ABSTRACT
Modification in the light environment can induce several changes even within a short time. In this article, light intensity and spectrum-dependent changes in photosynthetic and metabolic processes were investigated in spinach leaves. Short-term exposure of the youngest fully developed leaves provided an elevated CO2 assimilation capacity under red light compared with blue or white light, although the electron transport rate was lower. The stomatal opening was mainly stimulated by blue light. These spectrum-induced changes also depended on light intensity. When white light was used to activate the photosynthesis, the white light showed a similar light response to blue light regarding the electron transport processes and red light in terms of stomatal opening. In contrast, concerning CO2 assimilation characteristics, the white light resembled blue light at low and red light at high light intensities. These results indicate that the photosynthetic processes strongly interact with the light intensity and spectral composition. Furthermore, changes in spectral composition modified the primary metabolic processes as well. Red light induced the sugar accumulation, while more organic acids that belong to the respiration pathway were produced under blue and white lights. These changes occurred even within a short (30 min) time frame. These results also draw attention to the importance of the light environment used during the measurements of the photosynthetic activity of plants and/or sample collections.
Subject(s)
Carbon Dioxide , Spinacia oleracea , Spinacia oleracea/metabolism , Carbon Dioxide/metabolism , Photosynthesis , Light , Electron Transport , Plant Leaves/metabolismABSTRACT
Kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous neuroprotectant with antiexcitotoxic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, is synthesized through the tryptophan-kynurenine (KYN) pathway. We investigated whether brain KYN or KYNA levels were affected by asphyxia in a translational piglet model of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). We also studied brain levels of the putative blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeable neuroprotective KYNA analogue SZR72, and whether SZR72 or therapeutic hypothermia (TH) modified KYN or KYNA levels. KYN, KYNA, and SZR72 levels were determined using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry in five brain regions 24 h after 20 min of asphyxia in vehicle-, SZR72- and TH-treated newborn piglets (n = 6-6-6) and naive controls (n = 4). Endogenous brain KYN levels (median range 311.2-965.6 pmol/g) exceeded KYNA concentrations (4.5-6.0 pmol/g) ~100-fold. Asphyxia significantly increased cerebral KYN and KYNA levels in all regions (1512.0-3273.9 and 16.9-21.2 pmol/g, respectively), increasing the KYN/Tryptophan-, but retaining the KYNA/KYN ratio. SZR72 treatment resulted in very high cerebral SZR72 levels (13.2-33.2 nmol/g); however, KYN and KYNA levels remained similar to those of the vehicle-treated animals. However, TH virtually ameliorated asphyxia-induced elevations in brain KYN and KYNA levels. The present study reports for the first time that the KYN pathway is altered during HIE development in the piglet. SZR72 readily crosses the BBB in piglets but fails to affect cerebral KYNA levels. Beneficial effects of TH may include restoration of the tryptophan metabolism to pre-asphyxia levels.
Subject(s)
Hypothermia , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain , Swine , Animals , Kynurenine/metabolism , Tryptophan/metabolism , Kynurenic Acid/metabolism , Asphyxia , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/therapyABSTRACT
We aimed to validate cross-culturally the Turkish, Moroccan Arabic and Moroccan Berber versions of the 48-item Symptom Questionnaire (SQ-48). Its psychometric properties were assessed in four samples: patients (n = 150) and controls (n = 103) with Turkish or Moroccan origins (n = 103) and patients (n = 189) and controls (n = 463) with native Dutch origins. Internal consistency and discriminatory power of SQ-48 subscales across groups were adequate to high. However, immigrant groups scored on average higher than Dutch native groups, but there was full configural, metric and partial scalar invariance in the immigrant groups. Although the SQ-48 is a valid measure of psychopathology in immigrant groups of Turkish and Moroccan origins, their cut-off values should likely be higher compared to natives.
