DDT remains in use for malaria control in South Africa. We quantified DDTs in aquatic bird eggs from the highly biodiverse northern KwaZulu-Natal, a province of South Africa where DDT has been used ...for more than 80 years for malaria control. Pelican eggs had the highest ΣDDT concentration (7200 ng/g lipid mass; lm), Little Egret eggs had 6900 ΣDDT lm, African Openbill eggs had 3400 ng/g lm ΣDDT, and White-breasted Cormorant had 2400 ng/g lm. All species had non-significantly different mean concentrations of o,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDT, and ΣDDT, but with significant differences for p,p-DDE, o,p’-DDD, p,p’-DDD, %DDT, %DDD, and %lipid. The thinnest pelican eggshell (0.40 mm) had a ΣDDT concentration of 3300 ng/g lm.; the thickest shell (0.96 mm) had the lowest ΣDDT concentration at 29 ng/g lm; a 58% difference. Linear regressions of concentrations with shell thickness for the pelican eggs were significant for p,p’-DDE and p,p’-DDD, indicating risk of reproductive impairment. Compositional profiles indicate different food webs for the different species. DDT concentrations were lower than from another DDT-sprayed locality in South Africa, possible linked to differences in hydrology and rainfall. We conclude that significant ecotoxic threats associated with DDT remain in this area, and possibly threatens birds from less polluted areas. Our findings suggest continued negative human health and environmental impacts from DDT. There is an urgency to move away from DDT as quickly as possible; alternatively, to implement practices that prevent emissions of DDT to the environment while protecting human life.
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•Eggs of four predatory aquatic bird species from KwaZulu-Natal analysed for DDTs.•Concentrations were similar or lower in KwaZulu-Natal than in Limpopo province.•DDT composition suggest pelicans feeding from different food web than other species.•Strong evidence of eggshell thinning associated with DDT for pelican eggs.•Urgent efforts to reduce or eliminate DDT for malaria control needed.
Intro: Since the Omicron variant of novel coronavirus infection became endemic, the number of cases presenting with pneumonia has decreased and the prognosis has improved. However, it is unclear ...whether the typical pneumonia affected the need for antiviral treatment and oxygenation and outcome in case of Omicron variants. In this study, we analyzed the association between the presence of typical pneumonia findings and treatment and oxygenation, and prognosis during the Omicron variant epidemic in Japan. Methods: We enrolled patients who was hospitalized from January 1, 2022 to February 7, 2022, and whose CT scans were taken. The certainty of typical pneumonia on CT at admission, was analyzed using the COVID-19 Pneumonia Image Analysis Program of the 3D Image Analysis System Volume Analyzer Synapse Vincent. Patient background, treatment, oxygenation, and outcome were extracted from the medical records. Findings: Fifty-seven patients were included in the study, with a median CT certainty score of 58, ranging from 9 to 99. There were 22 patients in the highscore group, 13 in the intermediate-score group, and 22 in the low-score group. For the high, intermediate, and low score group, the rate of antiviral treatment 86%, 72%, and 72%, respectively (p=0.53). The rate of supplemental oxygen was required in 64%, 55%, 23%, respectively (p=0.02). The mortalities were 5%, 18%, 5%, respectively(p=0.33). Conclusion: During the Omicron variant epidemic, typical pneumonia findings were associated with oxygen supplementation, but not with antiviral therapy or mortality.
Metallic glass-reinforced metal matrix composites are an emerging class of composite materials. The metallic nature and the high mechanical strength of the reinforcing phase offers unique ...possibilities for improving the engineering performance of composites. Understanding the structure at the amorphous/crystalline interfaces and the deformation behavior of these composites is of vital importance for their further development and potential application. In the present work, Zr-based metallic glass fibers have been introduced in Al7075 alloy (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu) matrices using spark plasma sintering (SPS) producing composites with low porosity. The addition of metallic glass reinforcements in the Al-based matrix significantly improves the mechanical behavior of the composites in compression. High-resolution TEM observations at the interface reveal the formation of a thin interdiffusion layer able to provide good bonding between the reinforcing phase and the Al-based matrix. The deformation behavior of the composites was studied, indicating that local plastic deformation occurred in the matrix near the glassy reinforcements followed by the initiation and propagation of cracks mainly through the matrix. The reinforcing phase is seen to inhibit the plastic deformation and retard the crack propagation. The findings offer new insights into the mechanical behavior of metal matrix composites reinforced with metallic glasses.
