Early involvement of gut is observed in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and symptoms such as constipation may precede motor symptoms. α-Synuclein pathology is extensively evident in the gut and appear...Early involvement of gut is observed in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and symptoms such as constipation may precede motor symptoms. α-Synuclein pathology is extensively evident in the gut and appears to follow a rostrocaudal gradient. The gut may act as the starting point of PD pathology with spread toward the central nervous system. This spread of the synuclein pathology raises the possibility of prion-like propagation in PD pathogenesis. Recently, the role of gut microbiota in PD pathogenesis has received attention and some phenotypic correlation has also been shown. The extensive involvement of the gut in PD even in its early stages has led to the evaluation of enteric α-synuclein as a possible biomarker of early PD. The clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal dysfunction in PD include malnutrition, oral and dental disorders, sialorrhea, dysphagia, gastroparesis, constipation, and defecatory dysfunction. These conditions are quite distressing for the patients and require relevant investigations and adequate management. Treatment usually involves both pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures. One important aspect of gut dysfunction is its contribution to the clinical fluctuations in PD. Dysphagia and gastroparesis lead to inadequate absorption of oral anti-PD medications. These lead to response fluctuations, particularly delayed-on and no-on, and there is significant relationship between levodopa pharmacokinetics and gastric emptying in patients with PD. Therefore, in such cases, alternative routes of administration or drug delivery systems may be required.展开更多
To investigate the effect of arsenic on spermatogenesis. Methods: Mature (4 months old) Wistar rats were intraperitoneally administered sodium arsenite at doses of 4, 5 or 6 mg-kg^-day1 for 26 days. Different varietie...To investigate the effect of arsenic on spermatogenesis. Methods: Mature (4 months old) Wistar rats were intraperitoneally administered sodium arsenite at doses of 4, 5 or 6 mg-kg^-day1 for 26 days. Different varieties of germ cells at stage VII seminiferous epithelium cycle, namely, type A spermatogonia (ASg), preleptotene spermatocytes (pLSc), midpachytene spermatocytes (mPSc) and step 7 spermatids (7Sd) were quantitatively evaluated, along with radioimmunoassay of plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), lutuneizing hormone (LH), testosterone and assessment of the epididymal sperm count. Results: In the 5 and 6 mg/kg groups, there were significant dose-dependent decreases in the accessory sex organ weights, epididymal sperm count and plasma concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone with massive degeneration of all the germ cells at stage VII. The changes were insignificant in the 4 mg/kg group. Conclusion: Arsenite has a suppressive influence on spermatogenesis and gonadotrophin and testosterone release in rats.展开更多
In recent years,there have been increasingly rapid advances of using bioactive materials in tissue engineering applications.Bioactive materials constitute many different structures based upon ceramic,metallic or polym...In recent years,there have been increasingly rapid advances of using bioactive materials in tissue engineering applications.Bioactive materials constitute many different structures based upon ceramic,metallic or polymeric materials,and can elicit specific tissue responses.However,most of them are relatively brittle,stiff,and difficult to form into complex shapes.Hence,there has been a growing demand for preparing materials with tailored physical,biological,and mechanical properties,as well as predictable degradation behavior.Chitosan-based materials have been shown to be ideal bioactive materials due to their outstanding properties such as formability into different structures,and fabricability with a wide range of bioactive materials,in addition to their biocompatibility and biodegradability.This review highlights scientific findings concerning the use of innovative chitosan-based bioactive materials in the fields of tissue engineering,with an outlook into their future applications.It also covers latest developments in terms of constituents,fabrication technologies,structural,and bioactive properties of these materials that may represent an effective solution for tissue engineering materials,making them a realistic clinical alternative in the near future.展开更多
Ashes from sewage sludge incineration have a high phosphorus content, approximately 8% （W/W）, which indicates a potential resource of the limiting nutrient. Incineration of sewage sludge with subsequent recovery of ...Ashes from sewage sludge incineration have a high phosphorus content, approximately 8% （W/W）, which indicates a potential resource of the limiting nutrient. Incineration of sewage sludge with subsequent recovery of phosphorus is a relatively new sludge treatment technique. In this article, the leaching of phosphorus by using sulfuric acid as well as hydrochloric acid by means of several batch experiments was presented. At the same time a selective recovery of phosphorus by adsorption was also discussed. The effects of acid concentration, temperature and time on extraction were studied. The phosphorus leaching increased with the increase in acid concentration and temperature. Kinetic studies showed that the complete leaching of phosphorus took place in less than 4 h. Selective adsorption of phosphorus by using orange waste gel provided a hint for recovery of this natural resource, which eventually could meet the ever-increasing requirement for phosphorus. The overall results indicated that the incinerated sewage sludge ash can be treated with acid to efficiently recover phosphorus and thus can be considered a potentially renewable source of phosphorus.展开更多
VisuShrink, ModineighShrink and NeighShrink are efficient image denoising algorithms based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT). These methods have disadvantage of using a suboptimal universal threshold and identic...VisuShrink, ModineighShrink and NeighShrink are efficient image denoising algorithms based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT). These methods have disadvantage of using a suboptimal universal threshold and identical neighbouring window size in all wavelet subbands. In this paper, an improved method is proposed, that determines a threshold as well as neighbouring window size for every subband using its lengths. Our experimental results illustrate that the proposed approach is better than the existing ones, i.e., NeighShrink, ModineighShrink and VisuShrink in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) i.e. visual quality of the image.展开更多
