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Discoloration (extrinsic and intrinsic) reduce the beauty of someone's appearance and confidence. Discoloration affected the increased aesthetic treatment needs in dentistry. Discoloration can be treated by teeth whitening procedures. Teeth whitening can be done with dental bleaching from the application of chemicals on the surface of the teeth. However, dental bleaching has side effects such as reduce the amount of calcium, phosphate and fluoride in tooth enamel, reduce enamel hardness, enamel surface roughness, and dental hypersensitivity. Belimbing wuluh is one of the herbal ingredients to minimise the risk; it contains oxalic acid, a natural peroxide compound. This study purposed to determine the effect of belimbing wuluh gel extract in increasing the degree of teeth brightness colour by in vivo in rabbits. This study used an experimental analytic method with 27 rabbits' incisors, divided into three groups: 50% belimbing wuluh gel, 40% oxalic acid gel, and negative control group. Rabbits' incisors were previously coated in a transparent varnish on the specified area. Teeth bleaching is done for 4 hours in 14 days. Colour measurements used camera and ring-light, which MATLAB will convert. The data were analysed statistically with One way ANOVA followed by a post-hoc NSK test (p

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate the possible relation between serum adiponectin and osteopontin levels as metabolic risk markers among women with different polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) phenotypes. Material and methods: In a University Hospital setting PCOS patients diagnosed according to Rotterdam Consensus Conference criteria with body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 35 were recruited. Results: Overall, 57 PCOS patients and 57 age- and BMI-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Luteinising hormone (LH) to follicle-stimulating hormone FSH ratio (LH/FSH), free androgen index (FAI), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS-S) was found to be significantly higher in women with PCOS. There was significant interaction between PCOS status and obesity for serum adiponectin levels. Although mean adiponectin and osteopontin levels were similar among cases and controls, a further two-way ANOVA comparison within lean and obese subgroups revealed adiponectin to be significantly lower in lean PCOS women than in lean controls. LH/FSH ratio and adiponectin levels were all found to differ between lean counterparts; however, they did not show any correlation with metabolic markers [cholesterol, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels] in overall lean women or in the lean PCOS subgroup. Conclusion: Serum adiponectin levels in lean PCOS women were significantly lower than those in lean controls. On the other hand, mean adiponectin and osteopontin levels were similar in PCOS cases and controls overall. © 2020 Via Medica. All rights reserved.

Wastewater containing heavy metals can potentially harm the human and living organisms and also damage the environment and ecosystem. Wastewater containing total copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) over the normal threshold will result in Wilson's disease and digestive health, respectively. One of the most widely used methods to remove heavy metals from wastewater is adsorption. One type of adsorbent that has gained interest among researchers was biomass-based adsorbent or biosorbent. In this work, magnetic modification was used to increase the adsorption capacity of the biosorbent. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of magnetic modification of corncobs as biosorbent on the adsorption of Cu(II) and Zn(II) heavy metals from an aqueous solution. Magnetic modification with FeCl3.7H2O on corncobs has successfully increased the adsorption capability of Zn(II) and Cu(II) from aqueous solution. The optimum modification ratios for the adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II) were 1:2 and 2:1. The adsorption of these both heavy metals took place at temperature of 50°C with the adsorbent doses of 1 g and 1.5 g for Cu(II) and Zn(II), respectively. The highest adsorption percentages for the adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II) were 89.3% and 89.2%, respectively. Whereas, the maximum adsorption capacities of Cu(II) and Zn(II) were 75.76 mg/g and 63.93 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption mechanism of Zn(II) and Cu(II) has followed the Freundlich isothermal adsorption model.

Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) is a material that has a dielectric constant and high load storage capacity. BST is made with 3 variations namely BST without container, BST in Niobium Oxide contain...

Detailed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of aqueous solutions of short DNA minicircles ranging in size from 30 to 180 bp were performed for the investigation of the structure and dynamics at an...

Purpose Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) has a key role in hepatic fibrogenesis by virtue of its effect on the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Although many studies have shown that PPAR-γ agonists inhibit liver fibrosis, the mechanism remains largely unclear, especially regarding the cross-talk between PPAR-γ and other potent fibrogenic factors. Methods This experimental study involved 25 male Wistar rats. Twenty rats were subjected to bile duct ligation (BDL) to induce liver fibrosis, further divided into an untreated group (BDL; n=10) and a group treated with the PPAR-γ agonist thiazolidinedione (TZD), at 14 days post-operation (BDL+TZD; n=10). The remaining 5 rats had a sham operation (sham; n=5). The effect of PPAR-γ agonist on liver fibrosis was evaluated by histopathology, protein immunohistochemistry, and mRNA expression quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results Histology and immunostaining showed markedly reduced collagen deposition, bile duct proliferation, and HSCs in the BDL+TZD group compared to those in the BDL group (p

An effort to improve the solubility of albendazole (ABZ), an anthelmintic drug has been successfully carried out through the formation of multicomponent crystal with dl-malic acid (MAL). Construction of phase solubility curve of ABZ in MAL solution and crystal morphological observations after recrystallization in the acetone-ethanol (9:1) mixture were performed for initial prediction of multicomponent crystal formation. ABZ-MAL multicomponent crystal was prepared by wet grinding or also known as solvent-drop grinding (SDG) with acetone-ethanol (9:1) mixture as a solvent followed by characterization of the multicomponent crystal formation by powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) methods. The solubility of ABZ-MAL multicomponent crystal was tested in water at ambient temperature and in pH 1.2, 4.5 and 6.8 of buffered solutions at 37°C. The phase solubility curve of the ABZ in the MAL solution showed type Bs. The ABZ-MAL mixture has a different crystalline morphology than pure ABZ and MAL after recrystallization in the acetone-ethanol mixture (9:1). The powder X-ray diffraction pattern and the FTIR spectrum of ABZ-MAL from SDG different from intact ABZ and MAL powder X-ray diffraction patterns and these results can indicate the ABZ-MAL multicomponent crystal formation. The ABZ-MAL multicomponent crystal has better solubility than pure ABZ in all media used. These results can be concluded that ABZ-MAL multicomponent crystal can be prepared by solvent-drop grinding method with acetone-ethanol (9:1) mixture as a solvent and can increase the solubility of albendazole.

