Physicochemical stability and sensory quality of selected Ethiopian coffee (Coffea arabica L.) brands as affected by packaging materials during storage

Ethiopia's economy heavily relies on coffee, the country's primary export. However, there is a need for improvement in the current packaging materials for parchment coffee during extended storage. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of four different packaging materials (Jute, Woven Polypropylene internally lined with low-density propylene, Grain Pro, and Purdue Improved Crop Storage) on the quality of three brands of Parchment Coffee (Limu, Sidama, and Yirgacheffe) stored for 12 months. The results demonstrated that hermetic packaging materials like Purdue Improved Crop Storage and Grain Pro bags outperformed the Jute bag control in maintaining the original coffee quality throughout the storage period. There was a significant interaction between the coffee brands and the packaging materials for most measured parameters, except bioactive compounds. Notably, Sidama and Yirgacheffe brands stored in hermetic bags consistently achieved cup quality values above 80 %, meeting the requirements for specialty coffee grade. However, the Limu brand did not meet the specialty coffee criteria. The study recommends using hermetic storage materials such as PICS and Grain Pro bags for extended coffee storage. By adopting these methods, the renowned Ethiopian coffee brands can uphold their exceptional quality standards in the international market and ensure customer satisfaction.

Exploring psychiatric patient restraints: Balancing safety, ethics, and patient rights in mental healthcare

Restraint, often linked with limiting an individual's freedom of movement, has become a focal point of extensive discussion and evaluation within the realm of mental healthcare. Striking a delicate balance between ensuring individual safety and minimizing reliance on restraint methods poses a significant challenge. In mental health inpatient settings, the prevalent forms of restraint encompass physical, chemical, environmental, and psychological methods. Paradoxically, the consequences of employing restraint can be severe, ranging from injuries and cognitive decline to sedation and, in extreme cases, fatalities. This paper seeks to offer a nuanced exploration of the landscape surrounding psychiatric patient restraints, considering both global perspectives and specific insights from the Indian context. The guidelines outlined in India's Mental Healthcare Act of 2017, which governs the use of restraint on individuals suffering with mental illnesses, are also examined in detail.

ex Endi

Purpose

Juniper (Juniperus procera) is a common forest tree species in Saudi Arabia. The decline in many populations of J. procera in Saudi Arabia is mainly due to seed dormancy and loss of natural regeneration. This study assessed the effects of chemical and hormonal treatments on seed germination and seedling growth in juniper plants.

Methods

The seeds were subjected to either chemical scarification with 90% sulfuric acid and 20% acetic acid for 6 min or hormonal treatment by seed soaking in two concentrations (50 and 100 ppm) of three growth regulators, namely, indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellins (GA3), and kinetin, for 72 h. A control group without any seed treatment was also prepared. The experiments were performed in an incubator maintained at room temperature and under a light and dark period of 12 h for 6 w. The germinated seeds for each treatment were counted and removed from the dishes. The selected germinated seeds from different treatments were planted in a greenhouse and irrigated with tap water for another 6 weeks. The hormone-treated seedlings were sprayed with their corresponding hormone concentrations 1 w after planting.

Results

The highest percentage of seed germination was significantly recorded after seed soaking in 50 ppm GA3, whereas treatment with IAA (100 ppm) resulted in the best seedling growth. Seedlings treated with the three phytohormones showed a significant increase in photosynthetic pigments, total soluble sugars, proteins, percentage of oil, IAA, GA3, and kinetin contents of juniper seedlings compared with the control value, whereas abscisic acid content was decreased compared with chemical treatments.

Conclusion

The investigated different treatments had an effective role in breaking seed dormancy and improving seedling growth of J. procera, which is facing a notable decline in its population worldwide. Moreover, such an effect was more pronounced in the three phytohormones that succeeded in breaking dormancy and growth of the Juniperus plant than in the other treatments.

Resource utilization in the sub-sectors of the textile industry: opportunities for sustainability

It was aimed to determine the specific resource use and reduction potential profiles in various textile sub-sectors (cotton woven fabric dyeing-finishing, wool woven fabric dyeing-finishing, synthetic woven fabric dyeing-finishing, cotton knitted fabric, synthetic knit fabric dyeing-finishing, non-woven fabric, dyeing-finishing of knitted fabric). The main focus was to elucidate opportunities for sustainability in terms of decreasing resource utilization in the textile sector. On-site surveys and detailed data collection studies were carried out at 150 textile facilities. Average specific values for water, auxiliary chemicals, dyestuff, electricity, and steam consumptions, and related reduction potentials were calculated and compared within facilities and sub-sectors. The minimum specific resource consumption values reported in the Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF) for the textile industry and data of similar facilities from the literature were evaluated and used. A detailed environmental performance profile of the Turkish textile sector in terms of resource usage and reduction potential was generated. The highest specific water consumption was found in the wool-woven fabric sub-sector (345 ± 262 L/kg product). Although the specific auxiliary chemical consumption shows similarities within sub-sectors, the highest specific auxiliary chemical consumption (397 ± 237 g/kg product) was found in the synthetic woven fabric sub-sector. The sub-sector with the highest specific dyestuff consumption (30 ± 13 g/kg product) was the cotton knitted fabric sub-sector. The wool woven fabric industry had the highest specific electricity (7 ± 5.3 kWh/kg product) and steam (20 ± 11 kg steam/kg product) consumption. In addition, for all the studied sub-sectors country-wide, the lowest and highest reduction potentials in resource uses were 18 ± 15% and 73 ± 13%, respectively, suggesting a need for major full-scale implementations of cleaner production for enhancing sustainability in the textile industry.

Role of Silver Nanoparticles for the Control of Anthelmintic Resistance in Small and Large Ruminants

Helminths are considered a significant threat to the livestock industry, as they cause substantial economic losses in small and large ruminant farming. Their morbidity and mortality rates are also increasing day by day as they have zoonotic importance. Anthelmintic drugs have been used for controlling these parasites; unfortunately, due to the development of resistance of these drugs in helminths (parasites), especially in three major classes like benzimidazoles, nicotinic agonists, and macrocyclic lactones, their use is becoming very low. Although new anthelmintics are being developed, the process is time-consuming and costly. As a result, nanoparticles are being explored as an alternative to anthelmintics. Nanoparticles enhance drug effectiveness, drug delivery, and target specificity and have no resistance against parasites. Different types of nanoparticles are used, such as organic (chitosan) and inorganic (gold, silver, zinc oxide, iron oxide, and nickel oxide). One of them, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), has unique properties in various fields, especially parasitology. AgNPs are synthesized from three primary methods: physical, chemical, and biological. Their primary mechanism of action is causing stress through the production of ROS that destroys cells, organs, proteins, and DNA parasites. The present review is about AgNPs, their mode of action, and their role in controlling anthelmintic resistance against small and large ruminants.

Evaluating the reliability of environmental concentration data to characterize exposure in environmental risk assessments

Environmental risk assessments often rely on measured concentrations in environmental matrices to characterize exposure of the population of interest-typically, humans, aquatic biota, or other wildlife. Yet, there is limited guidance available on how to report and evaluate exposure datasets for reliability and relevance, despite their importance to regulatory decision-making. This paper is the second of a four-paper series detailing the outcomes of a Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Technical Workshop that has developed Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Exposure Datasets (CREED). It presents specific criteria to systematically evaluate the reliability of environmental exposure datasets. These criteria can help risk assessors understand and characterize uncertainties when existing data are used in various types of assessments and can serve as guidance on best practice for the reporting of data for data generators (to maximize utility of their datasets). Although most reliability criteria are universal, some practices may need to be evaluated considering the purpose of the assessment. Reliability refers to the inherent quality of the dataset and evaluation criteria address the identification of analytes, study sites, environmental matrices, sampling dates, sample collection methods, analytical method performance, data handling or aggregation, treatment of censored data, and generation of summary statistics. Each criterion is evaluated as "fully met," "partly met," "not met or inappropriate," "not reported," or "not applicable" for the dataset being reviewed. The evaluation concludes with a scheme for scoring the dataset as reliable with or without restrictions, not reliable, or not assignable, and is demonstrated with three case studies representing both organic and inorganic constituents, and different study designs and assessment purposes. Reliability evaluation can be used in conjunction with relevance evaluation (assessed separately) to determine the extent to which environmental monitoring datasets are "fit for purpose," that is, suitable for use in various types of assessments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-23. © 2024 Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Too much information? Males convey parasite levels using more signal modalities than females utilise

