Nickel-iron-driven heterogenous bio-electro-fenton process for the degradation of methylparaben.

Discharge of emerging contaminants such as parabens in natural water bodies is a grievous concern. Among parabens, methylparaben (MP) is most prevalent due to its extensive usage in personal care and food products and has been purported to trigger hormonal-related diseases. In this regard, the bio-electro-Fenton (BEF) process garners attention for remediating refractory compounds because of its ability to generate in situ hydroxyl radicals (•OH) utilising the energy harvested from electroactive microorganisms. In the present investigation, a Ni-Fe-driven heterogenous BEF system (BEF-MFC) was used to degrade MP from different matrices. At neutral catholyte pH, 99.54 ± 0.22% of MP was removed from an initial concentration of 10 mg/L in 240 min of retention time with an estimated treatment cost of about 1.01 $/m3. The removal rate ameliorated when the catholyte pH was dropped to 3.0 and by imposing an external voltage of 0.5 V, requiring just 120 min to achieve comparable MP removal efficiencies. However, catalyst leaching was higher at acidic pH (leaching of Fe ions = 0.44 mg/L and Ni ions = 0.06 mg/L) and applying external voltage increased the treatment cost slightly to 1.08 $/m3. Further, treatment of 10 mg/L MP-spiked real wastewater at pH of 7.0 with the BEF-MFC attained 85.70 ± 3.30% and 56.50 ± 1.70% reduction in MP and total organic carbon, respectively, in 240 min. In addition, a maximum power density of 205.90 ± 2.27 mW/cm2 was harvested in the BEF-MFC; thus, portraying the dual benefit of Ni-Fe heterogeneous catalyst. Even though, Ni-Fe performed reasonably well as Fenton-cum-cathode catalyst, future endeavours should be poised to fine-tune catalysts to accelerate H2O2 and •OH generation, which will reinforce the scalability of this system.

Graphene and biochar-based cathode catalysts for microbial fuel cell: Performance evaluation, economic comparison, environmental and future perspectives.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been the prime focus of research in recent years because of their distinctive feature of concomitantly treating and producing electricity from wastewater. Nevertheless, the electrical performance of MFCs is hindered by a protracted oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and often a catalyst is required to boost the cathodic reactions. Conventional transition metals-based catalysts are expensive and infeasible for field-scale usage. In this regard, carbon-based electrocatalysts like waste-derived biochar and graphene are used to enhance the commercialisation prospects of MFC technology. These carbon-catalysts possess unique properties like superior electrocatalytic activity, higher surface area, and high porosity conducive to ORR. Theoretically, graphene-based cathode catalysts yield superior results than a biochar-derived catalyst, though at a higher cost. In contrast, the synthesis of waste-extracted biochar is economical; however, its ability to catalyse ORR is debatable. Therefore, this review aims to make a side-by-side techno-economic assessment of biochar and graphene-based cathode catalyst used in MFC to predict the relative performance and typical cost of power recovery. Additionally, the life cycle analysis of the graphene and biochar-based materials has been briefly discussed to comprehend the associated environmental impacts and overall sustainability of these carbo-catalysts.

Waste-derived iron catalyzed bio-electro-Fenton process for the cathodic degradation of surfactants.

The application of waste-derived iron for reuse in wastewater treatment is an effective way of utilizing waste and attaining sustainability in the overall process. In the present investigation, bio-electro-Fenton process was initiated for the cathodic degradation of surfactants using waste-iron catalyzed MFC (WFe-MFC). The waste-iron was derived from spent tonner ink using calcination at 600 °C. Three surfactants namely, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, and Triton x-100 were selected as target pollutants. The effect of experimental factors like application of catalyst, contact time, external resistance, and anodic substrate concentration on the SDS degradation was investigated. At a neutral pH, the cathodic surfactants removal efficiency in WFe-MFC was above 85% in a contact time of 180 min with the initial surfactant concentration of ∼20 mg L-1 and external resistance of 100 Ω. The long-term operation using secondary treated real wastewater with unchanged cathode proved that the catalyst was still active to produce effluent SDS concentration of less than 1 mg L-1 in 4 h of contact time after 16 cycles. In a way, the present investigation suggests a potential application for spent tonner ink in the form of Fenton catalyst for wastewater treatment via bio-electro-Fenton MFC.

Microbial fuel cell coupled Fenton oxidation for the cathodic degradation of emerging contaminants from wastewater: Applications and challenges.