The perovskite oxide, LaFeO₃, was synthesized by three different preparation methods i.e., the calcination of a mixture of La₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ (La-Fe-O), a co-precipitated precursor (La-Fe-OH), La(OH)₃ ...and Fe(OH)₃, and a heteronuclear complex (La-Fe-CN), LaFe(CN)₆ · 5H₂O. The obtained powders were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis, specific surface area measurement and scanning electron microscopy. The formation of LaFeO₃ is clearly recognized for La-Fe-O, La-Fe-OH and La-Fe-CN at calcining temperatures above 1000, 800 and 600°C, respectively. The mean particle diameter of La-Fe-CN calcined at 600°C for 2 hours was 30 nm. The LaFeO₃ perovskite oxide powder obtained by the thermal decomposition of La-Fe-CN was most uniform on an atomic level and the nanosized LaFeO₃ powder was obtained at low temperatures. Furthermore, the sinterability was good.
The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression, EGFR gene amplification, and the presence of activating mutations in the tyrosine ...kinase domain of this gene in squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas/adenosquamous carcinomas of the uterine cervix.
The EGFR expression, amplification, and mutation in cervical carcinomas were assessed by immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridisation, and PCR-SSCP, respectively, and correlated with clinical data collected by a retrospective chart review. A functional assessment was performed by inactivating EGFR in cervical cancer cells with the potent inhibitor AG1478.
Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that 6 out of 59 (10.2%) cervical squamous cell carcinomas showed significant amplification of the EGFR locus, whereas none of the 52 adeno/adenosquamous cell carcinomas had detectable EGFR amplification (P<0.05). The EGFR amplification significantly correlated with shorter overall survival (P=0.001) in cervical squamous cell carcinomas. Multivariate analysis showed that EGFR gene amplification was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (P=0.011). None of the squamous cell carcinomas (0%: 0 out of 32) had detectable oncogenic mutations in EGFR exons 18 through 21. The frequencies of KRAS and BRAF mutations were very low in both squamous and adeno/adenosquamous cell carcinomas. Sensitivity of cervical cancer cells to AG1478 depended on the presence of EGFR overexpression. AG1478-induced EGFR inactivation in cell lines with EGFR overexpression significantly suppressed tumour development and progression in a mouse xenograft model.
Our data suggest that EGFR signalling is important in a subset of cervical squamous cell carcinomas and that anti-EGFR therapy may benefit patients who carry the 7p11.2 amplicon in their tumours.
Abstract
Avian species have a unique renal structure and abundant blood flow into the kidneys. Although many birds die due to nephrotoxicity caused by chemicals, there are no early biomarkers for ...renal lesions. Uric acid level in blood, which is generally used as a renal biomarker, is altered when the kidney function is damaged by over 70%. Therefore, early biomarkers for kidney injury in birds are needed. In humans, glycomics has been at the forefront of biological and medical sciences, and glycans are used as biomarkers of diseases, such as carcinoma. In this study, a glycomics approach was used to screen for renal biomarkers in chicken. First, a chicken model of kidney damage was generated by injection of diclofenac or cisplatin, which cause acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) and acute tubular necrosis (ATN), respectively. The nephrotoxicity levels were determined by a blood chemical test and histopathological analysis. The plasma N-glycans were then analyzed to discover renal biomarkers in birds. Levels of 14 glycans increased between pre- and post administration in kidney-damaged chickens in the diclofenac group, and some of these glycans had the same presumptive composition as those in human renal carcinoma patients. Glycan levels did not change remarkably in the cisplatin group. It is possible that there are changes in glycan expression due to AIN, but they do not reflect ATN. Although further research is needed in other species of birds, glycans are potentially useful biomarkers for AIN in avian species.
