Presence Of pH Research Articles

Anti-CD64 Antibody-Conjugated PLGA Nanoparticles Containing Methotrexate and Gold for Theranostics Application in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, exerts a considerable effect on quality of life. The inflammatory mechanism involved in rheumatoid arthritis is not clearly known, and therefore the need to develop effective medicines as well as new methods for early detection is a challenge. In this study, we developed PLGA nanoparticles containing gold and methotrexate in core and anti-CD64 antibody conjugated to nanoparticle surface via coupling process. The nanoparticles were examined for their surface morphology using SEM and TEM. The mean particle size, zeta potential, and PDI values of nanoparticles were 413.6 ± 2.89 nm, -10.12 ± 2.12 mV, and 0.23 ± 0.04, respectively, indicating good stability and particle homogeneity. In vitro drug release revealed a controlled release pattern with 93.44 ± 1.60% up to 72 h of release in the presence of pH 5.8, indicating the influence of pH and NIR on drug release. In vivo results on adjuvant-induced arthritis on Wistar rats indicated that animals receiving antibody-conjugated nanoparticles showed improvement in clinical indices and arthritic score as compared to non-conjugated nanoparticles and free drugs. This innovative drug delivery system will be an excellent strategy to maximize therapeutic effectiveness by limiting dosage-related side effects.

Antibacterial activity of hydrophobicity modulated cationic polymers with enzyme and pH-responsiveness.

The membrane lipid compositions of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are inherently different in many aspects, although some similarities exist in their structure and composition. Therefore, selective targeting of membrane lipids with a compound of therapeutic value, such as an antibacterial copolymer, is often challenging. Hence, developing an ideal copolymer with antibacterial properties demands hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity balance with a high biosafety profile. To integrate hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance and cationic charge in an alternating antibacterial copolymer with enzyme and pH-responsiveness, a lysine appended styrenic monomer was copolymerized with a fatty acid (octanoic acid (OA) or myristic acid (MA)) tethered maleimide monomer via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. A range of microscopic analyses, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), confirmed the formation of nanoaggregates (size ∼30-40 nm) by these polymers in aqueous solution with positive zeta potential (cationic surface charge). Hydrophobic Nile red (NR) dye was successfully encapsulated in the nanoaggregates, and the in vitro release kinetics of the NR dye were monitored at different pHs and in the presence or absence of esterase/lipase. The in vitro release kinetics of NR revealed ∼85% dye release in the presence of pH 5.5 and lipase, suggesting their suitability for pH/enzyme-triggered therapeutic payload delivery. The standard broth microdilution assay showed significant bactericidal activity against both Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria with an MIC50 value <30 μg mL-1. The effect of polymeric nanoaggregates on bacterial morphology and in vitro survival was further confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), agar gel disk diffusion assay, and bacterial live/dead cell count. The significantly low hemolytic activity against red blood cells (RBCs) (HC50 >103 μg mL-1) and nontoxic effect on human intestinal epithelial cells (INT 407) (EC50 >500 μg mL-1) ensure that the polymer nanoaggregates are safe for in vivo use and can serve as a potent antibacterial polymer.

Simultaneously HPLC Analysis of B1, B9 and B12 Vitamins at Trace Levels via Cloud Point Extraction

An enrichment and determination method based on liquid chromatographically analysis and cloud point extraction (CPE) has been developed for trace levels of B vitamins (B1, B9 and B12) in the proposed study. Vitamin molecules were drawn into the non-ionic surfactant phase of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG-6000) in the presence of pH 9.0 medium. The surfactant-rich phase separated by centrifugation and then dissolved with 700 µL of ethanol. The obtained ethanol phase was filtered by 0.45-micron filter prior to the HPLC analysis. All parameters affecting the CPE method such as pH, buffer volume, incubation time, surfactant and electrolyte concentration, solvent for the surfactant-rich phase and its amount have been individually studied and optimized step by step. After the optimization of all parameters of the CPE process, the detection limits of the developed method for B1, B9 and B12 vitamins were calculated as 1.42 ng mL-1, 7.14 ng mL-1 and 14.28 ng mL-1 , respectively. The linear working ranges for three vitamin molecules was obtained in the range of 5.0-500.0 ng mL-1. After CPE procedure, determination of vitamin molecules was carried out by using HPLC system with diode array detector(DAD) at 244 nm for vitamin B1, 285 nm for vitamin B9, and 361 nm for vitamin B12, respectively