In this paper, [Inline formula] deposition method with spin coating technique in order to improve its dielectric properties. This study was to find out how the effect of mustard chlorophyll exposure on [Inline formula] films was analyzed using x-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy based on crystal structure and the stability of the film phase BST doping mustard chlorophyll. The annealing process is carried out as a high temperature heating step which aims to restore the physical and crystalline properties of the film which may change during the film growth process. The specified annealing temperature is 850 °C with a holding time of 8 h. The effect of chlorophyll solidification was observed by applying variations of chlorophyll mustard concentration, namely 0%, 2.5%, and 5%. The crystal structure type and film lattice parameters were confirmed using X-Ray Diffraction with the measurement angle starting from an angle of 10° to 80° with an angle increase of 0.02°.

A barium strontium titanate Ba0.65Sr0.35TiO3 and its lithium (Li) and copper (Cu) doped thin films have fabricated on quartz substrates based on sol-gel and spin-coating method. Chemical so...

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria that produces endotoxemia, which may cause septic shock. Metformin (MET) is a widely used hypoglycemic drug that exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine polypeptide that affects glucose and lipid metabolism, and also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the effects of MET and FGF21 on inflammation due to LPS induced endotoxemia in male rats. Animals were divided into five groups: control, LPS, pre-MET LPS, LPS + 1 h MET and LPS + 3 h MET. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, FGF2, interleukin-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were measured. Malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase and FGF21 levels were measured in liver tissue samples. Histopathology of all groups was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin stained sections. LPS caused severe inflammatory liver damage. MET exhibited a partially protective effect and reduced inflammation significantly. FGF21 is produced in the liver following inflammation and MET may increase its production.

Crystalline solids exhibiting glass-like thermal conductivity have attracted substantial attention both for fundamental interest and applications such as thermoelectrics. In most crystals, the competition of phonon scattering by anharmonic interactions and crystalline imperfections leads to a non-monotonic trend of thermal conductivity with temperature. Defect-free crystals that exhibit the glassy trend of low thermal conductivity with a monotonic increase with temperature are desirable because they are intrinsically thermally insulating while retaining useful properties of perfect crystals. However, this behavior is rare, and its microscopic origin remains unclear. Here, we report the observation of ultralow and glass-like thermal conductivity in a hexagonal perovskite chalcogenide single crystal, BaTiS3, despite its highly symmetric and simple primitive cell. Elastic and inelastic scattering measurements reveal the quantum mechanical origin of this unusual trend. A two-level atomic tunneling system exists in a shallow double-well potential of the Ti atom and is of sufficiently high frequency to scatter heat-carrying phonons up to room temperature. While atomic tunneling has been invoked to explain the low-temperature thermal conductivity of solids for decades, our study establishes the presence of sub-THz frequency tunneling systems even in high-quality, electrically insulating single crystals, leading to anomalous transport properties well above cryogenic temperatures., Defect-free crystals showing the glassy trend of low thermal conductivity with a monotonic increase with temperature are desirable but rare. Here, the authors observe atomic tunneling associated with low and glass-like thermal conductivity in a hexagonal perovskite chalcogenide single-crystal BaTiS3.

Recent analytical developments have made possible the determination of the isotopic composition of tin in igneous rocks. In order to establish a framework to interpret the mass-dependent tin isotopic signatures of planetary materials, seven geologically-relevant silicate glasses (basalt, rhyolite, enstatite and anorthite glasses) were synthesized with moderate amounts of 119Sn (on the order of a weight percent). Redox conditions were controlled during sample synthesis to set the redox ratio (Sn2+/Sntot) from stannous (Sn2+) to stannic (Sn4+) glasses. The mean force constants of tin bonds in these glasses were determined by synchrotron nuclear resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (NRIXS) in order to determine the reduced isotopic partition function ratios (β-factors) of these glasses. Clues on the coordination chemistry and the valence state of tin in these glasses were also derived from synchrotron Mossbauer spectroscopy (SMS). The force constants of tin drastically increases from Sn2+-bearing to Sn4+-bearing glasses and varies significantly with the glass composition at a given redox state. The average coordination number of tin likely controls these variations with glass composition as suggested by SMS results. It is concluded that large isotope fractionation is expected between materials containing Sn2+ and Sn4+ respectively even at magmatic temperatures and that the coordination chemistry of tin in silicates strongly affect its isotope partitioning behavior. Our experimental data are finally used to interpret available Sn isotope data collected in terrestrial rocks. The incompatible behavior of Sn4+ in mantle minerals leads to a enrichment in heavy isotopes in mantle melts and to the depletion in heavy isotopes in solid residues of melting with a magnitude consistent with the isotope fractionation between Sn2+ and Sn4+ predicted by NRIXS data. Finally, we show that during fractional crystallization of basalt and considering the effect of tin coordination number in minerals and melts, the partitioning of Sn4+ into ilmenite leads to an enrichment in light isotopes in the residual melt.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the plasma and salivary irisin levels in leprosy patients, as well as to evaluate the role of the irisin in the leprosy pathogenesis. Leprosy is a granulomatous disease with the peripheral nerves, mucous membrane, and skin involvement primarily. Irisin, a novel protein, has been associated with several inflammatory diseases and demonstrated in the peripheral nerve cells, deep sebaceous glands, and saliva excessively. To our knowledge, there is no study investigating the irisin levels in patients with leprosy. Material and Methods: We conducted a case-control study on 20 patients with lepromatous leprosy and 20 healthy controls between January 2016 and January 2017. Of the participants, the demographic data and disease history including duration of the disease, any current treatments, and presence of any other family members with leprosy were recorded. The plasma and salivary irisin levels of the participants were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were evaluated in both groups. Results: The plasma and salivary irisin levels were significantly lower in the patient group than those in the control group (P = 0.001 and P = 0.03, respectively). In patients with leprosy, the serum and salivary irisin levels had a positive correlation (r: 576, p: 0.008). In addition, there was a negative correlation between the plasma irisin and CRP levels (r: −468, p: 0.037). Conclusion: The irisin may act an immunomodulatory role in leprosy. The irisin production is probably suppressed by the increased inflammatory markers in leprosy or the bacillus to reach the temperature for its reproduction. Further studies are needed to clarify the role and prognostic value of the irisin in leprosy with a large number of patients examined before and after the treatments.

We present results from detailed, atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of pure, strictly monodisperse linear and ring poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) melts under equilibrium and nonequilibrium (shear flow) conditions. The systems examined span the regime of molecular weights (Mw) from sub-Rouse (Mw < Me) to reptation (Mw ∼ 10 Me), where Me denotes the characteristic entanglement molecular weight of linear PEO. For both PEO architectures (ring and linear), the predicted chain center-of-mass self-diffusion coefficients DG as a function of PEO Mw are in remarkable agreement with experimental data. From the flow simulations under shear, we have extracted and analyzed the zero-shear viscosity of ring and linear PEO melts as a function of Mw.

