Group S1 Research Articles

Brain metastases in testicular cancer: A single-institution experience in Guatemala.

e17019 Background: Brain metastases secondary to germ cell tumors develop in 2 to 3% of patients, in addition to implying a poor prognosis, its incidence in advanced stages increases to 10-15%. The European Urology Association guidelines recommend performing imaging studies using MRI or brain contrasted tomography to rule out metastases in patients with multiple lung metastases, or high beta subunit of human Chorionic Gonadotropin (β-HCG) values, or those in the poor-prognosis International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group (IGCCCG) risk group. Methods: Retrospective descriptive study in patients with brain metastasis for testicular cancer at the Liga Nacional Contra el Cáncer – INCAN Guatemala, from 2018 to 2022. From medical records, we obtained: demographic, clinico-pathological and treatment data. Median was calculated for age, while frequencies and percentages were computed for the categorical variables. Results: Of the 238 patients diagnosed with testicular cancer, 22% (52) presented a β-HCG above 5,000 IU/L, of which 27% (14) developed brain metastases with a mean age of 28 years. Corresponding to 6% of the total cases studied. Among histological subtypes the most common was choriocarcinoma (43%), follow by mixed germ cell cancer (36%), embrionary carcinoma (14%) and classic seminoma (7%). All of the patients belonged to prognostic group S2. Most patients reported first symptom was headache (42%), followed by seizures (21%), cognitive dysfunction (15%), motor dysfunction (10%) and others (12%). Management of these patients included: orchidectomy in all of them, 57% (8) of patients died, of them 50% (4) of patients died before any other therapy. The rest of them, received chemotherapy and none received radiotherapy or surgery for the brain metastases. Conclusions: The presence of brain metastases in testicular cancer increases the mortality produced by the disease as previously reported in other regions of the world, reason why the early suspicion of it, should prompt the evaluation with a brain MRI or computed tomography.

Preoperative and follow-up variations of psoas major muscle are related to S1 screw loosening in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis

BackgroundIt was reported the paraspinal muscle played an important role in spinal stability. The preoperative paraspinal muscle was related to S1 screw loosening. But the relationship between preoperative and postoperative change of psoas major muscle (PS) and S1 pedicle screw loosening in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) patients has not been reported. This study investigated the effects of preoperative and follow-up variations in the psoas major muscle (PS) on the first sacral vertebra (S1) screw loosening in patients with DLSS.Methods212 patients with DLSS who underwent lumbar surgery were included. The patients were divided into the S1 screw loosening group and the S1 screw non-loosening group. Muscle parameters were measured preoperatively and at last follow-up magnetic resonance imaging. A logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the risk factors for S1 screw loosening.ResultsThe S1 screw loosening rate was 36.32% (77/212). The relative total cross-sectional areas and relative functional cross-sectional areas (rfCSAs) of the PS at L2–S1 were significantly higher after surgery. The increased rfCSA values of the PS at L3–S1 in the S1 screw non-loosening group were significantly higher than those in the S1 screw loosening group. The regression analysis showed male, lower CT value of L1 and longer segment fusion were independent risk factors for S1 screw loosening, and postoperative hypertrophy of the PS was a protective factor for S1 screw loosening.ConclusionsCompared to the preoperative muscle, the PS size increased and fatty infiltration decreased after surgery from L2–3 to L5–S1 in patients with DLSS after short-segment lumbar fusion surgery. Postoperative hypertrophy of the PS might be considered as a protective factor for S1 screw loosening. MRI morphometric parameters and postoperative selected exercise of PS for DLSS patients after posterior lumbar fusion surgery might contribute to improvement of surgical outcome.

