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Recent years have seen a paradigm shift in the management of patients with diabetes mellitus. Rather than good glycaemic control being the sole primary aim, the therapeutic focus has broadened to consider potential additional cardiovascular and renal benefits. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, such as empagliflozin, canagliflozin and dapagliflozin, have gained increasing prominence, with evidence suggesting significant improvement in outcomes in patients with established cardiovascular and renal disease. Here, we discuss the benefits and relative risks of these novel agents and highlight important clinical issues of relevance to general physicians.

Chemotherapy can result in toxic side effects in the brain. Intake of marine-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), alter brain fatty acids, potentially improving brain function. However, it is unclear if alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based n-3, affects brain PUFAs during chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of dietary ALA, EPA and DHA, with high or low sucrose, on brain PUFAs in a mouse model of chemotherapy. Secondarily, the use of liver PUFAs as surrogate measures of brain PUFAs was examined. Lipid peroxidation (4-HNE) and neurotrophic markers (BDNF) were assessed. Female C57Bl/6 mice (n = 90) were randomized to 1 of 5 diets (high EPA + DHA/high or low sucrose, high ALA/high or low sucrose, or control with no EPA + DHA/low ALA/low sucrose) and injected with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy or saline. Brain EPA and DHA were greater (p < 0.0001) with high EPA + DHA diets, regardless of sucrose; there were no significant differences in brain PUFAs between high ALA diets and control. Chemotherapy-treated mice had higher brain and liver DHA (p < 0.05) and lower brain and liver linoleic acid (p < 0.0001). Brain n-3 and n-6 PUFAs were strongly correlated with liver n-3 (r = 0.8214, p < 0.0001) and n-6 PUFAs (r = 0.7568, p < 0.0001). BDNF was correlated with brain total PUFAs (r = 0.36; p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary ALA in proportions approximately two times greater than consumed by humans did not appreciably increase brain n-3 PUFAs compared to low ALA intake. Liver PUFAs may be a useful surrogate marker of brain PUFAs in this mouse model.

We present the case of a female teenager who sustained nitrous oxide burns to the medial aspect of both thighs from contact with a nitrous oxide canister being used to fill balloons. There was a delay in presentation as the injury was not initially recognised. These burns were initially assessed as being superficial partial-thickness burns but took a prolonged time to heal despite regular wound care. This was complicated by a lack of adherence to recommended treatment for much of the patient care as well as the patient testing positive for COVID-19 during their management, which prevented surgery and significantly extended time to healing. While small numbers of similar cases have been previously described this is the first reported case outside of the Netherlands and in a child. Being aware of such cases ensures early referral to specialist burn care for appropriate management to give patients the best possible outcome.

The dimethacrylate macromonomer named bis (2-hydroxy-3-(méthacryloyloxy) propyl) fumarate (HMPF) was synthesized by ring opening reaction of epoxide function of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) with maleic anhydride (MA) in presence of Maghnite-H+ as a catalyst at room temperature and at free solvent. The Maghnite-H+ is a proton exchanged montmorillonite clay it is an Algerian clay activated by sulfuric acid 0,23M. The HMPF was characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. A kinetic study was carried out to determine the amount of the catalyst (5, 10, 20 and 30%) which will give abetter yield of the synthesis reaction. T he yield of the reaction was 62. 2 3% for a quantity of Maghnite-H+ (20% relative to the monomer and for a r eaction time of 72 h.

This article deals with the numerical simulation of a two-dimensional instantaneous heat and mass transfer processes within a commonly used intermetallic compound (a.k.a. Mischmetal) packed in a unit disc of an annulus-disc reactors, during hydrogen gas desorption. Using the finite volumes technique bundled in the OpenFOAM® CFD code, temperature and amount of desorbed hydrogen and their time-averaged quantities inside the metal-hydride packed bed are obtained for various temperatures of fluids used in heat transfer, and several outlet pressure magnitudes. Using a set of numerical simulations, we have emphasized the impacts of both parameters on metal-hydride reactor performance related to discharging time. An excellent accord was recorded for the present simulations results compared against the literature-reported experimental data [20].

Limbah pewarna tekstil yang mempunyai komponen utamanya zat pewarna sintesis berbahaya bagi lingkungan sekitar. Pengolahan limbah pewarna tekstil secara fisika dan biologi kurang efektif. Elektrolisis plasma dengan menggunakan metode Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis (CGDE) merupakan bagian dari pengolahan secara kimiawi, yang efektif dalam mengolah limbah pewarna batik. Parameter kedalaman anoda sangat mempengaruhi dalam proses elektrolisis plasma metode CGDE. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh kedalaman anoda terhadap produksi •OH, energi yang digunakan proses degradasi, persen dekolorisasi Remazol Red RB 133, serta mengetahui penurunan konsentrasi COD limbah pewarna batik Remazol Red RB 133. Kedalaman anoda dalam penelitian ini adalah 1,5 cm dimana produksi •OH sebesar 11,63 mmol dan energi proses selama 30 menit adalah 806,4 KJ. Persen dekolorisasi Remazol Red RB 133 pada konsentrasi 250 ppm, terbesar selama 30 menit mencapai 99,66 %, pada kedalaman 4,5 cm dengan energi 1075,212 KJ. Nilai COD limbah pewarna batik Remazol Red RB 133 menurun dari 169 mg/L menjadi 3,6 mg/L setelah proses CGDE selama 180 menit (sesuai dengan baku mutu limbah). Textile dye waste having the main component of synthetic dye is hazardous to the surrounding environment. Textile dye waste treatment is physically and biologically less effective. Electrolysis plasma that used Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis (CGDE) method is part of chemical treatment. The anode depth parameters greatly affect the electrolysis CGDE method. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of anode depth on • OH production, the energy used in the degradation process, percent decolorization of Remazol Red RB 133, as well as knowing the decrease in COD concentration of Remazol Red batik dye RB 133. The anode depth in this study is 1.5 cm where the production of OH • 11.63 mmol and the processing energy for 30 minutes is 806.4 KJ. The largest Percentage degradation of Remazol Red RB 133 at concentration 250 ppm is 99,66%, that’s reach at depth 4.5 cm for 30 minutes with energy 1075,212 KJ. COD value has decreased from 169 mg/L to 3,6 mg/L after 180 minutes CGDE process (conform to waste quality standards).