Urbanization and industrialization have resulted in the escalation of the occurrence of emerging contaminants (EC) in the wastewater and ultimately to the receiving water bodies due to their bio-refractory nature. The presence of ECs in the water bodies adversely affects all three domains of life, viz. bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes, and eventually the ecosystem. Fenton oxidation is one of the most suitable method that is capable of degrading a variety of ECs by employing a strong oxidizing agent in the form of •OH. The coupling of Fenton oxidation with microbial fuel cell (MFC) offers benefits, such as low-cost, minimal requirement of external energy, and in-situ generation of oxidizing agents. The resulting system, termed as bio-electro-Fenton MFC (BEF-MFC), is capable of degrading the ECs in the cathodic chamber, while harvesting bioelectricity and simultaneously removing oxidizable organic matter from wastewater in the anodic chamber. This review discusses the applications of BEF-MFC for the treatment of dyes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and real complex wastewaters. Additionally, the effect of operating conditions on the performance of BEF-MFC are elaborated and emphasis is also given on possible future direction of research that can be adopted in BEF-MFC in the purview of up-scaling.

A novel bio-electro-Fenton process for eliminating sodium dodecyl sulphate from wastewater using dual chamber microbial fuel cell.

The frequent occurrence of surfactants in urban wastewaters represents a multifaceted environmental concern. In this investigation, bio-electro-Fenton-microbial fuel cell (BEF-MFC) was developed for the degradation of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) from wastewater. The synthesised cathode catalyst (powdered activated carbon and iron oxide) facilitated the Fenton reaction in the cathodic chamber of the MFC, concurrently generating a maximum power density of 105.67 mW m-2. The overall performance of the BEF-MFC for SDS removal and power generation excelled the control MFC (C-MFC) having carbon black coated cathode under similar operating conditions. Although, the rate of SDS degradation was favourable in acidic pH, under neutral pH, 70.8 ± 6.4% of SDS degradation was achieved in 120 min in BEF-MFC. A comparison of environmental impacts of BEF-MFC with up-flow MFC and electrochemical oxidation using life cycle assessment tool suggests that BEF-MFC can be one of the promising technologies for the tertiary treatment of wastewater.

Consensus and development of document for management of stabilized acute decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in India.

AIM: Ensuring adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is an effective strategy to reduce mortality and readmission rates for heart failure (HF). Use of a checklist is one of the best tools to ensure GDMT. The aim was to develop a consensus document with a robust checklist for stabilized acute decompensated HF patients with reduced ejection fraction. While there are multiple checklists available, an India-specific checklist that is easy to fill and validated by regional and national subject matter experts (SMEs) is required. METHODOLOGY: A total of 25 Cardiology SMEs who consented to participate from India discussed data from literature, current evidence, international guidelines and practical experiences in two national and four regional meetings. RESULTS: Recommendations included HF management, treatment optimization, and patient education. The checklist should be filled at four time points- (a) transition from intensive care unit to ward, (b) at discharge, (c) 1st follow-up and (d) subsequent follow-up. The checklist is the responsibility of the consultant or the treating physician which can be delegated to a junior resident or a trained HF nurse. CONCLUSION: This checklist will ensure GDMT, simplify transition of care and can be used by all doctors across India. Institutions, associations, and societies should recommend this checklist for adaptability in public and private hospital. Hospital administrations should roll out policy for adoption of checklist by ensuring patient files have the checklist at the time of discharge and encourage practice of filling it diligently during follow-up visits.

Effects of the estrous cycle and pregnancy status on cardiovascular variables in healthy bitches.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to characterize changes in maternal cardiovascular variables throughout the reproductive cycle in healthy bitches and determine whether magnitude of pregnancy-induced changes correlates to litter size. ANIMALS: Eleven client-owned breeding bitches were included in the study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bitches were enrolled prospectively and followed up longitudinally throughout a single reproductive cycle. Physical examination, echocardiography, blood pressure analysis, and plasma volume estimation were performed during proestrus, diestrus (early and late pregnancy), and anestrus. Fetal echocardiography was performed during late pregnancy. Data were compared across visits using a linear mixed-effects model, and correlation between variables was assessed. RESULTS: Compared with proestrus, no significant changes were observed at any phase of the cycle in heart rate, blood pressure, echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular size or function, or echocardiographic calculations of stroke volume or cardiac output. Estimated plasma volume increased by 29.6% in early pregnancy (p < 0.001) and 70.7% in late pregnancy (p < 0.001). Fetal echocardiography was feasible in a subset of fetuses for each bitch. There was a significant correlation between estimated total fetal cardiac output and late pregnancy increase in maternal cardiac output (p = 0.0025). The incidence of physiologic heart murmurs ranged from 5 of 11 (45%) bitches in proestrus to 2 of 11 (18%) bitches in late pregnancy, attributed to variations in aortic outflow velocity. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamic alterations in pregnant bitches do not result in consistently detectable echocardiographic changes, suggesting that cardiac screening could be diagnostic at any time during a reproductive cycle. Physiologic heart murmurs were common in this study population and not obviously associated with the reproductive cycle.

