Distribution Profiles Research Articles

Photodynamic inactivation and its effects on the heterogeneity of bacterial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat to global public health, requiring innovative approaches for its control. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) with light-activated photosensitizers has emerged as a strategy to combat resistant bacteria, challenging the intrinsic heterogeneity of bacterial populations. This study evaluates the impact of PDI on both heterogeneity and shape of the distribution profile of resistant bacterial populations, specifically on strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to amoxicillin, erythromycin, and gentamicin, for exploring its potential as an adjuvant therapy in the fight against bacterial resistance. Curcumin (10 µM) was used as a photosensitizer and five cycles of PDI were applied on Staphylococcus aureus strains under 450nm irradiation of 10J/cm² energy density. The resistance variations amongst bacterial subpopulations were investigated by calculating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) before and after PDI treatment. MIC was significantly reduced by the antibiotics tested post-PDI and a reduction in the heterogeneity of bacterial populations was recorded, suggesting PDI can effectively decrease the resistance diversity of Staphylococcus aureus. The result reinforces the potential of PDI as a valuable adjuvant therapy, offering a promising avenue for mitigating bacterial resistance and promoting more effective treatment strategies against resistant infections.

Diversity, Distribution, and Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Bloodstream Infections in Three Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Rwanda Between 2020 and 2022

Diversity, Distribution, and Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Bloodstream Infections in Three Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Rwanda Between 2020 and 2022

GC-MS/HPLC Profiling and Sono-Maceration Mediated Extraction of Osbeckia Parvifolia Polyphenols: In Silico and In Vitro Analysis on Anti-Proliferative Activity in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines.

Osbeckia parvifolia, an endemic edible plant of Western Ghats, was investigated in the present study for its polyphenolic compounds, including content, constituents, extraction through an ultrasonic-assisted maceration technique and therapeutic potential in biomedical applications. The methanolic extract (OPM) exhibited an IC50 value of 1.25 μg/mL against 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts also strongly inhibited 5-lipoxygenase, especially OPM (84.93 %), which was comparable to standard curcumin. OPM also elicited cytotoxicity in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells (93.80 %), surpassing paclitaxel. Bio-accessibility analysis demonstrated that the release of phenolic compounds and antioxidant potential were very high (above 100 %), revealing the possibility of synergistic efficacy of polyphenolic complexes in drug development. Gas Chromatography -Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed 22 bioactive polyphenolic compounds in OPM, such as epicatechin, quercetin, and psoralidin. This was confirmed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and High-Pressure Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analyses, which revealed a high quantity of catechin (37.45 mg/g). Molecular docking revealed the significant binding affinity of these proteins for the ovarian oncoproteins PI3K (-8.52 kcal/mol) and Casp-8 (-8.41 kcal/mol). Adsorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET) profiling indicated the favorable pharmacokinetic properties of these compounds, supporting their candidacy in drug formulations against ovarian cancer.

Relationship of Body Fat Distribution and Anthropometric Status with Lipid Profiles in Ethnic Minang Adult Women

Background The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing, and it is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. One of the indicators of metabolic syndrome is dyslipidemia. Objective This study analyzes adult women's body fat distribution, anthropometric status, and lipid profiles. Methods This study used a cross-sectional design with simple random sampling. A total of 159 adult women aged 25-44 living in the Pesisir Selatan district participated in the study. Ethical approval was obtained, and the respondents were not taking cholesterol-lowering drugs. Body fat distribution, anthropometric status, and lipid profile data were assessed using standard procedures and compared with the categories recommended for Indonesian women. Results The average age of respondents was 36.6 years. 45.3% of the respondents suffered from dyslipidemia. Most of them were obese based on BMI and had central obesity based on WC. Additionally, 76% had an above-normal fat mass. Lipid profile data showed that some (45.3%) had high total cholesterol, 44% had high LDL, 8% had high TG, and a small proportion (15%) had low HDL levels. There was a significant relationship (p < 0.01) between body fat distribution and anthropometric status with lipid profiles, except for total cholesterol (p < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between body fat percentage, BMI, and WC with HDL, while a positive correlation existed between body fat percentage, BMI, and WC with TG and LDL levels. Conclusions Obesity is found to be higher, and dyslipidemia begins to occur in women at a younger age, increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome. Education and routine screening are necessary to prevent non-communicable diseases.