Gold nanorods (Au NRs) are an exceptionally promising tool in nanotechnology due to three key factors: (i) their strong interaction with electromagnetic radiation, stemming from their plasmonic nature, (ii) the ease with which the resonance frequency of their longitudinal plasmon mode can be tuned from the visible to the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spect r u m based on their aspect ratio, and (iii) their simple and cost-effective preparation through seed-mediated chemical growth. In this synthetic method, surfactants play a critical role in controlling the size, shape, and colloidal stabi l i t y of Au NRs. For example, surfactants can stabilize specific crystallographic facets during the formation of Au NRs, leading to t h e formation of NRs with specific morphologies. The process of surfactant adsorption onto the NR surface may result in various assemblies of surfactant molecules, such as spherical micelles, elongated micelles, or bilayers. Again, the assembly mode is critical toward determining the further availabi l i t y of the Au NR surface to the surrounding medium. Despite its importance and a great deal of research effort, the interaction between Au NPs and surfactants remains insufficiently understood, because the assembly process is influenced by numerous factors, including the chemical nature of the surfactant, the surface morphology of Au NPs, and solution parameters. Therefore, gaining a more comprehensive understanding of these interactions is essential to unlock the full potential of the seed-mediated growth method and the applications of plasmonic NPs. A plethora of characterization techniques have been applied to reach such an understanding , but many open questions remain. In this Account, we review the current knowledge on the interactions between surfactants and Au NRs. We briefly introduce the state-of-the-art methods for synthesizing Au NRs and highlight the crucial role of cationic surfactants during this process. The self-assembly and organization of surfactants on the Au NR surface is then discussed to better understand their role in seed-mediated growth. Subsequently, we provide examples and elucidate how chemical additives can be used to modulate micellar assemblies, in turn allowing for a finer control over the growth of Au NRs, including chiral NRs. Next, we review the main experimental characterization and computational modeling techniques that have been applied to shed light on the arrangement of surfactants on Au NRs and summarize the advantages and disadvantages for each technique. The Account ends with a "Conclusions and Outlook" section, outlining promising future research directions and developments that we consider are sti l l required, mostly related to the application of electron microscopy in liquid and in 3D. Finally, we remark on the potential of exploiting machine learning techniques to predict synthetic routes for NPs with predefined structures and properties.

Pemisahan n-propil asetat dari campuran terner n-propil asetat/n-propanol/air merupakan salah satu proses yang tidak dapat dilakukan dengan distilasi sederhana. Adanya azeotrop terner minimum dari campuran tersebut menyebabkan n-propil asetat hanya dapat dipisahkan dari campuran n-propanol dan air salah satunya dengan metode distilasi ekstraktif. Distilasi ekstraktif merupakan proses vaporisasi parsial dengan menambahkan suatu agen pemisah non-volatil yang disebut sebagai sovent atau agen ekstraktif. Solvent yang digunakan dalam simulasi proses ini adalah campuran DMSO (Dimetil Sulfoksida) dan Gliserol dengan komposisi 50 % massa dengan perbandingan 1:2 untuk massa umpan kolom : solvent. Feed yang digunakan adalah n-propanol (10 kmol/jam) dan asam asetat (13 kmol/jam) masing-masing pada suhu 25°C dan tekanan 101,3 kPa. Hasil n-propil asetat terbaik diperoleh saat solvent diumpankan pada stage 5 dengan fraksi mol n-propil asetat pada distilat 0,9975 disertai dengan minimumnya energi reboiler yang digunakan pada konfigurasi kolom ini. n-Propyl acetate separation of the n-propyl acetate /n-propanol/water mixture composition can't be done by simple distillation. The existence of minimum ternary azeotrope on the mixture causes n-propyl acetate can be separated only by extractive distillation method. Extractive distillation is a partial vaporization process in the presence of a non-volatile separating agent called as solvent or extractive agent. Solvent used in the simulation process is DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide)-Glycerol mixture (50% mass) with a ratio of 1: 2 for column feed : solvent. n-Propanol (10 kmol/hour) and acetic acid (13 kmol/hour) are fed into reactor (before extractive distillation process) at 25°C and 101.3 kPa, respectively. The best results of n-propyl acetate were obtained when the solvent was fed to stage 5 in which mole fraction of n-propyl acetate in distillate 0.9975 accompanied by the minimum reboiler energy used in this column configuration.

Purpose To highlight a case of chorioretinitis sclopetaria, with concomitant macular hole formation and orbital emphysema, caused by a commercial-grade pressure washer. Patient A 19-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a left eye injury, incurred after being sprayed with a commercial-grade pressure washer. He endorsed ipsilateral blurred vision, pain, and linear floaters. Left eye visual acuity was 20/40. Dilated fundus exam showed inferior vitreous hemorrhage, retinal whitening, and pre-, intra-, and sub-retinal hemorrhages, consistent with chorioretinitis sclopetaria. Optical coherence tomography revealed a full-thickness macular hole. Computed tomography scan of the orbits showed subcutaneous and post-septal orbital emphysema. Two months following injury, vitreous and retinal hemorrhages and macular hole resolved. Five months following injury, visual acuity improved to 20/20. Discussion Chorioretinitis sclopetaria is defined as a full-thickness chorioretinal disruption resulting from a high-velocity projectile passing adjacent to or into the orbit without penetrating the globe. Chorioretinal deformation and ocular comorbidities are influenced by the velocity of the missile and its spatial relationship to the orbit. While this pattern of injury is typically associated with indirect trauma to the globe by a BB or a bullet, this is the first report of chorioretinitis sclopetaria precipitated by a high-velocity liquid missile.

PURPOSE To present a new technique to treat refractory retinal detachment secondary to optic disc pit. METHODS An interventional case report. RESULTS A 25-year-old man with congenital optic disc pit had two failed vitrectomies involving laser around the optic disc, internal limiting membrane peel and flap to plug the disc pit, and gas tamponade to reattach the retina. With all options running out, a further vitrectomy with autologous retinal transplant and silicone oil tamponade was carried out to treat the refractory serous retinal detachment; the silicone oil was removed at 6 weeks after the last procedure. The retina remained successfully attached at 6 months post-surgery with the patient maintaining his baseline visual acuity. CONCLUSION The use of autologous retinal transplant is a new approach to treat refractory retinal detachment secondary to congenital optic disc anomalies, and adds to our options of dealing with this complex condition when first-line approaches have failed.

The study aims to determine the phytochemical profile of ethanol extract of kacang saca leaves and its effect on reducing blood glucose and triglyceride levels. Used 18 mice were divided into six groups, namely the normal group, the positive control group (glibenclamide treatment), the negative (alloxan induction), and the treatment group doses used were 0.0262 mg/dL, 0.0525 mg/dL, and 0.105. mg/dL. The treatment of mice was carried out for 10 days with three measurements, namely before treatment, on the 7th day, and on the 10th day of giving the extract. Phytochemical test results showed the presence of flavonoid compounds, alkaloids, steroids, saponins, and tannins. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS application. The results of the measurement of blood glucose levels in mice on the 7th day showed normal numbers, the results of data analysis showed no significant difference, namely 0.164. In the measurement of triglycerides, triglyceride levels fell in two groups, namely groups 1 and 3. Data on the 10th day there was an increase in blood glucose and triglycerides. Analysis of the data showed that there was no significant difference in each group on day 7 and day 10. The ethanol extract of cacao beans has the potential to reduce glucose levels used for 7 days but does not affect the triglyceride levels of mice.Keywords: Alloxan; Glucose; Mice; Triglyceride; Plukenetia volubilis

The powerful performance of TiO2 and its doped as photocatalyst material initiated the finding of new technique that efficient and effective to degrade the organic pollutant, i.e., azo dyes. This study examined photocatalyst film's photoactivity, TEMPO-oxidized cellulose-containing N-TiO2 (TOC/N-TiO2), on the degradation of azo dyes. TEMPO-oxidized cellulose, which has a negative charge, was sequentially mixed and stirred in the suspension of TiO2 and doped TiO2. This experiment utilized several instruments to determine the physicochemical properties of the photocatalyst film. The UV-DRS and diffractogram data confirmed the anatase phase as the only phase found in N-TiO2, which has a lower bandgap value than the anatase TiO2. These data demonstrated the superior photocatalytic of TOC/ N-TiO2 against azo dyes.Keywords: Doped-TiO2; Film; Photocatalyst; TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber

