing the technology to improve human health. Cancer stem cells have claimed to be one of the most important group of cells for the development of several common cancers as they dictate features, such as resistance to radio- and chemotherapy, metastasis, and secondary tumor formation. Therapies which could target these cells may develop into an effective strategy for tumor eradication and a hope for patients for whom this disease remains uncurable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ extraction is a method for separating plant secondary metabolites from in vitro systems of plant biomass cultures. The study aimed to investigate the MTMS-based xerogels morphology effect on the growth kinetics and deoxyshikonin productivity in xerogel-supported in vitro culture systems of Rindera graeca hairy root. Cultures were supplemented with three types of xerogel, i.e., mesoporous gel, microporous gel, and agglomerated precipitate, in the disintegrated or monolithic form. Structure, oil sorption capacity, and SEM analyses for xerogel-based additives were performed. Application of monolithic macroporous xerogel resulted in the highest biomass proliferation, i.e., 5.11-fold fresh biomass increase after four weeks of the screening culture. The highest deoxyshikonin production (i.e., 105.03 µg) was noted when hairy roots were maintained with particles of disintegrated mesoporous xerogel. The detailed kinetics investigations (6-week culture) revealed the highest growth of hairy root biomass and secondary metabolite production, equaling 9.46-fold fresh weight biomass and 204.08 µg deoxyshikonin, respectively. MTMS-based xerogels have been recognized as selective biocompatible scaffolds for boosting the proliferation of transgenic roots or for productivity enhancement of naphthoquinones without detrimental effects on biomass growth, and their successful applicability in in situ removal of secondary plant metabolites has been experimentally confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Although traditional risk factors increase later-life CVD, pregnancy-associated complications additionally influence future CVD risk in women. Adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction (FGR), are interrelated disorders caused by placental dysfunction, maternal cardiovascular maladaptation to pregnancy, and maternal abnormalities such as endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, hypercoagulability, and vasospasm. The pathophysiologic pathways of some pregnancy complications and CVDs might be linked. This review aimed to highlight the associations between specific adverse pregnancy outcomes and future CVD and emphasize the importance of considering pregnancy history in assessing a woman's CVD risk. Moreover, we wanted to underline the role of maternal cardiovascular maladaptation in the development of specific pregnancy complications such as FGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugars with heteroatoms other than oxygen have attained considerable importance in glycobiology and in drug design since they are often more stable in blood plasma due to their resistance to enzymes, such as glycosidases, phosphorylases and glycosyltransferases. The replacement of oxygen atoms in sugars with sulfur forms thio-sugars, which are potentially useful for the treatment of diabetes and some bacterial and viral infections. Here, we evaluated the antibacterial activity of thio-functionalized carbohydrate derivatives. A set of 21 compounds was screened against acid-fast Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The tested carbohydrate derivatives were most effective against tubercle bacilli, with as many as five compounds (thioglycoside 6, thiosemicarbazone 16A, thiosemicarbazone 20, aminothiadiazole 23, and thiazoline 26) inhibiting its growth with MIC50 ≤ 50 µM/CFU. Only two compounds (aminothiadiazole 23 and thiazoline 26) were able to inhibit the growth of E. coli at concentrations below 1 mM, and one of them, aminothiadiazole 23, inhibited the growth of S. aureus at a concentration ≤1 mM. The five compounds affecting the growth of mycobacteria were either thiodisaccharides (6, 16A, and 20) or thioglycosides (23 and 26). All of these compounds (6, 16A, 20, 23, and 26) were able to inhibit the growth of Mtb deposited within human macrophages. However, three of the five selected compounds (6, 23, and 26) exhibited relatively high cytotoxicity in mouse fibroblasts at micromolar concentrations. The selected thio-sugars are very promising compounds, thus making them candidates for further modifications that would decrease their cytotoxicity against eukaryotic cells without affecting their antimycobacterial potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We retrieved the mass-specific scattering coefficient b*sm(λ) = 0.60·(λ/650)-1.82 of the inhomogeneous and optically complex water column of eastern Lake Constance in May 2012. In-situ measured and modelled remote-sensing reflectance Rrs(λ) were matched via a parameter search procedure using genetic