Induction Time Research Articles

Ratiometric Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe Monitors Ferroptosis in HCC Cells by Imaging HClO in Mitochondria.

Hypochlorous acid (HClO) is a typical endogenous ROS produced mainly in mitochondria, and it has strong oxidative properties. Abnormal HClO levels lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, strongly associated with various diseases. It has been shown that HClO shows traces of overexpression in cells of both ferroptosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, visualization of HClO levels during ferroptosis of HCC is important to explore its physiological and pathological roles. So far, there has been no report on the visualization of HClO in ferroptosis of HCC. Thus, we present a ratiometric near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe Mito-Rh-S which visualized for the first time the fluctuation of HClO in mitochondria during ferroptosis of HCC. Mito-Rh-S has an ultrafast response rate (2 s) and large emission shift (115 nm). Mito-Rh-S was constructed based on the PET sensing mechanism and thus has a high signal-to-noise ratio. The cell experiments of Mito-Rh-S demonstrated that Fe2+- and erastin-induced ferroptosis in HepG2 cells resulted in elevated levels of mitochondrial HClO and that high concentration levels of Fe2+ and erastin cause severe mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress and had the potential to kill HepG2 cells. By regulating the erastin concentration, erastin induction time, and treatment of the ferroptosis model, Mito-Rh-S can accurately detect the fluctuation of mitochondrial HClO levels during ferroptosis in HCC.

Safety and efficacy of remimazolam versus propofol during EUS: a multicenter randomized controlled study

Background and aimsPropofol, a widely used sedative in gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures, is associated with cardiorespiratory suppression. Remimazolam is a novel ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine sedative with rapid onset and minimal cardiorespiratory depression. This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of remimazolam and propofol during endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) procedures. MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled study was conducted between October 2022 and March 2023 in patients who underwent EUS procedures. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either remimazolam or propofol as a sedative agent. The primary endpoint was cardiorespiratory adverse events during the procedure, including desaturation, respiratory depression, hypotension, and tachycardia. Secondary endpoints included the time to achieve sedation, recovery time, quality of sedation, pain at the injection site, and satisfaction of both the endoscopists and patients. ResultsFour hundred patients enrolled in the study: 200 received remimazolam (10.8±7.7 mg) and 200 received propofol (88.0±49.1 mg). For cardiorespiratory adverse events, the remimazolam group experienced fewer occurrences than the propofol group (8.5% vs. 16%, p=0.022). There was a non-significant trend toward less oxygen desaturation (1.0% vs 3.5%, p= 0.09), respiratory depression (0.5% vs 1.5%, p= 0.62), hypotension (2.5% vs 5.5%, p=0.12) and tachycardia (4.5% vs 5.5%, p=0.68) with remimazolam than with propofol. Remimazolam showed a shorter induction time than propofol, while maintaining comparable awakening and recovery times. Injection site pain was significantly lower in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group. The remimazolam group demonstrated a significantly higher quality of sedation and satisfaction scores than the propofol group, as evaluated by both endoscopists and patients. ConclusionRemimazolam was superior to propofol in terms of safety and efficacy during EUS examinations.

Cyclic formation characteristics of tetrabutylammonium bromide hydrates under concentration regulation enhanced by gas circulation

Hydrate cold storage technology offers a promising solution for effectively storing high energy density. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the cycling and gas circulation-enhanced formation characteristics of TBAB hydrate at different concentrations. Notably, it was observed that when the concentration of TBAB hydrate surpassed 25 wt%, the hydrate exhibited a consistent high formation efficiency without displaying any discernible decay characteristics. Upon reaching a TBAB concentration of 35 wt%, a notable concentration stratification phenomenon became evident following the complete dissociation of hydrates. Remarkably, the introduction of gas circulation to enhance hydrate formation yielded a bulk phase uniform nucleation mode for TBAB hydrate formation. This led to a remarkable 72 % reduction in the induction time. Even under conditions of 45 wt% concentration, the subcooling was as low as 4.35 °C. These research findings hold significant implications for the advancement of efficient hydrate cycling formation technology and its potential industrial applications.

