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•Water washing of air pollution control residues removes 23% of the mass.•Most Cl and significant proportions of Na, K and Ca are removed.•Al, Si, Mg, Fe and potential pollutants are ...concentrated.•Pb is mainly in glass, with some PbSO4, and small amounts of PbO and PbCl2.•Pb-glass may partly dissolve and convert to PbO, or leach, in water washing.
Changes in elemental and mineralogical composition, and lead speciation, of air pollution control residue (APCR) from municipal solid waste incineration, due to treatment by water washing, were investigated in this work and are reported in the context of a review of the literature. Water washing was shown to substantially modify the nature of APCR by: 1) removing 23% dry mass soluble salts to disagglomerate particles and significantly reduce concentrations of the associated major elements, and increase concentrations of insoluble matrix elements and potential pollutants; and 2) respeciating elements to form new phases. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) showed that the 500 mg/kg of Pb in raw and washed APCR were comprised mainly of Pb-glass, with some PbSO4, and small amounts of PbO and PbCl2. Semi-quantitative linear combination fitting suggests that the glass in the APCR may be unstable and release Pb under the alkaline pH of water washing, to reprecipitate as PbO. Chemical analysis suggests that some Pb may be removed by washing. Scientific understanding of the composition of raw and washed APCR, and particularly the speciation of potentially toxic metals, such as Zn and Pb, can help in developing effective element recovery and residue treatment, utilization or disposal strategies.
A new method of double immunofluorescent staining for flow cytometry has been created to evaluate quantitative expression of mesenchymal protein vimentin only in epithelial cells of a solid tumor ...that is a mix of different origin cells.
vimentin expression is strongly associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition and therefore is a metastatic potential marker of epithelial tumor cells. In comparison with semiquantitative available methods, the proposed one has several advantages, such as the accurate measurement of the marker’s expression, and minimization of spatial and temporal tumor heterogeneity. Clinical validation of the method has revealed inverse correlation between the quantitative index of epithelial–mesenchymal transition level and progression-free survival using Kaplan–Meier curves and the COX proportional hazards ratio in 32 ovarian cancer patients.
Double immunofluorescent staining approach for flow cytometry has been developed to study the quantitative vimentin expression in which
expression is observed only when an epithelium cell enters the EMT. The level of the marker’s expression in epithelial cells was determined as the ratio (%) of the number of the cells coexpressing cytokeratins and vimentin to the total number of tumor cells expressing cytokeratins. Clinical validation of the new method was conducted in tumors of narrowly defined cohort of 32 patients: stage III high-grade serous ovarian cancer, suboptimal surgical cytoreduction and platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy.
EAAT2 is a predominantly astroglial glutamate transporter responsible for the majority of synaptic glutamate clearance in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). Its dysfunction has been linked ...with many neurological disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Decreases in EAAT2 expression and function have been implicated in causing motor neuron excitotoxic death in ALS. Nevertheless, increasing EAAT2 expression does not significantly improve ALS phenotype in mouse models or in clinical trials. In the SOD1‐G93A mouse model of inherited ALS, the cytosolic carboxy‐terminal domain is cleaved from EAAT2, conjugated to SUMO1, and accumulated in astrocytes where it triggers astrocyte‐mediated neurotoxic effects as disease progresses. However, it is not known whether this fragment is sumoylated after cleavage or if full‐length EAAT2 is already sumoylated prior to cleavage as part of physiological regulation. In this study, we show that a fraction of full‐length EAAT2 is constitutively sumoylated in primary cultures of astrocytes in vitro and in the CNS in vivo. Furthermore, the extent of sumoylation of EAAT2 does not change during the course of ALS in the SOD1‐G93A mouse and is not affected by the expression of ALS‐causative mutant SOD1 proteins in astrocytes in vitro, indicating that EAAT2 sumoylation is not driven by pathogenic mechanisms. Most interestingly, sumoylated EAAT2 localizes to intracellular compartments, whereas non‐sumoylated EAAT2 resides on the plasma membrane. In agreement, promoting desumoylation in primary astrocytes causes increased EAAT2‐mediated glutamate uptake. These findings could have implications for optimizing therapeutic approaches aimed at increasing EAAT2 activity in the dysfunctional or diseased CNS. GLIA 2014;62:1241–1253
Main Points
EAAT2 is constitutively sumoylated in astrocytes.
Sumoylation governs EAAT2 compartmentalization favoring intracellular vs. plasma membrane localization.
Sumoylation of EAAT2 is a regulatory checkpoint, which impacts the overall EAAT2‐mediated glutamate uptake in vitro and in vivo.