Subject(s)
Cross-Cultural Comparison , Ethnicity , Humans , Surveys and Questionnaires , PsychometricsABSTRACT
This repeat cross-sectional study investigated the impact of lockdown in Europe in Winter (January and February 2021) on children's and adolescent's physical activity (PA) and recreational screen time (RST), and compared PA to the lockdown in Spring 2020. An online survey was administered (n = 24 302; 6-18 years; 51.7% boys) in nine countries. PA and RST were assessed by 7-day recall. In total, 9.3% of children (95% confidence interval: 6.9-11.7) met WHO PA recommendation, which was half of the proportion observed in Spring 2020 [19.0% (18.2-19.9)]. Sixty percent exceeded the RST recommendations. This suggests that winter lockdown could have a more negative impact on PA than in spring.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Adolescent , COVID-19/epidemiology , Child , Communicable Disease Control , Cross-Sectional Studies , Europe/epidemiology , Exercise , Female , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To date, few data on the quality and quantity of online physical education (P.E.) during the COVID-19 pandemic have been published. We assessed activity in online classes and reported allocated curriculum time for P.E. in a multi-national sample of European children (6-18 years). METHODS: Data from two online surveys were analysed. A total of 8395 children were included in the first round (May-June 2020) and 24â302 in the second round (January-February 2021). RESULTS: Activity levels during P.E. classes were low in spring 2020, particularly among the youngest children and in certain countries. 27.9% of students did not do any online P.E. and 15.7% were hardly ever very active. Only 18.4% were always very active and 14.9% reported being very active quite often. In winter 2020, we observed a large variability in the allocated curriculum time for P.E. In many countries, this was lower than the compulsory requirements. Only 65.7% of respondents had the same number of P.E. lessons than before pandemic, while 23.8% had less P.E., and 6.8% claimed to have no P.E. lessons. Rates for no P.E. were especially high among secondary school students, and in large cities and megapolises. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, European children were provided much less P.E. in quantity and quality than before the pandemic. Countermeasures are needed to ensure that these changes do not become permanent. Particular attention is needed in large cities and megapolises. The critical role of P.E. for students' health and development must be strengthened in the school system.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Education, Distance , Child , Humans , Pandemics , Physical Education and Training , SchoolsABSTRACT
The wheat semi-dwarfing genes Rht (Reduced height) are widely distributed among the contemporary wheat varieties. These genes also exert pleiotropic effects on plant tolerance towards various abiotic stressors. In this work, frost tolerance was studied in three near-isogenic lines of the facultative variety 'April Bearded' (AB), carrying the wild type allele Rht-B1a (tall phenotype), and the mutant alleles Rht-B1b (semi-dwarf) and Rht-B1c (dwarf), and was further compared with the tolerance of a typical winter type variety, 'Mv Beres'. The level of freezing tolerance was decreasing in the order 'Mv Beres' > AB Rht-B1a > AB Rht-B1b > AB Rht-B1c. To explain the observed differences, cold acclimation-related processes were studied: the expression of six cold-related genes, the phenylpropanoid pathway, carbohydrates, amino acids, polyamines and compounds in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. To achieve this, a comprehensive approach was applied, involving targeted analyses and untargeted metabolomics screening with the help of gas chromatography/liquid chromatographymass spectrometry setups. Several cold-related processes exhibited similar changes in these genotypes; indeed, the accumulation of eight putrescine and agmatine derivatives, 17 flavones and numerous oligosaccharides (max. degree of polymerization 18) was associated with the level of freezing tolerance in the 'April Bearded' lines. In summary, the mutant Rht alleles may further decrease the generally low frost tolerance of the Rht-B1a, and, based on the metabolomics study, the mechanisms of frost tolerance may differ for a typical winter variety and a facultative variety. Present results point to the complex nature of frost resistance.
Subject(s)
Bread , Triticum , Alleles , Mutation , Phenotype , Triticum/geneticsABSTRACT
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains to be a major cause of long-term neurodevelopmental deficits in term neonates. Hypothermia offers partial neuroprotection warranting research for additional therapies. Kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous product of tryptophan metabolism, was previously shown to be beneficial in rat HIE models. We sought to determine if the KYNA analog SZR72 would afford neuroprotection in piglets. After severe asphyxia (pHa = 6.83 ± 0.02, ΔBE = -17.6 ± 1.2 mmol/L, mean ± SEM), anesthetized piglets were assigned to vehicle-treated (VEH), SZR72-treated (SZR72), or hypothermia-treated (HT) groups (n = 6, 6, 6; Tcore = 38.5, 38.5, 33.5 °C, respectively). Compared to VEH, serum KYNA levels were elevated, recovery of EEG was faster, and EEG power spectral density values were higher at 24 h in the SZR72 group. However, instantaneous entropy indicating EEG signal complexity, depression of the visual evoked potential (VEP), and the significant neuronal damage observed in the neocortex, the putamen, and the CA1 hippocampal field were similar in these groups. In the caudate nucleus and the CA3 hippocampal field, neuronal damage was even more severe in the SZR72 group. The HT group showed the best preservation of EEG complexity, VEP, and neuronal integrity in all examined brain regions. In summary, SZR72 appears to enhance neuronal activity after asphyxia but does not ameliorate early neuronal damage in this HIE model.