BACKGROUND Environmental and genetic factors are suggested to exhibit factor-based association with HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. However, the population-based effects of environmental and genetic factors have not been compared clearly. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study to evaluate the population-based impact of smoking, drinking, and genetic factors on low HDL-C. METHODS Data from 11,498 men and women aged 35-69 years were collected for a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Sixty-five HDL-C-related SNPs with genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8) were selected from the GWAS catalog, and seven representative SNPs were defined, and the population-based impact was estimated using population attributable fraction (PAF). RESULTS We found that smoking, drinking, daily activity, habitual exercise, egg intake, BMI, age, sex and the SNPs CETP rs3764261, APOA5 rs662799, LIPC rs1800588, LPL rs328, ABCA1 rs2575876, LIPG rs3786247, and APOE rs429358 were associated with HDL-C levels. The gene-environmental interactions on smoking and drinking were not statistically significant. The PAF for low HDL-C was the highest in men (63.2%) and in rs3764261 (31.5%) of the genetic factors, and the PAFs of smoking and drinking were 23.1% and 41.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed that the population-based impact of genomic factor CETP rs3764261 for low HDL-C was higher than that of smoking and lower than that of drinking.

Abstract: Carbon monoxide (CO) is endogenously produced upon degradation of heme by heme oxygenases (HOs) and is suggested to act as a gaseous signaling molecule. The expression of HO-1 is triggered by the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway which responds to exogenous stress signals and dietary constituents such as flavonoids and glucosinolates or reactive metabolic intermediates like 4-hydroxynonenal. Endogenous CO affects energy metabolism, regulates the utilization of glucose and addresses CYP450 enzymes. Using the CO releasing molecule-401 (CORM-401), we studied the effect of endogenous CO on ATP synthesis, AMP-signaling and activation of the AMPK pathway in cell culture. Upon exposure of cells to CORM-401, the mitochondrial ATP production rate was significantly decreased (P=0.007) to about 50%, while glycolytic ATP synthesis was unchanged (P=0.489). Total ATP levels were less affected as determined by mass spectrometry. Instead, levels of ADP and AMP were elevated following CORM-401 exposure by about two- (P=0.022) and four-fold (P=0.012) compared to control, respectively. Increased concentrations of AMP activate AMPK which was demonstrated by a 10 to 15-fold increased phosphorylation of Thr172 of the α-subunit of AMPK (P=0.025). A downstream target of AMPK is the kinase ULK1 which triggers autophagic and mitophagic processes. Activation of ULK1 after CO exposure was proven by a 3 to 5-fold elevated phosphorylation of ULK1 at Ser555 (P=0.004). The present data suggest that production of endogenous CO leads to increasing amounts of AMP which mediates AMPK-dependent downstream effects and likely triggers autophagic processes. Since dietary constituents and their metabolites induce the expression of the CO producing enzyme HO-1, CO signaling may also be involved in the cellular response to nutritional factors.

Abstract: The effect of carvacrol (CAR) on oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver dysfunction induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was explored. The rats (n=40) were daily injected (2 weeks) by saline as control, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.), and 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg CAR (i.p.) before LPS. LPS increased aspartate transaminase (AST: 162±13 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT: 74.6±2.15 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (ALK-P: 811±51 U/L), interlukine-1β (IL-1β: 1254±51 pg/g tissue), malondialdehyde (MDA: 32±1.09 nM/g tissue), and nitric oxide (NO: 224±13.5 nM/g tissue) (P

Abstract: In this study, children with vitamin B12 deficiency anemia (V-B12DA) and control subjects were evaluated for erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities, glutathione, malondialdehyde, serum total sialic acid, total antioxidant status, cobalt, chromium, copper, selenium, vanadium, zinc, iron, lead, magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphorus levels, and the associations of these variables were assessed. The study included 50 children with V-B12DA and 50 control subjects. It was found that the V-B12DA group was significantly lower than the control group, with regard to the mean±the standard error of the mean levels of cobalt (0.089±0.009; 0.058±0.0063 μmol/L, p12 (427.20±21.45; 157.08±3.96 pg/mL, p12DA, significantly linear correlations were observed between cobalt – vitamin B12 (r=0.334; p=0.025), vanadium – MCV (r=0.315; p=0.017), vitamin B12 – MCV (r=−0.297; p=0.026). The findings of the study indicated that the levels of cobalt, vanadium significantly associated with traditional vitamin B12-deficiency parameters. Vitamin B12 and MCV should be measured together with cobalt, vanadium for monitoring the vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.

Purpose Hydralazine, doxazosin, and verapamil are currently recommended by the Endocrine Society as acceptable bridging treatment in those in whom full cessation of antihypertensive medication is infeasible during screening for primary aldosteronism (PA). This is under the assumption that they cause minimal to no effect on the aldosterone-to-renin ratio, the most widely used screening test for PA. However, limited evidence is available regarding the effects of these particular drugs on said ratio. Methods In the present study, we retrospectively assessed the changes in aldosterone, renin, and aldosterone-to-renin values in essential hypertensive participants before and after treatment with either hydralazine (n = 26) or doxazosin (n = 20) or verapamil (n = 15). All samples were taken under highly standardized conditions. Results Hydralazine resulted in a borderline significant rise in active plasma renin concentration (19 vs 25 mIU/L, p = 0.067) and a significant fall in the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (38 vs 24, p = 0.017). Doxazosin caused declines in both plasma aldosterone concentration (470 vs 330 pmol/L, p = 0.028) and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (30 vs 20, p = 0.020). With respect to verapamil, we found no statistically significant effect on any of these outcome variables. Conclusion We conclude that the assumption that these drugs can be used with little consequence to the aldosterone-to-renin cannot be substantiated. While it is possible that they are indeed the best option when full antihypertensive drug cessation is infeasible, the potential effects of these drugs must still be taken into account when interpreting the aldosterone-to-renin ratio.

Objective To characterize the multimodal retinal findings of myopic macular pits, a feature of myopic degeneration. Methods A case series of patients with myopic macular pits were studied with multimodal imaging including color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), near infrared reflectance (NIR), spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICG). Results Nine eyes of 6 patients with myopic macular pit were examined. Four patients presented with multiple pits and 3 with bilateral involvement. All pits were localized in a region of severe macular chorioretinal atrophy associated with myopic posterior staphyloma. In 3 eyes, the entrance of the posterior ciliary artery through the sclera was noted at the base of the pit. Schisis overlying the pit or adjacent to the pit was identified in 3 patients. Conclusion Myopic macular pits are an additional rare sign of myopic degeneration, developing in regions of posterior staphyloma complicated by severe chorioretinal atrophy and thin sclera.