Objective: Our aim of this study was to determine effective doses of progesterone which has a vasodilatory effect during the early stage of vasospasm. Cerebral vasospasm (CV) is a predominant cause of morbidity and mortality which develops following subarachnoidal hemorrhage (SAH). Etiopathogenesis of CV is multifactorial. Despite many previously performed studies on this issue, the mechanism by which blood and blood products in the subarachnoidal space induce CV has not been clarified yet. Materials and Methods: In our study, we used “Rat Femoral Artery Vasospasm Model” introduced by Okada et al. Thanks to easy procurement and maintenance of rats. Rats were divided into four groups as: Group 1 (n = 8; control group), Group 2 (n = 8; vasospasm group), Group 3 (n = 8; vasospasm + 3 mg/kg progesterone group), and Group 4 (n = 8; vasospasm +15 mg/kg progesterone group). Progesterone which is an endogenously synthesized natural steroid was preferred in our study. Progesterone increases the production of vasodilatory epoxyeicosatrienoic acid by acting on its binding sites termed as pregnane X receptor. It decreases the intracellular influx of Ca2+ by blocking the functioning of L-type channels in smooth muscle cells. It manifests another vasodilatory effect by decreasing expression of TxA2 receptor. In our study, at the end of the 7th day, where the most intense vasospasm is seen, 1 cm pieces were excised from the femoral arteries and histopathologically examined under light microscope. Results: Vascular walls of three vasospasm-induced groups were relatively thicker when compared with the control group. Drug-treated groups were not different from each other. Vascular walls of the groups treated with lower and higher doses of the drug were thinner when compared with the vasospasm group without any statistically significant difference between groups (P > 0.05). Luminal cross-sectional areas of the drug-treated groups did not differ from each other. Mean luminal cross-sectional areas of the control and the drug-treated groups were larger than that of the vasospasm group without any statistically significant intergroup difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of our study, progesterone did not exert protective effects on vascular wall thickness, while histopathological examination of luminal cross-sectional areas revealed its vasodilatory effects without any statistically significant difference between groups. Starting from the study results obtained, we think that its potential use as a preventive agent against the development of post-SAH CV requires conduction of multicentered, placebo-controlled, randomized, and double-blind studies.

Growth of LiTaO3 film on a type-p silicon substrate (100) was conducted using the Chemical Solution Deposition (CSD) and spin coating methods at a speed of 3000 rpm for 30 seconds. The film on the ...

In this study we have developed and evaluated a simple, rapid and sensitive fluorimetric method to quantify curcumin in powder formulation of turmeric and temulawak extract. Both rhizomes are commonly used as the main ingredients in Indonesian herbal medicines. The excitation and emission wavelengths were set to 420 nm and 530 nm, respectively. The fluorescence intensity of curcumin is proportional to the concentration of curcumin in the range of 0.4–2.4 mg/mL. The detection and quantitation limits were 0.0165 mg/mL and 0.0549 mg/mL, respectively. Through comparison with HPLC measurement, the results demonstrated that the current method has a potential to be used as an alternative quality standard for curcumin content determination in herbal medicines.

Biodiesel is one alternative energy that might be promising to substitute the petroleum-based fuel due to its biodegradability and less toxic level. Biodiesel can be synthesized through the non-alcohol route by substituting the alcohol with methyl acetate using lipase enzyme as the Biocatalyst, which may give less by-product during the reaction. In this research, lipase from Bacillus subtilis has been produced and prepared in a crude, dry and immobilized form. It is used as the Biocatalyst for biodiesel synthesis. Several variables were investigated for obtaining the optimum condition in producing biodiesel, including the form of lipase enzyme, the variation of molar ratio between oil and methyl acetate, and the enzyme concentration. The immobilized Bacillus subtilis lipase enzyme loading was also calculated to know how many percent of the lipase is successfully immobilized. The biodiesel produced using lipase from Bacillus subtilis will then be compared with the biodiesel produced using Candida rugosa commercial lipase. Based on the experimental, the immobilized lipase with 1:12 of oil to methyl acetate and enzyme concentration of 2% gives the highest biodiesel yield among the others, as much as 53.99%. This yield was higher than the biodiesel produced using Candida rugosa lipase. In conclusion, the immobilized lipase from Bacillus subtilis is one of the promising Biocatalyst for biodiesel production.

Soursop fruit contains phenolic, tannins, flavonoids. Phenolic inhibit xanthine oxidase inhibitors which inhibit the production of uric acid, this will affect in decreasing cardiovascular risk. Tannins reducing triglyceride levels. Flavonoids reduce HMG-CoA reductase and total cholesterol. Several studies conducted on animal experiments and the results of soursop fruit reduce lipid profile. What is the effect of soursop fruit consumption on cardiovascular risk in healthy humans? This epidemiological research was conducted in Mlati, Sleman, Indonesia. There were 143 subjects that conform to the inclusion and exclusion criteria subsequently randomized to two groups. Group I was given 2x100 g/day of soursop and group II was without soursop. A laboratory examination was conducted of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels at weeks 0, 7, and 13 both in the soursop and non-soursop groups. Regular soursop consumption was evaluated every two weeks for three months. Data analysis was performed using an independent t test, a nonparametric Mann–Whitney test, and a chi-square test. There was no significant difference in total cholesterol ( p =0.254 and p =0.932), HDL ( p =0.400 and p =0.960), LDL ( p =0.221 and p =0.710), triglycerides ( p =0.423 and p =0.580) between the soursop and non-soursop groups. The consumption of soursop fruit at 2x100 g/day has no significant effect on improvement in cardiovascular risk (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides) in healthy subjects, but in subjects with hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, the mean cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased at week 7 and 13 compared to no soursop consumption

Introduction: Recent studies have demonstrated that alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has a strong antioxidant property and it exerts neurotrophic effects on the peripheral nerves. In this study, we investigated potential effects of ALA on secondary injury mechanisms as well as on apoptosis.Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into 5 groups, as follows: laminectomy (control), laminectomy + trauma (Trauma), laminectomy + posttraumatic methylprednisolone [MP] (Trauma + MP), laminectomy + posttraumatic ALA (Trauma + ALA), laminectomy + posttraumatic MP and ALA (Trauma + MP + ALA). Yasargil aneurysm clip method was used to induce the spinal cord injury. Twenty-four hours after the procedure the rats were sacrificed. Spinal cord samples were harvested to analyze malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels, as well as histopathological characteristics.Results: The Kruskal-Wallis test (95% confidence level, p < 0.05) showed a statistically significant difference between the groups in MDA (p = 0.006), CAT (p = 0.000), and SOD (p = 0.001) levels. Pairwise comparisons, with Bonferroni correction, of control and Trauma group with the other groups, revealed a significant difference in CAT and SOD levels. Overall, our results showed that ALA administration significantly decreased MDA levels in Trauma + ALA compared to the same effect of MP in Trauma + MP group. Furthermore, ALA administration increased SOD and CAT levels in Trauma + ALA group. The combined use of ALA and MP demonstrated synergistic effects and yielded even more significant results.Conclusions: A combined use of ALA and MP might provide a benefit in patients exposed to spinal cord injury. However, at present, further studies are required to confirm these results.