Elaborate sexual signals are thought to have evolved and be maintained to serve as honest indicators of signaller quality. One measure of quality is health, which can be affected by parasite infection. Cnemaspis mysoriensis is a diurnal gecko that is often infested with ectoparasites in the wild, and males of this species express visual (coloured gular patches) and chemical (femoral gland secretions) traits that receivers could assess during social interactions. In this paper, we tested whether ectoparasites affect individual health, and whether signal quality is an indicator of ectoparasite levels. In wild lizards, we found that ectoparasite level was negatively correlated with body condition in both sexes. Moreover, some characteristics of both visual and chemical traits in males were strongly associated with ectoparasite levels. Specifically, males with higher ectoparasite levels had yellow gular patches with lower brightness and chroma, and chemical secretions with a lower proportion of aromatic compounds. We then determined whether ectoparasite levels in males influence female behaviour. Using sequential choice trials, wherein females were provided with either the visual or the chemical signals of wild-caught males that varied in ectoparasite level, we found that only chemical secretions evoked an elevated female response towards less parasitised males. Simultaneous choice trials in which females were exposed to the chemical secretions from males that varied in parasite level further confirmed a preference for males with lower parasites loads. Overall, we find that although health (body condition) or ectoparasite load can be honestly advertised through multiple modalities, the parasite-mediated female response is exclusively driven by chemical signals.

Comprehensive review on single and dual modification of starch: Methods, properties and applications

Starch is a natural, renewable, affordable, and easily available polymer used as gelling agents, thickeners, binders, and potential raw materials in various food products. Due to these techno-functional properties of starch, food and non-food industries are showing interest in developing starch-based food products such as films, hydrogels, starch nanoparticles, and many more. However, the application of native starch is limited due to its shortcomings. To overcome these problems, modification of starch is necessary. Various single and dual modification processes are used to improve techno-functional, morphological, and microstructural properties, film-forming capacity, and resistant starch. This review paper provides a comprehensive and critical understanding of physical, chemical, enzymatic, and dual modifications (combination of any two single modifications), the effects of parameters on modification, and their applications. The sequence of modification plays a key role in the dual modification process. All single modification methods modify the physicochemical properties, crystallinity, and emulsion properties, but some shortcomings such as lower thermal, acidic, and shear stability limit their application in industries. Dual modification has been introduced to overcome these limitations and maximize the effectiveness of single modification.

Current and future technologies for monitoring cultured meat: A review

The high population growth rate, massive animal food consumption, fast economic progress, and limited food resources could lead to a food crisis in the future. There is a huge requirement for dietary proteins including cultured meat is being progressed to fulfill the need for meat-derived proteins in the diet. However, production of cultured meat requires monitoring numerous bioprocess parameters. This review presents a comprehensive overview of various widely adopted techniques (optical, spectroscopic, electrochemical, capacitive, FETs, resistive, microscopy, and ultrasound) for monitoring physical, chemical, and biological parameters that can improve the bioprocess control in cultured meat. The methods, operating principle, merits/demerits, and the main open challenges are reviewed with the aim to support the readers in advancing knowledge on novel sensing systems for cultured meat applications.

Pesticide, allergen, PCB, and lead measurements in childcare centers located on tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest, United States

BACKGROUND

Children's potential exposures to chemical and biological agents in tribal childcare centers are not well characterized.

OBJECTIVES

(1) The environmental health of childcare centers in Portland Area Indian Country was characterized by measuring selected pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), allergens, and lead (Pb) in outdoor soil and indoor dust. (2) We compared our results to other studies of childcare centers in both the United States and globally.

METHODS

At 31 tribal childcare centers in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, we collected indoor dust and outdoor soil samples from at least one classroom, multipurpose room, and outdoor play area. Number of rooms sampled depended on facility size. Surface wipes were collected from the floor, play/work surface, and windowsill and analyzed for selected pesticides and PCBs. Vacuum samples were collected from the floor and analyzed for selected allergens. Lead was measured in surface wipes and outdoor soil collected at 11 centers. A questionnaire collected information on demographics, cleaning habits, and pesticide usage.

RESULTS

At least one pesticide was measured at all childcare centers. cis-Permethrin (surface wipes: 0.003-180 ng/cm2), trans-permethrin (surface wipes: 0.002-200 ng/cm2) and piperonyl butoxide (surface wipes: 0.001-120 ng/cm2) were measured in all centers. Lead was measured in most surface wipes (<0.25-14 ng/cm2) and all outdoor soil samples (8.4-50 mg/kg). Aroclors 1242 and 1254 were detected on indoor surfaces in three centers at very low loadings. Allergen residues were measured at very low concentrations in vacuum dust samples (Der p 1: <0.012-0.12 µg/g; Der f 1: <0.012-0.09 µg/g; Mus m 1: <0.002-10.055 µg/g). In general, we observed lower levels of chemical and biological agents than what has been reported previously.

SIGNIFICANCE

By understanding the environmental health of childcare centers, we can better understand the role of child-specific environments in promoting children's health and well-being.

IMPACT STATEMENT

To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize the environmental health of tribal childcare centers in the Pacific Northwest. Combined with the information we have on childcare centers from around the world, this study expands our knowledge on young children's potential exposures to chemical and biological agents in locations where they spend significant amounts of time.

Deciphering the roles of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in regulating carcinogenesis

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-dependent receptor that belongs to the superfamily of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors. The activation of the canonical AHR signaling pathway is known to induce the expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes, facilitating the detoxification metabolism in the human body. Additionally, AHR could interact with various signaling pathways such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), nuclear factor ekappa B (NF-κβ), estrogen receptor (ER), and androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathways. Over the past 30 years, several studies have reported that various chemical, physical, or biological agents, such as tobacco, hydrocarbon compounds, industrial and agricultural chemical wastes, drugs, UV, viruses, and other toxins, could affect AHR expression or activity, promoting cancer development. Thus, it is valuable to overview how these factors regulate AHR-mediated carcinogenesis. Current findings have reported that many compounds could act as AHR ligands to drive the expressions of AHR-target genes, such as CYP1A1, CYP1B1, MMPs, and AXL, and other targets that exert a pro-proliferation or anti-apoptotic effect, like XIAP. Furthermore, some other physical and chemical agents, such as UV and 3-methylcholanthrene, could promote AHR signaling activities, increasing the signaling activities of a few oncogenic pathways, such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathways. Understanding how various factors regulate AHR-mediated carcinogenesis processes helps clinicians and scientists plan personalized therapeutic strategies to improve anti-cancer treatment efficacy. As many studies that have reported the roles of AHR in regulating carcinogenesis are preclinical or observational clinical studies that did not explore the detailed mechanisms of how different chemical, physical, or biological agents promote AHR-mediated carcinogenesis processes, future studies should focus on conducting large-scale and functional studies to unravel the underlying mechanism of how AHR interacts with different factors in regulating carcinogenesis processes.

Parental knowledge attitude and practices about chemical and medicinal poisons: A hospital based study from Karachi, Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Unintentional poisoning is among the leading cause of death in children less than 20 years age. The incidence of unintentional poisoning in Low-income countries LMICs is four times higher compared to high-income countries (HICs). In Pakistan a 10% (25/211) incidence of unintentional poisonings among 0-15-year-old children has been reported. Most of the poisoning occur because of household chemical and medicines. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of parents in Karachi regarding poisonous household chemicals and medicines.

METHODS

This KAP study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi from May to August 2019. A maximum sample of 384 was calculated using a 50% knowledge about household chemicals. Data were collected about parental knowledge, attitude and practices about poisons and chemicals at home and presented as frequency and percentages. Chi-square test of independence (or Fisher's exact test) was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.