Development a green analytical methodology for the sensitive determination of antidepressant drugs using fabric phase sorptive extraction as a simple sample pretreatment procedure

A new enrichment and determination method including HPLC-DAD analysis after fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) has been developed to monitor trace amounts of antidepressant drugs including Amitriptyline (AMP), Fluoxetine (FLU), Vilazodone (VLZ), and Duloxetine (DUL). The target antidepressant drug molecules were retained onto the medium-polar sol–gel polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) coated fabric phase sorptive extraction membrane in the presence of pH 9.0 medium, and back-extracted by desorbing to a smaller volume of acetonitrile (ACN) before chromatographic determinations. Chemical characterization of the used fabric phase sorptive extraction membrane and experimental variables of FPSE were studied step by step and optimized. HPLC analysis of antidepressant drugs were carried out by isocratic elution of 20 % methanol, 50 % trifluoroacetic acid (0.1 %, v:v) (TFA), 30 % acetonitrile (ACN). In the developed method. After enrichment of antidepressant molecules, 20 % Methanol, 50 % trifluoroacetic Acid (0.1 % TFA), and 30 % ACN by using C18 column. The detection limits for target antidepressant drugs under optimized conditions were found lower than 0.38 ng mL−1. The relative standard deviation (% RSD) values were calculated below 4.80 %. The developed method has been successfully applied to synthetic urine, real urine and pharmaceutical tablet samples and quantitative results have been obtained in recovery experiments.

Prognostic value of pulmonary hypertension in patients with advanced heart failure evaluated fort heart replacement therapy in the light of new definition of pulmonary hypertension

Abstract Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to left heart disease is a common complication in heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased mortality. The 2022 ESC Guidelines updated the hemodynamic definition of PH lowering the threshold to mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) &amp;gt;20 mmHg. The relevance of this classification has not been fully explored in the setting of advanced heart failure. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate epidemiology and clinical outcomes of PH according the 2022 definition in patients with advanced HF candidate to heart replacement therapy (HRT) defined as heart transplantation (Htx) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Methods This study is a retrospective analysis of all adult (&amp;gt; 18 years old) patients that underwent HRT evaluation with an available right heart catheterization from 2003 to 2018. Patients were selected based on HLA typing as a proxy for HRT evaluation. Patients were divided into groups based on the presence of PH with mPAP &amp;lt; 20 mmHg, 21-24 mmHg or &amp;gt; 25 mmHg) to define the impact of the revised classification. Updated definition was then applied to investigate association with prognosis. Study outcome was the composite occurrence of death, urgent HTx or LVAD implantation. Patients were stratified into 3 different eras to account for the extent of the study period. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to detect risk factors correlated to outcome. Results 625 patients were screened, of whom 619 had an available RHC and were included in the study. Median follow-up was 15 months (IQR 5-39). With the threshold of mPAP &amp;gt; 20 mmHg, 450 patients (73%) had PH as compared to 366 (59%) with the previous definition. Survival from endpoint was significantly lower in both patients with mPAP 21-24 [1 year: 87%; 5-years 53%; OR 1,7 (1,3-3,8); p = 0.005] and &amp;gt; 25 mmHg [1 year 81%, 5 years 50%; OR 2,7 (1,8-4,2); p&amp;lt; 0,001], as compared to those without PH (1 year 91%, 5 years 78%). No difference was found between the groups of increased mPAP. Applying the 2022 definition, 122 (19%) patients had isolated isolated pC-PH, 320 (52%) combined pC-PH and 8 a form of pre-capillary PH. Isolated pC PH and combined pC PH both correlated with worse outcome (OR respectively 2,3; p = 0.0017 and 2,7 p&amp;lt;0.001). In patients with combined PH, PVR &amp;gt; 3 WU was associated with worse survival (88% vs 76% at 1t year). Conclusion In this study of patients with advanced HF evaluated for HRT, the 2022 hemodynamic definition of PH identified an additional 13% of patients. Survival was lower in patients with mPAP &amp;gt; 20 mmHg and these finding support the revised threshold and its association with prognosis in this population. In patients with combined PH, PVR &amp;gt; 3 WU is associated with worse outcomes. In advanced HF, this threshold may retain better prognostic value.

