The recent Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic is associated with microcephaly in newborns. Although the connection between ZIKV and neurodevelopmental defects is widely recognized, the underlying mechanisms ...are poorly understood. Here we show that two recently isolated strains of ZIKV, an American strain from an infected fetal brain (FB-GWUH-2016) and a closely-related Asian strain (H/PF/2013), productively infect human iPSC-derived brain organoids. Both of these strains readily target to and replicate in proliferating ventricular zone (VZ) apical progenitors. The main phenotypic effect was premature differentiation of neural progenitors associated with centrosome perturbation, even during early stages of infection, leading to progenitor depletion, disruption of the VZ, impaired neurogenesis, and cortical thinning. The infection pattern and cellular outcome differ from those seen with the extensively passaged ZIKV strain MR766. The structural changes we see after infection with these more recently isolated viral strains closely resemble those seen in ZIKV-associated microcephaly.
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•Recent American/Asian ZIKV isolates readily infect human iPSC-derived brain organoids•Infection triggers premature differentiation of NPCs, leading to progenitor depletion•Infected NPCs show centrosome disruption and alterations in division plane•NPC depletion leads to cortical thinning resembling ZIKV-associated microcephaly
Gabriel and colleagues show that two recently isolated Zika strains efficiently infect neural progenitors in human brain organoids and cause premature differentiation in a way that closely resembles Zika-associated microcephaly and differs from the effects seen with an older and extensively passaged strain.
Background Few previous studies indicated the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), but there are little data regarding changes in redox ...balance in different forms of the disease, and changes after therapeutic procedures. We aimed to investigate the values of pro-oxidants and antioxidative capacity in various forms of ITP before and after the applying therapy.
Materials and Methods The research included 102 children, classified into the following groups: (1) newly diagnosed ITP (ndITP), (2) persistent ITP, (3) chronic ITP (chITP), and (4) control groups: (A) healthy control and (B) previously experienced ITP—healthy children who had been suffering from ITP earlier. During the clinical assessment, a blood sample was taken from the patients, from which the value of pro-oxidants (index of lipid peroxidation measured as TBARS, nitrites NO2
−, as measurement of nitric oxide NO production, superoxide anion radical O2
−, and hydrogen peroxide H2O2) and the capacity of antioxidant protection (activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and quantity of reduced glutathione) were determined spectrophotometrically.
Results Our results demonstrated that values of pro-oxidants, especially reflected through the TBARS and O2
−, were the highest in the ndITP and exacerbated chITP groups. Also, the activity of the endogenous antioxidative defense system was the lowest in these groups. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in the ndITP group exerted the most prominent effect on the redox balance.
Conclusion It can be concluded that severity and exacerbation of the ITP are closely related to the redox status.
•Analysis of the 16 EPA PAHs in new matrix was presented.•Simultaneous identification and quantification of PAHs in concrete by UPLC-PDA.•Suitable for control testing of concrete in ...buildings.•Conducive method for monitoring PAHs removal from concrete.
Human exposure to persistent organic contaminants, from building materials, negatively affects people’s health and overall quality of life. This paper presents the validation and uncertainty assessment of the analytical method, developed for the simultaneous determination of 16 EPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in solid–solid concrete by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with photo diode-array detector. Linearity of calibration curves was good over the whole range of calibration. Limits of detection varied between 0.2 and 2.9μgkg−1. The accuracy in terms of recovery of the validated method is within the range from 54 to 106%. The developed method proved to be appropriate for analysis of PAHs and can be used for the quality control testing of concrete during the construction of new buildings, the old residences and related buildings associated with sick-building syndrome. In addition, this is the first reported method described for the evaluation of PAHs in solid–solid concrete.
•We considered the Area-wide urban traffic control problem.•For this problem we developed control system based on the Bee Colony Optimization.•Numerical experiments were performed on well-known ...traffic network.•Obtained results were compared with the results obtained by Simulated Annealing (SA) metaheuristic.•It has been shown that the proposed BCO approach outperforms the SA algorithm.
