A Judo-Based Exercise Program to Reduce Falls and Frailty Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Feasibility Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the feasibility (including recruitment, safety and adherence) and the effects of a twice weekly supervised Judo-based exercise program over eight weeks on mobility, balance, physical performance, quality of life, fear of falling and physical activity (including by frailty status) in community-dwelling older people aged ≥65 years.

DESIGN

Pre-post study.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 17 participants (mean age 74.3±6.2; range 66-87 years; 76.5% female).

INTERVENTION

A Judo-based exercise program conducted twice weekly for 60 minutes per session over eight weeks.

MEASUREMENTS

Pre and post assessments included the Timed Up and Go (TUG); the Berg Balance Scale (BBS); the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB); the Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36); the Falls Efficiency Scale International (FES-I); and an ActivPal accelerometer to measure participants' physical activity.

RESULTS

Most participants had low (≤3) Charlson's Comorbidity Index scores (n=17, 100%), were well nourished (n=16, 94.1%), not sarcopenic (n=16, 94.1%), and not cognitively impaired (n=13, 76.5%), anxious or depressed (n=14, 82.4%). Ten participants (58.8%) were non-frail and seven were pre-frail (41.2%). Significant improvements (p<0.05) were seen for mobility (TUG), balance (BBS) and physical performance (SPPB). Pre-frail participants showed greater improvement in mobility (TUG) than non-frail participants (p=0.020). No changes (p≥0.05) were seen in quality of life, fear of falling, or physical activity. Participants' adherence (i.e., attending sessions) was high (i.e., ≥81.2%). No serious adverse events or withdrawals were reported.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that the eight week Judo-based exercise program can be delivered safely to older adults aged ≥65 years, including those at-risk of frailty, as long as there is close supervision with individualisation of the program in response to emergent health symptoms and the program is conducted on requisite Judo mats. This Judo-based exercise program is effective in improving physical function with potential to prevent falls and frailty risk.

Drug Utilization Research and Predictors of Outcomes in the Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Multiple drugs are commonly prescribed to intensive care unit (ICU) patients owing to the disease profile, multiple organ dysfunction, prophylaxis, management of stress ulcers, nosocomial infections, etc. This study aimed to evaluate the drug utilization patterns and factors influencing mortality and duration of stay in ICU patients.  Methodology: A prospective observational study was conducted in the ICU of our tertiary care hospital, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak. Data was collected from treatment charts of patients using a structured pretested proforma. World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical/Defined Daily Dose (WHO ATC/DDD) methodology and core prescribing indicators were used to assess drug utilization data. The effect of different variables on mortality and duration of stay in the ICU was evaluated using regression analysis.

RESULTS

An average of 8.78 drugs were prescribed per patient. Among the 922 prescriptions, anti-infectives, anti-inflammatory drugs, and drugs acting on the gastrointestinal tract were the most frequent medication classes prescribed. Polypharmacy and trade name prescribing were common. For most of the drugs, the prescribed daily dose corresponded to the WHO-DDD except ceftriaxone and levofloxacin. Age, presence of cardiac disorders, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at admission directly correlated with mortality while the use of diuretics had a negative correlation with the duration of ICU stay.  Conclusions: There is a need to rationalize drug therapy in the ICU with regard to limiting polypharmacy and emphasizing generic drug name prescribing and adherence to the essential drug list. Antibiotic prescription patterns, in particular, deserve a special focus keeping in mind the multitude of factors demanding aggressive antibiotic use in critically ill intensive care patients.

Is scolding analogous to positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)?

N/A

Ribosomal protein control of hematopoietic stem cell transformation through direct, non-canonical regulation of metabolism

We report here that expression of the ribosomal protein, RPL22, is frequently reduced in human myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML); reduced RPL22 expression is associated with worse outcomes. Mice null for Rpl22 display characteristics of an MDS-like syndrome and develop leukemia at an accelerated rate. Rpl22-deficient mice also display enhanced hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal and obstructed differentiation potential, which arises not from reduced protein synthesis but from increased expression of the Rpl22 target, ALOX12, an upstream regulator of fatty acid oxidation (FAO). The increased FAO mediated by Rpl22-deficiency also persists in leukemia cells and promotes their survival. Altogether, these findings reveal that Rpl22 insufficiency enhances the leukemia potential of HSC via non-canonical de-repression of its target, ALOX12, which enhances FAO, a process that may serve as a therapeutic vulnerability of Rpl22 low MDS and AML leukemia cells.

