► We studied the effect of solvents on spent coffee grounds oil extraction. ► The effect of reaction conditions on the conversion of the oil to methyl ester. ► The highest extraction yield obtained ...when using hexane as a solvent. ► The properties of the extracted oils vary depending on the extraction solvent. ► The conversion is enhanced by increasing MeOH–KOH/FFA ratio, time and temperature.
The effect of different extraction solvents (polar and non-polar) on yield, chemical and physical properties, including free fatty acid content (FFA) or acid value (AV), saponification value (SV), density, viscosity, elemental composition and heating values of oil extracted from spent coffee grounds (SCG) is investigated. The Soxhlet extraction method is utilized for the extraction of oil from spent coffee grounds. Iso-propanol, ethanol, and acetone as polar solvents and toluene, chloroform, hexane and n-pentane as nonpolar solvents are used. For each solvent, the oil yield is recorded for different time spans. The results show that the highest oil yield (15.3%) is achieved using hexane as an extraction solvent after 30min of extraction time. The AV and SV of the extracted oils vary depending on the extraction solvent. The results indicate that AV of SCG oil extracted with hexane is 3.65% (7.3mgKOH/g). This value is lower than the values for spent coffee oil extracted with the other solvents (ethanol 3.85%, isopropanol 6.4%, chloroform 4.55%, and toluene 4.15%).
Free fatty acids (FFA) of the extracted oil are converted into fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) by base-catalyzed esterification. Effects of temperature, the ratio of FFA to the methanol–KOH solution and the reaction time are investigated. With one step alkali-catalyzed transesterification, oil conversion to methyl ester can be enhanced from approx. 55–85% by increasing the reaction time, the reaction temperature and the MeOH–KOH/FFA ratio. However, a complete oil conversion could only be achieved by utilizing a two-steps transesterification process.
Asylum-seeking children and adolescents (ASCs) who have resettled in Western countries show elevated rates of psychological distress, including Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS), depression, and ...anxiety. Most longitudinal data suggest a relatively stable course of symptoms during the first years in exile. However, no longitudinal examination of the mental health of ASCs, who resettled in Europe in the wake of the 2015-17 European migrant crisis, has been conducted so far.
A prospective cohort study looked at 98 ASCs who resettled in southern Germany throughout 2015-17. They mainly came from Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, and Iraq. Baseline assessments were undertaken 22 months, on average, after resettlement, and follow-up assessments 1 year thereafter. Seventy-two ASCs could be secured for the follow-up. The measures included self-report questionnaires screening for PTSS, depression, anxiety, externalizing behavior, and post-migration factors that were administered in an interview-like setting. Results were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression analysis.
Participating ASCs reported on average eight potentially traumatic experiences and high levels of psychological distress at baseline that had significantly declined at follow-up. At follow-up, rates of clinically significant symptoms ranged from 9.7% (externalizing behavior) to 37.5% (PTSS). There was considerable individual variation in symptom change resulting in multiple mental health trajectories. ASCs whose asylum applications had been rejected presented significantly more symptoms than ASCs whose asylum applications had been accepted between assessments. Baseline psychopathology and asylum status predicted follow-up symptom severity.
In contrast to earlier studies, the symptom severity in this sample of ASCs in Germany ameliorated between assessments. Decisions on the asylum applications of ASCs are thought to contribute to the course of symptoms. Since levels of psychological distress were still high, dissemination and implementation of appropriate treatments for ASCs is crucial.
Adenosquamous carcinoma of the skin (ASCS) or primary cutaneous adenosquamous carcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm. It is characterized by the presence of both glandular and squamous cell ...components and a propensity for aggressive clinical behavior. Due to its rarity, it continues to pose diagnostic challenges. To date, only a few cases of this tumor have been reported, and even fewer have been thoroughly investigated via immunohistochemistry.
Genome editing strategies in barley (
) typically rely on
-mediated genetic transformation for the delivery of required genetic reagents involving tissue culture techniques. These approaches are ...genotype-dependent, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, which hampers rapid genome editing in barley. More recently, plant RNA viruses have been engineered to transiently express short guide RNAs facilitating CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted genome editing in plants that constitutively express
. Here, we explored virus-induced genome editing (VIGE) based on barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) in
-transgenic barley. Somatic and heritable editing in the
gene (
) resulting in albino/variegated chloroplast-defective barley mutants is shown. In addition, somatic editing in meiosis-related candidate genes in barley encoding ASY1 (an axis-localized HORMA domain protein), MUS81 (a DNA structure-selective endonuclease), and ZYP1 (a transverse filament protein of the synaptonemal complex) was achieved. Hence, the presented VIGE approach using BSMV enables rapid somatic and also heritable targeted gene editing in barley.
Summary
Background and aims
Infantile hemangiomas can be successfully treated by both systemic propranolol and neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG)‐dye laser combination therapy. In this retrospective study, the ...efficacy and safety of sequential and parallel therapy of complicated hemangiomas treated with both methods were evaluated.
Patients and methods
30 children with 48 complicated hemangiomas were treated with propranolol and Nd:YAG‐dye laser combination therapy. Using photo comparison, the percentage remission rate was evaluated by three investigators on a four‐step scale (I: 0–25 %, II: 26–50 %, III: 51–75 % and IV: 76–100 %).
