Reduction In Fraction Research Articles

Nutrition Modulation of Cardiotoxicity in Breast Cancer: A Scoping Review

Background/Objectives: Advancements in breast cancer therapeutics, such as anthracyclines, are improving cancer survival rates but can have side effects that limit their use. Cardiotoxicity, defined as damage to the heart caused by cancer therapeutics, is characterised by a significant reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and symptoms of cardiac dysfunction. Multiple oral supplements exist with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that have the potential to lower cardiotoxicity risk and ameliorate the complications associated with left ventricular dysfunction. In this review, we evaluate the current status of using nutritional interventions to modulate cardiotoxicity. Methods: We used specific keywords to search for articles that met our predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria to review the evidence and provide insights for future research. Results: Seven studies were identified as eligible for this review: six focused on oral supplementation strategies in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and one focused on nutritional counselling and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in breast cancer survivors’ post-treatment. There was a significantly attenuated reduction in LVEF in five studies that monitored cardiometabolic health, and there were significant improvements in blood serum levels of cardiac biomarkers across all studies. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that appropriate nutritional interventions, alongside chemotherapy, can modulate the risk of cardiotoxic side effects. This highlights the potential of oral antioxidant supplementation and Mediterranean diet counselling to decrease tertiary cancer therapy costs associated with cardiovascular complications.

Iron-Based Superconductors for High-Field Applications: Realization of High Engineering Critical Current Density

Iron-based superconductors have strong potential for magnet applications through their very high upper critical field, low anisotropy and manufacturability through the powder-in-tube (PIT) route. The engineering critical current density (Je) is a key parameter for measuring the maximum current density that superconducting materials can withstand in practical applications. It serves as a bridge between theoretical research and practical applications of superconductors and has great significance in promoting the development and application of superconducting technology. In this study, Ag sheathed Ba0.6K0.4Fe2As2 (Ba-122) iron-based superconducting tapes were prepared by using the process of drawing, flat rolling and heat treatment by hot pressing (HP). For the first time, the filling factor of the tapes increased to about 40%, leading to a reduction in the volume fraction of Ag, consequently lowering the overall cost. The optimal parameters for achieving high transport Je were obtained by comparing the effects of different HP pressures on the properties and micro-morphology of the tapes. The prepared mono-filament tapes are capable of carrying the transport Je of 4.1 × 104 A/cm2 (Ic = 350 A) at 4.2 K, 10 T, marking the highest Je reported for Ba-122 wires and tapes to date. Our results show that high transport Je can be obtained in Ba-122 superconducting tapes, and iron-based superconductors have a promising future in practical applications.

Development of machine learning models for prediction of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with isolated left ventricular dilation

Abstract Background/Introduction Isolated left ventricular dilation (ILVD), in the absence of concomitant LV systolic dysfunction, is a risk factor for new reduction in LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and adverse clinical outcomes. We assessed the performance of different machine learning (ML) models in predicting new reduction in LVEF in patients with ILVD. Methods A retrospective analysis of de-identified patient records in the Tempus Database with at least two transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) conducted between January 2019 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, with the follow up period ending in January 2023. Inclusion/exclusion criteria are shown in Figure 1A. Briefly, patients with ILVD were defined based on echocardiographic parameters as those with LVEF > 50% and LV end diastolic volume indexed (LVEDVi) > 62 mL/m2 for females and > 75 mL/m2 for males, without prior LVEF < 50% and/or grade 2/3 diastolic dysfunction. The endpoint was LVEF < 40% on future (≥90 days) TTE. Five hard voting ML models and one soft voting ensemble model were trained with data parsed from TTE reports (Figure 1B). Feature importance (SHAP) was calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Kaplan Meier curves evaluated the final model (Figure 1C-E). Results A total of 2,962 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median time from index to last TTE was 578 (IQR = 500) days. LVEF < 40% on follow up TTE was noted in 6% of patients (177 patients, median 478 days to endpoint, IQR = 535 days). Of the six models developed, the ensemble model had the highest ROC area under the curve (0.791, Figure 1D), precision (0.163), F1-score (0.266), and specificity (0.773). The ensemble model also had the lowest predicted prevalence (25.5%), although this was higher than the observed prevalence in the test set (5.7%). Patients predicted to develop LVEF < 40% had a 8.2x higher risk of developing LVEF < 40% within five years of index (p<0.001, Figure 1E). Feature importance showed that male gender, higher heart rate, lower LVEF at index TTE, higher LVEDVi, and lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion had the highest mean absolute impact on the model’s output probability (Figure 1C). Conclusion Using only data parsed from the index TTE, ensembling a model for the prediction of developing LVEF < 40% in patients with ILVD and without a history of LV diastolic or systolic dysfunction performed the best. Additional analyses including clinical variables such as comorbidities, symptoms, and medications may improve the model’s performance.