Highlights

RPL22 insufficiency is observed in MDS/AML and is associated with reduced survivalRpl22-deficiency produces an MDS-like syndrome and facilitates leukemogenesisRpl22-deficiency does not impair global protein synthesis by HSCRpl22 controls leukemia cell survival by non-canonical regulation of lipid oxidation eTOC: Rpl22 controls the function and transformation potential of hematopoietic stem cells through effects on ALOX12 expression, a regulator of fatty acid oxidation.

Recent Advancement in Multicomponent Synthesis of Fused Coumarin Derivatives

The synthesis of coumarin derivatives has been an essential topic since its discovery in 1820. In bioactive compounds, the coumarin moiety serves as a backbone, as many such bioactive compounds with the coumarin moiety play a significant role in their bioactivities. Given this moiety's relevance, several researchers are developing fused-coumarin derivatives to create new drugs. Mostly the approach done for this purpose was a multicomponent reaction based. Over the years, the multicomponent reaction has gained enormous popularity, and this approach has evolved as a replacement for conventional synthetic methods. Because of all these perspectives, we have reported the various fused-coumarin derivatives synthesized using multicomponent reactions in recent years.

Contemporary progress in the Applications of Iron-based Magnetic Nanoparticles in Multicomponent Synthesis: A Review

Abstract:

In recent decades, organic synthetic reactions have advanced towards a greener and sustainable reactions by the usage of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Such nanoparticles can be quickly recovered and reused in various organic syntheses. MNPs are a sustainable methodology while encountering environmental and profitable advantage. Due to their properties, MNPs have broad impacts on multiple fields. For instance, their size and magnetic properties have significant implications for various biomedicine, environmental remediation projects, and catalysis. MNPs are an alternative to conventional materials. These are smaller and have a high surface area that allows them to have copious catalytic sites. Amongst various MNPs, iron-based nanoparticles are being profoundly explored in different multicomponent reactions (MCRs). A convergent reaction, which retains most of the significant atoms of the starting components. This investigation targets to equip its readers a brief appertaining to nanoparticles, their processing, and characterization and summarize the evolution in applications of Iron-based MNPs in multicomponent synthetic procedures since 2010.

Antibacterial and antioxidant assay of novel heteroaryl-substituted methane derivatives synthesized via ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) catalyzed one-pot green approach

Individually, hydroxycoumarin and amino pyrimidine derivatives are of significant biological interest owing to their importance in drugs and pharmaceuticals. To access their combined biological impact into one molecule, we designed a novel, one-pot green approach for synthesizing trisubstituted methanes. A series of new heteroaryl-substituted methanes have been synthesized and subjected to in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant evaluation. Tests against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus showed potent activity of the derivatives 4a, 4b, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4l, and 5 against the former, and 4a, 4e, 4j, and 4l against the later one. Further, antioxidant assay for these TRSMs was also studied where 4a, 4b, 4f, 4j, and 4l exhibited the most promising results. These preliminary bioassay evaluations strongly suggest the promise and scope of these molecules in medical science. A one pot methodology for the synthesis of coumarin and uracil tethered trisubstituted methanes has been reported. The synthesized derivatives were further analyzed for their antibacterial and antioxidant properties to explore their medicinal applications. The salient features of this methodology are operational simplicity, short reaction time, good to moderate yields of the products, easy purification method. Biochemical assay of the synthesized TRSMs a reveals their utility in medicinal & pharma industry.

Recent Advances in Utilization of Deep Eutectic Solvents: An Environmentally Friendly Pathway for Multi-component Synthesis

Abstract:

With the increasing analysis of saving environment, the researchers demonstrated much effort to replace toxic chemicals with environmentally benign ones. Eutectic mixtures are those solvents that fulfill the criteria of green solvents. The synthesis of organic compounds in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries makes it necessary to find unconventional solvents that cause no harmful impact on health parameters. This review showed that using deep eutectic mixture-based solvents to overcome the hazardous effects of harmful volatile organic solvents over the past few years has gained much more appeal. In most applications, deep eutectic mixtures aRecent Advances in Utilization of Deep Eutectic Solvents: An Environmentally Friendly Pathway for Multi-component Synthesisre used for a solvent or co- solvent role, as they are easy to use, easy dissolution of reactants, and non-evaporative nature. However, deep eutectic mixtures have also been investigated as catalysts, and this dual functionality has much scope in the future, as a significantly less range of deep eutectic mixtures is utilized for this.

