The K48-K63 Branched Ubiquitin Chain Regulates NF-κB Signaling.

Polyubiquitin chains of different topologies regulate diverse cellular processes. K48- and K63-linked chains, the two most abundant chain types, regulate proteolytic and signaling pathways, respectively. Although recent studies reported important roles for heterogeneous chains, the functions of branched ubiquitin chains remain unclear. Here, we show that the ubiquitin chain branched at K48 and K63 regulates nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling. A mass-spectrometry-based quantification strategy revealed that K48-K63 branched ubiquitin linkages are abundant in cells. In response to interleukin-1ß, the E3 ubiquitin ligase HUWE1 generates K48 branches on K63 chains formed by TRAF6, yielding K48-K63 branched chains. The K48-K63 branched linkage permits recognition by TAB2 but protects K63 linkages from CYLD-mediated deubiquitylation, thereby amplifying NF-κB signals. These results reveal a previously unappreciated cooperation between K48 and K63 linkages that generates a unique coding signal: ubiquitin chain branching differentially controls readout of the ubiquitin code by specific reader and eraser proteins to activate NF-κB signaling.

Fluorine contamination, mobility, and risks in soils at a phosphate-gypsum waste landfill: a new analytical method and comparison with previous methods.

This study used a new X-ray fluorescence (XRF)-based analytical method with better precision and sensitivity to evaluate the fluorine concentrations in soil. It was hypothesized that the XRF method with a pellet-synthesizing procedure may effectively analyze the fluorine concentrations in soil with ease and reliability. The total fluorine concentrations determined using XRF were compared with those determined using three different types of analytical protocols-incineration/distillation, alkaline fusion, and aqua regia extraction procedures. Among the three procedures, the incineration/distillation procedure did not show reliable precision and reproducibility. In contrast, the total fluorine concentrations determined using the XRF analysis were linearly correlated with those determined using the alkaline fusion and aqua regia extraction procedures. Based on the results of the Korean waste leaching procedure and toxicity characteristics leaching procedure, the leachability of fluorine from soil and waste was not directly related to total fluorine concentrations in soil. Risk assessment also revealed that the fluorine-rich soils did not show non-carcinogenic toxic effects, despite exceeding the regulation level (800 mg/kg) in South Korea for total fluorine concentrations in soil. Our results suggest that XRF analysis in combination with the newly developed pretreatment method may be a promising alternative procedure for easily and rapidly determining the total fluorine concentration in soil. However, further efforts are needed to evaluate fluorine leachability and its associated risks in fluorine-contaminated soils.

Extended automated quantification algorithm (AQuA) for targeted 1H NMR metabolomics of highly complex samples: application to plant root exudates.

INTRODUCTION: The Automated Quantification Algorithm (AQuA) is a rapid and efficient method for targeted NMR-based metabolomics, currently optimised for blood plasma. AQuA quantifies metabolites from 1D-1H NMR spectra based on the height of only one signal per metabolite, which minimises the computational time and workload of the method without compromising the quantification accuracy. OBJECTIVES: To develop a fast and computationally efficient extension of AQuA for quantification of selected metabolites in highly complex samples, with minimal prior sample preparation. In particular, the method should be capable of handling interferences caused by broad background signals. METHODS: An automatic baseline correction function was combined with AQuA into an automated workflow, the extended AQuA, for quantification of metabolites in plant root exudate NMR spectra that contained broad background signals and baseline distortions. The approach was evaluated using simulations as well as a spike-in experiment in which known metabolite amounts were added to a complex sample matrix. RESULTS: The extended AQuA enables accurate quantification of metabolites in 1D-1H NMR spectra with varying complexity. The method is very fast (< 1 s per spectrum) and can be fully automated. CONCLUSIONS: The extended AQuA is an automated quantification method intended for 1D-1H NMR spectra containing broad background signals and baseline distortions. Although the method was developed for plant root exudates, it should be readily applicable to any NMR spectra displaying similar issues as it is purely computational and applied to NMR spectra post-acquisition.