Waste-derived biochar: Applications and future perspective in microbial fuel cells.

Application of microbial fuel cell (MFC) is coming to the forefront as a dual-purpose system for wastewater treatment and energy recovery. Future research should emphasize on developing low-cost field-scale MFCs for removal of organic matter, nutrients, xenobiotic and recalcitrant compounds from wastewaters and powering low energy devices. For achieving this, low-cost electrodes, low-cost yet efficient cathode catalysts and proton exchange membrane (PEM) should be developed from waste-based resources to salvage the waste-derived material as much as possible, thereby reducing the fabrication cost of this device. Biochar is one such low-cost material, which has wide range of applications. This review discusses different applications of biochar in MFC, viz. in the form of standalone electrodes, electrocatalyst and material for PEM in light of different characteristics of biochar. Further emphasis is given on the future direction of research for implementation of biochar-based PEMs and electrodes in field-scale MFCs.

Surfactant removal from wastewater using photo-cathode microbial fuel cell and laterite-based hybrid treatment system.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is a widely used anionic surfactant, which finds its way to the receiving water body due to the incapability of conventional wastewater treatment systems to completely remove it. A hybrid treatment system consisting of upflow microbial fuel cell (MFC) with titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a photocathode catalyst was developed for treating synthetic wastewater spiked with SDS (10.00 ± 0.46 mg L-1). Effluent from anodic chamber of MFC was passed through raw laterite soil filter followed by the photo-cathodic chamber with TiO2-coated cathode irradiated with the UV spectrum. This hybrid system was operated under varying hydraulic retention time (HRT) in anodic chamber of MFC. The SDS removal efficiency of more than 96% along with organic matter removal efficiency of more than 71% was obtained by this hybrid system at different HRTs. The MFC having cathode coated with TiO2 could generate a maximum power density of 0.73 W m-3 and 0.46 W m-3 at the HRT of 12 h and 8 h, respectively, showing the adverse effect of increased SDS loading rate on the electrical performance of MFC. This investigation highlighted the importance of HRT in anodic chamber of MFC and offered solution for effective removal of surfactant from wastewater.

Interactions with 8-Anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic Acid (ANS) and Surface Hydrophobicity of Black Gram (Vigna mungo) Phaseolin.

Surface hydrophobicity (SH) properties of the trimeric storage protein phaseolin (black gram phaseolin [BGP]) of black gram (Vigna mungo) were investigated using 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate (ANS) as an extrinsic fluorescent probe. The emission maxima of fluorescence spectra of BGP:ANS complex were blue-shifted to 455 nm as compared to 515 nm for the free ANS. Saturation binding occurred at a dye-to-protein ratio of about 30:1. The quantum yield of the complex increased with increasing ionic strength. The Kd values were 1.7 × 10-5 and 1.37 × 10-5 M using fractional occupancy and Scatchard analysis, respectively. Analysis of the binding data using Klotz plot revealed 4 binding sites/protomer. SH of BGP was 48%, which rapidly decreased due to the perturbation of the binding sites as the protein unfolded in GdnHCl and urea. By varying processing conditions, it may be possible to alter the surface exposure of SH of BGP to extend its applications in novel food products with desired textural attributes. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Varying solvent and/or processing conditions can assist to modulate the surface hydrophobicity of functional legume proteins to achieve desired textural properties in the end product.

A comparison of the effects of carbon dioxide and medical air for abdominal insufflation on respiratory parameters in xylazine-sedated sheep undergoing laparoscopic artificial insemination.

