Threshold Value Of Concentration Research Articles

A deterministic model for homologous antibody dependant enhancement on influenza infection

Antibody dependant enhancement refers that viral infectivity was unexpectedly enhanced at low antibody concentration compared to when antibodies were absent, such as Dengue, Zika and influenza virus. To mathematically describe switch from enhancement to neutralisation with increase of antibody concentration, one hyperbolic tangent variant is used as switching function in existed models. However, switching function with hyperbolic tangent contains four parameters, and does not always increase with antibody concentration. To address this problem, we proposed a monotonically increasing Logistical function variant as switching function, which only contains position parameter and magnitude parameter. Analysing influenza viral titre estimated from 21 focus reduction assay (FRA) datasets from neutralisation group (viral titre lower than negative control on all serial dilutions) and 20 FRA dataset from enhancement group (viral titre higher than negative control on high serial dilution), switching function with Logistic function performs better than existed model independent of both groups and exhibited different behaviour/character; specifically, magnitude parameter estimated from enhancement group is lower, but position parameter estimated from enhancement group is higher. A lower magnitude parameter refers that enhancement group more rapidly switches from enhancement to neutralisation with increase of antibody concentration, and a higher position parameter indicates that enhancement group provides a larger antibody concentration interval corresponding to enhancement. Integrating estimated neutralisation kinetics with viral replication, we demonstrated that antibody-induced bistable influenza kinetics exist independent of both groups. However, comparing with neutralisation group, enhancement group provides higher threshold value of antibody concentration corresponding to influenza infectivity. This explains the observed phenomenon that antibody dependent enhancement enhances susceptibility, severity, and mortality to influenza infection. On population level, antibody dependant enhancement can promote H1N1 and H3N2 influenza virus cooperate to sustain long-term circulation on human populations according to antigenic seniority theory.

Analysis of Influencing Factors of Chlorophyll-a in Lake Taihu Based on Bayesian Network

Global warming has aggravated the problem of lake eutrophication. As a typical large, eutrophic, shallow lake in China, the issue of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) was particularly prominent in Lake Taihu. We took Lake Taihu as the study area, using the meteorological (temperature, wind speed, rainfall, and sunshine hours), water quality (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, conductivity, pH, and chemical oxygen demand), and biological (chlorophyll-a in phytoplankton) monitoring data from 1992 to 2020. We built a simulation model of chlorophyll-a based on the Bayesian network model with continuous variables to study the chlorophyll-a level of Lake Taihu under different meteorological and water quality conditions. The 75th percentile of chlorophyll-a concentration was used as the threshold to judge the risk of cyanobacterial bloom. When the probability of chlorophyll-a concentration below this threshold was greater than 75%, it was regarded as "low risk" of cyanobacterial bloom outbreak. The results showed that the average level of "temperature wind ratio" (ratio of air temperature to wind speed) in spring was 6.67℃·s·m-1, and the probability of high chlorophyll-a was less than 75% when the total phosphorus concentration was less than 0.130 mg·L-1. The average "temperature wind ratio" level in summer was 10.52℃·s·m-1, and the probability of high chlorophyll-a was less than 75% when the total phosphorus concentration was less than 0.257 mg·L-1. The average level of total phosphorus concentration in autumn was 0.154 mg·L-1, and the probability of high chlorophyll-a was less than 75% when the "temperature wind ratio" was less than 6.30℃·s·m-1. Based on the above research, the chlorophyll-a model constructed by the Bayesian network model with continuous variables was further used to simulate the nutrient control objectives under different climate change backgrounds. In order to control chlorophyll-a in Lake Taihu at the:"low risk" level of cyanoHABs, the target concentration thresholds of total phosphorus needed to be controlled under the climate level background from 1992 to 2000, 2001 to 2010, and 2011 to 2020 were given. From 1992 to 2000, the threshold value of total phosphorus concentration was 0.135 mg·L-1 in spring, 0.174 mg·L-1 in summer, and 0.171 mg·L-1 in autumn. From 2001 to 2010, the threshold value of total phosphorus concentration was 0.115 mg·L-1 in spring, 0.164 mg·L-1 in summer, and 0.162 mg·L-1 in autumn. From 2011 to 2020, the threshold value of total phosphorus concentration was 0.059 mg·L-1 in spring, 0.145 mg·L-1 in summer, and 0.145 mg·L-1 in autumn. The results showed that the control of cyanoHABs in eutrophic lakes required more stringent nutrient control strategies with global warming. It provided a reference for preventing and controlling cyanoHABs and eutrophication in Lake Taihu. Previous studies have used multiple regression models, hydrodynamic numerical models, and other methods to predict chlorophyll-a concentrations or cyanobacterial blooms in lakes. However, there has been no study on the prediction of cyanoHABs in lakes based on the Bayesian network model with continuous variables and the "dynamic" evaluation of nutrient thresholds. Therefore, based on the seasonal meteorological, water quality, and biological monitoring data of Lake Taihu from 1992 to 2020, the chlorophyll-a model of Lake Taihu was constructed for the first time based on the Bayesian network model with continuous variables to simulate the chlorophyll-a concentration of Lake Taihu under different climate indicators and total phosphorus concentrations. The weight of its influencing factors was also analyzed, and the nutrient control objectives under different climate scenarios were "dynamically" evaluated.