Acute changes in right ventricular geometry and function following transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions

Abstract Background Little is known about acute changes in right ventricular (RV) function and geometry following transcatheter tricuspid edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) or transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR). Pressure-strain-volume loop-derived myocardial work metrics showed associations with myocardial energetics and contractility in conditions accompanied by volume overload, suggesting their potential utility in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Purpose To define acute changes in RV volumes and RV myocardial work following T-TEER and TTVR using conventional and pressure-strain-volume derived RV work metrics. Methods In this multicenter, observational study, 3D echocardiographic datasets and invasively acquired RV pressures were collected before and after transcatheter tricuspid valve procedure. Using dedicated software (ReVISION, Argus Cognitive) 3D RV volumes and strains were quantified and decomposed to longitudinal, radial and anterio-posterior motion. Forward stroke volume (SV) was calculated by subtracting TR volumes from RV 3D end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) difference. Three-dimensional pressure-strain-volume loops were constructed and global RV work-index (RV-Wi) was calculated. Changes in RV parameters before and after the intervention were compared using paired-samples t test. Results Of 37 patients included in this study (65% male), 20 underwent T-TEER and 17 underwent TTVR. Compared to T-TEER patients, patients undergoing TTVR had higher prevalence of torrential TR at baseline but also achieved a higher reduction in TR volumes after the intervention (44 ± 11 ml vs 60 ± 16ml; p = 0,001). Following T-TEER there was a significant reduction in RV EDV (240 ± 93 ml vs 200 ± 80 ml; p < 0.001) and increase in SV (55 ± 34 ml vs 68 ± 26 ml; p = 0.036). Following TTVR there was a significant increase in RV ESV (121 ± 46 vs 146 ± 48, p = 0.003) and no significant change in SV (47 ± 24 ml vs 55 ± 20 ml; p = 0.143). There was significant reduction in RV strain and ejection fraction (EF) (all p < 0.001) primarily driven by reduction of radial motion component in both groups. RV-Wi increased in 35% (7/20) of T-TEER patients and in 18% of (3/17) TTVR patients. Conclusion An acute reduction in RV EF was observed in all patients and was mainly caused by decrease in RV EDV in T-TEER patients and increase in RV ESV in TTVR patients. Despite decrease of conventional metrics of RV function in both groups, an increase in RV-Wi was observed in 27% of all patients.Baseline and follow-up characteristicsCentral Figure

Cardioprotective role of statins in breast cancer patients treated with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Statins may have cardioprotective effects in patients undergoing cardiotoxic chemotherapy regimens. Yet, their role in mitigating anthracycline and/or trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with breast cancer remains unclear. Purpose To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of statins in mitigating anthracycline and/or trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity among patients with breast cancer. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases until January 2024 for studies comparing the efficacy of statin therapy versus no statin therapy in breast cancer patients receiving either anthracyclines, trastuzumab, or both. Cardiotoxicity was defined as per the definition of each individual study. A random-effects model was used to assess pooled risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager version 5.4.1. Results We included five studies, of which two were randomised trials. The pooled population comprised 1,839 anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab-treated patients with breast cancer, of whom 864 (47%) received statin therapy. In the pooled analyses, cardiotoxicity was significantly lower in the statin therapy group as compared with the no statin therapy group (RR 0.45; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.72; p=0.001; Figure 1A), additionally statin therapy was associated with a significantly lower reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction as compared with no statin therapy (MD 4.11%; 95% CI 2.68 to 5.53; p<0.00001; Figure 1B). Conclusion In this meta-analysis, statin therapy in anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab-treated patients with breast cancer was associated with lower cardiotoxicity and decline in left ventricular ejection fraction.