Subject(s)
Asphyxia Neonatorum/drug therapy , Brain Ischemia/drug therapy , Kynurenic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Neurons/metabolism , Animals , Asphyxia Neonatorum/metabolism , Asphyxia Neonatorum/pathology , Brain Ischemia/metabolism , Brain Ischemia/pathology , CA1 Region, Hippocampal/diagnostic imaging , CA1 Region, Hippocampal/drug effects , CA3 Region, Hippocampal/diagnostic imaging , CA3 Region, Hippocampal/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Electroencephalography , Evoked Potentials, Visual/drug effects , Humans , Kynurenic Acid/pharmacology , Neurons/drug effects , Neurons/pathology , Rats , Translational Research, BiomedicalABSTRACT
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is still a major cause of neonatal death and disability as therapeutic hypothermia (TH) alone cannot afford sufficient neuroprotection. The present study investigated whether ventilation with molecular hydrogen (2.1% H2) or graded restoration of normocapnia with CO2 for 4 h after asphyxia would augment the neuroprotective effect of TH in a subacute (48 h) HIE piglet model. Piglets were randomized to untreated naïve, control-normothermia, asphyxia-normothermia (20-min 4%O2-20%CO2 ventilation; Tcore = 38.5 °C), asphyxia-hypothermia (A-HT, Tcore = 33.5 °C, 2-36 h post-asphyxia), A-HT + H2, or A-HT + CO2 treatment groups. Asphyxia elicited severe hypoxia (pO2 = 19 ± 5 mmHg) and mixed acidosis (pH = 6.79 ± 0.10). HIE development was confirmed by altered cerebral electrical activity and neuropathology. TH was significantly neuroprotective in the caudate nucleus but demonstrated virtually no such effect in the hippocampus. The mRNA levels of apoptosis-inducing factor and caspase-3 showed a ~10-fold increase in the A-HT group compared to naïve animals in the hippocampus but not in the caudate nucleus coinciding with the region-specific neuroprotective effect of TH. H2 or CO2 did not augment TH-induced neuroprotection in any brain areas; rather, CO2 even abolished the neuroprotective effect of TH in the caudate nucleus. In conclusion, the present findings do not support the use of these medical gases to supplement TH in HIE management.