Formation behaviors of gas hydrates in water-in-oil emulsions with the coexistence of asphaltenes and resins

Hydrate formation is one of the major flow assurance issues for the subsea multiphase pipelines. The effects of the interaction between heavy fractions of crude oil components on hydrate behaviors are still not well understood. In this study, the effects of resins on hydrate formation behaviors in asphaltene-containing emulsions were investigated using a high-pressure reactor apparatus. The results indicated that both resins and asphaltenes inhibited hydrate nucleation and increased the induction time. Furthermore, considerable synergistic effects of asphaltenes and resins on the hydrate formation behaviors were discovered in the water-in-oil emulsions, depending on the aggregation state of asphaltenes. The addition of resins was observed to disperse the asphaltene aggregates significantly and enhance the inhibitory effect of asphaltenes on hydrate nucleation. Additionally, the calculated results of gas consumption showed that the presence of resins can decrease the growth rate of hydrates in the asphaltene-containing emulsions. A potential mechanism was presented to illustrate how resins affect hydrate formation in an emulsion with varying asphaltene aggregation states. These findings offer a better knowledge of the synergistic effects between the heavy components of resins and asphaltenes and have potential application in the hydrate management of crude oil pipelines.

Development and performance evaluation of chitosan-graft-poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone) as a dual-function inhibitor for hydrate decomposition and reformation

In the process of drilling and producing natural gas hydrates, the hydrate is prone to decomposition, leading to wellbore instability and well control problems, and the natural gas produced by the decomposition is prone to form hydrate again in the low-temperature and high-pressure wellbore, creating flow obstacles. The existing inhibitors, however, fail to effectively inhibit the decomposition and reformation of hydrates. In this work, N-vinylpyrrolidone was used to modify chitosan, and an inhibitor namely DFHI with a dual function of inhibiting hydrate decomposition and reformation was developed. The inhibitory effects of DFHI were analyzed using the optimized experimental method for evaluating hydrate decomposition and reformation, and the mechanism was analyzed. The results showed that the memory effect of hydrate reformation gradually weakened or even disappeared with the rising ambient temperature during hydrate decomposition. The inhibitory performance of DFHI exhibited a positive correlation with its concentration. 0.5% DFHI resulted in a 74.7% delay in the decomposition time of methane hydrate, along with an extension of the induction time for both hydrate formation and reformation by 137.2% and 262.1%, respectively, significantly weakening the memory effect of hydrate reformation. The mechanism of DFHI inhibiting hydrate decomposition primarily involves surface adsorption on hydrates and thickening effects that retard mass and heat transfer processes. During the process of hydrate formation and reformation, DFHI molecules tend to aggregate at the surface of methane bubbles, hindering gas–water contact and diffusion, particularly when numerous micro-nano bubbles generated by hydrate dissolution are present; furthermore, the adsorption of DFHI molecules on the surface of hydrates delays their nucleation and growth.

Comparison of methods of non-mechanical pressure measurement in the cuff of an endotracheal tube

Bronchoscopy is a diagnostic and follow-up procedure. Despite the fact that this manipulation itself is minimally invasive, it can be a difficult test for both the patient and the doctor. Therefore, this manipulation definitely requires anesthesia and sedation. This study compared dexmedetomidine and propofol sedation methods during diagnostic bronchoscopy to assess their safety, effectiveness, and satisfaction. The results show a high level of safety of both methods, although some significant differences affecting the choice of sedation method were found. 32 patients participated in the study, divided into two groups depending on the used method of sedation: propofol or dexmedetomidine. Pulse oximetry, heart rate, capnography parameters were measured, the number and severity of iatrogenic lesions of the trachea, as well as the satisfaction of care and doctors were assessed. In some groups, there was a high level of safety of sedation. Dexmedetomidine sedation was associated with fewer cough episodes and greater satisfaction, but had a longer induction time with propofol. A low incidence of serious complications was observed in both groups. Dexmedetomidine can be considered a safe and effective sedation option for diagnostic bronchoscopy, offering additional benefits such as reduced cough episodes and increased patient satisfaction. The choice of the sedation method is based on the individual characteristics of the patient and the available resources of the hospital.