Electro-sensing layer constructed of a WO3/CuO nanocomposite, for the electrochemical determination of 2-phenylphenol fungicide

The abstract highlights the development of an electroanalytical sensor for the detection of 2-phenylphenol (2-PPL) as a contaminant. The novelty of the experiment lies in the utilization of a 1-D nanostructured WO3/CuO nanocomposite integrated with a carbon paste electrode (CPE). The hydrothermal method was used to synthesize the WO3 NPs, which were then characterized using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. Tungsten oxides (WO3) have been the subject of extensive study because of their many desirable characteristics, including their ease of preparation, tunable stoichiometry, crystal structure, particle morphology, 2.6 eV bandgap, excellent photocatalytic oxidation capacity, non-toxic nature, and widespread availability. The narrow band gap in CuO makes it an ideal sensing material. Copper oxide has applications in many different industries because it is a semiconductor metal with a narrow band gap in the spectrum of 1.2–1.9 eV and unique optical, electrical, and magnetic properties. Techniques like cyclic voltammetry (CV), and square wave voltammetry (SWV) were used. Real sample analysis was carried out in real-world samples like different types of soil, vegetables, and water. The electroanalytical sensor showed outstanding catalytic behavior by enhancing the peak current of the 2-phenylphenol with the potential shift to the less positive side compared to the unmodified carbon paste electrode in the presence of pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PB). Throughout the experimental study, double distilled was used. Various electro-kinetic parameters like pH, accumulation time study, scan rate, concentration variation, standard heterogeneous rate constant, and participation of electrons, accumulation time, and transfer coefficient have been studied at WO3/CuO/CPE. The limit of detection was quantified together with the limit of quantification. Possible electrochemical oxidation mechanism of the toxic molecule was depicted. Overall, this research contributes to the field of electroanalytical sensing and offers potential applications in environmental monitoring.

Increased serum activin A level in congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary artery hypertension: A comparative study from the COHARD-PH registry.

Activin A, a member of TGF-β superfamily, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). PAH due to congenital heart disease (CHD-PAH) is a major problem in developing countries. Activin A may have a role in PAH development and progression among uncorrected CHD. In this comparative study, serum activin A level was significantly increased in subjects with uncorrected CHD without the presence of PH and were more significantly risen in CHD-PAH, as compared to control. The utilization of serum activin A measurement seems promising to identify uncorrected CHD patients with PAH development and progression.

An increased risk of pulmonary hypertension in patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema: a meta-analysis

Background and aimPulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common complication of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). Whether the incidence of PH is increased in CPFE compared with pure pulmonary fibrosis or emphysema remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the risk of PH in patients with CPFE compared to those with IPF or COPD/emphysema.MethodsWe searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases for relevant studies focusing on the incidence of PH in patients with CPFE and IPF or emphysema. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and standard mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to evaluate the differences in the clinical characteristics presence and severity of PH between patients with CPFE, IPF, or emphysema. The survival impact of PH in patients with CPFE was assessed using hazard ratios (HRs).ResultsA total of 13 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 560, 720, and 316 patients with CPFE, IPF, and emphysema, respectively. Patients with CPFE had an increased PH risk with a higher frequency of pulmonary hypertension and higher estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (esPAP), compared with those with IPF (OR: 2.66; 95% CI: 1.55-4.57; P < 0.01; SMD: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.52-1.19; P < 0.01) or emphysema (OR: 3.19; 95% CI: 1.42-7.14; P < 0.01; SMD: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.50-0.96; P < 0.01). In addition, the patients with CPFE combined with PH had a poor prognosis than patients with CPFE without PH (HR: 6.16; 95% CI: 2.53–15.03; P < 0.01).ConclusionsOur meta-analysis showed that patients with CPFE were associated with a significantly higher risk of PH compared with those with IPF or emphysema alone. The presence of PH was a poor predictor of mortality.

Use of newly synthetized magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified with hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide for the sensitive analysis of antidepressant drugs, duloxetine and vilazodone in wastewater and urine samples.