Subject(s)
Asphyxia Neonatorum/therapy , Brain Damage, Chronic/prevention & control , Carbon Dioxide/therapeutic use , Hydrogen/therapeutic use , Hypothermia, Induced , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/therapy , Neuroprotection/drug effects , Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use , Acidosis/blood , Acidosis/etiology , Acidosis/prevention & control , Administration, Inhalation , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Apoptosis Inducing Factor/biosynthesis , Apoptosis Inducing Factor/genetics , Asphyxia Neonatorum/complications , Asphyxia Neonatorum/drug therapy , Brain Damage, Chronic/etiology , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/biosynthesis , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/genetics , Carbon Dioxide/administration & dosage , Carbon Dioxide/toxicity , Caspase 3/biosynthesis , Caspase 3/genetics , Caudate Nucleus/pathology , Cerebral Cortex/metabolism , Cerebral Cortex/pathology , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Electroencephalography , Evoked Potentials, Visual/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Hippocampus/pathology , Hydrogen/administration & dosage , Hydrogen/analysis , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/complications , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/drug therapy , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/pathology , Nerve Tissue Proteins/biosynthesis , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Neuroprotective Agents/administration & dosage , Organ Specificity , Random Allocation , SwineABSTRACT
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has an established role in the pathogenesis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). In this study we sought to determine whether COX-2 was induced by asphyxia in newborn pigs, and whether neuronal COX-2 levels were affected by H2 treatment. Piglets were subjected to either 8 min of asphyxia or a more severe 20 min of asphyxia followed by H2 treatment (inhaling room air containing 2.1% H2 for 4 h). COX-2 immunohistochemistry was performed on brain samples from surviving piglets 24 h after asphyxia. The percentages of COX-2-immunopositive neurons were determined in cortical and subcortical areas. Only in piglets with more severe HIE, we observed significant, region-specific increases in neuronal COX-2 expression within the parietal and occipital cortices and in the CA3 hippocampal subfield. H2 treatment essentially prevented the increases in COX-2-immunopositive neurons. In the parietal cortex, the attenuation of COX-2 induction was associated with reduced 8'-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanozine immunoreactivity and retained microglial ramifcation index, which are markers of oxidative stress and neuroinfiammation, respectively. This study demonstrates for the first time that asphyxia elevates neuronal COX-2 expression in a piglet HIE model. Neuronal COX-2 induction may play region-specific roles in brain lesion progression during HIE development, and inhibition of this response may contribute to the antioxidant/anti-infiammatory neuroprotective effects of H2 treatment.
Subject(s)
Asphyxia/prevention & control , Cyclooxygenase 2/metabolism , Hydrogen/therapeutic use , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/prevention & control , Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Hippocampus/physiopathology , Male , Microglia/metabolism , Neurons/metabolism , Parietal Lobe/physiopathology , SwineABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There have been previous representative nutritional status surveys conducted in Hungary, but this is the first one that examines overweight and obesity prevalence according to the level of urbanization and in different geographic regions among 6-8-year-old children. We also assessed whether these variations were different by sex. METHODS: This survey was part of the fourth data collection round of World Health Organization (WHO) Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative which took place during the academic year 2016/2017. The representative sample was determined by two-stage cluster sampling. A total of 5332 children (48.4% boys; age 7.54 ± 0.64 years) were measured from all seven geographic regions including urban (at least 500 inhabitants per square kilometer; n = 1598), semi-urban (100 to 500 inhabitants per square kilometer; n = 1932) and rural (less than 100 inhabitants per square kilometer; n = 1802) areas. RESULTS: Using the WHO reference, prevalence of overweight and obesity within the whole sample were 14.2, and 12.7%, respectively. According to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) reference, rates were 12.6 and 8.6%. Northern Hungary and Southern Transdanubia were the regions with the highest obesity prevalence of 11.0 and 12.0%, while Central Hungary was the one with the lowest obesity rate (6.1%). The prevalence of overweight and obesity tended to be higher in rural areas (13.0 and 9.8%) than in urban areas (11.9 and 7.0%). Concerning differences in sex, girls had higher obesity risk in rural areas (OR = 2.0) but boys did not. Odds ratios were 2.0-3.4 in different regions for obesity compared to Central Hungary, but only among boys. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity are emerging problems in Hungary. Remarkable differences were observed in the prevalence of obesity by geographic regions. These variations can only be partly explained by geographic characteristics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Study protocol was approved by the Scientific and Research Ethics Committee of the Medical Research Council ( 61158-2/2016/EKU ).
Subject(s)
Health Status Disparities , Pediatric Obesity/epidemiology , Rural Population/statistics & numerical data , Urban Population/statistics & numerical data , Child , Female , Humans , Hungary/epidemiology , Male , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
Background: In accordance with the policy actions that address childhood overweight and obesity at European level and as a contribution to the EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity 2014-20, a Joint Action on Nutrition and Physical Activity (JANPA) was established. As part of JANPA work package 6, an evaluation framework to identify good practices, targeting childhood obesity prevention in kindergartens and schools, was developed. This article describes the WP 6 JANPA framework of good practice criteria and its development, compares it to other frameworks and discusses its potential for future use. Methods: Based on the analysis of scientific literature, a set of 47 potential good practice criteria was drafted, that was then revised and complemented through a series of online Delphi consultations. Results: A final list of 48 good practice criteria (9 of which were rated as core criteria) was developed and grouped into three categories: intervention characteristics (n = 17), implementation (n = 17) and monitoring and evaluation (n = 14). Conclusion: The identified JANPA framework of good practice criteria complements the existing frameworks by focussing on kindergarten- and school-based initiatives and provides guidance for evaluators, programme planners and decision makers bearing in mind that a one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate. To ensure the effectiveness of future practices, programme planners should endeavour to meet at least the nine JANPA core criteria.