RESULTS

A total of 364 parents of 0-16-year-old children completed the survey out of which 229 were mothers and 127 were fathers (eight had missing data). We had 70% of parents that kept chemicals and medicines locked in cabinets and 80% chose to never leave medicines unattended, there are still 20-30% parents that need improvement in the parental knowledge and practices for storing chemicals and medicines. A general lack of knowledge regarding poisoning first aid and emergency response centers was noted.

CONCLUSIONS

Two-pronged approach for future interventions could be useful; (1) Improving the knowledge and practice among the remaining 20-30% through repeated awareness' sessions for the community. (2) Information regarding PCCS needs to be made readily available to the parents which is a measure useful in cases a child poisoning occurs.

Exposure frequency, intensity, and duration: What we know about work-related asthma risks for healthcare workers from cleaning and disinfection

The objective of this review was to scope the current evidence base related to three exposure assessment concepts: frequency, intensity, and duration (latency) for cleaning and disinfection exposures in healthcare and subsequent work-related asthma risks. A search strategy was developed addressing intersections of four main concepts: (1) work-related asthma; (2) occupation (healthcare workers/nurses); (3) cleaning and disinfection; and (4) exposure. Three databases were searched: Embase, PubMed, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) database. Data were extracted related to three main components of risk assessment: (1) exposure frequency, (2) exposure intensity, and (3) exposure duration. Latency data were analyzed using an exponential distribution fit, and extracted concentration data were compared to occupational exposure limits. The final number of included sources from which data were extracted was 133. Latency periods for occupational asthma were exponentially distributed, with a mean waiting time (1/λ) of 4.55 years. No extracted concentration data were above OELs except for some formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde concentrations. Data from included sources also indicated some evidence for a dose-response relationship regarding increased frequency yielding increased risk, but this relationship is unclear due to potential confounders (differences in role/task and associated exposure) and the healthy worker effect. Data priority needs to include linking concentration data to health outcomes, as most current literature does not include both types of measurements in a single study, leading to uncertainty in dose-response relationships.

Evaluation of the potential of recovering various valuable elements from a vanadiferous titanomagnetite tailing based on chemical and process mineralogical characterization

In order to evaluate the potential of recovering various valuable elements from vanadiferous titanomagnetite tailing (VTMT), the chemical and process mineralogical characterization of VTMT were investigated in this study by various analytical techniques such as XRF, XRD, optical microscopy, SEM, EDS, and AMICS. It was found that VTMT is a coarser powder in general; about 50% of the particle size is greater than 54.30 μm. The total iron content of the VTMT was 22.40 wt.%, and its TiO₂ grade is 14.45 wt.%, even higher than those found in natural ilmenite ores. The majority of iron and titanium were located in ilmenite and hematite; 62.84% of hematite and 90.27% of ilmenite were present in monomeric form. However, there is still a portion of ilmenite and hematite embedded in gangue such as anorthite, diopside, and serpentite. For the recovery of valuable fractions such as Fe and TiO₂ from VTMT, a treatment process including ball milling-high-intensity magnetic separation-one roughing and three refining flotation was proposed. Finally, a concentrate with TiO₂ grade of 47.31% and total Fe (TFe) grade of 35.44% was produced; TiO₂ and TFe had recovery rates of 57.71% and 28.23%, respectively. The recovered product is adequate as a raw material for the production of rutile. This study provides a reference and a new research direction for the recycling and comprehensive utilization of VTMT.

Challenges of studying the dietary exposure to chemical mixtures: Example of the association with mortality risk in the E3N French prospective cohort

Food is contaminated by many chemicals which interact with each other, resulting in additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects. It is thus necessary to study the health effects of dietary exposure to chemical mixtures rather than single contaminants. We aimed to investigate the association between dietary exposure to chemical mixtures and mortality risk in the E3N French prospective cohort. We included 72,585 women from the E3N cohort who completed a food frequency questionnaire in 1993. From 197 chemicals, and using sparse non-negative matrix under-approximation (SNMU), we identified six main chemical mixtures to which these women were chronically exposed through the diet. We estimated the associations between dietary exposure to these mixtures and all-cause or cause-specific mortality using Cox proportional hazard models. During the follow-up (1993-2014), 6441 deaths occurred. We observed no association between dietary exposure to three mixtures and all-cause mortality, and a non-monotonic inverse association for the three other mixtures. These results could be explained by the fact that, despite the different dietary adjustment strategies tested, we did not fully succeed in excluding the residual confounding from the overall effect of the diet. We also questioned the number of chemicals to include in mixtures' studies, as a balance needs to be reached between including a large number of chemicals and the interpretability of the results. Integrating a priori knowledge, such as toxicological data, could lead to the identification of more parsimonious mixtures, thus to more interpretable results. Moreover, as the SNMU is a non-supervised method, which identifies the mixtures only on the basis of the correlations between the exposure variables, and not in relation to the outcome, it would be interesting to test supervised methods. Finally, further studies are needed to identify the most adequate approach to investigate the health effects of dietary exposure to chemical mixtures in observational studies.

Exploring the properties of formocresol in dentistry-a comprehensive review

Due to concerns about formocresol's mutagenic and genotoxic potential, its use as a pulpotomy medication is currently debatable. The current paper aimed to review the properties of formocresol and concerns regarding its safety as a pulpotomy medicament for primary teeth. With reference to the context of the recently published literature, the alternatives to formocresol are discussed, together with their benefits and drawbacks. A literature search was conducted using multiple databases comprising of MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and Web of Science. The terms used for the search were "formocresol", "pulpotomy", and "primary teeth". In total, 364 articles were obtained from the analysis of the databases. Unrelated articles from the available full text of 174 articles were excluded. The main reasons for excluding the articles were: they were usage and precautionary guidelines. A total of 68 studies were finally included in the review. The literature review in this paper supports the notion that formocresol continues to be the most often utilized pulp dressing agent in primary teeth pulpotomies despite offering no advantages over other pulp dressing chemicals that are currently on the market.

Convergent and divergent evolution of plant chemical defenses

The majority of the several hundred thousand specialized metabolites produced by plants function in defense against insects and other herbivores. Despite this diversity, identical metabolites or structurally distinct metabolites hitting the same targets in herbivorous animals have evolved repeatedly. This convergent evolution may reflect the constraints of plant primary metabolism in providing metabolic precursors, as well as the limited number of readily accessible targets in animals. These restrictions may make it uncommon for plants to develop completely novel toxic and deterrent metabolites, despite the ongoing evolution of resistance mechanisms in insect herbivores. Defensive compounds that are unique to individual genera or species often have long biosynthetic pathways that may complicate the repeated evolution of these metabolites in different plant species.

Quality Consistency of Herbal Products: Chemical Evaluation

The widespread utility of herbal products has been rising considerably worldwide, including both developed and developing countries, leading to the rapid growth of their availability in the United States and globally. This substantial increase in consumption of herbal products has witnessed the emergence of adverse effects upon oral administration of certain of these products, and thus has raised safety concerns. The adverse effects caused by the consumption of certain botanical medicines occur primarily as a result of the poor quality of plant raw materials or the finished products, which inherently may affect safety and/or efficacy. The poor quality of some herbal products can be attributed to a lack of proper quality assurance and quality control. A high demand for herbal products that surpasses production, combined with a desire for maximizing profits, along with a lack of rigorous quality control within some manufacturing facilities have led to the emergence of quality inconsistencies. The underlying causes for this involve the misidentification of plant species, or their substitution, adulteration, or contamination with harmful ingredients. Analytical assessments have revealed there to be frequent and significant compositional variations between marketed herbal products. The inconsistency of the quality of herbal products can be ascribed essentially to the inconsistency of the botanical raw material quality used to manufacture the products. Thus, the quality assurance and the quality control of the botanical raw materials is may contribute significantly to improving the quality and consistency of the quality of the end products. The current chapter focuses on the chemical evaluation of quality and consistency of herbal products, including botanical dietary supplements. Different techniques, instruments, applications, and methods used in identifying, quantifying, and generating chemical fingerprints and chemical profiles of the ingredients of the herbal products will be described. The strengths and weaknesses of the various techniques available will be addressed. Limitations of the other approaches including morphological or microscopic analysis and DNA-based analysis will be presented.