Unexpected Dioxin Formation During Digestion of Soil with Oxidizing Acids.

Dioxins, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), are among the most toxic unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants, and their emission is of great concern. Herein, we discovered abundant dioxin formation in soil and various organic carbon-containing matrices after digestion with aqua regia. Σ17PCDD/Fs concentrations were in the range of 66.6-142,834 pg/g dw (5.6-17,021 pg WHO2005-TEQ/g dw) in 19 soil samples after digestion with aqua regia for 6 h. Σ17PCDD/Fs concentration was significantly and positively correlated with soil organic carbon content (R2 = 0.89; p < 0.01). Compared with cellulose and lignin, humic acid served as an important organic matter component that was converted to PCDD/Fs during soil digestion. Strong oxidation and production of reactive chlorine by aqua regia may be the key factors in the formation of PCDD/Fs. The yearly emission of PCDD/Fs due to digestion with strong acids by the inspection and testing industry was estimated to be 83.8 g TEQ in China in 2021 based on the highest level, which was ∼0.9% of the total dioxin inventory in China. Great attention should be paid to unexpected dioxin formation during digestion processes considering the potential risk of release from laboratories and enterprises.

Targeting of platinum capture under 1+1 aqua regia using robust and recyclable polymeric polyamine resin: Adsorption performance and mechanism.

The targeted capture of platinum from complex and harsh acidic digests such as those platinum-containing secondary resources is essential from the perspectives of green development. Here, a polyamine chelating resin (CMPs-PEI) with excellent selectivity and acid resistance was prepared by a nucleophilic substitution reaction using chloromethylated polystyrene as the parent and polyethyleneimine as the modifier. The experimental results revealed that the adsorbent showed excellent adsorption effect on platinum under different acidities, and its maximum adsorption capacity was up to 337 mg/g at pH 2. More impressively, a rather high capacity of 162.41 mg/g was achieved in 1 + 1 aqua regia (pH -0.7), which was much higher than other adsorbent materials under the same conditions. In addition, the recovery of platinum by CMPs-PEI in practical platinum-containing iron concentrate abatement solution was 100 %. Mechanistic studies showed that the protonated amine groups on CMPs-PEI bound PtCl62- and partially reduced PtCl42- by electrostatic attraction. Meanwhile, the excellent regeneration performance of CMPs-PEI indicated that it showed great potential for green and economic recovery of precious metal ions.

Impact of electronic portal image quality on Elekta AQUA® collimator isocenter.

PURPOSE: The collimator radiation isocenter position determined in AQUA® v3.0 [Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden] software test "MLC Leaf and Jaw Position" was independently validated using an in-house MATLAB [Natick, MA: The MathWorks Inc.] script. METHODS: The AQUA test determines radiation isocenter using the mean field center of nine 4 cm × 4 cm electronic portal imager (EPID) exposures at equidistant collimator angles. Impact of EPID image quality on AQUA reported isocenter for thirteen Elekta linear accelerators with Agility MLC heads were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the thirteen, three had visually and quantitatively identifiable artifacts. For the ten good EPID's there was a systematic 0.25 mm offset of the MATLAB calculated mean field center relative to AQUA in the X-axis and Y-axis. This corresponds to one image pixel and was found to be due to differences in software co-ordinate convention. After subtracting this offset there was no significant difference in AQUA and MATLAB calculated isocenter. CONCLUSIONS: For the three machines with poor image quality there was a demonstrated variation in AQUA calculated field center and therefore radiation isocenter relative to MATLAB. Restricting the region of interest (ROI) in AQUA software to only the irradiated section of the EPID brought AQUA and MATLAB result for these three machines into agreement.

A Comparative Analysis of Neuroprotective Properties of Taxifolin and Its Water-Soluble Form in Ischemia of Cerebral Cortical Cells of the Mouse.

