Direct Release Research Articles

Inter riverine variability in microplastic distribution among two tropical rivers – Chalakudy and Periyar, Southwest India

ABSTRACT The study intends to bridge the lack of baseline information on microplastic (MPs) contamination in two river systems (Periyar: the longest river, lifeline of the Kerala State and Chalakudy: the fifth longest river) and hence is highly relevant. Sampling was carried out twice during December 2020 and January 2021. Elevated level of contamination was recorded at midstream sites in Chalakudy and downstream sites at Periyar. Small-sized particles (<100 µm) constituted the majority (>45%) in both river systems resulting from the disintegration of larger particles or direct release of primary MPs. Prevalence of fragment shape, accounting for ≈48–71% across all sites in both rivers, resulted from the disintegration of meso or macro plastics. Preponderance of blue-coloured particles (≈33–67%) inferred potential risk to aquatic organisms. Low-density polyethylene emerged as the dominant polymer group, originated from packaging materials and bottles. Overall abundance and recovery rate in both rivers indicate that MPs occur at all sites, irrespective of land use patterns, sourced to the degradation of abandoned fishing gears, shipping, tourism activities, and untreated waste disposal. The high risk of microplastic pollution in the study area was endorsed by polymer hazard index and coefficient of microplastic impact index.

Romantic Concerns About Toxicity and Public Health: Literary Exploration of Contaminated Environment and the Significance of Literature in Historical Toxicology

Poems of William Blake, William Wordsworth, S. T. Coleridge, Lord Byron, P. B. Shelley, and their contemporaries are freighted with allusions to the contaminated environment during the industrial revolution and post Tambora eruption (1815), reflective of socio-environmental realities of the Romantic period and their concerns about public health. This paper endeavors to examine Romantic poetry and assess early 19th-century toxic English landscapes to comprehend how environmental contamination was culturally perceived during this period. The study follows a critical convergence design between historical toxicology and Romantic literature for the synthesis of scientific analysis to reveal the thematic preoccupations of Romantic writing. Findings of the study demonstrate substantial references to the impact of direct release of industrial toxins into atmosphere and Tambora eruption’s toxic fallout. Literary engagements such as these foreground profound socio-ecological ramifications of toxic pollutants and offer richer insights for modern environmental policy-making and sustainable development. The study also follows an interdisciplinary approach to serve as a resource for the integrative analysis presented here and benefit the future research from its insights in filling out the understanding of how early 19th-century poets approached industrial and volcanic pollution.

Oxytocin and the Role of Fluid Restriction in MDMA-Induced Hyponatremia: A Secondary Analysis of 4 Randomized Clinical Trials.

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or ecstasy) is a recreational drug being investigated for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Acute hyponatremia is a potentially serious complication after even a single dose of MDMA. The assumed etiology has been a vasopressin release inducing the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis combined with increased thirst, causing polydipsia and water intoxication. To investigate the incidence and severity of hyponatremia after a single dose of MDMA, underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms of action, and the potential effect of fluid restriction on lowering the incidence of hyponatremia. This ad hoc secondary analysis pooled data from 4 placebo-controlled crossover randomized clinical trials conducted at the University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland. The 96 participants received experimental doses of MDMA between March 1, 2017, and August 31, 2022. A single oral 100- or 125-mg dose of MDMA. Fluid intake was not restricted in 81 participants; it was restricted in 15. Plasma oxytocin, copeptin (marker of vasopressin), and sodium levels were measured repeatedly within 360 minutes after MDMA intake. The association of plasma oxytocin or copeptin levels with plasma sodium level at 180 minutes (peak concentration of MDMA) was determined. Among the 96 participants, the mean (SD) age was 29 (7) years, and 62 (65%) were men. A total of 39 participants (41%) received a 100-mg dose of MDMA, and 57 (59%) received a 125-mg dose. At baseline, the mean (SD) plasma sodium level was 140 (3) mEq/L and decreased in response to MDMA by 3 (3) mEq/L. Hyponatremia occurred in 30 participants (31%) with a mean (SD) sodium level of 133 (2) mEq/L. In 15 participants with restricted fluid intake, no hyponatremia occurred, while in the 81 participants with unrestricted fluid intake, hyponatremia occurred in 30 (37%) (P = .002) with a difference in plasma sodium of 4 (95% CI, 2-5) mEq/L (P < .001) between both groups, suggesting that fluid restriction may mitigate the risk of hyponatremia. At baseline, the mean (SD) plasma oxytocin level was 87 (45) pg/mL and increased in response to MDMA by 388 (297) pg/mL (ie, a mean [SD] 433% [431%] increase at 180 minutes), while the mean (SD) copeptin level was 4.9 (3.8) pmol/L and slightly decreased, by 0.8 (3.0) pmol/L. Change in plasma sodium level from baseline to 180 minutes demonstrated a negative correlation with the changes in oxytocin (R = -0.4; P < .001) and MDMA (R = -0.4; P < .001) levels while showing no correlation with the change in copeptin level. In this secondary analysis of 4 randomized clinical trials, a high incidence of acute hyponatremia was observed in response to MDMA, which may be mitigated by fluid restriction. Hyponatremia was associated with acute oxytocin but not copeptin release. This challenges the current hypothesis of direct vasopressin release and rather indicates that oxytocin mimics the effect of vasopressin in the kidneys due to structural homology.