Community-level awareness of proper immediate steps regarding ocular chemical injury in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia

Background

Although the eyes represent 0.1% of the total human body, they are exposed to many injuries, some of which may cause blindness. Ocular chemical injury is a true ocular emergency requiring immediate assessment and initiation of treatment. The present study targeted the general population in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia, to evaluate knowledge of chemical injuries to the eye and the immediate management of the injury.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional design was employed using a convenience sample of 536 residents of the Jazan region who completed an online, self-administered, anonymous, and pre-validated questionnaire.

Results

Most of the respondents were 18-30 years of age (66.0%), and 274 (51.1%) were female. Respondents had an average score of 7.70 (standard deviation: 1.78) out of a total score of 16, indicating an overall lack of knowledge of ocular chemical burns. The majority (95.1%) agreed that ocular complications could result from ocular chemical injury. Regarding the first action in ocular chemical injuries, 317 (59.1%) thought that eye irrigation with a large amount of water, 155 (28.9%) chose to go to the emergency department, 40 (7.5%) chose irrigation of the eye with a small amount of water, 13 (2.4%) chose using eye drops, and 11 (2.1%) chose to cover the eye.

Conclusion

The knowledge of ocular chemical burns is lacking in the general population of the Jazan region. There are several knowledge gaps, some of which are serious, necessitating rigorous efforts to correct them through educational programs at the community level.

Chemical and antioxidant characterization of Dovyalis caffra and Dovyalis abyssinica fruits in Kenya

This study aimed at chemical characterization of Dovyalis caffra (Hook.f. & Harv.) Sim. and Dovyalis abyssinica (A. Rich.) Warb. fruits from Kinamba Town (KT) in Laikipia county and Gitoro Forest (GF) in Meru county of Kenya. All analysed fresh fruit samples had low pH values averaging at 2.67. Other tests showed D. abyssinica-GF to be significantly inferior to D. caffra-GF and D. caffra-KT in terms of TSS, TSS:TTA ratio, and ascorbic acid content. Based on these parameters, D. caffra-KT presents itself with a higher potential for direct consumption as compared to D. caffra-GF. Proximate analysis of dried fruit pulps demonstrated D. abyssinica-GF to be significantly higher in ash content and significantly lower in protein and fat contents compared to the other two samples. There were insignificant difference in the fibre and carbohydrate contents of all the fruit samples. In phytochemical analysis, D. caffra-GF recorded the highest total polyphenol content of 1845 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g while D. abyssinica-GF reported the lowest figure of 1128 mg GAE/100 g. Flavonoid and simple phenols fractions were in the range of 18.15–26.85% and 73.15–81.85% respectively in all fruit samples. As for antioxidant activity, D. caffra-GF recorded significantly high scores in both DPPH and CUPRAC assays, and D. abyssinica-GF the lowest. The range of DPPH and CUPRAC scores for all samples was 1995–4993 mg l-ascorbic acid/100 g and 1384–2303 mg l-ascorbic acid/100 g respectively. The current study presents the nutritional and health potential of D. caffra and D. abyssinica fruits. This forms a good basis for future adoption and exploitation of these fruits.

Pre- and post-natal exposure of children to organophosphate flame retardants: A nationwide survey in France

The use of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) has been on the rise ever since many brominated flame retardants were banned, back in the 2000 s. The objectives of this study are to describe the pre- and post-natal exposure of children to OPFRs, and to explore their possible determinants. A total of 259 children aged 3.5 years and 388 mothers from the French ELFE mother-child cohort were included. Both pre- and post-natal exposure to OPFRs were assessed, using OPFR concentrations in the hair of pregnant women (in 2011) and their 3.5-year-old children (in 2014-2015) for 15 OPFRs, of which 9 were detected in > 20 % hair samples. The highest geometric means for pre-natal exposure were 272 ng/g for tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), 69.7 ng/g for ng/g for triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and 54.4 ng/g for tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP). The highest geometric means for post-natal exposure were 249.6 ng/g for TCPP, 85.3 ng/g for TDCPP and 83.8 ng/g for 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP). Correlations were found between both pre-natal exposures, and between pre-and post-natal exposures. No correlation was however found between pre-and post-natal exposures for any given OPFR. Pre-natal exposure to the 9 OPFRs was associated with pre-natal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers 209 (BDE209), and 47 (BDE47). Maternal BMI was associated with pre-natal exposure to OPFRs other than TBEP. Home renovation work prior to birth was also associated with pre-natal exposure to OPFRs, with the exception of EHDPP, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) and triethyl phosphate (TEP). Determinants of post-natal exposure appeared more disparate across OPFRs; although both the type of flooring in children's rooms and pre-natal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers seem to be associated with post-natal exposure. Lastly, higher socioeconomic status appeared to be associated with lower exposure for several (though not all) OPFRs. The high prevalence of exposure to OPFRs suggests the need for studies to assess the health effects of OPFRs exposure, particularly on children.

Machine learning in the identification, prediction and exploration of environmental toxicology: Challenges and perspectives

Over the past few decades, data-driven machine learning (ML) has distinguished itself from hypothesis-driven studies and has recently received much attention in environmental toxicology. However, the use of ML in environmental toxicology remains in the early stages, with knowledge gaps, technical bottlenecks in data quality, high-dimensional/heterogeneous/small-sample data analysis and model interpretability, and a lack of an in-depth understanding of environmental toxicology. Given the above problems, we review the recent progress in the literature and highlight state-of-the-art toxicological studies using ML (such as learning and predicting toxicity in complicated biosystems and multiple-factor environmental scenarios of long-term and large-scale pollution). Beyond predicting simple biological endpoints by integrating untargeted omics and adverse outcome pathways, ML development should focus on revealing toxicological mechanisms. The integration of data-driven ML with other methods (e.g., omics analysis and adverse outcome pathway frameworks) endows ML with widely promising application in revealing toxicological mechanisms. High-quality databases and interpretable algorithms are urgently needed for toxicology and environmental science. Addressing the core issues and future challenges for ML in this review may narrow the knowledge gap between environmental toxicity and computational science and facilitate the control of environmental risk in the future.

Summary of data from the UKWIR chemical investigations programme and a comparison of data from the past ten years' monitoring of effluent quality

This paper reports summary data from a ten-year programme of investigation into the composition of wastewater treatment works' effluents in the UK. The so-called Chemical Investigations Programme focused on determinands of regulatory importance and involved monitoring of effluents for over seventy trace substances and sanitary determinands at more than 600 UK treatment works sites. The results provide a definitive overview of effluent quality. Although raw data are available, this publication of summary data provides a convenient résumé of the current state of knowledge. An analysis of changes in concentrations over the monitoring period between 2010 and 2020 shows that for several substances (nickel, diethylhexylphthalate, nonylphenol, tributyltin, the brominated diphenyl ethers and triclosan) significant reductions in wastewater concentration have occurred over the period of interest, these are likely to have resulted from a combination of tighter regulatory controls and/or improved wastewater treatment.