The Kohn anomaly and topological change of the Fermi surface in $d$-block metals can occur under high pressure with affiliated significant changes in elastic, mechanical, and transport properties. However, our understanding of their origin and associated physical phenomena remains limited both experimentally and theoretically. Here we study the pressure effect on the Kohn anomaly, electronic topological transition (ETT), and the associated anomalies in physical properties of body-centered cubic (bcc) single-crystal tantalum (Ta). The phonon dispersions of Ta crystal were directly measured up to $\ensuremath{\sim}47$ GPa using high-energy resolution inelastic x-ray scattering in a diamond anvil cell with hydrostatic helium medium. A Kohn anomaly in Ta was observed and became significantly stronger at 47.0 GPa at the reduced wave vector of $\ensuremath{\sim}0.7$ in the longitudinal acoustic mode along the [\ensuremath{\xi},0,0] direction. Our theoretical and experimental results indicate that the electron-phonon coupling and Fermi surface nesting mainly contribute to the Kohn anomaly, and the latter plays a dominant role at high pressures of 17--47 GPa. First-principles calculations further reveal an ETT with a topology change of the Fermi surface to occur at $\ensuremath{\sim}100$ GPa in Ta, which causes a softening in the elastic constants (${C}_{11}$ and ${C}_{44}$) and mechanical properties (shear, Young's, and bulk moduli). Our study shows that the $d$-orbital electrons in Ta play a key role in the stability of its electronic topological structure, where electron doping in Ta could significantly depress its ETT and elastic anomaly at high pressures. It is conceivable that our observed Kohn anomaly and ETT in a representative bcc Ta are much more prevalent in $d$-block transition metals under compression than previously thought.

The vibrational properties of glasses remain a topic of intense interest due to several unresolved puzzles, including the origin of the Boson peak and the mechanisms of thermal transport. Inelastic scattering measurements have revealed that amorphous solids support collective acoustic excitations with low THz frequencies despite the atomic disorder, but these frequencies are well below most of the thermal vibrational spectrum. Here, we report the observation of acoustic excitations with frequencies up to 10 THz in amorphous silicon. The excitations have atomic-scale wavelengths as short as 6 \AA{} and exist well into the thermal vibrational frequencies. Simulations indicate that these high-frequency waves are supported due to the high group velocity and monatomic composition of a-Si, suggesting that other glasses with these characteristics may also exhibit such excitations. Our findings demonstrate that a substantial portion of thermal vibrational modes in amorphous materials can still be described as a phonon gas despite the lack of atomic order.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) tend to have hyperkalemia. They worry about the consumption of fruit for fear of increased serum potassium levels and therefore require a restricted potassium diet. Soursop fruit (Annona muricata Linn.) is believed to be beneficial for CKD and cardiovascular risk. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of soursop fruit supplement consumption on serum potassium levels and cardiovascular risk in prehypertension subjects from Mlati, Sleman District, Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. A total 143 samples that met to the inclusion and exclusion criteria were subsequently randomized into two groups. Group I was given 2 x 100 g/day of soursop and Group II was without soursop. A laboratory examination from both groups was conducted including potassium, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein(HDL), and triglyceride levels at weeks 0; 7; and 13. Regular soursop consumption was evaluated every 2 weeks for 3 months. Data analysis was performed using an independent t test, a nonparametric Mann–Whitney test, and a chi-square test. No significantly different in serum potassium levels between the soursop and non-soursop groups at week 7 and 13 (p=0.073 and p=0.108) was observed. Furthermore, no significantly different in total cholesterol (p=0.254 and p=0.932), LDL (p=0.221 and p=0.710), HDL (p=0.400 and p=0.960), triglycerides (p=0.423 and p=0.580) of both groups was also obsereved. However, in subjects with hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, the mean cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased compared to no soursop consumption at week 7 and 13. In conclusion, consumption of a soursop fruit supplement of 2 x 100 g/day for 13 weeks does not affect the serum potassium levels of prehypertension subjects. Moreover, the consumption of a soursop fruit supplement is not significantly different compared to those without soursoup in improving cardiovascular risk.

Production of lipase enzyme from Rhizopus oryzae was developed by solid state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF) method in order to yield high amount of lipase enzyme using wheat bran as the substrate. The objective of this research is to obtain the crude lipase enzyme from Rhizopus oryzae by optimizing the operating condition of submerged fermentation method, compare the unit activity of lipase enzyme produced by SSF and SmF, and synthesize the biodiesel via non-alcohol route using lipase enzyme as the catalyst. The optimum condition for the production of lipase is discovered by varying the fermentation time, substrate concentration, and inducer concentration. The fermentation time was varied at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days with substrate concentration was varied at 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5%, and inducer concentration was varied at 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%. The extraction of lipase enzyme was done by squeezing the suspension through muslin cloth, centrifugation, and then filtered by filter paper. Titration was done as the enzymatic assay for the lipase activity. Based on results, optimum condition of submerged fermentation has been achieved with inducer concentration of 6.9%, substrate concentration of 1.9%, and fermentation time of 3.5 days. This condition results the unit activity of lipase of 62.67 U/ml and 50 U/ml, for SmF and SSF, respectively. Furthermore, for biodiesel synthesis through non-alcohol route, lipase enzyme from Rhizopus oryzae was able to yield 38.11% of biodiesel.