The Global Threat from the Irreversible Accumulation of Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA).

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is a persistent and mobile substance that has been increasing in concentration within diverse environmental media, including rain, soils, human serum, plants, plant-based foods, and drinking water. Currently, TFA concentrations are orders of magnitude higher than those of other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This accumulation is due to many PFAS having TFA as a transformation product, including several fluorinated gases (F-gases), pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals, in addition to direct release of industrially produced TFA. Due to TFA's extreme persistence and ongoing emissions, concentrations are increasing irreversibly. What remains less clear are the thresholds where irreversible effects on local or global scales occur. There are indications from mammalian toxicity studies that TFA is toxic to reproduction and that it exhibits liver toxicity. Ecotoxicity data are scarce, with most data being for aquatic systems; fewer data are available for terrestrial plants, where TFA bioaccumulates most readily. Collectively, these trends imply that TFA meets the criteria of a planetary boundary threat for novel entities because of increasing planetary-scale exposure, where potential irreversible disruptive impacts on vital earth system processes could occur. The rational response to this is to instigate binding actions to reduce the emissions of TFA and its many precursors.

Inhalable cyclodextrin metal-organic framework dry powder enhanced direct pulmonary delivery of paclitaxel for the treatment of lung cancer

Inhalation dry powders are in great demand for the treatment of lung diseases due to their unique advantages such as excellent direct delivery, rapid onset of action, and reduced systemic side effects. Herein, this work highlights the successful development of an inhalable paclitaxel dry powder, which is facilely constructed through the optimization of the formulation between chemotherapy components (paclitaxel) and a metal-organic framework (MOF) carrier (γ-cyclodextrin and KOH). Moderate pore and particle size distribution, as well as low hygroscopicity endow the dry powder with excellent loading efficiency and resistance to degradation. All ingredients and their interactions confer favorable emptying rates, flowability, and pulmonary deposition, as well as direct lung drug delivery and release. These attractive characteristics enable the dry powder to effectively enhance cytotoxicity, improve pharmacokinetics, promote lung accumulation, and reduce the side effects of paclitaxel. Thus, this paclitaxel dry powder may open a new avenue for the inhalation treatment of diseases, greatly advancing its clinical application.

Doping-Induced Enhancement of Hydrogen Evolution at MoS2 Electrodes.

Rate theory and DFT calculations of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on MoS2 with Co, Ni and Pt impurities show the significance of dihydrogen (H2*) complex where both hydrogen atoms are interacting with the surface. Stabilization of such a complex affects the competing Volmer-Heyrovsky (direct H2 release) and Volmer-Tafel (H2* intermediate) pathways. The resulting evolution proceeds with a very small overpotential for all dopants ( =0.1 to 0.2 V) at 25 % edge substitution, significantly reduced from the already low =0.27 V for the undoped edge. At full edge substitution, Co-MoS2 remains highly active ( =0.18 V) while Ni- and Pt-MoS2 are deactivated ( =0.4 to 0.5 V) due to unfavorable interaction with H2*. Instead of the single S-vacancy, the site of intrinsic activity in the basal plane was found to be the undercoordinated central Mo-atom in threefold S-vacancy configurations, enabling hydrogen evolution with =0.52 V via a H2* intermediate. The impurity atoms interact favorably with the intrinsic sulfur vacancies on the basal plane, stabilizing but simultaneously deactivating the triple vacancy configuration. The calculated shifts in overpotential are consistent with reported measurements, and the dependence on doping level may explain variations in experimental observations.

