Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Perioperative Serum Potassium and Postoperative Rehabilitation of Patients Undergoing Radical Resection of Gastrointestinal Malignancy

Background: To investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine on perioperative potassium and postoperative rehabilitation. Methods: Totally 124 patients scheduled for elective radical resection of gastrointestinal malignant tumor under general anesthesia were included. and randomly assigned to four groups (n=31): groups D1, D2 and D3 received dexmedetomidine loading dose 1, 1 and 0.5 μg/kg and maintenance dose 0.25, 0.5 and 0.5 μg/kg/h, respectively, group C received normal saline 50 ml/h for 10 min and maintenance dose 10 ml/h. Serum potassium and lactate changes were recorded at 5 min after arteriovenous puncture (T1), 1 h after surgery beginning (T6), surgery ending (T7) and 1 h into the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) (T10). Serum potassium was examined at 48 h after surgery (T11). Perioperative rehabilitation indicators were recorded.Results: Compared with basal values, serum potassium concentration in groups C, D1 and D2 increased significantly at T11 (P=0.003, 0.002, and ˂0.001, respectively) and at T7 (P=0.008), T10 (P=0.015) and T11 (P˂0.001) in group D3. Serum potassium at T11 in group D2 was significantly lower than group C (P=0.032). Serum potassium at T7 in group D3 was significantly higher than group D2 (P=0.036). There were no significant differences in perioperative rehabilitation indicators in all groups. Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine did not decrease perioperative potassium significantly in patients undergoing radical resection of gastrointestinal malignancy, while its loading dose 0.5 μg/kg and maintenance dose 0.5 μg/kg/h can elevate potassium slightly with no adverse effect on perioperative rehabilitation.Trial registration: This study was retrospectively registered on the clinicaltrials.gov website (registration number: NCT04771637).

Effects of handling and storage on potassium concentration in plasma and serum samples obtained from cats

OBJECTIVE To compare potassium concentrations in feline plasma and serum samples analyzed promptly after collection or after 20 to 28 hours of refrigerated storage. ANIMALS 41 cats. PROCEDURES A venous blood sample was obtained from each cat. Aliquots were placed in 2 tubes without anticoagulant (blood was allowed to clot to derive serum) and 2 tubes with heparin (to derive plasma). One serum and 1 plasma sample were kept at room temperature and analyzed within 60 minutes after collection (baseline); the other serum and plasma samples were analyzed after 20 to 28 hours of refrigerated storage. At both time points, serum and plasma potassium concentrations were measured. RESULTS Median baseline serum potassium concentration (4.3 mmol/L) was significantly higher than median baseline plasma potassium concentration (4.1 mmol/L). The median difference between those values was 0.4 mmol/L (95% CI, 0.2 to 0.5 mmol/L). Compared with their respective baseline measurements, the median serum plasma concentration (4.8 mmol/L) and median plasma potassium concentration (4.6 mmol/L) were higher after 20 to 28 hours of refrigeration. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that with regard to potassium concentration in feline blood samples, clotting or refrigerated storage for 20 to 28 hours results in a significant artifactual increase. Detection of an unexpectedly high potassium concentration in a cat may represent pseudohyperkalemia, especially if the blood sample was placed in a no-additive tube, was stored for 20 to 28 hours prior to analysis, or both.

Investigation of Potassium Chloride for Euthanasia of Anesthetized Marine Toads (Rhinella marina)

Euthanasia techniques in amphibians are poorly described and sparsely validated. This study investigated potassium chloride (KCl) for euthanasia of anesthetized marine toads ( Rhinella marina ). Twenty three toads were immersed in buffered MS-222 (2 g/L) for five minutes (min) beyond loss of righting reflex, manually removed, and randomly administered KCl (n = 6/group) via one of three routes: intracardiac at 10 mEq/kg (IC), intracoelomic at 100 mEq/kg (ICe), or immersion at 4500 mEq/L (IMS) or no treatment (C) (n = 5/group). Doppler sounds were assessed continuously from prior to treatment until two min post-treatment and every five min thereafter until sound cessation or resumption of spontaneous movement. Plasma potassium concentration (K+) was measured at the time of Doppler sound cessation in ICe and IMS. In IC, ICe, IMS, and C, Doppler sound cessation occurred in 4/6, 6/6, 6/6, and 1/5 toads with median (range) or mean + SD times of 0.23 (0-4.65), 17.5 + 9.0, 40.6 + 10.9, and >420 min, respectively. Nonsuccess in 2/6 toads in IC was suspected due to technique failure. Plasma K+ exceeded the limits of detection (>9 mmol/L) in 12/12 toads in ICe and IMS. Five of six toads in C resumed spontaneous movement at median (range) times of 327 (300-367) min. KCl delivered via an intracardiac, intracoelomic, or immersion routes resulted in Doppler sound cessation in 16 of 18 toads and may be appropriate for euthanasia of anesthetized marine toads.