New onset of left ventricular dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction are uncommon in patients with her2+ breast cancer after completion of cancer therapy

Abstract Background Cardiotoxicity from anthracyclines and trastuzumab is common among patients with breast cancer during therapy. However, there are limited data on new onset of cardiotoxicity (systolic or diastolic dysfunction) after completion of therapy. This knowledge has implications to guide long-term follow-up. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of cancer therapy related cardiac systolic dysfunction (CTRCD) and diastolic dysfunction (DD) in women with HER2+ breast cancer after completion of cancer therapy and compare to incidence during cancer therapy. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of women with HER2+ breast cancer who were treated with sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab therapy, with or without radiation therapy (The EMBRACE-MRI trial, NCT02306538). Comprehensive surveillance echocardiograms were performed at baseline and every 3 months during treatment, early post-trastuzumab, then at years 1, 2, and 3 post trastuzumab completion. CTRCD was defined as a reduction in 3D-left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by ≥ 10% from baseline to < 55%. Diastolic dysfunction was defined as per the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines. Results A total of 136 female patients, with a mean age of 51.1 ± 9.2 years were recruited. Among them, 15.4% had hypertension, 3.7% had diabetes mellitus, and 10.3% had dyslipidemia. The mean cumulative doxorubicin equivalent dose was 203.9 ± 12.5 mg/m2, 120 patients received radiation therapy with the mean heart dose of 170.8 ± 75.9 cGy. During cancer treatment, 27 out of 136 patients (19.9%) developed CTRCD. In long-term follow-up, due to death or interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, follow-up was available in 128 patients at 1 year, 117 at 2 years and 111 at 3 years. 5 of the 27 patients still had persistent LV dysfunction (3 at 1 year, 1 at 2 year and 1 at 3 year), however, there were no new diagnosis of CTRCD post completion of therapy. Of 129 patients with baseline normal or indeterminate diastolic function, new DD was identified in 25/129 patients (19.4%) during cancer treatment (17 grade I, 2 grade II, 6 unable to grade). After completion of cancer therapy, 5 patients had persistent DD. In patients with no DD during therapy and completed 3 year follow-up, 5 patients developed new DD after therapy (2 grade I, 3 unable to grade). Figure 1 illustrates the percentage of patients with new CTRCD or new diastolic dysfunction at each timepoint. None of the patients developed clinical heart failure. Conclusion Although both CTRCD and diastolic dysfunction are common during sequential therapy with anthracyclines and trastuzumab in women with HER2+ breast cancer, new onset after treatment completion is rare during a careful follow-up. These findings have implications for long-term surveillance.

The CNP analogue vosoritide reduces arrhythmia in diabetic cardiomyopathy via cGMP-dependent PDE2 stimulation on cellular and organ level