A new enrichment and determination method involving HPLC-DAD analysis following magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) was developed to detect trace amounts of two antidepressant drugs, namely, duloxetine (DUL) and vilazodone (VIL). In this study, a solid-phase sorbent was newly synthesized for use in the MSPE and its characterization was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. In this proposed method, DUL and VIL molecules were enriched using newly synthesized magnetic-based nanoparticles in the presence of pH 10.0 buffer and desorbed with acetonitrile to a smaller volume prior to chromatographic determinations. After experimental variables were optimized, the VIL and DUL molecules were analyzed at wavelengths of 228 nm for DUL and 238 nm for VIL with isocratic elution of methanol, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) (0.1%), and acetonitrile (10 : 60 : 30). The detection limits obtained under optimized conditions were 1.48 ng mL-1 and 1.43 ng mL-1, respectively. The %RSD values were found to be lower than 3.50% with model solutions containing 100 ng mL-1 (N:5). Finally, the developed method was successfully applied to wastewater samples and simulated urine samples, and quantitative results were obtained in the recovery experiments.

Application of Synthesized Vanadium–Titanium Oxide Nanocomposite to Eliminate Rhodamine-B Dye from Aqueous Medium

In this study, a V@TiO2 nanocomposite is examined for its ability to eliminate carcinogenic Rhodamine (Rh-B) dye from an aqueous medium. A simple ultrasonic method was used to produce the nanosorbent. In addition, V@TiO2 was characterized using various techniques, including XRD, HRTEM, XPS, and FTIR. Batch mode studies were used to study the removal of Rh-B dye. In the presence of pH 9, the V@TiO2 nanocomposite was able to remove Rh-B dye to its maximum extent. A correlation regression of 0.95 indicated that the Langmuir model was a better fit for dye adsorption. Moreover, the maximum adsorption capacity of the V@TiO2 nanocomposite was determined to be 158.8 mg/g. According to the thermodynamic parameters, dye adsorption followed a pseudo-first-order model. Based on the results of the study, a V@TiO2 nanocomposite can be reused for dye removal using ethanol.

27 Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Infants Born &amp;lt;29 weeks with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Associated Pulmonary Hypertension: A Multicenter Study

Abstract Background More than 1 in 4 preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) develop BPD-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH) that is associated with significant morbidity. Data regarding neurodevelopmental outcomes with BPD-PH in preterm infants are lacking. Objectives To determine neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants born &amp;lt; 29 weeks gestational age (GA) with BPD associated pulmonary hypertension at 18 to 24 months corrected gestational age (CGA). Design/Methods In this retrospective cohort study, preterm infants born &amp;lt; 29 weeks GA between January 2016 and December 2019 at level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Units at Foothills Hospital in Calgary and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, who were evaluated at 18-24 months CGA in the neonatal follow-up clinics were included. We compared demographic factors, neurodevelopmental status including Bayley-III scores and sensory impairments between the two groups based on the presence of PH at 36 weeks CGA: Group I: BPD with PH and Group II: BPD without PH, using univariate and multivariable regression models. The primary outcome was a composite of death or neurodevelopmental impairments (NDI). NDI was defined as any cerebral palsy (GMFCS≥1), Bayley-III score &amp;lt; 85 on one or more of the cognitive, motor, or language composite scores, sensorineural or mixed hearing impairment or unilateral or bilateral visual impairment. Results Of 372 eligible infants, 118 (Group I [BPD-PH] =7, Group II [BPD with no PH] =111) were lost to follow up. Of the remaining 254 infants, 52 in Group I and 202 in Group II were followed at 18-24 months CGA. Group I and Group II had median (IQR) birth weight of 710g (323) and 815g (314) [p=0.004] and median gestational ages (IQR) were 25 weeks (2) and 26 weeks (2) [p=0.020], respectively . Rates of associated impairments are shown in Figure 1. Infants in BPD-PH group (Group I) were more likely to have mortality or NDI (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 3.82; 95% CI: 1.17-12.41) (Table 1). Conclusion BPD-PH in preterm infants born &amp;lt; 29 weeks GA is associated with increased odds of the composite outcome of death or neurodevelopmental impairment and language delay at 18-24 months CGA.

Analysis of Two Mutations in the BCR-ABL Fusion Gene Relevant for Monitoring Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by a structural chromosomal aberration. The BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase produced by the t(9;22)(q34;q11) translocation (also known as the Philadelphia chromosome - Ph+) is the initiating event in CML. In the present paper, we proposed a new and efficient method based on reverse transcription and nested PCR amplification for highlighting E255K/V and T315I mutations in the BCR-ABL fusion gene. We included 20 patients (13 males and 7 females) with CML (mean age of 55 ±17 years) based on the presence of Ph+ and data regarding the molecular response to Imatinib therapy. The obtained results indicate the presence of E255K/V and T315I mutations in two patients from this research. Furthermore, it was observed that patients with CML who had acquired mutations did not respond to Imatinib therapy and required personalized therapy. We concluded that this protocol is easy to implement and relatively rapid and inexpensive compared with other techniques to identify the mutations.