The thin film of Barium Strontium Titanate (Ba0.2Sr0.8TiO3) blended of chlorophyll (chlorophyll extract: green choy sum, green spinach, and papaya) have been fabricated. The deposition film using chemical solution deposition method (spin coating). The specified annealing temperature is 850°C for 8 hours (holding time, the effect of the high-temperature heating). Observation about the blending effect of chlorophyll by applying chlorophyll variation 5% green choy sum, 5% green spinach, and 5% papaya on the barium strontium titanate (Ba0.2Sr0.8TiO3) thin film. Barium Strontium Titanate (Ba0.2Sr0.8TiO3) thin films were analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and Micro-Raman spectroscopy. UV-Vis spectroscopy shows that the green spinach has a more significant impact in decreasing energy gap compared to the other doping. Micro-Raman spectroscopy demonstrated a Raman shifts with symmetry of phonon mode in BST blend of the chlorophyll of green choy sum, green spinach, and papaya leaves.The thin film of Barium Strontium Titanate (Ba0.2Sr0.8TiO3) blended of chlorophyll (chlorophyll extract: green choy sum, green spinach, and papaya) have been fabricated. The deposition film using chemical solution deposition method (spin coating). The specified annealing temperature is 850°C for 8 hours (holding time, the effect of the high-temperature heating). Observation about the blending effect of chlorophyll by applying chlorophyll variation 5% green choy sum, 5% green spinach, and 5% papaya on the barium strontium titanate (Ba0.2Sr0.8TiO3) thin film. Barium Strontium Titanate (Ba0.2Sr0.8TiO3) thin films were analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and Micro-Raman spectroscopy. UV-Vis spectroscopy shows that the green spinach has a more significant impact in decreasing energy gap compared to the other doping. Micro-Raman spectroscopy demonstrated a Raman shifts with symmetry of phonon mode in BST blend of the chlorophyll of green choy sum, green spinach, and papaya leaves.

The objective of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of Propolis Fluoride in inhibiting the biofilm formation of S. mutans, S. gordonii and S. sanguinis in comparison to Silver Diamine Fluoride. Bacteria suspensions were cultured in Brain Heart Infusion Broth, then dripped onto a 96-well plate. Propolis fluoride was added to the well plates, which were then incubated for 4 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. Afterwards, Crystal Violet 0.5% was added to each well plate, and a micro plate reader was used to evaluate the Optical Density value at 570nm wavelength. S. gordonii and S. mutans were analyzed using MTT assay by inserting the bacterial suspensions into a BHI medium enriched with 0.2% sucrose and exposed to PPF, then incubated at 4 different times. The ANOVA test result on the potential of Propolis Fluoride to inhibit biofilm formation of S. mutans, S. gordonii and S. sanguinis was equal to 38%.(b/b) Silver Diamine Fluoride, Propolis Fluoride has the same inhibition potential and effectiveness against biofilm formation as Silver Diamine Fluoride.

Bu çalışmada, biyokimyasal vehistopatolojik değerlendirme kullanılarak karaciğer iskemisi-reperfüzyon (İ /R) hasarına maruz kalan sıçanlarda karnosinin (CAR) antioksidan etkileriaraştırıldı. Karnosinin karaciğer üzerindeki antioksidan etkilerini araştırmakiçin 200-250 gr ağırlığındaki yirmi dört Sprague-Dawley erkek sıçan kullanıldı.Sıçanlar rastgele aşağıdaki gruplara ayrıldı: Kontrol grubu (G1), hepatik I / Rgrubu (G2) ve 100 mg / kg CAR ile tedavi edilen hepatik I / R grubu (G3). Kontrolgrubundaki sıçanlara sadece laparotomi ve kateterizasyon uygulandı. Diğergruplardaki ler, laparotomi sonrası hepatik arter klemplenmesi ile 1 saathepatik iskemi sonrasında 2 saat reperfüzyona maruz bırakıldı. Tedavigrubundaki farelere, hepatik arter klemplenmeden 60 dakika önce 100 mg / kg CAR60 dakika intraperitoneal enjeksiyon olarak yapıldı. Tüm sıçanlar 48 saat izlendi. Dahasonra sacrifiye edilip aspartat transaminaz (AST), alanin transaminaz (ALT)tayini için kan örnekleri alındı ​​ve malondialdehit (MDA), glutatyon (GSH) vekatalaz (CAT) seviyelerin ölçmek için ve histopatolojik incelemeiçin karaciğer doku örnekleri alındı. Tedavi grubunda Serum AST, ALT ve doku MDAdüzeyleri anlamlı olarak azaldı ve GSH ve CAT düzeyleri CAR ile tedavi edilengrupta, sadece I / R yaralanmasına maruz kalan tedavi edilmeyen gruplakarşılaştırıldığında anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti. Karnosin alan sıçanlardahistopatolojik hasar, tedavi edilmeyen gruba göre anlamlı derecede azdı. Bu çalışma sonucunda 100 mg / kg CAR'ın, İ / Rhasarı nedeniyle karaciğer dokusunda oksidatif hasarı önlemede etkiliolabileceği sonucuna vardık., Karaciğeriskemi-reperfüzyon uygulanmış ratlarda Karnozinin karaciğer hasarındaantioksidan özelliği ile iyileştirici ve koruyucu etkisinin incelenmesiamacıyla bu çalışma planlandı. Cinsiyetleri erkek olan ağırlıkları200-250 gr. arasında değişen Sprague-Dawley cinsi 30 adet rat, 10 ar adetrattan oluşan kontrol grubu, karaciğer iskemi-reperfüzyon İ/R grubu, ve Karaciğerİ/R + 100mg/kg Karnozin grubu olmak üzere üç gruba ayrıldı. Sham grubuna sadecelaparatomi yapıldı. Diğer gruplardaki tüm ratlara laparatomi sonrası karaciğere1 saat iskemi 2 saat reperfüzyon uygulandı. IR + karnozin grubuna iskemi öncesi 100 mg/kg karnozin ip verildi. Reperfüzyon sonrası ratlardanAspartat transaminaz (AST), Alanin transaminaz (ALT), Katalaz (CAT),Malondialdehid (MDA) için kan örnekleri, ayrıca Malondialdehid (MDA) içinkaraciğer doku örnekleri, histopatolojik inceleme için karaciğer doku örneklerialındı. Tedavi gruplarında AST, ALT, MDA (serum) , doku MDA ve katalazdeğerlerinde tedavi verilmeyen gruba göre anlamlı azalma saptanmıştır.Karnozinin histolojik açıdan anlamlı düzelmeler sağladığı göz önünealındığında özellikle son yıllarda artan karaciğer nakli sırasına gelişeniskemi-reperfüzyon hasarının beraberinde getirdiği komplikasyonlarda vemortalitede azalmaya yol açabileceği sonucuna varıldı.

Management of hyperuricemia in CKD includes non pharmacology and pharmacology. Non-pharmacological with lifestyle change interventions such as exercise, weight loss, low purine meat consumption, avoid high fructose, reduce alcohol and herbs. The treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia in CKD is still controversial. In Japan and Korea given uric acid-lowering drugs when the serum uric acid level (SUA)> 8 mg / dl but in America and Europe are not given drugs for fear of side effects. Soursop fruit consumption can be an alternative treatment for hyperuricemia in CKD both asymptomatic and symptomatic. The recommended drugs for hyperuricemia in CKD are allopurinol and febuxostat. Allopurinol is excreted through the kidneys so it is necessary to adjust the dose in CKD, starting from 50-100 mg / day, increasing it to 200-300 mg / day every 2-5 weeks until SUA 300 mg / day if the patient is notified and the monitor may be toxic. In America, Europe and Japan recommend febuxostat only for the treatment of hyperuricemia.