Abstract Background Detrimental arrhythmia occurs frequently in patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy (DiabCM), but safe and effective therapies are limited. Diabetes-associated neuropathological alterations increase the sympathetic tone, leading to hyperactivation of β-adrenoceptor-mediated cAMP signalling in cardiomyocytes (CM). Increased activity of deleterious cAMP-dependent kinases causes pro-arrhythmic dysregulation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Phosphodiesterases (PDE) can reduce cAMP levels. Exceptionally, the cAMP-hydrolysing activity of PDE2 can be cGMP-dependently increased by C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). Thus, the CNP analogue vosoritide (approved for the treatment of achondroplasia) might mediate this cGMP/cAMP crosstalk, reducing arrhythmia. Purpose Here, we aim to study whether the cGMP-dependent activation of PDE2 by vosoritide (VO) is sufficient to reduce arrhythmia and arrhythmogenic triggers in DiabCM. Methods Diabetes was induced by 5 consecutive injections of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) in control (WT) mice and mice with a CM-specific PDE2 knockout (KO). All experiments were performed 5 weeks later. Cardiac function was characterised by echocardiography. Primary ventricular CM were isolated to assess protein expression and phosphorylation levels by Western blot (WB) and cAMP levels by ELISA. Patch-clamp and Ca2+ imaging experiments were used to investigate pro-arrhythmic triggers. Arrhythmic events were quantified in ex vivo perfused hearts after ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Results Compared to healthy controls, diabetic animals showed impaired systolic function with a ~9 % reduction in ejection fraction. The significant increase in E/E’ ratio by ~34 % indicated a diastolic dysfunction. Interestingly, the cardiac function was further worsened in diabetic PDE2 KO. WB analysis revealed upregulation of the CNP receptor NPR-B and PDE2 in diabetic CM and altered regulation of proteins involved in cAMP-dependent Ca2+ cycling such as protein kinase A, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II and phospholamban. Interestingly, VO significantly reduced isoprenaline (Iso)-induced cAMP levels in diabetic CM. The effect of VO was prevented by specific PDE2 inhibition with BAY 60-7550 (BAY). Furthermore, VO was able to reduce the Iso-induced increase in L-type Ca2+ current, whereas BAY or genetic PDE2 deletion counteracted this effect. Accordingly, VO significantly decreased the Iso-triggered Ca2+ spark frequency by ~40 %. Concomitant PDE2 inhibition or PDE2 KO prevented this anti-arrhythmic effect. Finally, ECG analysis revealed that VO clearly reduced arrhythmia development after I/R in ex vivo perfused diabetic hearts via PDE2 activation. Conclusion Our data indicate that vosoritide-induced PDE2 stimulation may attenuate abnormal cardiac Ca2+ cycling and thereby reduce arrhythmia in diabetic hearts. Thus, vosoritide may be repurposed as a novel anti-arrhythmic drug in DiabCM.

Existence of a Global Attractor for the Reaction–Diffusion Equation with Memory and Lower Regularity Terms

This paper investigates the large time behavior for the reaction–diffusion equation with memory and the forcing term g∈H−1(Ω). We prove the existence of a global attractor in L2(Ω)×Lμ2(R;H01(Ω)). Due to the lower regularity of g, one can hardly use the traditional energy estimates to derive the existence of a bounded absorbing set in the higher regularity space and then the compactness of the semigroup. Here, we utilize the contractive function method to establish the asymptotic smoothness of the semigroup.

A Comparative Effect of Sustainable Materials on the Immobilization, Geochemical Fractions, Bioaccumulation, and Translocation of Ni in Smelter- and Mine-Polluted Soils

The present study holds significant implications, as it aims to investigate the comparative effect of biochar, zeolite, and bentonite minerals on the stabilization of Ni fractions, bioaccumulation, translocation indices, and the reduction in their absorption by pakchoi in smelter- and mine-contaminated soils. The results, which are of great interest, showed that the maximum fresh and dry biomasses of pakchoi were observed up to 28.21 and 18.43% for smelter-polluted soil and 61.96 and 67.90% for mine-contaminated soil amended with zeolite compared to the control. Applying zeolite increased pakchoi chlorophyll SPAD values 1.17-fold in smelter soil and 1.26-fold in mine-polluted soil. The highest Ni immobilization in smelter and mine soil was observed at 76.8 and 85.38% with the application of bentonite, which increased soil pH and CEC. The application of biochar, bentonite, and zeolite reduced the Ni residual, oxidizable, and acid-soluble fractions, but biochar and bentonite increased the reducible fraction of Ni in smelter soil. The highest reduction in Ni in the shoot and root was noted as 82.08 and 68.28% of smelter-polluted soil and 77.25 and 89.61% of mine-polluted soil with bentonite compared to control soil. Overall, it has been concluded that biochar, zeolite, and bentonite can be successfully used to mitigate the Ni concentration in smelter- and mine-polluted soil and reduce uptake by vegetable crops.