Effect of Spraying With Bread Yeast Suspension and The Addition of NPK+(TE) on The Chemical Content of The Leaves of Tamarind Young Plants (Tamarindus indica L.)

The experiment was carried out during the spring season from 1/3/2019 to 1/9/2019, to study the effect of foliar spraying with a suspension of bread yeast at concentrations 0.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 g.L-1, and the addition of the compound chemical fertilizer NPK+Trace Elements(TE)20-20-20 for soil with three levels (0.0, 0.5 and 1.0 g.plant-1 ) and their interactions in the chemical content of the leaves of two years old tamarind young plants. The research was carried out as a factorial experiment (4*3) according to the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The indicators of the study showed that the foliar spraying with bread yeast suspension led to an improvement in most of the studied traits of tamarind young plants and the foliar spraying treatment with a concentration of 7.5 g.L-1 excelled in achieving the best results in comparison with the control treatment of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and protein content in the tamarind young plants leaves. Total chlorophyll and carotene, yeast did not have any significant effect in any of the concentrations in the experiment. The compound chemical fertilizer NPK+Trace Elements improved all the studied characteristics of tamarind young plants, and the treatment at the level 0.5 g.plant-1. While the concentration of one g.plant-1was superior in recording a significant increase of potassium concentration in the leaves. Whereas, the interaction between foliar spraying with bread yeast suspension and the addition of the neutral chemical fertilizer NPK+Trace Elements showed a significant effect in most of the studied traits, where the treatment was superior to 7.5 g.L-1 yeast and 0.5 g.plant-1 neutral fertilizer in recording the highest content in leaves of element N andprotein in the leaves, while the treatment recorded 7.5 g.L-' yeast and 0g.plant-1 neutral fertilizer was superior in the percentage of phosphorous, while the concentrations7.5 g.L-1 yeast and lg.plant-1. Neutral fertilizer were superior in percentage of Potassium in the leaves of tamarind young plants achieved a concentration of 0.0 g.L-1 yeast and 0.5g.plant-1 neutral fertilizer an outperformance in the leaf content of total chlorophyllwhile the treatment recorded 5 g.L-1 yeast and 0 g.plant-1 neutral fertilizer was superior in the percentage of carotene.

Role of Humic Acid and Chemical Fertilizer in NPK Concentration, Growth and Yield of Broccoli Under Salinity Conditions

A field experiment was conducted during the winter agricultural season 2020. To study the effect of humic acid and fertilizer recommendation, humic acid was supplied with irrigation water at two levels i.e., 0 and 0.25 gm L-1. Nine levels of the fertilizer recommendation were applied according to the fertilizer recommendation of 92kg N.h-1, 200 kg P. h-1 and 150 kg K. h-1 taking the symbols of F1to F9. The results showed the superiority of the treatments of humic acid application( 0.25 gm l-1) in the traits of plant height, Weight of broccoli head, total yield, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium concentrations, by giving 32.64 cm, 246.5 gm plant-1, 8.215 tons ha-1, 5.541%, 0.3816%, and 3. 641% respectively, the treatment of adding chemical fertilizer at a level of 125% N + 125% P + % K 125 of the fertilizer recommendation(F2) gave the highest plant height of 36.60 cm, Weight of broccoli head of 269.2 g plant-1, total yield of 8.972 tons H-1, nitrogen concentration 5.817% and concentration Phosphorous 0.3141% compared to treatment F9, while treatment F5 gave the highest potassium concentration 3.893% compared to treatment F9 (1.914%).