Thymosin alpha 1 is a peptide naturally occurring in the thymus that has long been recognized for modifying,enhancing,and restoring immune function.Thymosin alpha 1 has been utilized in the treatment of immunocompromi...Thymosin alpha 1 is a peptide naturally occurring in the thymus that has long been recognized for modifying,enhancing,and restoring immune function.Thymosin alpha 1 has been utilized in the treatment of immunocompromised states and malignancies,as an enhancer of vaccine response,and as a means of curbing morbidity and mortality in sepsis and numerous infections.Studies have postulated that thymosin alpha 1 could help improve the outcome in severely ill corona virus disease 2019 patients by repairing damage caused by overactivation of lymphocytic immunity and how thymosin alpha 1 could prevent the excessive activation of T cells.In this review,we discuss key literature on the background knowledge and current clinical uses of thymosin alpha 1.Considering the known biochemical properties including antibacterial and antiviral properties,timehonored applications,and the new promising findings regarding the use of thymosin,we believe that thymosin alpha 1 deserves further investigation into its antiviral properties and possible repurposing as a treatment against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2.展开更多
The application of nanomedicines is increasing rapidly with the promise of targeted and efficient drug delivery.Nanomedicines address the shortcomings of conventional therapy,as evidenced by several preclinical and cl...The application of nanomedicines is increasing rapidly with the promise of targeted and efficient drug delivery.Nanomedicines address the shortcomings of conventional therapy,as evidenced by several preclinical and clinical investigations indicating site-specific drug delivery,reduced side effects,and better treatment outcome.The development of suitable and biocompatible drug delivery vehicles is a prerequisite that has been successfully achieved by using simple and functionalized liposomes,nanoparticles,hydrogels,micelles,dendrimers,and mesoporous particles.A variety of drug delivery vehicles have been established for the targeted and controlled delivery of therapeutic agents in a wide range of chronic diseases,such as diabetes,cancer,atherosclerosis,myocardial ischemia,asthma,pulmonary tuberculosis,Parkinson’s disease,and Alzheimer’s disease.After successful outcomes in preclinical and clinical trials,many of these drugs have been marketed for human use,such as Abraxane®,Caelyx®,Mepact®,Myocet®,Emend®,and Rapamune®.Apart from drugs/compounds,novel therapeutic agents,such as peptides,nucleic acids(DNA and RNA),and genes have also shown potential to be used as nanomedicines for the treatment of several chronic ailments.However,a large number of extensive clinical trials are still needed to ensure the short-term and long-term effects of nanomedicines in humans.This review discusses the advantages of various drug delivery vehicles for better understanding of their utility in terms of current medical needs.Furthermore,the application of a wide range of nanomedicines is also described in the context of major chronic diseases.展开更多
Oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is the key step involved both in water splitting devices and rechargeable metal-air batteries,and hence,there is an urgent need for a stable and low-cost material for efficient OER.In the...Oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is the key step involved both in water splitting devices and rechargeable metal-air batteries,and hence,there is an urgent need for a stable and low-cost material for efficient OER.In the present investigation,Co-Fe-Ga-NiZn(CFGNZ)high entropy alloy(HEA)has been utilized as a low-cost electrocatalyst for OER.Herein,after cyclic voltammetry activation,CFGNZ-nanoparticles(NPs)are covered with oxidized surface and form high entropy(oxy)hydroxides(HEOs),exhibiting a low overpotential of 370 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm^(2)with a small Tafel slope of 71 mV/dec.CFGNZ alloy has higher electrochemical stability in comparison to state-of-the art RuO2 electrocatalyst as no degradation has been observed up to 10 h of chronoamperometry.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)studies after 10 h of long-term chronoamperometry test showed no change in the crystal structure,which confirmed the high stability of CFGNZ.The density functional theory(DFT)based calculations show that the closeness of d(p)-band centers to the Fermi level(EF)plays a major role in determining active sites.This work highlights the tremendous potential of CFGNZ HEA for OER,which is the primary reaction involved in water splitting.展开更多
Chitosan based nanocomposite scaffolds have attracted wider applications in medicine,in the area of drug delivery,tissue engineering and wound healing.Chitosan matrix incorporated with nanometallic components has imme...Chitosan based nanocomposite scaffolds have attracted wider applications in medicine,in the area of drug delivery,tissue engineering and wound healing.Chitosan matrix incorporated with nanometallic components has immense potential in the area of wound dressings due to its antimicrobial properties.This review focuses on the different combinations of Chitosan metal nanocomposites such as Chitosan/nAg,Chitosan/nAu,Chitosan/nCu,Chitosan/nZnO and Chitosan/nTiO2 towards enhancement of healing or infection control with special reference to the antimicrobial mechanism of action and toxicity.展开更多
Obesity has become a global pandemic since the last few decades with prevalence in more than one-third of the population in the United States. Another concurrent global health concern is the declining trend in male fe...Obesity has become a global pandemic since the last few decades with prevalence in more than one-third of the population in the United States. Another concurrent global health concern is the declining trend in male fecundity in terms of semen quality. Male infertility etiology is multifactorial with obesity serving as one of the major causatives. An array of research is directed in unveiling the potential mechanism underlying the obesity-induced male subfertility or infertility. Obesity may alter the hormonal milieu of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, its crosstalks with other metabolic hormones, upregulates secretion of adipose tissue-derived hormones and other factors, thus influencing the endocrine regulation of male reproduction. Obesity may also directly impair testicular functions by inducing genetic and epigenetic alterations in spermatozoa, disrupting sperm morphology and functions. Given the complexity of the condition of obesity and the multivariate etiopathology of male subfertility/ infertility, this review is aimed to provide an updated concept on how obesity mediated hormonal modulation may affect male fertility parameters.展开更多