Lead Toxicity and Maternal Exposure: Characterisation of Alveolar Bone Changes on Offspring Rats.

Lead poisoning is a global public health concern. Maternal exposure during intrauterine and lactational periods can present a higher susceptibility of harm to the offspring. Thus, pregnant female Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly divided in two experimental groups: control group and Lead group. The animals were exposed to 50mg/kg of Lead Acetate daily for 42days (21days of gestational period + 21days of lactational period). After the exposure period, the mandibles of the offspring were collected for lead quantification, Raman spectroscopy analysis, micro-CT, morphometric e histochemical analysis. Lead exposure altered the physical-chemical composition of alveolar bone and caused histological damage associated with a reduction in osteocyte density and collagen area fraction, increase in collagen maturity, as well as a reduction in bone volume fraction. An increase in trabecular spaces with anatomical compromise of the vertical dimensions of the bone was observed. Thus, the results suggest that developing alveolar bone is susceptible to toxic effects of lead when organisms are exposed during intrauterine and lactation periods.

Moment evolution equations for rational random dynamical systems: an increment decomposition method

Abstract Statistical moments are commonly used tools for exploring the ensemble behavior in gene regulation and population dynamics, where the rational vector fields are particularly ubiquitous, but how to efficiently derive the corresponding moment evolution equations was not much involved. Traditional derivation methods rely on fractional reduction and Itô formula, but it may become extremely complicated if the vector field is described by multivariate fractional polynomials. To resolve this issue, we present a novel incremental decomposition method, by which the rational vector field is divided into two parts: (proper) fractional polynomials and non-fractional polynomials. For the non-fractional polynomial part, we deduce the variation rate of a statistical moment by the Itô formula, but for the fractional polynomial part we acquire the corresponding variation rate by a relation analogous to that between the moment generating function and the distinct statistical moments. As application of the novel technique, the resultant infinite-dimensional moment systems associated with two typical examples are truncated with the schemes of derivative matching closure and the Gaussian moment closure. By comparing the lower-order statistical moments obtained from the closed moment systems with the counterparts obtained from direct simulation, the correctness of the proposed technique is verified. The present study is significant in facilitating the development of moment dynamics towards more complex systems.

Chemical Fingerprinting of PM2.5 via Sequential Speciation Analysis Using Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry.

Chemical fingerprinting to characterize the occurrence state and abundance of organic and inorganic constituents within fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is useful in evaluating the associated health risks and tracing pollution sources. Herein, an analytical strategy for the rapid analysis of metal and organic constituents in PM2.5 was developed employing a combination of sequential chemical extraction coupled with mass spectrometry detection. H2O, CH3OH, EDTA-2Na, electrochemical oxidation, and electrochemical reduction were sequentially utilized to extract the chemical constituents in PM2.5 samples on a homemade device employing simultaneous online detection using two linear trap quadrupole mass spectrometers (LTQ-MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive and negative modes. After a single analytical procedure, dozens of metals (e.g., Pb, Cr, and Cu), organic compounds (e.g., amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and aliphatic acids), and negative ions (e.g., NO3-, NO2-, and Cl-) were comprehensively detected in the water-soluble, liposoluble, insoluble, oxidizable, and reducible fractions of PM2.5 samples, and their physical and chemical relationships were established.

