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PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262484
Author(s):  
Klara Pecankova ◽  
Pavla Pecherkova ◽  
Zdenka Gasova ◽  
Zofie Sovova ◽  
Tomas Riedel ◽  
...  

Background Extracellular vesicles are released into body fluids from the majority of, if not all, cell types. Because their secretion and specific cargo (e.g., proteins) varies according to pathology, extracellular vesicles may prove a rich source of biomarkers. However, their biological and pathophysiological functions are poorly understood in hematological malignancies. Objective Here, we investigated proteome changes in the exosome-rich fraction of the plasma of myelodysplastic syndrome patients and healthy donors. Methods Exosome-rich fraction of the plasma was isolated using ExoQuick™: proteomes were compared and statistically processed; proteins were identified by nanoLC-MS/MS and verified using the ExoCarta and QuickGO databases. Mann-Whitney and Spearman analyses were used to statistically analyze the data. 2D western blot was used to monitor clusterin proteoforms. Results Statistical analyses of the data highlighted clusterin alterations as the most significant. 2D western blot showed that the clusterin changes were caused by posttranslational modifications. Moreover, there was a notable increase in the clusterin proteoform in the exosome-rich fraction of plasma of patients with more severe myelodysplastic syndrome; this corresponded with a simultaneous decrease in their plasma. Conclusions This specific clusterin proteoform seems to be a promising biomarker for myelodysplastic syndrome progression.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie A MacLaren ◽  
Rebecca F Bennion ◽  
Nathalie Bardet ◽  
Valentin Fischer

Mosasaurid squamates were the dominant amniote predators in marine ecosystems during most of the Late Cretaceous. Evidence from multiple sites worldwide of a global mosasaurid community restructuring across the Campanian-Maastrichtian transition may have wide-ranging implications for the evolution of diversity of these top oceanic predators. In this study, we use a suite of biomechanical traits and functionally descriptive ratios to investigate how the morphofunctional disparity of mosasaurids evolved through time and space prior to the Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K/Pg) mass extinction. Our results suggest that the worldwide taxonomic turnover in mosasaurid community composition from Campanian to Maastrichtian is reflected by a notable increase in morphofunctional disparity on a global scale, but especially driven the North American record. Ecomorphospace occupation becomes more polarised during the late Maastrichtian, as the morphofunctional disparity of mosasaurids plateaus in the Southern Hemisphere and decreases in the Northern Hemisphere. We show that these changes are not associated with strong modifications in mosasaurid size, but rather with the functional capacities of their skulls, and that mosasaurid morphofunctional disparity was in decline in several provincial communities before the K/Pg mass extinction. Our study highlights region-specific patterns of disparity evolution, and the importance of assessing vertebrate extinctions both globally and regionally. Ecomorphological differentiation in mosasaurid communities, coupled with declines in other formerly abundant marine reptile groups, indicates widespread restructuring of higher trophic levels in marine food webs was well underway when the K-Pg mass extinction took place.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Fabio Arena ◽  
Mario Collotta ◽  
Liliana Luca ◽  
Marianna Ruggieri ◽  
Francesco Gaetano Termine

With the rapid advancement of sensor and network technology, there has been a notable increase in the availability of condition-monitoring data such as vibration, temperature, pressure, voltage, and other electrical and mechanical parameters. With the introduction of big data, it is possible to prevent potential failures and estimate the remaining useful life of the equipment by developing advanced mathematical models and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. These approaches allow taking maintenance actions quickly and appropriately. In this scenario, this paper presents a systematic literature review of statistical inference approaches, stochastic methods, and AI techniques for predictive maintenance in the automotive sector. It provides a summary on these approaches, their main results, challenges, and opportunities, and it supports new research works for vehicle predictive maintenance.