algorithms. The optical modelling consisted of solving the azimuthally-averaged Radiative Transfer Equation, forced with in-situ suspended matter concentration (sm) data. b*sm(λ) was univocally determined at red wavelengths. In contrast, we encountered unresolved spectral ambiguity at blue wavelengths due to the absence of organic absorption in our dataset. Despite this, a surprisingly good sm retrieval regression is achieved (R2 > 0.95 with respect to independent data) using our b*sm(λ). Acquisition of accurate inherent optical properties in future field campaigns is needed to verify the estimated b*sm(λ) and related assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitreoretinal surgeries require the administration of general anesthesia (GA) in selected groups of patients. The administration of intraoperative rescue narcotic analgesia (IRNA) during GA poses the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). The surgical pleth index (SPI), a crucial component of the adequacy of anesthesia (AoA) guidance of GA, optimizes the intraoperative titration of IRNA. The current analysis evaluated the risk factors for the occurrence of PONV and the oculo-cardiac reflex (OCR) in patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) under AoA guidance. In total, 175 patients undergoing PPV were randomly allocated to receive either GA with SPI-guided IRNA administration using fentanyl alone or in addition to different preoperative analgesia techniques. Any incidence of PONV or OCR was recorded. Obesity, overweight, smoking status, motion sickness, postoperative intolerable pain perception, female gender, fluid challenge and arterial hypertension did not correlate with an increased incidence of PONV or OCR under AoA guidance. Diabetes mellitus, regardless of insulin dependence, was found to correlate with the increased incidence of PONV. The AoA regimen including SPI guidance of IRNA presumably created similar conditions for individual subjects, so no risk factors of the occurrence of PONV or OCR were found, except for diabetes mellitus. We recommend using AoA guidance for GA administration to reduce OCR and PONV rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unique phytochemical profile of plants belonging to Boraginaceae family provides a prolific resource of lipophilic pigments from the group of naphthoquinone derivatives. To overcome low compound content, the major obstacle of plant-based production, immobilization of Rindera graeca roots in in vitro cultures was implemented for efficient production of rinderol, novel furanonaphthoquinone derivative with anticancer properties. Chromatographic procedures revealed rinderol presence in extracts of all investigated root lines, derived both from root biomass and post-culture medium. Unexpectedly, in the second stage of the experiment, rinderol production was ceased in control, unmodified culture systems. On the contrary, roots immobilized on PUF rafts uniformly and stably produced rinderol, and its highest amount was noted for transformed root lines after 42 days of cultivation (222.98 ± 10.47 µg/flask). PUF occurred to be the main place of compound accumulation. Moreover, investigation of rinderol biological activity revealed its fast-acting cell death induction in HeLa cervical cancer cells at relatively low concentrations. Presented results revealed successful application of R. graeca roots immobilization on PUF rafts for production and in situ product removal of rinderol, novel lipophilic furanonaphthoquinone with suggested proapoptotic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploidisation is an important process in the evolution of many plant species. An additional set of chromosomes can be derived from intraspecific genome duplication (autopolyploidy) or hybridising divergent genomes and chromosome doubling (allopolyploidy). Special forms of polyploidy are autoallopolyploidy and segmental allopolyploidy. Polyploidy arises from two basic processes: spontaneously occurring disturbances of meiotic division and induced by antimitotic agents' disruption of mitosis. The first involves the induction and fusion of unreduced gametes, resulting in the formation of triploids and tetraploids. The second process uses antimitotics that disrupt cellular microtubules and prevent chromosome's sister chromatids motion during anaphase. Colchicine, oryzalin, and trifluralin are the most commonly used antimitotics for inducing polyploids in plants. The exposure time and concentration of the antimitotics and the species, cultivar, genotype, and tissue type affect the efficiency of genome duplication. Polyploids are distinguished from diploids by increased cell size and vegetative parts of plants and increased content of secondary metabolites. Genome duplication generates several changes at the epigenetic level resulting in altered gene expression. Polyploidisation is used in plant breeding to overcome the non-viability and infertility of interspecific hybrids, obtain seedless polyploid cultivars and increase resistance/tolerance to