Determination of biomarkers threshold values and illustration of their use for the diagnostic in large-scale freshwater biomonitoring surveys

Abstract Background Several biomarkers developed from freshwater sentinel species are used to complement chemical assessment of freshwater ecosystems and improve the evaluation of their contamination levels. While active biomonitoring strategies allow to compare biological data in the field, the lack of assessment criteria to interpret biomarkers modulations restricts their application in freshwater biomonitoring surveys. For this purpose, the determination of threshold values emerges as a relevant approach to support the biomarker-based diagnosis within biomonitoring surveys. Based on the distribution of contamination baselines, a statistical approach was proposed to define threshold values of bioaccumulated concentrations in the sentinel species Gammarus fossarum. Although this methodology is limited to chemical databases, this approach could be adapted for defining threshold values at the biological level. This study aims to demonstrate the possibility of defining threshold values for different classes of biomarkers monitored in two freshwater sentinel species (Dreissena polymorpha, G. fossarum) and evidence the added value of such an approach in biomarker-based diagnosis. Results For this purpose, the study benefited from exceptional environmental biomarker datasets acquired from mussels and gammarids caged in hundred environmental sites, representative of the diversity of French water bodies. Thanks to these environmental datasets, inhibition and/or induction thresholds could be defined for 8 biochemical, cellular, and molecular biomarkers of D. polymorpha and 25 peptide biomarkers of G. fossarum, not influenced by confounding factors. Threshold values were then applied to another biomarker dataset acquired from mussels and gammarids caged upstream and downstream four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Several biomarkers were modulated both downstream and upstream of WWTPs, indicating a potential contamination not related to WWTPs. In contrast, some biomarkers were impacted exclusively downstream of the WWTPs, highlighting an impact of WWTP discharges on the aquatic fauna. Conclusions This study demonstrates the possibility to define threshold values for a wide range of biomarkers (cellular, biochemical and molecular) monitored on different sentinel species. The definition of threshold values constitutes an attractive solution to support the application of biomarkers in active biomonitoring surveys and improve the biomarker-based diagnosis without the need of “reference sites”.

Calprotectin as a novel diagnostic approach to screen male infertility risk: A pilot study

Research QuestionDiagnosis of male infertility is essentially based on the evaluation of semen quality (sperm concentration, motility, viability, and morphology). However, there is a lack of knowledge about possible molecules used as candidates for the early identification of male infertility risk. Calprotectin is a biological marker for inflammation, measured prevalently in stool specimens, widely used to discriminate between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and for the subsequent monitoring of gastrointestinal diseases’ development. Would it be possible to use calprotectin determination to identify also male infertility risk? DesignCross-sectional pilot study investigated calprotectin concentration in the seminal fluid of 45 men (range: 23–51 yrs) that were under evaluation for semen quality at our Center for Reproductive Medicine. Calprotectin concentration was determined with a commercially available immuno-chromatographic test and successfully detected in 37 of the 45 analyzed men (age: 37.38 ± 6.59). A correlation with semen quality (concentration, motility, morphology) was assessed. ResultsHigher calprotectin concentration seemed to indicate a better quality of the seminal fluid. Normozoospermic subjects (Group A) had on average a calprotectin value of 0.215 ± 0.162 µg/ml (mean ± SD), while subjects with at least one of the semen parameters below reference values (Group B) showed lower calprotectin concentration (mean ± SD: 0.126 ± 0.068, p-value < 0.05). A significant difference was clearly evident between calprotectin concentration measured in seminal fluids with physiological sperm morphology (≥4%) as compared with teratozoospermic samples (<4%) (p-value < 0.05). Indeed, the developed ROC curves showed a good diagnostic accuracy (around 67 %) using calprotectin concentration (threshold value: 0.121 μg/ml) as a preliminary test to discriminate subjects with and without abnormal semen parameters, especially morphology. ConclusionsCalprotectin determination in the seminal fluid may be proposed as a biological marker for preliminary screening in male subjects at risk of infertility due to one or more alterations of semen quality.