Preconditioning with Moderate Hypoxia Increases Tolerance to Subsequent Severe Hypoxia in Rats with LPS-Induced Endotoxemia

Hyperproduction of mediators of LPS-induced inflammatory process (endotoxicosis, sepsis) initiates the development of acute respiratory failure (ARF), impaired gas exchange, progressive hypoxemia and hypercapnia, hypotension, respiratory arrest and death. Severe sepsis associated with hypoxemia remains the main cause of death, and therefore the development of methods to increase resistance to acute hypoxia in septic patients is an urgent task. The aim of the work was to study the effectiveness of preconditioning with short-term intermittent moderate hypoxia to increase tolerance to subsequent severe hypoxia in rats with LPS-induced endotoxicosis. The experiments were carried out on anesthetized and tracheostomated male Wistar rats. Endotoxicosis was modeled by administration of a lipopolysaccharide solution (Escherichia coli) in an amount of 7 mg/kg. To assess resistance to severe hypoxia, the rebreathing method of (RM) with a gradual decrease in oxygen in the rebreather from 21% to the onset of apnea was used. Hypoxic preconditioning (hypoxic training, HT) was also created by the method of RM in the mode of 3 cycles: reduction of the oxygen fraction in the rebreather to 12% – 3 min, 5 min – normoxia. 3 groups of animals were studied: I-control-NaCl, II–LPS, III–LPS+HT. The following parameters were recorded: external respiration, mean blood pressure (APm.), saturation (SpO2), fraction of inhaled O2, time of onset of apnea, the amount of spontaneous respiratory recovery (autoresuscitation) in the posthypoxic period. It was shown that the administration of LPS under normoxic conditions was accompanied by hyperventilation, hypoxemia and hypotension. The maximum deterioration in resistance to severe hypoxia was observed in rats with LPS, which was manifested by a decrease in APm, SpO2 and a decrease in the possibility of autoresuscitation after hypoxic apnea. The effect of HT prevented a decrease in blood pressure, SpO2 increased by 1.4 times, survival increased by 2 times, which is comparable to the level of normoxia before the introduction of LPS. It is assumed that the effectiveness of hypoxic preconditioning is due to the inhibition of the inflammatory response.

The Impact of Atorvastatin Treatment on the Distribution of Low-Density Lipoprotein Subfractions and the Level of Vitamin D in Patients After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Preliminary Findings

Clinical trial results indicate that statin therapy aimed at normalising the lipid profile can prevent and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Both LDL and HDL consist of several subfractions, with only the smallest and densest subfractions being the most atherogenic. We examine the effect of Atorvastatin treatment not only on basic lipid profile parameters but also atherogenic lipoprotein subfractions and 25(OH)D levels in patients after the first acute myocardial infarction. The study population had not previously received lipid-lowering medications. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was determined by direct competitive immunochemiluminescent assays. Lipoprotein subfractions, including VLDL, IDL-C, IDL-B, and IDL-A, as well as LDL1, LDL2 (large LDL), and LDL3-7 (sdLDL), were measured in serum (Lipoprint® system). Almost all patients had 25(OH)D deficiency. Atorvastatin primarily reduced strongly atherogenic sdLDL and decreased the less atherogenic large LDL subfractions. A statistically significant reduction in VLDL cholesterol and IDL fractions was also observed. Analysing LDL subfractions provides a more detailed insight into lipid metabolism and enables the identification of patients with a more atherogenic phenotype. LDL subfractions may thus become not only more accurate prognostic biomarkers but also targets for lipid-lowering therapy. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with atherogenic dyslipidaemia, particularly high levels of sdLDL.

Doxorubicin Incorporation into Gold Nanoparticles: An In Vivo Study of Its Effects on Cardiac Tissue in Rats.

Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been explored as potential vectors for enhancing the antitumor efficacy of doxorubicin (DOX) while minimizing its cardiotoxic effects. However, the impacts of DOX Au-NPs on cardiac function and oxidative stress remain inadequately understood. This study aimed to explore the effects of DOX Au-NPs in comparison to free DOX, focusing on oxidative stress markers, inflammation, ultrastructural changes, and cardiac function. Male rats were divided into the following four groups: control, citrate Au-NPs, DOX, and DOX Au-NPs. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography, and oxidative stress was evaluated through Nrf2, malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, and the GSH/GSSG ratio. The ultrastructure of cardiac tissue was assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Rats treated with DOX Au-NPs exhibited significant cardiac dysfunction, as indicated by a reduction in fractional shortening and ejection fraction. Oxidative stress markers, including elevated MDA levels and a reduced GSH/GSSG ratio, were significantly worse in the DOX Au-NP group. SOD levels decreased, indicating compromised antioxidant defenses. Citrate Au-NPs also caused some alterations in cardiac function and ultrastructure but without other molecular alterations. DOX Au-NPs failed to mitigate cardiotoxicity, instead exacerbating oxidative stress and cardiac dysfunction. DOX Au-NPs possess cardiotoxic effects, necessitating further investigation into alternative nanoparticle formulations or therapeutic combinations to ensure both efficacy and safety in cancer treatment.