Present work encapsulated the friction and wear behaviour of aluminium matrix composites reinforced with different mass fractions of titanium diboride(TiB_(2))particles,synthesized by stir casting.A pin on disc tribot...Present work encapsulated the friction and wear behaviour of aluminium matrix composites reinforced with different mass fractions of titanium diboride(TiB_(2))particles,synthesized by stir casting.A pin on disc tribotester was employed for conducting the dry sliding wear tests of Al2024−TiB_(2)composites.The tests were performed adopting various parameters like load,sliding distance and sliding velocity for investigating the effect of tribological parameters on the prepared composites.Microstructural characterization confirmed uniform dispersion of TiB_(2)particles and good matrix−reinforcement bonding.Results of the experiments revealed that,low friction and wear rates were observed in the developed composites compared to Al2024 alloy,whereas wear rates of both Al2024 alloy and fabricated composites increased with the increase in load,sliding velocity and sliding distance.However,friction coefficient of both Al2024 alloy and fabricated composites reduced with the increase in applied load but rose with the increase in sliding velocity and sliding distance.SEM studies of the worn surfaces and debris depicted that enhancement in wear resistance can be ascribed to finer debris formation.展开更多
Background:Following combat-related,extensive soft tissue injury from gunshot wounds or blasts,prolonged duration from injury to full wound closure is associated with infection,increased morbidity and mortality,failur...Background:Following combat-related,extensive soft tissue injury from gunshot wounds or blasts,prolonged duration from injury to full wound closure is associated with infection,increased morbidity and mortality,failure to mobilize,poor functional outcome and increased cost.The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel treatment enabling early primary closure of combat wounds.Methods:This was a retrospective study of 10 soldiers and civilians with extensive combat-related soft tissue limb injuries(5 gunshot wounds,5 blasts)treated using the TopClosure^(■)Tension Relief System(TRS)with simultaneous administration of regulated oxygen-enriched and irrigation negative pressure-assisted wound therapy(ROINPT)via the Vcareα^(■)device.Results:Nine patients were treated during the acute phase of injury and one was treated following removal of a flap due to deep infection 20 years after injury and flap reconstruction.Two patients had upper limb injury and the rest lower limb injury.With the aid of the TRS and/or ROINPT,immediate primary closure during reconstruction was achieved in 6 patients and delayed primary closure in three.Only one patient required a skin graft to close a small area of the wound after most of the wound had been closed by delayed primary closure.Wound closure was achieved within 0–37 days(median:12.5 days,interquartile range:2.75–19.75)from injury.Conclusions:The TRS is a novel device for effective,early skin stretching and secure wound closure through the application of stress relaxation and mechanical creep,achieving primary closure of large defects using a simplified surgical technique and reducing the need for closure using skin grafts and flaps and the use of tissue expanders.Delivering supplemental oxygen to the wound by ROINPT reverses the reduced oxygen levels inherent in conventional negative pressure-assisted wound therapy,mitigating anaerobic contamination and reducing infection.Irrigation may accelerate the evacuation of infectious material from the wound and provide a novel me展开更多
Systematic optimization of the photocatalyst and investigation of the role of each component is important to maximizing catalytic activity and comprehending the photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2) reduction to solar f...Systematic optimization of the photocatalyst and investigation of the role of each component is important to maximizing catalytic activity and comprehending the photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2) reduction to solar fuels.A surface-modified Ag@Ru-P25 photocatalyst with H_(2)O_(2) treatment was designed in this study to convert CO_(2) and H_(2)O vapor into highly selective CH4.Ru doping followed by Ag nanoparticles(NPs)cocatalyst deposition on P25(TiO_(2))enhances visible light absorption and charge separation,whereas H_(2)O_(2) treatment modifies the surface of the photocatalyst with hydroxyl(–OH)groups and promotes CO_(2) adsorption.High-resonance transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,X-ray absorption near-edge structure,and extended X-ray absorption fine structure techniques were used to analyze the surface and chemical composition of the photocatalyst,while thermogravimetric analysis,CO_(2) adsorption isotherm,and temperature programmed desorption study were performed to examine the significance of H_(2)O_(2) treatment in increasing CO_(2) reduction activity.The optimized Ag1.0@Ru1.0-P25 photocatalyst performed excellent CO_(2) reduction activity into CO,CH4,and C2H6 with a~95%selectivity of CH4,where the activity was~135 times higher than that of pristine TiO_(2)(P25).For the first time,this work explored the effect of H_(2)O_(2) treatment on the photocatalyst that dramatically increases CO_(2) reduction activity.展开更多
Although Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9(Cas9)system has been widely used for basic research in model plants,its application for applied breeding in crops has face...Although Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9(Cas9)system has been widely used for basic research in model plants,its application for applied breeding in crops has faced strong regulatory obstacles,due mainly to a poor understanding of the authentic output of this system,particularly in higher generations.In this study,different from any previous studies,we investigated in detail the molecular characteristics and production performance of CRISPR/Cas9-generated SD1(semi-dwarf 1)mutants from T2 to T4 generations,of which the selection of T1 and T2 was done only by visual phenotyping for semidwarf plants.Our data revealed not only on-and off-target mutations with small or lager indels but also exogenous elements in T2 plants.All indel mutants passed stably to T3 or T4 without additional modifications independent on the presence of Cas9,while some lines displayed unexpected hereditary patterns of Cas9 or some exogenous elements.In addition,effects of various SD1 alleles on rice height and yield differed depending on genetic backgrounds.Taken together,our data showed that the CRISPR/Cas9 system is effective in producing homozygous mutants for functional analysis,but it may be not as precise as expected in rice,and that early and accurate molecular characterization and screening must be carried out for generations before transitioning of the CRISPR/Cas9 system from laboratory to field.展开更多