Atomistic Simulation of Primary Radiation Damage Profiles in Fluorine-Doped Tin Oxide Thin Film Target Using SRIM Code

In this study, we investigated the discrepancy between the numbers of atomic displacements obtained from the Vac.txt method and those obtained from the Vac.dam method using SRIM-2013 operated in full cascade mode. The SRIM simulations also calculated energy partitioning, damage dose and distribution profiles of the implanted He, C and O ions at three different ion energies of 10 keV, 100 keV and 1 MeV. In all the simulations and at each ion energy value, the target thickness was increased until the entire ion beam was absorbed within the target. The simulated fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) thin film target stoichiometrically comprised 78.6% Sn, 16.4% O and 5.0% F, and a 6.013 g/cm3 bulk density. To achieve relatively good statistics with compromised computational time, each run followed 10 000 ion histories. The results indicated that, with increasing ion energies, the peaks of vacancy concentrations moved deeper into the material. For He ions, the vacancy profiles have peaks at ∼0.04, ~0.45 and ~2.9 µm at 10 keV, 100 keV and 1 MeV, respectively. Meanwhile, for C and O ions, the peaks were at ∼0.012, ~0.15 and ~1.23 µm for C ions and ∼0.01, 0.12 and 1.2 µm for O ions at 10 keV, 100 keV and 1 MeV, respectively. We also observed that for all the ions and at all ion energies considered, the Vac.txt method predicted more vacancies than the Vac.dam method, and the discrepancies generally increased with increasing Z by an average value of ∼1.21, ∼1.45 and 1.48 for He, C and O ions respectively. In addition, the electronic and nuclear partitioning profiles revealed that most of the energies of the ions were lost in collision with atomic electrons due to ionisation and excitations, and little to nuclear events. The simulations also revealed that nuclear stopping powers increase at low ion energies. This study also indicated that damage dose profiles strongly depend on the type of incident particle and its energy. A comparison of SRIM and iradina calculated vacancies and incident ion distribution profiles generally indicated perfect agreements between the two codes. FTO thin film remains a promising material for thermal control applications in future spacecraft. However, further analyses are still necessary to comprehensively understand its evolution under intense radiation environments comprising various ions and at different energies.

An Outbreak of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) in a German Boar Stud: A Retrospective Analysis of PRRSV Shedding in Boar Semen

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes high economical costs due to reduced productivity and losses in pig production. The virus can infect sow herds through various routes. One possible risk factor is the transmission of PRRSV through artificial insemination with infected boar semen. For these reasons, conventional boar studs should be closely monitored to detect an outbreak of PRRSV at an early stage. In the presented retrospective study, 2184 fresh semen samples from 336 boars were investigated (RT-qPCR) after an accidental PRRSV introduction to the herd. Hence, the different shedding profiles of PRRSV via semen resulted in 42.2% where no virus was detected, 2.0% intermittent shedding, and 8.4% permanent shedding. The duration of viral shedding varies from 2 days to 83 days post outbreak (on average 33 days). A significant impact of breed on PRRSV shedding duration could not be shown. Also, the distribution of the shedding profile does not follow a consistent mode, indicating that not every boar is shedding the virus via semen.

Is It Time to Start Worrying? A Comprehensive Report on the Three-Year Prevalence of ESBL-Producing Bacteria and Their Trends in Antibiotic Resistance from the Largest University Hospital in Slovakia

Background/Objectives: Over the past few decades, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria have become a great concern in healthcare systems worldwide, imposing large burdens by increasing antimicrobial resistance and patient morbidity. Given the high mortality rates and emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, monitoring ESBL prevalence and resistance patterns is crucial. This study aimed to evaluate ESBL-producing Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae over three years, focusing on phenotypic distribution and resistance profiles. Methods: A total of 1599 ESBL-producing bacterial samples were collected and analysed. A panel of 20 antibiotics was tested to determine resistance traits. Data were recorded on phenotypical distribution, isolation types, changes in antibiotic resistance, and the relation of such changes to antibiotic consumption (defined daily dose) from clinical isolates. Results: Phenotypical analysis revealed the minimal presence of the Cefotaximase from Munich (CTX-M) phenotype in E. coli and K. pneumoniae, creating a distinct epidemiological profile compared to global patterns. Shifts in isolation trends, particularly in P. mirabilis, suggest an expected increase in associated-mortality-rate in the coming years. While resistance trends were not statistically significant, MDR and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains were identified across all three bacteria. Only meropenem showed consistent 100% efficacy against E. coli, with other antibiotics displaying only partial effectiveness. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for ongoing surveillance of ESBL-producing bacteria and underscore challenges in managing antibiotic resistance due to limited efficacy of last-resort treatments. The unique phenotypical distribution observed could impact local resistance management strategies in hospital settings in the coming years.