Discrete global symmetries: gauging and twisted compactification

Discrete global symmetries of 4d N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{N} $$\\end{document} = 2 SCFTs are studied via two operations: gauging and twisted compactification. We consider gauging of discrete symmetries in several well-known 4d N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{N} $$\\end{document} = 2 SCFTs, including SU(n) SQCD with 2n flavors, theories of class S\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{S} $$\\end{document} of type A2n−1, and Argyres-Douglas theories of type (AN, AN), as well as propose new 4d SCFTs as a result. The wreathing technique, which involves gauging a subgroup of the automorphism group of the quiver diagram of the corresponding 3d mirror theory, is exploited. This allows us to understand several properties of discretely gauged theories, including moduli spaces and how discrete gauging affects the mixed ’t Hooft anomaly between the 1-form symmetry and the 0-form flavor symmetry. Many examples are viewed through the lens of the Argyres-Seiberg duality and its generalization. We also examine discrete gauging of SU(2) SQCD with 4 flavors by various ℤ2 and ℤ2 × ℤ2 subgroups of the permutation group S4 using the superconformal index. Regarding compactification, we propose a magnetic quiver for 4d N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{N} $$\\end{document} = 2 SU(n) SQCD with 2n flavors compactified on a circle with a ℤ2 twist. The twisted compactification by non-invertible symmetries of the 4d N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{N} $$\\end{document} = 4 SYM theory with gauge group SU(N) is revisited. The non-invertible symmetry naturally gives rise to a ℤk action on the scalar fields parametrizing the moduli space. Upon examining the ℤk invariant chiral ring of the Higgs branch, we find that, in addition to the largest branch of the moduli space that is expected to be captured by the ABJ(M) theory, there exist in general nilpotent operators that lead to a branch of the moduli space which is a radical ideal.

Differentiable and accelerated spherical harmonic and Wigner transforms

Many areas of science and engineering encounter data defined on spherical manifolds. Modelling and analysis of spherical data often necessitates spherical harmonic transforms, at high degrees, and increasingly requires efficient computation of gradients for machine learning or other differentiable programming tasks. We develop novel algorithmic structures for accelerated and differentiable computation of generalised Fourier transforms on the sphere S2 and rotation group SO(3), i.e. spherical harmonic and Wigner transforms, respectively. We present a recursive algorithm for the calculation of Wigner d-functions that is both stable to high harmonic degrees and extremely parallelisable. By tightly coupling this with separable spherical transforms, we obtain algorithms that exhibit an extremely parallelisable structure that is well-suited for the high throughput computing of modern hardware accelerators (e.g. GPUs). We also develop a hybrid automatic and manual differentiation approach so that gradients can be computed efficiently. Our algorithms are implemented within the JAX differentiable programming framework in the S2FFT▪ software code. Numerous samplings of the sphere are supported, including equiangular and HEALPix sampling. Computational errors are at the order of machine precision for spherical samplings that admit a sampling theorem. When benchmarked against alternative C codes we observe up to a 400-fold acceleration. Furthermore, when distributing over multiple GPUs we achieve very close to optimal linear scaling with increasing number of GPUs due to the highly parallelised and balanced nature of our algorithms. Provided access to sufficiently many GPUs our transforms thus exhibit an unprecedented effective linear time complexity.

Preparation and Properties of Expansive Backfill Material Based on Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Fly Ash and Coal Gangue

To realize the large-scale utilization of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash in the field of building materials and to reduce the cost of coal mine backfill mining, the effects of the mixing ratio of cementitious materials, the particle size distribution of aggregates, and the amount and mass concentration of cementitious materials on the properties of backfill materials were experimentally investigated, and the microstructure of the hydration products was analyzed. The results showed that as the mass ratio of MSWI fly ash to bottom ash increased, the rate of expansion of the cementitious system continued to increase, and the compressive strength of the cementitious system continued to decrease. The Al (aluminum) and AlN (aluminum nitride) in the fly ash reacted with water to generate gas, causing the expansion of the cementitious materials; NaOH increased the alkalinity of the solution, which promoted the formation of more bubbles, thereby improving the expansion performance of the cementitious material. When the content of NaOH was 0.9%, the sample rate of expansion could reach 15.9%. The addition of CaCl2 promoted the early hydration reaction of the cementitious material, forming a dense microstructure, thus improving the early strength and rate of expansion of the cementitious material. The compressive strength of the backfill body increased as the fractal dimension of the aggregate particles increased, and the particle grading scheme of group S1 was optimal. The 1-day, 3-day, and 28-day strengths of the backfill body of group S1 reached 0.72 MPa, 1.43 MPa, and 3.26 MPa, respectively. It is recommended to choose a backfill paste concentration ranging between 78.5% and 80% and a reasonable amount of cementitious material between 20% and 25%. After the MSWI fly ash was prepared as a backfill material, the leaching of potentially harmful elements in the fly ash was greatly reduced, and the concentration of dioxin was reduced to 13 ng TEQ/kg. This was attributed to the dilution of the cement, the physical encapsulation of gel products, and the isomorphous replacement of Ca2+ in calcium aluminate chloride hydrate.