Electrochemical Criticality of Coating Defects in Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes

Since the lithium-ion battery was established technologically, its applications possibilities have increased massively. Especially in the field of electric mobility the demand for LIBs has magnified extremely. However, to minimize the costs of electric vehicles, it is important to make the production process for LIBs more efficient. Currently, battery production is affected by high scrap rates, which amount to 5-30% of the total cell production or even more [1,2]. The scrap can originate from various steps during the battery production process, e.g. from insufficient quality of the raw materials, electrode production, cell assembly, or even from downstream processes like the conditioning of the cells. Therein, the production of electrodes is a particularly important step. During this process, which in turn includes mixing, coating, drying and calendering, various defects can be introduced into the electrodes. These defects - such as agglomerates, foreign particle contamination (mainly metals), point defects (blisters, divots, pinholes), line defects or inhomogeneities of thickness, porosity or composition can lead to high scarp rates. [3].These well-known defects can already be easily detected with different methods like camera-based optical systems, thermography, computed thermography, or post-mortem analysis methods. However, the crucial point lies in the quantification of the electrochemical influence of the defects, i.e. in an quantitative evaluation which defect types, sizes and concentrations can be tolerated, and in which case the electrode must be classified as scrap. To evaluate the criticality and establish tolerance limits for different defect types, we produced and studied defect-free electrodes and electrodes with different defect types.Metal contaminations are usually considered the most severe electrode defect, as they can cause chemical or physical short circuits. We found additional redox processes occurring at metal particles in cathodes, quantified the influences of size and concentration of metal impurities on cyclability and established a concentration threshold value for these impurities.Furthermore, we investigated the influence of inhomogeneities of porosity and thickness in electrodes and other defects like line defects. A special experimental setup allows us to analyze the internal dynamics of the interaction between defect-containing and defect-free electrodes. Therein, equalizing currents continuously redistribute the inhomogeneous charges in electrodes with different defects. This equilibrating effect was evaluated in terms of the caused accelerated aging.Our results support the importance of a deep understanding of electrode coating defects as a basis for further developing effective quality assurance strategies and reducing scrap rates.(1) Gaines, L.; Dai, Q.; Vaughey, J. T.; Gillard, S. Direct Recycling R&D at the ReCell Center. Recycling 2021, 6 (2), 31. DOI: 10.3390/recycling6020031.(2) Brückner, L.; Frank, J.; Elwert, T. Industrial Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries—A Critical Review of Metallurgical Process Routes. Metals 2020, 10 (8), 1107. DOI: 10.3390/met10081107.(3) David, L.; Ruther, R. E.; Mohanty, D.; Meyer, H. M.; Sheng, Y.; Kalnaus, S.; Daniel, C.; Wood, D. L. Identifying degradation mechanisms in lithium-ion batteries with coating defects at the cathode. Applied Energy 2018, 231, 446–455. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.09.073. Figure 1

Maternal serum ischemia-modified albumin as an oxidative stress biomarker in preterm pre-labor rupture of membranes.

To evaluate the maternal serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) concentration as an oxidative stress biomarker in pregnancies complicated by preterm pre-labor rupture of membranes (PPROM) without maternal clinical infection and compare these results with healthy pregnancies. The present cohort study included 40 pregnancies complicated by PPROM and 49 similar gestational age healthy pregnancies in the third trimester of gestation. Maternal venous blood specimens were obtained at the day of first diagnosis. Maternal serum IMA level was assayed with an Albumin Cobalt Binding test. The subjects were followed up until delivery and perinatal outcomes were recorded. The maternal serum IMA concentrations were significantly higher in the study group (0.56 ± 0.05 absorbance units) as compared to controls (0.54 ± 0.03 absorbance units) (p = 0.020). The maternal serum IMA concentrations were not significantly correlated with the initial maternal white blood cell count (r: 0.118, p = 0.269) and C-reactive protein levels (r: 0.066, p = 0.541). The maternal serum IMA concentrations were negatively correlated with gestational age at delivery (r: -0.248, p = 0.019), birthweight (r: -0.247, p = 0.020) and Apgar scores (r: -0.200, p = 0.049; r: -0.245, p = 0.020). The threshold value of maternal serum IMA concentration above 0.55 absorbance units indicated the pregnancy complicated by PPROM by 57.5% sensitivity and 57.1% specificity (Area under curve 0.613, confidence interval 0.50-0.73). The current study supported for the first time that there is an association between increased maternal serum IMA levels and the development of PPROM in the third trimester of gestation without maternal clinical infection. Elevated maternal serum IMA levels may alert the obstetrician about poor ongoing perinatal outcomes in the early phase of PPROM before increased maternal C-reactive protein and white blood cell count.