Analysis of factors affecting the formation characteristics of carbon dioxide hydrates in pure water system

As the oilfield fully enters the late stage of exploitation, the water content in the oil and gas transportation pipelines is rising. Meanwhile, the high-pressure and low-temperature environment inside the pipeline facilitate the formation of hydrates, which will seriously block the mixing pipeline and cause a series of production safety problems. Therefore, it is necessary to control the risk under the high water content system. In this paper, a high-pressure flow loop device with a viewable window was used to study the formation characteristics of carbon dioxide hydrate in a pure water system, and the effects of the liquid loading, pressure, volume flow rate, and two inhibitors, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and propylene glycol methyl ether (PM), on the induction time of carbon dioxide hydrate formation were investigated. The experimental results showed that the amount of liquid loading, pressure, volume flow rate, and inhibitor had a significant effect on the hydrate induction time. In addition, the ether compounds PM and PVP have inhibitory synergistic effects, which can significantly prolong the hydrate induction time, and the inhibitory synergistic effect is further enhanced with the increase of PM concentration, which further suggests the synergistic inhibition mechanism of the two. Based on the standard regression coefficient method, the factors affecting the induction time were subjected to sensitivity analysis, and it was found that the inhibitor was the most important factor affecting the induction time. Therefore, future research should also focus on finding better performance of inhibitors, synergists and their ratio.

Effect of pretreatment with a small dose of esketamine on sufentanil-induced cough during anesthesia induction: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundSufentanil-induced cough is common during the induction of anesthesia. The objective of this study was to determine whether pretreatment with a small dose of esketamine is effective in treating sufentanil-induced cough.Methods220 patients were screened, and 200 patients who had scheduled elective surgery and were between 18 and 70 years old were randomly divided into two groups. Before sufentanil was administered, esketamine group (group K) was injected with 0.15 mg/kg esketamine at 5 s, and control group (group C) was administered with the same volume. Within 1 min after sufentanil(0.4ug/kg) injection during induction, cough incidence and severity were evaluated. After sufentanil was injected, we recorded its hemodynamic changes and side effects.ResultsIn the esketamine group (group K) and control group (group C), there was an incidence of cough of 5 and 34%, respectively. The esketamine group (group K) had a significantly lower incidence and severity of cough compared to the control group (group C) immediately after sufentanil injection (P < 0.05). MAP and HR did not differ significantly between the two groups during three different times of general anesthesia induction (P > 0.05).ConclusionIn our study, we found that sufentanil-induced cough was significantly reduced by pretreatment with 0.15 mg/kg esketamine, but with no significant changes in the hemodynamic status.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200063821, registered date: 17/09/2022), http://www.chictr.org.cn

SOS genes are rapidly induced while translesion synthesis polymerase activity is temporally regulated.

The DNA damage inducible SOS response in bacteria serves to increase survival of the species at the cost of mutagenesis. The SOS response first initiates error-free repair followed by error-prone repair. Here, we have employed a multi-omics approach to elucidate the temporal coordination of the SOS response. Escherichia coli was grown in batch cultivation in bioreactors to ensure highly controlled conditions, and a low dose of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin was used to activate the SOS response while avoiding extensive cell death. Our results show that expression of genes involved in error-free and error-prone repair were both induced shortly after DNA damage, thus, challenging the established perception that the expression of error-prone repair genes is delayed. By combining transcriptomics and a sub-proteomics approach termed signalomics, we found that the temporal segregation of error-free and error-prone repair is primarily regulated after transcription, supporting the current literature. Furthermore, the heterology index (i.e., the binding affinity of LexA to the SOS box) was correlated to the maximum increase in gene expression and not to the time of induction of SOS genes. Finally, quantification of metabolites revealed increasing pyrimidine pools as a late feature of the SOS response. Our results elucidate how the SOS response is coordinated, showing a rapid transcriptional response and temporal regulation of mutagenesis on the protein and metabolite levels.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and death receptor-mediated apoptosis in the neuronal differentiation of adult adipose-derived stromal cells