The structure of the stellar halo of the Andromeda galaxy explored with the NB515 for Subaru/HSC. I.: New insights on the stellar halo up to 120 kpc

Abstract We analyse the M31 halo and its substructure within a projected radius of 120 kpc using a combination of Subaru/HSC NB515 and CFHT/MegaCam g- & i-bands. We succeed in separating M31’s halo stars from foreground contamination with ∼ 90 % accuracy by using the surface gravity sensitive NB515 filter. Based on the selected M31 halo stars, we discover three new substructures, which associate with the Giant Southern Stream (GSS) based on their photometric metallicity estimates. We also produce the distance and photometric metallicity estimates for the known substructures. While these quantities for the GSS are reproduced in our study, we find that the North-Western stream shows a steeper distance gradient than found in an earlier study, suggesting that it is likely to have formed in an orbit closer to the Milky Way. For two streams in the eastern halo (Stream C and D), we identify distance gradients that had not been resolved. Finally, we investigate the global halo photometric metallicity distribution and surface brightness profile using the NB515-selected halo stars. We find that the surface brightness of the metal-poor and metal-rich halo populations, and the all population can be fitted to a power-law profile with an index of α = −1.65 ± 0.02, −2.82 ± 0.01, and −2.44 ± 0.01, respectively. In contrast to the relative smoothness of the halo profile, its photometric metallicity distribution appears to be spatially non-uniform with nonmonotonic trends with radius, suggesting that the halo population had insufficient time to dynamically homogenize the accreted populations.

Mechanism insights and experimental feasibility of using boron nitride nanocones for rapid adsorption and degradation of SF6 decomposition compounds

Gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) employs sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as an insulating medium to shield electrical gadget. However, SF6 can decompose under sure situations, generating dangerous sulfur-based totally compounds which include SO2, SOF2, and SO2F2. These byproducts pose enormous dangers to both protection and environmental integrity. Efficiently adsorbing and disposing of those compounds is critical for ensuring operational reliability and reducing environmental dangers. This study investigates the adsorption and degradation mechanisms of SF₆ decomposition compounds (SO₂, SOF₂, and SO₂F₂) on boron nitride nanocones (BNNCs) using density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. Our comprehensive analysis covers five distinct systems, exploring individual and combined adsorption scenarios. The findings reveal that the apex of BNNCs plays a crucial role in the adsorption process, showing high efficiency in adsorbing SO₂ (adsorption energy − 1.22 eV) and facilitating the catalytic breakdown of SOF₂ (adsorption energy − 1.57 eV). The positively charged potential at the nanocone’s apex significantly influences the dissociation and subsequent adsorption of fluorine atoms, with an energy barrier for F dissociation at the apex (1.8 kcal/mol) much lower than at the sidewall (5.3 kcal/mol). In gas mixtures, SO₂ preferentially binds to the apex region of BNNCs, with a bond length of approximately 1.38 Å. BNNCs demonstrate superior adsorption capabilities for SO₂ and SOF₂ compared to other boron nitride nanostructures, with adsorption energies up to 89% higher. The electron transfer analysis reveals that BNNC complexes act as potent electron donors, particularly in the case of BNNC@3SO₂F₂. Additionally, BNNCs show significant potential as sensors for detecting SO₂F₂, with a rapid recovery time of 4.67 ps and a notable decrease in the Fermi level energy to -4.97 eV upon adsorption. The study also provides insights into the angular distribution and charge density difference profiles, offering a detailed understanding of the adsorption mechanisms. These findings have important implications for improving the safety and efficiency of gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) and contribute to the development of more effective environmental protection solutions in electrical power systems.

Prodigiosin Demonstrates Promising Antiviral Activity Against Dengue Virus and Zika Virus in In‐silico Study