Responses to simultaneous anthropogenic and biological stressors were mixed in an experimental saltmarsh ecosystem

Coastal ecosystems are essential for absorbing and bouncing back from the impacts of climate change, yet accelerating climate change is causing anthropogenically-derived stressors in these ecosystems to grow. The effects of stressors are more difficult to foresee when they act simultaneously, however, predicting these effects is critical for understanding ecological change. Spartina alterniflora (Spartina), a foundational saltmarsh plant key to coastal resilience, is subject to biological stress such as herbivory, as well as anthropogenic stress such as chemical pollution. Using saltmarsh mesocosms as a model system in a fully factorial experiment, we tested whether the effects of herbivory and two chemicals (oil and dispersant) were mediated or magnified in combination. Spartina responded to stressors asynchronously; ecophysiology responded negatively to oil and herbivores in the first 2-3 weeks of the experiment, whereas biomass responded negatively to oil and herbivores cumulatively throughout the experiment. We generally found mixed multi-stressor effects, with slightly more antagonistic effects compared to either synergistic or additive effects, despite significant reductions in Spartina biomass and growth from both chemical and herbivore treatments. We also observed an indirect positive effect of oil on Spartina, via a direct negative effect on insect herbivores. Our findings suggest that multi-stressor effects in our model system, 1) are mixed but can be antagonistic more often than expected, a finding contrary to previous assumptions of primarily synergistic effects, 2) can vary in duration, 3) can be difficult to discern a priori, and 4) can lead to ecological surprises through indirect effects with implications for coastal resilience. This leads us to conclude that understanding the simultaneous effects of multiple stressors is critical for predicting foundation-species persistence, discerning ecosystem resilience, and managing and mitigating impacts on ecosystem services.

Synovial fluid proteome profile of surgical versus chemical induced osteoarthritis in rabbits

BACKGROUND

Animal models are significant for understanding human osteoarthritis (OA). This study compared the synovial fluid proteomics changes in surgical and chemical induced OA models.

METHODS

Thirty rabbits either had anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) procedure or injected intra-articularly with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA, 8 mg) into the right knee. The joints were anatomically assessed, and the synovial fluid proteins analyzed using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2DGE) and MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometry analysis at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The proteins' upregulation and downregulation were compared with control healthy knees.

RESULTS

Seven proteins (histidine-rich glycoprotein, beta-actin-like protein 2 isoform X1, retinol-binding protein-4, alpha-1-antiproteinase, gelsolin isoform, serotransferrin, immunoglobulin kappa-b4 chain-C-region) were significantly expressed by the surgical induction. They characterized cellular process (27%), organization of cellular components or biogenesis (27%), localization (27%) and biological regulation (18%), which related to synovitis, increased cellularity, and subsequently cartilage damage. Three proteins (apolipoprotein I-IV precursor, serpin peptidase inhibitor and haptoglobin precursor) were significantly modified by the chemical induction. They characterized stimulus responses (23%), immune responses (15%), biological regulations (15%), metabolism (15%), organization of cellular components or biogenesis (8%), cellular process (8%), biological adhesions (8%) and localization (8%), which related to chondrocytes glycolysis/death, neovascularization, subchondral bone necrosis/collapse and inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

The surgical induced OA model showed a wider range of protein changes, which were most upregulated at week 12. The biological process proteins expressions showed the chemical induced joints had slower OA progression compared to surgical induced joints. The chemical induced OA joints showed early inflammatory changes, which later decreased.

Association among urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and depression: a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2015-2016

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of chemicals produced from incomplete combustion of carbon-containing products. PAH exposure is associated with pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and cancer. However, studies on the exposure to PAHs and depression are limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between seven types of urinary PAH exposure and depression in the adult population using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)2015-2016 dataset. The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess for depression; a PHQ-9 score ≥ 10 was considered depressed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis for complex survey procedures was used to assess the relationship between seven types of PAH exposure and depression. A total of 4,123 adults aged ≥20 years were included in the study sample. All forms of urinary PAHs studied, including 1-hydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydroxynaphthalene, 3-hydroxyfluorene, 2-hydroxyfluorene, 1-hydroxyphenanthrene, 1-hydroxypyrene, and 2 and 3-hydroxyphenanthrene, were positively associated with depression.

Water purification plantations for oil and gas industries in Iran

Water treatment for human uses is a vital asset to economic development. This article focuses on a combination of physical, biological, and chemical processes. Methods of water treatment require concrete or steel base structures, rendering them heavy, costly, and time-consuming to establish. Water treatment systems should be economically viable and practicable in design for developing societies; hence, structural builds should be simplified. Novel structures, a series of polyethylene cyclonic ponds for water treatment, were built and tested. Tanks were equipped with a settled material central outlet, water side outlet, and a pump shower system that enabled sludge removal without mechanical intervention. A freely flowing vortex was produced, aerated, given a biological treatment, and finally mixed with a chemical treatment step. Test establishment of the batch system enabled improvement in water quality, with removal performance as follows: TSS (total suspended solids) = 98%, UV₂₅₄ absorbance = 50%, DOC (dissolved organic carbon) = 56%, and turbidity=95%. The batch system builds of the current study required short construction time and were economically priced. Cyclonic ponds are suited to diverse usage. The value may be felt in the improvement of water quality for human consumption, utility, and ecosystem services to counter the extensive pollution caused by oil and gas extraction and other industries.

Effects of agrochemicals on the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems

Conventional agriculture relies heavily on chemical pesticides and fertilizers to control plant pests and diseases and improve production. Nevertheless, the intensive and prolonged use of agrochemicals may have undesirable consequences on the structure, diversity, and activities of soil microbiomes, including the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems. Although literature continues to mount regarding the effects of these chemicals on the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems, our understanding of them is still limited, and a proper account is required. With the renewed efforts and focus on agricultural and environmental sustainability, understanding the effects of different agrochemicals on the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems is both urgent and important to deduce practical solutions towards agricultural sustainability. This review critically evaluates the effects of various agrochemicals on the structure, diversity, and functions of the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems and propounds on the prospects and general solutions that can be considered to realize sustainable agricultural systems. This can be useful in understanding the anthropogenic effects of common and constantly applied agrochemicals on symbiotic systems in agricultural soils and shed light on the need for more environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices.

Loss of E-cadherin due to road dust PM2.5 activates the EGFR in human pharyngeal epithelial cells

Exposure to road dust particulate matter (PM) causes adverse health impacts on the human airway. However, the effects of road dust on the upper airway epithelium in humans remain unclear. We investigated the involvement of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) after PM with an aerodynamic diameter of < 2.5 μm (PM_2.5)-induced E-cadherin disruption of human pharyngeal epithelial cells. First, we collected road dust PM_2.5 from 10 Chinese cities, including Wuhan, Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Beijing, Lanzhou, Tianjin, Harbin, and Xi'an. Human pharyngeal FaDu cells were exposed to road dust PM_2.5 at 50 μg/mL for 24 h, cytotoxicity (cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) was assessed, and expressions of the proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-6 and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein, receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), occludin, E-cadherin, EGFR, and phosphorylated (p)-EGFR were determined. The E-cadherin gene was then knocked down to investigate EGFR activation in FaDu cells. Exposure to road dust PM_2.5 resulted in a decrease in cell viability and increases in LDH and IL-6. Our data suggested that PM_2.5 could decrease expressions of occludin and E-cadherin and increase expressions of EGFR and p-EGFR, which was confirmed by E-cadherin-knockdown. Our results showed a negative association between the alterations in E-cadherin and total elemental components in correlation analysis, especially S, Cl, K, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Exposure to metals in PM_2.5 from road dust may lead to loss of the barrier function of the upper airway epithelium and activation of the EGFR. Our study showed the adverse effects of road dust PM_2.5 on pharyngeal epithelial cells of the human upper airway.

Application of a GA-Optimized NNARX controller to nonlinear chemical and biochemical processes

Chemical and biochemical processes generally suffer from extreme nonlinearities with respect to internal states, manipulated variables, and also disturbances. These processes have always received special technical and scientific attention due to their importance as the means of large-scale production of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biologically active agents. In this work, a general-purpose genetic algorithm (GA)-optimized neural network (NNARX) controller is introduced, which offers a very simple but efficient design. First, the proof of the controller stability is presented, which indicates that the controller is bounded-input bounded-output (BIBO) stable under simple conditions. Then the controller was tested for setpoint tracking, handling modeling error, and disturbance rejection on two nonlinear processes that is, a continuous fermentation and a continuous pH neutralization process. Compared to a conventional proportional-integral (PI) controller, the results indicated better performance of the controller for setpoint tracking and acceptable action for disturbance rejection. Hence, the GA-optimized NNARX controller can be implemented for a variety of nonlinear multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems with minimal a-priori information of the process and the controller structure.

