Electrolyte Loss Research Articles

Long-Term Tubular Dysfunction in Childhood Cancer Survivors; DCCSS-LATER 2 Renal Study.

Simple SummaryWe studied survivors of childhood cancer who received cancer treatment that might affect the kidneys and compared them to controls from the general population. We investigated if there was a difference in the occurrence of tubular dysfunction. The tubules are the part of the kidney responsible for reabsorption of needed substances to the blood and the removal of wastes. After around 25 years since their cancer diagnosis, we found that in general there were no differences between survivors and controls, but survivors more often had losses of small proteins in the urine. Yet, some survivors of childhood cancer were found to have an increased risk of tubular dysfunction. Namely, survivors treated with the chemotherapeutic agents ifosfamide, cisplatin or carboplatin. Therefore, these patients should be monitored during their follow-up.The aim of this nationwide cross-sectional cohort study was to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for tubular dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). In the DCCSS-LATER 2 Renal study, 1024 CCS (≥5 years after diagnosis), aged ≥ 18 years at study, treated between 1963 and 2001 with potentially nephrotoxic therapy (i.e., nephrectomy, abdominal radiotherapy, total body irradiation, cisplatin, carboplatin, ifosfamide, high-dose cyclophosphamide, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) participated, and 500 age- and sex-matched participants from Lifelines acted as controls. Tubular electrolyte loss was defined as low serum levels (magnesium < 0.7 mmol/L, phosphate < 0.7 mmol/L and potassium < 3.6 mmol/L) with increased renal excretion or supplementation. A α1-microglobulin:creatinine ratio > 1.7 mg/mmol was considered as low-molecular weight proteinuria (LMWP). Multivariable risk analyses were performed. After median 25.5 years follow-up, overall prevalence of electrolyte losses in CCS (magnesium 5.6%, potassium 4.5%, phosphate 5.5%) was not higher compared to controls. LMWP was more prevalent (CCS 20.1% versus controls 0.4%). LMWP and magnesium loss were associated with glomerular dysfunction. Ifosfamide was associated with potassium loss, phosphate loss (with cumulative dose > 42 g/m2) and LMWP. Cisplatin was associated with magnesium loss and a cumulative dose > 500 mg/m2 with potassium and phosphate loss. Carboplatin cumulative dose > 2800 mg/m2 was associated with potassium loss. In conclusion, long-term tubular dysfunction is infrequent. Yet, ifosfamide, cisplatin and carboplatin are risk factors.

Modelling sodium requirements of athletes across a variety of exercise scenarios – Identifying when to test and target, or season to taste

ABSTRACT Evidence suggests the focus for sodium replacement during exercise should be maintenance of plasma sodium concentration ([Na+]plasma) for any given total body water (TBW) volume. The sodium intake to achieve stable [Na+]plasma given known fluid and electrolyte intakes and losses can be mathematically estimated. Therefore the aim of this investigation was to model sodium requirements of athletes during exercise, observing the influence of sweat rate, exercise duration, body mass, baseline [Na+]plasma and sweat potassium [K+]sweat, and relevance to competition (soccer, elite marathon, and 160 km ultramarathon running). Models were constructed across a range of sweat sodium concentrations ([Na+]sweat) (20–80 mmol·L−1), sweat rates (0.5–2.5 L·h−1) and fluid replacement (10–90% of losses). In the competition-specific scenarios, fluid replacement was calculated to achieve 2% TBW losses. Sodium requirements were driven by fluid replacement (% of losses) and [Na+]sweat, with minimal or no influence of other variables. Replacing sodium was unnecessary in all realistic scenarios modelled for a soccer match and elite marathon. In contrast, the 160 km ultramarathon required ≥47% sodium replacement when [Na+]sweat was ≥40 mmol·L−1 and >80% of fluid losses were replaced. In conclusion, sodium requirements to maintain stable [Na+]plasma during exercise depend on both the proportion of fluid losses replaced, and [Na+]sweat. Only when prolonged exercise is coupled with aggressive fluid replacement (>80%) and whole body [Na+]sweat ≥40 mmol·L−1 does sweat composition testing and significant, targeted sodium replacement appear necessary. Highlights Modelling sodium intake requirements with sodium and fluid intake expressed as a proportion of losses, allows robust models to be constructed that are not influenced by sweat rate, exercise duration, body mass, and only to a minor extent by baseline plasma sodium and sweat potassium. When applied to specific sporting scenarios, targeted sodium replacement, and therefore sweat composition testing, appears unnecessary in all realistic scenarios modelled for a soccer match or elite marathon race. Athletes can therefore choose sodium intake according to taste preferences rather than physiological need. During a 160 km ultramarathon, targeted sodium replacement may be necessary because fluid replacement needs are greater as a proportion of losses. However the required quantity remains <50% of losses unless sweat rate is ≥1.5 L·hr−1, sweat sodium is ≥40 mmol·L−1, and fluid replacement is ≥90% of losses. The modelling technique described could be utilised by researchers to personalise sodium replacement in intervention studies for each participant, or by practitioners to either estimate the likely sodium needs of athletes during exercise, or to decide when sweat composition testing is or is not likely to be useful.