Apoptosis is the primary cause of cell death in the differentiation of Adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) into neurons. However, the relationship between endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and death receptor-mediated apoptosis in ADSC-induced neuronal differentiation is not clear. ADSCs were isolated and induced to differentiate into neurons using β-mercaptoethanol. The expression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), GRP94, CHOP, Fas/FasL, TNFR1/TNF-α, DR5/TRAIL, Caspase8, and Caspase3 in ADSCs was examined using immunocytochemistry and Western blotting before induction, during pre-induction, and after induction. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe changes in the morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and the MTT assay was employed to measure cell viability in the uninduced and induced groups. Additionally, the number of apoptotic cells during the induction process was measured using flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI. With increasing induction time, the positive expression rates of CHOP, Fas/FasL, Caspase8, Caspase-3, and NSE gradually increased, while the positive expression rate of GRP94 decreased. TNFR1/TNF-α and DR5/TRAIL peaked at 5 h post-induction and then decreased at 8 h. TEM revealed swelling and expansion of the ER, vacuolar changes, and degranulation in cells. The MTT assay showed a gradual decrease in the absorbance of surviving cells in all groups. Flow cytometry indicated an increasing rate of apoptosis in cells. Therefore, ERS in the normal culture and growth of ADSCs, manifesting as enhanced unfolded protein response (UPR), maintains the normal survival of ADSCs. However, in the process of ADSC-induced differentiation into neurons, ERS and death receptor-mediated apoptosis are significant causes of cell death.

Anatomical, chemical and endophytic fungal diversity of a Qi-Nan clone of Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Spreng with different induction times.

Recently, some new Qi-Nan clones of Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Spreng which intensively produces high-quality agarwood have been identified and propagated through grafting techniques. Previous studies have primarily focused on ordinary A. sinensis and the differences in composition when compared to Qi-Nan and ordinary A. sinensis. There are few studies on the formation mechanism of Qi-Nan agarwood and the dynamic changes in components and endophytic fungi during the induction process. In this paper, the characteristics, chemical composition, and changes in endophytic fungi of Qi-Nan agarwood induced after 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were studied, and Qi-Nan white wood was used as the control. The results showed that the yield of Qi-Nan agarwood continued to increase with the induction time over a period of 3 years, while the content of alcohol extract from Qi-Nan agarwood reached its peak at two years. During the formation of agarwood, starch and soluble sugars in xylem rays and interxylary phloem are consumed and reduced. Most of the oily substances in agarwood were filled in xylem ray cells and interxylary phloem, and a small amount was filled in xylem vessels. The main components of Qi-Nan agarwood are also chromones and sesquiterpenes. With an increasing induction time, the content of sesquiterpenes increased, while the content of chromones decreased. The most abundant chromones in Qi-Nan agarwood were 2-(2-Phenethyl) chromone, 2-[2-(3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl) ethyl] chromone, and2-[2-(4-Methoxyphenyl) ethyl] chromone. Significant differences were observed in the species of the endophytic fungi found in Qi-Nan agarwood at different induction times. A total of 4 phyla, 73 orders, and 448 genera were found in Qi-Nan agarwood dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Different induction times had a significant effect on the diversity of the endophytic fungal community in Qi-Nan. After the induction of agarwood formation, the diversity of Qi-Nan endophytic fungi decreased. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between endophytic fungi and the yield, alcohol extract content, sesquiterpene content, and chromone content of Qi-Nan agarwood, which indicated that endophytic fungi play a role in promoting the formation of Qi-Nan agarwood. Qi-Nan agarwood produced at different induction times exhibited strong antioxidant capacity. DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reactive oxygen species clearance activity were significantly positively correlated with the content of sesquiterpenes and chromones in Qi-Nan agarwood.