Impact of sustained virologic response in regression of portal hypertension in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus-associated cirrhosis and portal hypertension

BackgroundPortal hypertension (PH) is a common consequence in hepatitis C virus cirrhotic patients. With interferon alpha-based therapy, SVR was linked to improved PH and fibrosis regression. SVR to oral antiviral regimens is linked to reduced portal pressure in patients with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) at baseline. However, CSPH continues in most of the patients. This study aims to assess the reversibility and/or improvement of PH in Egyptian patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and CSPH after achieving SVR with DAAs. The second aim is to evaluate performance of the noninvasive markers of fibrosis in prediction of the presence and/or reversibility of the CSPH in correlation to radiological and endoscopic parameters.Subjects and methodsWe evaluated noninvasive parameters, radiological and endoscopic signs of PH at baseline, and/or SVR 24 and SVR 48 post-DAA therapy in 40 patients with cirrhosis and CSPH (group A) and another 40 patients with cirrhosis only (group B).ResultsIn group A, the spleen diameter decreased from baseline (15.74 ± 1.53 cm), and SVR 24 (15.48 ± 1.51), to SVR 48 (15.35 ± 1.49 cm). No ascites detected at SVR 48 in 62.5%. Portal vein diameter and portal vein blood velocity reduced to 13.53 ± 1.07 mm and 14.14 ± 2.2 cm/s at SVR 48, with reversibility of hepatic vein waveform towards the triphasic pattern. Medium to large esophageal varices regressed from 52.5% to 2.5%, and up to 70% of patients showed no EVs at SVR 48. In group A, 24 patients showed complete reversibility of CSPH, and 16 patients showed improvement of CSPH. Child-Pugh score, FIB-4 index, King’s score, and Lok index revealed higher significance for detection of the presence of PH. Child-Pugh score, PC/SD ratio, and Lok index revealed higher significance for detection of reversibility of PH.ConclusionWe concluded that CSPH improved after SVR with DAAs and completely regressed in some patients. Upon predicting the presence of PH, Child-Pugh score, FIB-4 index, King’s score, and Lok index were the most significant noninvasive scores. While for predicting the reversibility of PH, Child-Pugh score, PC/SD ratio, and Lok index were the most significant scores.

Four-year survival rate in pulmonary sarcoidosis with extensive pulmonary hypertension screening

BackgroundSarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown aetiology with significant morbidity and mortality. The PULSAR study prospectively performed cardiac analysis including systematic pulmonary hypertension screening in sarcoidosis patients newly referred to a tertiary sarcoidosis center. In this manuscript we studied the four-year mortality of this population. Methods and main findingsBetween august 2015 and October 2017, 399 patients (58% male, mean age 49.4 years, 90.5% Caucasian) were included and followed for a mean period of 4.3±0.7 years. In total, 10 patients had died at the time of analysis. 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rate was 100% (n=399), 99.0% (n=399), 98.2% (n=399) and 94.6% (n=276). Most patients died of respiratory failure, other causes were heterogeneous including cardiac, neurological and non-sarcoidosis origin. A low CPI score or modified Walsh score was associated with higher mortality, similar for high PH probability on echocardiography and elevated right ventricular systolic pressure. ConclusionThis study highlights that elevated RVSP and presence of PH on echocardiography and progression of fibrotic disease with subsequent decline in pulmonary function test are important factors for mortality in sarcoidosis patients.