Cerebral ischemia, and, as a result, insult, attacks up to 15 million people yearly in the world. In this connection, the development of effective preventive programs and methods of therapy has become one of the most urgent problems in modern angiology and pharmacology. The cytoprotective action of taxifolin (TAX) in ischemia is well known, but its limitations are also known due to its poor solubility and low capacity to pass through the hematoencephalic barrier. Molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of TAX in complex systems such as the brain remain poorly understood. It is known that the main cell types of the brain are neurons, astrocytes, and microglia, which regulate the activity of each other through neuroglial interactions. In this work, a comparative study of cytoprotective mechanisms of the effect of TAX and its new water-soluble form aqua taxifolin (aqTAX) was performed on cultured brain cells under ischemia-like conditions (oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)) followed by the reoxygenation of the culture medium. The concentration dependences of the protective effects of both taxifolin forms were determined using fluorescence microscopy, PCR analysis, and vitality tests. It was found that TAX began to effectively inhibit necrosis and the late stages of apoptosis in the concentration range of 30-100 µg/mL, with aqTAX in the range of 10-30 µg/mL. At the level of gene expression, aqTAX affected a larger number of genes than TAX; enhanced the basic and OGD/R-induced expression of genes encoding ROS-scavenging proteins with a higher efficiency, as well as anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic proteins; and lowered the level of excitatory glutamate receptors. As a result, aqTAX significantly inhibited the OGD-induced increase in the Ca2+ levels in the cytosol ([Ca2+]i) in neurons and astrocytes under ischemic conditions. After a 40 min preincubation of cells with aqTAX under hypoxic conditions, these Ca2+ signals were completely inhibited, resulting in an almost complete suppression of necrotic death of cerebral cortical cells, which was not observed with the use of classical TAX.

First report on larvicidal potential of zinc sulfide aqua nanoparticles against Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus).

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Mosquitoes are considered to be the deadliest arthropod-vectors, which cause millions of human deaths globally. Presently, nanotechnology in the field of insect pest management is being explored. The current study deals with the synthesis of zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) in aqueous medium and their larvicidal efficacy against Ae. aegypti. METHODS: Aqueous zinc sulfide nanoparticles were synthesized by mixing equal quantities of zinc acetate and zinc sulfide solutions by using sonochemical irradiation method. The synthesized NPs were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Larvicidal activity was performed according to WHO protocol and toxicity values were calculated by log-probit technique using POLO software. The morphological alterations between treated and control larvae were observed and compared. RESULTS: TEM studies revealed the average particle size of synthesized nanoparticles to be 19.65 ± 1.08 nm with distorted spherical shape. The mosquito-larvicidal efficacy of ZnS NPs against Ae. aegypti showed maximum lethal effects with the LC50 and LC90 values of 4.49 and 15.58 ppm respectively. The morphological analysis of the mosquito larvae treated with ZnS NPs revealed shrunken and darkened body. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: This study suggests that synthesized zinc sulfide aqua nanoparticles have good potential larvicidal properties making them best candidate for Aedes aegypti control.

Absorption of Water Vapor by Bambus[6]uril and a Density Functional Theory Study of Its Aqua Complexes.

The absorption/desorption of water vapor by bambus[6]uril (Bu[6]) has been studied. According to kinetic experiments, the absorption capacity of Bu[6] is 4 moles of water per 1 mole of Bu[6] with the absorption duration of 20 min and the complete desorption duration of 100 min. Experimental rate constants for water vapor absorption and desorption by Bu[6] have been determined to be 0.166 min-1 and 0.0221 min-1, respectively. The obtained results are in agreement with theoretical calculations using the DFT method. A hypothetical structure of bambus[6]uril tetrahydrate (Bu[6]·4H2O) has been proposed based on the experimental and DFT data.

Recent advances in the application of microalgae and its derivatives for preservation, quality improvement, and shelf-life extension of seafood.