Proinflammatory laboratory predictors of pneumonia in ischemic stroke patients: prospective study

Bacterial pneumonia is a frequent complication of ischemic stroke at the hospital stage. The search for prognostic laboratory markers of pneumonia remains an urgent task, as it will allow to individualize the approach to the treatment and rehabilitation of such patients. To investigate the prognostic significance of proteins of the acute phase of inflammation, as well as to evaluate them as early predictors of the development of pneumonia in patients with ischemic stroke. The study included 302 patients in the acute period of ischemic stroke. C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor , interleukin-6 (IL-6), neutrophil elastase, neopterin, serum amyloid A (SAA), secreted phospholipase type 2 (sPLA2) were determined in all patients on the first day by enzyme immunoassay. Statistical data processing was carried out using SPSS and Microsoft Excel software (USA). At the hospital stage, pneumonia developed in 82/302 patients (27.2%; 95% confidence interval 22.332.3%). The levels of CRP, IL-6, sPLA2, SAA and neopterin significantly differed in the presence and absence of pneumonia. Step-by-step logistic regression analysis revealed the significance of IL-6 and CRP concentrations in the prognosis of pneumonia. The threshold value of IL-6 concentration was 3.45 pg/ml (sensitivity 82.4%, specificity 66.7%). The prognostic value of a positive result (PPR) in the prognosis of pneumonia was 40%, a negative result (PNR) 92%. The threshold value of CRP was 1640 mg/l with a sensitivity of 65.8% and a specificity of 74.8%. The PPR of the threshold value of the concentration of CRP was 45%, PNR 80%. The measurement of the concentration of IL-6 and CRP on the first day of ischemic stroke makes it possible to identify patients with the greatest risk of pneumonia at the hospital stage. The results of the work indicate the necessity to include CRP and IL-6 in the list of mandatory laboratory tests that should be carried out for each patient with ischemic stroke on the first day from the onset of the disease.

Predictive value of serum sodium level in determining perforated appendicitis.

The aim of the study was to investigate the predictive value of hyponatremia as a new biochemical marker for the early and accurate preoperative diagnosis of complicated appendicitis in the adult population. 732 patients who were operated for acute appendicitis (AA) and diagnosed as perforation intraoperatively were evaluated retrospectively. Serum sodium, C-reactive protein (CRP), and leukocyte levels of patients with perforated and nonperforated appendicitis were compared. Perforated appendicitis patients had statistically lower serum Na values (p<0.001). Similarly, patients without perforated appendicitis had higher serum CRP values (p<0.001). In patients diagnosed with perforated AA, the sensitivity of plasma sodium concentration was 63%, and the specificity was 66%. The threshold value of plasma sodium concentration ≤137.5 mEq/L had the best possible sensitivity and specificity. Hyponatremia is a new marker of perforated appendicitis and therefore, serum sodium level measurement should be considered in patients with a clinical presentation consistent with appendicitis if complications are suspected.

Разработка системы непрерывного автоматического контроля запыленности и интенсивности пылеотложения как подсистемы многофункциональной системы безопасности угольной шахты

In connection with the growth of coal production and the load on mining enterprises, as well as the modernization of the main mining industries, the urgent task is to improve the level of industrial and occupational safety, which is impossible without improving the system for monitoring safety parameters in the automated mode. The control of dust and explosion safety of the mine workings in accordance with the safety requirements is conducted with special devices or other continuous equipment, in accordance with paragraph 22 of the Federal rules and regulations in the field of industrial safety «Safety rules in the coal mines». Within the framework of the article, the development of a new device for monitoring dust content and dust deposition is considered — a system for continuous automatic monitoring of dust content and intensity of dust deposition. Investigations of the regularities of the process of dust deposition of hovering coal dust were carried out depending on various factors affecting the distribution of dust along the network of the mine workings, namely, the grade composition of coal, a set of technological parameters and the parameters of atmospheric indicators. Performed complex of the laboratory and mine research of the innovation system confirmed the correctness of the developed physical model for assessing the state of dust and explosion safety in the coal mining. The system of continuous automatic monitoring of the dust content and the intensity of dust deposition meets the modern requirements of the Federal rules and regulations in the field of industrial safety in terms of automatic continuous measurement of dust concentration in the mine atmosphere, and (or) dust deposition, telemetry, remote signaling when the threshold values of dust deposition concentrations are exceeded, and in case of failure of the dust sensor, as well as local light and (or) sound alarms, automatic transmission of data on exceeding the threshold values of dust concentrations in the mine atmosphere, and (or) dust deposits in real time via communication channels to the coal mining organization.