Latar Belakang: Irbesartan (IBS) adalah antihipertensi yang bekerja menghambat sistem renin-angiotensin dan memiliki kelarutan rendah dalam air, sehingga bioavailabilitasnya terbatas. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menghasilkan ko-amorf irbesartan dengan l-arginin (ARG) dan untuk mengetahui dampaknya terhadap kelarutan dan laju disolusi irbesartan. Metode: Pembuatan kurva kelarutan fasa dilakukan dengan menentukan kelarutan IBS di dalam rentang konsentrasi 0,1-1,1M dari larutan ARG di dalam air. Ko-amorf dibuat dengan menggiling 1,716 g IBS, 0,696 g ARG, dan lima tetes metanol di dalam Retsch mortar grinder RM 200 selama 15 menit. Untuk mengetahui terbentuknya ko-amorf dilakukan karakterisasi menggunakan difraktometer sinar-X serbuk dan differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Uji kelarutan dalam media air dilakukan di suhu ruang, sedangkan dalam media larutan dapar pH 1,2 dan 6,8 dilakukan di suhu 37±°C. Larutan dapar pH 1,2 dan 6,8 juga digunakan sebagai media pengujian laju disolusi. Hasil: Kurva kelarutan fasa IBS di dalam larutan ARG menunjukkan tipe AL. Difraktogram menunjukkan terbentuknya ko-amorf IBS-ARG setelah penggilingan. Termogram DSC hasil penggilingan juga menunjukkan telah terbentuk ko-amorf setelah penggilingan basah dengan transisi gelas (Tg) pada 82,2°C. Kelarutan ko-amorf IBS-ARG di dalam air, larutan dapar pH1,2 dan 6,8 berturut-turut 7,2, 2,0, dan 1,9 kali lebih tinggi daripada IBS murni. Laju disolusi ko-amorf IBS-ARG pada kedua media lebih cepat daripada IBS murni. Kesimpulan: Ko-amorf IBS-ARG telah sukses dibuat dengan metode penggilingan basah yang menyebabkan kelarutan dan laju disolusinya lebih baik daripada IBS murni. Abstract Background: Irbesartan (IBS) is an antihypertensive is an antihypertensive which acts to inhibit the renin-angiotensin system and has low water solubility, thus its bioavailability is limited. The aim of this study was to produce co-amorphous irbesartan-l-arginine (IBS-ARG) and to determine its impact on solubility and dissolution rate of irbesartan. Method: Preparation of phase solubility curve was carried out by determining the solubility of IBS in the concentration range 0.1-1.1 M of the ARG solution in water. Co-amorphous was prepared by grinding of 1.716 g IBS, 0.696 g ARG, and five drops of methanol in a Retsch mortar grinder RM 200 for 15 minutes. To determine the formation of co-amorphous, characterization was conduct by a powder X-ray diffractometer and a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The solubility test in aqueous medium was carried out at room temperature, while in the buffer solution media pH 1.2 and 6.8 was carried out at 37±0.5°C. The buffer solutions of pH 1.2 and 6.8 were also used as media for dissolution rate testing. Results: The IBS phase solubility curve in the ARG solution showed the AL type. The diffractogram showed the formation of IBS-ARG co-amorphous after wet milling. The DSC thermogram also showed that it was co-amorphous after grinding with a glass transition (Tg) at 82.2°C. The solubility of co-amorphous IBS-ARG in water, pH1.2 and 6.8 of buffer solutions were 7.2, 2.0, and 1.9 folds higher than pure IBS, respectively. The dissolution rate of IBS-ARG co-amorphous in both test media was faster than pure IBS. Conclusion: The IBS-ARG co-amorphous has been successfully prepared by the wet milling method which causes better the solubility and dissolution rate than pure IBS.

Iron alloyed with Ni and Si has been suggested to be a major component of the Earth’s inner core. High-pressure results on the combined alloying effects of Ni and Si on seismic parameters of iron are thus essential for establishing satisfactory geophysical and geochemical models of the region. Here we have investigated the compressional (VP) and shear (Vs) wave velocity-density (ρ) relations, Poisson’s ratio (ν), and seismic heterogeneity ratios (dlnρ/dlnVP, dlnρ/dlnVS, and dlnVP/dlnVS) of hcp-Fe and hcp-Fe86.8Ni8.6Si4.6 alloy up to 206GPa and 136GPa, respectively, using multiple complementary techniques. Compared with the literature velocity values for hcp-Fe and Fe-Ni-Si alloys, our results show that the combined addition of 9.0wt% Ni and 2.3wt% Si slightly increases the VP but significantly decreases the VS of hcp-Fe at a given density relevant to the inner core. Such distinct alloying effects on velocities of hcp-Fe produce a high ν of about 0.40 for the alloy at inner core densities, which is approximately 20% higher than that for hcp-Fe. Analysis of the literature high P-T results on VP and VS of Fe alloyed with light elements shows that high temperature can further enhance the ν of hcp-Fe alloyed with Ni and Si. Most significantly, the derived seismic heterogeneity ratios of this hcp alloy present a better match with global seismic observations. Our results provide a multifactored geophysical constraint on the compositional model of the inner core which is consistent with silicon being a major light element alloyed with Fe and 5wt% Ni.

The growth of Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3 films on p-type silicon substrate with depletion and enhancement treatments have been conducted in this research. The aims were to examine film sensitivity as light sensor and value range, resolution, acuracy level, and their hysteresis as temperature sensor. The films were annealed at 800, 850, and 900 °C for 15 hours. In this work, enhancement BST of 850 °C was the best quality film and utilized as light and temperature sensors. Its implementation has been successfully conducted on ATMega8535 microcontroller-based automatic drying system model by exploiting the working principle of the BST films as automatic switch.

