Effect of lidocaine on oxidative activity of peripheral blood phagocytes

BACKGROUND: Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by leukocytes can cause damage to intrinsic tissues. The pathogenesis of sepsis is based on an excessive inflammatory response of the body. Several studies have reported the inhibitory effect of lidocaine on neutrophilic granulocytes. AIM: This study aimed to analyze the effect of lidocaine on the oxidative activity of phagocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood from 16 healthy donors was used in this study. Leukocyte mass was extracted using spontaneous sedimentation. Half of the leukocyte samples were incubated in buffered physiological saline with lidocaine. The other half of the leukocyte samples were incubated in physiological saline without lidocaine. The generation of ROS was studied using two methods. Method 1 included a nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) test), which is based on the ability of ROS to reduce NBT to insoluble diformazan. Method 2 was based on the chemiluminescence reaction. A culture of S. Aureus was used to induce the production of ROS. RESULTS: NBT test revealed a decrease in the oxidative activity of leukocytes in the presence of lidocaine by 18% (p 0.05). The study of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of leukocyte suspension in the presence of lidocaine revealed a significant 2-fold decrease in both spontaneous and stimulated respiratory activity of cells. CONCLUSIONS: After incubation with lidocaine, phagocytes generated ROS to a significantly lower extent. However, their complete blockade was not recorded. This property of lidocaine may be used in clinical practice to treat an excessive inflammatory response in sepsis.

What’s in a “Username”? The Effect of Perceived Anonymity on Herding in Crowdfunding

This research investigates whether and how predecessors’ usernames—as evaluated from a perspective of perceived anonymity—affect successors’ herding momentum through the varying extent of perceived source credibility. Using a unique data set collected from a leading debt-based crowdfunding platform, we classify lenders’ usernames as either anonymous or real-seeming, with the latter referring to usernames that seem to reveal one’s legal name. We find that successors demonstrate weaker herding momentum toward predecessors who are presented with real-seeming usernames than anonymous ones. This finding, which we attribute to a lower extent of perceived credibility resulting from a nonconforming behavior, challenges the conventional wisdom that considers anonymity a negative factor for source credibility. Further, we demonstrate the importance of risk-related factors, in that the uncovered positive effect of perceived anonymity on herding is accentuated in the early stage of the fundraising period. Our findings provide actionable insights for platform owners to utilize the user heterogeneity with respect to perceived anonymity and hence perceived credibility in herding. These findings are also informative for borrowers who desire to exert effort to encourage participation from the crowd.

Microbial dechlorination of polychrolinated biphenyls

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organic xenobiotics contaminating environment for at least 50 years. They could be eventually eliminated by various organisms under different conditions. The degree of chlorine substitution per biphenyl molecule influences biodegradability which decreases with increasing chlorination. Our work is focused on the PCBs biodegradation under anaerobic conditions. The suitable high chlorinated biphenyls are converted via reductive dechlorination to the chlorinated biphenyls with lower extent of chlorine, which could be eventually fully mineralized by aerobic bacteria. Microbial consortium was isolated from sediment of Strážský Creek (located near by plant producing PCBs in the past). This consortium was able to dechlorinate polychlorinated biphenyls under anoxic conditions. The effectiveness of this process was tested under different cultivation condition – different energetic sources (Aroclor 1248 or Aroclor 1260 or Delor 103 or Delor 106), addition of potential electron donors (pyruvate, lactate or acetate with hydrogen) and further if there is necessary to add yeast extract into fresh low sulphur cultivation media. Our microbial consortia so far do not need supplementation by non-contaminated sediment to maintain dechlorination activity. Addition of yeast extract is non essential, but needs to be further proved in serial transfers. In all cases (except acetate without yeast extract) dechlorination proceeds at meta- and flanked paraposition.

Exploring the Diversity of the Human Blood Virome

Metagenomics is greatly improving our ability to discover new viruses, as well as their possible associations with disease. However, metagenomics has also changed our understanding of viruses in general. The vast expansion of currently known viral diversity has revealed a large fraction of non-pathogenic viruses, and offers a new perspective in which viruses function as important components of many ecosystems. In this vein, studies of the human blood virome are often motivated by the search for new viral diseases, especially those associated with blood transfusions. However, these studies have revealed the common presence of apparently non-pathogenic viruses in blood, particularly human anelloviruses and, to a lower extent, human pegiviruses (HPgV). To shed light on the diversity of the human blood virome, we subjected pooled plasma samples from 587 healthy donors in Spain to a viral enrichment protocol, followed by massive parallel sequencing. This showed that anelloviruses were clearly the major component of the blood virome and showed remarkable diversity. In total, we assembled 332 complete or near-complete anellovirus genomes, 50 of which could be considered new species. HPgV was much less frequent, but we, nevertheless, recovered 17 different isolates that we subsequently used for characterizing the diversity of this virus. In-depth investigation of the human blood virome should help to elucidate the ecology of these viruses, and to unveil potentially associated diseases.

Cherubism: Case Report and Review of Literature

Cherubism is an autosomal dominant, very rare benign fibro-osseous lesion, with an estimation of only 300 cases have been reported worldwide. Cherubism is characterized clinically by bilateral symmetrical self-limiting jaw enlargement starts in the childhood or early teens.Mandible is mostly affected although maxilla and zygomatic bones may be involved but to a lower extent), and is associated with tooth displacement and severe malocclusion. Histopathologically, it is indistinguishable from giant cell lesions therefore the clinical manifestations of the disease remain the Gold Stone. Keywords: Cherubism, mandible, maxilla, bilateral palatal swelling

Isothermal microcalorimetry measures UCP1-mediated thermogenesis in mature brite adipocytes

The activation of thermogenesis in adipose tissue has emerged as an important target for the development of novel anti-obesity therapies. Using multi-well isothermal microcalorimetry, we have demonstrated that mature murine brown and brite adipocytes produce quantifiable heat upon β3-AR stimulation, independently of any anaerobic mechanisms. Additionally, in brite adipocytes lacking UCP1 protein, β3-AR stimulation still induces heat production, albeit to a much lower extent than in their wildtype counterparts, suggesting that UCP1 is an essential component of adrenergic induced thermogenesis in murine brite adipocytes exvivo. Similarly, we could observe an increase in heat production in human-derived adipocytes (hMADS) upon β-AR stimulation. Collectively, these results establish the use of isothermal microcalorimetry as a sensitive and accurate technique for measuring thermogenic responses in intact mature brite adipocytes from murine and human origin.