The Effect of Admission Serum Triglyceride Level on the Prediction of Severity of Acute Pancreatitis in Pregnancy.

PurposePrevious studies indicated that the serum triglyceride level in patients with acute pancreatitis positively correlated with the severity of the disease among the general population. Despite the physiological hypertriglyceridemia in pregnant women, there are no reports on the relationship between serum triglyceride level and the severity of acute pancreatitis in pregnant (APIP) women. This study explores the relationship between serum triglyceride levels and the severity of APIP.Patients and MethodsClinical information of APIP patients admitted to the Shengjing Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University was gathered from January 2012 to December 2020 to conduct retrospective research. The participating patients were divided into mild, moderately severe, and severe acute pancreatitis. The clinical outcomes of patients with different serum triglyceride levels (0–2.3 mmol/L, 2.23–5.65 mmol/L, 5.65–11.2 mmol/l, ≥11.2 mmol/L) were analyzed by performing ordinal logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to calculate the threshold value of serum triglyceride concentration that can effectively predict the occurrence of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).ResultsHypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) occurred in 47% of APIP patients within the group, with a high prevalence among the Han population. In the present study, the serum triglyceride concentration correlated positively with the severity of APIP (r=0.403, P < 0.05). The adjusted logistic model demonstrated that relative to nominal triglyceride levels, the OR value of SAP were 1.036 (95% CI: 0.401–2.677), 3.429 (95% CI: 1.269–9265), 8.329 (95% CI: 3.713–18.682) with triglyceride at the level of 2.23–5.65 mmol/L, 5.65–11.2 mmol/l and ≥11.2 mmol/L. In APIP patients, a triglyceride concentration of 10.7mmol/L or more upon admission was a predictive value for the occurrence of SAP, with a sensitivity of 0.72 and a specificity of 0.65, AUC: 0.708 (95% CI: 0.620–0.796).ConclusionAs the serum triglyceride level upon admission increased, the frequency of local and systemic complications increased significantly.

Analysis of Sea Ice Timing and Navigability along the Arctic Northeast Passage from 2000 to 2019

The ablation of Arctic sea ice makes seasonal navigation possible in the Arctic region, which accounted for the apparent influence of sea ice concentration in the navigation of the Arctic route. This paper uses Arctic sea ice concentration daily data from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2019. We used a sea ice concentration threshold value of 40% to define the time window for navigating through the Arctic Northeast Passage (NEP). In addition, for the year when the navigation time of the NEP is relatively abnormal, we combined with wind field, temperature, temperature anomaly, sea ice age and sea ice movement data to analyze the sea ice conditions of the NEP and obtain the main factors affecting the navigation of the NEP. The results reveal the following: (1) The sea ice concentration of the NEP varies greatly seasonally. The best month for navigation is September. The opening time of the NEP varies from late July to early September, the end of navigation is concentrated in mid-October, and the navigation time is basically maintained at more than 30 days. (2) The NEP was not navigable in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004. The main factors are the high amount of multi-year ice, low temperature and the wind field blowing towards the Vilkitsky Strait and sea ice movement. The navigation time in 2012, 2015 and 2019 was longer, and the driving factors were the high temperature, weak wind and low amount of one-year ice. The navigation time in 2003, 2007 and 2013 was shorter, and the influencing factors were the strong wind field blowing towards the Vilkitsky Strait. (3) The key navigable areas of the NEP are the central part of the East Siberian Sea and the Vilkitsky Strait, and the Vilkitsky Strait has a greater impact on the NEP than the central part of the East Siberian Sea. The main reason for the high concentration of sea ice in the central part of the East Siberian Sea (2000 and 2001) was the large amount of multi-year ice. The main reason for the high concentration of sea ice in the Vilkitsky Strait (2000 to 2004 and 2007, 2013) was the strong offshore wind in summer, all of which were above 4 m s−1, pushing the sea ice near the Vilkitsky Strait to accumulate in the strait, thus affecting the opening of the NEP.