Acute stress does not modulate selective attention in a composite letter task

Acute stress has been demonstrated to affect a diverse array of attentional processes, one of which is selective attention. Selective attention refers to the cognitive process of deliberately allocating attentional resources to a specific stimulus, while ignoring other, distracting stimuli. While catecholamines have been shown to narrow attention, investigations on the influence of the stress hormone cortisol have yielded ambiguous results. We conducted two separate studies utilizing different laboratory stress induction paradigms to examine if cortisol influences the ability to selectively attend to local or global elements of a visual stimulus. In Study 1, 72 healthy young men took part either in the stressful Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) or a non-stressful (warm water) control, before being exposed to a composite letter task (CLT). Study 2 comprised a sample of 72 healthy young men and women and made use of a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) as well as a non-stressful control version, the friendly-TSST (f-TSST). Via endocrine, physiological, and subjective markers, we confirmed a successful stress induction. As verified with Bayesian statistics, stress did not affect selective attention in neither of the two studies. Furthermore, we were able to replicate the previously demonstrated absence of global precedence for composite figures composed of letters. Our results offer novel insights into the temporal dynamics of the effects of acute stress on attentional processes. Future studies should manipulate the timing of stress induction and investigate the effects of stress on letter vs. non-letter composite figures to shed further light on the underlying mechanisms.

A retrospective study on the immobilisation of five captive primate species at Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre, Uganda

AbstractThis retrospective study examined data from 108 primates consisting of 41 olive baboons (Papio anubis), 30 colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza), six debrazza monkeys (Cercopithecus neglectus), 26 red‐tailed monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius), and five ruwenzori colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii). These primates underwent annual health assessments, involving the administration of an initial intramuscular dose ketamine (5 mg/kg) plus medetomidine (0.05 mg/kg). Additional intramuscular top‐ups of ketamine (5 mg/kg) plus medetomidine (0.05 mg/kg) were given as needed. Monitoring started when the animals were placed on the examination table in dorsal recumbency and continued until their return to the enclosures. During this period, various physiological parameters, such as heart rate (beats per minute), respiration rate (breaths per minute), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2, %) and rectal temperature (°C), were recorded at random intervals. To reverse immobilisation, atipamezole was administered intramuscularly at five times the medetomidine dose. Additionally, the study measured various induction and recovery times.

Oily Bubble Flotation of Coal Macerals of Shendong Jurassic Coal

The comprehensive quality enhancement and grading of coal are crucial methods for unlocking the high value-added and low-carbon utilization of coal resources. In this work, the influence of oily bubbles on the flotation of Shendong Jurassic vitrinite-rich coal and inertinite-rich coal was studied via flotation tests, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle detection, and induction time measurements. FT-IR and XPS analyses demonstrated that the surface of inertinite-rich coal contains more hydrophilic oxygen-containing functional groups. Contact angle and induction time measurements showed that the vitrinite-rich coal is more hydrophobic than inertinite-rich coal, and that for both air and oily bubbles, the induction time on the surface of vitrinite-rich coal is shorter than that on the surface of inertinite-rich coal. In addition, rather remarkably, the induction times for both vitrinite-rich coal and inertinite-rich coal are significantly reduced by oily bubbles. Finally, a better flotation performance for oily bubble flotation of vitrinite-rich coal and inertinite-rich coal was found. It appears that oily bubble flotation is an efficient method for enhancing the recovery of vitrinite-rich coal and inertinite-rich coal.

Edible flowers efficiency to boost the thermal oxidation stability of soybean oil: Polyphenolic and antioxidant insights

Indigenous people in Bangladesh's Chittagong hill regions use Curcuma longa and Zingiber officinale flowers in their traditional meals due to their vibrant color, exquisite flavor, and fragrant perfume. The induction time of soybean oil enriched with the ethanolic extract of the flower of Curcuma longa (CFE), Zingiber officinale (ZFE), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was compared to determine the effect on oxidation stability. The study also measured bioactive polyphenolic components, total flavonoid (TFC), total tannin (TTC), total phenolic (TPC), total antioxidant activity (TAA), and IC50 values of ZFE and CFE. The induction time was shorter for both 5 % of CFE (6.97 h) and ZFE (6.85 h) than 0.02 % BHT (7.18 h) but longer than 0.01 % BHT (6.49 h). TPC in CFE (37.57 mg GAE/g) was higher than in ZFE (26.14 mg GAE/g). TAA and IC50 values were not significantly different. TFC in ZFE (28.8 mg QE/g) was higher than in CFE (27.63 mg QE/g). The major polyphenols of CFE and ZFE were trans-cinnamic acid (12,209 and 678 μg/g); catechin hydrate (1758 and 1821 μg/g); p-coumaric acid (1186 and 126 μg/g); and quercetin (1309 and 1773 μg/g), respectively. This study demonstrated that antioxidants in flower extract improve fat and oil oxidation stability.

