Influence of zinc-saccharide complexes on some haematological parameters in rats

Unlike computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound is an inexpensive test of potential use in detecting silicone gel breast implant (SBI) rupture. However, periprosthetic capsular contracture can make ultrasonic diagnosis of rupture difficult because the contracture-related radial folds inside the SBI can lead to a false-positive diagnosis of rupture. This study was conducted to determine the effects of capsular contracture on the ability of ultrasound to diagnose SBI rupture. Preoperative ultrasonic results of 122 SBIs were compared with surgical findings at the time of implant removal. The sensitivity and negative predictive values of ultrasound were lower in the presence of a contracted capsule (41.2% vs. 68.7%, p = 0.062; and 58.3% vs. 79.6%, p = 0.056 respectively). Ultrasound should be considered reliable in diagnosing SBI rupture only in the absence of a contracted capsule.     

Bacteriostatic action of synthetic polyhydroxylated chalcones against Escherichia coli.

In previous work the bacteriostatic action of trihydroxylated chalcones against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25 923 was investigated. In this work the action of 2',4',2-(OH)3-chalcone, 2',4',3-(OH)3-chalcone and 2',4',4-(OH)3-chalcone against Escherichia coli ATCC 25 922 was evaluated. Growth kinetic curves of E. coli were made in nutritive broth added with increasing drug concentrations. The specific growth rates of the microorganisms were calculated by a kinetic turbidimetric method, which was previously probed and the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC's) were evaluated by a mechanism of action proposed. The MICs of 2',4',3-(OH)3-chalcone and 2',4',2-(OH)3-chalcone were 46 microg/ml and 122 microg/ml, respectively. The 2',4',4-(OH)3-chalcone was inactive. The MIC value of 2',4',3-(OH)3-chalcone (46 microg/ml), more active than 2',3-(OH)2-chalcone (72.2 microg/ml) may be due to the introduction of an electron donating group (-OH) at position 4' in the aromatic A-ring, which activates the region that includes the 2'-hydroxyl neighbor group and the alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl group.     

Interface species and effect of hydrogen on their amount in the CO oxidation on Au/ZnO

A FTIR study of the CO oxidation on Au/ZnO from 90 to 300 K in the absence and in the presence of hydrogen has been performed. An insight on the origin of deactivation during CO oxidation at room temperature and on the regeneration effect of hydrogen is given. FTIR spectra show that at 90 K only carbonylic species on the metallic particles and on the support cations are produced. Carbonates and/or carbonyls at the interface between the metal and the oxide are produced by increasing the temperature from 90 to 300 K. The presence of hydrogen in the mixture inhibits in some extent the formation of transient intermediates and of stable carbonates adsorbed on the support. The amount of stable species at the interface is reduced as a consequence of the lowered basicity of the reactive oxygen species at the borderline between the metal and the oxide.     

Saccharification of microcrystalline cellulose by cellulase of Morchella conica mushroom mycelium in comparison with a commercial cellulase

A comparison was made of the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose Avicel using the cellulolytic complex of the ascomycete Morchella conica and a commercial cellulase. An enzyme concentration of 1 U AVase mg^?1 substrate gave the best results during the hydrolytic processes. At 24 h, the M. conica enzyme complex achieved 35.5% and the commercial cellulase 31·2% saccharification, with glucose 84·2% and 52% of the total reducing sugars liberated, respectively. The specific rates of hydrolyses were 0·77 and 0·14 h^?1 for reducing sugars and 0·54 and 0·12 h^?1 for glucose formation with M. conica and the commercial cellulase, respectively. At 96 h, the degree of saccharification reached 46% for M. conica and 49% for the commercial cellulase, with glucose 76·5% and 65·9% of the total reducing sugars liberated, respectively. Both the complexes were quite stable with a residual activity of 62% CMCase and 47% AVase for M. conica, and 74% CMCase and 57% AVase for the commercial cellulase at 96 h of hydrolysis. The qualitative analysis of the hydrolysis products by TLC indicated, for M. conica, an earlier appearance of cellobiose, which was quickly hydrolyzed to glucose.     