Summary
Estrogens play an extremely important role in regulating the proliferation of ovarian cancer. The estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) stimulates cell growth, whereas ERβ can be attributed to tumor ...suppressors. The study aims to assess the relationship between the expression of estrogen receptors in tumors and the efficacy of front-line platinum plus taxane chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients.
Materials and methods
ERα and ERβ tumor expression was evaluated quantitatively by flow cytometry in a narrowly defined group (31 patients): stage III high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), suboptimal surgical cytoreduction, front-line platinum plus taxane chemotherapy (front-line, six cycles).
Results
The median of progression-free survival (PFS) was 2 times greater (18 vs 8 months, p = 0.04) and the recurrence risk (HR) was 2.2 times (95 % CI: 1.1–6.2, p = 0.04) lower in the group with high (in more than 40% of the cells) vs low level of ERβ tumor expression. The statistically significant difference between PFS in the groups with high vs low tumor ERα expression was not revealed.
Conclusion
A high level of ERβ and not ERα expression can predict the efficacy of front-line platinum plus taxane chemotherapy in stage III HGSOC patients. The status of estrogen receptor beta can be considered as one of the possible predictors for evaluating the effectiveness of ovarian cancer therapy.
Biochar, a waste biomass-derived adsorbent, holds promise for decentralised wastewater treatment. However, limited research exists on its efficacy in adsorbing anionic surfactants in wastewater. To ...address this, the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), a common anionic surfactant, was studied using various biochar types: rice husk biochar (RH-550 and RH-700), wheat straw biochar (WS-550 and WS-700) produced at 550°C and 700°C, wood-based biochar (OB), and activated carbon (AC) as a control. The study investigated the impact of pH (3-9), adsorbent loading (1-10 g/L), adsorbent size (<0.5-2.5 mm), contact time (5-180 min), and initial concentration (50-200 mg/L) on SDS removal. Under optimised conditions (100 mg/L SDS, 4 g/L adsorbent, 1-2 mm particle size, pH 8.3, and 180 min contact time), maximum SDS removals were RH-550 (78%), RH-700 (82.4%), WS-550 (89.5%), WS-700 (90.4%), AC (97%), and OB (88.4%). Among the tested adsorbent materials, WS-550 exhibited the highest SDS adsorption capacity at 66.23 mg/g compared to AC (80.65 mg/g), followed by RH-550 (49.75 mg/g), OB (45.87 mg/g), RH-700 (43.67 mg/g), and WS-700 (42.74 mg/g). SDS adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating chemisorption on the adsorbent surface. The Freundlich isotherm model exhibited a better fit for the experimental data on SDS adsorption using all tested adsorbents except for RH-550. This study showed that biochars produced from agricultural and forestry residues are effective adsorbents for SDS in aqueous solutions and can be a promising sustainable and low-cost material for the treatment of greywater containing anionic surfactants (e.g. handwashing, laundry, kitchen, and bathroom greywaters).
The production and consumption of disposable face masks (DFMs) increased intensely during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a high amount of them being found in the terrestrial and aquatic ...environment. The main goal of this research study is to conduct a comparative evaluation of the water-leachability of microplastics (MPs) and chemical additives from various types of disposable surgical/medical face masks (MM DFMs) and filtering face pieces (FFPs). Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was used for MPs analysis. Liquid Chromatography/High Resolution Mass Spectrometry was used to analyse analytes presented in the water-leachates of DFMs. FFPs released 3–4 times more microplastic particles compared to MM DFMs. The release of MPs into water from all tested DFMs without mechanical stress suggests potential MP contamination originating from the DFM production process. Our study for the first time identified bisphenol B (0.25–0.42 μg/L) and 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (163.9–115.0 μg/L) as leachables from MM DFMs. MPs in the water-leachates vary in size, with predominant particles <100 μm, and the release order from DFMs is MMIIR > MMII > FFP3>FFP2>MMI. The main type of microplastics identified in the water leachates of the investigated face masks was polypropylene, accounting for 93–97% for MM DFMs and 82–83% for FFPs. Other polymers such as polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyester/polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide/Nylon, polyvinylchloride, and ethylene-propylene copolymer were also identified, but in smaller amounts. FFPs released a wider variety and a higher percentage (17–18%) of other polymers compared to MM DFMs (3–7%). Fragments and fibres were identified in all water-leachate samples, and fragments, particularly debris of polypropylene fibres, were the most common MP morphotype. The findings in this study are important in contributing additional data to develop science-based policy recommendations on the health and environmental impacts of MPs and associated chemical additives originated from DFMs.