biotic and abiotic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an intracellular pathogenic bacterium and the causative agent of tuberculosis. This disease is one of the most ancient and deadliest bacterial infections, as it poses major health, social and economic challenges at a global level, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. The lack of an effective vaccine, the long and expensive drug therapy, and the rapid spread of drug-resistant strains of Mtb have led to the re-emergence of tuberculosis as a global pandemic. Here, we assessed the in vitro activity of new imidazole-thiosemicarbazide derivatives (ITDs) against Mtb infection and their effects on mycobacterial biofilm formation. Cytotoxicity studies of the new compounds in cell lines and human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) were performed. The anti-Mtb activity of ITDs was evaluated by determining minimal inhibitory concentrations of resazurin, time-kill curves, bacterial intracellular growth and the effect on biofilm formation. Mutation frequency and whole-genome sequencing of mutants that were resistant to ITDs were performed. The antimycobacterial potential of ITDs with the ability to penetrate Mtb-infected human macrophages and significantly inhibit the intracellular growth of tubercle bacilli and suppress Mtb biofilm formation was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intraprocedural immobilization of selected subsets of patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) requires the performance of general anesthesia (GA), which entails the intraoperative use of hypnotics and titration of opioids. The Adequacy of Anesthesia (AoA) concept of GA guidance optimizes the intraoperative dosage of hypnotics and opioids. Pre-emptive analgesia (PA) is added to GA to minimize intraoperative opioid (IO) usage. The current additional analysis evaluated the advantages of PA using either COX-3 inhibitors or regional techniques when added to AoA-guided GA on the rate of presence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), oculo-emetic (OER), and oculo-cardiac reflex (OCR) in patients undergoing PPV. A total of 176 patients undergoing PPV were randomly allocated into 5 groups: (1) Group GA, including patients who received general anesthesia alone; (2) Group T, including patients who received preventive topical analgesia by triple instillation of 2% proparacaine 15 min before induction of GA; (3) Group PBB, including patients who received PBB; (4) Group M, including patients who received PA using a single dose of 1 g of metamizole; (5) Group P, including patients who received PA using a single dose of 1 g of acetaminophen. The incidence rates of PONV, OCR, and OER were studied as a secondary outcome. Despite the group allocation, intraoperative AoA-guided GA resulted in an overall incidence of PONV in 9%, OCR in 12%, and OER in none of the patients. No statistically significant differences were found between groups regarding the incidence of OCR. PA using COX-3 inhibitors, as compared to that of the T group, resulted in less overall PONV (p < 0.05). Conclusions: PA using regional techniques in patients undergoing PPV proved to have no advantage when AoA-guided GA was utilised. We recommend using intraoperative AoA-guided GA to reduce the presence of OCR, and the addition of PA using COX-3 inhibitors to reduce the rate of PONV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon which is often neglected by clinicians. The aim of this review was to analyze the impact, determinants and management of fatigue in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Fatigue is one of the most prevalent symptoms in SLE, reported by 67% to 90% of patients. It is also described as the most bothersome symptom, considering that it may impair key aspects of health-related quality of life, while also leading to employment disability. It is a multifactorial phenomenon involving psychological factors, pain, lifestyle factors such as reduced physical activity, whereas the contribution of disease activity remains controversial. The management of fatigue in patients with SLE should rely upon a person-centered approach, with targeted interventions. Some pharmacological treatments used to control disease activity have demonstrated beneficial effects upon fatigue and non-pharmacological therapies such as psychological interventions, pain reduction and lifestyle changes, and each of these should be incorporated into fatigue management in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TROPOMI instrument aboard Sentinel-5P is a relatively new, high-resolution source of information about atmosphere composition. One of the primary atmospheric trace gases that we can observe is nitrogen dioxide. Thanks to TROPOMI capabilities (high resolution and short revisit time), one can describe regional and seasonal N O 2 concentration patterns. Thus far, such patterns have been analysed by either ground measurements (which have been limited to specific locations and only to the near-surface