ABSTRACTDengue (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, pose significant public health challenges. Effective treatments for these viruses remain elusive, highlighting the urgent need for new efficient antiviral therapies. This study explores prodigiosin, a microbial tripyrrole pigment, as an antiviral agent against both DENV and ZIKV employing advanced analytical approaches which integrate molecular docking, CASTp 3.0 validation and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations providing insights into molecular interactions at an atomic level. Prodigiosin exhibited favourable drug‐likeness properties, meeting Lipinski's rule of five and demonstrating optimal physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characteristics according to Ghose's, Veber's, Egan's and Muegge's filters, essential for oral bioavailability. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity profiling indicated high intestinal absorption, minimal risk for drug‐drug interactions and a low toxicity profile, with no AMES toxicity, hepatotoxicity, or skin sensitization. Molecular docking revealed prodigiosin's strong binding affinities to NS5 methyltransferases of both DENV (−7.6 kcal/mol) and ZIKV (−7.7 kcal/mol) viruses, suggesting potential disruption of viral replication. Notably, prodigiosin's binding affinities were comparable to ribavirin‐5'‐triphosphate and chloroquine, known inhibitors of DENV and ZIKV, respectively. MD simulations confirmed stable and specific interactions with prodigiosin with low root‐mean‐square deviation values. Additional analyses, including root‐mean‐square fluctuation, radius of gyration and solvent‐accessible surface area, indicated compact and stable complexes. These multi‐parametric in‐silico analytical strategies provide a novel perspective of prodigiosin as an antiviral agent, demonstrating its drug interactions at the molecular level. These promising results suggest that prodigiosin could serve as a broad‐spectrum antiviral agent against both DENV and ZIKV, warranting further experimental validation for therapeutic development against flaviviral infections.

Revolutionizing new drug discovery: Harnessing AI and machine learning to overcome traditional challenges and accelerate targeted therapies

Designing highly targeted, selective drugs with desirable absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles; single-digit nanomolar efficacy; and a wider therapeutic index are challenging. In the traditional drug discovery process, researchers screen thousands of chemical compounds during pre-clinical development, progressing through hit identification, lead optimization, and candidate selection to shortlist – potential clinical candidates with favorable PK profiles, high tolerability, and manageable toxicity. The selected candidate must demonstrate sufficient efficacy in treating the target disease in humans. Despite these efforts, the success rate of the pre-clinical candidate to sail through Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III in clinical trials remains exceedingly low. Supported by powerful data-driven tools, artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed this traditional drug discovery process by enabling the analysis of large quantities of omics, phenotypic, and expression data to identify the biological mechanisms of pathological conditions and in turn identify druggable proteins or genes. The generative AI-powered toolbox creates novel compounds from scratch, assists scientists in optimizing druggability attributes, and bridges the differences between animal and human physiology and anatomy to predict potential toxicity in humans with high accuracy. This review discusses the bottlenecks in the traditional drug discovery approach, the impact of AI and machine learning (ML) in drug discovery, and potential challenges associated with AI/ML adoption.

Cardiotoxicity following thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer.

Radiotherapy is the standard of care treatment for unresectable NSCLC, combined with concurrent chemotherapy and adjuvant immunotherapy. Despite technological advances in radiotherapy planning and delivery, the risk of damage to surrounding thoracic tissues remains high. Cardiac problems, including arrhythmia, heart failure and ischaemic events, occur in 20% of patients with lung cancer who undergo radiotherapy. As survival rates improve incrementally for this cohort, minimising the cardiovascular morbidity of RT is increasingly important. Problematically, the reporting of cardiac endpoints has been poor in thoracic radiotherapy clinical trials, and retrospective studies have been limited by the lack of standardisation of nomenclature and endpoints. How baseline cardiovascular profile and cardiac substructure radiation dose distribution impact the risk of cardiotoxicity is incompletely understood. As Thoracic Oncology departments seek to expand the indications for radiotherapy, and as the patient cohort becomes older and more comorbid, there is a pressing need for cardiotoxicity to be comprehensively characterised with sophisticated oncology, physics and cardio-oncology evaluations. This review synthesises the evidence base for cardiotoxicity in conventional radiotherapy, focusing on lung cancer, including current data, unmet clinical needs, and future scientific directions.

Study on the nano-cutting mechanism of monocrystalline silicon material with an amorphous layer by molecular dynamics simulations