Subject(s)
Evidence-Based Practice , Health Promotion/standards , Pediatric Obesity/prevention & control , Schools , Child , Child, Preschool , Delphi Technique , Europe , HumansABSTRACT
Assessment of psychological distress is important, because it may help to monitor treatment effects and predict treatment outcomes. We previously developed the 48-item Symptom Questionnaire (SQ-48) as a public domain self-report psychological distress instrument and showed good internal consistency as well as good convergent and divergent validity among clinical and non-clinical samples. The present study, conducted among psychiatric outpatients in a routine clinical setting, describes additional psychometric properties of the SQ-48. The primary focus is on responsiveness to therapeutic change, which to date has been rarely examined within psychiatry or clinical psychology. Since a questionnaire should also be stable when no clinically important change occurs, we also examined test-retest reliability within a test-retest design before treatment (n = 43). A pre-treatment/post-treatment design was used for responsiveness to therapeutic change, comparing the SQ-48 with two internationally widely used instruments: the Brief Symptom Inventory (n = 97) and the Outcome Questionnaire-45 (n = 109). The results showed that the SQ-48 has excellent test-retest reliability and good responsiveness to therapeutic change, without significant differences between the questionnaires in terms of responsiveness. In sum, the SQ-48 is a psychometrically sound public domain self-report instrument that can be used for routine outcome monitoring, as a benchmark tool or for research purposes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message The SQ-48 is developed as a public domain self-report questionnaire, in line with growing efforts to develop clinical instruments that are free of charge. The SQ-48 has excellent test-retest reliability and good responsiveness to therapeutic change or patient progress. There were no significant differences in terms of responsiveness between the SQ-48 and BSI or OQ-45. The SQ-48 can be used as a routine evaluation outcome measure for quality assurance in clinical practice. Providing feedback on patient progress via outcome measures could contribute to the enhancement of treatment outcomes.
Subject(s)
Emotional Adjustment , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Psychotherapy , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adult , Ambulatory Care , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Self Report , Young AdultABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND AIM: The Hungarian Diet and Nutritional Status Survey examines the obesity prevalence, dietary habits and, since 2014, physical activity in Hungarian adults in every 5 years. METHOD: The survey provides national data representative by age and gender, based on anthropometric measurements and international standards. RESULTS: In 2014, nearly two-thirds of adults were overweight or obese. 28.2% of men and 31.5% of women were obese. Prevalence of morbid obesity were 2.6% and 3.3% in men and women, respectively. Abdominal obesity was more prevalent among women than men (55% vs. 38%), and the rate was increasing with age in both genders. In elderly, 55% of men and almost 80% of women were abdominally obese. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity is high in Hungarian adults. In order to tackle obesity, we need to obtain representative and measured data, which form the basis of targeted interventions and the assessment of their impact. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(14), 533-540.
Subject(s)
Diet/statistics & numerical data , Health Status , Obesity/epidemiology , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Body Height , Body Mass Index , Female , Humans , Hungary/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Nutritional Status , Obesity, Abdominal/epidemiology , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Sex Distribution , Waist CircumferenceABSTRACT
AIMS: We studied the effects of the inhibition of the endogene antioxidant glutathione-S-transferase (GST) by ethacrynic acid (EA) on ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury and postconditioning (PC) in the lower extremities. We aimed to examine the oxidative stress parameters (OSP), inflammatory response and activation of proapoptotic signaling proteins (PSP) after revascularization surgery. METHODS: Sixty Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: control, IR, PC, EA-control, IR and administration of EA (IR/EA) and PC and administration of EA (PC/EA). The IR, PC, IR/EA and PC/EA groups underwent 60 min of infrarenal aortic cross-clamping. After that, PC was performed in the PC and PC/EA groups. In 3 of the groups, the animals were treated with EA (EA-control, IR/EA and PC/EA groups) as well. The ischemia was followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Blood samples and biopsy specimens were collected from the quadriceps muscle. Plasma malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, thiol/sulfhydryl group levels, TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations and superoxide-dismutase enzyme activity were measured. RESULTS: The levels of the OSP and the inflammatory proteins were higher in the EA-administered groups. The ratio of phosphorylated PSP was higher in the EA-administered groups and the protective effect of PC did not develop. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of GST by EA augmented the IR damage. GST inhibition was associated with a different activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases and the PSP, regulating these pathways in the process of apoptosis and PC.