ALIGN-CCUS: Results of the 18-month test with aqueous AMP/PZ solvent at the pilot plant at Niederaussem – solvent management, emissions and dynamic behavior

After a 13,000-hour test campaign with aqueous 30 wt% MEA (2-aminoethanol) solvent at the CO2 capture pilot plant at Niederaussem, another long-term test was carried out as part of the ALIGN-CCUS project. This test ran for more than 12,275 hours with aqueous AMP/PZ (2-Amino-2-methyl-1-propanol/piperazine) solvent, named CESAR1 (3.0 molar AMP (~26.74 wt%) and 1.5 molar PZ (~12.92 wt. %)). A minimum specific reboiler duty of 2,970 MJ/tCO2 was identified for the capture plant operation with four active absorber beds (total 16 m packing height) and intercooling (40°C). Neither a lower desorber pressure of 1.5 bar(a), instead of 1.75 bar(a), nor a change of the different positions of intercooling had a significant effect on energy consumption. Reduction of the active packing height to three beds (i.e., 12 m), resulted in a moderately higher specific energy demand (+100 MJ/tCO2). Tests with CO2 capture rates between 90 and 98% showed only a small increase of the specific energy demand at 95% (+20 MJ/tCO2) and four active packings (98%: +250 MJ/tCO2). The average solvent consumption of CESAR1 during 400 days of operation was 0.45 kg/tCO2 and is lower than for MEA if the phase of accelerated non-linear degradation of MEA is taken into account. CESAR1 follows a slow-progressing linear degradation behavior; neither a critical metal ion concentration threshold value could be found that triggers fast degradation nor a correlation between accumulated trace components or metal ion concentrations in the solvent and the degradation rate was observed. Highly transient tests were conducted to investigate the dynamic behavior of the capture plant and subsequently special settings were chosen to stimulate high emissions for the investigation of aerosol-based emissions, connected with performance tests of several emission mitigation measures: single water wash, double water wash, acid wash, dry bed, wet electric precipitator and flue gas pre-treatment. When applying the dry bed configuration, emissions of AMP between 15 - 20 mg/Nm3, PZ between 3 - 7 mg/Nm3, and NH3 below 3 mg/Nm3 were achieved.

A systematic review of threshold values of pollen concentrations for symptoms of allergy

Pollen threshold values used in public warning systems are intended to inform people of the risk of developing allergy symptoms. However, there is no consensus about which pollen concentrations provoke allergy symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was the evaluation of studies investigating the relationship between pollen concentrations (alder, ash, birch, hazel, mugwort and ragweed) and the number of cases in which participants visited a doctor, drug consumption and allergy symptoms. This systematic literature review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019112369). A PubMed search was applied and enriched by consultation with experts and a snowball strategy. The included studies were checked for risk of bias (RoB), and extensive data were extracted and compared. Of 511 studies, 22 were eligible according to the previously established inclusion criteria, and 17 from these showed a low RoB. The strongest evidence was reported for ash (Fraxinus) pollen, where an increase of number of doctor’s visits at an interquartile range (IQR) of 18–28 grains/m3 was detected by three studies. Five studies about birch (Betula) pollen showed a threshold value of 45 grains/m3 for increased drug consumption. The evidence of a threshold value was limited for alder (Alnus), hazel (Corylus), mugwort (Artemisia) and ragweed (Ambrosia) pollen. The inconsistent results concerning all types of pollen, except ash pollen, can be the result of multiple factors, e.g., age, gender, allergen content of pollen and individual sensitivity. These influencing factors should be investigated more closely in future research.

Exploratory analysis of target concentration of lenvatinib in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

We aimed to evaluate exposure-toxicity/efficacy relationship of lenvatinib by determining its target trough concentration for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this retrospective, observational study, 28 HCC patients who had been treated with lenvatinib were enrolled between August 2018 and April 2020. We evaluated the association between the trough lenvatinib concentration and occurrence of grade ≥ 3 toxicities. Additionally, we estimated the association of the trough lenvatinib concentration with responder status (disease control; complete response, partial response, or stable disease), and progression-free survival (PFS). The mean trough lenvatinib concentration was significantly higher in the group with grade ≥ 3 toxicity (n = 15) than in the group with grade ≤ 2 toxicity (n = 13). Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve, the threshold values of the trough lenvatinib concentrations for predicting grade ≥ 3 toxicities and responder status were 71.4ng/mL [area under the curve (AUC) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-1.00; p < 0.05] and 36.8ng/mL (AUC 0.95, 95% CI 0.85-1.00; p < 0.05), respectively. Lenvatinib concentrations of 36.8-71.4ng/mL resulted in longer PFS than concentrations < 36.8ng/mL and ≥ 71.4ng /mL [median 13.3months (36.8-71.4ng/mL) vs. 3.5months (< 36.8ng/mL) and 7.8months (≥ 71.4ng /mL), respectively]. Considering these results, we propose that the target trough concentration of lenvatinib could be 36.8-71.4ng/mL for maintaining disease control status and reducing grade ≥ 3 toxicity in the treatment of HCC.