Objective To evaluate the long-term structural and microvascular retinal effects of internal limiting membrane peeling for full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) using en face adaptive optics optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT), conventional OCT, and OCT angiography (OCTA). Design Interventional case series. Participants Patients with FTMH treated with vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, and gas tamponade. Methods Eleven eyes with FTMH that had at least 12 months of postoperative follow-up were enrolled in the study. En face AO-OCT was used to image the superficial retina in the peeled and nonpeeled areas. En face structural OCT was performed to image the inner retinal dimples (IRDs), macular thickness, and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL). En face OCTA was used to examine the integrity of the peripapillary nerve fibre layer (NFL) plexus. Results AO-OCT showed RFNL wrapping around the IRDs, and no obvious peripapillary NFL plexus dropout was seen with OCTA. Scattered hyper-reflective dots were observed on the surface of the peeled retina in all patients imaged with AO-OCT. No significant differences were found in IRD number (91.5 ± 24.4 versus 77.2 ± 14.7; P = 2.07), IRD proportionate area (8.36 ± 3.34 versus 7.53 ± 2.60; P = 0.159), or macular thickness between the 6- and 12-month (or greater) postoperative visits. Conclusion IRDs do not to progress beyond 6 months postoperatively, and no obvious damage to RFNL and peripapillary NFL plexus was detected. Hyper-reflective dots on the surface of the retina suggestive of possible Muller cell reactive gliosis were identified with AO-OCT.

У статті наведено дослідження щодо забруднення нітратами зерна та насіння польових культур вирощених в умовах Лісостепу правобережного. Метою досліджень є встановлення вмісту нітратів у зерні та насінні польових культур в умовах інтенсивної хімізації землеробства, коефіцієнт накопичення та небезпечності. Дослідження проводились впродовж 2016‒2019 рр. із зерном та насінням польових культур, вирощених в умовах інтенсивної хімізації землеробства Лісостепу правобережного за допомоги лабораторних аналізів у сертифікованій лабораторії випробувального центру Вінницької філії державної установи «Інститут охорони ґрунтів України». За результатами проведених досліджень встановлено, що вміст гумусу на угіддях, де вирощували сільськогосподарські культури складав 2,3‒4,4 %, азоту, що легко гідролізується – 63,0‒98,0 мг/кг ґрунту, рухомого фосфору – 159‒319 мг/кг ґрунту, обмінного калію – 100‒239 мг/кг ґрунту, при цьому гідролітична кислотність становила – 0,28‒1,60 мг.екв./100 г ґрунту і рН (сольове) – 5,8‒6,8. Встановлено, що фактичний вміст нітратів у зерні пшениці озимої на період збирання, вирощеного в умовах інтенсивної хімізації землеробства, становив 51,30 мг/кг, що у 5,8 разів менше ГДК, у насінні ріпаку озимого – 88,30 мг/кг, що у 3,4 рази менше ГДК, у зерні ячменю ярого – 91,20 мг/кг, що у 3,3 рази менше ГДК, у вологому зерні кукурудзи – 10,23 мг/кг, що у 29,3 рази менше ГДК, у висушеному зерні кукурудзи – 9,12 мг/кг, що у 32,9 рази менше ГДК, у насінні соняшнику – 131,80 мг/кг, що у 2,3 рази менше ГДК.

In the study of the toxicity of turkey meat, it was found that the content of toxic elements in the tested batches did not exceed the permitted levels. Thus, the lead content in meat was 0.08 mg / kg, which is 6.2 times (P

The article presents the results of research on the optimization of the supply of maize plants with the main nutrients under different agrochemical loads in the Forest-Steppe. The aim of the research was to establish the effect of different doses of mineral fertilizers and by-products of the predecessor as fertilizers on the supply of plants with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and corn yield. The research was carried out during 2016-2019 on dark gray wooded soil of the Forest-Steppe with the use of field, chemical, calculation-weight and mathematical-statistical methods. It were found that long-term growing of agricultural crops for 30 years under different agrochemical loading in crop rotation on dark gray wooded soil of the Forest-Steppe led to the creation of different agrochemical backgrounds. According to the results of soil and plant diagnostics, it has been established that nitrogen is the limiting nutrient for growing corn. In the variants with application of increased (N180P120K180) and high (N240P120K240) norms of mineral fertilizers against the background of by-products of the predecessor (winter wheat straw), where the highest yield of corn is formed - 11.21-12.10 t / ha, mobile phosphorus content 20 cm layer of soil was very high, mobile potassium - high, easily hydrolyzed nitrogen - very low. In these variants, maize plants in stages BBCH 16, 19 and 65 accumulated the optimal amount of nitrogen, and the content of phosphorus and potassium showed optimal and high supply during the growing season for the application of mineral fertilizers in the norms above N60P45K60.According to the results of correlation and regression analysis, the decisive role of nitrogen and potassium in the formation of corn productivity was confirmed. Mathematical models have been constructed that make it possible to predict the level of maize yield depending on the content of chemical elements in the soil and plants at the early stages of BBCH development.

The studies results influence of the growth regulator Vermiyodis and sowing norms on wintering of winter oilseed rape plants and Mercedes hybrid on sod podzolic soils of the experimental field of Prykarpattia of the State Agricultural Experimental Station of the NASG region are presented. Studies have shown that the variants with the pre-sowing treatment off the winter variety Cheremosh seeds was carried out, on average over the years of research, at the sowing rate of 0600000 / ha plant death during overwintering was 4.7-5.7 pcs / m2 or 9, 5-10 , 8%, at a sowing rate of 0800000 / ha of germinating seeds - 5.7- 6.2 pieces / m2 or 8.5-9.3%, at a sowing rate of 1.0 million / ha of similar seeds - 8.7-9 , 3 pcs / m2 or 10.1- 10.9%. In the variants where the pre-sowing treatment of seeds was carried out with the Vermiyodis regulator at a dose of 5 l / t at a sowing rate of 08mln / ha, the plant death was 4.6-5.6%, which is 2.8-3.0% less than the norm sowing 1.0 million / ha of germinating seeds. In the variants where the pre-sowing treatment of seeds of the winter hybrid Mercedes was carried out with the growth regulator "Vermiodis" 5 l / t, the percentage of dead plants was 4.8-5.6% at the sowing rate of 0600000 / ha of germinating seeds, at the sowing rate of 0.8 million / ha - 6.1-7.3%, with a sowing rate of 1.0 million / ha of germinating seeds 8.1-8.6%, which is significantly less than the control and options, where presowing seed treatment was carried out with the growth regulator "Vermijodis". Studies have shown that the best overwintering, on average over the years of research, was in the rapeseed variety of winter hybrid Mercedes at a sowing rate of 0600000 / ha of germinating seeds, in the variety Cheremosh at a sowing rate of 0800000 / ha of germinating seeds for pre-sowing seed treatment.