troposphere layer) or numerical models. This paper compares the TROPOMI and GEM-AQ derived vertical column densities (VCD) over Poland, focusing on large point sources. Although well established in atmospheric science, the GEM-AQ simulations are always based on emission data, which in the case of the energy sector were reported by stack operators. In addition, we checked how cloudy conditions influence TROPOMI results. Finally, we tried to link the N O 2 column number densities with surface concentration using boundary layer height as an additional explanatory variable. Our results showed a general underestimation of N O 2 tropospheric column number density by the GEM-AQ model (compared to the TROPOMI). However, for the locations of the most significant point sources, we noticed a systematic overestimation by the GEM-AQ model (excluding spring and summer months when TROPOMI presents larger N O 2 VCDs than GEM-AQ). For the winter months, we have found TROPOMI N O 2 VCD results highly dependent on the choice of qa_value threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to select factors that affect the rate of early recurrence (up to 3 months) of atrial fibrillation (AF) (ERAF) following pulmonary veins isolation (PVI) in obese women and men. The study comprised 114 patients: 54 women (age: 63.8 ± 6.3, BMI 31 ± 4 kg/m2), and 60 men (age: 60.7 ± 6.7; BMI 31 ± 3 kg/m2) with paroxysmal, persistent and long-standing persistent AF. They had been scheduled to undergo cryoballoon (men n = 30; women n = 30) and radiofrequency (RF) ablation (men n = 30; women n = 24) using the CARTO-mapping. The blood was collected at baseline and 24 h after ablation. The rate of ERAF was comparable after cryoballoon and RF ablation and constituted 18% in women and 22% in men. Almost 70 parameters were selected to perform univariate and multivariate analysis and to create a multivariate logistic regression (MLR) model of ERAF in the obese men and women. The MLR analysis was performed by forward stepwise logistic regression with three variables. It was only possible to create the MLR model for the group of obese men. It revealed a poor predictive value with an unsatisfactory sensitivity of 31%. Men with ERAF: smokers (OR 39.25, 95% CI 1.050–1467.8, p = 0.0021), with a higher ST2 elevation (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.115–2.536, p = 0.0021) who received dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (OR 0.042, 95% CI 0.002–1.071, p = 0.0021) less frequently. Our results indicate a complex pathogenesis of ERAF dependent on the patients' gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a very successful pathogen with outstanding adaptive properties, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has developed a plethora of sophisticated mechanisms to subvert host defenses and effectively enter and replicate in the harmful environment inside professional phagocytes, namely, macrophages. Here, we demonstrated the binding interaction of Mtb with a major human acute phase protein, namely, serum amyloid A (SAA1), and identified AtpA (Rv1308), ABC (Rv2477c), EspB (Rv3881c), TB 18.6 (Rv2140c), and ThiC (Rv0423c) membrane proteins as mycobacterial effectors responsible for the pathogen-host protein interplay. SAA1-opsonization of Mtb prior to the infection of human macrophages favored bacterial entry into target phagocytes accompanied by a substantial increase in the load of intracellularly multiplying and surviving bacteria. Furthermore, binding of human SAA1 by Mtb resulted in the up- or downregulation of the transcriptional response of tubercle bacilli. The most substantial changes were related to the increased expression level of the genes of two operons encoding mycobacterial transporter systems, namely, mmpL5/mmpS5 (rv0676c), and rv1217c, rv1218c. Therefore, we postulate that during infection, Mtb-SAA1 binding promotes the infection of host macrophages by tubercle bacilli and modulates the functional response of the pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationship between depression and magnesium levels is reported. This observational study examined whether serum magnesium concentration change over time of ketamine treatment course, also whether association between magnesium concentrations and treatment response measured with Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score occurs. Moreover, interlink between changes in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) score, somatic comorbidities, and magnesium concentration was studied. Inpatients with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder were rated weekly by clinician using MADRS and YMRS. Magnesium levels assessments were carried out weekly, before start of ketamine treatment and then every second infusion and one week after last ketamine infusion. The concentration of Mg2+ ions differs depending on the measurement. The Mg2+ concentration in pre-measurement was significantly higher than in measurement after five infusions (p = 0.031) and after seven infusions (p = 0.003). No