Seafood is a highly perishable food product due to microbiological, chemical, and enzymatic reactions, which are the principal causes of their rapid quality deterioration. Therefore, ever-increasing consumers' demand for high-quality seafood along with a negative perception of synthetic preservatives creates opportunities for natural preservatives such as microalgae extracts. They are potential alternatives to reduce microbial growth, increase oxidative stability, and protect the sensorial properties of seafood. Research has shown that the inclusion of microalgae extracts into the aquatic animal's diet could enhance their meat quality and increase production. This review focuses on the direct application of various microalgae extracts as seafood preservative, and their functional properties in seafood, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Besides, the potential nutritional application of microalgae extracts as an alternative in aqua-feed and their impact on seafood quality (indirect application) are also presented. The safety aspects and regulatory issues of products from microalgae are highlighted.

What web-based information is available for people with Parkinson's disease interested in aquatic physiotherapy? A social listening study.

BACKGROUND: Aquatic physiotherapy is becoming a more frequently utilised treatment for people with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Consumers are increasingly accessing information regarding health choices online, and it is not known what type or quality of information regarding aquatic physiotherapy is available. METHODS: Web-based platforms (Facebook™, Twitter™, YouTube™, Instagram™, blogs and the web) were searched using the Awario© social listening software. Webpages had to be in English, mention PD, aquatic physiotherapy and its effects. Quality of webpages was assessed using a modified DISCERN tool and content analysis summarised reported effects. RESULTS: Awario© identified 2992 entries, with 133 assessed using the modified DISCERN tool. A small number (n = 31, 24%) described the effects of aquatic physiotherapy for people with PD. Quality of webpages was low, with many lacking information regarding clear sources of information, contraindications to aquatic physiotherapy and descriptions of the therapeutic environment. Content analysis showed several themes; general physical, PD-specific and psychosocial effects. More than a third of webpages indicated that aquatic physiotherapy would improve strength, balance, pain and aid relaxation. A large number (n = 96, 72%) described at least one hydrodynamic or hydrostatic property of water, most commonly buoyancy (n-83, 62%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall quality of information was poor, and it is recommended that webpages list all potential contraindications to aquatic physiotherapy and direct consumers to discuss potential participation with their healthcare professionals. Webpages also should include information regarding the therapeutic environment, disclose sources of information and focus on enablers to exercise to improve engagement of people with PD in aquatic physiotherapy.

Al3+ solvation in solutions of aluminum nitrate in a protic ionic liquid: Nuclear magnetic resonance verification of the solvation shell composition.

The closest environment of Al3+ cations was analyzed in detail in solutions of aluminum nitrate in the prototypical protic ionic liquid ethyl ammonium nitrate (EAN) using 1 H and 14 N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. For Al (NO3 )3 -EAN mixtures with different water content, a quantitative analysis of the integral intensities of the 1 H and 14 N signals was carried out and the composition of the first solvation shell of the aluminum cation was refined.

Revealing XRF data quality level, comparability with ICP-ES/ICP-MS soil PTE contents and similarities in PTE induced health risk.

Portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) was recognized as an efficient and promising tools to study the contents of chemical elements in various media including soils under the impact of anthropogenic activities. However, the quality of data and the equality of chemical elements with other common analytical methods such as aqua-regia extraction vary depending on site, sample conditions, and analysis time. In this study, we examine the adequacy of XRF and ICP-ES/ICP-MS aqua-regia extractable (AR) results obtained for lab-type pretreated samples (N = 15) for Ti, Fe, Mn, Co, V, Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, Mo, Sr, and As contents in soils under the impact of copper smelter and assess the equality of PTE contents induced health risk. The obtained results suggested that XRF reached definitive data quality level for As, Zn, and Mn and screening (quantitative) data quality level established for Cu, Pb, Fe, Mo, Cr, V, and Ti. Moreover, in some cases (i.e., for Ti) XRF overperformed AR indicating the high efficiency of XRF application when sparingly soluble mineral matrices are presented. At the same time, PTE induced health risk assessment at the established data quality level showed that equality of non-carcinogenic children health risk was observed for As, Zn, Cu, Pb, Mn, and V. The latter indicating the applicability of XRF to generate reliable base for risky sites identification and characterization.

Sulfur analyses and mineralogical data in the preliminary mine waste characterization.