Subject(s)
Ethacrynic Acid/toxicity , Glutathione Transferase/antagonists & inhibitors , Hindlimb/blood supply , Ischemic Postconditioning , Postoperative Complications/pathology , Reperfusion Injury/pathology , Acute Disease , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , Glutathione/blood , Glutathione Transferase/physiology , Inflammation , Interleukin-6/blood , Male , Malondialdehyde/blood , Oxidation-Reduction , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Postoperative Complications/enzymology , Quadriceps Muscle/blood supply , Quadriceps Muscle/pathology , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Reperfusion Injury/enzymology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Sulfhydryl Compounds/blood , Superoxide Dismutase/blood , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/analysisABSTRACT
In the present study we explored glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphisms in selected patients who experienced accelerated myocardial injury following open heart surgery and compared these to a control group of patients without postoperative complications. 758 Patients were enrolled from which 132 patients were selected to genotype analysis according to exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into the following groups: Group I: control patients (n = 78) without and Group II.: study patients (n = 54) with evidence of perioperative myocardial infarction. Genotyping for GSTP1 A (Ile105Ile/Ala113Ala), B (Ile105Val/Ala113Ala) and C (Ile105Val/Ala113Val) alleles was performed by using real-time-PCR. The heterozygous AC allele was nearly three times elevated (18.5 vs. 7.7 %) in the patients who suffered postoperative myocardial infarction compared to controls. Contrary, we found allele frequency of 14.1 % for homozygous BB allele in the control group whereas no such allele combination was present in the study group. These preliminary results may suggest the protective role for the B and C alleles during myocardial oxidative stress whereas the A allele may represent predisposing risk for cellular injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Subject(s)
Glutathione Transferase/genetics , Myocardial Infarction/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic/genetics , Alleles , Cardiac Surgical Procedures/methods , Case-Control Studies , Female , Gene Frequency/genetics , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Myocardial Infarction/surgery , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
UV-B radiation may have either a positive or negative impact under the same conditions in wheat, depending on the type of secondary abiotic stressor: Cd or drought. Supplemental UV-B prevented the wilting and leaf rolling induced by PEG treatment. In contrast, combined UV-B and Cd treatment resulted in pronounced oxidative stress. The opposite effect of UV-B radiation in the case of drought or cadmium stress may be related to the alteration induced in the fatty acid composition. UV-B caused changes in the unsaturation of leaf phosphatidylglycerol fractions, and the accumulation of flavonoid in the leaves may prevent the stress induced by subsequent drought treatment. However it resulted in pronounced injury despite the increased flavonoid content in roots exposed to Cd. This was manifested in a drastic decrease in the unsaturation of the leaf monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and the root phosphatidylglycerol and digalactosyldiacylglycerol fractions. Data on the flavonoid content and fatty acid composition showed that oxidative stress was induced by drought in the leaves, by Cd in the roots, and interestingly, by UV-B radiation in both the leaves and roots. The additive effect of the combined stresses was also detected in the roots. The results presented here suggest a relationship between the capacity of the plant to remodel the fatty acid composition and its resistance to various stress factors.