Background
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) serve as intestinal pacemakers. Postoperative ileus (POI) is a gastrointestinal motility disorder that occurs following abdominal surgery, which is caused ...by inflammation‐induced dysfunction of smooth muscles and enteric neurons. However, the participation of ICC in POI is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the functional changes of ICC in a mouse model of POI.
Methods
Intestinal manipulation (IM) was performed to induce POI. At 24 h or 48 h after IM, the field potential of the intestinal tunica muscularis was investigated. Tissues were also examined by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopic analysis.
Key Results
Gastrointestinal transit was significantly decreased with intestinal tunica muscularis inflammation at 24 h after IM, which was ameliorated at 48 h after IM. The generation and propagation of pacemaker potentials were disrupted at 24 h after IM and recovered to the control level at 48 h after IM. ICC networks, detected by c‐Kit immunoreactivity, were remarkably disrupted at 24 h after IM. Electron microscopic analysis revealed abnormal vacuoles in the ICC cytoplasm. Interestingly, the ICC networks recovered at 48 h after IM. Administration of aminoguanidine, an inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, suppressed the disruption of ICC networks. Ileal smooth muscle tissue cultured in the presence of nitric oxide donor, showed disrupted ICC networks.
Conclusions and Inferences
The generation and propagation of pacemaker potentials by ICC are disrupted via nitric oxide after IM, and this disruption may contribute to POI. When inflammation is ameliorated, ICC can recover their pacemaker function.
The participation of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the postoperative ileus (POI) is not well understood. In a mouse model of POI, the propagation of electrical pacemaker activity and the networks of ICC were disrupted. These changes were mediated by nitric oxide. In addition to smooth muscle and enteric neuron, ICC may be a new therapeutic target cell for prevention and therapeutic management of POI.
The whole-genome sequence of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) cv. 'Francesco' was determined using a combination of different new-generation multiplex sequencing platforms. The total length of ...the non-redundant sequences was 568,887,315 bp, consisting of 45,088 scaffolds, which covered 91% of the 622 Mb carnation genome estimated by k-mer analysis. The N50 values of contigs and scaffolds were 16,644 bp and 60,737 bp, respectively, and the longest scaffold was 1,287,144 bp. The average GC content of the contig sequences was 36%. A total of 1050, 13, 92 and 143 genes for tRNAs, rRNAs, snoRNA and miRNA, respectively, were identified in the assembled genomic sequences. For protein-encoding genes, 43 266 complete and partial gene structures excluding those in transposable elements were deduced. Gene coverage was ∼ 98%, as deduced from the coverage of the core eukaryotic genes. Intensive characterization of the assigned carnation genes and comparison with those of other plant species revealed characteristic features of the carnation genome. The results of this study will serve as a valuable resource for fundamental and applied research of carnation, especially for breeding new carnation varieties. Further information on the genomic sequences is available at http://carnation.kazusa.or.jp.
Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) is octoploid and shows allogamous behaviour. The present study aims at dissecting this octoploid genome through comparison with its wild relatives, F. ...iinumae, F. nipponica, F. nubicola, and F. orientalis by de novo whole-genome sequencing on an Illumina and Roche 454 platforms. The total length of the assembled Illumina genome sequences obtained was 698 Mb for F. x ananassa, and ∼200 Mb each for the four wild species. Subsequently, a virtual reference genome termed FANhybrid_r1.2 was constructed by integrating the sequences of the four homoeologous subgenomes of F. x ananassa, from which heterozygous regions in the Roche 454 and Illumina genome sequences were eliminated. The total length of FANhybrid_r1.2 thus created was 173.2 Mb with the N50 length of 5137 bp. The Illumina-assembled genome sequences of F. x ananassa and the four wild species were then mapped onto the reference genome, along with the previously published F. vesca genome sequence to establish the subgenomic structure of F. x ananassa. The strategy adopted in this study has turned out to be successful in dissecting the genome of octoploid F. x ananassa and appears promising when applied to the analysis of other polyploid plant species.
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