Temporal changes in groundwater chemistry can reveal information about the evolution of flow path connectivity during crustal deformation. Here, we report transient helium and argon concentration ...anomalies monitored during a series of hydraulic reservoir stimulation experiments measured with an in situ gas equilibrium membrane inlet mass spectrometer. Geodetic and seismic analyses revealed that the applied stimulation treatments led to the formation of new fractures (hydraulic fracturing) and the reactivation of natural fractures (hydraulic shearing), both of which remobilized (He, Ar)-enriched fluids trapped in the rock mass. Our results demonstrate that integrating geochemical information with geodetic and seismic data provides critical insights to understanding dynamic changes in fracture network connectivity during reservoir stimulation. The results of this study also shed light on the linkages between fluid migration, rock deformation and seismicity at the decameter scale.
Objective: To evaluate the levels of estrogen, albumin and gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone) as well as the activity of dopamine beta hydroxylase (DAß H) in aged ...female rats treated with nitric oxide precursor L-arginine and neuronal nitric oxide synthase antagonist L-NAME. Methods: A total of 224 Wistar rats (36 weeks old, weighing 250 g) based on a random sampling were divided into the control and experimental groups after Pap smear test. The control group received only saline (1 mL/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.). The experiential groups were treated with L-arginine (5, 25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) and L-NAME (5 and 25 mg/kg, i.p.) for 3 to 21 days, once a day. Blood samples were taken from the rats and the levels of estrogen and albumin and gonadotropins in the serum were monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and the ovaries were examined immunohistopathologically for DAßH activity. Results: L-arginine (5 mg/kg) significantly increased estrogen level (P<0.05), which was associated with DAßH activation in the ovaries. L-NAME reduced this effect when administered prior to L-arginine dose. L-arginine caused no significant change in the levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Except for the lowest dose of L-arginine in the shortest period, albumin levels significantly decreased in other treatments compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions: L-arginine is likely to reduce postmenopausal problems due to an increased nitric oxide level.
Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disorder for which current treatments afford symptomatic relief with no prevention of disease progression. Due to ...the neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic potential of alpha lipoic acid (LA), this study was undertaken to evaluate whether LA could improve behavioral and cellular abnormalities and markers of oxidative stress in an experimental model of early PD in rat. Unilateral intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats were pretreated p.o. with LA at doses of 50 and/or 100 mg/kg twice at an interval of 24 h. After 1 week, apomorphine caused significant contralateral rotations, a significant reduction in the number of neurons was observed on the left side of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrite levels in midbrain homogenate significantly increased and activity of superoxide dismutase significantly reduced in the 6-OHDA group. LA pretreatment at a dose of 100 mg/kg significantly attenuated rotations, prevented loss of SNC neurons, and lowered levels of MDA and nitrite. These results suggest that LA could partially afford neuroprotection against 6-OHDA neurotoxicity that is in part due to the attenuation of oxidative stress burden and this may provide benefits, along with other therapies, in neurodegenerative disorders including PD.
Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) is a critical virulence factor in Acinetobacter baumannii, influencing adhesion, biofilm formation, host immune response, and host cell apoptosis. We investigated the ...invasion of A549 alveolar epithelial cells by A. baumannii and examined how anti-OmpA antibodies impact these interactions. OmpA was expressed and purified, inducing anti-OmpA antibodies in BALB/c mice. The potential toxicity of OmpA was evaluated in mice by analyzing histology from six organs. A549 cells were exposed to A. baumannii strains 19606 and a clinical isolate. Using cell culture and light microscopy, we scrutinized the effects of anti-OmpA sera on serum resistance, adherence, internalization, and proliferation of A. baumannii in A549 cells. The viability of A549 cells was assessed upon exposure to live A. baumannii and anti-OmpA sera. OmpA-induced antibody demonstrated potent bactericidal effects on both strains of A. baumannii. Both strains formed biofilms, which were reduced by anti-OmpA serum, along with decreased bacterial adherence, internalization, and proliferation in A549 cells. Anti-OmpA serum improved the survival of A549 cells post-infection. Pre-treatment with cytochalasin D hindered bacterial internalization, highlighting the role of actin polymerization in invasion. Microscopic examination revealed varied interactions encompassing adherence, apoptosis, membrane alterations, vacuolization, and damage. A549 cells treated with anti-OmpA serum exhibited improved structures and reduced damage. The findings indicate that A. baumannii can adhere to and proliferate within epithelial cells with OmpA playing a pivotal role in these interactions, and the complex nature of these interactions shapes the intricate course of A. baumannii infection in host cells.