BACKGROUND Prediabetes is a well-established risk factor for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE).However,the relationship between prediabetes and MACCE in atrial fibrillation(AF)patients has not be...BACKGROUND Prediabetes is a well-established risk factor for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE).However,the relationship between prediabetes and MACCE in atrial fibrillation(AF)patients has not been extensively studied.Therefore,this study aimed to establish a link between prediabetes and MACCE in AF patients.AIM To investigate a link between prediabetes and MACCE in AF patients.METHODS We used the National Inpatient Sample(2019)and relevant ICD-10 CM codes to identify hospitalizations with AF and categorized them into groups with and without prediabetes,excluding diabetics.The primary outcome was MACCE(all-cause inpatient mortality,cardiac arrest including ventricular fibrillation,and stroke)in AF-related hospitalizations.RESULTS Of the 2965875 AF-related hospitalizations for MACCE,47505(1.6%)were among patients with prediabetes.The prediabetes cohort was relatively younger(median 75 vs 78 years),and often consisted of males(56.3%vs 51.4%),blacks(9.8%vs 7.9%),Hispanics(7.3%vs 4.3%),and Asians(4.7%vs 1.6%)than the non-prediabetic cohort(P<0.001).The prediabetes group had significantly higher rates of hypertension,hyperlipidemia,smoking,obesity,drug abuse,prior myocardial infarction,peripheral vascular disease,and hyperthyroidism(all P<0.05).The prediabetes cohort was often discharged routinely(51.1%vs 41.1%),but more frequently required home health care(23.6%vs 21.0%)and had higher costs.After adjusting for baseline characteristics or comorbidities,the prediabetes cohort with AF admissions showed a higher rate and significantly higher odds of MACCE compared to the non-prediabetic cohort[18.6%vs 14.7%,odds ratio(OR)1.34,95%confidence interval 1.26-1.42,P<0.001].On subgroup analyses,males had a stronger association(aOR 1.43)compared to females(aOR 1.22),whereas on the race-wise comparison,Hispanics(aOR 1.43)and Asians(aOR 1.36)had a stronger association with MACCE with prediabetes vs whites(aOR 1.33)and blacks(aOR 1.21).CONCLUSION This population-based study found a significant association betw展开更多
Ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser surface processing that involves application of vertical ultrasonic vibrations to the Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy substrates while being irradiated with a CO_2 laser was performed for the dev...Ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser surface processing that involves application of vertical ultrasonic vibrations to the Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy substrates while being irradiated with a CO_2 laser was performed for the development of laser melted and textured surfaces with potential applications in biomedical implants.The laser processing resulted in very consistent repeating undulating grooved surfaces, and the undulations were significantly more pronounced in the samples processed with higher ultrasonic power outputs.The phase evolution, studied by x-ray diffraction, confirmed that the laser processing triggered transformation of globular α→ acicular α and martensitic α' as well as increased amounts of retained α phases,which were also reflected in the microscopic analysis. The surface texture developed by laser processing resulted in increased surface wettability with increasing ultrasonic power output. The textured surfaces exhibited marked decrease in coefficients of friction during sliding wear testing performed under simulated body fluid due to lubricant entrainment within the textured grooves. The texturing also resulted in significant reduction in surface contact area during the wear process, which considerably reduced the overall wear rates due to abrasive wear.展开更多
It has become necessary to assess how food processing methods affect qualitative qualities due to the increased consumer awareness of the health benefits of various nutrients in food. In the current study, the effects...It has become necessary to assess how food processing methods affect qualitative qualities due to the increased consumer awareness of the health benefits of various nutrients in food. In the current study, the effects of ultrasound treatment (37°C, 5 min), pasteurization (90°C, 5 min), and their combination on quality parameters, including pH, total soluble solids (TSSs), titratable acidity (TA), color values (L*, a*, b*), ascorbic acid (AA), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (DPPH), of pineapple juice from ripe and overripe pineapples were assessed. Color values (L*), ascorbic acid (AA), total phenolic content (TPC), and DPPH radical scavenging activity in all juice samples that were sonicated alone and in combination with pasteurization improved significantly (p and color value (a* and b*) decreased in comparison to the control. Whereas pH and acidity did not change significantly (p < 0.05). Pasteurization significantly (p , but sonicated samples significantly (p quality parameters and antioxidant activity, notably in ripe juice. Overall, pasteurization degraded these liquids but sonication, either alone or in combination with it, was advantageous for preserving their quality by retaining nutrients.展开更多
Increasing the population and infrastructure in both emerging and developed countries requires a considerable amount of cement, which significantly affects the environment. The primary materials of concrete (‘cement...Increasing the population and infrastructure in both emerging and developed countries requires a considerable amount of cement, which significantly affects the environment. The primary materials of concrete (‘cement’) production emit a large quantity of CO<sub>2</sub> into the environment. Also, the cost of conventional building materials like cement gives motivation to find geopolymer waste materials for concrete. To reduce harmful effects on the environment and cost of traditional concrete substance, alternative waste materials like rice husk ash (RHA), ground granulated blast-furnace (GGBS), fly ash (FA), and metakaolin (MK) can be used due to their pozzolanic behavior. RHA waste material with a high silica concentration obtained from burning rice husks can possibly be used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in the manufacturing of concrete, and its strong pozzolanic properties can contribute to the strength and impermeability of concrete. This review paper highlights a summary of the positive effect of using RHA as a partial substitute for cement in building construction, as well as its optimal inclusion of enhanced mechanical properties like compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength of mortar and concrete.展开更多