Fast material disintegration of cement concrete in the exterior

Over the recent years the amount of fast destruction defects of cement paste matrix has increased markedly for exposed concrete structures of highway and airport pavements. The accelerated destruction of silicate structure is unusual due to its irregular occurrence. It only occurs at 30 to 50% of newly built pavements (in continuous segments). The issue is applicable to loaded as well as unloaded pavements. Detailed diagnostics found that the probable cause is based on concurrently occurring expansive reactions in capillaries, cracks and pores in the cement paste matrix. In defect spots the presence of several expansive substances was proven, wherein the biggest question poses the unexpectedly high potassium concentration. Potassium is only contained at best in trace amounts in road concrete input components in the Czech Republic. Neither existing regulations nor standards sufficiently deal with this type of defects of cement concretes. If they mention the existence of this issue at all, they are just limited to recommendations. Since the modification of the existing commercially produced cements to pavements is still improbable, the solutions to this issue seem problematic.

The Effect of Efficacy Local Isolates of Paenibacillus Bacteria on Available Soil Phosphorus and Growth of Cultivars Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)

A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of bio-inoculation with three local isolates of P. polymyxa and three Varieties of wheat on the growth and yield of the wheat plant (Triticum aestivum L). In the second agricultural research station affiliated to the College of Agriculture - University of Al-Muthanna, a field experiment was conducted in Al-Muthanna Governorate for the year 2020 in silty clay Loam soil texture. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block method (RCBD) and with three replications. The experiment included two factors, where the first factor represents the local isolates of four levels, symbolized by P0-P1-P2-P3, and the second factor represents the three wheat varieties, Buhouth class 22, Iraq class, and Ibaa 99, which symbolized C1-C2-C3 respectively. The results showed the following: First: The P3 bio-pollination treatment achieved a significant increase in soil phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen in the available part at the flowering stage, as the highest average was recorded for them (11.39 mg kg −1 soil - 1.4300%-1.4,000%), and the P2 treatment was superior for both soil potassium and plant height. And the dry weight, the highest average for them was recorded (157.8 mg kg −1 - 92.6 cm - 10.61 g plant −1). Second: As for the cultivars, they differed in most of the characteristics of the study. The Iraq cultivar excelled in soil phosphorous concentration with an average of (11.06 mg kg −1 soil), while Buhouth cultivar 22 was superior in soil potassium with an average of (158.02) mg kg −1 soil. Ibaa 99 had been recorded concentration nitrogen and potassium in plants with averages of (1.4208,1.3474%). Third: When the isolates overlapped with the cultivars, a discrepancy was observed. It gave Samawa isolate with Bohouth class 22 by recording the highest average in soil potassium concentration and plant height amounting to (166.7 mg kg −1 soil, 99.8 cm) respectively, while Al-Khidr isolate with Ibaa 99 cultivar in nitrogen and potassium concentration plant, where it reached (1.4567-1.4400)%, while the isolate without addition outperformed with the cultivar Iba 99 for dry weight, as it reached its highest average (11.40 gm plant −1). The isolate of vegetables also outperformed Iraq cultivar for phosphorous concentration in soil, as it recorded the highest average of (12.30) mg kg −1 soil.

An L1 retrotransposon insertion–induced deafness mouse model for studying the development and function of the cochlear stria vascularis

Dysregulation of ion and potential homeostasis in the scala media is the most prevalent cause of hearing loss in mammals. However, it is not well understood how the development and function of the stria vascularis regulates this fluid homeostasis in the scala media. From a mouse genetic screen, we characterize a mouse line, named 299, that displays profound hearing impairment. Histology suggests that 299 mutant mice carry a severe, congenital structural defect of the stria vascularis. The in vivo recording of 299 mice using double-barreled electrodes shows that endocochlear potential is abolished and potassium concentration is reduced to ∼20 mM in the scala media, a stark contrast to the +80 mV endocochlear potential and the 150 mM potassium concentration present in healthy control mice. Genomic analysis revealed a roughly 7-kb-long, interspersed nuclear element (LINE-1 or L1) retrotransposon insertion on chromosome 11. Strikingly, the deletion of this L1 retrotransposon insertion from chromosome 11 restored the hearing of 299 mutant mice. In summary, we characterize a mouse model that enables the study of stria vascularis development and fluid homeostasis in the scala media.