•Virulence factors and secretion systems contribute to pathogenesis of A. baumannii.•OmpA is the major virulence factor of A. baumannii associated with autophagy.•Anti-OmpA antibodies play a role in adhesion, proliferation, and A549 response.•OmpA could be a therapeutic target and theoretical basis for A. baumannii infections.•OmpA, a crucial virulence factor, contributes to the incomplete autophagy.
Due to its high drug resistance, Acinetobacter baumannii is a priority for new therapeutic measures like vaccines. In this study, the protectivity of a combination cocktail of Omp34 and BauA as a ...vaccine against A. baumannii was studied in a murine sepsis model.
The antibody titers were raised to Omp34 and BauA in BALB/c mice and assessed by indirect ELISA. The immunized mice were challenged with A. baumannii ATCC 19606. The bacterial loads in the liver, spleen, and lungs were also determined.
A significant increase in survival of the immunized mice was noted. In active immunity, the survival rates in mice receiving Omp34 and BauA alone or in combination were 100%. A significant decrease in the bacterial load was observed in the spleens, livers, and lungs of vaccinated mice. Anti-BauA and anti-Omp34 sera crossly detected Omp34 and BauA respectively. The decrease in bacterial load in body organs of mice vaccinated with a combination of the two proteins was significantly higher than those of the single proteins in both actively and passively immunized mice. In passive immunity, the survival rate of mice receiving specific sera raised to the combination of these proteins was 85.7%.
Higher protection by a combination of Omp34 and BauA than Omp34 or BauA could be attributed to targeting simultaneously both surface antigens indicating the synergistic effect of Omp34 and BauA as suitable vaccine candidates in the prevention or treatment of A. baumannii infections.
•Acinetobacter baumannii is a priority for new therapeutic measures like vaccines.•Cocktail of surface antigens elicit good protective response against pathogens.•A cocktail of Omp34 and BauA was studied against A. baumannii sepsis model in mice.•Significant survival rate and reduced bacterial load in internal organs were noted.•Omp34 and BauA confer synergistic protection against A. baumannii infections.
We used synthetic aperture radar offset tracking to reconstruct a unique record of ice surface velocities for a 3.2 year period (15 January 2017–6 April 2020), for the Palcaraju glacier located above ...Laguna Palcacocha, Cordillera Blanca, Peru. Correlation and spatial cluster analysis of residuals of linear fits through cumulative velocity time series, revealed that velocity variations were controlled by the intra-annual outer tropical seasonality and inter-annual variation in Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies (SSTA), related to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The seasonal signal was dominant, where it was sensitive to altitude, aspect, and slope. The measured velocity variations are related to the spatial and temporal variability of the glacier’s surface energy and mass balance, meltwater production, and subglacial water pressures. Evaluation of potential ice avalanche initiation areas, using deviations from linear long-term velocity trends, which were not related to intra- or inter-annual velocities, showed no evidence of imminent avalanching ice instabilities for the observation period.