Effects of sulfate on survival, osmoregulation and immune inflammation of mud crab(Scylla paramamosain) under low salt conditions

Sulfate is an important chemical component in seawater, which has a profound influence on the survival, growth, physiology and biochemistry of aquaculture species. The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of sulfate concentration on survival, osmotic regulation, oxidative stress and immune inflammation of mud crab(Scylla paramamosain). The results showed that the 72-h semi-lethal concentration of the crab was 3.373 g/L (1.353–8.589 g/L). After 28 days of cultivation, the contents of Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC) and Na+-K+ ATPase (NKA) in the gill tissue of the S1 group (0 g/L Na2SO4) were significantly higher than those in the other three groups, and the sulfate content increased and the SOD activity decreased.Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were affected by sulfate content, and the content levels in the S3 group (1 g/L Na2SO4) were significantly lower than those in the other three groups. The activities of ACP and AKP first increased and then decreased with the increase of sulfate content in prepare solution, and the activities of ACP and AKP in the S3 group (1 g/L Na2SO4) were significantly higher than those in the other three groups. The absence of sulfate or high concentration of sulfate will affect the survival rate of mud crabs, and have a stressful effect on the osmotic regulation of mud crabs, inhibit oxidative stress ability, and promote inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of sulfate-type saline-alkali water aquaculture of mud crab by studying the effect of sulfate on the mud crab under low salt conditions, and to provide theoretical basis and technical guidance for the promotion of saline-alkali water aquaculture.

Increased Diversity of Citrus Tristeza Virus in Europe.

This study investigated the genetic diversity of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) isolates from Montenegro and Croatia, European countries with the northernmost citrus-growing regions situated on the Eastern Adriatic coast. Fifteen complete or nearly complete CTV genomes were reconstructed by high-throughput sequencing of samples collected in distinct municipalities in Montenegro and Opuzen municipality in Croatia. Phylogenetic analyses assigned some of the sequences to VT and T30 strains, previously recorded in Europe, while remarkably other isolates were placed in S1 and RB groups, which have not been reported in Europe so far. In addition, a new phylogenetic lineage comprising only isolates from Montenegro was delineated and tentatively proposed as the MNE cluster. Recombination analysis revealed evidence of 11 recombination events in the sequences obtained in this study, between isolates of related strains, within isolates of the same strain, and between distant strains. These findings show that CTV diversity in Europe is higher than reported before and calls for the reevaluation of management strategies.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Investigate various shielding parameters for (C18H20O8)x (ZrSiO4)100-x and (C18H20O8)x (BiClO)100-x in medical radiological applications

This study investigates some of shielding parameters of (C18H20O8)x (ZrSiO4)100-x and (C18H20O8)x (BiClO)100-x, x=(95,80,65,50)% wt coded as (S1,S2) for medical radiation application. We employed a theoretical model to calculate a mixture’s mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) during our investigation. The XCOM computer program was utilized for this purpose within the energy range of (0.356,0.364,0.44,0.662,0.739,0.834,0.846,1.17,1.238,1.274,1.33,1.368 and 2.754) MeV. The MAC values were used to compute several parameters, such as the linear attenuation coefficient LAC, half-value layer HVL, and effective atomic number Z eff . The study’s findings revealed a consistent decrease in the value of LAC as the energy increased for all the mixtures. The maximum value of LAC is 0.366 cm−1 in energy 0.356 MeV at x=50 for S2. The results show that adding BiClO to a matrix material can greatly improve its attenuation properties and be used to protect against medical radiation. The results show that the values of Z eff decreased with increasing energies, then stabilized and changed slightly at increasing energy. The lowest HVL values and the best for shielding were in group S2. The investigation also examined the association between the Z eff and the LAC at the value of x=50. The results show the correlation was positive and strong.

Effects of Dietary Gracilaria lichenoides and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, and Intestinal Health of Penaeus monodon.