Subject(s)
Cadmium/toxicity , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Lipid Metabolism/radiation effects , Membrane Lipids/metabolism , Triticum/metabolism , Antioxidants/metabolism , Droughts , Flavonoids/metabolism , Galactolipids/metabolism , Lipid Metabolism/drug effects , Plant Leaves/drug effects , Plant Leaves/metabolism , Plant Roots/drug effects , Plant Roots/metabolism , Triticum/drug effects , Triticum/radiation effects , Ultraviolet Rays , Water/metabolismABSTRACT
Lighter fluids are consumer products used only at a low-volume scale, representing a realizable goal of fossil fuel replacement by renewables. Physicochemical properties of four fossil-based conventional lighter fluids (Ronsonol, Zippo, Landmann, and Terracotta) and six selected biomass-based chemicals (γ-valerolactone, ethyl-levulinate, ethanol, n-butanol, γ-valerolactone 90% v/v and ethanol 10% v/v, and ethyl-levulinate 90% v/v and ethanol 10% v/v mixtures) as potential biomass-based lighter fluids were assessed. Assessments were carried out in terms of safety, toxicological, and environmental viewpoints, represented by a flash point, boiling point, vapor pressure values, and evaporation rates; oral toxicity measured on rats; and real ethanol equivalent values, respectively. Parameters were collected where available; in the absence of literature data, they were calculated or measured and then analyzed. Finally, multicriteria analysis based on the flash point, boiling point, vapor pressure, toxicity, and ethanol equivalent values revealed γ-valerolactone as a renewable substance, which can be a promising alternative to replace fossil-based lighter fluids because it was awarded as the first in the multicriteria evaluation by obtaining the highest value of the overall scores. In practical usage, however, ignition, combustion experiments, flue gas, and emission analysis are also required to underline its commercial use in the future.
ABSTRACT
Brain interstitial pH (pHbrain) alterations play a crucial role in the development of hypoxic-ischemic (HI) encephalopathy (HIE) caused by asphyxia in neonates. The newborn pig is one of the most suitable large animal models for studying HIE, however, compared to rats, experimental data on pHbrain alterations during HIE induction are limited. The major objective of the present study was thus to compare pHbrain changes during HIE development induced by experimental normocapnic hypoxia (H) or asphyxia (A), elicited with ventilation of a gas mixture containing 6%O2 or 6%O2/20%CO2, respectively for 20 min, under either normothermia (NT) or hypothermia (HT) (38.5 ± 0.5 °C or 33.5 ± 0.5 °C core temperature, respectively) in anesthetized piglets yielding four groups: H-NT, A-NT, H-HT, and A-HT. pHbrain changes during HI stress and the 60 min reoxygenation period were measured using a pH-selective microelectrode inserted into the parietal cortex through an open cranial window. In all groups, the pHbrain response to HI stress was acidosis, at the nadir pHbrain values dropped from the baseline of 7.27 ± 0.02 to H-NT:5.93 ± 0.30, A-NT:5.90 ± 0.52, H-HT:6.81 ± 0.27, and A-HT:6.27 ± 0.24 indicating that (1) H and A elicited similar, severe brain acidosis under NT greatly exceeding pH changes in arterial blood (pHa dropped to 7.24 ± 0.07 and 6.78 ± 0.03 from 7.52 ± 0.06 and 7.50 ± 0.05, respectively), and (2) HT ameliorated more the brain acidosis induced by H than by A. In all four groups, pHbrain was restored to baseline values without an alkalotic overshoot during the observed reoxygenation, Our findings suggest that under NT either H or A - both commonly employed HI stresses to elicit HIE in piglet models - would result in a similar acidotic pHbrain response without an alkalotic component either during the HI stress or the early reoxygenation period.
ABSTRACT
Pineal region tumors account for less than 1% of adult supratentorial tumors. Their treatment requires a multimodality approach. Previously, the treatment of choice was direct surgery, which is associated with high surgical risk. Advances in minimally invasive techniques and onco-radiotherapy offer a safe and multimodal personalized therapy. The aim of our study was to describe the practice of our Institute based on combined endoscopic and radiotherapy techniques. We performed a retrospective clinical study. We processed data from 23 adult patients who underwent endoscopic third ventricle fenestration and pineal tumor biopsy between 2014 and 2023. Descriptive statistics, t-test, Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier analysis were performed. Clinical improvement with endoscopic intervention was achieved in 78.3% of cases. Significant increase in preoperative performance status was observed in the postoperative period (p=2.755e-5), and radiotherapy resulted in regression or stable disease. Our results suggest a safe treatment with good clinical outcome and an excellent alternative to direct surgery.