Impact of carbon monoxide on early cardiac development in an avian model

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas that can be lethal in large doses and may also cause physiological damage in lower doses. Epidemiological studies suggest that CO in lower doses over time may impact on embryo development, in particular cardiac development, however other studies have not observed this association. Here, we exposed chick embryos in ovo to CO at three different concentrations (1ppm, 8ppm, 25ppm) plus air control (4 protocols in total) for the first nine days of development, at which point we assessed egg and embryo weight, ankle length, developmental stage, heart weight and ventricular wall thickness. We found that heart weight was reduced for the low and moderate exposures compared to air, and that ventricular wall thickness was increased for the moderate and high exposures compared to air. Ventricular wall thickness was also significantly positively correlated with absolute CO exposures across all protocols. This intervention study thus suggests that CO even at very low levels may have a significant impact on cardiac development.

Composition of Organic Carbon-Based Compounds in the Stem Wood of Quercus mongolica Seedlings Grown Under Elevated CO2 and/or O3 Concentrations

In this study, we examined the composition of organic constituents of stem woody tissue together with tree growth in Quercus mongolica var. grosseserrata Blume seedlings raised under controlled CO2 and/or O3 concentrations in a Free-Air Concentration Enrichment system. After exposure to ambient air (control), elevated CO2 concentration (550 μmol mol–1 CO2), elevated O3 concentration (double that of the control), and a combination of elevated CO2 and O3 concentrations during a growing season, we measured the diameter and length of stem, and biomass of sampled seedlings and quantified the lignin, extractive, and holocellulose contents of the woody tissue of current-year stems. We confirmed that the growth of seedlings was enhanced under an elevated CO2 concentration condition. In line with this, the extractive content was lower in woody tissue formed under an elevated CO2 concentration than that formed under ambient air, whereas holocellulose content showed an inverse pattern. Elevated O3 concentration itself did not change the organic constituents of the woody tissue, but it reduced the influence of an elevated CO2 concentration. We thus assume that Q. mongolica formed woody tissue with a low extractive content under the high CO2 concentration condition, although this response was possibly mitigated by an elevated O3 concentration. Extractives contains antimicrobial components such as tannins, flavonoids, quinones, and terpenoids. The decrease in extractives within the widely distributed Q. mongolica in East Asia may have a non-negligible impact on C cycling in the future earth with high atmospheric CO2 concentration.

Effect of argon-enriched modified atmosphere on the over quality and bioactive compounds of ready-to-use broccoli rabe (Brassica rapa sylvestris L. var. esculenta) during the storage

This study evaluated the effect of argon-enriched modified atmosphere on the storage extension of ready-to-use broccoli rabe in leaf. Broccoli rabe samples ( Brassica rapa sylvestris L. var. esculenta) were packaged in 90% argon and 10% O2 (modified atmosphere packaging 1); 80% argon, 10% CO2 and 10% O2 (modified atmosphere packaging 2) and evaluated for the physicochemical characteristics, microbiological parameters and bioactive compounds (glucosinolates) during the cold storage for 9 days. Results showed significant maintenance of colour, chlorophyll, phenols content and antioxidant activity in modified atmosphere packaging packages with respect to air control ones. An increasing biosynthesis of glucosinolates was observed in all packages to the inductive effect of CO2 produced; the amount of minerals unchanged during the storage. Overall appearance and odour evaluation pointed out a positive effect of argon atmospheres, in particular modified atmosphere packaging 1, for the keeping of the sensory attributes compared to those evaluated in air packaging.

A Laboratory Method to Measure Skin Surface Staining by Cigarette Smoke, Tobacco Heating Products and E-Cigarettes

Summary Exhaled or side-stream cigarette smoke (CS) may visually stain a consumer's skin over time. Tobacco heating products (THPs) and e-cigarettes (ECs) have reduced staining potential because they do not produce side-stream aerosols and their exhaled aerosols have significantly reduced levels of toxicants, particles and odour. Here we assess discolouration of porcine skin in vitro after exposure to particulate matter (PM) or aerosols from CS (3R4F), two THPs (glo and glo sens) and an EC (iSwitch Maxx). PM was prepared by capturing aerosols on Cambridge filter pads and eluting with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Abattoir-obtained porcine skin samples were incubated with PM or DMSO control at 37 °C between 0 and 6.0 h. For aerosol assessment, porcine skin samples were exposed to between 50 and 400 puffs of the products, or air control, using a smoking machine. Colour profiles and staining levels of each skin sample were measured at different timepoints and puff thresholds using a spectrophotometer. Staining increased with time and dose, the greatest changes being observed following exposure to aerosols and PM from CS. THP, EC and control values were significantly different from CS after 0.5 h exposure to PM or 50 puffs of aerosols. The minimal staining induced by THPs and EC was comparable to controls. These data suggest that THPs and ECs could offer hygiene benefits to consumers who switch from smoking cigarettes. Further studies are required to assess the longer-term effects of THPs and ECs on skin discoloration. [Contrib. Tob. Nicotine Res. 30 (2021) 158–166]