AIMS: To determine if abdominal insufflation with medical air will improve oxygenation and ventilation parameters when compared to insufflation with CO2 in xylazine-sedated sheep undergoing laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI). METHODS: Forty-seven sheep underwent oestrus synchronisation and were fasted for 24 hours prior to laparoscopic AI. Each animal was randomised to receive either CO2 or medical air for abdominal insufflation. An auricular arterial catheter was placed and utilised for serial blood sampling. Respiratory rates (RR) and arterial blood samples were collected at baseline, after xylazine (0.1 mg/kg I/V) sedation, 2 minutes after Trendelenburg positioning, 5 minutes after abdominal insufflation, and 10 minutes after being returned to a standing position. Blood samples were collected in heparinised syringes, stored on ice, and analysed for arterial pH, partial pressure of arterial O2 (PaO2), and CO2 (PaCO2). The number of ewes conceiving to AI was also determined. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated temporal effects on RR, PaO2, PaCO2 and arterial pH during the laparoscopic AI procedure (p<0.001), but no difference between insufflation groups (p>0.01). No sheep experienced hypercapnia (PaCO2>50 mmHg) or acidaemia (pH<7.35). Hypoxaemia (PaO2<70 mmHg) was diagnosed during the procedure in 14/22 (64%) ewes in the CO2 group compared with 8/23 (35%) ewes in the medical air group (p=0.053). Overall, 15/20 (75%) ewes in the CO2 group conceived to AI compared with 16/22 (72.7%) in the medical air group (p=0.867). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There were no statistical or clinical differences in RR, PaO2, PaCO2, pH, or conception to AI when comparing the effects of CO2 and medical air as abdominal insufflation gases. None of the sheep experienced hypercapnia or acidaemic, yet 42% (19/45) of sheep developed clinical hypoxaemia, with a higher percentage of ewes in the CO2 group developing hypoxaemia than in the medical air group. Based on the overall analysis, medical air could be utilised as a comparable alternative for abdominal insufflation during laparoscopic AI procedures.

Multiple sclerosis or "inflammatory CADASIL?": Case Report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and CADASIL presenting together is exceedingly rare. As more cases of "inflammatory" CADASIL emerge, diagnostic challenges for clinicians increase. We report an individual with MS and CADASIL presenting with cognitive decline at age 25. She presented with gadolinium enhancing lesions on MRI and inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid raising the question of whether these patients should be given a diagnosis of "inflammatory CADASIL" or both MS and CADASIL. METHODS: A literature review was conducted on reports of inflammatory CADASIL or MS and CADASIL, clinical presentations including spinal cord lesions and CSF inflammatory markers. RESULTS: Nine cases in the literature of individuals with CADASIL and inflammatory presentations were found with treatment varying from intravenous steroids to MS immunomodulatory therapy. CONCLUSIONS: If individuals with CADASIL present with immune mediated inflammatory components they may benefit from immunomodulatory therapy. This is discussed with a review of the inflammatory CADASIL/MS cases in the literature and report of a case.

Analysis of Parallel Algorithms on SMP Node and Cluster of Workstations Using Parallel Programming Models with New Tile-based Method for Large Biological Datasets.

Sequence alignment is an important tool for describing the relationships between DNA sequences. Many sequence alignment algorithms exist, differing in efficiency, in their models of the sequences, and in the relationship between sequences. The focus of this study is to obtain an optimal alignment between two sequences of biological data, particularly DNA sequences. The algorithm is discussed with particular emphasis on time, speedup, and efficiency optimizations. Parallel programming presents a number of critical challenges to application developers. Today's supercomputer often consists of clusters of SMP nodes. Programming paradigms such as OpenMP and MPI are used to write parallel codes for such architectures. However, the OpenMP programs cannot be scaled for more than a single SMP node. However, programs written in MPI can have more than single SMP nodes. But such a programming paradigm has an overhead of internode communication. In this work, we explore the tradeoffs between using OpenMP and MPI. We demonstrate that the communication overhead incurs significantly even in OpenMP loop execution and increases with the number of cores participating. We also demonstrate a communication model to approximate the overhead from communication in OpenMP loops. Our results are astonishing and interesting to a large variety of input data files. We have developed our own load balancing and cache optimization technique for message passing model. Our experimental results show that our own developed techniques give optimum performance of our parallel algorithm for various sizes of input parameter, such as sequence size and tile size, on a wide variety of multicore architectures.

Interspecies and intraspecies interactions in social amoebae.