Efficacy of sodium bicarbonate (Baking soda) and clove powder (Syzygium aromaticum) as anaesthetic agents for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, linnaeus 1758) juveniles

ABSTRACT Anaesthetics in aquaculture serve as a stress avoidance mechanism, mitigating stress-related impacts during fish handling and transportation. This study assessed the efficacy of sodium bicarbonate and clove stem powder as anaesthetic agents for Nile Tilapia juveniles. Four hundred and twenty uniform O. niloticus juveniles (5 ± 0.5 g, 74 ± 5 mm) were exposed to varying concentrations of sodium bicarbonate (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 g/L) and clove stem powder (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 g/L) in 20 L transparent plastic tanks. The results showed an inverse relationship between anaesthetic concentration and induction time, a direct relationship with recovery time, and an inverse correlation between induction and recovery times for both agents (P < 0.001). The Appropriate concentrations were determined as 25 g/L for sodium bicarbonate and 10 g/L for clove stem powder. At these levels, induction and recovery times met ideal criteria (3-5 min induction, 5-10 min recovery), with fish exhibiting normal behavior and 100% survival after a week of monitoring.

Ultra-rapid formation of mixed H2/DIOX/THF hydrate under low driving force: Important insight for hydrate-based hydrogen storage

Hydrate was considered to be the next generation hydrogen storage material, and hydrate-based hydrogen storage (HBHS) would play an important role in future hydrogen economy, but sluggish hydrate formation kinetics presents huge technological challenge for its application. Herein, a nano promoter of -SO3−@PSNS was prepared by soap-free emulsion polymerization, and a dual kinetic promoter system (L-methionine/-SO3−@PSNS) was applied to enhance the formation kinetics of mixed H2/DIOX hydrate. At a moderate condition (12 MPa and 274.15 K), hydration efficiency under a driving force of 2.1 MPa is significantly enhanced by the synergy of the dual kinetic promoters, hydrate induction time reduces from 443.2 ± 209.73 min to 24.7 ± 17.16 min, while hydrate growth rate increases by 43.75%, and hydrogen storage capacity is up to 0.473 ± 0.041 wt% that increases by 62.8%. At a more moderate condition (10 MPa and 274.15 K) with an extremely low driving force of 0.1 MPa, enhanced hydrate formation was obtained in a composite promotion system of the dual kinetic promoters and dual thermodynamic promoters (THF/DIOX), which also performs exceptionally in term of recycling. The presence of a small amount (0.35 mol%) of THF reduces the induction time by 93.5%, and hydrate growth rate increases by 130.18%, while satisfactory hydrogen storage capacity (0.346 ± 0.017 g/g) is still remained in mixed H2/DIOX/THF hydrate, the structure of which was confirmed by Raman spectrum. This work presents an effect approach on enhancing the formation kinetics of H2-contained hydrate under low driving force, and this finding provides important insight for HBHS.

Expression and functional analysis of a recombinant aquaporin Z from Antarctic Pseudomonas sp. AMS3.

Aquaporin (AQP) is a water channel protein from the family of transmembrane proteins which facilitates the movement of water across the cell membrane. It is ubiquitous in nature, however the understanding of the water transport mechanism, especially for AQPs in microbes adapted to low temperatures, remains limited. AQP also has been recognized for its ability to be used for water filtration, but knowledge of the biochemical features necessary for its potential applications in industrial processes has been lacking. Therefore, this research was conducted to express, extract, solubilize, purify, and study the functional adaptations of the aquaporin Z family from Pseudomonas sp. AMS3 via molecular approaches. In this study, AqpZ1 AMS3 was successfully subcloned and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) as a recombinant protein. The AqpZ1 AMS3 gene was expressed under optimized conditions and the best optimized condition for the AQP was in 0.5 mM IPTG incubated at 25°C for 20 h induction time. A zwitterionic mild detergent [(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate was the suitable surfactant for the protein solubilization. The protein was then purified via affinity chromatography. Liposome and proteoliposome was reconstituted to determine the particle size using dynamic light scattering. This information obtained from this psychrophilic AQP identified provides new insights into the structural adaptation of this protein at low temperatures and could be useful for low temperature application and molecular engineering purposes in the future.