У сучасних умовах для збільшення врожайності культурних рослин використовують передпосівний обробіток насіння з використанням хімічних і біологічних препаратів. У зв’язку з орієнтацією передових країн світу на екологічно безпечні технології виробництва сільськогосподарської продукції все більше уваги приділяється розвитку електротехнологічним методам обробки. Головна перевага електромагнітної технології по передпосівній обробці насіння низькоенергетичним випромінюванням КВЧ діапазону полягає в можливості поліпшення їх зростання і розвитку за рахунок мобілізації внутрішніх резервів самого насіння, пришвидшення дифузії молекул через клітинну мембрану, швидкості хімічних реакцій та викликає збільшення волого поглинання, що в свою чергу прискорює розвиток рослини і сприяє підвищенню врожайності без хімічних або біологічних препаратів або методів генної інженерії. Технологія обробки насіння ЕМП КВЧ дозволяє зберегти в насінні всі поживні речовини, вітаміни та мінерали, що при обробці іншими методами домогтися досить складно. Дослідження спирається на аналіз літературних джерел та експериментальні дослідження енергетичних і спектральних характеристик діодного генератора в КВЧ діапазоні довжин хвиль, судячи з яких можна зробити висновок, що підвищення врожайності рослин можливо на основі застосування інформаційного електромагнітного випромінювання міліметрового діапазону для передпосівної обробки насіння. У статті пропонується методика дослідження енергетичних характеристик напівпровідникового шестидіодного генератора на лавинно-пролітних діодах для передпосівної обробки насіння культурних рослин.Результатом розробленої методики слідує висновок, що одним з основних елементів установки для передпосівної обробки насіння є випромінювач ЕМ енергії, який повинен сформувати необхідну діаграму спрямованості і забезпечити достатній рівень щільності потоку потужності на зерні.

Під час розвитку маститу у корів формування біоплівки збудником захворювання є ефективним способом його збереження в мікрооточенні молочної залози. Біоплівкові інфекції важко піддаються лікуванню антимікробними засобами, порівняно з тим, що спостерігається при вирощуванні в планктонних умовах. Мета роботи – визначити та порівняти вплив антимікробних препаратів та бактеріофагу Phage SAvB14 при знищенні біоплівок сформованих S. aureus var. bovis. За результатами дослідження встановлено, що антибіотики згубно впливали на кількість бактерій у складі біоплівки, проте знищували її, в середньому, на 60%. 100% ефективність проявляв лише один антибіотик фторхінолонового ряду – енрофлоксацин - ймовірно, через його низьку молекулярну масу. При дослідженні впливу бактеріофагу Phage SAvB14 на життєздатність S. aureus var. bovis у складі біоплівки встановлено, що фаг впродовж 24 годин повністю руйнував сформовану біоплвку. Отже, отримані результати вказують на перспективність ефективного використання стафілококового бактеріофагу Phage SAvB14 для руйнування біоплівки, сформованої S. aureus var. bovis – при маститі корів.

In recent years, vaping has increased in both popularity and ease of access. This has led to an outbreak of a relatively new condition known as e-cigarette/vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI). This injury can be caused by physical interactions between the pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the lungs and toxins typically found in vaping solutions, such as medium chain triglycerides (MCT). MCT has been largely used as a carrier agent within many cannabis products commercially available on the market. Pulmonary surfactant ensures proper respiration by maintaining low surface tensions and interface stability throughout each respiratory cycle. Therefore, any impediments to this system that negatively affect the efficacy of this function will have a strong hindrance on the individual’s quality of life. Herein, neutron spin echo (NSE) and Langmuir trough rheology were used to probe the effects of MCT on the mechanical properties of pulmonary surfactant. Alongside a porcine surfactant extract, two lipid-only mimics of progressing complexity were used to study MCT effects in a range of systems that are representative of endogenous surfactant. MCT was shown to have a greater biophysical effect on bilayer systems compared to monolayers, which may align with biological data to propose a mechanism of surfactant inhibition by MCT oil.

Genome-wide analysis showed that putative G-quadruplex DNA structures are prevalent in the human genome. The presence of G-quadruplex structure in the telomere and promoter region of certain oncogenes inspired people to use G-quadruplex ligand as anti-cancer agents. G-quadruplex structures, stabilized by ligand at telomere are resolved by telomerase making the cancer cells resistant to G-quadruplex ligand. So, identification of a new G-quadruplex ligand having anti-telomerase activity would be a promising strategy for cancer therapy as about 85% of human cancers are telomerase positive. A set of the drug-like compounds were screened from the ZINC database randomly and 2284 ligands were chosen following Lipinski’s rule of five that were docked with five different G-quadruplex DNA sequences in idock. We screened 43 potential G-quadruplex binders using Z-score as a normalization scoring function. The compound (ZINC ID-05220992) gave the best score (average idock = −10.17 kcal/mol, average normalized idock = −3.42). We performed G4 FID assay, CD analysis to understand its binding with three different G-quadruplex DNA sequences, and checked its anti-telomerase activity in A549 cells using TRAP assay. We observed that this compound had an intrinsic fluorescence, capability to stain live cells with a blue fluorescence, and a specific affinity to only 22AG out of three different G-quadruplex DNA sequences under study. It showed cytotoxicity, good permeability to live cells, and a significant reduction of telomerase activity in human A549 cells at a very low dose. So, this compound has strong potential to be an anti-cancer drug.Graphical AbstractHighlightsA set of compounds were screened randomly by a High throughput method and Lipinski’s rule of five from ZINC database to identify potential G4-binders.The compound (ZINC ID-05220992) was screened after docking with five G-quadruplex DNAIt binds G-quadruplex DNA 22AG as detected by TO displacement and CD spectroscopy.It inhibits telomerase activity in A549 cells and also cytotoxic to this cell.It penetrates live A549 cell in culture and stains it with blue fluorescence

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common tumor found worldwide, and cisplatin is the first-line agent for the treatment of GC. However, the resistance to cisplatin is an obstacle. Here, we aim to explore the biological mechanism of long noncoding RNA regulator of reprogramming (ROR) in the cisplatin resistance of GC. Materials and Methods: ROR, miR-519d-3p, and high mobility group protein A2 (HMGA2) expression in GC tissues and cells were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, transwell assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. The relative protein expression was detected by Western blot. The interactions between miR-519d-3p and ROR, HMGA2 were predicted using miRcode and starBase v2.0 online database, and then verified by dual luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, the xenograft tumor mouse model was constructed to verify the biological role of ROR in vivo. Results: The levels of ROR, HMGA2 were significantly upregulated, and miR-519d-3p was apparently downregulated in GC tissues and cells. The miRcode and starBase v2.0 online websites and dual luciferase reporter assay validated that miR-519d-3p directly interacted with ROR and HMGA2. Furthermore, ROR knockdown downregulated HMGA2 to restrain cell proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cisplatin resistance in GC cells by targeting miR-519d-3p. In addition, the depletion of ROR repressed the xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Conclusion: In conclusion, we first found the ROR/miR-519d-3p/HMGA2 regulatory network to regulate cell proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT, and cisplatin resistance in GC, and this may shed light on the GC tumorigenesis.

