Tiron ameliorates acetic acid-induced colitis in rats: Role of TGF-β/EGFR/PI3K/NF-κB signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC), an ongoing inflammatory disorder of the colon, is marked by persistent mucosal surface irritation extending from the rectum to the near-proximal colon. Tiron is a synthetic analogue of vitamin E which is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in various animal models, so the goal of this study was to find out whether Tiron had any preventive impacts on UC inflicted by acetic acid (A.A) exposure in rats.

METHOD

Tiron (235 and 470 mg/kg) was administered intra-peritoneally for 2 weeks, and A.A (2 ml, 3 % v/v) was injected intra-rectally to cause colitis. Colon tissues and blood samples were then collected for measurement of various inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers.

RESULTS

Tiron administration significantly diminished lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP), colon weight, and the weight/length ratio of the colon as compared to A.A-injected rats. Additionally, Tiron attenuated oxidative stress biomarkers. Tiron also enforced the levels of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and trefoil factor-3 (TFF-3), while it greatly lowered the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and transforming growth factor-1(TGF-β1), phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (P-EGFR), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT) expression in colonic cellular structures. Furthermore, colonichistopathologic damages, revealed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Alcian Blue stain, were significantly decreased upon Tiron administration.

CONCLUSION

Tiron prevented A.A-induced colitis in rats via modulating inflammatory pathway TGF-β1/P-EGFR/PI3K/AKT/NF-κB, alongside managing the oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium, and boosting the reliability of the intestinal barrier.

MOFs with Open Metal(III) Sites for the Environmental Capture of Polar Volatile Organic Compounds

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) with open metal sites (OMS) interact strongly with a range of polar gases/vapors. However, under ambient conditions, their selective adsorption is generally impaired due to a high OMS affinity to water. This led previously to the privilege selection of hydrophobic MOFs for the selective capture/detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Herein, we show that this paradigm is challenged by metal(III) polycarboxylates MOFs, bearing a high concentration of OMS, as MIL-100(Fe), enabling the selective capture of polar VOCs even in the presence of water. With experimental and computational tools, including single-component gravimetric and dynamic mixture adsorption measurements, in situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory calculations we reveal that this adsorption mechanism involves a direct coordination of the VOC on the OMS, associated with an interaction energy that exceeds that of water. Hence, MOFs with OMS are demonstrated to be of interest for air purification purposes.

L-Cys-Assisted Conversion of H2/CO2 to Biochemicals Using Clostridium ljungdahlii

Carbon fixation and conversion based on Clostridium ljungdahlii have great potential for the sustainable production of biochemicals (i.e., 2,3-butanediol, acetic acid, and ethanol). Here, the effects of reducing agents on the production of biochemicals from H₂/CO₂ using C. ljungdahlii were studied. It was found that the element S and reducing power could significantly affect the production of biochemicals, and cysteine (Cys) was better than sodium sulfide for the production of biochemicals, especially for the production of 2,3-butanediol. Moreover, comparing to the control (i.e., without the addition of Cys), the gene expression profiles indicated that the fdh and adhE1 were significantly upregulated with the addition of Cys, which involved in pathways of the CO₂ fixation and ethanol production. Therefore, the irreplaceability of Cys on the production of biochemicals was both caused by its utilization as a reducing agent and its effect on the metabolic pathway. Finally, compared to the control, the production of 2,3-butanediol was increased by 2.17 times under the addition of 1.7 g/L Cys.