Experimental investigation of the influence of electrolyte loss and replenishment on the critical performances of cylindrical lithium-ion cells

The loss of electrolytes is a non-negligible aging mode that could lead to the performance degradation of lithium-ion batteries, and electrolyte replenishment may be a potential scheme for battery performance recovery. In this study, a series of cylindrical 18,650 cells with different electrolyte losses and replenishments are prepared, and then the relationship between electrolyte residuals and battery performances is experimentally investigated. The results show that the capacity reduction will be significant when the electrolyte residual is less than 70%, and the solid electrolyte interphase, ohmic impedance, and reaction impedance increase suddenly. Severe capacity fading (rollover failure) can be clearly observed when the electrolyte residual is less than 50%. Moreover, the feasibility of restoring battery performance by refilling electrolytes is investigated experimentally. The results show that the capacity and impedance of the cells with different electrolyte losses are extensively restored after electrolyte replenishment, and the rollover failure is disappeared. This study provides a valuable reference for understanding the mechanism of battery aging and rollover failure, and proposes a new idea for the secondary utilization of the aged cells.

Silicon Supplementation Modulates Physiochemical Characteristics to Balance and Ameliorate Salinity Stress in Mung Bean.

Mung bean is a low-cost high-protein legume that is sensitive to salinity. Salt stress has been demonstrated to be mitigated by silicon (Si). In legumes, the potential for silicon (Si)-mediated abiotic stress reduction has mainly been ignored. Moreover, there is little information on the specific role of comparable Si (sodium silicate) concentrations in salinity stress reduction. As a result, the current study investigated the impact of two distinct Si concentrations (1 and 5 mM) on the physiochemical features of the “mung bean,” one of the most extensively cultivated legumes, when exposed to salinity (10, 20, and 50 mM NaCl). Salinity stress reduced growth variables such as biomass, nodule formation, plant length, height, and photosynthetic measures, which were mitigated by silicon supplementation at 5 mM sodium silicate. The inclusion of silicon increased the expression of photosynthetic proteins such as PSI, PSII, and LHCs under salt stress. Salinity stress also caused oxidative damage in the mung bean in the form of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide radical (O2−), leading in increased lipid peroxidation (MDA) and electrolyte leakage. In contrast, 5 mM sodium silicate tends to scavenge free radicals, reducing lipid peroxidation (MDA) and electrolyte loss. This was linked to significant silica deposition in the leaf epidermis, which eventually functioned as a mechanical barrier in mitigating the deleterious effects of salt stress. Si supplementation also decreased Na+ uptake while increasing K+ uptake. Silicon, specifically 5 mM sodium silicate, was found to minimize salinity stress in mung bean by altering physio-chemical parameters such as photosynthetic machinery, Na+/K+ homeostasis, mechanical barriers, osmolyte production, and oxidative stress.