Background Osteoporosis may result from risk factors such as smoking, alcohol, low body mass index, less physical exercise, and dietary calcium deficiency. The risk of osteoporosis fractures can be reduced with lifestyle changes, which include diet, exercise, and preventing falls. The present study is an effort to measure the burden of risk factors of osteoporosis in adult male soldiers in the Armed Forces. Methods The present study was a cross-sectional study among serving soldiers in South-Western part of India, and 400 participants consented to be included in the study. After obtaining informed consent, the questionnaire was distributed. Venous blood samples were collected to measure serum calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone (PTH). Results The prevalence of vitamin D3 severe deficiency ( 66.5 pg/mL) was seen in 5.5% of the participants. A statistically significant association was found between consumption of milk and milk products and levels of calcium. With a cutoff value of 20 ng/mL for vitamin D3 deficiency, a statistically significant association was found for consumption of fish, physical activity, and sun exposure. Conclusion A remarkably large percentage of otherwise normal healthy soldiers have deficiency or insufficiency of vitamin D and might be prone to osteoporosis. Despite significant advances in our understanding and management options for male osteoporosis, there still remain important gaps in knowledge which needs to be looked into.

Purpose To report a case of Stickler type IV with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) phenotype. Material and methods Retrospective case report. Results A 24-year-old female presented with right eye exotropia and decreased vision. She had no facial or typical retinal features of Stickler syndrome, but complained of right-sided hearing loss and right-sided neck pain. Examination of the right eye showed a chronic combined exudative and traction retinal detachment (E-TRD) with temporal retinal dragging associated with far temporal retinal exudations and fibrovascular proliferations. The left eye had an attached retina with large areas of peripheral temporal retinal non-perfusion on fluorescein angiography, sharply demarcated by end circulation vascular pruning and mild peripheral vascular leakage, consistent with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) phenotype. Genetic analysis identified two heterozygous c.1052C>A and c.1349A>G variants in COL9A1, but did not disclose any mutation in genes classically associated with FEVR. Conclusion FEVR-like retinal vascular features can be the presenting sign in patients with Stickler syndrome type IV.

Purpose To describe two cases of catastrophic, bilateral retinal vascular occlusion following intravitreal (IVT) bevacizumab injection. Methods Case series. Main outcome measures included clinical and fluorescein angiography (FA) findings. Results Case 1 - A 65-year-old woman with calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysfunction, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasis (CREST) syndrome developed acute, severe, bilateral visual loss two weeks following bilateral IVT bevacizumab injection for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Examination and FA revealed moderate anterior chamber inflammation, bilateral perivascular retinal hemorrhages and near total retinal vascular occlusion. Extensive testing revealed moderately elevated anti-B2 glycoprotein (antiphospholipid) antibodies. Case 2 - An 85-year-old man with polymyalgia rheumatica and left eye exudative age-related macular degeneration experienced severe, bilateral, sequential visual loss in the left then right eye approximately three weeks following IVT bevacizumab left eye injection. Examination revealed bilateral panuveitis, diffuse perivascular exudates, and intraretinal hemorrhages. FA showed diffuse venous leakage. Extensive testing revealed an elevated anti-nuclear antibody and mildly elevated anti-cardiolipin antibody. Conclusion Patients with underlying retinal vascular vulnerabilities may be at increased risk of catastrophic, bilateral retinal vascular occlusion following treatment with IVT bevacizumab. The moderate to severe intraocular inflammation in both cases, and the contralateral involvement following unilateral IVT injection in Case 2, suggest a possible delayed immune-mediated mechanism.

Introduction The most widely used marker for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) is the detection of galactomannan by ELISA. This study describes the evaluation of the results obtained by Euroimmun Aspergillus antigen ELISA (EIA-GM-E) in serum samples and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) from patients at risk of IA, and compares these results with those obtained by Bio-Rad Galactomannan EIA (EIA-GM-BR). Methods Anonymous retrospective case–control comparative study in 64 serum samples and 28 BAL from 51 patients. Results Overall agreement of the results of the two assays was observed in 72 of 92 samples (78.3%). The sensitivity of EIA-GM-BR and EIA-GM-E in serum samples was 88.9% and 43.2%, respectively, and 100% and 88.9% for BAL. The specificity of EIA-GM-BR and EIA-GM-E in serum samples was 91.9% for both assays, and 68.4% and 84.2% in BAL. There were no statistically significant differences in the results of both assays. Conclusions Both methods show good results for the discrimination of patients with IA when BAL is tested, or serum in case of EIA-GM-BR.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is characterised by left ventricular apical ballooning, in the absence of coronary artery disease, and classically occurs at times of intense stress. Due to the striking preponderance of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurring in postmenopausal women, it has been postulated that female sex hormones may also be implicated in its pathogenesis. This case report describes the first case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with the initiation of dydrogesterone (a synthetic retroprogesterone) in a premenopausal woman.

This is a case of a young woman who developed neurological and psychiatric symptoms 3 days after resection of an immature teratoma. She was diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis via positive serum antibody titres, which was later confirmed with cerebrospinal fluid antibody titres. Given her cancer diagnosis, she underwent treatment with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin chemotherapy in addition to 5 days of high-dose steroids (1 g of intravenous methylprednisolone) for the encephalitis. This treatment regimen led to significant clinical improvement 3 weeks after completion of one cycle of chemotherapy.

Various bowel preparation agents have been developed for effective and safe bowel cleansing before colonoscopy. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is widely used in the elderly. A 2 L PEG solution with ascorbic acid (PEG-Asc) was developed to reduce the volume of standard 4 L PEG. Several cases of

We describe a 9-day-old baby with coarctation of the aorta who required urgent resuscitation including intubation and cardiac compressions. Despite the commencement of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) to reopen the ductus arteriosus via the intraosseous route, postductal saturations remained unrecordable for a further 45 min. Within 3 min of administration of PGE1 via an umbilical venous catheter (UVC), saturations were recordable at 92%. UVC access was the sentinel intervention that irrevocably altered the clinical prognosis. This baby boy has survived with excellent neurodevelopmental outcome. Clinicians are less familiar with UVCs outside of the newborn period. Our data demonstrate successful placement in neonates up to 28 days of age. We hope this case encourages clinicians to consider the UVC as first-line central venous access in collapsed neonates. In cases of suspected left heart obstruction, we argue that UVCs are the optimal route.

Gambierdiscus spp. are epi-benthic dinoflagellates that have been associated with ciguatera poisoning. These microalgae can have complex secondary metabolite profiles including ciguatoxins, maitotoxins, and gambierones, with varying compositions and toxicities across species and strains. Given this chemical diversity there is a need to develop selective and sensitive methods for secondary metabolite profiling. In this study, we used a cultured Caribbean strain of Gambierdiscus silvae to develop sample preparation and analysis strategies for characterizing vic-diol containing secondary metabolites. A pooled cellular extract was first screened by liquid chromatography–high–resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS) for ciguatoxin-related compounds, which resulted in the confirmation of gambierone (1) and tentative identification of 29-methylgambierone (3). Treatment of the extract with periodate confirmed that the gambierones each contained one reactive vic-diol, which was exploited for the development of a selective extraction procedure using m-aminophenylboronic acid gel and the non-aqueous binding solvent chloroform. Using this non-traditional boronate affinity procedure, LC-HRMS also revealed the presence of additional sulfated polycyclic ethers in the gambierone-containing vic-diol fraction, while pigments and other contaminants were removed. The developed tools could be applied to screen collections of Gambierdiscus and other benthic algae to provide additional chemical characterization of gambierone-related compounds. The selective extraction procedure may also prove useful as a step in the isolation of these sulfated polyethers for structural, toxicological and biotransformation studies.