Results
Eleven children received propranolol and laser therapy in parallel (A), twelve children received laser therapy after propranolol (B) and seven children received propranolol after laser therapy (C). Due to emigration abroad, one child was lost to follow‐up. A strong improvement (IV) was observed in 23/29 (79.3 %) of all treated children (A: 90.9 %, B 75 %, C 66.7 %). The mean duration of propranolol therapy in all children was 8.6 months (A: 8.9 months, B: 8.2 months, C: 8.9 months). On average, 2.33 laser treatments were performed per hemangioma (A: 1.95, B: 3.2, C: 1.91). Serious side effects caused by propranolol and laser therapy were not observed.
Conclusions
Propranolol and Nd:YAG‐dye laser combination therapy can be used sequentially or in parallel safely and effectively. They complement each other in a meaningful manner.
Women with recurrent ovarian cancer have a poor prognosis and short survival. However, some women are long-term survivors and it is unclear whether they share specific common characteristics.
We ...present the case of a 63-year-old woman with histologically-proven recurrent ovarian cancer and a survival time of 16 years after the diagnosis of recurrence. She underwent initial debulking surgery in 1994, followed by 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin and paclitaxel. After recurrent disease was diagnosed by re-laparotomy in 2000, she underwent four lines of systemic chemotherapy from 2000 to 2009 (carboplatin/paclitaxel, topotecan, etoposide/treosulfan and liposomal doxorubicin) and four lines of endocrine therapy between 2002 and 2014 (tamoxifen, goserelin, tamoxifen and exemestane). In 2014, she underwent secondary debulking surgery and was tumor-free until 2015. Upon progression, she was then started on the fifth-line of endocrine therapy, fulvestrant, which was changed to the mTOR inhibitor everolimus in June 2016. In a PUBMED literature search, 360 cases of long-term survivors of recurrent ovarian cancer (LTSROC), defined as women with survival >5 years after the diagnosis of recurrence, were identified with a mean post-recurrence survival time of 7.5 years. Comparing the patient and therapy details of these women, we identified common characteristics of LTSROC, i.e. young age and optimal debulking at initial surgery, a long time span between first-line therapy and first recurrence and the combined use of optimal cytoreductive surgery and systemic chemotherapy.
LTSROC are rare, with 360 cases described in the literature. LTSROC are characterized by young age, low tumor stage, long recurrence-free interval and combined modality treatment with optimal cytoreductive surgery and systemic chemotherapy.
An all-glass miniaturized light-phase rotary perforator for the enrichment of polar compounds has been modified/miniaturized and applied. Its application is demonstrated here for the analysis of ...nitrophenols and dinitrophenols from low-concentration/low-volume samples. For the method development of high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS) four eluents were tested: (1) water-methanol, (2) acetic acid-methanol, (3) trifluoroacetic acid-methanol and (4) water-acetonitrile. The last eluent mentioned was used for the subsequent investigation of samples from field experiments. Detection limits varied between 1 ng and 50 pg. The relative standard deviation in repeated measurements was below 15%, corresponding to a good reproducibility. Recoveries ranged between 31 and 100%, showing a significant dependence on the extraction time and the final volume of the sample after evaporation. Quantification was carried out by using deuterated 4-nitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol as standards and applying previously determined response factors. Structure determination of further substances under atmospheric pressure chemical ionization was performed by a first screening with a source collision-induced dissociation, followed by the definite analysis by MS n . The first results are shown for cloud water, fog water and rainwater samples from different locations.
ZusammenfassungHintergrund und ZieleInfantile Hämangiome können sowohl durch systemische Propranolol‐ als auch durch Neodym:YAG‐Farbstofflaser‐Kombinationstherapie erfolgreich behandelt werden. In ...dieser retrospektiven Studie wurden Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit der sequenziellen und parallelen Therapie komplizierter Hämangiome, die mit beiden Verfahren behandelt wurden, evaluiert.Patienten und Methoden30 Kinder mit 48 komplizierten Hämangiomen wurden mit Propranolol‐ und Neodym: YAG‐Farbstofflaser‐Kombinationstherapie behandelt. Im Fotovergleich wurde die prozentuale Remissionsrate durch drei Untersucher anhand einer vierstufigen Skala bewertet (I: 0–25 %, II: 26–50 %, III: 51–75 % und IV: 76–100 %).ErgebnisseElf Kinder erhielten parallel Propranolol‐ und Lasertherapie (A), zwölf Kinder wurden nach Propranolol lasertherapiert (B) und sieben Kinder erhielten nach Lasertherapie Propranolol (C). Ein Kind konnte aufgrund einer Auswanderung ins Ausland nicht abschließend ausgewertet werden. Eine starke Verbesserung (IV) wurde bei 23/29 (79,3 %) aller behandelten Kinder festgestellt (A: 90,9 %, B 75 %, C 66,7 %). Die mittlere Dauer der Propranolol‐Therapie bei allen Kindern betrug 8,6 Monate (A: 8,9 Monate, B: 8,2 Monate, C: 8,9 Monate). Im Mittel erfolgten 2,33 Laserbehandlungen pro Hämangiom (A: 1,95, B: 3,2, C: 1,91). Schwerwiegende Nebenwirkungen durch die Propranolol‐ und Lasertherapie wurden nicht beobachtet.SchlussfolgerungenPropranolol‐ und Neodym: YAG‐Farbstofflaser‐Kombinationstherapie können sequenziell oder parallel sicher und effektiv eingesetzt werden und sich sinnvoll ergänzen.