Plasmonic Paper based Flexible SERS Biosensor for Highly Sensitive Detection of Lactic and Uric Acid

Selective detection and quantification of biomarkers related to human diseases are essential for preventive healthcare. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is a powerful analytical tool offering high sensitivity. However, the success of this promising analytical tool relies on the ability to effectively fabricate SERS substrate. Herein we have demonstrated a plasmonic paper-based flexible substrate (PPFS) for SERS sensing. In situ growth of silver nanostructures (AgNS) on the paper-based substrate was achieved by using a simple one-step silver mirror reaction (SMR). FESEM and TEM results depicts that the increasing silver ion content influences the morphology (growth of multifacets), as well as size of AgNS. Further, the PPFS substrate was tested with Rhodamine-6G (Rh-6G) dye and an attomole sensitivity with a LOD of 4.54 x 10-18 M was achieved. Further, two biomarkers, lactic acid (LA) and uric acid (UA) were detected on the PPFS substrate, with μM and pM sensitivity, having LOD values of 0.6 x 10-6 and 0.3 x 10-12 M respectively. Above detection levels for UA on PPFS is two orders better than reported values, whereas for LA it is comparable with reported substrates. Finally, UA, LA and their mixtures were tested on PPFS and results compared with commercial substrate. The performance of PPFS were found better in all cases, thus, multifaceted AgNS paper based PPFS offers the potential to be used as a biosensor for detection of various biomarkers from body fluids, responsible for the detection of the critical disease for preventive health care.

Recent advances in understanding the role of proteostasis

Maintenance of a functional proteome is achieved through the mechanism of proteostasis that involves precise coordination between molecular machineries assisting a protein from its conception to demise. Although each organelle within a cell has its own set of proteostasis machinery, inter-organellar communication and cell non-autonomous signaling bring forth the multidimensional nature of the proteostasis network. Exposure to extrinsic and intrinsic stressors can challenge the proteostasis network, leading to the accumulation of aberrant proteins or a decline in the proteostasis components, as seen during aging and in several diseases. Here, we summarize recent advances in understanding the role of proteostasis and its regulation in aging and disease, including monogenetic and infectious diseases. We highlight some of the emerging as well as unresolved questions in proteostasis that need to be addressed to overcome pathologies associated with damaged proteins and to promote healthy aging.

Recent Advancement in the One-Pot Synthesis of the Tri-Substituted Methanes (TRSMs) and Their Biological Applications

The history of tri-substituted methanes (TRSMs) in chemical industries is much older. Tri-substituted methanes were previously used as dyes in the chemical industries. Still, there is a significant surge in researchers' interest in them due to their wide range of bioactivities. Tri-substituted methane derivatives show a wide range of biological activities like anti-tumor, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic activities. Due to the wide range of medicinal applications shown by tri-substituted methanes, most of the methodologies reported in the literature for the synthesis of TRSMs are focused on the one-pot method. This review explored the recently reported one-pot processes for synthesizing tri-substituted methanes and their various medicinal applications. Based on the substitution attached to the -CH carbon, this review categorizes them into two major classes: (I) symmetrical and (II) unsymmetrical trisubstituted methanes. In addition, this review gives an insight into the growing opportunities for the construction of trisubstituted scaffolds via one-pot methodologies. To the best of our knowledge, no one has yet reported a review on the one-pot synthesis of TRSMs. Therefore, here we present a brief literature review of the synthesis of both symmetrical and unsymmetrical TRSMs covering various one-pot methodologies along with their medicinal applications.

Short-course radiotherapy with consolidation chemotherapy versus conventionally fractionated long-course chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The trial hypothesis was that, in a resource-constrained situation, short-course radiotherapy would improve treatment compliance compared with conventional chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer, without compromising oncological outcomes.

METHODS

In this open-label RCT, patients with cT3, cT4 or node-positive non-metastatic rectal cancer were allocated randomly to 5 × 5 Gy radiotherapy and two cycles of XELOX (arm A) or chemoradiotherapy with concurrent capecitabine (arm B), followed by total mesorectal excision in both arms. All patients received a further six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with the XELOX regimen. The primary endpoint was treatment compliance, defined as the ability to complete planned treatment, including neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy, surgery, and adjuvant chemotherapy to a dose of six cycles.