Modulation of proteasome function by pharmacological interventions and molecular biology tools is an active area of research in cancer biology and neurodegenerative diseases. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a naturally occurring polyphenol that affects multiple signaling pathways and known to modulate PKC activities. The therapeutic significance of curcumin is often considered to reside in its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-angiogenic, or anti-apoptotic properties. However, recent research suggests that the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin may be due to its activity as a potent inhibitor of the proteasome. In this study, we show that both curcumin and its synthetic polyphenolic derivative (didemethylcurcumin), CUIII modulated proteasome activity in a biphasic manner. Curcumin and CUIII increased proteasome activity at nanomolar concentrations but inhibited proteasome activity at micromolar concentrations. Curcumin was more effective than CUIII in relative proteasome activity increase at nanomolar concentrations. Also, curcumin was more effective than CUIII in relative proteasome activity inhibition at micromolar concentration. The docking study was conducted on the 20S proteasome catalytic subunit. Estimated Kd values for curcumin and didemethylcurcumin are 0.0054μM and 1.3167μM, respectively. These values correlate well with the results of the effectiveness of modulation by curcumin compare to CUIII. The small size of CUIII makes its dock to the narrow cavity of the active site, but the binding interaction is not strong compare to curcumin. This study suggests that curcumin and its didemethyl derivative can be used to modulate proteasome activity. This communication implicates the reason why curcumin and its didemethyl derivative can be used to two different disease mechanisms, neurodegeneration, and cancer.

Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia is a very common entity witnessed in most of the newborns. Rarely are there events where the bilirubin levels reach extreme values mandating invasive therapy. Unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia when solely present is easy to manage and diagnose the common aetiological factors associated with it. The issue arises when we come across a mixed picture of conjugated with unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia and puts us in a dilemma as to what are we treating. Our case highlights a similar picture where we witnessed the highest documented levels of total bilirubin but to our surprise the major component of which was direct bilirubin. This report takes us through the differentials which were ruled out and our management strategies for solving this rare mystery.

Our patient was a 57-year-old woman with a history of bilateral retropectoral silicone breast augmentation and axillary hyperhidrosis who underwent a bilateral thoracic sympathectomy via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery by a surgeon at an outside hospital approximately 20 years ago. The left side required an open thoracotomy. Shortly after the surgery, she developed a left-sided Baker 4 capsular contracture and the left implant was noted to be ruptured. Both implants were exchanged. Several years later the patient began to experience progressive fatigue. Work-up revealed a left lung nodule and she underwent a biopsy that confirmed silicone granulomas. It was hypothesised that at the time of her initial thoracotomy the implant was violated resulting in silicone spillage into the thoracic cavity. The patient was referred to our institution for advanced management of her intrathoracic silicosis. The patient underwent bilateral removal of her silicone implants, total capsulectomy and needle-localised removal of her left thoracic silicone masses. She had an uneventful postoperative course with resolution of her fatigue.

Background G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transduce external stimuli into the cell by G proteins via an allosteric mechanism. Agonist binding to the receptor stimulates GDP/GTP exchange within the heterotrimeric G protein complex, whereas recent structures of GPCR–G protein complexes revealed that the H5, S1 and S2 domains of Gα are involved in binding the active receptor, earlier studies showed that a short peptide analog derived from the C-terminus (H5) of the G protein transducin (Gt) is sufficient to stabilize rhodopsin in an active form. Methods We have used Molecular Dynamics simulations along with biological evaluation by means of radio-ligand binding assay to study the interactions between Gαi-derived peptide (G-peptide) and the µ-opioid receptor (µOR). Results Here, we show that a Gαi-derived peptide of 12 amino acids binds the µ-opioid receptor and acts as an allosteric modulator. The Gαi-derived peptide increases µOR affinity for its agonist morphine in a dose-dependent way. Conclusions These results indicate that the GPCR–Gα peptide interaction observed so far for only rhodopsin can be extrapolated to µOR. In addition, we show that the C-terminal peptide of the Gαi subunit is sufficient to stabilize the active conformation of the receptor. Our approach opens the possibility to investigate the GPCR–G protein interface with peptide modification.

Despite the high prevalence of alcoholic liver disease, its identification and characterization remain poor, especially in early stages such as alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic steatohepatitis. This latter implies diagnostic difficulties, few therapeutic options and unclear mechanisms of action. To elucidate the metabolic alterations and pinpoint affected biochemical pathways, alcoholic steatohepatitis was simulated in vitro by exposing HepaRG cells to ethanol (IC10, 368 mM) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, 50 ng/mL) for 24 h. This combined exposure was compared to solely ethanol-exposed as well as -nonexposed cells. Four different metabolomics platforms were used combining liquid chromatography, high-resolution mass spectrometry and drift tube ion mobility to elucidate both intracellular and extracellular metabolic alterations. Some of the key findings include the influence of TNF-α in the upregulation of hepatic triglycerides and the downregulation of hepatic phosphatidylethanolamines and phosphatidylcholines. S-Adenosylmethionine showed to play a central role in the progression of alcoholic steatohepatitis. In addition, fatty acyl esters of hydroxy fatty acid (FAHFA)-containing triglycerides were detected for the first time in human hepatocytes and their alterations showed a potentially important role during the progression of alcoholic steatohepatitis. Ethoxylated phosphorylcholine was identified as a potential new biomarker of ethanol exposure.

A packed-bed anaerobic-aerobic reactor (PBAOR) with two anaerobic and two aerobic compartments was constructed to treat manure-free piggery wastewater which was characterized by high ammonium (NH4+-N) and low ratio of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to total nitrogen (TN). Performed for 60 days at the normal atmospheric temperature of 25℃ with a constant hydraulic retention time of 32 h and reflux ratio of 2.0, a stable state in pollutants removal was obtained in the PBAOR. Within the next routine operation process, the removal of COD, NH4+-N and TN was above 85.7%, 98.2% and 85.8%, with a residual less than 81.7, 7.2 and 39.9 mg L-1 in effluent, respectively. Twelve veterinary antibiotics classified into tetracyclines (TCs), sulfonamides (SAs) and fluoroquinolones (FQs) were detected from the piggery wastewater. and the PBAOR was effective in removing TCs and SAs with an average removal of 74.8% and 93.3%, respectively, but presented a negative removal for FQs. Most COD in the piggery wastewater was mainly removed in the first two anaerobic compartments along with an obvious removal of TCs and SAs, while the TN were mainly removed in the last two aerobic compartments with the negative removal of FQs.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have caused a serious threat to the atmosphere and human health. Therefore, it is of great significance to exploit effective catalytic materials for the safe and effective catalytic elimination of VOCs. Herein, Ag-MnOx-ACF composite catalysts were constructed via a two-step impregnation strategy and used for catalytic toluene degradation. A remarkable low-temperature catalytic activity (T100 = 50℃), excellent stability, as well as CO2 selectivity (80%) were achieved over the Ag-MnOx-ACF catalyst. A series of characterizations indicated that the unique manganese defects structure of birnessite phase manganese oxide played an essential role for toluene oxidation, which was conducive to generating surface adsorbed oxygen. The higher ratio of Mn3+/Mn4+, abundant surface adsorbed oxygen and highly dispersed Ag species were determined to significantly facilitate toluene degradation. The mechanism of efficient degradation of toluene at low temperature was proposed. O3 and H2O molecules were activated via surface hydroxyl and Mn defects on Ag-MnOx-ACF to produce sufficient •OH, enhancing the degradation performance of toluene. We provide a new idea for the catalytic oxidation of benzene VOCs at low even room temperatures.