This research sought to assess the effects of dietary supplements with Gracilaria lichenoides and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, either individually or combined, on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal function of Penaeus monodon. A total of 840 shrimps were randomly assigned to 28 tanks with an average initial weight of (1.04 ± 0.03) g (30 shrimp per tank) with 7 different treatment groups and 4 replicates per treatment. The control treatment (C) consisted of a basal diet; in contrast, the experimental groups were complement with varying levels of G. lichenoides (3% or 8%), either alone (S3 and S8) or in combination with B.amyloliquefaciens at different concentrations (3% G. lichenoides and 109 CFU/g-S3B9; 8% G. lichenoides and 1011 CFU/g B. amyloliquefaciens-S8B11; 109 CFU/g B. amyloliquefaciens-S9; 1011 CFU/g B. amyloliquefaciens-B11). The results indicated that the maximum values of final body weight (FBW) (10.49 ± 0.90) g, weight gain rate (WGR) (908.94 ± 33.58) g, and specific growth rate (SGR) (4.20 ± 0.06) g were perceived in the 3% G. lichenoide diet treatment, and compared with the control group, the difference was significant (p < 0.05). The whole-body lipid content of shrimp in the B9 group was significantly higher than that in the B11 group (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed when compared with shrimp fed other diets (p > 0.05). The ash content of shrimp in the B9 group was found to be significantly higher than that in the S3B9 group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the lipase activity in the stomach and intestines of the experimental groups exhibited a statistically significantly increase compared to the control (p < 0.05). In comparison to the control group, the hepatopancreas of the S3 group exhibited a significant increase in the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and antioxidant genes [SOD, catalase (CAT), GSH-Px, thioredoxin (Trx), Hippo, and NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)] expression levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, the activities of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), SOD, peroxidase (POD), and antioxidant genes (CAT, GSH-Px, Trx, and Hippo) in the S3B9 treatment of hepatopancreas showed significant improvement (p < 0.05). The inclusion of dietary G. lichenoides and B. amyloliquefaciens resulted in enhanced relative expression of intestinal lipid metabolism genes (fatty acid synthetase (FAS), lipophorin receptor (LR), fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1)) and suppressed the expression of the long-chain fatty acid-CoA ligase 4 (LCL4) gene. Analysis of microbiota sequencing indicated improvements in composition and structure, with notable increases in Firmicutes at the phylum level and Vibrio at the genus level in the S3 group, as well as an increase in Tenericutes at the genus level in the S8B11 group. Overall, the inclusion of dietary G. lichenoides and B. amyloliquefaciens positively impacted the growth, antioxidant capacity, and microbial composition of shrimp, with particular enhancement observed in shrimp fed a supplementary 3% G. lichenoides diet.

Recognition of antitussive components in Farfarae Flos based on grey relational analysis and partial least squares regression.

Farfarae Flos has the effect of cough suppression and phlegm elimination, with cough suppression as the main function. Studies have revealed that certain components of Farfarae Flos may be related to its cough suppressant effect, and some components have been confirmed to have cough suppressant activity. However, the antitussive material basis of Farfarae Flos has not been systematically elucidated. This study aims to elucidate the group of active ingredients in Farfarae Flos with cough suppressant activity by correlating the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint of Farfarae Flos extract with its cough suppressant activity. HPLC was used to establish the fingerprint profiles of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract and obtain their chemical composition data. Guinea pigs were selected as experimental animals and the citric acid-induced cough model was used to evaluate the antitussive efficacy data of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract. SPF-grade healthy male Hartley guinea pigs were randomly divided into the S1 to S10 groups, a positive control group, and a blank control group (12 groups in total), with 10 guinea pigs in each group. The S1 to S10 groups were respectively administered Farfarae Flos extract S1 to S10 (4 g/kg), the positive control group was administered pentoverine citrate (10 mg/kg), and the blank control group was administered purified water. Each group received continuous oral administration for 5 days. The guinea pigs were placed in 5 L closed wide-mouth bottles, and 17.5% citric acid was sprayed into the bottle with an ultrasonic atomizer at the maximum spray intensity for 0.5 minutes. The cough latency period and cough frequency in 5 minutes were recorded for each guinea pig. Grey relational analysis (GRA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were used to conduct spectral-effect correlation analysis of the chemical composition data of Farfarae Flos extract and the antitussive efficacy data, and predict the group of active ingredients in Farfarae Flos with antitussive activity. The bioequivalence verification was conducted to verify the predicted group of active ingredients in Farfarae Flos with antitussive activity: SPF-grade healthy male Hartley guinea pigs were randomly divided into a S9 group, an active ingredient group, a positive control group, and a blank control group (4 groups in total), with 10 guinea pigs in each group. The S9 group was administered Farfarae Flos extract S9 (4 g/kg), the active ingredient group was administered the predicted combination of antitussive active ingredients (dose equivalent to 4 g/kg of Farfarae Flos extract S9), the positive control group was administered pentoverine citrate (10 mg/kg), and the blank control group was administered purified water. Each group received continuous oral administration for 5 days, and animal modeling and observation of efficacy indicators were the same as above. The HPLC fingerprint of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract was established, and the peak area data of 14 main common peaks were obtained. The antitussive effect data of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract were obtained. Compared with the blank control group, the cough latence in the positive control group and S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10 groups was prolonged (all P<0.01), while the cough frequency in 5 minutes in the positive control group and S1, S2, S4, S6, S8, S9, S10 groups was decreased (all P<0.05). The analysis of spectrum-effect relationship revealed that isochlorogenic acid C, isochlorogenic acid A, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, isoquercitrin, and rutin had high contribution to the antitussive effect of Farfarae Flos, and the 6 components were predicted to be the antitussive component group of Farfarae Flos. The verification of bioequivalence showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the antitussive effect between the S9 group and the antitussive component composition group(all P>0.05), which confirmed that isochlorogenic acid C, isochlorogenic acid A, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, isoquercetin, and rutin were the antitussive component group of Farfarae Flos. The analysis of spectrum-effect relationship combined with the verification of bioequivalence could be used to study the antitussive material basis of Farfarae Flos. The antitussive effect of Farfarae Flos is the result of the joint action of many components.