Electronic-Nose as Non-destructive Tool to Discriminate “Ferrovia” Sweet Cherries Cold Stored in Air or Packed in High CO2 Modified Atmospheres

This study aimed to explore the applicability of electronic-nose (E-nose) as a rapid method in discriminating samples of sweet cherry cv “Ferrovia” stored in high-CO2 (16% O2 + 20% CO2 + 64% N2) or air (control) up to 21 days. Projection to Latent Structures (PLS) methods applied to E-nose data showed that fresh fruit and the packaged or unpackaged samples can be distinguished, according to both the storage condition and the storage days. Moreover, a correlation analysis between E-nose sensors and 45 volatile compounds were overall, obtained from all the investigated sweet cherry samples by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction (HS SPME) coupled to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). These methods allowed to associate samples with a specific flavour profile to one or more E-nose sensors. Finally, quality attributes (visual quality, colour, firmness, antioxidant activity, total phenols, and sugar content) were assessed during storage. Among these, visual quality and berry deformation resulted affected by storage conditions, showing that high-CO2 treatment better preserved the fruit quality than control.

Vapor cannabis exposure generationally affects male reproductive functions in mice

This study was performed to examine whether vapor exposure to cannabis plant matter negatively impacts male reproductive functions and testis development in mice. Adult CD-1 male mice (F0) were exposed to air (control) or 200 mg of vaporized cannabis plant matter 3x/day over a 10 day period. Subsequently, F0 males were bred with drug naive CD-1 females to generate F1 males, and F1 offspring were used to generate F2 males. Cannabis vapor exposure decreased sperm count and/or motility in F0 and F1 males and disrupted the progression of germ cell development, as morphometric analyses exhibited an abnormal distribution of the stages of spermatogenesis in F0 males. Although plasma levels of testosterone were not affected by cannabis exposure in any ages or generations of males, dysregulated steroidogenic enzymes, Cyp11a1 and Cyp19a1, were observed in F0 testis. In the neonatal testis from F1 males, while apoptosis was not altered, DNA damage and DNMT1, but not DNMT3A and DNMT3B, were increased in germ cells following cannabis exposure. In contrast, the alterations of DNA damage and DNMT1 expression were not observed in F2 neonatal males. These results suggest that cannabis vapor exposure generationally affects male reproductive functions, probably due to disruption of spermatogenesis in the developing testis.

The Role of Architecture and Urbanism in Preventing Pandemics

This chapter aims to assess the historical role of architecture and urbanism in the prevention and mitigation of pandemics and the place it may occupy in future international strategies. During COVID-19, the contemporary healthcare system response to pandemics showed its limits. There must be investigated a more interdisciplinary answer in which the role of the built environment in the One Health should be clarified. Since the 19th century, the built environment traditionally occupied a decisive role in mitigating pandemics. The war against tuberculosis led to the Hygiene movement which set the principles of the Modernist architectural and urban movement. With the discovery of antibiotics, the medicine emancipated from architecture. In the absence of health implications, the social and environmental counterreactions to the Modernist movement led to the Green Architecture, New Urbanism or Urban Village movements. After the last decades warnings about future pandemics, some of the present COVID-19 scientific findings have notable impact on the built environment design: pollution, green areas, urban population density or air quality control. Finally, the chapter analyses architectural and urban measures for preventing and mitigating future pandemics: air control, residential approaches, public spaces, green areas design, working, transportation and mixed neighborhoods.

Modeling And Development Of An Experimental Pneumatic Facility For Aircraft Bleed Air System Studies

Research on aircraft bleed air systems has been performed at Ryerson University for the last eight years. During this time, the requirements of the test apparatus have been constantly expanding. This thesis work aims at developing a new reconfigurable rig that supports current and future research on aircraft bleed air control systems and takes advantage of lessons learned from previous test rigs. The new rig consists of two temperature control channels in a parallel arrangement to allow for flow sharing control, and a load tank with variable exhaust. Beyond the development of the test rig, research has been performed to improve mass flow measurement based on signals from traditional thermal mass flow and pressure sensors. The proposed method utilized these redundant means of indicating flow to obtain fast and accurate flow measurement through the use of a dynamically weighted average. This method has been experimentally investigated using the test rig.

Modeling And Development Of An Experimental Pneumatic Facility For Aircraft Bleed Air System Studies

Research on aircraft bleed air systems has been performed at Ryerson University for the last eight years. During this time, the requirements of the test apparatus have been constantly expanding. This thesis work aims at developing a new reconfigurable rig that supports current and future research on aircraft bleed air control systems and takes advantage of lessons learned from previous test rigs. The new rig consists of two temperature control channels in a parallel arrangement to allow for flow sharing control, and a load tank with variable exhaust. Beyond the development of the test rig, research has been performed to improve mass flow measurement based on signals from traditional thermal mass flow and pressure sensors. The proposed method utilized these redundant means of indicating flow to obtain fast and accurate flow measurement through the use of a dynamically weighted average. This method has been experimentally investigated using the test rig.