Author(s):  
Vera Yakupova ◽  
Anna Suarez ◽  
Anna Kharchenko

The aim of the study is to investigate the changes in the maternal healthcare system during the pandemic and their associations with maternal mental health in Russia. A sample of Russian women who gave birth during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1645) and matched controls, i.e., women who gave birth before the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 611), completed an anonymous Internet survey about recent childbirth. They were assessed for childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and postpartum depression (PPD). Clinically relevant symptoms of PPD and PTSD were high before the pandemic and showed no significant change during the pandemic (p = 0.48 and p = 0.64, respectively). We found a notable increase in the frequency of obstetric violence (p = 0.015) during the pandemic, which, in turn, has a strong correlation with birth-related PTSD and PPD. The problem of ethical communication with patients among maternal healthcare professionals is acute in Russia, and it has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Family and doula support during labor can be a potential protective factor against obstetric violence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven R. Botts ◽  
Jason E. Fish ◽  
Kathryn L. Howe

Atherosclerosis, the chronic accumulation of cholesterol-rich plaque within arteries, is associated with a broad spectrum of cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of mortality in high-income countries and recent years have witnessed a notable increase in prevalence within low- and middle-income regions of the world. Considering this prominent and evolving global burden, there is a need to identify the cellular mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis to discover novel therapeutic targets for preventing or mitigating its clinical sequelae. Despite decades of research, we still do not fully understand the complex cell-cell interactions that drive atherosclerosis, but new investigative approaches are rapidly shedding light on these essential mechanisms. The vascular endothelium resides at the interface of systemic circulation and the underlying vessel wall and plays an essential role in governing pathophysiological processes during atherogenesis. In this review, we present emerging evidence that implicates the activated endothelium as a driver of atherosclerosis by directing site-specificity of plaque formation and by promoting plaque development through intracellular processes, which regulate endothelial cell proliferation and turnover, metabolism, permeability, and plasticity. Moreover, we highlight novel mechanisms of intercellular communication by which endothelial cells modulate the activity of key vascular cell populations involved in atherogenesis, and discuss how endothelial cells contribute to resolution biology – a process that is dysregulated in advanced plaques. Finally, we describe important future directions for preclinical atherosclerosis research, including epigenetic and targeted therapies, to limit the progression of atherosclerosis in at-risk or affected patients.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e053028
Author(s):  
Liqaa Raffee ◽  
Hamza M Daradkeh ◽  
Khaled Alawneh ◽  
Aida I Al-Fwadleh ◽  
Moath Darweesh ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo describe the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown in Jordan (21 March 2020–21 May 2020) on the incidence and patterns of toxic exposures and poisoning as compared with the same period from the previous year (21 March 2019–21 May 2019).DesignA retrospective descriptive study.MethodsCall data sourced from Pharmacy One Poison Center from the lockdown period (21 March 2020–21 May 2020) and the same period during 2019 (21 March 2019–21 May 2019) were revised. In addition, a database was established and analysed.ResultsWe noticed that not only did calls increased, but there was also a noticeable change in call patterns. Calls increased by 91% (544 vs 285 calls) during the lockdown period. Drugs were the most common among types of exposure, and the most prevalent route of exposure was ingestion. There was a notable increase in ocular exposure by 550% (13 vs 2 cases). The majority of exposures were at home and there were no occupational exposures. We found an increase in household cleaner exposure among males and an increase in alcohol exposure in females. Children aged below 5 years are the most affected. Even though there is an increase in the total number of cases, severe cases decreased.ConclusionThe lockdown effect on rates of toxic exposures was prominent, whether through the increase in calls or the change in patterns. As people spent more time at home, their exposure to toxic agents increased. Furthermore, cleaning recommendations led to the misuse of cleaning and disinfectant products, increasing exposures related to abating the COVID-19 infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 501-512
Author(s):  
Shikha Sharma ◽  
Qixin Wang ◽  
Thivanka Muthumalage ◽  
Irfan Rahman