Objective: There are several studies showing an association between an increase in the plasma levels of homocysteine and the pathogenesis of hypertension. In this study, we assessed normotensive children of hypertensive adult parents to determine whether there is any change in homocysteine levels prior to the onset of hypertension. Methods: A total of 79 normotensive children of essential hypertensive parents who were followed-up at the cardiology department and 72 healthy children of normotensive parents who presented to the department of pediatrics at our clinic with complaints such as nonspecific chest pain and innocent murmur were included in the study. The participants’ complete blood count and low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, folic acid, vitamin B12, and homocysteine levels were noted. Results: No statistically significant differences were noted between the two groups in terms of age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, or levels of fasting lipids, folic acid, and vitamin B12 (p>0.05). Although the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were within the normal limits in both groups, they were significantly higher in children with a family history of hypertension than in controls (p

Recently, chlorophyll can improve the optical characteristics of thin films. The role of chlorophyll is a dopant in the thin film. Chlorophyll is very good in transferring electron which is strongly related to energy. If the energy gap of the film is low, the characteristics of the film are better because it requires less energy to jump one electron from the valence band to the conduction band. However, an important factor to consider in this case is the chlorophyll content. The more chlorophyll content will improve the light absorption rate. This study examined the characterization of chlorophyll of green choy sum and cassava leaves extracts. The analysis was carried out based on the Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) and UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. The results of the analysis were molecular functional groups, vibration frequencies, bond force constants between molecules, optical characteristics and chlorophyll content on both of chlorophyll extracts.

The juxtaposition of a liquid iron‐dominant alloy against a mixture of silicate and oxide minerals at Earth's core‐mantle boundary is associated with a wide range of complex seismological features. One category of observed structures is ultralow‐velocity zones, which are thought to correspond to either aggregates of partially molten material or solid, iron‐enriched assemblages. We measured the phonon dispersion relations of (Mg,Fe) O magnesiowustite containing 76 mol % FeO, a candidate ultralow‐velocity zone phase, at high pressures using high‐energy resolution inelastic X‐ray scattering. From these measurements, we find that magnesiowustite becomes strongly elastically anisotropic with increasing pressure, potentially contributing to a significant proportion of seismic anisotropy detected near the base of the mantle.

0000-0002-5727-9474 WOS: 000446726700004 Objective: Alopecia areata (M) is a disorder characterized by non-scarring hair loss, whose etiology involves oxidative stress. We aimed to determine the role of thiol/disulphide levels in AA pathogenesis and to investigate if they can be used as its marker. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 100 AA patients who presented to dermatology outpatient clinic and 100 healthy controls without any systemic and/or inflammatory dermatological disorder. The control and study groups were compared with respect to native thiol, total thiol, and disulphide levels, and disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol, and native thiol/total thiol ratios. The relationships between demographic and lesion characteristics, native thiol, total thiol, and disulphide levels, and disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol, and native thiol/total thiol ratios were studied. Results: The mean age of AA patients was 37.5 years. Fifty-eight (58%) patients were male, and the median body mass index was 24 kg/m(2). Median age was significantly higher in the AA group (p0.05). Conclusion: The thiol/disulphide homeostasis shifted towards oxidative stress, and a decrease in thiols and an increase in disulphides were found in the AA patients. This finding may be responsible for diffuse destruction of hair follicle in the pathogenesis of AA.

We have developed a novel ozone gas sensor based on one dimensional photonic crystal with two defects. In this platform, the gas is dissolved in a specific neutral buffer kalium iodide reagent to include the Beer Lambert effect. The corresponding photonic crystal which was fabricated by using sol–gel method consists of a high refractive index layer of TiO 2 and a low refractive index layer of SiO 2 . Prior to the fabrication of corresponding photonic crystal, we grew the TiO 2 and SiO 2 single layer separately in order to ensure that the performance of each layer fulfilled the required characteristics provided by our simulation. After that, the fabrication processed was conducted layer-by-layer and inspected by spectrophotometer. The performance test of the fabricated photonic crystal, including its validation, accuracy and sensitivity, was then conducted through spectroscopic treatment and we used ozonizer as the gas source. Validation test was performed by comparing the results with measurement using NBKI method and showed a good agreement. It was found that the accuracy value is up to 98.75%. Based on a statistical approach, we found that the limit of detection is 1.067 μg/m 3 ambient air.

Aim: As a continuation of our research on the melanin formation from catecholamines, we studied the polysaccharide-mediated oxidation of serotonin and other 5-hydroxy indoles into melanin-like materials. As for the catecholamines, we observed that many polysaccharides promote the oxidation of such compounds, particularly in the presence of Cu2+. Methodology: The reactions were monitored using reverse phase-HPLC and size-exclusion chromatography techniques. Melanin-like materials were purified through dialysis and characterized using UV-Vis and Fourier transform IR spectroscopic techniques. Results: One such material, synthesized from chondroitin sulfate type A and serotonin in the presence of Cu2+ was found to affect the release of IL-1β and IL-6 cytokines from immune cells., Lay abstract The manuscript details our study of the formation of melanin-like pigments from serotonin in the presence of select polysaccharides. Melanin-like pigments have been observed in the brain and their presence is related to pathologies like Parkinson's disease. The melanin-like pigments observed in brain cells are derived from catecholamines like dopamine or norepinephrine. Our research suggests that another important brain compound, serotonin, may make contributions to the appearance of melanin-like pigments in brain tissues., Graphical abstract

Radiation has a potent to damage cells. Radiation may act directly or indirectly on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that results in the degeneration of tissues and necrotic, and thereby it needs a potent radioprotector to prevent these damages. Vitamin E is natural product known as an antioxidant which has potential as radioprotector. This research aimed to determine the capability of vitamin E with emphasized on the searching for its optimal concentration as radioprotector of DNA damage. This study used blood samples of healthy person irradiated with gamma rays at a dose of 6 Gy as the lethal dose to lymphocytes. The cocentrations of vitamin E from 0 to 0.8 mM was added into blood 15 minutes before irradiation. Isolation of lymphocytes was done using gradient centrifugation method. Evaluation on the capability of this compound in suppressing DNA damage was done by using alkaline Comet assay and data analysis was done using CaspLab program. The results show that addition of vitamin E could suppres these DNA damages and 0.8 mM of vitamin could reduce DNA damage up to 94.2%. We conclude that vitamin E effectively suppresed DNA damages induced by radiation. This information may benefit to the patient from negative impacts of radiotherapy.

The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes is an established technique for biodosimetry. The aim of this project was to generate a X-ray induced micronuclei (MN) curve for peripheral blood lymphocytes taken from five healthy donors. The blood samples were irradiated with X-rays of 122 KeV at a dose rate of 0.652 Gy/min to doses of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 Gy. The blood samples were then cultured for 72 h at 37°C and processed following the International Atomic Energy Agency standard procedure with slight modifications. The result showed that the yields of MN frequencies were increased with the increase of radiation dose. Reconstruction of the relationship of MN with dose was fitted to a linear-quadratic model using Chromosome Aberration Calculation Software version 2.0. Due to their advantages, mainly, the dependence on radiation dose and dose rate, despite their limitation, these curves will be useful as alternative method for in vitro dose reconstruction and can support the preparedness for public or occupational radiation overexposure and protection. The results reported here also give us confidence to apply the obtained calibration curve of MN for future biological dosimetry requirements in Indonesia.