Communicating blood test results in primary care: a mixed methods systematic review.

Background Test result communication is important for patient-centred care, patient safety and primary care workload. Evidence is needed to ensure that test results are communicated safely and efficiently to patients in primary care. Aim To summarize existing evidence for blood test result communication between primary care providers and their patients and carers. Design and setting Mixed-methods systematic review Methods Medline, Embase, PsycINFO (Ovid); CINAHL (ESCOHost); and the Cochrane Library were searched from 2013 to September 2023. Primary studies of any design that provided information on the communication of blood test results by primary care staff to adult patients and carers were eligible for inclusion. Results There were 71 included studies, including 10 experimental studies and no randomized controlled trials. Study quality was mostly poor and risk of bias was high, partly due to a lack of reported information. Patients want more information about their blood test results, particularly in terms of 'what next', and prefer results to be provided quickly. Electronic methods such as online access or text messages were generally well accepted but not by everyone, and not for all results. Clinicians' opinions were mixed as to whether more information and direct release of test results to patients without clinician input was beneficial or could cause problems, such as increased workload. Conclusions We have identified a range of evidence on patient and clinician preferences, barriers and facilitators to test communication, which is particularly important in the current NHS context of a move towards patient online access.

Electrochemical Reactivity of Hydrogen Storage Materials: Exploring Borohydride and Hydrazinium Salt Mixtures

Electrochemical characterization of hydrogen storage materials was conducted in a non-aqueous environment to investigate the direct electrochemical release and consumption of hydrogen and the potential for regeneration. We first address the challenge of minimal solubility of the synthetic precursors, sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and hydrazinium bromide (N2H5Br), in both organic and inorganic solvents. We next determine and calibrate a reference electrode formulation compatible with our non-aqueous media and analytes that demonstrates a stable reference potential. We employ cyclic voltammetry (CV) to characterize the precursors and mixtures thereof. Each CV peak is assigned to a corresponding electrochemical reaction. Using the rate-dependent CV method and Randles–Ševčík equation, we calculate the diffusion coefficient of each chemical (NaBH4 and N2H5Br). Analysis of the CVs, coupled with 11B NMR analysis, reveals a room temperature chemical transformation of NaBH4 and N2H5Br mixtures into hydrazine borane (N2H4BH3). These results are particularly significant, considering the limited information available on the electrochemical characterization of metal borohydride and hydrazinium salt in non-aqueous media. This work establishes a foundation for adapting a non-aqueous electrochemical system to further study the borohydride family of chemistries and to design and develop electrochemical devices for direct electrical and chemical energy interconversion with hydrogen storage materials.

Acoustic Emission simulation: assessing the influence of AE source modeling and addressing the issue of dimensionality in the propagation medium

A thorough understanding of simulating Acoustic Emission (AE) requires the source modeling and propagation medium to be considered respectively. Crack initiation and propagation simulation as an AE source can be performed by the Successive Node Release (SNR) method and the Direct Node Release (DNR) method. Both are compared to show how the source model affects the AE signals. The SNR method is commonly used to simulate the crack initiation and propagation. It is necessary to consider the influence of the crack velocity profile on the crack initiation [1]. However, for the DNR method, all nodes are instantaneously released once the critical crack length is attained. Hence, it is not necessary to consider the velocity profile. Instead, it is sufficient to define the average crack velocity. However, the kinetic energy varies when employing different methods, leading to a variance in the source energy. We thus assess the suitable conditions to apply the DNR method to represent crack initiation and investigate the influence of the node release methods on the AE signals. Secondly, a comparative assessment of the Pencil-lead Break test on PMMA plates is conducted using both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) finite element simulations. This analysis is valuable for understanding the deficiencies and constraints of the 2D simulation. However, there is a significant difference in the AE signals between 2D and 3D simulations, suggesting that the 2D simulation is unable to capture the AE information during wave propagation, in spite of its lower computational cost. Therefore, to obtain extensive and precise information from the PLB test, it is crucial to have an extensive understanding of the limits of the 2D simulation. This understanding should take into account factors such as the distance between the sensor and the source, as well as the descriptors chosen to characterize the AE.