Dietary supplementation of micelle silymarin enhances the antioxidant status, innate immunity, growth performance, resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, and gut morphology in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Silymarin, a flavonoid compound derived from the milk thistle plant (Silybum marianum) is well-known for its hepatoprotective, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the effect of silymarin and micelle silymarin (MS) supplementation on Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). The experimental diets were formulated to include MS at levels of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 g/kg or silymarin at levels of 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg in the basal diet (Con, M0.25, M0.5, M1, M2, M4, S1 and S2, respectively). Juvenile shrimp (0.98 g) were fed with experimental diets (four replicates) for 42 days. The growth metrics were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in M0.25, M0.5, and M1 groups compared to the Con group. Feed conversion ratio decreased (P < 0.05) in M0.5, M1, and M2 groups, whereas the protein efficiency ratio increased (P < 0.05) in M0.5 and M1 groups compared to the Con group. Phenoloxidase, lysozyme, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities were enhanced (P < 0.05), with the highest levels observed in the M0.5 group. Malondialdehyde level decreased (P < 0.05) in M1 and M2 groups compared to the Con group. Total protein increased (P < 0.05) in M0.25, M0.5 and S1 groups compared to the Con group. AST levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in shrimp fed M0.5, M1, M2, M4, and S2 groups, and ALT levels decreased (P < 0.05) in M1 and S2 groups compared to Con group. Wall thickness was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the M0.5 group, and villi length increased (P < 0.05) in M0.25, M0.5, and S1 groups. The resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus increased; however, no significant differences in cumulative survival were observed (P ˃ 0.05). Significantly higher (P < 0.05) proPO levels were observed in M0.5, M1, M2, M4, and S2 groups, whereas higher (P < 0.05) TLR-3 levels were observed in M1 and M2 groups compared to the Con group. TNF-α expression decreased (P < 0.05) in all other dietary treatments compared to the Con group. The findings suggest that dietary silymarin and MS can enhance growth, immune response, antioxidant capacity, gut morphology, and immune gene expression, while reducing lipid peroxidation and inflammation in Pacific white shrimp. The shrimp performance shows no significant difference between silymarin and MS groups at 1% and 2% levels. The optimal suggested inclusion level of MS in shrimp feed is 0.5–1.0 g/kg.

Contamination Profile of Different Formulations of Silicone Oil Tamponade Before and After Intraocular Permanence for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment.

The purpose of this study was to search for contaminants in silicone oil tamponades removed from eyes treated for retinal detachment, and to correlate chemical results with some clinical/functional parameters of the considered eyes. We examined a sequential cohort of eyes grouped according to the tamponade received: (1) Siluron2000 (S2), (2) RS-OIL ECS5000 (S5), and (3) Densiron Xtra (DX). Samples were collected at the beginning of the scheduled removal and analyzed by untargeted headspace gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS). Visual acuity and optic coherence tomography assessments were obtained before and after the tamponade removal. Forty-one samples were analyzed: 22 belonging to the DX group, 13 to the S2 group, and 6 to the S5 group. For each group, a mixture of uninjected commercial preparation was analyzed as the reference. Different siloxanes and fluorinated compounds including perfluorodecalin (PFCL) were the most prevalent chemicals, found in 55% to 100% of the intraocular samples of the 3 groups. Some siloxanes were present also in the control matrices, whereas PFCL was only in the extracted tamponades. In the DX group, the concentration of hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane showed an inverse correlation trend with the duration of its permanence inside the eye (P = 0.054). Different alkanes, propanol, and acetaldehyde were identified only in the control matrices. Several contaminants including siloxanes were identified in the intraocular samples and in the control matrices. A time-related ocular uptake of some of these is conceivable. PFCL was also highly present but only in intraocular samples. After intraocular permanence silicone oils (SOs) have various unlabeled contaminants with some relevant differences with the commercial formulation chemical profile.