Revealing the Impact of Fast Charge Cycling on the Thermal Safety of Lithium-Ion Batteries

The safety of the degraded lithium-ion batteries has an essential impact on second life application. This study systematically investigates the thermal safety changes of lithium-ion batteries after deep aging under the fast charge aging path and reveals the degradation mechanisms caused by fast charge cycling. Lithium plating is the primary degradation mechanism, which thickens the solid electrolyte interface film, causes the loss of active lithium and electrolyte, and leads to a significant increase in impedance and a dramatic decrease in capacity. Therefore, compared with the fresh cells, the heat generation rate increases, while the total heat generation is reduced for aged cells. Besides, the thickened solid electrolyte interface film has lower thermal stability, decreasing the self-heating temperature for aged cells. Furthermore, thermal runaway results of partial cells prove that fast charge cycling reduces the thermal stability of the anode, which further proves that the thermal runaway-triggering temperature decrease is the result of the combination of the anode–electrolyte and anode–cathode reactions. Moreover, fast charge cycling reduces the lithium plating potential upon overcharging, which leads to the occurrence of side reactions in advance, creating the ratio of side reaction heat increase of aged cells for thermal runaway triggering. In addition, the loss of active materials reduces the maximum temperature and maximum temperature rise rate of the aged cell. The findings can provide references for battery safety management system optimization and safer battery screening.

Dysnatremia in Gastrointestinal Disorders.

The primary solute of the milieu intérieur is sodium and accompanying anions. The solvent is water. The kidneys acutely regulate homeostasis in filtration, secretion, and resorption of electrolytes, non-electrolytes, and minerals while balancing water retention and clearance. The gastrointestinal absorptive and secretory functions enable food digestion and water absorption needed to sustain life. Gastrointestinal perturbations including vomiting and diarrhea can lead to significant volume and electrolyte losses, overwhelming the renal homeostatic compensatory mechanisms. Dysnatremia, potassium and acid-base disturbances can result from gastrointestinal pathophysiologic processes. Understanding the renal and gastrointestinal contributions to homeostatis are important for the clinical evaluation of perturbed volume disturbances.

Evaluation of the cellular and extracellular fluid of the body of calves using bio impedancemetry

Currently, non‐invasive animal research methods continue to develop, one of which is bioelectrical impedance analysis to determine the body's water, fat, fat‐free, and cell mass, which reflects the assessment of the body's liquids. The electrical and biological significance of impedance analysis lies in the fact that the measurement of the resistance (impedance) of the body's tissues or fluids changes during exposure to alternating currents of different frequencies and makes it possible to take into account the totality of resistance or the actual difference between two measurements taken in succession. The research object was newborn calves, healthy (G1) and with enteritis (G2), selected according to the principle of analogs, 15 animals in each group. The impedance measurements were studied using the “BICA” device (body impedance composition analyzer). Enteritis in calves is accompanied by a significant loss of electrolytes and free fluid, affecting normal metabolic processes. In this regard, the study of the liquids of the body of healthy and enteritis‐sick calves was the main goal of the research. The first signs of enteritis appeared more often on the second and third days of life. In G2: a decrease in motor activity, hunchback (calves do not lean well on the chest limbs, the head is lowered down) were shown, a decrease in the sucking reflex, retraction of the eyeballs into the orbits, low skin turgor, a red border on the gums under the arcade of the incisors. Feces in sick calves are unformed, watery, gray‐yellow in color, with a pungent, sour odor. On the tenth day of life in calves with enteritis, the total body fluid decreased, and this indicator was 1.5 times lower than in healthy calves (P &lt;0.01). The decrease in the total body fluid volume mainly occurred due to a decrease in the level of intracellular fluid, which in sick animals was 2.8 times lower than in healthy animals (p &lt;0.001). At the same time, the level of extracellular fluid in calves from the G1 and the G2 did not differ significantly and amounted to 7.9 ± 0.8% and 6.28 ± 1.0%, respectively. After the treatment (diet therapy and enroxil 5%, intramuscularly, at a dose of 1 ml per 20 kg of body weight once a day for 3 days) by the age of twenty days, the volume of total body fluid in calves with enteritis recovered and did not significantly differ from the level in healthy animals. There were no significant differences in the volume of extracellular fluid in the calves of both groups. However, as for the intracellular fluid volume, this indicator in recovered calves was still significantly lower (P &lt;0.05) than in healthy animals and amounted to 12.14 ± 1.0% and 15.48 ± 0, 7% respectively. Thus, from the data obtained, it can be seen that fluid loss occurs mainly due to the intracellular fluid with enteritis in calves. Complete recovery of the liquid sectors in calves was observed only by the age of one month.