Unfolded protein response during cardiovascular disorders: a tilt towards pro-survival and cellular homeostasis

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle that orchestrates the production and proper assembly of an extensive types of secretory and membrane proteins. Endoplasmic reticulum stress is conventionally related to prolonged disruption in the protein folding machinery resulting in the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. This disruption is often manifested due to oxidative stress, Ca²⁺ leakage, iron imbalance, disease conditions which in turn hampers the cellular homeostasis and induces cellular apoptosis. A mild ER stress is often reverted back to normal. However, cells retaliate to acute ER stress by activating the unfolded protein response (UPR) which comprises three signaling pathways, Activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), inositol requiring enzyme 1 alpha (IRE1α), and protein kinase RNA-activated-like ER kinase (PERK). The UPR response participates in both protective and pro-apoptotic responses and not much is known about the mechanistic aspects of the switch from pro-survival to pro-apoptosis. When ER stress outpaces UPR response then cell apoptosis prevails which often leads to the development of various diseases including cardiomyopathies. Therefore, it is important to identify molecules that modulate the UPR that may serve as promising tools towards effective treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we elucidated the latest advances in construing the contribution imparted by the three arms of UPR to combat the adverse environment in the ER to restore cellular homeostasis during cardiomyopathies. We also summarized the various therapeutic agents that plays crucial role in tilting the UPR response towards pro-survival.

A chemical-enhanced system for CRISPR-Based nucleic acid detection

The CRISPR-based nucleic acid detection systems have shown great potential for point-of-care testing of viral pathogens, especially in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Here we optimize several key parameters of reaction chemistry and develop a Chemical Enhanced CRISPR Detection system for nucleic acid (termed CECRID). For the Cas12a/Cas13a-based signal detection phase, we determine buffer conditions and substrate range for optimal detection performance, and reveal a crucial role of bovine serum albumin in enhancing trans-cleavage activity of Cas12a/Cas13a effectors. By comparing several chemical additives, we find that addition of L-proline can secure or enhance Cas12a/Cas13a detection capability. For isothermal amplification phase with typical LAMP and RPA methods, inclusion of L-proline can also enhance specific target amplification as determined by CRISPR detection. Using SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus, we demonstrate CECRID has enhanced detection sensitivity over chemical additive-null method with either fluorescence or lateral flow strip readout. Thus, CECRID provides an improved detection power and system robustness, and helps to develop enhanced reagent formula or test kit towards practical application of CRISPR-based diagnostics.

A review of the enzymatic, physical, and chemical modification techniques of xanthan gum

Xanthan gum (XG), a bacterial polysaccharide has numerous valuable characteristics in the food, biomedical, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture sector. However, XG has also its particular limitations such as its vulnerability to microbial contamination, inadequate mechanical and thermal stability, unusable viscosity, and poor water solubility. Therefore, XG's structure and conformation need to be modified enzymatically, chemically, or physically to improve its optimistic features and decrease the formation of crystals, increase antioxidant ability, and radical scavenging activity. We have found out different means to modify XG and elaborate the importance and significance of the modified structure of XG. In this review, different enzymes are reviewed for XG degradation, which modifies their structure from different points (main chain or side chain). This article also reviews various physical methods (ultrasound, shear, pressure, sonication, annealing, and heat treatments) based on prevailing publications to alter XG conformation and produce low molecular weight (LMW) and less viscous end-product. Moreover, some chemical means are also discussed that result in modified XG through crosslinking, grafting, acetylation, pyruvation, as well as by applying different chemical agents. Overall, the current progress on XG degradation is very auspicious to develop a new molecule with considerable uses, in various industries with future assessments.

Mechanical or chemical and mechanical pleurodesis for spontaneous pneumothorax: what is the most effective approach in preventing recurrence? A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Surgical management of spontaneous pneumothorax typically involves wedge resection and mechanical pleurodesis. It is unclear whether combining mechanical and chemical pleurodesis can further reduce the recurrence rate. We have performed a meta-analysis of studies comparing the combined approach with mechanical pleurodesis alone.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the existing literature was performed using PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science for all types of studies that compared combined pleurodesis to a single approach. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and Strengthening The Reporting of OBservational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) to assess the quality of the studies. Relative risk of pneumothorax recurrence was calculated, and the differences between the studies were examined. The primary outcome was the recurrence of pneumothorax.

RESULTS

Of 2301 eligible studies, 5 studies were included. Five hundred sixty-one patients who received combined pleurodesis were compared to 286 patients who received mechanical pleurodesis only. Patients treated with combined intervention had a 63% lower risk of developing a recurrent pneumothorax compared to single intervention [relative risk 0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18-0.76; P = 0.006]. There were no statistically significant differences in the length of stay (standardized mean difference -0.17, 95% CI -0.39 to 0.05, P = 0.138), the duration of postoperative air leak (standardized mean difference 0.17, 95% CI -1.14 to 1.47, P = 0.804) or the duration of postoperative chest tube drainage (standardized mean difference -0.07, 95% CI -0.27 to 0.12, P = 0.471).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis demonstrated that combined intervention with mechanical and chemical pleurodesis for spontaneous pneumothorax may be more effective in preventing recurrence than mechanical pleurodesis alone. These findings will provide some guidance to surgeons in the decision-making process.

Biological activity evaluations of chemical constituents derived from Mongolian medicinal forage plants and their applications in combating infectious diseases and addressing health problems in humans and livestock

Mongolian nomadic people possess traditional knowledge of wild plants that grow in their areas of habitation. Many of these are forage plants in nature and are consumed by livestock. However, these plants are known to have medicinal and/or toxic properties. To establish a scientific understanding of the plants, and in turn, offer sound knowledge on their applications and effective use, it is essential to collect data pertaining to the chemical constituents of each plant. Therefore, the first objective of this study was to identify and determine the structural constituents of the forage plants that were available to our research group. Furthermore, in an attempt to demonstrate the biological activities of the isolated chemical compounds, we focused on solving some of the social issues affecting Mongolian communities, including protozoan diseases affecting livestock, vectors of infectious diseases, and the general health of humans and their livestock. The results of the chemical constituents derived from Mongolian medicinal plants and their biological activities that were studied in the recent decade are also described herein.

Melatonin-doped polymeric nanoparticles reinforce and remineralize radicular dentin: Morpho-histological, chemical and biomechanical studies

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effectiveness of novel polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) doped with melatonin (ML) in reducing dentin permeability and facilitating dentin remineralization after endodontic treatment.

METHODS

The effect of undoped NPs and ML-doped NPs (ML-NPs) was tested in radicular dentin, at 24 h and 6 m. A control group without NPs was included. ML liberation was measured. Radicular dentin was assessed for fluid filtration. Dentin remineralization was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, AFM, Young's modulus (Ei), Nano DMA-tan delta, and Raman analysis.

RESULTS

ML release ranged from 1.85 mg/mL at 24 h to 0.033 mg/mL at 28 d. Both undoped NPs and ML-NPs treated dentin exhibited the lowest microleakage, but samples treated with ML-NPs exhibited hermetically sealed dentinal tubules and extended mineral deposits onto dentin. ML-NPs promoted higher and durable Ei, and functional remineralization at root dentin, generating differences between the values of tan delta among groups and creating zones of stress concentration. Undoped-NPs produced closure of some tubules and porosities at the expense of a relative mineral amorphization. Chemical remineralization based on mineral and organic assessments was higher in samples treated with ML-NPs. When using undoped NPs, precipitation of minerals occurred; however, radicular dentin was not mechanically reinforced but weakened over time.

SIGNIFICANCE

Application of ML-NPs in endodontically treated teeth, previous to the canal filling step, is encouraged due to occlusion of dentinal tubules and the reinforcement of the radicular dentin structure.