Classification accuracy of different pork quality evaluation methods in assessment of meat with lowered drip loss

ABSTRACT: This study compared the diagnostic value of pork quality evaluation methods using different pH threshold values and time-points with muscle metabolites concentration threshold values measured 45 min. post mortem in assessment of meat with lowered drip loss. Samples of 100 longissimus dorsi (LD) (Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc fatteners were examined after slaughter for following parameters: muscle acidity in 35 min, 2 h, 3 h, 24 h and 48 h (pH1, pH2, pH3, pH24 and pH48), colour lightness (L*, a*, b*), meat yield after curing and thermal processing in 72 °C (technological yield), water-holding capacity (WHC) and drip loss in 48, 96 and 144 h (DL48, DL96, DL144). To verify the accuracy of analysed methods two groups were distinguished according to DL48, e.g. Low DL (DL48≤4%) and High DL (DL48&gt;4%). In High DL pH1 to pH48 were statistically lower while L*, WHC, DL48, DL96, DL144 were statistically higher (P≤0.05). On the basis of pH-dependent methods classification to RFN (red, firm, normal), PSE (pale, soft, exudative), DFD (dark, firm, dry) and AM (acid meat) was performed and then the percentage share of Low DL and High DL among meat classified as RFN was evaluated. Despite most samples were classified as RFN Low DL share among them did not exceed 50%. If meat sample shows metabolites concentration below threshold value and was assigned to Low DL (or was assigned to High DL above threshold value) it was regarded as correctly classified. The most promising cut-off point (correct classification of 73%) was 45 µmol both for glycogen and lactate.

ALIGN-CCUS: Results of the 18-Month Test with Aqueous AMP/PZ Solvent at the Pilot Plant at Niederaussem – Solvent Management, Emissions and Dynamic Behavior

After a 13,000-hour test campaign with aqueous 30 wt% MEA (2-aminoethanol) solvent at the CO2 capture pilot plant at Niederaussem, another long-term test was carried out as part of the ALING-CCUS project. This test ran for more than 12,275 hours with aqueous AMP/PZ (2-Amino-2-methyl-1-propanol/piperazine) solvent, named CESAR1 (3.0 molar AMP (~ 26.74 wt%) and 1.5 molar PZ (~ 12.92 wt. %)). A minimum specific reboiler duty of 2,970 MJ/tCO2 was identified for the capture plant operation with four active absorber beds (total 16 m packing height). Neither a lower desorber pressure of 1.5 bar(a), instead of 1.75 bar(a), nor a change of the different positions of intercooling had a significant effect on energy consumption. Reduction of the active packing height to three beds (i.e., 12 m), resulted in a moderately higher specific energy demand (+100 MJ/tCO2). Tests with CO2 capture rates between 90 and 98% showed only a small increase of the specific energy demand at 95% (+20 MJ/tCO2) and four active packings (98%: + 250 MJ/tCO2). The average solvent consumption of CESAR1 during 400 days of operation was 0.45 kg/tCO2 and is lower than for MEA if the phase of accelerated non-linear degradation of MEA is taken into account. CESAR1 follows a slow-progressing linear degradation behavior; neither a critical metal ion concentration threshold value could be found that triggers fast degradation nor a correlation between accumulated trace components or metal ion concentrations in the solvent and the degradation rate was observed. Highly transient tests were conducted to investigate the dynamic behavior of the capture plant and subsequently special settings were chosen to stimulate high emissions for the investigation of aerosol-based emissions, connected with performance tests of several emission mitigation measures: single water wash, double water wash, acid wash, dry bed, wet electric precipitator and flue gas pre-treatment. When applying the dry bed configuration, emissions of AMP between 15 - 20 mg/Nm3, PZ between 3 - 7 mg/Nm3, and NH3 below 3 mg/Nm3 were achieved.

Biomarkers Potency to Monitor Non-target Fauna Poisoning by Anticoagulant Rodenticides.

The widespread use of pesticides to control agricultural pests is a hot topic on the public scene of environmental health. Selective pest control for minimum environmental impact is a major goal of the environmental toxicology field, notably to avoid unintended poisoning in different organisms. Anticoagulant rodenticides cause abnormal blood coagulation process; they have been widely used to control rodents, allowing inadvertent primary and secondary exposure in domestic animals and non-target predatory wildlife species through direct ingestion of rodenticide-containing bait or by consumption of poisoned prey. To report toxic effect, the most common approach is the measurement of liver or plasma residues of anticoagulant rodenticides in dead or intoxicated animals showing clinical symptoms. However, one major challenge is that literature currently lacks a hepatic or plasma concentration threshold value for the differentiation of exposure from toxicity. Regarding the variation in pharmacology properties of anticoagulant rodenticides inter- and intra-species, the dose-response relationship must be defined for each species to prejudge the relative risk of poisoning. Beyond that, biomarkers are a key solution widely used for ecological risk assessment of contaminants. Since anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) have toxic effects at the biochemical level, biomarkers can serve as indicators of toxic exposure. In this sense, toxicological knowledge of anticoagulant rodenticides within organisms is an important tool for defining sensitive, specific, and suitable biomarkers. In this review, we provide an overview of the toxicodynamic and toxicokinetic parameters of anticoagulant rodenticides in different animal species. We examine different types of biomarkers used to characterize and differentiate the exposure and toxic effects of anticoagulant rodenticide, showing the strengths and weaknesses of the assays. Finally, we describe possible new biomarkers and highlight their capabilities.