Multipurpose Fluorescent Nanocarriers: Environmental Behavior, Toxicity and Internalization on Marine Microalgae

AbstractEngineered nanomaterials (ENMs), such as silica mesoporous nanocapsules (SiNC), have emerged as a powerful tool for the controlled delivery and release of active compounds in various fields. However, the environmental impact of SiNC on marine biota, particularly when they enter the marine environment through wastewater effluents or direct release from maritime coatings, remains poorly understood. Studying their effects is thus crucial for environmental and human health protection, the development of safe‐by‐design ENMs, and informed policy‐making. This study aims to assess the ecotoxicological effects and internalization of industrially‐relevant SiNC in marine phytoplankton, namely on the microalgae Tetraselmis chuii, Nannochloropsis gaditana, and Isochrysis galbana, and diatoms Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and Chaetoceros calcitrans. For this purpose, a fluorescent nanocarrier (SiNC‐UMB) is developed by labeling the SiNC with the fluorescent natural dye umbelliferone (UMB). UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopic analyses confirmed the successful loading of UMB into SiNC. Phytoplankton can internalize these ENMs, even at low concentrations, although adsorption to the cell wall can also occur. This confirms the internal exposure and growth inhibition observed in the microalgae. These findings highlight the potential of using SiNC‐UMB as a valuable tool for tracking their uptake and assessing their effects on marine biota and beyond.

Measurement of microplastic release after use of polypropylene nasal irrigation bottles.

Microplastics from plastic materials can affect human health. This study aimed to assess their presence in nasal irrigation fluids obtained from reused bottles based on usage duration. Readily available nasal irrigation bottles made of polypropylene were purchased. Unused irrigation bottles served as controls. Bottles mimicking 1-, 3-, and 6-month reuse were prepared as test samples. Nasal irrigation fluid samples (n=12) were collected from each set of irrigation bottles: three from new control bottles and nine from bottles mimicking 1-, 3-, and 6-month reuse. Raman spectroscopy was employed to detect microplastics in the nasal irrigation samples; the results were compared according to the bottle use duration. An average of 33.00±20.42 (ea/300 mL) microplastic particles was detected in the nasal irrigation fluid from the control bottles relative to an average of 68.66±30.07, 261.66±20.59, and 204.33±52.16 (ea/300 mL) from bottles used for 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. The majority of the detected microplastics were 10-100 μm in size and fragmentshaped in form. The predominant microplastic was polypropylene, indicating direct release from irrigation bottles. We found microplastics in nasal irrigation fluids, likely originating from the repeated use of nasal irrigation bottles. The quantity of microplastics was notably elevated in the samples obtained from bottles simulating 3 months of use compared to those in the control samples. Thus, we propose developing guidelines regulating the duration of nasal irrigation bottle usage to mitigate microplastic infiltration into the body through the sinonasal cavity.

Barometric pressure monitoring and multiple applications based on pulsed airflow-driven silver nanoparticles/copper foam triboelectric nanogenerators