Use of high-resolution thermography as a validation measure to confirm epidural anesthesia in mice: a cross-over study

BACKGROUND

Effective epidural anesthesia is confirmed in humans by sensory assessments but these tests are not feasible in mice. We hypothesized that, in mice, infrared thermography would demonstrate selective segmental warming of lower extremities following epidural anesthesia.

METHODS

We anesthetized 10 C57BL/6 mice with isoflurane and then inserted a PU-10 epidural catheter under direct surgical microscopy at T11-12. A thermal camera (thermal sensitivity ±0.05°C, pixel resolution 320x240 pixels, and spatial resolution 200 μm) recorded baseline temperature of front and rear paws, tail and ears. Thermography was assessed at baseline and 2, 5, 10, and 15 min after an epidural bolus dose of 50 μL bupivacaine 0.25% or 50 μL saline (control) using a cross-over design with dose order randomized and investigators blinded to study drug. Thermal images were recorded from video and analyzed using FLIR software. Effect over time and maximal effect (E_max) were assessed by repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-tests. Comparisons were between bupivacaine and control, and between lower vs upper extremities.

RESULTS

Epidural bupivacaine caused progressive warming of lower compared with upper extremities (P <0.001), typically returning to baseline by 15 min after administration. Mean (±SD) E_max was +3.73 (±1.56) °C for lower extremities compared with 0.56 (±0.68) °C (P=0.03) for upper extremities. Following epidural saline, there was no effect over time (E_max for lower extremities -0.88 (±0.28) °C compared with the upper extremities -0.88 (±0.19) °C (P >0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

Thermography is a useful tool to confirm epidural catheter placement in animals for which subjective, non-noxious, sensory measures are impossible.

Biomaterial-directed cell behavior for tissue engineering

Successful tissue regeneration strategies focus on the use of novel biomaterials, structures, and a variety of cues to control cell behavior and promote regeneration. Studies discovered how biomaterial/ structure cues in the form of biomaterial chemistry, material stiffness, surface topography, pore, and degradation properties play an important role in controlling cellular events in the contest of in vitro and in vivo tissue regeneration. Advanced biomaterials structures and strategies are developed to focus on the delivery of bioactive factors, such as proteins, peptides, and even small molecules to influence cell behavior and regeneration. The present article is an effort to summarize important findings and further discuss biomaterial strategies to influence and control cell behavior directly via physical and chemical cues. This article also touches on various modern methods in biomaterials processing to include bioactive factors as signaling cues to program cell behavior for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Sunscreen recommendations for patients with skin of color in the popular press and in the dermatology clinic

BACKGROUND

Patients with skin of color are at risk for skin cancer, pigmentary disorders, and photo-exacerbated conditions but find it challenging to use sunscreens on the market that leave an obvious residue on their skin.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine sunscreen recommendations from the popular press and from practicing dermatologists for patients with skin of color.

METHODS

We queried the Google search engine with the following search terms: "Sunscreen" with "skin of color," "dark skin," "black skin." For comparison, we also searched for "sunscreen" with "white skin," "pale skin," and "fair skin." We conducted an anonymous survey regarding sunscreen recommendations among dermatology trainees and board-certified dermatologists.

RESULTS

Websites with recommendations on sunscreens for patients with skin of color compared with sunscreens for white or fair skin were more likely to recommend chemical sunscreens (70% vs. 36%) and more expensive products (median: $14 vs. $11.3 per ounce), despite the lower sun protection factor level (median: 32.5 vs. 50). In our survey study, dermatologists were overall cost-conscious and felt that sun protection factor level, broad spectrum (ultraviolet A/B protection), and price were the most important features of sunscreens for their patients. Cosmetic elegance was deemed least important. Dermatologists overall counseled patients with skin of color less on sunscreen use, and 42.9% reported that they either never, rarely, or only sometimes take patients' skin type into account when making sunscreen recommendations.

CONCLUSION

These data represent an area for growth within dermatology to improve culturally competent care by gaining familiarity with sunscreen types and formulations that are geared toward patients with skin of color.

Epidemiology of lung cancer among acrylonitrile-exposed study populations: A meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of lung cancer among acrylonitrile-exposed workers.

METHODS

A literature search through April 2020 was performed to identify relevant cohort and case-control studies. Data from these studies were meta-analyzed to generate summary relative risk estimates (SRREs). Heterogeneity was examined in sub-group and sensitivity analyses, and by meta-regression.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies were reviewed systematically, and 10 cohort studies and one case-control study were meta-analyzed. Individual relative risk estimates reported across studies were heterogeneous, with most being relatively weak in statistical strength and non-statistically significant on both sides of the null value. Meta-analysis of these data resulted in an SRRE of 1.04 (95% CI: 0.89-1.21; overall model, largely consisting of all workers exposed to acrylonitrile). Sub-group analyses and meta-regression did not support patterns of positive dose-response relationships by duration of exposure/employment or cumulative exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

Although some positive associations have been reported in internal comparison analyses based on increasing exposure categories, few associations are statistically significant, there are no apparent or consistent patterns of dose-response, and the confounding influence of cigarette smoking was not adequately controlled. Thus, findings from this review and meta-analysis do not support an increased risk of lung cancer among acrylonitrile workers.

Biochemical profile of milk thistle (Silybum Marianum L.) with special reference to silymarin content

The main objective of current study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential and nutritional composition of milk thistle with special reference to silymarin. For the purpose, different varieties of milk thistle were procured from three different cities of Pakistan. The study was comprised of three different phases. In 1st phase, nutritional composition, that is, moisture, fat, protein, fiber, and nitrogen free extract, was determined according to their respective methods. Moreover, antioxidant potential and quantification of silymarin content were explored in 2nd phase. Furthermore, in last phase, milk thistle seeds tea was developed and evaluated for nutritional and sensorial characteristics. At last, data obtained from each parameter was subjected to appropriate statistical design to determine the level of significance. Results showed significant difference in the nutritional and chemical composition of different milk thistle varieties as well as locations. Moreover, moisture content, ash content, fat content, fiber content, protein content, and NFE varied from 6.27% to 5.01%, 2.37 to 1.25%, 23.19 to 19.74%, 7.4 to 4.39%, 30.09 to 20.74%, and 45.42 to 34.13%, respectively. Furthermore, silymarin content quantified though HPLC ranged from 1669.5 mg/g to 1607.6 mg/g for soxhlet extract whereas, 1,840.6 mg/g to 1765.9 mg/g for microwave-assisted extraction extract. Conclusively, it was depicted from the results that in case of variety, Blue was the best than White whereas, Islamabad was best in case of location.

Exploring the chemistry behind protein-glycosaminoglycan conjugate: A steady-state and kinetic spectroscopy based approach

The impact of glycosaminoglycan (chondroitin sulphate, CS) on bone morphogenetic protein - 2 (BMP - 2) structure, stability (thermal and chemical), association kinetics and conformation was monitored by multiple spectroscopic techniques (UV-Visible, fluorescence and circular dichroism). The absorbance in peptide region and fluorescence intensity of BMP - 2 was quenched in presence of CS; thus, confirming the formation of a ground-state complex. As there was an increase in Stern-Volmer constant observed as a function of temperature, idea of dynamic quenching was established. However, the negligible changes in lifetime indicated static quenching; thus, making the process a combination of static-dynamic quenching. Basically, the protein - glycan interaction was driven by entropy of the system and mediated by hydrophobic interactions. Secondary structure (CD spectroscopy) of native protein was significantly affected (intensity became more negative) in presence of CS, thus, introducing more compactness in the protein. CS infused thermal and chemical stability into BMP - 2 via alteration in its conformation. The rate of association was inversely proportional to concentration of quencher (CS), which confirmed the correlation between large size (~ 5 times the size of protein) and structural complexity of CS with fewer binding sites present in BMP - 2. The rate of association in presence of urea, suggested a decrease in association rate as a function of urea concentration for 15 μM CS. Experimental evidences suggested an interaction between protein and glycan mediated by hydrophobic interactions, which deciphers structural, thermal and chemical stability into protein.