Mitochondrial quality control is sustained by Miro1 (Rhot1), a calcium-binding membrane-anchored GTPase during mitophagy. The exact mechanism that operates the interaction of Miro1 with mitophagy machinery and their role in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction that often results in lung inflammation is unclear. We hypothesized that Miro1 plays an important role in regulating mitophagy machinery and the resulting lung inflammation by CS exposure to mice. The lung epithelial Rhot1fl/fl (WT) and Rhot1CreCC10 mice were exposed to mainstream CS for 3 days (acute) and 4 months (chronic). Acute CS exposure showed a notable increase in the total inflammatory cells, macrophages, and neutrophils that are associated with inflammatory mediators. Chronic exposure showed increased infiltration of neutrophils versus air controls. The effects of acute and chronic CS exposure were augmented in the Rhot1CreCC10 group, indicating that epithelial Miro1 ablation led to the augmentation of inflammatory cell infiltration with alteration in the inflammatory mediators. Thus, Rhot1/Miro1 plays an important role in regulating CS-induced lung inflammatory responses with implications in mitochondrial quality control.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 672
Author(s):  
Zahira Belattmania ◽  
Sanaa Bhaby ◽  
Amal Nadri ◽  
Khaoulaa Khaya ◽  
Fouad Bentiss ◽  
...  

Agar is a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from certain marine red algae, and its gel properties depend on the seaweed source and extraction conditions. In the present study, the seaweed Gracilaria gracilis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) from Dakhla (Moroccan Atlantic Coast) was investigated for its agar content, structure, and gel properties. The agar yields of G. gracilis were 20.5% and 15.6% from alkaline pretreatment and native extraction, respectively. Agar with alkaline pretreatment showed a better gelling property supported by higher gel strength (377 g·cm−2), gelling (35.4 °C), and melting (82.1 °C) temperatures with a notable increase in 3,6-anhydro-galactose (11.85%) and decrease in sulphate (0.32%) contents. The sulfate falling subsequent to alkaline pretreatment was verified through FT-IR spectroscopy. The 13C NMR spectroscopy showed that alkaline-pretreated agar has a typical unsubstituted agar pattern. However, native agar had a partially methylated agarose structure. Overall, this study suggested the possibility of the exploitation of G. gracilis to produce a fine-quality agar. Yet, further investigation may need to determine the seasonal variability of this biopolymer according to the life cycle of G. gracilis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gamaralalage R. A. Kumara ◽  
Herath Mudiyanselage G. T. A. Pitawala ◽  
Buddika Karunarathne ◽  
Mantilaka Mudiyanselage M. G. P. G. Mantilaka ◽  
Rajapakse Mudiyanselage G. Rajapakse ◽  
...  

AbstractA novel and simple flotation technique has been developed to prepare high-purity graphite from impure graphite. In this method, a suspension of pristine powdered graphite (PG) is dispersed and stirred in water without adding froth formers or supportive chemicals. This makes fine particles of graphite move upwards and float on water. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the floated graphite (FG) has a lower c-axis parameter, indicating the removal of interlayer impurities. A notable increase in the intensity ratio of the D band to G band in the Raman spectra indicates that the FG has more edge defects due to their smaller crystallite sizes. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis shows the number of layers in FG has been reduced to 16 from 68 in PG. The absence of C=O vibration of Fourier Transformed Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in treated and untreated samples suggests that their layers are not significantly oxidized. However, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis shows the presence of C–O–C ether functionalities, possibly on edge planes. Further, the product has higher purity with increased carbon content. Therefore, the technique is helpful for the value enhancement of graphite, the reduction of the chemical cost of the conventional techniques, environmental friendliness, and improvement of its applications.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (22) ◽  
pp. 6846
Author(s):  
Cecilia Ortega-Zamora ◽  
Javier González-Sálamo ◽  
Javier Hernández-Borges

Current trends in Analytical Chemistry are focused on the development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly procedures. However, and despite technological advances at the instrumental level having played a very important role in the greenness of the new methods, there is still work to be done regarding the sample preparation stage. In this sense, the implementation of new materials and solvents has been a great step towards the development of "greener" analytical methodologies. In particular, the application of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has aroused great interest in recent years in this regard, as a consequence of their excellent physicochemical properties, general low toxicity, and high biodegradability if they are compared with classical organic solvents. Furthermore, the inclusion of DESs based on natural products (natural DESs, NADESs) has led to a notable increase in the popularity of this new generation of solvents in extraction techniques. This review article focuses on providing an overview of the applications and limitations of DESs in solvent-based extraction techniques for food analysis, paying especial attention to their hydrophobic or hydrophilic nature, which is one of the main factors affecting the extraction procedure, becoming even more important when such complex matrices are studied.


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