The paper describes a new method of optimizing traffic signal settings. The area-wide urban traffic control system developed in the paper is based on the Bee Colony Optimization (BCO) technique. The BCO method is based on the principles of the collective intelligence applied by the honeybees during the nectar collecting process. The optimal (or near-optimal) values of cycle length, offsets, and splits are discovered by minimizing the total travel time of all network users travelling through signalized intersections. The set of numerical experiments is performed on well-known traffic benchmark network. The results obtained by the BCO approach are compared with the results found by Simulated Annealing (SA). It has been shown that the suggested BCO approach outperformed the SA.
Pregnancy-Induced Sweet's Syndrome Treated with Infliximab Smolovic, Brigita D; Gajic-Veljic, Mirjana D; Nikolic, Milos M ...
Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre,
01/2019, Letnik:
28, Številka:
2
Report
OBJECTIVETo present a case of relapsing and resistant Sweet's syndrome that developed during pregnancy together with an onset of Crohn's disease, showing complete resolution with the use of ...infliximab. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTIONA 30-year-old pregnant woman presented with fever, skin lesions, and diarrhea. Skin biopsy confirmed neutrophilic dermatosis and she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease after endoscopy. There was no recurrence of Sweet's syndrome outside of her pregnancy. During a previous pregnancy, while corticosteroids were ineffective, complete regression of skin lesions was achieved using infliximab. CONCLUSIONThe "off-label" use of infliximab is beneficial for relapsing and resistant Sweet's syndrome.
Oralno zdravlje smatra se važnim delom opšteg zdravlja ljudi, ali je često zanemarena oblast, a razlozi tome su raznovrsni i kompleksni. Visoka učestalost oralnih oboljenja ima veliki socijalni i ...ekonomski uticaj. Najčešća oboljenja usne duplje su karijes, parodontalna oboljenja i oralne infekcije, dok su glavni uzročnici ovih oboljenja vrste rodova Streptococcus mutans-grupa, Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus i Candida.Efikasan tretman i razvoj novih antiseptika koji poseduju antimikrobnu aktivnost je od velikog značaja za medicinu. Najčešće se koriste preparati koji sadrže hlorheksidin, povidon jod i cetilpiridinijum hlorid, zatim sintetička sredstva kao što su penicilin, cefalosporini, tetraciklini i njihovi derivati, nistatin, amfoterecin B, flukonazol itd. Ovi agensi poseduju antimikrobno dejstvo i kontrolišu upalu desni, ali imaju ograničenu efikasnost i veliki broj negativnih posledica kao što su bojenja zuba, iritacije sluzokože usne duplje, pojave alergije, nefrotoksičnost i endokrinu toksičnost, a povezuju se i sa kancerom i drugim sekundarnim oboljenjima. Problem rezistencije prema Svetskoj zdravstvenoj organizaciji je najveća pretnja globalnom zdravlju čoveka. Jedna od alternativa koja je poslednjih decenija u žiži naučnih interesovanja jesu etarska ulja kao izvor biološki aktivnih jedinjenja.U cilju dobijanja novih biološkli aktivnih jedinjenja, koja neće biti toksična za humane i animalne ćelije, u ovoj disertaciji analiziran je hemijski sastav i biološka aktivnost in vitro 60 komercijalnih uzoraka etarskih ulja ekstrahovano iz 47 biljnih vrsta: Cananga odorata, Foeniculum vulgare, Pimpinella anisum, Pastinaca sativa, Anethum graveolens, Matricaria recutita, Achillea millefolium, Helichrysum italicum, Boswellia carterii, Canarium luzonicum, Commiphora myrrha, Juniperus communis, J. virginiana, Gaultheria procumbens, G. fragrantissima, Pelargonium graveolens, Hyssopus officinalis, Mentha piperita, M. pulegium, Lavandula angustifolia, Thymus algeriensis, T. vulgaris, T. serpyllum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia lavanudilifolia, S. officinalis, S. sclarea, S. triloba, Satureja montana, Laurus nobilis, Leptospermum petersonii, L. scoparium, Eucalyptus citriodora, E. globulus, Melaleuca alternifolia, M. quinquenervia, Syzygium aromaticum, Abies procera, A. grandis, A. alba, Pseudotsuga douglasii, Pinus silvestris, Piper nigrum, Cymbopogon martinii, Rosa centifolia, Citrus aurantium spp. aurantium i C.limon. Cilj rada je ispitivanje biološke aktivnosti i uticaja etarskih ulja i komponenti odabranih aromatičnih biljaka na mikroorganizme izolovane iz usne duplje čoveka i primena u prevenciji i lečenju oralnih bolesti i infekcija...