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•FFPs release 3–4 times more MPs compared to medical/surgical face masks.•Medical/surgical masks release bisphenol B and 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate.•The majority of the investigated face masks releases microplastics below 100 μm.•Fragments are the most common MP morphotype in all water-leachates from face masks.•PP, PE, PC, PET, PA, PVC, and EP copolymer are released from face masks.
The expression of PD-L1 protein is quantified in 56 samples of urothelial bladder cancer (BC). PD-L1 expression is detected in all BC samples, while in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) this ...score is 1.5 times higher than in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) (
p
= 0.001). High PD-L1 expression level (≥30%) is observed in 20% of MIBC samples and among NMIBC tumors in 68% of cases, i.e., 3.4 times more often (
p
= 0.0004). The last fact justifies the prospect of starting therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors at the onset of the disease for NMIBC.
The management of groundwater in densely populated areas with no centralized water treatment is critical for the prevention of diseases and maintaining sanitation. Here, we determine the ...bacteriological and chemical characteristics of groundwater in Kabul city, a resource that 4.1 million individuals rely on. Groundwater samples were analyzed from 41 newly established piezometric wells across Kabul, and data were compared with the last detailed study, undertaken in 2007, to understand contamination trends in an area that has undergone significant development and social changes. Piper diagrams, Gibbs diagrams, correlation analysis, and bivariate plots examine the hydrogeochemical and natural occurring processes of groundwater. The average concentration of cations followed the order Na
+
> Mg
2+
> Ca
2+
> K
+
, and anions HCO
3
−
> NO
3
−
> Cl
−
> SO
4
2−
> F with Gibbs diagrams indicating mainly rock-weathering influence groundwater chemistry. An increase in nitrate (NO
3
−
) and
E. coli
indicates anthropogenic activities impacting the shallow groundwater quality, with significantly elevated nitrate (over 50 mg/L) and
E. coli
(up to 250 CFU/100 mL). The increasing presence of
E. coli
and NO
3
−
in the shallow groundwater of Kabul city in turn suggests problematic links to the prevalence of waterborne diseases. Additionally, the water quality index (WQI) was used to assess groundwater quality, and rank its suitability for drinking purposes. The WQI analysis showed that less than 35% of shallow groundwater samples had good water quality. The findings of this study are crucial for the development and sustainable management of groundwater in the city. In short term, we propose interventions such as point-of-use (POU) water purification which may offer temporary respite for waterborne disease prevention. Kabul city requires immediate attention to developing sustainable groundwater management policies, expansion of the water supply network, groundwater quality monitoring, and wastewater management.
Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 20% of familial cases (fALS). Mitochondria are one of the targets of mutant SOD1 (mutSOD1) toxicity. We ...previously demonstrated that at the mitochondria, mutSOD1 forms a toxic complex with Bcl-2, which is then converted into a toxic protein via a structural rearrangement that exposes its toxic BH3 domain (Pedrini et al., 2010). Here we now show that formation of this toxic complex with Bcl-2 is the primary event in mutSOD1-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibiting mitochondrial permeability to ADP and inducing mitochondrial hyperpolarization. In mutSOD1-G93A cells and mice, the newly exposed BH3 domain in Bcl-2 alters the normal interaction between Bcl-2 and VDAC1 thus reducing permeability of the outer mitochondrial membrane. In motor neuronal cells, the mutSOD1/Bcl-2 complex causes mitochondrial hyperpolarization leading to cell loss. Small SOD1-like therapeutic peptides that specifically block formation of the mutSOD1/Bcl-2 complex, recover both aspects of mitochondrial dysfunction: they prevent mitochondrial hyperpolarization and cell loss as well as restore ADP permeability in mitochondria of symptomatic mutSOD1-G93A mice.
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Immunofluorescent method by flow cytometry was used to quantify the expression of the tumor-associated protein βIII-tubulin (TUBB3) in the tissue of urothelial bladder cancer and visually normal ...mucosa (56 samples in total). The expression of the marker was detected in 100% of cases, and heterogeneity of the TUBB3 expression level both in tumor tissue and in “normal” mucosa was revealed. The level of TUBB3 in the “normal” mucosa did not depend on the distance from the tumor (1 cm or more than 3 cm) and, on average, it was lower than in the tumor tissue (21.8 ± 10.8% and 24.9 ± 13.2% vs 35.2 ± 12.4%;
p
= 0.04 and 0.005, respectively). An increase of the TUBB3 expression in the tumor and in the “normal” mucosa was revealed in muscle invasive bladder cancer compared to non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Therefore, in urothelial bladder cancer, the tumor-associated protein TUBB3 is a molecular marker of bladder mucosa involvement in the malignancy process and predicts the risk of tumor muscle invasion, which may influence indications for early cystectomy.
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