significant correlation was observed between changes in magnesium serum levels and MADRS or YMRS. The concentration of Mg2+ ion in course of the treatment was not associated with somatic comorbidities. The study supports data for role of magnesium in treatment-resistant depression, particularly related to ketamine treatment, but provides no clear evidence of straightforward association between magnesium serum concentration and treatment response or comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, extraction with a solvent (cold acetone) was used to extract the assimilation pigments from spinach leaves. Then, the sorption capacity of selected plastics granules (polyvinyl chloride—PVC, polypropylene—PP, polyethylene—PE of different densities) was tested for the selective isolation of chlorophylls. Quantification of chlorophylls by HPLC (Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C18 column, the mobile phase: Acetonitrile/methanol/ethyl acetate 6:2:2, v/v) was based on chlorophyll-a content as the most common chlorophyll. The performed experiments prove that PVC containing electronegative chlorine exhibits favorable interactions toward chlorophyll by creating stable molecular complexes. The Fourier Transform Raman Spectroscopy (FT-Raman) and the molecular modeling were used to elucidate the structure of the created complexes. The optimal extraction requirements, the mass of sorbent, water-acetone ratio, time, and the composition of the elution solvent were all established. The optimized extraction conditions ensured a maximum extraction yield of chlorophylls of 98%. The chlorophyll-rich sorbent was re-extracted by acetone, leading to the recovery of 91% of chlorophylls in one step, adding the possibility of its re-use. The proposed effective and ecological method of obtaining the green dye from plants is cheap, simple, and efficient, avoiding organic solvents, utilizing the most widely used synthetic polymers in the world, being products difficult for utilization. The possibility to remove chosen fungicides cyprodinil, chlorothalonil, and thiabendazone from plant extract by PVC was also examined. The described method proposes a new application of synthetic polymers, which meets the criteria of sustainable green chemistry, simultaneously reaching the growing demand for pure natural compounds in the pharmaceutical and food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unique biosynthetic abilities revealed by plants determine in vitro cultures of hairy roots as a suitable source of pharmaceutically relevant bioactive compounds. The basic aim of the study was to examine the applicability of aerogel composed of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) for immobilization of Rindera graeca hairy roots by identifying quantitative effects of biomass proliferation and naphthoquinones extracellular secretion in the aerogel-supported culture system. R. graeca hairy roots were simultaneously cultured for 28-days, as (i) nonimmobilized biomass (reference system), (ii) biomass immobilized on macroporous polyurethane foam (PUF), (iii) biomass with disintegrated MTMS aerogel, (iv) biomass immobilized on polypropylene (PP) fibers (as control), and (v) biomass immobilized on monolithic PP-reinforced MTMS aerogel. MTMS aerogel exhibited high level of biocompatibility toward R. graeca hairy roots which grew into the structure of monolithic aerogel-based constructs. Monolithic MTMS-based constructs significantly promoted the proliferation of hairy roots, resulting in 55% higher fresh mass than the reference system. The highest level of naphthoquinones productivity, i.e., 653 µg gDW−1, was noted for PUF-supported culture system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis, one of the most common parasitoses worldwide, is potentially dangerous for individuals with a weakened immune system, but specific immunoprophylaxis intended for humans is still lacking. Thus, efforts have been made to create an efficient universal vaccine for both animals and humans to overcome the shortcomings of currently used treatment methods and protect all hosts against toxoplasmosis. The current work represents a relatively new approach to vaccine development based on recombinant chimeric Toxoplasma gondii antigens. In the present research, three tetravalent chimeric proteins containing different portions of the parasite's AMA1 antigen—AMA1domainI-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (ANSGR), AMA1domainsII,III-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (ACSGR) and AMA1fullprotein-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (AFSGR)—were tested for their immunogenic and immunoprotective capacities. All tested proteins were immunogenic, as evidenced by the triggering of specific humoral and cellular immune responses in vaccinated C3H/HeOuJ mice, defined by the production of specific IgG (IgG1/IgG2a) antibodies in vivo and synthesis of key Th1/Th2 cytokines by Toxoplasma lysate antigen-stimulated splenocytes in vitro. Although all tested preparations