Monocrystalline silicon is prone to brittle fracture during the nano-cutting process. Surface modification through ion implantation to create an amorphous layer on monocrystalline silicon significantly enhances its processability. This paper conducted molecular dynamics simulations to deeply reveal the nanometric cutting mechanism for monocrystalline silicon with an amorphous layer. The influence of the amorphous layer on material removal, subsurface damage, cutting forces, stress distribution, and temperature profiles was analyzed and thoroughly discussed. The calculating results reveal that primary material removal mode transitions from shearing to extrusion under the influence of the amorphous layer. The presence of an amorphous layer can efficiently reduce stress concentration and defects in the nanometric machining process. When the thickness of the amorphous layer equals the cutting depth of the tool, subsurface damage is reduced to approximately 2 nm, indicating that an optimal surface quality is achieved. When the thickness of the amorphous layer reaches more than cutting depth, the hydrostatic stress of the monocrystalline silicon part is significantly lower than the phase transition threshold of 12 GPa, which greatly reduces the occurrence of phase transition. Furthermore, the formation and evolution of shear bands are the primary reasons for the fluctuations in cutting force. The cutting temperature is closely related to structural transformations. The heat generated by shear slip in monocrystalline silicon material is higher than the heat generated by plastic deformation of material in the amorphous layer. Moreover, the heat energy produced by plastic deformation of amorphous layer atoms exceeds that generated by structural transformation of monocrystalline silicon atoms. This work reveals the nanometric cutting behavior of the monocrystalline silicon material with amorphous layer surfaces based on phase transformation. It can provide effective references for the preparation of amorphous layer thickness and selection of cutting parameters in nanometric cutting process of the monocrystalline silicon with amorphous layer surfaces.

Calendering of non-isothermal viscoelastic sheets of finite thickness: A theoretical study

Abstract In this article, the sheeting of pseudoplastic material under non-isothermal conditions has been studied. It is an excellent forecasting instrument for sheeting, where the thickness of the sheet is relatively thin in relation to the roll size, according to theoretical study based on the lubrication theory. At the calendering process, the detachment point is determined by taking the material parameter’s impact into account. The governing equations are derived for the constitutive equation of the Carreau fluid with momentum and energy equations. Suitable non-dimensional parameters are used to develop the non-linear partial differential expressions into ordinary differential systems. The maximum pressure, roll separating force, normal stress effect, and power delivered to the fluid by rolls are among the engineering-relevant quantities that are determined. Moreover, a graphic analysis is conducted to examine the impact of different material parameters on the temperature profile, pressure gradient, velocity profile, and pressure distribution. The results specific mechanism is explained in depth.

A Geophysical Investigation in Which 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Ground-Penetrating Radar Are Used to Determine Singularities in the Foundations of the Protected Historic Tower of Murcia Cathedral (Spain)

This study presents a procedure in which 3D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) were used to determine singularities in the foundations of protected historic towers, where space is limited due to their characteristics and location in highly populated areas. This study was carried out on the Tower of the Cathedral “Santa Iglesia Catedral de Santa María” in Murcia, Spain. The novel distribution of a continuous nonlinear profile along the outer and inner perimeters of the Tower allowed us to obtain a 3D ERT model of the subsoil, even under its load-bearing walls. This nonlinear configuration of the electrodes allowed us to reach adequate investigation depths in buildings with limited interior and exterior space for data collection without disturbing the historic structure. The ERT results were compared with GPR measurements and with information from archaeological excavations conducted in 1999 and 2009. The geometry and distribution of the cavities in the entire foundation slab of the Tower were determined, verifying the proposed procedure. This methodology allows the acquisition of a detailed understanding of the singularities of the foundations of protected historic towers in urban areas with limited space, reducing time and costs and avoiding the use of destructive techniques, with the aim of implementing a more efficient and effective strategy for the protection of other tower foundations.

Study on Springback Behavior in Hydroforming of Micro Channels for a Metal Bipolar Plate.

Bipolar plates are one of the most important components of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. With the miniaturization of bipolar plate flow channel sizes and the increasing demand for precision, springback has become a key focus of research in the bipolar plate forming process. In this paper, the hydroforming process for 316L stainless steel bipolar plates was studied, and an FEM model was built to examine the stress and strain at various locations on the longitudinal section of the plate. Modeling accuracy was validated by the comparison of experimental profile and thickness distribution. The effects of forming pressure and grain size on springback behavior are discussed. The results show that with increasing forming pressure, the springback value decreases initially, followed by an increase, but then again decreases. When the forming pressure is 80 MPa-100 MPa, the deformation of the lower element of the upper rounded corner is not uniform with more elastic regions, and the springback is positively correlated with forming pressure. The springback distribution pattern on the cross-section of the bipolar plate changes from a normal distribution to a distribution of "M" shape with increased pressure. The larger the grain size, the lower the yield strength elastic proportion, resulting in a decrease in springback of the sheet. The maximum amount of springback of the bipolar plate is 3.1 μm when the grain size is 60.7 μm. The research results provide a reference for improving the forming quality of metal bipolar plates with different flow channel shapes.