International audience; Biomagnetic monitoring increasingly is applied to assess particulate matter (PM) concentrations, mainly using plant leaves sampled in small geographical area and from a limited number of species. Here, the potential of magnetic analysis of urban tree trunk bark to discriminate between PM exposure levels was evaluated and bark magnetic variation was investigated at different spatial scales. Trunk bark was sampled from 684 urban trees of 39 genera in 173 urban green areas across six European cities. Samples were analysed magnetically for the Saturation Isothermal Remanent Magnetisation (SIRM). The bark SIRM reflected well the PM exposure level at city and local scale, as the bark SIRM (i) differed between the cities in accordance with the mean atmospheric PM concentrations and (ii) increased with the cover of roads and industrial area around the trees. Furthermore, with increasing tree circumferences, the SIRM values increased, as a reflection of a tree age effect related to PM accumulation over time. Moreover, bark SIRM was higher at the side of the trunk facing the prevailing wind direction. Significant relationships between SIRM of different genera validate the possibility to 2 combine bark SIRM from different genera to improve sampling resolution and coverage in biomagnetic studies. Thus, the SIRM signal of trunk bark from urban trees is a reliable proxy for atmospheric coarse to fine PM exposure in areas dominated by one PM source, as long as variation caused by genus, circumference and trunk side is taken into account.

Chlorophyll-a (Chl- a ) is considered an indicator of phytoplankton biomass dynamically reflecting the growth of algae. Therefore, determination of Chl- a threshold is of vital importance to the health of aquatic ecosystems and drinking water security. This research is aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal distributions of Chl- a and microcystin (MC) concentrations using Geographic Information System (GIS) and identify the Chl- a threshold in Lake Taihu based on available guideline values of MCs. Nearly the same characteristics of spatiotemporal variation of Chl- a and MCs were observed in Lake Taihu. Overall, the lakewide distributions of Chl- a and MCs were highly variable over time and space. The Chl- a concentration in the winter and spring was relatively low, and gradually increasing in summer and autumn, with the maximum concentration observed in August. But the maximum MCs concentration appeared in October, two months lagging behind the Chl- a . The highest annual average Chl- a and MCs concentrations were observed in Zhushan Bay, Meiliang Bay, Gonghu Bay in northwest of Lake Taihu, following by West Zone and Center Zone. Dongtaihu Bay, East Zone and South Zone always present good water quality. Referring to the guideline value of MCs, the Chl- a threshold was determined as 10-15 mg·m -3 based on the linear regression correlation between Chl- a and MCs. The establishment of Chl- a threshold is useful for eutrophication control, water quality management and drinking water utilities in developing water safety plans.

The phenomenon of plasticity in the striatum, and its relation with the striatum-nigra neuronal circuit has clinical and neurophysiological relevance to Parkinson and epilepsy. High frequency stimulation (HFS) can induce neural plasticity. Furthermore, it is possible to induce plasticity in the dorsal striatum and this can be modulated by substantia nigra activity. But it has not been shown yet what would be the effects in the striatum-nigra circuit after plasticity induction in striatum with HSF. Literature also misses a detailed description of the way back loop of the circuit: the striatal firing rate after substantia nigrás inhibition. We here conducted: First Experiment, application of HFS in dorsomedial striatum and measure of spontaneous and longlasting behavior expression in the open field three days later; Second, application of single pulses on dorsomedial striatum and measure of the evoked potentials in substantia nigra before and after HFS; Third Experiment: inhibition of substantia nigra and recording of the firing rate of dorsomedial striatum. HFS in dorsomedial striatum caused increased locomotion behaviors, but not classical stereotypy. However, rats had either an increase or decrease in substantia nigrás evoked potentials. Also, substantia nigrás inhibition caused an increase in dorsomedial striatum firing rate. Present data are suggestive of a potential application of HFS in striatum, as an attempt to modulate behavior rigidity and hypokinesia of diseases involving the basal ganglia, especially Parkinson´s Disease.

This research including a study of mechanical ,physical properties (band structure, density of states) and the elasticity constants of the Barium Ortho titanate by using Materials studio software. The calculations were based on the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) by linear method. The calculated equilibrium lattice constants of monoclinic barium orthotitanate were: a = 0.612nm, b = 0.77nm, c = 1.05nm,calculated bulk modulus =42.3021 GPa, young modulus= 40.29 GPa, share modulus = 15.97 GPa, lame constant (λ)= 142.56 GPa ,and energy band gap=3.435eV which is indirect band gap and the composite is insulator and the electronic properties where be calculated in first Brillion zone. According the mechanical stability conditions the composite is stable mechanically. These results were calculated by Materials studio software.

Purpose: Postoperative acute kidney injury is common and associated with increased length of hospital stay, costs and mortality. The impact from postoperative subclinical changes in plasma concentration of creatinine (p-creatinine) on postoperative mortality has received less attention. In this study, the association between the postoperative change of p-creatinine and all-cause mortality was investigated. Methods: A single-centre register-based, retrospective study was conducted including patients ≥ 60 years undergoing open abdominal surgery from 2000 to 2013. Postoperative p-creatinine change was analysed for association with 30-day mortality following adjustment for age, gender, surgical setting and surgical procedure. Main findings A total of 3,460 patients were included in the study of whom 67.6% underwent emergency surgery. The 30-day mortality rate was 18.3%, and a given 10 μmol/L daily postoperative increase in p-creatinine was associated with an increased mortality risk with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.67 (95% CI; 2.28-3.14, P < 0.001). In patients undergoing emergency surgery, a daily 10 μmol/L increase in p-creatinine increased the risk for a fatal outcome a 2.39 OR (CI 95%; 2.05-2.78), P < 0.001). In patients undergoing elective surgery, a similar increase in p-creatinine increased risk of postoperative death with a 28.85 OR (CI 95%; 10.25-81.19). Conclusion: Even a minor postoperative p-creatinine increase following open abdominal surgery below the criteria for acute kidney injury was associated with increased 30-day mortality in patients aged 60 years or above.

Abstract. Inulin, a dietary fibre found in the roots of many plants, has positive effects on health. It is particularly noteworthy due to its positive impact on calcium metabolism. Inulin has significant functions, such as improving calcium absorption through passive diffusion, bolstering calcium absorption via ion exchange and expanding the absorption surface of the colon by stimulating cell growth. In addition, inulin boosts calcium absorption by increasing calcium solubility, stimulating levels of calcium-binding protein expression and increasing useful microorganisms. It increases calbindin levels and stimulates transcellular active calcium transport. An inulin intake of least 8–10 g/day supports calcium absorption and total body bone mineral content/density in adolescents through its known mechanisms of action. It also significantly enhances calcium absorption and improves bone health in postmenopausal women and adult men. Sustained and sufficient inulin supplementation in adults has a positive effect on calcium metabolism and bone mineral density.