Abundant high-pressure exhaust gas is generated during industrial production processes. The direct release of this exhaust gas not only leads to energy dissipation but also increases the accident risk. Therefore, it is essential to utilize and monitor high-pressure exhaust gas. This study designed a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) driven by high-pressure pulse airflow to realize energy harvesting and pressure monitoring at the gas–solid interface. The silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs)/ copper foam (CF)-based TENG (SC-TENG) were fabricated and exhibited excellent output characteristics. Compared to the copper-based TENG, the short-circuit current and output power were increased by 68.72 % and 63.34 %, respectively, which could directly light up 111 light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Furthermore, the effects of pipeline mateal, valve material, preparation environment (AgNO3 concentration), and air pressure were investigated to optimize the electric output of SC-TENG. The SC-TENG exhibited excellent pressure sensing capabilities and could be applied for rapid and sensitive long-term monitoring. Based on this, a wireless high-pressure warning system was designed to realize signal transmission and safety pre-warning. Lastly, a novel information encryption method based on pulse airflow was developed, and its potential applications in various fields were discussed. This work not only proposes a utilization and solution strategy for high-pressure exhaust gas issues to realize the principle of “turning waste into treasure”, but also provides valuable insights into the extended applications of TENG technology.

Safety evaluation on ammonia-fueled ship: Gas dispersion analysis through vent mast

The maritime industry is exploring ammonia as an alternative fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the high toxicity of ammonia poses significant safety challenges for onboard handling and storage. This study investigates ammonia dispersion and toxicity levels from vent mast releases on ships, aiming to enhance safety measures for future ammonia-fueled vessels. Using CFD analysis on a 31,000-dwt general cargo ship model, the research examines various release scenarios, considering regulatory requirements, vent mast design, and environmental conditions. Results show that direct ammonia release from the vent mast poses fatal risks to the crew in the accommodation area and on adjacent ships, regardless of current regulatory stipulations. The study recommends installing an ammonia-catching system to reduce concentrations to safe levels of 30 ppm before release. These findings offer crucial insights for improving the safety of using ammonia as marine fuel through risk assessment and management.

Direct serotonin release in humans shapes aversive learning and inhibition

The role of serotonin in human behaviour is informed by approaches which allow in vivo modification of synaptic serotonin. However, characterising the effects of increased serotonin signalling in human models of behaviour is challenging given the limitations of available experimental probes, notably selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Here we use a now-accessible approach to directly increase synaptic serotonin in humans (a selective serotonin releasing agent) and examine its influence on domains of behaviour historically considered core functions of serotonin. Computational techniques, including reinforcement learning and drift diffusion modelling, explain participant behaviour at baseline and after week-long intervention. Reinforcement learning models reveal that increasing synaptic serotonin reduces sensitivity for outcomes in aversive contexts. Furthermore, increasing synaptic serotonin enhances behavioural inhibition, and shifts bias towards impulse control during exposure to aversive emotional probes. These effects are seen in the context of overall improvements in memory for neutral verbal information. Our findings highlight the direct effects of increasing synaptic serotonin on human behaviour, underlining its role in guiding decision-making within aversive and more neutral contexts, and offering implications for longstanding theories of central serotonin function.

Sacituzumab Govitecan in patients with breast cancer brain metastases and recurrent glioblastoma: a phase 0 window-of-opportunity trial

Sacituzumab Govitecan (SG) is an antibody-drug conjugate that has demonstrated efficacy in patients with TROP-2 expressing epithelial cancers. In a xenograft model of intracranial breast cancer, SG inhibited tumor growth and increased mouse survival. We conducted a prospective window-of-opportunity trial (NCT03995706) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio to examine the intra-tumoral concentrations and intracranial activity of SG in patients undergoing craniotomy for breast cancer with brain metastases (BCBM) or recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM). We enrolled 25 patients aged ≥18 years diagnosed with BCBM and rGBM to receive a single intravenous dose of SG at 10 mg/kg given one day before resection and continued on days 1 and 8 of 21-day cycles following recovery. The PFS was 8 months and 2 months for BCBM and rGBM cohorts, respectively. The OS was 35.2 months and 9.5 months, respectively. Grade≥3 AE included neutropenia (28%), hypokalemia (8%), seizure (8%), thromboembolic event (8%), urinary tract infection (8%) and muscle weakness of the lower limb (8%). In post-surgical tissue, the median total SN-38 was 249.8 ng/g for BCBM and 104.5 ng/g for rGBM, thus fulfilling the primary endpoint. Biomarker analysis suggests delivery of payload by direct release at target site and that hypoxic changes do not drive indirect release. Secondary endpoint of OS was 35.2 months for the BCBM cohort and 9.5 months for rGBM. Non-planned exploratory endpoint of ORR was 38% for BCBM and 29%, respectively. Exploratory endpoint of Trop-2 expression was observed in 100% of BCBM and 78% of rGBM tumors. In conclusion, SG was found to be well tolerated with adequate penetration into intracranial tumors and promising preliminary activity within the CNS. Trial Registration: Trial (NCT03995706) enrolled at Clinical Trials.gov as Neuro/Sacituzumab Govitecan/Breast Brain Metastasis/Glioblastoma/Ph 0: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03995706?cond=NCT03995706.