An Intelligent Early Warning System for Harmful Algal Blooms: Harnessing the Power of Big Data and Deep Learning.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a significant ecological threat and economic detriment to freshwater environments. In order to develop an intelligent early warning system for HABs, big data and deep learning models were harnessed in this study. Data collection was achieved utilizing the vertical aquatic monitoring system (VAMS). Subsequently, the analysis and stratification of the vertical aquatic layer were conducted employing the "DeepDPM-Spectral Clustering" method. This approach drastically reduced the number of predictive models and enhanced the adaptability of the system. The Bloomformer-2 model was developed to conduct both single-step and multistep predictions of Chl-a, integrating the " Alert Level Framework" issued by the World Health Organization to accomplish early warning for HABs. The case study conducted in Taihu Lake revealed that during the winter of 2018, the water column could be partitioned into four clusters (Groups W1-W4), while in the summer of 2019, the water column could be partitioned into five clusters (Groups S1-S5). Moreover, in a subsequent predictive task, Bloomformer-2 exhibited superiority in performance across all clusters for both the winter of 2018 and the summer of 2019 (MAE: 0.175-0.394, MSE: 0.042-0.305, and MAPE: 0.228-2.279 for single-step prediction; MAE: 0.184-0.505, MSE: 0.101-0.378, and MAPE: 0.243-4.011 for multistep prediction). The prediction for the 3 days indicated that Group W1 was in a Level I alert state at all times. Conversely, Group S1 was mainly under an Level I alert, with seven specific time points escalating to a Level II alert. Furthermore, the end-to-end architecture of this system, coupled with the automation of its various processes, minimized human intervention, endowing it with intelligent characteristics. This research highlights the transformative potential of integrating big data and artificial intelligence in environmental management and emphasizes the importance of model interpretability in machine learning applications.

Correlation between Oxidative Stress Markers and Periodontal Disease in Dogs.

In dogs, periodontal disease (PD) is a highly common condition whose prevalence rises significantly with age. Studies on rats with experimentally induced PD and human clinical trials have found an association between oxidative stress (OS) and PD, as has been observed in many other inflammatory disorders. The objective of this research was to assess the main indicators of oxidative stress detected in the saliva of dogs and to compare them to the degree of inflammation and tartar amount on their teeth and gums. By identifying these correlations, we intended to identify early-stage PD markers that would allow us to diagnose the condition in dogs without requiring for invasive or traumatic procedures. The antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxyguanosine (8OHG), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP8), and the quantity of total proteins are the markers that have been investigated in order to accomplish these objectives. The appearance of specific forms of periodontal disease has been confirmed by an increase in the saliva concentration of MMP8, a marker commonly used in the diagnosis of these pathologies in humans. The study was carried out on 22 dogs divided in a control group (C) and study groups (S), the second one being divided into three subgroups according to the severity of the gum inflammation and the presence or absence of tartar: S1-small accumulation of tartar, lack of infection-related signs; S2-moderate accumulation of tartar, gums swollen, red, and bled easily; S3-significant accumulation of tartar; gums bright red and bleeding; marked pain and halitosis. A correlation between the concentration of the tested parameters and the severity of the local appearance of the gum and teeth was noted. In comparison to the results of individuals from the control group, MMP8 reported increases of 1.2, 2, and 3.7 times, respectively, in the case of individuals from subgroups S1, S2, and S3. Oxidative stress is caused by inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. The presence of oxidative stress was demonstrated by the evaluation of different indicators in the saliva: an increase in the general antioxidant status, which was associated with an increase in SOD activity; intensification of the lipid peroxidation processes, as demonstrated by the accumulation of the MDA peroxidation product; and an increase in the DNA oxidation processes, as demonstrated by the accumulation of the oxidation product 8OHdG. In consequence, it was observed that there were up to 2-fold increases in protein levels, total antioxidant activity, SOD, and MDA, and up to 8.6-fold increases in the case of 8-OHdG when comparing dogs from the S3 group (significant tartar accumulation; bright red and bleeding gums; marked pain and halitosis) to those in the control group.