Status Gizi Serta Hubungannya Dengan Kejadian Diare Pada Anak

Diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children in developing countries. The main cause of death due to dehydration as a result of loss of fluids and electrolytes through the feces. Other important causes of death are dysentery, malnutrition and serious infections such as pneumonia. Based on the results of the preliminary study that has been carried out there are 20 mothers who have toddlers who visit the Work Area of ​​the Dukuhseti Health Center, Pati Regency, namely there are 8 respondents who have mothers who suffer from diarrhea due to food factors and the behavior of the children themselves with a weight of 2.1-13.6 kg (aged 1-5 years) and it was found that 12 respondents who had children under five stated that their children had not paid attention to their nutritional status or had poor nutrition with a weight of 1.7-11.7 kg (aged 1-5 years). The purpose of this study was to determine nutritional status with the incidence of diarrhea in children under five.&#x0D; This type of research uses correlation analysis with a cross sectional approach. The population in this study were all children under five who visited during January-March 2020 as many as 673 toddlers. The samples taken were 67 toddlers. The sampling technique used is Random Sampling (randomly). Result of research : Respondents whose nutritional status is less affected by diarrhea are 26 toddlers (38.8%) and 10 toddlers (14.9%). Meanwhile, 2 (3.0%) respondents with poor nutritional status had diarrhea and 0 (0.0%). The results of the chi square test obtained count 17.030 &gt; table 5.9915 and p value 0.001 &lt;0.05. It can be concluded that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted which means that there is a significant relationship between nutritional status and the incidence of diarrhea in children under five.

HEALT PREVENTION : OVERVIEW OF PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE ABOUT DIARRHEA DISEASE IN THE CHILDREN'S POLY PARIAMAN HOSPITAL

The incidence of diarrhea is not less than one billion episodes every year worldwide, 25-35 million of which occur in Indonesia. Each child under five experiences diarrhea two to eight times each year with an average of 3.3 times. From the results of the Pariaman Hospital medical record report, cases of diarrhea treated from January to August 2018 recorded 108 patients and diarrhea cases who visited the pediatric polyclinic from January to October 2017 recorded as many as 82 sufferers. The purpose of the study was to see how the knowledge and attitudes of parents about diarrheal disease at the Children's Poly Hospital of Pariaman Hospital were described. Diarrhea is an excessive loss of fluids and electrolytes that occurs due to the frequency of one or more bowel movements in the form of watery/liquid stools. The causes of diarrhea are infection factors, malabsorption factors, food factors, psychological factors. This research uses a descriptive method. This research was conducted on February 02 to February 09, 2018 at the children's poly hospital Pariaman. The target of this study were all parents who visited the children's polyclinic of RSUD Pariaman during the research period. A sample of 30 respondents using the Accidental Sampling technique. The data is processed using manual methods. From the results of the study in general, it shows that of the 30 respondents, who have low knowledge 56.7%, 63.3% have a negative attitude. Knowledge and attitude variables are a description that causes low knowledge and attitudes of parents at the Children's Poly Hospital Pariaman in 2018. It is hoped that parents can increase knowledge about diarrhea which is useful for reducing the incidence of diarrhea and increasing attitudes towards diarrheal disease, and immediately go to the hospital. or other health services if diarrhea occurs. It is also recommended for health care workers to play an active role in providing information and counseling about diarrhea.