Integrative Analyses of Circulating Small RNAs and Kidney Graft Transcriptome in Transplant Glomerulopathy

Transplant glomerulopathy develops through multiple mechanisms, including donor-specific antibodies, T cells and innate immunity. This study investigates circulating small RNA profiles in serum samples of kidney transplant recipients with biopsy-proven transplant glomerulopathy. Among total small RNA population, miRNAs were the most abundant species in the serum of kidney transplant patients. In addition, fragments arising from mature tRNA and rRNA were detected. Most of the tRNA fragments were generated from 5′ ends of mature tRNA and mainly from two parental tRNAs: tRNA-Gly and tRNA-Glu. Moreover, transplant patients with transplant glomerulopathy displayed a novel tRNA fragments signature. Gene expression analysis from allograft tissues demonstrated changes in canonical pathways related to immune activation such as iCos-iCosL signaling pathway in T helper cells, Th1 and Th2 activation pathway, and dendritic cell maturation. mRNA targets of down-regulated miRNAs such as miR-1224-5p, miR-4508, miR-320, miR-378a from serum were globally upregulated in tissue. Integration of serum miRNA profiles with tissue gene expression showed that changes in serum miRNAs support the role of T-cell mediated mechanisms in ongoing allograft injury.     

The Emerging Role of Neutrophils in the Pathogenesis of Thrombosis in COVID-19

Previous studies have shown that COVID-19 leads to thrombotic complications, which have been associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Neutrophils are the largest population of white blood cells and play a pivotal role in innate immunity. During an infection, neutrophils migrate from circulation to the infection site, contributing to killing pathogens. This mechanism is regulated by chemokines such as IL-8. Moreover, it was shown that neutrophils play an important role in thromboinflammation. Through a diverse repertoire of mechanisms, neutrophils, apart from directly killing pathogens, are able to activate the formation of thrombi. In COVID-19 patients, neutrophil activation promotes neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, platelet aggregation, and cell damage. Furthermore, neutrophils participate in the pathogenesis of endothelitis. Overall, this review summarizes recent progress in research on the pathogenesis of COVID-19, highlighting the role of the prothrombotic action of neutrophils in NET formation.     

Primary structure of human erythrocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP[H])-binding protein FX: identification with the mouse tum- transplantation antigen P35B

Human erythrocytes contain a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP[H])-binding protein, FX, whose levels are significantly increased in erythrocytes from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient individuals bearing the mediterranean variant of G6PD. Elucidation of the still unknown biologic functions of FX was approached by means of amino acid sequencing of its 25 tryptic peptides. Searching in the EMBL data bank allowed identification of extensive homology between these tryptic peptides and all sequence-aligned regions encompassing the complete structure of a putative protein encoded by the P35B gene in the mouse. This gene, which differs from the normal allele by a point mutation, has been previously cloned from a tum- variant of the murine tumor cell line P815, so defined because it is associated with low tumorigenicity compared with the progenitor P815. The reported P35B cDNA contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 813 bp and encodes a putative protein of 271 amino acids (30 kD), whereas FX protein is 320 amino acids in length (35.81 kD, in good agreement with previous studies). However, a single base shift at position 4,752 of the P35B gene suppresses the stop codon after Phe 271 and allows continuation of the ORF for up to 320 amino acids to reach the same length as FX. The remarkably high extent (92%) of homology indicates that erythrocyte FX protein is the human homolog of the P35B gene product.     

Switching devices with spatial and spectral resolution combining photonic crystal and MOEMS structures

One- and two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs have numerous applications in integrated optics. Unfortunately, due to their finite height, their in-plane guided modes can suffer outcoupling losses. Although considered as detrimental in the context of the development of photonic integrated circuits, it turns that the coupling of waveguided modes to radiative modes can be usefully exploited for the manipulation of photons in free space. It is shown in this paper that interaction of radiative and guided modes through a photonic crystal, especially under conditions where the latter correspond to extrema of the dispersion characteristics of the photonic crystal, results in resonance phenomena, which can be used practically for the development of new classes of devices, e.g., combining photonic crystal and microoptoelectromechanical systems structures.     

Metabolism of arsenic after acute occupational arsine intoxication

Among the elements of toxicological relevance, inorganic arsenic (As) probably exhibits the most complex metabolism, and we deemed it interesting to identify and quantify the different As species excreted after an occupational acute intoxication with arsine. For this purpose total As and five As species were determined using an hybrid analytical method coupling liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The highest urinary elimination of total As was observed in the first 5 d after admission. The As species mostly excreted were monomethylarsonate (MMA), dimethylarsinate (DMA), As3+, arsenobetaine (AsB), and to a lesser extent As5+. The amount of AsB excreted in urine by the subject does not appear to be completely justified by AsB intake through food. Arsenic is excreted mainly via the urine with a clearance of 7.8 ml/h/kg and follows a triphasic model with periods of 28 h, 59 h, and 9 d, respectively. The evidence that DMA excretion culminates after a few days, when the excretion of the inorganic form is substantially reduced (while that of MMA is still elevated), seems to confirm the existence of two successive methylating enzyme activities. Furthermore, the elimination rate of As from blood follows a three-phase model and the half-lives of different species vary from about 27 to 86 h with the following gradient As5+ < MMA < As3+ < DMA < AsB.