Can the hydrophobic organic contaminants in the filtrate passing through 0.45 μm filter membranes reflect the water quality?

In the traditional water quality assessment, the concentration of total dissolved hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) passing through 0.45 μm filter membranes is usually used to evaluate the influence of HOCs on water quality. However, the bioavailability of dissolved organic matter (DOM)-associated and particle-associated HOCs is not considered. In the present work, pyrene, fulvic acid, and natural suspended particles (SPS) were used to simulate natural water (raw water). The immobilization and pyrene content in the tissues of D. magna caused by total pyrene in the raw water and those caused by freely dissolved pyrene with the concentration equal to the total dissolved pyrene in the filtrate of raw water were compared to determine whether the total dissolved pyrene concentration can reflect the water quality. The results indicated that when the DOM concentration was 5 mg C L−1 and the SPS concentration was higher than 0.2–0.4 g L−1, the bioavailability of pyrene was underestimated by the traditional water quality assessment because of the SPS-associated pyrene, and it was underestimated by 23.6–63.9% when SPS concentration was higher than 0.6 g L−1 due to the neglection of SPS-associated pyrene. Furthermore, the threshold value of SPS concentration was related to the SPS size and composition, and the effects of SPS and DOM on water quality were influenced by the concentration, size, and composition of SPS as well as the molecular weight of DOM. This study suggests that the traditional water quality assessment should be improved by comprehensively considering concentrations and characteristics of SPS and DOM.

Approaches for Assessing the Polymetallic Impact on Humans in an Urbanized Area Using Neural Network Modeling Methods

A methodology for assessing the response to the polymetallic effects of sensitive population groups has been developed using new information methods and data collection paths used for evaluation. The presented methodology takes into account the processes of polymeric intake, accumulation in the environment, and biosubstrates of the human body. The approach is presented for simultaneous accounting and analysis of dissimilar and heterogeneous data having different degrees of influence on the content of metals in human biosubstrates and the investigated components of the environment using neural self-organizing network Kohonen, implemented in the author’s model of neuronetwork filtration. A method of determining probability of exceeding the threshold values of metal concentrations in the objects under investigation using the risk theory is proposed. As the thresholds of these events, we have taken the median of continuous series of observations of metal concentrations. The facts of established exceeding the thresholds (events) were recorded in the whole set of observations, allocated in the form of clusters formed by the help of neural network classification. In this case, the spatial distribution of selected observations having specific address mappings forms the corresponding territorial zones, which can be used for operational and planned quality management of environmental components in an urbanized territory.

Sorafenib exposure and its correlation with response and safety in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: results from an observational retrospective study.

Severe adverse events frequently occur in patients treated with sorafenib, whereas some patients have suboptimal response to sorafenib. We aimed to evaluate the association of sorafenib-induced toxicities and clinical outcomes with the pharmacokinetics of sorafenib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This was a retrospective, observational study in which 26 HCC patients who had been treated with sorafenib were enrolled between September 2010 and March 2015. The association between trough sorafenib concentration and occurrence of grade ≥ 3 toxicities was evaluated. In addition, we estimated the association of trough sorafenib concentration with overall survival (OS). The median sorafenib concentration was 2.91μg/mL (range 0.74-8.8μg/mL). Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve, the threshold value of the trough sorafenib concentration for predicting grade ≥ 3 toxicities and responder (complete response or partial response at best response, or stable disease for ≥ 3months) was 3.45μg/mL [area under the curve (AUC) 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54-0.93; p <0.05] and 1.40μg/mL (AUC 0.97, 95% CI 0.97-1.00; p <0.05), respectively. OS of patients with sorafenib 1.40-3.45µg/mL had a tendency to be longer than those of patients administered < 1.40μg/mL and ≥ 3.45μg/mL [median 17.8months (1.40-3.45μg/mL) vs. 5.3months (< 1.40μg/mL) and 9.5months (≥ 3.45μg/mL)]. From results of this study, we proposed that the target range of sorafenib may be a trough concentration of 1.40-3.45μg/mL in patients with HCC.