文摘Early involvement of gut is observed in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and symptoms such as constipation may precede motor symptoms. α-Synuclein pathology is extensively evident in the gut and appears to follow a rostrocaudal gradient. The gut may act as the starting point of PD pathology with spread toward the central nervous system. This spread of the synuclein pathology raises the possibility of prion-like propagation in PD pathogenesis. Recently, the role of gut microbiota in PD pathogenesis has received attention and some phenotypic correlation has also been shown. The extensive involvement of the gut in PD even in its early stages has led to the evaluation of enteric α-synuclein as a possible biomarker of early PD. The clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal dysfunction in PD include malnutrition, oral and dental disorders, sialorrhea, dysphagia, gastroparesis, constipation, and defecatory dysfunction. These conditions are quite distressing for the patients and require relevant investigations and adequate management. Treatment usually involves both pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures. One important aspect of gut dysfunction is its contribution to the clinical fluctuations in PD. Dysphagia and gastroparesis lead to inadequate absorption of oral anti-PD medications. These lead to response fluctuations, particularly delayed-on and no-on, and there is significant relationship between levodopa pharmacokinetics and gastric emptying in patients with PD. Therefore, in such cases, alternative routes of administration or drug delivery systems may be required.
文摘To investigate the effect of arsenic on spermatogenesis. Methods: Mature (4 months old) Wistar rats were intraperitoneally administered sodium arsenite at doses of 4, 5 or 6 mg-kg^-day1 for 26 days. Different varieties of germ cells at stage VII seminiferous epithelium cycle, namely, type A spermatogonia (ASg), preleptotene spermatocytes (pLSc), midpachytene spermatocytes (mPSc) and step 7 spermatids (7Sd) were quantitatively evaluated, along with radioimmunoassay of plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), lutuneizing hormone (LH), testosterone and assessment of the epididymal sperm count. Results: In the 5 and 6 mg/kg groups, there were significant dose-dependent decreases in the accessory sex organ weights, epididymal sperm count and plasma concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone with massive degeneration of all the germ cells at stage VII. The changes were insignificant in the 4 mg/kg group. Conclusion: Arsenite has a suppressive influence on spermatogenesis and gonadotrophin and testosterone release in rats.
基金This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public,commercial,or not-for-profit sectors.We thank Mr.Philip Alarcon-Furman for assistance with English editing,and for comments that greatly improved the manuscript.
文摘In recent years,there have been increasingly rapid advances of using bioactive materials in tissue engineering applications.Bioactive materials constitute many different structures based upon ceramic,metallic or polymeric materials,and can elicit specific tissue responses.However,most of them are relatively brittle,stiff,and difficult to form into complex shapes.Hence,there has been a growing demand for preparing materials with tailored physical,biological,and mechanical properties,as well as predictable degradation behavior.Chitosan-based materials have been shown to be ideal bioactive materials due to their outstanding properties such as formability into different structures,and fabricability with a wide range of bioactive materials,in addition to their biocompatibility and biodegradability.This review highlights scientific findings concerning the use of innovative chitosan-based bioactive materials in the fields of tissue engineering,with an outlook into their future applications.It also covers latest developments in terms of constituents,fabrication technologies,structural,and bioactive properties of these materials that may represent an effective solution for tissue engineering materials,making them a realistic clinical alternative in the near future.
基金supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research of Waste Treatment from the Ministry of Environment of Japan (No. K2072)
文摘Ashes from sewage sludge incineration have a high phosphorus content, approximately 8% （W/W）, which indicates a potential resource of the limiting nutrient. Incineration of sewage sludge with subsequent recovery of phosphorus is a relatively new sludge treatment technique. In this article, the leaching of phosphorus by using sulfuric acid as well as hydrochloric acid by means of several batch experiments was presented. At the same time a selective recovery of phosphorus by adsorption was also discussed. The effects of acid concentration, temperature and time on extraction were studied. The phosphorus leaching increased with the increase in acid concentration and temperature. Kinetic studies showed that the complete leaching of phosphorus took place in less than 4 h. Selective adsorption of phosphorus by using orange waste gel provided a hint for recovery of this natural resource, which eventually could meet the ever-increasing requirement for phosphorus. The overall results indicated that the incinerated sewage sludge ash can be treated with acid to efficiently recover phosphorus and thus can be considered a potentially renewable source of phosphorus.
文摘VisuShrink, ModineighShrink and NeighShrink are efficient image denoising algorithms based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT). These methods have disadvantage of using a suboptimal universal threshold and identical neighbouring window size in all wavelet subbands. In this paper, an improved method is proposed, that determines a threshold as well as neighbouring window size for every subband using its lengths. Our experimental results illustrate that the proposed approach is better than the existing ones, i.e., NeighShrink, ModineighShrink and VisuShrink in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) i.e. visual quality of the image.