Biofortification of Common Wheat Grains with Combined Ca, Mg, and K through Foliar Fertilisation

Common wheat grains are characterised by low concentrations of Ca, K, and Mg, which can be partially removed with the bran during milling processes. This preliminary study investigated the effects of foliar fertilisation at the earing stage with nitrates of Ca, Mg, and K contemporarily, together with a small amount of urea and protein hydrolysate as potential carriers, in two contrasting common wheat varieties, i.e., Solehio (medium proteins content) and Vivendo (high proteins content). Based on the preliminary grain-to-straw concentration ratio of these minerals, two biofortification targets were applied in order to increase their grain contents by +20% and +40%, in comparison with untreated controls. Here, we demonstrate that the highest fertilisation dose was effective in increasing grain K by 13% and Mg by 16% in Vivendo, and Ca by 7% in Solehio, with no boosting effects of the co-formulants urea and protein hydrolysate. In addition to some qualitative benefits due to nitrates supply, negligible phytotoxicity symptoms were observed, as revealed by the NDVI vegetational index dynamics. Although the biofortification target was not fully achieved, this study firstly reports the possibility to increase at the same time Mg and K, and to a lower extent Ca in wheat grains. It is concluded that efficient multiple biofortification should consider a variety-depend response, while further studies are necessary to investigate the effects of different fertilisation timings and doses for improving the poor mineral translocation to the grains.

Do Hydro-Retainer Polymers Attenuate Damage from Water Fluctuations in Leaf Metabolism and the Quality of Cedrela odorata Seedlings?

Water stress, caused by excess or lower of water, can negatively affect leaf metabolism and seedling growth and prevent it from developing its maximum genetic potential. In this sense, it is necessary to use as that can mitigate these deleterious effects on plants at their initial phase of growth. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of hydrogel in the mitigation of water stress (deficit and flooding) on photosynthetic metabolism and growth characteristics of C. odorata seedlings, and also evaluate their recovery potential after the resumption of irrigation. The characteristics of photosynthetic metabolism, growth and quality of C. odorata seedlings showed a reduction caused by water fluctuations, indicating sensitivity to these conditions, although photosynthesis photochemistry was affected to a lower extent. The addition of the hydro-retainer polymer contributed little to the biochemical and photochemical indicators of photosynthesis and seedling quality, a fact that directs us to reject our hypothesis that its use promotes mitigation of damage to the photosynthetic apparatus and to the growth. Cedrela odorata is sensitive to water variations in the soil, but recovers the photosynthetic metabolism and quality of the seedlings once the stressful water condition is suspended. The application of the hydro-retainer polymer mitigated, but the seedlings recovered regardless of their presence. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers

Exploring the Diversity of the Human Blood Virome

Metagenomics is greatly improving our ability to discover new viruses, as well as their possible associations with disease. However, metagenomics has also changed our understanding of viruses in general. The vast expansion of currently known viral diversity has revealed a large fraction of non-pathogenic viruses, and offers a new perspective in which viruses function as important components of many ecosystems. In this vein, studies of the human blood virome are often motivated by the search for new viral diseases, especially those associated with blood transfusions. However, these studies have revealed the common presence of apparently non-pathogenic viruses in blood, in particular human anelloviruses and, to a lower extent, human pegiviruses (HPgV). To shed light on the diversity of the human blood virome, we subjected pooled plasma samples from 587 healthy donors in Spain to a viral enrichment protocol followed by massive parallel sequencing. This showed that anelloviruses were clearly the major component of the blood virome and showed remarkable diversity. In total, we assembled 332 complete or near-complete anellovirus genomes, 50 of which could be considered new species. HPgV was much less frequent, but we nevertheless recovered 17 different isolates that we subsequently used for characterizing the diversity of this virus. In-depth investigation of the human blood virome should help to elucidate the ecology of these viruses, and to unveil potentially associated diseases.

Homogeneity and Possible Replacement of Populations of the Dengue Vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Indonesia

Currently, Aedes aegypti, the principal vector of dengue virus in Indonesia, has spread throughout the archipelago. Aedes albopictus is also present. Invasion and high adaptability of the Aedes mosquitoes to all of these areas are closely related to their ecology and biology. Between June 2016 and July 2017, larval and adult mosquito collections were conducted in 43 locations in 25 provinces of Indonesia using standardized sampling methods for dengue vector surveillance. The samples collected were analyzed for polymorphism and phylogenetic relationship using the mitochondrial cox1 gene and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). Almost all Ae. aegypti samples collected in this study (89%) belonged to the same haplotype. A similar situation is observed with the nuclear ITS2 marker. Populations of Ae. aegypti characterized few years ago were genetically different. A closely related observation was made with Aedes albopictus for which the current populations are different from those described earlier. Ae. aegypti populations were found to be highly homogenous all over Indonesia with all samples belonging to the same maternal lineage. Although difficult to demonstrate formally, there is a possibility of population replacement. Although to a lower extent, a similar conclusion was reached with Ae. albopictus.