Perinatal hypoxia as a risk factor of severity of lexicalsemantic deficit in children with developmental language disorder

Background/Aim. There are a small body of the literature on the influence of perinatal hypoxia (PH) on language outcome at later age and there are no studies on the influence of PH on the extent and severity of language deficit in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the differences in lexicalsemantic abilities in DLD children with a presence of PH (DLDhpx) and DLD children without any neurological risk factors (DLDwrf). Methods. The sample consisted of 96 children aged 5 to 8, divided into 3 groups, 25 children in DLDhpx, 30 children in DLDwrf and 41 typically developing (TD) peers. For the purpose of comparing age differences, additional categorical variable was formed with two age groups, preschool and school-age children (5-6 and 7-8 years). Lexical-semantic abilities were investigated by specific tests for assessing the expressive vocabulary size, semantic processing, and lexical productivity in continuous speech. Results. The significant differences were observed between DLDhpx and DLDwrf children on the semantic processing assessment test (p &lt; 0.05), but not on the vocabulary size (p = 0.350) and lexical productivity (p = 0.118) assessment tests. However, a detailed analysis of developmental tendencies between preschool and early school-age children showed that DLDhpx children progress significantly only in a domain of expressive vocabulary skills (p &lt; 0.01), while DLDwrf children progress significantly in a domain of expressive vocabulary and semantic processing skills (p &lt; 0.001). Regarding lexical diversity developmental tendencies, significant progress was not observed in both DLD groups. Conclusion. PH in DLD children can be related to a more severe extent of lexical-semantic deficit in the area of semantic processing abilities. Also, PH can contribute to slower progress in a wider spectrum of lexical-semantic abilities. Some of the possible explanations for the obtained results are the possible comorbidity with a specific cognitive deficit, but also that PH can contribute to significantly slower maturation of the brain and neural networks that underlie language abilities.

МИКОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ОЦЕНКА ОЗИМОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ С РАЙОНОВ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАТАРСТАН

Mycological analysis showed that fungi of the genus Fusarium – 33 %, Penicillium – 17 %, Aspergillus – 10 %, Alternaria – 13 %, Trichoderma – 11 %, Mucor – 12 %, yeast fungi – 6 % were most distinguished. The importance in the symbiotic habitat of filamentous fungi depends on the presence of pH, salts, and mineral fertilizers in the soil. In the Vekhneuslonskiy district, loamy soil predominates, the sprouts of winter wheat growing along the roads were distinguished by a weak root system and single seedlings (soil pH – 7,15±0,7). In the Kaibitskiy Buinskiy districts (in the chernozem soil) – wheat germs were strong, the fibrous root system was strengthened, the pH of the soil in the Kaibitskiy region was 6,35±0,4, in Buinskiy – 6,63±0,8. In mycological analysis, the highest indicator of the total number of fungi (TPG) was recorded in the Verkhneuslonsky region – 19,6х103±0,12 to 25,1х103±0,11, mainly fungi of the genus Fusarium were isolated. In the Kaibitsky district, the HPG was: (12,8х103±0,14 to 20,1х103±0,08) fungi of the genus Aspergillus, Fusarium were isolated. In the Buinsky district, the TPG was: (11,4х103±0,14 to 22,2х103±0,10), the fungi Rhizopus spp, Trichoderma spp. Fusarium. There was a correlation between the indicators of TPG and pH: the more acidic the environment, the less TPG. The growth and development of moldy fungi is not affected by the content of nitrates in the soil, so the content of nitrates in soil samples from the Verkhneuslonsky district was 2,8±0,006, Kaibitsky – 3,2±0,011 to 5,60±0,018, Buinsky 3,10±0,010 to 3,2±0,012.

Response Surface Methodology Based Nickel Bioremoval by Penicillium citrinum Grown in Dilute Acid Pretreated Lignocellulosic Material

The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of Ni (II) bioremoval by Penicillium citrinum fungus cultivated in carrot pomace medium. Experimental model for Ni (II) removal was developed using central composite design (CCD) based on response surface methodology (RSM). According to the model, the effects of some key parameters such as pH, initial Ni (II) loading, and initial carrot pomace loading on Ni (II) bioremoval was found as significant (p < 0.05). The highest bioremoval was oberved as 82.01% in the presence of pH 5, 50 mg/L initial Ni (II), and 100 g/L initial biomass loadings, respectively. Results revelaed that the usage of Penicillium citrinum were proven to be effective in removing of Ni (II).