文摘Thymosin alpha 1 is a peptide naturally occurring in the thymus that has long been recognized for modifying,enhancing,and restoring immune function.Thymosin alpha 1 has been utilized in the treatment of immunocompromised states and malignancies,as an enhancer of vaccine response,and as a means of curbing morbidity and mortality in sepsis and numerous infections.Studies have postulated that thymosin alpha 1 could help improve the outcome in severely ill corona virus disease 2019 patients by repairing damage caused by overactivation of lymphocytic immunity and how thymosin alpha 1 could prevent the excessive activation of T cells.In this review,we discuss key literature on the background knowledge and current clinical uses of thymosin alpha 1.Considering the known biochemical properties including antibacterial and antiviral properties,timehonored applications,and the new promising findings regarding the use of thymosin,we believe that thymosin alpha 1 deserves further investigation into its antiviral properties and possible repurposing as a treatment against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2.
基金Akhand Pratap Singh acknowledges financial support from the Science and Engineering Research Board,Government of India(PDF/2016/004063)The authors acknowledge the BIRAC(Project Code No.BT/AIR03111PACE-12/17)for financial support.
文摘The application of nanomedicines is increasing rapidly with the promise of targeted and efficient drug delivery.Nanomedicines address the shortcomings of conventional therapy,as evidenced by several preclinical and clinical investigations indicating site-specific drug delivery,reduced side effects,and better treatment outcome.The development of suitable and biocompatible drug delivery vehicles is a prerequisite that has been successfully achieved by using simple and functionalized liposomes,nanoparticles,hydrogels,micelles,dendrimers,and mesoporous particles.A variety of drug delivery vehicles have been established for the targeted and controlled delivery of therapeutic agents in a wide range of chronic diseases,such as diabetes,cancer,atherosclerosis,myocardial ischemia,asthma,pulmonary tuberculosis,Parkinson’s disease,and Alzheimer’s disease.After successful outcomes in preclinical and clinical trials,many of these drugs have been marketed for human use,such as Abraxane®,Caelyx®,Mepact®,Myocet®,Emend®,and Rapamune®.Apart from drugs/compounds,novel therapeutic agents,such as peptides,nucleic acids(DNA and RNA),and genes have also shown potential to be used as nanomedicines for the treatment of several chronic ailments.However,a large number of extensive clinical trials are still needed to ensure the short-term and long-term effects of nanomedicines in humans.This review discusses the advantages of various drug delivery vehicles for better understanding of their utility in terms of current medical needs.Furthermore,the application of a wide range of nanomedicines is also described in the context of major chronic diseases.
基金the Institute of Eminence(IoE)MHRD grant of the Indian Institute of Science.N.K.K.acknowledges the Newton Fellowship award from the Royal Society UK(NIF\R1\191571)the core research grant and Ramanujan Fellowship.C.S.T.acknowledges AOARD grant no.FA2386-19-1-4039.
文摘Oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is the key step involved both in water splitting devices and rechargeable metal-air batteries,and hence,there is an urgent need for a stable and low-cost material for efficient OER.In the present investigation,Co-Fe-Ga-NiZn(CFGNZ)high entropy alloy(HEA)has been utilized as a low-cost electrocatalyst for OER.Herein,after cyclic voltammetry activation,CFGNZ-nanoparticles(NPs)are covered with oxidized surface and form high entropy(oxy)hydroxides(HEOs),exhibiting a low overpotential of 370 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm^(2)with a small Tafel slope of 71 mV/dec.CFGNZ alloy has higher electrochemical stability in comparison to state-of-the art RuO2 electrocatalyst as no degradation has been observed up to 10 h of chronoamperometry.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)studies after 10 h of long-term chronoamperometry test showed no change in the crystal structure,which confirmed the high stability of CFGNZ.The density functional theory(DFT)based calculations show that the closeness of d(p)-band centers to the Fermi level(EF)plays a major role in determining active sites.This work highlights the tremendous potential of CFGNZ HEA for OER,which is the primary reaction involved in water splitting.
基金Authors are grateful to the Department of Biotechnology(DBT),India,for providing funding(BT/PR6758/NNT/28/620/2012 dated 23-08-2013)Annapoorna Mohandas acknowledges the University Grants Commission(UGC,India)for Five year Fellowship(EU-IV dtd 31/07/2010 SRNo.2120930570)One of the author S.Deepthi is thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for supporting financially under the CSIR-SRF award no:9/963(0034)2K13-EMR-I.
文摘Chitosan based nanocomposite scaffolds have attracted wider applications in medicine,in the area of drug delivery,tissue engineering and wound healing.Chitosan matrix incorporated with nanometallic components has immense potential in the area of wound dressings due to its antimicrobial properties.This review focuses on the different combinations of Chitosan metal nanocomposites such as Chitosan/nAg,Chitosan/nAu,Chitosan/nCu,Chitosan/nZnO and Chitosan/nTiO2 towards enhancement of healing or infection control with special reference to the antimicrobial mechanism of action and toxicity.
文摘Obesity has become a global pandemic since the last few decades with prevalence in more than one-third of the population in the United States. Another concurrent global health concern is the declining trend in male fecundity in terms of semen quality. Male infertility etiology is multifactorial with obesity serving as one of the major causatives. An array of research is directed in unveiling the potential mechanism underlying the obesity-induced male subfertility or infertility. Obesity may alter the hormonal milieu of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, its crosstalks with other metabolic hormones, upregulates secretion of adipose tissue-derived hormones and other factors, thus influencing the endocrine regulation of male reproduction. Obesity may also directly impair testicular functions by inducing genetic and epigenetic alterations in spermatozoa, disrupting sperm morphology and functions. Given the complexity of the condition of obesity and the multivariate etiopathology of male subfertility/ infertility, this review is aimed to provide an updated concept on how obesity mediated hormonal modulation may affect male fertility parameters.