Pollution Characteristics, Risk Assessment, and Source Analysis of Heavy Metals in Soil from a Typical Abandoned Antimony Smelting Factory

Considering the surface soil （0-20 cm） from a typical abandoned antimony smelting factory area in Dachang Town, Qinglong County, Guizhou Province, as a case study, a total of 14 soil samples were systematically collected from both within and outside the smelting factory area. The analysis focused on the pollution status, distribution characteristics, and potential ecological risks of heavy metals such as Sb, As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and V in the soil. Additionally, an evaluation and analysis of pollution sources were conducted. The results showed that the mean concentrations of heavy metals including ω（Sb）, ω（As）, ω（Cd）, ω（Cr）, ω（Pb）, ω（Cu）, ω（Zn）, ω（Ni）, and ω（V） in the surface soil of the abandoned antimony smelting factory ranged from 4.58 to 15 049.33 mg·kg-1. With the exception of Cr and Ni, all values exceeded the background values of soils in Guizhou province. The single factor pollution indices of Sb and As were 83.61 and 7.01, respectively, indicating severe contamination. In contrast, Pb fell within the non-polluted to slightly polluted range. The comprehensive potential ecological risk of soil heavy metals was characterized by severe potential ecological risk levels for Sb, As, and Cd, while the remaining heavy metals fell within a range of moderate to substantial potential ecological risk levels. The assessment of the geoaccumulation index revealed that the soil in the study area was primarily contaminated by Sb and As, predominantly exhibiting contamination levels ranging from moderate to severe. The results from the RAC method suggested that Sb was the dominant focus for remediation in this abandoned smelting factory. The two primary pollutants, Sb and As, exhibited elevated levels in leachate toxicity, acid-soluble fraction, available fraction, gastric phase, and intestinal phase in terms of bioavailable content, indicating a certain potential hazard. Further, correlation analysis indicated a certain correlation between the total amount of heavy metals and leachate toxicity, available fraction, acid-soluble fraction, reducible fraction, oxidizable fraction, gastric phase extractable fraction, and intestinal phase extractable fraction. The APCS-MLR model indicated that the sources of Sb, As, Zn, Cu, and Cd were primarily industrial, while the sources of Cr and V were mainly natural, and Pb originated mainly from mixed sources.

KdV conformal symmetry breaking in nearly AdS2

We study the gauge theory formulation of Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity and propose Korteweg-de Vries asymptotic conditions that generalize the asymptotic dynamics of the theory. They permit to construct an enlarged set of boundary actions formed by higher order generalizations of the Schwarzian derivative that contain the Schwarzian as lower term in a tower of SL(2, ℝ) invariants. They are extracted from the KdV Hamiltonians and can be obtained recursively. As a result, the conformal symmetry breaking observed in nearly AdS2 is characterized by a much larger set of dynamical modes associated to the stationary KdV hierarchy. We study quantum perturbation theory for the generalized Schwarzian action including the symplectic measure and compute the one-loop correction to the partition function. We find that despite the non-linear nature of the higher-Schwarzian contribution, it acquires a manageable expression that renders a curious leading temperature dependence on the entropy S = #Ta for a an odd integer.