Urinary excretion profile of higenamine in females after oral administration of supplements – Doping scenario

In 2017, higenamine was added to the World Antidoping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited list under group S3: beta-2 agonists and it is banned for athletes both in – and out of competition. Aim of this study was to characterize the urinary excretion profile of higenamine and its metabolite coclaurine after oral administration of multiple doses of higenamine capsules. For this purpose, an administration study including female basketball players was performed.For the detection of higenamine and cocalurine in the collected urine samples, a new, fast, and highly sensitive quantitative on-line SPE LC HRMS method was developed and validated. The method was applied for the quantification of higenamine and cocalurine in urine and their excretion pattern was defined. Results obtained show substantial inter-individual differences in the excretion profile of higenamine and coclaurine. For higenamine, half-lives were estimated to be between 4 and 27 h, and for coclaurine between 5 and 25 h. Furthermore, the data indicate that the elimination of coclaurine is rate-limited by its formation. Higenamine could be detected at a urine concentration above 10 ng/mL for at least 20 h after the last application for all study participants.

EFFECT OF VARIOUS FERTILIZER APPLICATIONS ON GROWTH, NUTRITIVE VALUE, AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF BARLEY SPROUTS

Effect of various fertilizing techniques on the growth, nutritive value, and nutritional quality of barley sprouts produced in a hydroponic chamber were examined in this study. Four experimental groups were designed as control (without fertilizer application); S (fertilizer application to seeds before planting); S1 (fertilizer application to sprouts fertilizer after 4 days of planting), and S2 (fertilizer application to seeds before planting and to sprouts after 4 days of planting). The highest shoot height, root length, and fresh and dry forage weights were seen in S2 group. Different fertilizer applications increased the dry matter content and decreased the dry matter loss of sprouts compared to the control group. Crude protein, ether extract, ash, in vitro dry matter digestibility, crude fiber, and acid detergent fiber contents of sprouts were greater in all the treatment groups compared to the control group. After harvesting, lower neutral and acid detergent fibers, nitrogen-free extract, and hemicellulose were detected in the fertilized groups than control group. The relative feed value and relative feed quality in S2 group were the highest among all groups. In conclusion, the application of fertilizer to both seed and sprout may improve the growth, nutrient content, and quality values of barley sprouts. Keywords: Green sprout yield, hydroponic system, Nutritional composition, Hydroponic system.

Optimization of soybean oil content in a soybean oil-based aquafeed for grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) to achieve optimal growth performance, proximate and fatty acid compositions, and lipid metabolism

Soybean oil (SO), an important plant-derived lipid, is routinely used in aquafeed as a partial substitute for fish oil. However, the effect of various contents of SO in a SO-based aquafeed on specific aquatic animals and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In this study, five isonitrogenous diets containing different SO contents (0 %, 3 %, 6 %, 9 %, and 12 %, named as S0, S3, S6, S9, and S12, respectively) were prepared with SO as the predominant lipid source, and 12-week feeding experiments were conducted on juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) (initial weight: 12.54 ± 0.08 g). Apart from lower feed conversion ratio in the S6 and S9 groups (P < 0.05), no obvious changes were observed in other growth indices (e.g., final weight and weight gain rate) in grass carp fed on diets with 0–9 % SO (P > 0.05). The S12 group exhibited significant decrease in the final weight and weight gain rate and increase in the viscerosomatic index (P < 0.05). Unlike gradual decrease in moisture, ash, and saturated fatty acid contents, muscle crude fat and unsaturated fatty acid (particularly polyunsaturated fatty acid) contents significantly increased with the increasing SO contents (P < 0.05). Serum triglyceride contents continuously increased with the increasing SO amounts, exhibiting the maximum value in the S12 group (P < 0.05). Similarly, the S12 group displayed the highest levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol in serum (P < 0.05). Only the S12 group exhibited scanty lymphocytic infiltration in some areas of the hepatopancreas. However, other groups exhibited no obvious histopathological abnormalities. Lipogenic genes (dgat, fad, elovl1, elovl6, elovl7, lpcat, and pla2), ACSL family members (acsl1a, acsl1b, acsl3, acsl4, acsl5, and acsl6), lipolytic genes (atg1, cpt1a, cpt1b, hsl, and lpl), fatty acid transport-related genes (cd36, fabp, and fatp), and transcription factor involved in lipid metabolism (ppar α) were gradually upregulated as dietary SO content increased (P < 0.05). However, the transcript levels of srebp1 and its target gene acc1 exhibited decreasing trend under the same conditions, and significant downregulation of ppar γ was observed in the S12 group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the optimal content of SO as the main lipid source in a SO-based diet for juvenile grass carp ranged from 6 % to 9 %, at which growth requirements of grass carp were met and fish health and fillet quality were effectively maintained. Our data provided a scientific reference for developing more efficient aquafeed formulations and enhancing fish flesh quality in aquaculture, as well as provided basic information for further assessing the regulatory mechanism of lipid homeostasis in teleost fishes.

