The Nord Stream pipeline gas leaks released approximately 220,000 tonnes of methane into the atmosphere.

Sudden mega natural gas leaks of two Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea (Denmark) occurred from late September to early October 2022, releasing large amounts of methane into the atmosphere. We inferred the methane emissions of this event based on surface in situ observations using two inversion methods and two meteorological reanalysis datasets, supplemented with satellite-based observations. We conclude that approximately 220 ± 30 Gg of methane was released from September 26 to October 1, 2022.

Review of systematic reviews and Meta-analyses investigating Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a review of the systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: We searched PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang, and other databases from database inception to May 2014 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on TCM treatment of T2DM. Manuscripts were read by two investigators if they met the inclusion criteria, and data were extracted. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) was used to classify research quality, and the evidence quality was graded by the Grade of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. RESULTS: Eighteen systematic reviews and meta-analyses were considered. Fifteen analyzed the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines, and three investigated the efficacy of acupuncture. AMSTAR evaluation ranged from 3-10, and re-evaluation of the main results implied that treatment of T2DM with TCM has certain advantages when compared with conventional Western medicine. However, the evidence quality was generally low. CONCLUSION: This work shows favorable evidence for the clinical treatment of TCM on T2DM. However, it is recommended that evidence-based decisions are made based on clinical trials because of the GRADE scores of the studies. To achieve higher quality of clinical research, clinical research on TCM requires specific and suitable research methods. Further trials may increase the quality of evidence to evaluate the clinical efficacy of TCM for T2DM.

[Spectroscopic study on binding of folic acid to human serum albumin].

The interaction of human serum albumin and folic acid was studied using fluorescence spectroscopy, UV absorption and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy in the pH 7.4 Tris-HCl buffer system at different temperatures. The research shows that these interactions result in the endogenous fluorescence quenching of HSA, which belongs to a static quenching mechanism. The quenching rate constants, the binding constants and the binding sites of the static quenching were calculated. The distance between the body (HSA) and receptor (folic acid) and the efficiency of energy transfer were obtained to be 1.77 nm and 0. 052 65 respectively, based on the theory of Forster nonradiative energy transfer. And according to the thermodynamic parameters calculated the binding of HSA and folic acid is mainly attributed to the hydrophobic interaction, partly static force. Further more the synchronous fluorescence spectrum was utilized to investigate the conformational transformation; The decline result of the hydrophobic nature around Trp demonstrates that the folic acid is in the hydrophobic cavity of HSA.

Calcium bioavailability and kinetics of calcium ascorbate and calcium acetate in rats.

The objective was to investigate the bioavailability and mechanism of calcium absorption of calcium ascorbate (ASC) and calcium acetate (AC). A series of studies was performed in adult Sprague-Dawley male rats. In the first study, each group of rats (n = 10/group) was assigned to one of the five test meals labeled with (45)Ca: (i) 25 mg calcium as heated ASC or (ii) unheated ASC, (iii) 25 mg calcium as unheated AC, (iv) 3.6 mg Ca as unheated ASC, or (v) unheated AC. Femur uptake indicated better calcium bioavailability from ASC than AC at both calcium loads. A 5-min heat treatment partly reduced bioavailability of ASC. Kinetic studies were performed to further investigate the mechanism of superior calcium bioavailability from ASC. Two groups of rats (n = 10/group) received oral doses of 25 mg Ca as ASC or AC. Each dose contained 20 micro Ci (45)Ca. Two additional groups of rats (n = 10/group) received an intravenous injection (iv) of 10 micro Ci (45)Ca after receiving an unlabeled oral dose of 25 mg calcium as ASC or AC. Sequential blood samples were collected over 48 hrs. Urine and fecal samples were collected every 12 hrs for 48 hrs and were analyzed for total calcium and (45)Ca content. Total calcium and (45)Ca from serum, urine, and feces were fitted by a compartment kinetics model with saturable and nonsaturable absorption pathways by WinSAAM (Windows-based Simulation Analysis and Modeling). The difference in calcium bioavailability between the two salts was due to differences in saturable rather than passive intestinal absorption and not to endogenous secretion or calcium deposition rate. The higher bioavailability of calcium ascorbate was due to a longer transit time in the small intestine compared with ASC.