A rational design of multi-functional separator for uniform zinc deposition and suppressed side reaction towards zinc–nickel batteries with superior cycling life and shelf life

With the development of electrochemical energy storage systems with intrinsic safety, zinc–nickel batteries (ZNBs) have attracted widespread attention. However, the poor cycling life and shelf life restrict their further application. Herein, a porous-structured “multifunctional layered conductive” (MLC) separator was developed to comprehensively address problems of ZNB. MLC separator was prepared by a simple and effective strategy, in which various polymer and inorganic compositions can be easily integrated to functionalize the separator. MLC separator can effectively suppress dendrites and deformation of the anode, while avoiding the anode collapse under the extended conductive network for an excellent cycling life of ZNB. Furthermore, the side reactions and electrolyte loss have been mitigated to improve the shelf life of ZNB. Consequently, MLC separator enables an impressive cycling life of ZNB for 1672 h at a high current density of 55.3 mA cm−2. Besides, ZNB can be stored and floating charged for more than 440 h and 580 h, respectively, under a high temperature of 60℃. This strategy has great potential for replication and large scale impact, which represents a milestone in preparation of functional separators for ZNB.

COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY TESTING OF LOPERAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDUM WITH OTHER ANTIDIARE DRUG IN WHITE RATS AS AN INTRODUCTION TO DIARY

Diarrhea is still a health problem, especially in developing countries including Indonesia, various kinds of drugs have been used, one of which is LoperamideHydrochloridum drug with other antidiarrheal drugs. LoperamideHydrochloridum was chosen because LoperamideHydrochloridum can inhibit intestinal motility so as to prolong intestinal transit time, reduce the frequency of defecation, increase stool viscosity and prevent electrolyte loss.&#x0D; This study aims to determine the usefulness or differences of several anti-diarrheal drugs, and to compare the mechanism of action of each anti-diarrheal drug used.&#x0D; The method used is the experimental method, the experimental method is an experiment to prove a certain question or hypothesis. Experiments can be carried out in a laboratory or outside the laboratory, experimental work implies learning to do, because it can be included in the learning method. The purpose of the experimental method is that students can design, prepare, report, implement, prove and draw conclusions from various facts and information obtained when they conduct their own experiments.&#x0D; The results showed that in the surgical process of rat 1, the overall length of the intestine was 65 cm and the length of the marker intestine was 30 cm. Rats 2 have a total intestine length of 67 cm with a marker intestine length of 13 cm. For rat 3, the total gut length was 37 cm and the marker gut length was 11 cm. And for 4 mice, the total intestine length was 64 cm with a marker intestine length of 47 cm.

Hyperosmolar Therapy in the Management of Intracranial Hypertension.

Hyperosmolar Therapy in the Management of Intracranial Hypertension.

5-Aminolevulinic Acid and 24-Epibrassinolide Improve the Drought Stress Resilience and Productivity of Banana Plants.

Plant growth, development, and productivity are adversely affected under drought conditions. Previous findings indicated that 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) play an important role in the plant response to adverse environmental conditions. This study demonstrated the role of ALA and EBL on oxidative stress and photosynthetic capacity of drought-stressed ‘Williams’ banana grown under the Egyptian semi-arid conditions. Exogenous application of either ALA or EBL at concentrations of 15, 30, and 45 mg·L−1 significantly restored plant photosynthetic activity and increased productivity under reduced irrigation; this was equivalent to 75% of the plant’s total water requirements. Both compounds significantly reduced drought-induced oxidative damages by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase ‘SOD’, catalase ‘CAT’, and peroxidase ‘POD’) and preserving chloroplast structure. Lipid peroxidation, electrolyte loss and free non-radical H2O2 formation in the chloroplast were noticeably reduced compared to the control, but chlorophyll content and photosynthetic oxygen evolution were increased. Nutrient uptake, auxin and cytokinin levels were also improved with the reduced abscisic acid levels. The results indicated that ALA and EBL could reduce the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and maintain the stability of the chloroplast membrane structure under drought stress. This study suggests that the use of ALA or EBL at 30 mg·L−1 can promote the growth, productivity and fruit quality of drought-stressed banana plants.