The stable co-existence of individuals of different genotypes and reproductive division of labour within heterogeneous groups are issues of fundamental interest from the viewpoint of evolution. Cellular slime moulds are convenient organisms in which to address both issues. Strains of a species co-occur, as do different species; social groups are often genetically heterogeneous. Intra- and interspecies 1 : 1 mixes of wild isolates of Dictyostelium giganteum and D. purpureum form chimaeric aggregates, following which they segregate to varying extents. Intraspecies aggregates develop in concert and give rise to chimaeric fruiting bodies that usually contain more spores (reproductives) of one component than the other. Reproductive skew and variance in the proportion of reproductives are positively correlated. Interspecies aggregates exhibit almost complete sorting; most spores in a fruiting body come from a single species. Between strains, somatic compatibility correlates weakly with sexual compatibility. It is highest within clones, lower between strains of a species and lowest between strains of different species. Trade-offs among fitness-related traits (between compatible strains), sorting out (between incompatible strains) and avoidance (between species) appear to lie behind coexistence.

2013 consensus statement for early reperfusion and pharmaco-invasive approach in patients presenting with chest pain diagnosed as STEMI (ST elevation myocardial infarction) in an Indian setting.

UNLABELLED: In India, the prevalence of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is rising exponentially leading to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite advancement in reperfusion therapy (pharmacologic and interventional), the overall utilization, system of care and timely reperfusion remains suboptimal. JUSTIFICATION AND PURPOSE: Alarming treatment delays exist in patients presenting with chest pain observed in real-world and published evidences. Time to diagnose STEMI and initiation of reperfusion therapy at various first medical contacts in India is variable mandating immediate attention. We intend to provide evidence based explicit recommendations for practicing clinicians about time-dependent early management and the concept of pharmaco-invasive (PI) approach, contextualized to the situation in India. PROCESS: Pre-prepared guidance document by expert steering committee was discussed and commented by over 150 experts representing from 16 states in India at regional level. The moderators of these meetings arrived at a consensus on the evaluation and management of STEMI patients by PI approach to improve clinical outcomes. RECOMMENDATIONS: In addition to patient awareness and education for early symptom identification, education is required for general practitioners and physicians/intensivists to implement early time dependent STEMI management. Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is the gold standard, yet it remains inaccessible to majority of patients, hence early reperfusion by initial use of fibrinolytics is recommended followed by coronary intervention. Fibrinolytics are easily available, economical and evaluated in several clinical studies and hence we recommend a PI approach (early fibrinolysis followed by PCI 3-24 hours later). We recommend a time guided 'Protocol/Plan of Action' for early fibrinolysis and implementing a PI approach at the level of general practitioners, non-PCI hospitals/nursing homes with intensive care facility and in PCI capable centers. For STEMI patients with symptom duration < 6 hours, we suggest administration of fibrinolytics either tenecteplase (Grade1A), reteplase (Grade1B), alteplase (Grade1C) or streptokinase (Grade 2B) alongside contemporary adjunctive medical therapy for PI approach. The aim of this Consensus Statement is * To provide explicit recommendations for practicing clinicians about the early management of STEMI and concept of pharmaco-invasive approach * To provide recommendations based on the best available evidences, contextualized to the situation in India. It must be recognized that even when randomized clinical trials have been undertaken, treatment options may be limited by resources. The Cardiocare STEMI experts realize that the recommended diagnostic examinations and treatment options may not be available or affordable in all parts of India. Cost-effectiveness is becoming an increasingly important issue when deciding upon therapeutic strategies. As always with guidelines/consensus statement, they are not prescriptive. Clinical scenario and patients vary so much from one another that individual care is paramount, and there is still an important place for clinical judgment, experience, and common sense. The mandate of the Cardiocare STEMI expert consensus is to recommend evidence-based standards of care, related targets and strategies for implementation of standards in the management of STEMI. CONTEXT AND USE: This document should be taken as consensus recommendations by qualified experts, not as rigid rules. It comprises of published evidence and may not cover every eventuality; new evidence is published every day. Furthermore, this should not be used as a legal resource, as the general nature cannot provide individualized guidance for all patients under all clinical circumstances.