In this article, we elucidate the protein activity from the perspective of protein softness and flexibility by studying the collective phonon-like excitations in a globular protein, human serum albumin (HSA), and taking advantage of the state-of-the-art inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) technique. Such excitations demonstrate that the protein becomes softer upon thermal denaturation due to disruption of weak noncovalent bonds. On the other hand, no significant change in the local excitations is detected in ligand- (drugs) bound HSA compared to the ligand-free HSA. Our results clearly suggest that the protein conformational flexibility and rigidity are balanced by the native protein structure for biological activity.

WOS: 000397242600010 PubMed ID: 27196807 Aim: Enzyme-positive acute coronary syndrome (EPACS) can cause injury to or death of the heart muscle owing to prolonged ischaemia. Recent research has indicated that in addition to liver and brain cells, cardiomyocytes also produce adropin. We hypothesised that adropin is released into the bloodstream during myocardial injury caused by acute coronary syndrome (ACS), so serum and saliva levels rise as the myocytes die. Therefore, it could be useful to investigate how ACS affects the timing and significance of adropin release in human subjects. Methods: Samples were taken over three days after admission, from 22 EPACS patients and 24 age-and gendermatched controls. The three major salivary glands (submandibular, sublingual and parotid) were immunohistochemically screened for adropin production, and serum and saliva adropin levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent wassay (ELISA). Salivary gland cells produce and secrete adropin locally. Results: Serum adropin, troponin I, CK and CK-MB concentrations in the EPACS group became gradually higher than those in the control group up to six hours (p < 0.05), and troponin I continued to rise up to 12 hours after EPACS. The same relative increase in adropin level was observed in the saliva. Troponin I, CK and CK-MB levels started to decrease after 12 hours, while saliva and serum adropin levels started to decrease at six hours after EPACS. In samples taken four hours after EPACS, when the serum adropin value averaged 4.43 ng/ml, the receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the serum adropin concentration indicated EPACS with 91.7% sensitivity and 50% specificity, while when the cut-off adropin value in saliva was 4.12 ng/ml, the saliva adropin concentration indicated EPACS with 91.7% sensitivity and 57% specificity. Conclusion: In addition to cardiac troponin and CK-MB assays, measurement of adropin level in saliva and serum samples is a potential marker for diagnosing EPACS.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) rat model.Pregnant rats were exposed to nitrofen on embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5). MSCs were isolated from the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) transgenic rat lungs. The MSCs were transplanted into the nitrofen-induced E12.5 rats via the uterine vein, and the E21 lung explants were harvested. The study animals were divided into three: the control group, the nitrofen-induced left CDH (CDH group), and the MSC-treated nitrofen-induced left CDH (MSC-treated CDH group). The specimens were morphologically analyzed using HE and immunohistochemical staining with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), surfactant protein-C (SP-C), and α-smooth muscle actin.The alveolar and medial walls of the pulmonary arteries were significantly thinner in the MSC-treated CDH group than in the CDH group. The alveolar air space areas were larger, while PCNA and the SP-C positive cells were significantly higher in the MSC-treated CDH group, than in the CDH group. MSC engraftment was identified on immunohistochemical staining of the GFP in the MSC-treated CDH group.MSC transplantation potentially promotes alveolar and pulmonary artery development, thereby reducing the severity of pulmonary hypoplasia.

The pathogenesis of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is thought to be based on, mainly, overproduction of eicosanoid lipid mediators and on defective anti-inflammatory regulators. Aspirin desensitization treatment, the mainstay of controlling asthma and rhinitis in AERD patients, however, is the least understood aspect of the disease. The study was designed to determine the effect of aspirin desensitization on T-lymphocyte cytokine expression and on plasma lipoxin levels in AERD. Spirometry, skin-prick test and asthma control test were documented and intracellular cytokine expression in T lymphocytes and plasma lipoxin levels were measured in 23 AERD patients, 17 aspirin-tolerant asthmatic (ATA) patients, and 16 healthy controls. In the AERD group nasal symptom and smell scores were assessed. Of the 23 AERD patients 15 accepted to undergo aspirin desensitization protocol and 14 of them were desensitized successfully. In the desensitized AERD group, cytokine and lipoxin measurements were repeated after 1-month aspirin treatment. CD4(+) IL-10 levels were higher in AERD patients than in healthy controls and CD4(+) interferon (IFN) gamma levels were higher in AERD and ATA patients than in controls. Plasma lipoxin-A4 and 15-epi-lipoxin-A4 levels were similar among the three study groups. In the AERD group, subjects underwent aspirin desensitization followed by a 1-month aspirin treatment. Clinical parameters improved and CD4(+) IFN-gamma levels decreased significantly. No significant change in lipoxin levels was recorded. CD4(+) IFN-gamma and CD4(+) IL-10 levels in AERD patients after 1-month aspirin desensitization treatment were similar to the healthy controls. The study confirms aspirin desensitization is effective clinically in AERD patients and suggests that IFN gamma and IL-10 expression in CD4(+) T lymphocytes may be related to the mechanism of action.

WOS: 000338275000007, Objective: Obesity and age related vascular changes coupled with the effect of estrogen withdrawal increases predisposition to atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women. But the functions of high density lipoprotein (HDL) were not well established in postmenopausal women. In the present study, we mainly aimed to evaluate the changes in the functions of HDL and aimed to measure, lipid peroxidation, lipid profile and homocysteine levels as a supporting evidence in pre and postmenopausal obese women as a result of estrogen depletion. Material and Methods: This study included 20 premenopausal, 22 postmenopausal 42 obese (BMI>30 kg/m2) and 26 premenopausal non-obese. These twenty six premenopausal women with normal BMI (20

High resolution inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) experiments show that the "phonon energy softening" and "phonon population enhancement" observed in a hydrated native protein when increasing the temperature from 200 K to physiological temperature are not directly related to the protein structure. Such phenomena were also observed in a denatured sample without a defined tertiary structure and with a limited residual secondary structure. However, in a dry sample, such "softening" is strongly suppressed. These facts suggest that the above-mentioned protein "softening" phenomenon is water-induced. In addition, increasing the hydration level can also induce "phonon energy softening" at room temperature, but not at 200 K. This change may be due to a qualitative difference in the dynamics of hydration water at 200 K and at room temperature.