Effects of α-Lipoic Acid Supplementation on Growth Performance, Liver Histology, Antioxidant and Related Genes Expression of Hybrid Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × E. lanceolatus ♂).

This study aimed to assess the impact of α-lipoic acid on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity in hybrid groupers (♀ Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂ E. lanceolatus) fed with a high-lipid diet. Groupers (8.97 ± 0.01 g) were fed six different diets, with α-lipoic acid content in diets being 0, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, and 2000 mg/kg, named S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6, respectively. The results show that the addition of 2000 mg/kg α-lipoic acid in the diet inhibited the growth, weight gain rate (WGR), and specific growth rate (SGR), which were significantly lower than other groups. In serum, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly higher in the S5 group than in the S1 group. In the liver, CAT, SOD and total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) levels were significantly increased in α-lipoic acid supplemented groups. α-lipoic acid significantly upregulated liver antioxidant genes sod and cat, anti-inflammatory factor interleukin 10 (il10) and transforming growth factor β (tgfβ) mRNA levels. Conclusion: the addition of 2000 mg/kg of α-lipoic acid inhibits the growth of hybrid groupers. In addition, 400-800 mg/kg α-lipoic acid contents improve the antioxidant capacity of groupers and have a protective effect against high-lipid-diet-induced liver oxidative damage.

Effects of Sophora alopecuroides in a High-Concentrate Diet on the Liver Immunity and Antioxidant Function of Lambs According to Transcriptome Analysis.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Sophora alopecuroides (SA) on liver function, liver inflammatory factor levels, antioxidant indexes and transcriptome in sheep. Twenty-four 3-month-old healthy Dumont hybrid lambs weighing 25.73 ± 2.17 kg were randomly divided into three groups: C1 (the control group), fed a concentrate-to-forage ratio of 50:50; H2 (the high-concentration group), fed a concentrate-to-forage ratio of 70:30; and S3 (the SA group), fed a concentrate-to-forage ratio of 70:30 + 0.1% SA. The results showed that the rumen pH values of the C1 and S3 groups were significant or significantly higher than that of the H2 group (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). The serum ALT, AST and LDH activities and the LPS and LBP concentrations in the sheep serum and liver in the H2 group were significantly or extremely significantly higher than those in the C1 and S3 groups (p < 0.01), and the IL-10 content and SOD, GPX-PX and T-AOC activities showed the opposite trend (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the ECM-receptor interaction and focal adhesion pathways, which are closely related to immune and antioxidant functions (p-adjust < 0.1). In summary, SA could improve the immune and antioxidant functions of lamb livers under high-concentrate conditions and regulate the mechanism of damage on sheep livers, which is caused by high-concentrate diets and through the expression of related genes in the ECM/FAs pathway.

E-cadherin and TAC in GCF accurately discriminate periodontal health and disease.

To investigate the accuracy of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) E-cadherin and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) to discriminate periodontal health from disease. GCF samples were collected from participants with periodontal health (control), gingivitis, and periodontitis (n = 25 each group). The latter group was further subdivided according to stage (S) and grade. Periodontal parameters were recorded then levels of biomarkers were assayed using ELISA and antioxidant status by use of the Total Antioxidant Capacity Assay for E-cadherin and TAC, respectively. All periodontal parameters were significantly higher in periodontally diseased groups than controls. The GCF E-cadherin significantly increased in gingivitis and periodontitis (S2 to S4) cases as compared to controls. Level of this protein in GCF samples from periodontitis S3 was significantly higher than in gingivitis and S2 groups. The GCF-TAC level was significantly higher in controls than in periodontally diseased groups. No significant differences were observed in the levels of these proteins between grade B and C periodontitis. Both molecules could discriminate periodontal health from gingivitis and periodontitis stages and differentiating periodontitis S3 from gingivitis and other periodontitis stages. Levels of TAC and unbounded E-cadherin in GCF samples exhibited promising diagnostic abilities to differentiate periodontal health and disease.