Efficacy and safety of esketamine combined with propofol for curative endoscopic resection in colorectum: a prospective, randomized controlled trial

BackgroundCurative endoscopic resection is widely used to treat colonic polyps and early stage cancers. The anesthetic strategy commonly involves the use of propofol combined with a small dose of opioids for sedation. Adverse respiratory or cardiovascular events such as hypotension often occur when attempting to achieve the necessary level of sedation. Several studies have suggested its advantages owing to the anesthetic, analgesic, and sympathomimetic properties of esketamine. However, there are no reports on curative colorectal endoscopic resection. We designed this randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of esketamine combined with propofol for sedation in patients undergoing curative colorectal endoscopic resection.MethodsA total of 166 patients who underwent curative colorectal endoscopic resection were randomly assigned to groups A (propofol + fentanyl) or E (propofol + esketamine). Ideal sedation was assessed using the MOAA/S scale and was achieved using TCI-propofol with different doses of fentanyl and esketamine. The propofol consumption and vasoactive drug dosages were recorded. Sedation-related times, adverse events, and satisfaction were recorded.ResultsOf the 160 patients, the total propofol consumption was significantly lower in group E (n = 81) (300 mg) than in group A (n = 79) (350 mg). Hypotension and bradycardia were significantly lower in Group E than in Group A. The groups showed no significant differences in other adverse events, induction time, recovery time, or patient or endoscopist satisfaction.ConclusionCompared to fentanyl, esketamine helps decrease propofol consumption and increases cardiovascular stability during curative colorectal endoscopic resection in American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I–III patients without affecting anesthesia, patient and endoscopist satisfaction, or other adverse events.Trial registrationThe study was retrospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn; registration number: ChiCTR2300069014 on 03/03/2023).

Immunophenotypic characterization of leukemic stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia using single tube 10-colour panel by multiparametric flow cytometry: Deciphering the spectrum, complexity and immunophenotypic heterogeneity.

Despite extensive research, comprehensive characterization of leukaemic stem cells (LSC) and information on their immunophenotypic differences from normal haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) is lacking. Herein, we attempted to unravel the immunophenotypic (IPT) characteristics and heterogeneity of LSC using multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) and single-cell sequencing. Bone marrow aspirate samples from patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) were evaluated using MFC at diagnostic and post induction time points using a single tube-10-colour-panel containing LSC-associated antibodies CD123, CD45RA, CD44, CD33 and COMPOSITE (CLL-1, TIM-3, CD25, CD11b, CD22, CD7, CD56) with backbone markers that is, CD45, CD34, CD38, CD117, sCD3. Single-cell sequencing of the whole transcriptome was also done in a bone marrow sample. LSCs and HSCs were identified in 225/255 (88.2%) and 183/255 (71.6%) samples, respectively. Significantly higher expression was noted for COMPOSITE, CD45RA, CD123, CD33, and CD44 in LSCs than HSCs (p < 0.0001). On comparing the LSC specific antigen expressions between CD34+ (n = 184) and CD34- LSCs (n = 41), no difference was observed between the groups. More than one sub-population of LSC was demonstrated in 4.4% of cases, which further revealed high concordance between MFC and single cell transcriptomic analysis in one of the cases displaying three LSC subpopulations by both methods. A single tube-10-colour MFC panel is proposed as an easy and reproducible tool to identify and discriminate LSCs from HSCs. LSCs display both inter- and intra-sample heterogeneity in terms of antigen expressions, which opens the facets for single cell molecular analysis to elucidate the role of subpopulations of LSCs in AML progression.