Density functional theory for responsive hard-sphere fluids

We investigate the equilibrium properties of responsive hard-sphere fluids, where the particle size is a coarse-grained property that fluctuates within an internal free-energy landscape, responding to changes in concentration or the application of external fields. For this purpose, we employ a generalised density functional theory for responsive colloids based on the fundamental measure theory for polydisperse hard-sphere mixtures. We find that increasing particle softness yields a substantial reduction in mean particle size, volume fraction and pressure. We also examine the density profiles and size segregation of responsive hard-sphere fluids subjected to three representative external potentials: a planar hard wall, gravitational and Archimedes buoyant fields. We observe that increasing stiffness or particle concentration enhances density oscillations, converging to the behaviour of a monodisperse fluid. In a gravitational field, size segregation occurs, with smaller particles accumulating at the bottom due to sedimentation. This effect is more pronounced when the Archimedes force is included, causing larger colloids to accumulate at the top, leading to density oscillations in this region that intensify with particle softness, an effect not observed in monodisperse systems. Finally, we demonstrate that responsiveness leads to distinct behaviour compared to conventional polydisperse non-responsive fluids, in which particle compression is not allowed.

Effect of Pouring Techniques and Funnel Structures on Crucible Metallurgy: Physical and Numerical Simulations

In the planar flow casting process of amorphous strips, the flow behavior of molten metal and the inclusion content in the crucible are crucial to the morphology and magnetic properties of the material. This study conducts a comparative analysis of the effects of non-immersed and immersed funnels, as well as various funnel structures, on the fluid flow and inclusion removal efficiency in the crucible by integrating numerical and physical models. The findings reveal that for the same pouring flow rate, the diameter of the liquid column in non-immersed pouring conditions is smaller than that of the funnel outlet, leading to a faster injection flow velocity. As a result, the melt in the crucible is subjected to severe impacts, accompanied by an increased possibility of slag entrapment. Conversely, immersed pouring substantially reduces the velocity of the molten metal at the funnel outlet, thereby extending the residence time in the crucible and diminishing the volume of the dead zone. Additionally, the molten metal backflows due to the negative pressure formed in the inner chamber of the funnel. The design of a trumpet-shaped funnel increases the effective volume while reducing the height of the backflow fluid, consequently reducing the velocity of the molten metal at the funnel outlet and prolonging the residence time. Compared to the conventional pouring process with the non-immersed funnel, the outlet velocity is reduced from 1.1 m/s to 0.12 m/s by adopting the immersed funnel with an inverted trapezoidal trumpet structure. This reduction results in a stable flow state, a 9.69% reduction in the dead zone volume fraction, and a 22.96% increase in average inclusion removal efficiency. These improvements demonstrate that a crucible funnel with a well-designed structure and the implementation of an immersion process can significantly improve the metallurgical effects in the planar flow casting process.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria for bioremediation of sediments from constructed wetlands for acid mine drainage treatment

<p class="AbstractText"><span lang="EN-US">Sediment is a source and sink of heavy metal contaminants in wetlands. In this study, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were used for the bioremediation of sediments from wetlands affected by acid mine drainage. The sediments were inoculated with SRB </span><span lang="EN-GB">to study their influence on both the solution and sediments.</span><span lang="EN-US"> The changes of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), redox potential (Eh) values, and sulfate (SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup>), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) concentrations in the supernatant were monitored over a period of 70 days. Additionally, the variations in exchangeable, reducible, oxidizable, and residual Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations. For the supernatant solution, the pH in all experimental groups decreased slightly within the first 14 days, increased gradually thereafter, and finally stabilized during days 35−70. The EC values and Fe and Mn concentrations displayed a similar trend with concentrations initially increasing and then decreasing. In the SRB-inoculated sediments, Fe, Mn, and Cu were gradually transformed from the exchangeable and reducible fractions to the oxidizable fraction. The inoculation with SRB reduced the ability of Fe, Mn, and Cu to migrate in sediment.</span><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0000pt;line-height:200%;mso-fareast-font-family:宋体;mso-font-kerning:1.0000pt;mso-spacerun:'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:200%;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0000pt;line-height:200%;mso-fareast-font-family:宋体;mso-font-kerning:1.0000pt;mso-spacerun:'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p>