RESULTS

Of 162 allocated patients, 140 were eligible for analysis: 69 in arm A and 71 in arm B. Compliance with planned treatment (primary endpoint) was greater in arm A (63 versus 41 per cent; P = 0.005). The incidence of acute toxicities of neoadjuvant therapy was similar (haematological: 28 versus 32 per cent, P = 0.533; gastrointestinal: 14 versus 21 per cent, P = 0.305; grade III-IV: 2 versus 4 per cent, P = 1.000). Delays in radiotherapy were less common in arm A (9 versus 45 per cent; P < 0.001), and overall times for completion of neoadjuvant treatment were shorter (P < 0.001). The rates of R0 resection (87 versus 90 per cent; P = 0.554), sphincter preservation (32 versus 35 per cent; P = 0.708), pathological complete response (12 versus 10 per cent; P = 0.740), and overall tumour downstaging (75 versus 75 per cent; P = 0.920) were similar. Downstaging of the primary tumour (ypT) was more common in arm A (P = 0.044). There was no difference in postoperative complications between trial arms (P = 0.838).

CONCLUSION

Reduced treatment delays and a higher rate of compliance were observed with treatment for short-course radiotherapy with consolidation chemotherapy, with no difference in early oncological surgical outcomes. In time- and resource-constrained rectal cancer units in developing countries, short-course radiotherapy should be the standard of care.

Imaging of the spectrum of abnormal systemic arterial supply to the lungs using dual-source CT

Abnormal systemic arterial supply to the lungs can be seen in various congenital and acquired diseases. Identification and characterisation of aberrant vascular supply is essential for further management and treatment. Multidetector computed tomography (CT) with its multiplanar capabilities and volume-rendering techniques provides precise information regarding the anatomy and spatial relationship of arterial vascular channels. The following concise review elucidates the characteristic imaging findings of conditions in which systemic arteries are seen supplying the lung parenchyma on dual-source CT.

Reducing admission hypothermia in newborns at a tertiary care NICU of northern India: A quality improvement study

BACKGROUND

Hypothermia at admission to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in newborns. A baseline study at a tertiary care hospital with all out-born babies showed admission hypothermia of 82%.

OBJECTIVE

To reduce admission hypothermia (moderate) in newborns at least by 50% in next 6 months.

METHODS

A quality improvement (QI) study was planned using WHO Point of Care Quality Improvement Model (POCQI), [17] using PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycle approach from April 2018 to March 2019, and including 427 term and preterm babies. We educated the staff, reinforced the use of caps, cling wraps, warm linen, introduced Ziploc bags and ensured adequate use of transport incubator.

RESULTS

After 6 months, overall admission hypothermia decreased from 82% to 45%, moderate hypothermia reduced from 46% to <10% (P < 0.001) and severe hypothermia (3%) was completely eliminated. There was also significant reduction in incidence of Intraventricular hemorrhage (13% Vs 4.7%), Late onset neonatal sepsis (38% Vs 19%) and metabolic acidosis (43% Vs 28%). We were able to sustain this improvement for the next 6 months and is ongoing. The strongest predictor of hypothermia was newborns being in the phase before QI initiative was started (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.47, 3.23).

CONCLUSION

This study is a cost effective approach in reducing admission hypothermia in NICU in a resource limited setting with all outborn babies, and further decreasing the morbidity associated with it. Hence, emphasizing the importance of maintaining euthermia, not only in delivery rooms, but also during transportation.

Emphysematous osteomyelitis caused by Salmonella typhi in beta thalassemia major

There have been various cases of salmonella osteomyelitis reported in sickle cell anemia. We present a case of emphysematous osteomyelitis caused by Salmonella typhi in a 29-year-old beta thalassemia major patient. Diagnosis of emphysematous osteomyelitis was confirmed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and culture of pus drained during surgical debridement confirmed the causative microorganism, Salmonella typhi. Antimicrobials were given according to microbiological sensitivity for a period of 8 weeks. Our patient also received hyperbaric oxygen therapy. At the end of therapy, he was afebrile and laboratory parameters normalized with a residual joint deformity which developed within 3 months.

Moyamoya syndrome in hemoglobin E-beta thalassemia: A rare presentation and association

Moyamoya disease is an idiopathic, nonatherosclerotic, noninflammatory, chronic progressive cerebrovascular disease characterized by bilateral stenosis or occlusion of the arteries around the circle of Willis, typically the supraclinoid internal carotid arteries, followed by extensive collateralization, which are prone to thrombosis, aneurysm, and hemorrhage. Secondary moyamoya phenomenon or moyamoya syndrome (MMS) occurs in a wide range of clinical scenarios including prothrombotic states such as sickle cell anemia, but the association with other hemoglobinopathies is less frequently observed. We describe a case of a 25-year-old female with hemoglobin E-beta thalassemia who had a rare presentation of MMS in the form of choreoathetoid movements in the left upper and lower extremities. We describe this association, primarily to emphasize thalassemia as an extremely rare but a potential etiology of MMS. Since MMS is a progressive disease, it is important to diagnose and initiate treatment to prevent worsening of the disease and recurrence of stroke.