文摘Present work encapsulated the friction and wear behaviour of aluminium matrix composites reinforced with different mass fractions of titanium diboride(TiB_(2))particles,synthesized by stir casting.A pin on disc tribotester was employed for conducting the dry sliding wear tests of Al2024−TiB_(2)composites.The tests were performed adopting various parameters like load,sliding distance and sliding velocity for investigating the effect of tribological parameters on the prepared composites.Microstructural characterization confirmed uniform dispersion of TiB_(2)particles and good matrix−reinforcement bonding.Results of the experiments revealed that,low friction and wear rates were observed in the developed composites compared to Al2024 alloy,whereas wear rates of both Al2024 alloy and fabricated composites increased with the increase in load,sliding velocity and sliding distance.However,friction coefficient of both Al2024 alloy and fabricated composites reduced with the increase in applied load but rose with the increase in sliding velocity and sliding distance.SEM studies of the worn surfaces and debris depicted that enhancement in wear resistance can be ascribed to finer debris formation.
文摘Background:Following combat-related,extensive soft tissue injury from gunshot wounds or blasts,prolonged duration from injury to full wound closure is associated with infection,increased morbidity and mortality,failure to mobilize,poor functional outcome and increased cost.The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel treatment enabling early primary closure of combat wounds.Methods:This was a retrospective study of 10 soldiers and civilians with extensive combat-related soft tissue limb injuries(5 gunshot wounds,5 blasts)treated using the TopClosure^(■)Tension Relief System(TRS)with simultaneous administration of regulated oxygen-enriched and irrigation negative pressure-assisted wound therapy(ROINPT)via the Vcareα^(■)device.Results:Nine patients were treated during the acute phase of injury and one was treated following removal of a flap due to deep infection 20 years after injury and flap reconstruction.Two patients had upper limb injury and the rest lower limb injury.With the aid of the TRS and/or ROINPT,immediate primary closure during reconstruction was achieved in 6 patients and delayed primary closure in three.Only one patient required a skin graft to close a small area of the wound after most of the wound had been closed by delayed primary closure.Wound closure was achieved within 0–37 days(median:12.5 days,interquartile range:2.75–19.75)from injury.Conclusions:The TRS is a novel device for effective,early skin stretching and secure wound closure through the application of stress relaxation and mechanical creep,achieving primary closure of large defects using a simplified surgical technique and reducing the need for closure using skin grafts and flaps and the use of tissue expanders.Delivering supplemental oxygen to the wound by ROINPT reverses the reduced oxygen levels inherent in conventional negative pressure-assisted wound therapy,mitigating anaerobic contamination and reducing infection.Irrigation may accelerate the evacuation of infectious material from the wound and provide a novel me
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT in Korea(2021R1A2C2009459)X-ray absorption spectra were obtained from Pohang Accelerator Laboratory(PAL)10C beamlinesupported by the US Department of Energy,Office of Science,Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research,and Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing(SciDAC)program under Award Number DE-SC0022209.
文摘Systematic optimization of the photocatalyst and investigation of the role of each component is important to maximizing catalytic activity and comprehending the photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2) reduction to solar fuels.A surface-modified Ag@Ru-P25 photocatalyst with H_(2)O_(2) treatment was designed in this study to convert CO_(2) and H_(2)O vapor into highly selective CH4.Ru doping followed by Ag nanoparticles(NPs)cocatalyst deposition on P25(TiO_(2))enhances visible light absorption and charge separation,whereas H_(2)O_(2) treatment modifies the surface of the photocatalyst with hydroxyl(–OH)groups and promotes CO_(2) adsorption.High-resonance transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,X-ray absorption near-edge structure,and extended X-ray absorption fine structure techniques were used to analyze the surface and chemical composition of the photocatalyst,while thermogravimetric analysis,CO_(2) adsorption isotherm,and temperature programmed desorption study were performed to examine the significance of H_(2)O_(2) treatment in increasing CO_(2) reduction activity.The optimized Ag1.0@Ru1.0-P25 photocatalyst performed excellent CO_(2) reduction activity into CO,CH4,and C2H6 with a~95%selectivity of CH4,where the activity was~135 times higher than that of pristine TiO_(2)(P25).For the first time,this work explored the effect of H_(2)O_(2) treatment on the photocatalyst that dramatically increases CO_(2) reduction activity.
基金supported by China National Transgenic Plant Special Fund(2016ZX08012-002,2016ZX08009-003-007 and 2017ZX08013001-001)to DZ,JS,and ZY,respectivelySMC Morningstar Young Scholarship of Shanghai Jiao Tong University to ZY+2 种基金the Australian Research Council(DP19001941,FT160100218)an IRRTF grant from UoM to SPthe Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities(111 Project,B14016)to DZ。
文摘Although Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9(Cas9)system has been widely used for basic research in model plants,its application for applied breeding in crops has faced strong regulatory obstacles,due mainly to a poor understanding of the authentic output of this system,particularly in higher generations.In this study,different from any previous studies,we investigated in detail the molecular characteristics and production performance of CRISPR/Cas9-generated SD1(semi-dwarf 1)mutants from T2 to T4 generations,of which the selection of T1 and T2 was done only by visual phenotyping for semidwarf plants.Our data revealed not only on-and off-target mutations with small or lager indels but also exogenous elements in T2 plants.All indel mutants passed stably to T3 or T4 without additional modifications independent on the presence of Cas9,while some lines displayed unexpected hereditary patterns of Cas9 or some exogenous elements.In addition,effects of various SD1 alleles on rice height and yield differed depending on genetic backgrounds.Taken together,our data showed that the CRISPR/Cas9 system is effective in producing homozygous mutants for functional analysis,but it may be not as precise as expected in rice,and that early and accurate molecular characterization and screening must be carried out for generations before transitioning of the CRISPR/Cas9 system from laboratory to field.