A Highly Stable Li‐Organic All‐Solid‐State Battery Based on Sulfide Electrolytes

AbstractSulfide solid electrolytes with high conductivity that is close to that of liquid electrolyte have been considered to be one of the most promising electrolytes for all‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). Unfortunately, the narrow electrochemical windows of sulfide electrolyte and contact loss at the interface upon cycles much limits the application of sulfide‐based ASSLBs. In this work, an organic quinone cathode, 5,7,12,14‐pentacenetetrone (PT), is used to fabricate an ASSLB with a sulfide electrolyte of glass ceramic 70Li2S‐30P2S5 (LPS). Based on the various in situ/ex situ analyses, it is successfully demonstrated that the decomposition of LPS is negligible and the corresponding effects on interfacial impedance are reversible with optimized carbon additives. In addition, the inherent low Young's modulus of the PT electrode efficiently prevents the contact loss at the interface. As a result, the PT‐based ASSLBs deliver a high specific capacity (312 mAh g−1) and an excellent capacity retention (90.6%) over 500 cycles which is superior to previous reports. Moreover, a carbon‐free ASSLB is constructed by employing Mo6S8 as conductive additives in a PT‐based cathode, which shows an improved rate performance and a long life.

REVIEW ON APPLICABILITY OF WEB BASED IN SILICO TOOLS FOR ASSESSING PROTEOLYTIC DEGRADATION ACTIVITIES IN HUMAN INTESTINAL PATHOGENIC CONDITIONS

Cholera is profoundly irresistible sickness of gastrointestinal framework and the causative specialist is Vibrio cholera. The patients affected with this contamination create indications of regurgitating as well as loose bowels. Drinking water or contaminated food are the essential method of contamination and surprisingly asymptomatic one can communicate this irresistible illness. Loss of electrolyte and imbalance of electrolyte prompts are the major symptoms of this infection in patients. The deficiency of electrolyte is remunerated with electrolyte salts and water and in genuine cases they can be intravenously treated. Antimicrobials are used to decrease the seriousness and for longterm treatment. It is assessed that three to 4,000,000 individuals are affected by pathogenicity of Vibrio cholera, which brings about several thousand infections every year. In this study, we assessed and updated the applicability of recent in silico tools using family of genes related to cholera toxins. The application of web interface in silico tools results in identification of mono or multi-genetic phenotypic variants of V.cholera toxinsand the assessment through motif sequence alignment searches provides close relationships of possible functional attributes of the disease causing cholera toxins. Keywords: Cholerae, Bioperl,Clustal W

Effect of O2 flow in discharge products and performance of Li-O2 batteries

Many studies on Li-O2 batteries have addressed the chemical and morphological evolution of the device as a function of electrode material, electrolyte, and discharge current density. Here we report that simple operating conditions can also affect discharge product formation. Results show the formation of Li2O2 and LiOH in experiments using continuous O2 flow (open system) and without it (closed system), and an additional more complex chemistry including LiOOH•H2O, Li2O and LiO2 in the closed system. This unexpected difference was also examined during charging of the Li-O2 cell, in which the LiOOH•H2O is preferably reversed in comparison to LiOH. Beside the influence in the reaction routes, the O2 flow and pressure impact on the cell performance. The total discharge capacity varies from 1,459 mA g − 1 to 2,460 mA g − 1 decreasing the O2 flow. In contrast, when using the closed pressurized system, the discharge capacity increased up to 5,851 mA g − 1 with the same electrode in the best result, as the electrolyte loss due to evaporation was avoided.

NURSE'S KNOWLEDGE LEVEL OF HANDLING EMERGENCY PATIENTS DUE TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AT RSUD PARAPAT SIMALUNGUN REGENCY

Traffic accidents can cause loss of a person or disability as well as injuries that require immediate help, such as hard object trauma to the head which can cause nerve disorders, failure in an organ such as respiratory failure and kidney failure, loss of fluids and electrolytes in large quantities, bleeding, and trauma or injury to the musculoskeletal system. Hospitals as health care facilities that have health workers must be able to provide optimal health services, especially for patients who are in an emergency condition. Efforts to provide health services to emergency patients are basically able to prevent death or disability that may occur. A study was carried out on 32 respondents (nurses) which aimed to determine the level of knowledge of nurses about handling emergency patients due to traffic accidents at the Emergency Unit of Parapat General Hospital, where this research is descriptive in nature, and uses totally sampling (the whole population), namely totaling 32 people, and carried out using primary data obtained from distributing questionnaires. After data processing was carried out, it was found that the majority of respondents had sufficient knowledge, namely around 20 people (62,500%) and had good knowledge, around 6 people (18,750%), less knowledgeable, around 6 people (18,750%) based on the level of education, the majority of respondents had sufficient knowledge, namely around 20 people (62.500%) and good knowledge about 6 people (18.750%).