The water vapor distribution profile in dry soil layer during evaporating with high spatial resolution monitored by distributed fibre-optic sensing technology

The dry soil layer (DSL) typically forms on the surface of sandy soils during the evaporation process, with water in the DSL moving solely as vapor. Understanding the DSL thickness and its water vapor distribution is crucial for accurately estimating soil water flux, improving evaporation mechanisms, and enhancing ecological conservation efforts. This study employed distributed fibre-optic sensing (DFOS) technology to achieve high spatial resolution measurements (up to 1 mm) of the water vapor distribution within the DSL. We measured soil water vapor profiles in a sand column subjected to evaporation over 24 days using a 60 cm long relative humidity sensing probe and an optical frequency domain reflection (OFDR) interrogator. We effectively captured the downward migration of the evaporating surface from the sand surface and quantified the inhibitory effect of DSL thickness on evaporation using a logarithmic function. Additionally, we identified a linear distribution of water vapor with depth in the DSL. Our findings offer novel insights into the role of DSL in the hydrological behaviour of unsaturated soils and demonstrate the potential of our approach for investigating dynamic changes in in-situ DSLs, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.

Levels, Distribution Profiles and Risk Assessment of Chlorinated Organophosphate Esters in Car and Road Dust from Basrah, Iraq

Levels, Distribution Profiles and Risk Assessment of Chlorinated Organophosphate Esters in Car and Road Dust from Basrah, Iraq

Dissolved PAHs in the Beibu Gulf and adjacent waters of the South China Sea: Physical and biochemical processes-driven distributional variations

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in semi-enclosed gulfs are influenced by physical and biochemical processes, which haven’t been well understood. This study aims to investigate the spatial distribution and vertical profiles of dissolved PAHs in the Beibu Gulf and adjacent waters of the South China Sea, along with hydrological, meteorological, and biochemical variables. Particularly relevant are the effects of atmospheric pressure, salinity, ammonium, chlorophyll-a, as well as riverine inputs (RI), sea currents, and upwelling. In surface seawater, the total concentrations of eight dissolved PAHs (∑8PAHs) were 7.76 ± 2.16ng/L, with a distribution pattern of western Guangdong waters (WGWs) > BG > Qiongzhou Strait (QS). ∑8PAHs in the northern BG (9.10 ± 2.00ng/L) was significantly higher than that in the southern BG (6.65 ± 1.54ng/L) (p < 0.01), suggesting that local anthropogenic activities and unique environmental characteristics significantly influenced PAHs distribution. In water column, PAHs in BG displayed enrichment in surface and bottom but decreased in medium water, while those in WGWs and QS decreased with increasing depth. Source apportionment concluded that PAHs in QS and WGWs were primarily from petroleum sources, and PAHs in BG were mainly from coal combustion. RI, combined with circulation, coastal current, and intrusion of SCS water influenced the surface PAHs distribution in BG, with eddy impacts observed. Specifically, regarding the surface PAHs distribution, differences in atmospheric pressure may influence the air-sea exchange of PAHs, especially positively affecting 4-ring PAHs. Salinity factors further corroborated the contribution of RI to 3-ring PAHs, followed by the regulation of PAHs through biological pumps (ammonia and chlorophyll-a). Moreover, upwelling-induced biodegradation and resuspension affected the vertical distribution of PAHs. While most PAHs posed a negligible risk, coking-generated fluorene posed a moderate risk to ecosystems due to changes in the energy structure, warranting further investigation into its toxicological impacts.

The antisickling agent, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural: Other potential pharmacological applications.

For the last two decades, the aromatic aldehyde 5-hydroxymethyl-furfural (5-HMF) has been the subject of several investigations for its pharmacologic potential. In 2004, the Safo group reported that 5-HMF has potent antisickling activity by targeting and ameliorating the primary pathophysiology of hypoxia-induced sickling of erythrocytes (red blood cells [RBC]). Following the encouraging outcome of the preclinical and phase I/II clinical studies of 5-HMF for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD), there have been multiple studies suggesting 5-HMF has several other biological or pharmacologic activities, including anti-allergic, antioxidant, anti-hypoxic, anti-ischemic, cognitive improvement, anti-tyrosinase, anti-proliferation, cytoprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities. The wide range of its effects makes 5-HMF a potential candidate for treating a variety of diseases including cognitive disorders, gout, allergic disorders, anemia, hypoxia, cancers, ischemia, hemorrhagic shock, liver fibrosis, and oxidative injury. Several of these therapeutic claims are currently under investigation and, while promising, vary in terms of the strength of their evidence. This review presents the research regarding the therapeutic potential of 5-HMF in addition to its sources, physicochemical properties, safety, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) profiles.