provided partial protection against chronic toxoplasmosis in immunized and T. gondii-challenged mice, the intensity of the generated immunoprotection depended on the fragment of the AMA1 antigen incorporated into the chimeric antigen's structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeolites are materials with known sorption properties. The sorption is thought to progress mainly by ion exchange with Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ or H+ from the zeolite exchange sites. The aim of the study was to compare the sorption properties of natural and synthetic zeolites on the example of the removal of selected metals from aqueous acidic solutions. Uptake experiments for selected ions of chromium, manganese, selenium, nickel, cobalt, and iron were performed using the batch and kinetic column methods. The sorption of the individual metal ions in mg per 1g of sorbent was determined for each sorbent. The relative affinity sequence of the examined cations toward the various sorbent was presented. The Langmuir model was used to model the adsorption equilibrium. Vermiculite under 1 mm of diameter (SF), Na-X, and Na-A were proved to be the most suitable for the individual uptake of studied metal ions. It was observed that the behavior of selenium ions differed from the remaining ones which was interpreted that selenium undergoes adsorption in the anionic form. The fixed-bed column studies were performed using Na-A, ensuring the sorption of selenium in the presence of iron(III) ions. The experiments were conducted using Na-X zeolite pre-loaded by Fe(III) as well as unmodified sorbent eluted by an equimolar mixture containing 100 ppm of Fe and Se. Obtained results prove that selenium sorption improves if other metal ions such as iron appear in the acidic solution. That efficient selenium sorption conditions can be applied to remove selenium which was recognized as toxic at higher levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently found that selected thio-disaccharides possess bactericidal effects against Mycobacterium tuberculosis but not against Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus. Here, we selected spontaneous mutants displaying resistance against the investigated thio-glycoside. According to next-generation sequencing, four of six analyzed mutants which were resistant to high concentrations of the tested chemical carried nonsynonymous mutations in the gene encoding the PPE51 protein. The complementation of these mutants with an intact ppe51 gene returned their sensitivity to the wild-type level. The uptake of tritiated thio-glycoside was significantly more abundant in wild-type Mycobacterium tuberculosis compared to the strain carrying the mutated ppe51 gene. The ppe51 mutations or CRISPR-Cas9-mediated downregulation of PPE51 expression affected the growth of mutant strains on minimal media supplemented with disaccharides (maltose or lactose) but not with glycerol or glucose as the sole carbon and energy source. Taking the above into account, we postulate that PPE51 participates in the uptake of disaccharides by tubercle bacilli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis may pose a serious threat for individuals with weakened or undeveloped immune systems. However, to date, there is no specific immunoprophylaxis for humans. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity of three trivalent—SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (SGR), SAG1L-MIC1-MAG1 (SMM), and GRA1-GRA2-GRA6 (GGG)—and two tetravalent—SAG2-GRA1-ROP1-GRA2 (SGRG) and SAG1-MIC1-MAG1-GRA2 (SMMG)—chimeric T. gondii proteins, as well as their protective potential against chronic toxoplasmosis in laboratory mice. All three trivalent recombinant proteins possessed immunogenic properties, as defined by specific humoral and cellular responses in vaccinated mice characterized by the synthesis of specific IgG (IgG1/IgG2a) antibodies in vivo and the release of Th1/Th2 cytokines by stimulated splenocytes in vitro. Immunization with all three recombinant proteins provided partial protection against toxoplasmosis, although the protective capacity strongly depended on the individual antigenic composition of each preparation. The antigens providing the highest (86%) and lowest (45%) protection, SGR and SMM, respectively, were supplemented with GRA2 antigen fragment, to form the tetravalent chimeric proteins SGRG and SMMG. Further study revealed that the tetravalent preparations exhibited high immunogenic potential; however, the addition of another antigen to the recombinant protein structure had distinct effects on the protection generated, compared to that of the trivalent counterparts, depending on the antigen tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace elements play an important role in the pathogenesis of several serious ophthalmological disorders, such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, cataract, etc. This study aimed to measure alterations of chemical elements' (67) levels in the aqueous humor of patients undergoing