Investigation of molten carbonate electrolysis cells performance for H2 production and CO2 capture

Molten carbonate electrolysis cells have recently gained interest for the sustainable production of H2 or syngas to substitute fossil fuels. However, they can be also used for CO2 sequestration, as they pump it from one electrode inlet to the opposite electrode outlet. Thus, they can easily be applied to segregation of CO2 from H2 based fuels while also increasing the fuel heat of combustion for example after a steam reforming reactor.To explore the use of molten carbonate electrolysis cell for this application, in this work the authors investigate the performance of the cell under different operating conditions in term of both operating temperature and fuel electrode gas composition. Polarization curves, gas crossover and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are used to evaluate specific issues (high electrolyte losses due to water and temperature) or benefits (excess of H2O in regard to CO2 that allows for higher CO2 capture rate). After, a series of long-term tests at −150 mA cm−2 and 650 °C are performed to demonstrate long term stability. In particular, before electrolyte loss made the performance unstable, different cells are operated for about 1000 h with an average voltage of about 1.14 V demonstrating also the repeatability of such tests.

Ionized Calcium and Serum Electrolytes Profile in Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) of Tamil Nadu, India

Background: Serum electrolyte monitoring is essential in the health assessment of captive elephants. The major elements of calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate are playing a major role in regulation of nerve and muscle functions and in maintaining acid base and water balance. Excess levels or loss of particular electrolytes may occur as secondary changes caused by certain diseases or changes in physiological regulations. The aim of this study was to evolve the baseline reference values for serum electrolyte levels in captive Asian elephants raised in Tamil Nadu state of India. Methods: As part of the periodical health assessment blood samples were collected from auricular vein for 42 apparently healthy captive Asian elephants in Tamil Nadu, India. Serum electrolyte levels such as sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-), ionized calcium (iCa), non-ionized calcium and total calcium (tCa) were determined by using an automated electrolyte analyzer. Result: Most of the ranges of electrolyte values observed in this study were similar to that of previous reports. As not much studies on ionized calcium are available on captive Asian elephants the value of ionized calcium found this study 1.16±0.13 mmol/L could serve as reference. There was no much variation observed in various age groups. This electrolyte profile values will serve as baseline values to evaluate the health and clinical conditions of captive elephant populations.

Melatonin in the prevention of cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Background and purpose:Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity (CisIN) remains the most dose-limiting adverse effect of its clinical use. The protective effects of melatonin on CisIN have been addressed in several non- clinical and animal studies. This study aimed at investigating the potential effects of melatonin on the prevention of CisIN in human.Experimental approach:Our study was a randomized controlled clinical trial, performed on 66 eligible patients in two groups of melatonin or control (no intervention). Melatonin was administrated daily at a dose of 20 mg for 5 days to the patients receiving cisplatin-containing regimens along with the standard protocol of CisIN prevention. Patient demographic information, blood and urinary indices of nitrogen, creatinine, and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium as well as neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin were measured in both groups at the baseline, 24 h and five days after melatonin administration.Findings/Results:Cisplatin administration resulted in significant magnesium and potassium loss in patients with cancer. In comparison with the control group, the prevalence of acute renal injury and the rate of urinary magnesium and potassium loss improved with melatonin administration; however, the results were not statistically significant. Tolerable side effects such as daytime drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting were reported in the melatonin group.Conclusion and implications:Although pretreatment with melatonin led to amelioration in urinary electrolyte loss due to CisIN, it failed to show a positive result on acute renal injury prevention. Future well-designed studies with a longer duration of follow-up, larger sample sizes, and higher doses of melatonin are warranted.