•Concrete pollution with PAHs determined.•Analytical method of PAH determination developed.•FHO3AOP method of PAH removal.•Substantial and uniform oxidation of PAH in concrete achieved.•The FHO3AOP ...method is feasible, economically viable and environmentally acceptable.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are denoted by International Agency for Research on Cancer as mutagens, teratogens and carcinogenic to humans. In 2013, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences was hired to determine whether PAHs are present in significant quantities in the concrete walls of newly built residential buildings (about 15,000m2 of apartments), and to propose appropriate technical solution for PAH removal in this case. As PAH occurrence, determination and remediation in concrete is, to our knowledge, a completely new field, it was necessary to face a number of challenges, including lack of regulations considering contents of PAHs in concrete, investigation of the origin of PAH contamination in concrete (if established), as well as finding feasible and non-expensive remediation method, which would be appropriate for residential space. In first part of this study, a markedly high concentrations of 5PAHs were detected by UPLC/PDA analysis in samples of both concrete walls and mineral oil used for coating of planks during formwork, while control concrete and mineral oil, taken from independent construction site, were taken as a reference. Such coincidence, as well as the fact that mineral oil has penetrated into the concrete which is proven by ASAP/MS analysis, pointed to the mineral oil as the most probable source of PAH contamination of the concrete. In the second part, an efficient and easy-applicable method for PAH oxidation in concrete (called FHO3AOP), using UV light, H2O2 and ozone, was presented and discussed in terms of previous literature data.
In Russian traditional medicine, an extract from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pil´at is used as an anti-tumor medicine and diuretic. It has been reported that Inonotus obliquus has ...therapeutic effects, such as anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory and hepatoprotective effects. This study was designed to investigate the chemical composition and biological properties of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Inonotus obliquus from Finland, Russia, and Thailand. Their antioxidative, antimicrobial, and antiquorum properties were tested as well as the cytotoxicity on various tumor cell lines.
The tested extract was subjected to conventional chemical study to identified organic acids and phenolic compounds. Antioxidative activity was measured by several different assays. Antimicrobial potential of extracts was tested by microdilution method, and antiquorum sensing activity and antibiofilm formation of Inonotus obliquus extracts was tested on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was tested on tumor cells (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2) and non-tumor liver cells primary cultures.
Oxalic acid was found as the main organic acid, with the highest amount in the aqueous extract from Russia. Gallic, protocatechuic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were detected in all samples. Inonotus obliquus extracts showed high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Extracts were tested at subMIC for anti-quorum sensing (AQS) activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and all extracts showed definite AQS activity. The assays were done using twitching and swarming of bacterial cultures, and the amount of produced pyocyanin as QS parameters. All the extracts demonstrated cytotoxic effect on four tumor cell lines and not on primary porcine liver cells PLP2.
As the Inonotus obliquus presence in Chaga conks is limited, further purification is necessary to draw quantitative conclusions. The presence of AQS activity in medicinal mushrooms suggests a broader anti-infectious disease protection than only immunomodulatory effects.
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Abstract
Unequal flow distribution between the chambers of a three-chamber settling basin causes its malfunction and endangers the turbines of a small hydropower plant. To equalize the flows, sluice ...gates are used. To find their positions, the following methodologies are considered: (1) measurements combined with trial-and-error method (TAE), (2) measurements with regression analysis (RA), (3) CFD model combined with TAE, (4) CFD model with RA, (5) CFD model supported by a one-dimensional flow model, and (6) CFD model with an analytical model. The additional models and RA are intended to speed up the solution finding. From the previous list, only the sixth methodology is applicable. The first four are not because of the weir design, and the fifth because of the three-dimensional flow character. Initially, the CFD model of the side-weir intake was developed and validated. Afterward, the analytical model, which consists of a system of three pressure drop equations for three parallel and partly imaginary streams, is formed. The local flow resistances in the analytical model are determined by the CFD model combined with RA. To equalize the flows, three solutions with (i) fix, (ii) fix in a range of flows, and (iii) variable positions of the sluice gates are analyzed.
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