cataract surgery. The pilot study included 115 patients, (age 74 ± 7.27, female 64.35%, male 35.65%). The aqueous levels of elements were measured by the use of the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), quality controlled with certified standards. The classification of elements based on their concentration was achieved by hierarchical cluster analysis. This is the first screening study that quantifies over 60 elements which are present in the fluid from the anterior chamber of the eye of cataract patients. The obtained results can be suitable for understanding and identifying the causes that may play a role in the initiation and progression of lens opacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to estimate the thiocyanate levels in saliva of cigarette smokers in comparison to e-cigarette smokers and nonsmokers. To improve our understanding of the influence of smoking on the oral level of thiocyanate, we conducted an assessment of human saliva, in 24 individuals (eight tobacco smokers, eight e-cigarette smokers, and eight nonsmokers). High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) using a unique phosphatidylcholine column was applied in this assay. Thiocyanate ion was detected directly by its absorbance at 210 nm. The method presents a new application of the IAM (Immobilized Artificial Membrane) column for quantification of inorganic anions. The whole process meets the criteria of green chemistry because it was carried out without the use of organic solvents. For compensating matrix effects, an eight-point standard addition protocol was used to quantify the thiocyanate level in saliva samples. The calibration graphs were linear in the range of 5–100 mg L−1 with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.99. The thiocyanate concentrations in the saliva of tobacco smokers, e-cigarette smokers, and nonsmokers were found in the range of 121.25–187.54 mg L−1, 121.24–244.11 mg L−1, 33.03–79.49 mg L−1, respectively. The present study indicates an obvious statistically significant elevation in salivary thiocyanate level in tobacco smokers in comparison to nonsmokers. The phosphatidylcholine-based stationary phase proved to be suitable for the detection and quantification of the thiocyanate ion. The salivary thiocyanate levels in e-cigarette smokers were not significantly different in comparison to tobacco smokers but higher if compared to nonsmokers. The criterion for statistical significance was p < 0.05. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to optimize the separation and quantitative determination of nitrites and nitrates in human saliva. HPLC with UV absorption (HPLC/DAD) using a phosphatidylcholine column (IAM.PC.DD2 Regis HPLC) was applied in this assay. Nitrates were detected directly by their absorbance at 210 nm, whereas nitrites were detected after oxidation to nitrates by potassium permanganate at acidic conditions. The kinetics of the permanganate–nitrite reaction was measured chromatographically. The calibration graph for nitrates was linear in the range of 0.5–35 µg mL−1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999. The limit of detection was 4.56 ng mL−1. The calibration graph for nitrites (after oxidation to nitrates) was linear in the range of 0.5–15 µg mL−1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9972. The limit of detection was 4.21 ng mL−1. The nitrate concentrations in the saliva samples were found in the range of 8.98–18.52 μg mL−1, whereas nitrite was in the range of 3.50–5.34 μg mL−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine is an essential nutrient necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. A valuable source of iodide, which is the bio-available iodine form could be mineral waters offered by different spas. In this work, the method capable of direct determination of iodide in mineral water samples based on IAM liquid chromatography on the phosphatidylcholine column (IAM.PC.DD2 Regis HPLC) with DAD detection without sample pretreatment or any pre-concentration steps is presented. The calibration graph for iodide was linear in the range of 0.5–10.0 mg L−1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9996. The limit of detection was 22.84 ng mL−1. The relative recoveries were in the interval of 98.5–100.2% and the repeatability, expressed as a relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 5%. The RSA (Response Surface Analysis) investigated the effect of the sample concentration and the injection volume. The iodide concentrations in the mineral water samples ranged from 0.58 to 2.88 mg L−1. The accuracy of the method was assessed through independent analysis by ICP-MS. Iodide levels measured by these two procedures did not significantly differ. The effects of interfering ions like HCO3−, Cl−, SO42−, F−, and Br− were also tested. The analysis has shown insignificant differences in the values of the iodide peak area and its height measured in multicomponent mixtures with an error smaller than 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]