The objective of this study was to investigate the use of the acid production potential (AP) calculation factor and seven different S analysis methods in the preliminary mine waste characterization by analyzing and comparing 48 Finnish mine waste samples. Special attention was paid on mineralogical aspects and data produced in the exploration phase of a mining project.According to our results, the abundance of sulfide species other than pyrite in Finnish mine waste suggests that the factor to calculate the AP should be considered based on mineralogy and would often be below 31.25. Therefore, the mineralogy-based determination of S should be preferred. However, the determination of S based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) mineralogy includes some uncertainties. Underestimation of S content may appear if not all S-bearing mineral particles have been detected, or if the amount of S is low in general. This uncertainty appears to be especially related to the samples containing elevated (> 9 wt%) amounts of serpentine, diopside, augite, and/or hornblende. Risk of overestimating AP is related to samples containing high amounts (> 4.13 wt%) of S-bearing minerals. These uncertainties can be reduced by inspecting that the SEM mineralogy-based S concentrations are in line with the energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer data. The aqua regia extractable S concentrations, which are often available in the exploration phase, appeared to be usable in the preliminary waste rock AP assessment and often comparable with the analytical total S values in the Finnish waste rock samples, especially when the samples did not contain any sulfate minerals. In contrast, the analytical sulfide S and the X-ray fluorescence methods may lead to an underestimation of AP.

Crystal Structure Dependent Dissolution of Non-Cubic Au Crystallites in Aqua Regia.

Properties of metal crystallites are governed by their morphologies and inherent crystal structures. In this work, bipyramidal Au microcrystallites hosting non-cubic lattices, body-centered orthorhombic and tetragonal (together termed as bc(o,t)), are investigated for their stability in aqua regia. Specifically, microcrystallites comprising 92 % of bc(o,t) have been subjected to aqua regia of different concentrations and the changes in morphology and lattice phases have been monitored using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. The dissolution process was found to be crystal structure dependent and begin at the bipyramidal tips enriched with fcc lattice while retaining the bc(o,t) rich body. Interestingly, with increasing the reaction times, the remaining core was found to be highly reluctant to dissolution and instead, transformed to tetragonal lattices which with increasing treatment, exhibited lattice parameters closer to that of fcc. The study reveals the presence of a bc(o,t)-fcc core-shell structure with the tips enriched with fcc.

The effects of immunostimulatory herbal supplements on autoimmune skin diseases.

The use of herbal supplements that promise to improve immune health has gained popularity among dermatology patients. However, there is little to no evidence that herbal supplements improve dermatologic conditions. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that Spirulina platensis, Aphanizomenon flos-aqua, Chlorella, Echinacea, and alfalfa activate immune cells via certain cytokines and chemokines. Case reports suggest the association of ingesting immunostimulatory herbs and the clinical onset or flares of diseases characterized by an exaggerated immune response such as lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and autoimmune blistering disorders. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate the prevalence of herbal supplement use in this patient population. In addition, in vitro studies should examine the underlying mechanisms by which herbs stimulate immune pathways that are already overactive in autoimmune patients.

A comparative study between the two patch test systems Finn chambers and Finn chambers AQUA.

BACKGROUND: Finn Chambers AQUA (FCA) is a development of the Finn Chambers (FC) test system in which the test chambers are mounted on a moisture-resistant adhesive patch. FCA has pre-fixed filter papers. Because the use of FCA does not require any extra taping or use of separate filter papers, a change from FC to FCA chambers may be beneficial for both patients and patch test technicians. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether there are any differences regarding detection of contact allergy when simultaneous patch testing is performed with FC and FCA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Results from 434 dermatitis patients simultaneously tested with 10 allergens in both FC and FCA were evaluated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences regarding detection of positive reactions between the two test systems. There were significantly more doubtful reactions to methylisothiazolinone, fragrance mix I and hydroperoxides of linalool when testing with FCA. We only observed significantly more doubtful reactions in FC regarding nickel(II)sulfate. Irritant reactions to formaldehyde were also significantly more common when using FCA. CONCLUSION: The FC and FCA had good agreement in detection of positive reactions. However, the results including doubtful and irritant reactions justify further research regarding optimization of the dose.