Effects of developmental lead exposure on the hippocampal methylome: Influences of sex and timing and level of exposure

Developmental lead (Pb) exposure results in persistent cognitive/behavioral impairments as well as an elevated risk for developing a variety of diseases in later life. Environmental exposures during development can result in a variety of epigenetic changes, including alterations in DNA methylation, that can influence gene expression patterns and affect the function and development of the nervous system. The present promoter-based methylation microarray profiling study explored the extent to which developmental Pb exposure may modify the methylome of a brain region, hippocampus, known to be sensitive to the effects of Pb exposure. Male and female Long Evans rats were exposed to 0 ppm, 150 ppm, 375 ppm, or 750 ppm Pb through perinatal exposures (gestation through lactation), early postnatal exposures (birth through weaning), or long-term postnatal exposures (birth through postnatal day 55). Results showed a significant contribution of sex to the hippocampal methylome and effects of Pb exposure level, with non-linear dose response effects on methylation. Surprisingly, the developmental period of exposure contributed only a small amount of variance to the overall data and gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed the largest number of overrepresented GO terms in the groups with the lowest level of exposure. The highest number of significant differentially methylated regions was found in females exposed to Pb at the lowest exposure level. Our data reinforce the significant effect that low level Pb exposure may have on gene-specific DNA methylation patterns in brain and that this occurs in a sex-dependent manner.

OCO-2 advances photosynthesis observation from space via solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence

Quantifying gross primary production (GPP) remains a major challenge in global carbon cycle research. Spaceborne monitoring of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), an integrative photosynthetic signal of molecular origin, can assist in terrestrial GPP monitoring. However, the extent to which SIF tracks spatiotemporal variations in GPP remains unresolved. Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2)'s SIF data acquisition and fine spatial resolution permit direct validation against ground and airborne observations. Empirical orthogonal function analysis shows consistent spatiotemporal correspondence between OCO-2 SIF and GPP globally. A linear SIF-GPP relationship is also obtained at eddy-flux sites covering diverse biomes, setting the stage for future investigations of the robustness of such a relationship across more biomes. Our findings support the central importance of high-quality satellite SIF for studying terrestrial carbon cycle dynamics.

Degradation of chlortetracycline using immobilized laccase on Polyacrylonitrile-biochar composite nanofibrous membrane

The continuous release of antibiotic compounds through wastewater effluent into environment has raised concerns about their potential problems for different organisms. Enzymatic degradation with laccase is a green option for removal of pharmaceutical compounds from aqueous media. In this study, laccase was immobilized onto homemade Polyacrylonitrile-biochar composite nanofibrous membrane and the obtained biocatalyst was employed for removal of chlortetracycline, a widely used antibiotic, from aqueous media in continuous mode. The results showed that the immobilized laccase has improved storage, temperature and pH stability compared to free laccase. Also, it retained more than 50% of its initial activity after 7cycles of ABTS oxidation which indicated improved enzyme reusability. Finally, while using immobilized laccase for degradation of chlortetracycline in continuous mode exhibited 58.3%, 40.7% and 22.6% chlortetracycline removal efficiency at flux rates of 1, 2 and 3mL/h∙cm².

Anthrax lethal toxin (LeTx) neutralization by PA domain specific antisera

Anthrax associated causalities in humans and animals are implicated mainly due to the action of two exotoxins that are secreted by the bacterium Bacillus antharcis during the infection. These exotoxins comprise of three protein components namely protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF). The protective antigen is the common toxin component required to form both lethal toxin (LeTx) and edema toxin (EdTx). The LeTx is formed, when PA combines with LF and EdTx is formed when PA combines with EF. Therapeutic interventions aiming to neutralize these key effectors of anthrax pathology would therefore, provide an effective means to counter the toxicity imposed by the anthrax toxins on the host. The present work describes the lethal toxin neutralization potential of polyclonal antisera developed against the individual domains of the protective antigen component of the anthrax toxin. The individual domains were produced as recombinant proteins in E. coli and validated with peptide mass fingerprinting by MALDI-TOF analysis and corresponding mice polyclonal antisera by western blotting. Each domain specific antibody titre and isotype was ascertained by ELISA. The isotyping revealed the predominance of IgG1 isotype. The toxin neutralizing potential of these domain specific antisera were evaluated by in-vitro cell viability MTT assay, employing J774.1 mouse macrophage cell line against LeTx (0.25 μg ml^-1 PA and 0.125 μg ml^-1 LF concentrations). Among the four domain specific antisera, the antiserum against PA domain IV could neutralize LeTx with high efficiency. No significant neutralization of LeTx was observed with other domain specific antibodies. Results indicate that antibodies to r-PA domain IV could be explored further as therapeutic anti toxin molecule along with appropriate antibiotic regimens against anthrax.