Decontamination of disposable respirators for reuse in a pandemic employing in-situ-generated peracetic acid

BACKGROUND

During shortages of filtering face pieces (FFP) in a pandemic, it is necessary to implement a method for safe reuse or extended use. Our aim was to develop a simple, inexpensive and ecological method for decontamination of disposable FFPs that preserves filtration efficiency and material integrity.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Contamination of FFPs (3M Aura 9320+) with SARS-CoV-2 (1.15 × 10⁴ PFUs), Enterococcus faecium (>10⁶ CFUs), and physiological nasopharyngeal flora was performed prior to decontamination by submersion in a solution of 6 % acetic acid and 6 % hydrogen peroxide (6%AA/6%HP solution) over 30 minutes. Material integrity was assessed by testing the filtering efficiency, loss of fit and employing electron microscopy.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Decontamination with the 6%AA/6%HP solution resulted in the complete elimination of SARS-CoV-2, E. faecium and physiological nasopharyngeal flora. Material characterization post-treatment showed neither critical material degradation, loss of fit or reduction of filtration efficiency. Electron microscopy revealed no damage to the fibers, and the rubber bands' elasticity was not affected by the decontamination procedure. No concerning residuals of the decontamination procedure were found.

CONCLUSION

The simple application and widespread availability of 6%AA/6%HP solution for decontaminating disposable FFPs make this solution globally viable, including developing and third world countries.

Efficacy of diluted vinegar in treating granular myringitis: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of granular myringitis treatment of 1 per cent diluted vinegar ear drops or 1 per cent chloramphenicol ear drops and to assess the side effects of 1 per cent diluted vinegar.

METHOD

Twenty-four patients aged over 18 years and diagnosed with granular myringitis grade I or II within 90 days of symptom onset were included. Patients were equally randomised into either the 1 per cent diluted vinegar group or the 1 per cent chloramphenicol group. Outcome of treatment and side effects were compared between groups. The main outcome measure was completely epithelialised tympanic membrane at the eight-week period.

RESULTS

Eleven of 12 patients treated with 1 per cent diluted vinegar had complete recovery. In the 1 per cent chloramphenicol group, 8 of 12 patients recovered. The difference between groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.156). The observed side effects of diluted vinegar included dizziness and mild external auditory canal irritation.

CONCLUSION

One per cent diluted vinegar is an interesting option for granular myringitis. Other comparative advantages of 1 per cent diluted vinegar include its low price and no induction of antimicrobial resistance.

Coupling Computer-Aided Process Simulation and Estimations of Emissions and Land Use for Rapid Life Cycle Inventory Modeling

A methodology is described for developing a gate-to-gate life cycle inventory (LCI) of a chemical manufacturing process to support the application of life cycle assessment in the design and regulation of sustainable chemicals. The inventories were derived by first applying process design and simulation to develop a process flow diagram describing the energy and basic material flows of the system. Additional techniques developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for estimating uncontrolled emissions from chemical processing equipment were then applied to obtain a detailed emission profile for the process. Finally, land use for the process was estimated using a simple sizing model. The methodology was applied to a case study of acetic acid production based on the Cativa process. The results reveal improvements in the qualitative LCI for acetic acid production compared to commonly used databases and top-down methodologies. The modeling techniques improve the quantitative LCI results for inputs and uncontrolled emissions. With provisions for applying appropriate emission controls, the proposed method can provide an estimate of the LCI that can be used for subsequent life cycle assessments.

Enhancement of gastric ulcer healing and angiogenesis by cochinchina Momordica seed extract in rats

Cochinchina momordica seed is the dried ripe seed of Momordica cochinchinensis, a perennial vine. The antiulcer effect of an extract from cochinchina momordica seeds (SK-MS10) was evaluated in a rat model of acetic acid-induced gastric ulcers. Gastric ulcers were produced by subserosal injection of acetic acid. SK-MS10 (200 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered orally once per day for 14 days after the acetic acid injection. The stomach was removed and the ulcer size measured at day 7 and 14 of the treatment. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was assessed by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. In addition, the microvasculature density (MVD) adjacent to the ulcer margin was examined by immunohistochemistry. The treatment with SK-MS10 for 7 and 14 days significantly accelerated ulcer healing and increased the expression of mRNA (at day 7) as well as VEGF protein (at day 14) compared to the vehicle-treated rats. The MVD for factor VIII was also higher in the SK-MS10 treatment group compared to the vehicle-treated rats; however, these differences were not statistically significant. These results suggest that SK-MS10 treatment accelerates the healing of gastric ulcers via upregulation of VEGF and angiogenesis in an acetic acid rat model.