Drug use and abuse and the risk of adverse events in soccer players: results from a survey in Italian second league players.

Summary: Objective. Drug use in athletes has been frequently investigated in the last three decades, especially regarding its misuse for doping. However, little is known about the use of permitted drugs for medical purposes and less studies have investigated the relationship between adverse drugs reactions (ADRs) and sports. Methods. An observational cross-sectional investigation analyzing a group of second league soccer players (the second-highest division in Italy) was performed. Anamnestic and physical examinations as well as a validated questionnaire (AQUA©) were performed in a group of 378 Italian second league soccer players. Results. Most players (91.8%) reported the use of NSAIDs in the previous year, and one third of them were regular users. Analgesics were used in 64% of the players, while 52.1% had taken antibiotics in the previous year. 29.20% of players used intraarticular treatments in the previous year. In 7,4% of players, an ADRs was reported: 3,47% reacted to NSAIDs, 2,6% to antibiotics, 1,05% to analgesics and 1 of them to supplements. For intra-articular injections, only 2 players experienced ADRs. One quarter of players experienced reactions as urticaria-angioedema syndrome or more severe conditions as bronchospasm or anaphylaxis. Conclusions. This study shows that drug misuse/abuse in soccer is a real matter of debate, especially with regards to NSAIDs, exposing athletes to predictable and/or unpredictable risks for their health.

Radiometric Performance Evaluation of FY-4A/AGRI Based on Aqua/MODIS.

Fengyun-4A (FY-4A) is the first satellite of the Chinese second-generation geostationary orbit meteorological satellites (FY-4). The Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager (AGRI), onboard FY-4A does not load with high-precision calibration facility in visible and near infrared (VNIR) channel. As a consequence, it is necessary to comprehensively evaluate its radiometric performance and quantitatively describe the attenuation while using its VNIR data. In this paper, the radiometric performance at VNIR channels of FY-4A/AGRI is evaluated based on Aqua/MODIS data using the deep convective cloud (DCC) target. In order to reduce the influence of view angle and spectral response difference, the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) correction and spectral matching have been performed. The evaluation result shows the radiometric performance of FY-4A/AGRI: (1) is less stable and with obvious fluctuations; (2) has a lower radiation level because of 24.99% lower compared with Aqua/MODIS; 3) has a high attenuation with 9.11% total attenuation over 2 years and 4.0% average annual attenuation rate. After the evaluation, relative radiometric normalization between AGRI and MODIS in VNIR channel is performed and the procedure is proved effective. This paper proposed a more reliable reference for the quantitative applications of FY-4A data.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the anatomy of the maxillary artery using the Anatomical Quality Assurance (AQUA) checklist.

BACKGROUND: The maxillary artery (MA) is one of the terminal branches of the external carotid artery (ECA) and through its branches, it is responsible for vascularizing several organs and muscles of the head and neck, including their surrounding soft tissues, the oral and sinonasal cavities, dura mater, and various cranial nerves. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of maxillary artery anatomy according to the Anatomical Quality Assurance (AQUA) checklist. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search through PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SciELO, Springerlink, WILEY and BIREME databases. We applied the Anatomical Quality Assurance (AQUA) checklist for analysis the methodological quality of the articles. RESULTS: From a total of 11,759 articles found in the first search, and after applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, in addition to eliminating duplicate articles, a final number of 24 articles were identified. The information on the maxillary artery was analyzed from each study regarding its course in relation to the lateral pterygoid muscle, the intra- and extraluminal diameters of the maxillary artery and its branches, and the types of branching of the maxillary artery in the pterygopalatine fossa. CONCLUSION: From this study, it was possible to conclude the importance of anatomical knowledge of the maxillary artery, for its application in the clinical study of the head and neck, as well as the need to apply the AQUA checklist in the development of systematic anatomical reviews to ensure accurate reliability and a better assessment of the effect of anatomical publications.