Note: A compact external-cavity diode laser, using feedback from an optical fiber

We demonstrate a simple and compact external cavity diode laser (ECDL), where light reflected from the tip of an optical fiber provides feedback, and an interference filter provides frequency selection. The ECDL combines ease of construction with robust operation and exhibits a linewidth of 50 kHz.

Immobilized laccase on oxygen functionalized nanobiochars through mineral acids treatment for removal of carbamazepine

Biocatalytic treatment with oxidoreductase enzymes, especially laccases are an environmentally benign method for biodegradation of pharmaceutical compounds, such as carbamazepine to less harmful compounds. However, enzymes are required to be immobilized on supports to be reusable and maintain their activity. Functionalization of support prior to immobilization of enzyme is highly important because of biomolecule-support interface on enzyme activity and stability. In this work, the effect of oxidation of nanobiochar, a carbonaceous material produced by biomass pyrolysis, using HCl, H₂SO₄, HNO₃ and their mixtures on immobilization of laccase has been studied. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the structure of nanobiochars remained intact after oxidation and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the formation of carboxylic groups because of acid treatment. Titration measurements showed that the sample treated with H₂SO₄/HNO₃ (50:50, v/v) had the highest number of carboxylic groups (4.7mmol/g) and consequently the highest efficiency for laccase immobilization. Additionally, it was observed that the storage, pH and thermal stability of immobilized laccase on functionalized nanobiochar was improved compared to free laccase showing its potential for continuous applications. The reusability tests towards oxidation of 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) showed that the immobilized laccase preserved 70% of the initial activity after 3cycles. Finally, using immobilized laccase for degradation of carbamazepine exhibited 83% and 86% removal in spiked water and secondary effluent, respectively.

Adsorption study of environmentally relevant concentrations of chlortetracycline on pinewood biochar

The presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in water and wastewater has raised concerns because of potential environmental impacts and thus their removal is of high importance. The adsorption behavior of chlortetracycline (CTC) from aqueous solution on raw and activated pinewood biochar was studied at 298 K. The effect of initial pH of the solution was studied by performing the experiment at three different pHs (1, 5 and 9). At each pH, CTC showed varied electrostatic charge (+1, 0 and -1, respectively) which affected its adsorption. The results indicated that CTC followed Langmuir isotherm and the related parameters were calculated. Also, it was observed that the maximum adsorption occurred at pH1. The adsorption capacity of CTC for raw and activated biochar was at least 2.1 and 208.3mg/g adsorbent, respectively. The characteristics of biochars were studied using zeta potential analyzer, laser size analyzer and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that raw and activated biochars are promising candidates for removal of CTC from water due to the acidic character of pinewood that can result in better interaction with ionizable compounds at lower pHs.

NDPK-D (NM23-H4)-mediated externalization of cardiolipin enables elimination of depolarized mitochondria by mitophagy

Mitophagy is critical for cell homeostasis. Externalization of the inner mitochondrial membrane phospholipid, cardiolipin (CL), to the surface of the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) was identified as a mitophageal signal recognized by the microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3. However, the CL-translocating machinery remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that a hexameric intermembrane space protein, NDPK-D (or NM23-H4), binds CL and facilitates its redistribution to the OMM. We found that mitophagy induced by a protonophoric uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), caused externalization of CL to the surface of mitochondria in murine lung epithelial MLE-12 cells and human cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells. RNAi knockdown of endogenous NDPK-D decreased CCCP-induced CL externalization and mitochondrial degradation. A R90D NDPK-D mutant that does not bind CL was inactive in promoting mitophagy. Similarly, rotenone and 6-hydroxydopamine triggered mitophagy in SH-SY5Y cells was also suppressed by knocking down of NDPK-D. In situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) showed that mitophagy-inducing CL-transfer activity of NDPK-D is closely associated with the dynamin-like GTPase OPA1, implicating fission-fusion dynamics in mitophagy regulation.