Amitraz poisoning--an unusual pesticide poisoning.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: To report the clinical features, laboratory findings and the management instituted for the patients with acute Amitraz Poisoning. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Three cases of acute Amitraz Intoxication were studied and compared with previous reports from the literature. RESULTS: All the three female cases were brought to our hospital with age ranging from 2 years to 40 years, consumed poison by oral route. The ingested amount was ranging from 15 ml to 30 ml. Giddiness and vomiting were the prominent symptoms, next were drowsiness, irritability and respiratory distress. Two cases revealed gastric dilatation. Except hyperglycaemia and glucosuria other laboratory parameters were normal. Unconscious patient's CT brain revealed brain edema. One patient with hypotension improvement with i.v. fluids administration. All the patients recovered completely. DISCUSSION: Formamidines show toxic effects on both humans and animals. Amitraz is slightly toxic. Amitraz shows hepatotoxic, CNS stimulative or depressive effects. It can cause gastric stasis. Amitraz leads to rise in plasma glucose level and suppress insulin release. Decreased body temperature is due to inhibitory effect of Amitraz on Prostaglandin E2 synthesis. Even after poisoning by potentially lethal dose of Amitraz, studies have reported complete recovery. As there is no specific antidote for Amitraz Poisoning the medical management with O2 supplementation, airway maintenance, proper hydration and supportive management are the key factors for complete recovery of the patient. Public Health Education and instructions to drug producing companies will be necessary to decrease the incidence of Amitraz Poisoning.

Vitamin B12-responsive severe leukoencephalopathy and autonomic dysfunction in a patient with "normal" serum B12 levels.

Leukoencephalopathy and autonomic dysfunction have been described in individuals with very low serum B(12) levels (<200 pg/ml), in addition to psychiatric changes, neuropathy, dementia and subacute combined degeneration. Elevated homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels are considered more sensitive and specific for evaluating truly functional B(12) deficiency. A previously healthy 62-year-old woman developed depression and cognitive deficits with autonomic dysfunction that progressed over the course of 5 years. The patient had progressive, severe leukoencephalopathy on multiple MRI scans over 5 years. Serum B(12) levels ranged from 267 to 447 pg/ml. Homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels were normal. Testing for antibody to intrinsic factor was positive, consistent with pernicious anaemia. After treatment with intramuscular B(12) injections (1000 µg daily for 1 week, weekly for 6 weeks, then monthly), she made a remarkable clinical recovery but remained amnesic for major events of the last 5 years. Repeat MRI showed partial resolution of white matter changes. Serum B(12), homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels are unreliable predictors of B(12)-responsive neurologic disorders, and should be thoroughly investigated and presumptively treated in patients with unexplained leukoencephalopathy because even long-standing deficits may be reversible.

Cytokines, matrix metalloproteases, angiogenic and growth factors in tears of normal subjects and vernal keratoconjunctivitis patients.

BACKGROUND: To detect the presence of multiple mediators and growth factors in tears of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) patients with active disease using stationary phase antibody arrays. METHODS: Tears were collected from 12 normal subjects (CT) and 24 active VKC patients. Tears were centrifuged and successively probed using three microwell plate arrays specific for: (i) cytokines: interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, interferon-gamma and tumour necrosis factor-alpha; (ii) growth factors: basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor, thrombopoietin, angiopoietin-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), keratocyte growth factor, tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease (TIMP)-1 and heparin-binding epithelial growth factor (HB-EGF) and (iii) matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10, MMP-13, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. RESULTS: Interleukin-8 signals were detected in all CT and highly detected in all VKC samples. The Th2-type cytokines, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 were detected only in tears of VKC patients. Signals for bFGF, HB-EGF, VEGF and HGF were detected in 41-87% of VKC samples and in few CT samples. Only TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were found in all normal and patient tear samples, whereas MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-10 were highly present in all VKC samples. CONCLUSIONS: Stationary phase antibody array methodology was useful for the screening of various cytokines, growth factors and MMPs in tears. These analyses identified in tears of VKC patients previously unreported factors including MMP-3 and MMP-10 and multiple proteases, growth factors and cytokines, which may all play an important role in the pathogenesis of conjunctival inflammation.

Fatty acid composition of California grown almonds.

Eight almond (Prunus dulcis L.) cultivars from 12 different California counties, collected during crop years 2004 to 2005 and 2005 to 2006, were extracted with petroleum ether. The extracts were subjected to GC-MS analyses to determine fatty acid composition of soluble lipids. Results indicated palmitic (C16:0), oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), and alpha-linolenic (C18:3) acid, respectively, accounted for 5.07% to 6.78%, 57.54% to 73.94%, 19.32% to 35.18%, and 0.04% to 0.10%; of the total lipids. Oleic and linoleic acid were inversely correlated (r=-0.99, P= 0.05) and together accounted for 91.16% to 94.29% of the total soluble lipids. Statistically, fatty acid composition was significantly affected by cultivar and county.