文摘BACKGROUND Prediabetes is a well-established risk factor for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE).However,the relationship between prediabetes and MACCE in atrial fibrillation(AF)patients has not been extensively studied.Therefore,this study aimed to establish a link between prediabetes and MACCE in AF patients.AIM To investigate a link between prediabetes and MACCE in AF patients.METHODS We used the National Inpatient Sample(2019)and relevant ICD-10 CM codes to identify hospitalizations with AF and categorized them into groups with and without prediabetes,excluding diabetics.The primary outcome was MACCE(all-cause inpatient mortality,cardiac arrest including ventricular fibrillation,and stroke)in AF-related hospitalizations.RESULTS Of the 2965875 AF-related hospitalizations for MACCE,47505(1.6%)were among patients with prediabetes.The prediabetes cohort was relatively younger(median 75 vs 78 years),and often consisted of males(56.3%vs 51.4%),blacks(9.8%vs 7.9%),Hispanics(7.3%vs 4.3%),and Asians(4.7%vs 1.6%)than the non-prediabetic cohort(P<0.001).The prediabetes group had significantly higher rates of hypertension,hyperlipidemia,smoking,obesity,drug abuse,prior myocardial infarction,peripheral vascular disease,and hyperthyroidism(all P<0.05).The prediabetes cohort was often discharged routinely(51.1%vs 41.1%),but more frequently required home health care(23.6%vs 21.0%)and had higher costs.After adjusting for baseline characteristics or comorbidities,the prediabetes cohort with AF admissions showed a higher rate and significantly higher odds of MACCE compared to the non-prediabetic cohort[18.6%vs 14.7%,odds ratio(OR)1.34,95%confidence interval 1.26-1.42,P<0.001].On subgroup analyses,males had a stronger association(aOR 1.43)compared to females(aOR 1.22),whereas on the race-wise comparison,Hispanics(aOR 1.43)and Asians(aOR 1.36)had a stronger association with MACCE with prediabetes vs whites(aOR 1.33)and blacks(aOR 1.21).CONCLUSION This population-based study found a significant association betw
基金supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF CAREER Award No. CMMI-1149079)
文摘Ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser surface processing that involves application of vertical ultrasonic vibrations to the Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy substrates while being irradiated with a CO_2 laser was performed for the development of laser melted and textured surfaces with potential applications in biomedical implants.The laser processing resulted in very consistent repeating undulating grooved surfaces, and the undulations were significantly more pronounced in the samples processed with higher ultrasonic power outputs.The phase evolution, studied by x-ray diffraction, confirmed that the laser processing triggered transformation of globular α→ acicular α and martensitic α' as well as increased amounts of retained α phases,which were also reflected in the microscopic analysis. The surface texture developed by laser processing resulted in increased surface wettability with increasing ultrasonic power output. The textured surfaces exhibited marked decrease in coefficients of friction during sliding wear testing performed under simulated body fluid due to lubricant entrainment within the textured grooves. The texturing also resulted in significant reduction in surface contact area during the wear process, which considerably reduced the overall wear rates due to abrasive wear.
文摘It has become necessary to assess how food processing methods affect qualitative qualities due to the increased consumer awareness of the health benefits of various nutrients in food. In the current study, the effects of ultrasound treatment (37°C, 5 min), pasteurization (90°C, 5 min), and their combination on quality parameters, including pH, total soluble solids (TSSs), titratable acidity (TA), color values (L*, a*, b*), ascorbic acid (AA), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (DPPH), of pineapple juice from ripe and overripe pineapples were assessed. Color values (L*), ascorbic acid (AA), total phenolic content (TPC), and DPPH radical scavenging activity in all juice samples that were sonicated alone and in combination with pasteurization improved significantly (p and color value (a* and b*) decreased in comparison to the control. Whereas pH and acidity did not change significantly (p < 0.05). Pasteurization significantly (p , but sonicated samples significantly (p quality parameters and antioxidant activity, notably in ripe juice. Overall, pasteurization degraded these liquids but sonication, either alone or in combination with it, was advantageous for preserving their quality by retaining nutrients.
文摘Increasing the population and infrastructure in both emerging and developed countries requires a considerable amount of cement, which significantly affects the environment. The primary materials of concrete (‘cement’) production emit a large quantity of CO<sub>2</sub> into the environment. Also, the cost of conventional building materials like cement gives motivation to find geopolymer waste materials for concrete. To reduce harmful effects on the environment and cost of traditional concrete substance, alternative waste materials like rice husk ash (RHA), ground granulated blast-furnace (GGBS), fly ash (FA), and metakaolin (MK) can be used due to their pozzolanic behavior. RHA waste material with a high silica concentration obtained from burning rice husks can possibly be used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in the manufacturing of concrete, and its strong pozzolanic properties can contribute to the strength and impermeability of concrete. This review paper highlights a summary of the positive effect of using RHA as a partial substitute for cement in building construction, as well as its optimal inclusion of enhanced mechanical properties like compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength of mortar and concrete.