Urban soil health: A city-wide survey of chemical and biological properties of urban agriculture soils

The integration of urban green spaces into modern city planning is seen as a promising tool to offset the drawbacks of ever-expanding cities. Urban agriculture is a common method to implement such strategies and to increase urban sustainability with a special focus on food security. Due to their location, urban farms are highly influenced by past and present anthropogenic activities which can threaten both soil health and food safety. This study includes 12 urban agriculture sites in the metropolitan area of Adelaide, Australia. It is the first of its kind to focus on soil health in urban agriculture systems with a further emphasis on mycorrhizal fungi. Descriptive information about each site, the biodiversity of the selected plots and soil samples from different depths and locations were collected and analysed for chemical and biological parameters. Seven metals, total and plant-available (Colwell) phosphorus and available nitrogen were measured in soils. A glasshouse bioassay was also conducted to determine the abundance of beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soils and the change of root colonization after inoculation with the mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Results showed a generally high biodiversity of plants that correlated with site activity (commercial or community garden) and which could potentially be used for urban biodiversity conservation. Metal concentrations in soils were below national guidelines levels for all samples, although sites with previous industrial history showed elevated levels when compared to sites without industrial history. The use of raised beds with introduced soils eliminated differences in previous land-use history, thereby providing a good option to support cleaner production. Gardening soils were considered highly fertile, with plant-available (Colwell) P concentrations exceeding recommended levels for most horticultural crops, while soils were adequately supplied with nitrogen. Most plant nutrients were derived from freely available urban waste streams and integrated via composting. Various urban waste streams could be used to counter-act imbalanced soil nutrients. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were present in all sites, indicating that the practiced soil management is sustainable from a microbial perspective. Given their important role in supporting plant nutrition, and potential to reduce the need for external nutrient inputs, they provide an important focal point for achieving clean and sustainable urban food production. The results were incorporated into a framework for the management of urban soil health.

Preparing for Mass Casualty Events

There are many forms of mass casualty events, including mass trauma, exposure to radiation and chemical agents, biological exposure (pandemics and bioterrorism), or a combination of insults. The underlying theme is that the number and severity of patients outstrip the resources available. These events are more common than thought. Planning and preparation allow institutions to better respond to the patient surge and thus mitigate the consequences-ultimately saving lives and reducing morbidity.

Thymol-Induced Chemical Leukoderma Successfully Treated with 308-Nanometer Excimer Laser

Introduction

Chemical leukoderma (CL) is an acquired depigmenting disorder caused by repeated exposure to chemical compounds. Thymol is a phenol derivative used as a preservative or antiseptic in many commercially available products. Here, we present the second reported case of CL caused by a thymol-containing compound.

Case Presentation

A 48-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of depigmentation of the nail folds of all ten fingers. This occurred after 1 month of twice-daily application of a thymol-containing compound intended for the removal of gel nails. No improvement was noted after the product was discontinued. There was no family history of vitiligo or other autoimmune disorders. On physical exam, depigmentation of all ten proximal and lateral nail folds was seen, with accentuation on Wood's lamp exam. Partial re-pigmentation was achieved after 32 treatments with 308-nm excimer laser.

Discussion

A thorough history and physical exam are instrumental in differentiating CL from other causes of depigmentation. Avoidance of the offending agent is an essential part of management. It is important to note that many cosmetic products are not tightly regulated by the FDA. Excimer laser is an effective treatment for CL with a favorable side-effect profile.

Potential of combating transmission of COVID-19 using novel self-cleaning superhydrophobic surfaces: part II-thermal, chemical, and mechanical durability

In part I, we identified encapsulation, contamination suppression, and virus elimination as our three governing strategies for developing surfaces to combat the transmission and spread of COVID-19. We showed that our recent superhydrophobic nanocomposites has the potential of encapsulating and suppressing the virus so as to limit its transmission and spread. In this study, we examine the durability of the newly developed surfaces when subjected to elevated temperature, chemical attack and mechanical damage in the form of abrasion and compressive load. Extensive tests were conducted to reveal the effect of these parameters on the surface performance. Three aspects of the work were accordingly examined. The first was concerned with controlled thermal stability tests in which the surfaces were subjected to elevated temperatures approaching 350 °C for silicone-based nanocomposites and 150 °C for epoxy-based nanocomposites. The second was concerned with subjecting the surfaces to alkaline and acidic solutions with pH concentrations ranging between 1 and 13. Finally, the third involved surface damage by abrasion tests. Our results show clearly that the newly developed superhydrophobic surfaces are capable of resisting the adverse effects of thermal and chemical attacks as well as mechanical abrasion owing to the excellent structural stability and mechanical properties of the constituents of the nanocomposite. Moreover, our superhydrophobic monolith demonstrated exceptional regenerative capabilities even after being subjected to damaging compressive stresses of up to 10 MPa.

Development and validation of hybrid Brillouin-Raman spectroscopy for non-contact assessment of mechano-chemical properties of urine proteins as biomarkers of kidney diseases

BACKGROUND

Proteinuria is a major marker of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and the predictor of cardiovascular mortality. The rapid development of renal failure is expected in those patients who have higher level of proteinuria however, some patients may have slow decline of renal function despite lower level of urinary protein excretion. The different mechanical (visco-elastic) and chemical properties, as well as the proteome profiles of urinary proteins might explain their tubular toxicity mechanism. Brillouin light scattering (BLS) and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopies are non-contact, laser optical-based techniques providing visco-elastic and chemical property information of probed human biofluids. We proposed to study and compare these properties of urinary proteins using BLS and SERS spectroscopies in nephrotic patient and validate hybrid BLS-SERS spectroscopy in diagnostic of urinary proteins as well as their profiling. The project ultimately aims for the development of an optical spectroscopic sensor for rapid, non-contact monitoring of urine samples from patients in clinical settings.

METHODS

BLS and SERS spectroscopies will be used for non-contact assessment of urinary proteins in proteinuric patients and healthy subjects and will be cross-validated by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Participants will be followed-up during the 1 year and all adverse events such as exacerbation of proteinuria, progression of CKD, complications of nephrotic syndrome, disease relapse rate and inefficacy of treatment regimen will be registered referencing incident dates. Associations between urinary protein profiles (obtained from BLS and SERS as well as LC-MS) and adverse outcomes will be evaluated to identify most unfavored protein profiles.

DISCUSSION

This prospective study is focused on the development of non-contact hybrid BLS - SERS sensing tool and its clinical deployment for diagnosis and prognosis of proteinuria. We will identify the most important types of urine proteins based on their visco-elasticity, amino-acid profile and molecular weight responsible for the most severe cases of proteinuria and progressive renal function decline. We will aim for the developed hybrid BLS - SERS sensor, as a new diagnostic & prognostic tool, to be transferred to other biomedical applications.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial has been approved by ClinicalTrials.gov (Trial registration ID NCT04311684). The date of registration was March 17, 2020.

Urinary speciated arsenic and depression among US adults

Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical in the environment. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared arsenic a class 1 human carcinogen. The inorganic form of arsenic is considered toxic to the human population; arsenic is a neurotoxin and can cause memory dysfunction. Very few studies have investigated the association between exposure to arsenic and depression in humans. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between urinary speciated arsenic and depression among adults in the USA using the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III dataset. Depression was measured using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). We computed a total depression score from the PHQ-9 and categorized individuals with a score ≥ 10 as depressed. The exposure included six different speciated arsenic concentrations dichotomized as at or above the limit of detection and below the limit of detection. We conducted a crude and multivariate logistic regression analysis using complex survey procedures to assess the association between speciated arsenic concentrations and depression. The sample included 1619 adults, of whom approximately half were females (51.69%) and married (53.29%). Seven percent of the sample had depression. Urinary arsenous acid was significantly associated with depression. In the adjusted model, arsenous acid was associated with depression with an odds ratio of 1.76 (95% CI 1.05-2.96, p = 0.035). No other forms of arsenic were significantly associated with depression. In this study, urinary arsenous acid was significantly associated with depression. Future research in humans is required to confirm or refute this finding.