Improving the estimation of direct release rates and transport processes from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident using higher-resolution oceanic dispersion model

A series of accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (F1NPS), following the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, resulted in the release of radioactive substances into the ocean. In particular, the release of large amounts of radioactive caesium has damaged the fishing industry, leading to voluntary restrictions on fishing and shipping. Oceanic dispersion simulations based on estimates of the pathways and fluxes of radioactive materials provide useful information for assessing the environmental impacts and formulating measures to mitigate the effects of the accident. For the direct release rate from the F1NPS site, an estimation method was developed using the results from nearby monitoring, and the seawater exchange rate was estimated in target volume using a numerical simulation. However, the influence of volume on the seawater exchange rate was not considered. Appropriate volumes must be considered when estimating the effects of future accidents. In addition, the directional coastal transport was underestimated in the simulations of the F1NPS accident because of the low resolution. To estimate the pathways and fluxes of radioactive material to the ocean and understand the distribution of the concentration of radioactive material based on ocean dispersion simulations, a study was conducted using a higher-resolution model. The horizontal resolution of the conventional ocean dispersion model Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS), was increased from 1 km to 200 m. The optimal settings of the seawater exchange rate were investigated, and the radioactive caesium transport process in the coastal direction was more accurately reflected. We found that the conventional volume for determining the seawater exchange rate, including the locations of release sources and observation points, is optimal. The validity of this finding was confirmed using experimental equations from previous oceanic tracer release experiments. To estimate future release rates, it an appropriate volume must be defined, for example, depending on the distance between the locations of the release sources and the observation point. In addition, improvements in the accuracy of the simulation of the coastal transport process were observed owing to the higher resolution, which increased reproducibility. However, with a horizontal resolution of 200 m, problems with repeatability near the harbours arose. A higher resolution, achieved using nesting or other methods, would be desirable to deal with releases smaller than those in the F1NPS accident.

Genotype by environment interactions and stability for grain yield and other agronomic traits in selected sorghum genotypes in Ethiopia

AbstractEnvironmental changes pose major impacts on the performance of crop genotypes with important implications for crop improvement strategies. Hence, breeders pay attention to the effects of genotype by environment interaction (GEI) to mine genetic resources and select adapted genotypes. Twenty sorghum genotypes selected from a large collection of Ethiopian sorghum landraces and two improved varieties were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications at eight locations representing different environmental conditions in Ethiopia. The study aimed at assessing GEI and identifying stable and high‐yielding genotypes of sorghum for grain yield and major agronomic traits. Analysis of variance and additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) revealed highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) variance due to genotypes, environments, and GEI among all traits except for days to maturity. Plant height, days to maturity, panicle width, panicle weight, and grain yield were highly affected by environment and GEI, while days to flowering, panicle length, and 1000‐grain weight were mainly affected by genotypic variations. The data also suggest the importance of considering GEI in screening for high‐yielding and stable sorghum genotypes across environments. Among testing sites, Chawaka, Gute, and Uke were ideal environments for grain yield and Asosa was the most discriminative environment. Three genotypes (ETSL100808, Merera, and ETSL100474) were superior and stable across test environments for grain yield and related traits. Overall, based on mean grain yield and disease reaction, AMMI, GGE (genotype and genotype by environment interaction) biplot, and regression models, ETSL100808 was the most stable, high‐yielding, and disease‐tolerant sorghum genotype, suggesting its potential both in breeding program, as donor of traits, and for direct release as a variety.