The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension assessed using the pulmonary vein\u2010to\u2010right pulmonary artery ratio and its association with survival in West Highland white terriers with canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BackgroundPulmonary hypertension (PH) is a known co-morbidity in West Highland white terriers (WHWTs) affected with canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (CIPF). The pulmonary vein-to-right pulmonary artery ratio (PV/PA) has recently been described for the detection of pre-capillary PH in dogs. The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of PH at diagnostic, in WHWTs affected with CIPF, by using PV/PA, in comparison with a group of healthy breed-matched controls (CTRLs). Additional study objective was to explore whether the presence of PH at initial diagnosis of CIPF impacted survival time in dogs treated with sildenafil.ResultsTwenty-five client-owned WHWTs presented with CIPF and 19 CTRLs were included in the study. PV/PA in either two-dimensional mode (2D) or time-motion mode or both were measured from cineloops in each dog. Dogs were classified according to PV/PA value into non/mild PH (PV/PA measured in 2D ≥ 0.7) or moderate/severe PH (PV/PA < 0.7). Survival data of WHWTs affected with CIPF were extracted from medical record to assess association between presence of PH at diagnosis and outcome. 60 % overall prevalence for moderate/severe PH was estimated in this cohort of WHWTs presented with CIPF vs. 5 % in CTRLS (P = 0.0002). The presence of moderate/severe PH at initial presentation was not associated with survival.ConclusionsResults of the present study confirm a high prevalence of PH at diagnosis in WHWTs affected with CIPF and highlight the utility of PV/PA as a non-invasive surrogate for assessment of PH in this population.

Highly sensitive electrochemical assay for selective detection of Aminotriazole based on TiO2/poly(CTAB) modified sensor

This research work describes the electrochemical activity of aminotriazole (ATZ) by constructing titanium-dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 ) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) based carbon paste electrode (TiO 2 /CTAB-CPE). Square wave voltammetric technique was employed to investigate herbicide, ATZ in the soil as well as in water samples. The characterization of TiO 2 nanoparticles was achieved using XRD and TEM techniques. Owing to the supreme sensing properties, TiO 2 /CTAB-CPE was recognized as sensitive for the detection of ATZ as the sensor demonstrated improved catalytic characteristics and peak current in presence of pH 7.0 of 0.2 PBS i.e., phosphate buffer solution through cyclic voltammetric (CV) along with square wave voltammetric (SWV) techniques. The peak current for the modified CPE observed to be 18. 92 μ A with peak potential 0.912 V and for the bare carbon paste electrode (BCPE) the peak current is 4 μ A with the peak potential at 0.975 V. The impact of electro-kinetic parameters including heterogeneous rate constant, scan rate, transfer coefficient, pH, activation energy, accumulation time, temperature effect, and also the number of electrons and protons entailed in the ATZ electro-oxidation was resolved. The detection limit and the quantification limit of the ATZ was found to be 2.53 nM and 8.44 nM respectively. The proposed method proved to be a propitious procedure for precise determination of the ATZ herbicide in water and soil samples. • Electrochemical detection of ATZ herbicide was achieved by CTAB and TiO 2 composite. • The electrochemical process was diffusion controlled with two-electron transfer. • Successfully used the sensor for the analysis of ATZ in water and soil samples.

Solid Phase Extraction Utilization for Colorimetric Determination of Zinc in Waters, Food, Milk, and Biological Samples

A highly rapid, sensitive, and selective method for the determination of zinc based on the reaction of zinc(II) with 5-amino-2-(phenyldiazenyl)phenol (ACDP) and/or 5-amino-2-(p-tolyldiazenyl)phenol (ATDP) and the solid phase extraction of the Zn(II)- ACDP and/or ATDP complex with Amberlite XAD-2000 was developed, in the presence of pH = 5.6 and 6.2 using ACDP and ATDP, respectively, and Triton X-114 medium. ACDP and/or ATDP reacts with zinc to form a violet complex with a molar ratio of 2:1 (ACDP and/or ATDP to zinc). This complex was enriched by the solid phase extraction with Amberlite XAD-2000. An enrichment factor of 500 was obtained by elution of the complex from the resin with a minimal amount of isopentyl alcohol (0.2 ml). In isopentyl alcohol medium, the molar absorptivity of the complex is 1.13 × 10⁶ and 1.37 × 10⁶ L/mol cm at 647 and 662 nm using ACDP and ATDP, respectively, against a reagent blank prepared in a similar way without zinc. Beer's law is obeyed in the range of 5.0-160 ng/ml in the measured solution. The relative standard deviation for 10 replicate samples of 50 ng/ml level is 1.26 and 1.47%, respectively. The detection and quantification limits reaches 1.5 and 4.7 ng/ml in the original samples. The presented procedure was successfully applied for determination of zinc content in real samples such as waters, food, milk, and biological samples with satisfactory results.