Background and purpose: Prostate cancer is the second cause of cancer-related death in men. Early diagnosis and identification of prognostic factors help to predict clinical outcome and select the ...most effective treatment protocol in each patient. The relationship between CD117 expression and various tumor prognoses has been identified and there is evidence for the role of this marker in prostate cancer pathogenesis. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate CD117 marker expression in prostate benign hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma, and to find its association with Gleason grade. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, paraffin blocks of tissue samples obtained from 85 patients with prostatic benign hyperplasia and 78 patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma, who referred to Shahid Mostafa Khomeini hospital during 2018 to 2021, were immunohistochemically stained by anti-CD117 antibody. Membranous and cytoplasmic staining in more than 10% of epithelial tumor cells was considered as positive result. Results: Positive CD117 expression was found in 27.1% of prostatic benign hyperplasia and 50% of prostatic adenocarcinoma samples showed a statistically significant difference (P=0.003). There was no significant relationship between CD117 status expression and primary Gleason grade in prostatic adenocarcinoma samples (P=0.166); however, secondary Gleason grade and total Gleason score had a significant relationship with CD117 expression status (P=0.002 and P=0.017, respectively). Conclusion: CD117 expression was higher in prostatic carcinoma compared to benign prostatic hyperplasia and its higher expression was associated with higher Gleason grade as one of the most important prognostic factors in prostatic carcinoma
When water is injected into a fracture-dominated reservoir that is cooler or hotter than the injected water, the reservoir permeability is expected to be altered by the injection-induced ...thermo-mechanical effects, resulting in the redistribution of fluid flow in the reservoir. These effects are important to be taken into account when evaluating the performance and lifetime particularly of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). In this paper, we compare the results from two dye tracer tests, conducted before (at ambient temperature of
13
∘
C
) and during the injection of
45
∘
C
hot water into a fractured crystalline rock at the Grimsel Test Site in Switzerland. Conducting a moment analysis on the recovered tracer residence time distribution (RTD) curves, we observe, after hot water injection, a significant decrease in the total tracer recovery. This recovery decrease strongly suggests that fluid flow was redistributed in the studied rock volume and that the majority of the injected water was lost to the far-field. Furthermore, using temperature measurements, obtained from the same locations as the tracer RTD curves, we conceptualize an approach to estimate the fracture surface area contributing to the heat exchange between the host rock and the circulating fluid. Our moment analysis and simplified estimation of fracture surface area provide insights into the hydraulic properties of the hydraulically active fracture system and the changes in fluid flow. Such insights are important to assess the heat exchange performance of a geothermal formation during fluid circulation and to estimate the lifetime of the geothermal formation, particularly in EGS.
•Multi-component surface antigens could have a synergistic immunizing effect.•Protectivity of a combination of Oma87 and Bap was studied.•High antibody titer and protection were achieved from the ...cocktail vaccine.•Combination of anti-Oma87 and Bap antibodies could target both surface antigens.•Internal organs of immunized mice were protected against histopathological changes.
Acinetobacter baumannii is the leading cause of nosocomial infection. A surface protein commonly known as biofilm associate protein (Bap) has been identified in a bloodstream isolate of A. baumannii. Bap of A. baumannii is involved in intercellular adhesion within the mature biofilm. Outer membrane protein Acinetobacter 87 kDa (Oma87) or β-barrel assembly machinery A (BamA) has been introduced as an immunogenic outer membrane protein via in silico reverse vaccinology. Current research examines the synergistic effect of immunization of mice with both recombinant proteins viz., Oma87 and Bap. Antibodies were raised to the proteins. The mice were challenged with A. baumannii ATCC 19606 and the bacterial burden was enumerated in the mice’s livers, spleens, and lungs followed by histological examination. IgG levels significantly increased, and a significant (p < 0.0001) difference was observed between bacterial burdens in the internal organs of the actively and passively immunized groups. Female BALB/c mice weighing 20–25 g, were divided into 4 groups of 14 mice each viz., control, Oma87, Bap, Oma87-Bap groups. The proteins were individually immunogenic, but the combination of both proteins had a synergistic protection property. This is further supported by the histological examination. Based on the results, the combination of Oma87 and Bap may be considered a promising vaccine candidate against A. baumannii .
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is one of the commonly used spices in food preparations. It is also used in traditional medicine as a stimulant, a carminative, and an astringent. In this study, we ...characterized the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of cumin. E. coli, S. aureus, and S. faecalis were sensitive to various oil dilutions. The total phenol content of the essential oil was estimated to be 33.43 μg GAE/mg of the oil. The oil showed higher antioxidant activity compared with that of BHT and BHA. The cumin essential oil exhibited a dose-dependent scavenging of DPPH radicals and 5.4 μg of the oil was sufficient to scavenge 50% of DPPH radicals/mL. At a concentration of 0.1 μL/mL, oil destructed Hela cells by 79%. The antioxidant activity of cumin essential oil might contribute to its cytotoxic activity. Acute and subchronic toxicity was studied in a 30-d oral toxicity study by administration to Wistar rats of the essential oil. A 17.38% decrease in WBCs count, and 25.77%, 14.24%, and 108.81% increase in hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and platelet count, respectively, were noted. LDL/HDL ratio was reduced to half, which adds to the nutritional effects of cumin. Thus, cumin with a high phenolic content and good antioxidant activity can be supplemented for both nutritional purposes and preservation of foods.
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