Assessment of the effects of direct myofascial release in the lateral gastrocnemius muscle of tennis athletes using ShearWave™ elastography

ObjectivesThe purpose of the present study was to utilize ShearWave™ Elastography to assess tissue stiffness by measuring shear wave speed before and after applying the direct Myofascial release (MFR) technique to the lateral gastrocnemius muscle of competitive tennis athletes. MethodsShear wave speed values were measured in the regions of interest within the lateral gastrocnemius fascia and muscle areas from the elastographic images. Measurements were taken in three different situations: before, immediately after and 5 min after MFR protocol. Subsequently, the results from each situation were statistically compared. ResultsThe protocol was administered to a group of eighteen tennis players with a mean age of 18 ± 1.23 years. The shear wave speed values increased for both fascia and muscles sites, after applying the MFR technique: From 3.01 ± 0.64 to 3.33 ± 0.86 m/s in the deep fascia and from 2.23 ± 0.41 to 2.57 ± 0.51 m/s in superficial fascia. In the deep and superficial muscles sites the increases were from 4.12 ± 0.95 to 4.40 ± 1.22 m/s, and from 2.94 ± 0.71 to 3.38 ± 0.95 m/s, respectively. ConclusionThis study showed that after the myofascial manipulation in tennis athletes, the lateral gastrocnemius muscle and fascia tissues stiffness increased, according to elastography, and possible mechanisms were discussed. ShearWave™ Elastography could be utilized to assess the acute effects of applying a direct myofascial release (MFR) technique.

Biological treatment of swine wastewater—Conventional methods versus microalgal processes

BackgroundSwine wastewater (SWW) contains abundant organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, posing a significant risk of pollution and eutrophication with direct environmental release. Therefore, its proper treatment before environmental release is imperative. Conventional SWW treatment methods like stabilization ponds, aerobic processes, and anaerobic digestion are energy-intensive, with limited nitrogen and phosphorus removal and challenges in secondary sludge disposal. MethodsConventional methods described above, in addition to bacterial methods, have been discussed in detail. Microalgal bioremediation is an emerging technology for bioremediation and resource recovery from a circular economy perspective. Significant findingsConventional methods are dissimilatory and do not recover nutrients. On the other hand, the nutrients in SWW serve as a beneficial growth medium for microalgae. With its suitable nutritional composition, the resulting microalgal biomass can serve as supplements for livestock and aquaculture feed, generating additional revenue in microalgae-based SWW treatment. Microalgae-based processes enhance the SWW treatment efficiency and mitigate the common issue of secondary sludge pollution found in conventional treatment methods. This review offers comprehensive insights into traditional and microalgae-based SWW treatment methods and provides a comparative analysis of the various techniques and future research perspectives.

Direct hydrolysis of einkorn whole grain flour proteins for the generation of bioactive peptides using various proteases

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the direct release of BAPs from einkorn flour in one-step process. Thus, the protein extraction step was eliminated, thereby reducing processing cost. Commercial proteases (Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Neutrase, and Trypsin), and crude enzyme from Bacillus mojavensis sp. EBTA7 were used for hydrolyzing einkorn flour (30 %, w/v) solutions at 50–60 °C. The supernatants after centrifugation were used for bioactivity and techno-functionality tests. All hydrolysates demonstrated significant antioxidant capacities, with values ranging from 17.7 to 33.0 μmol TE/g for DPPH, 107 to 190 μmol TE/g for ABTS, and 0.09 to 3.08 mg EDTA/g for ion-chelating activities. Alcalase and Flavourzyme hydrolysis had the highest DPPH activities, while Bacillus mojavensis sp. EBTA7 enzyme yielded relatively high ABTS and ion-chelating activities. Notably, Bacillus mojavensis sp. EBTA7 crude enzyme hydrolysates demonstrated higher oil absorption capacity (2.94 g oil/g hydrolysate), robust emulsion (227 min), and foam stability (94 %) compared to commercial enzymes. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed variations in the secondary structure of peptides. All hydrolysates exhibited negative zeta potentials. The SDS-PAGE showcased MW ranged from 14 to 70 kDa, which was influenced by both the enzyme type and the degree of hydrolysis. Overall, Bacillus mojavensis sp. EBTA7 hydrolysates revealed considerable bio and techno-functional characteristics.