Search Results (299)

Background/Objectives: Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune peripheral neuropathy that affects both the myelin sheaths and axons of the peripheral nervous system. It is the leading cause of acute neuromuscular paralysis worldwide, with an annual incidence of less than two cases per 100,000 people. Although most patients recover, a small proportion do not regain mobility and even remain dependent on mechanical ventilation. In this study, we refer to the analysis of samples collected from GBS patients at different defined time points during hospital recovery and performed by a medical or research group. Methods: The conditions for whole blood collection, peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolation, and serum collection from GBS patients and volunteer donors are explained. Aliquots of these human samples have been used for red blood cell phenotyping, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, and serum biochemical parameter studies. Results: The initial sporadic preservation of human samples from GBS patients and control volunteers enabled the creation of a biobank collection for current and future studies related to the diagnosis and treatment of GBS. Conclusions: In this article, we describe the laboratory procedures and the integration of a GBS biobank collection, local medical services, and academic institutions collaborating in its respective field. The report establishes the intra-disciplinary and inter-institutional network to conduct long-term longitudinal studies on GBS. Full article

With increasing popularity of food delivery services, the microbial safety of transported meals should be ensured. An effect of the type of a meal (cooked rice; mashed potatoes; mushroom sauce), inner primary packaging (sugarcane bagasse [SB] tray; polypropylene [PP] tray), secondary container (polyester/polyethylene foam/aluminum foil [PPA] bag; PP box) on the time interval of the internal hot ready-to-eat (RTE) meal temperature decrease to the value critical for Bacillus cereus growth (40 °C) was tested during a simulated delivery; in aliquot samples of the same meals, B. cereus growth was quantified presuming a natural contamination of the meals. Type of a meal had no effect on the tested time interval (p > 0.05). Packaging a meal in the PP tray as compared to the SB tray and inserting primary trays into the PP box instead of PPA bag delayed (p < 0.05) the internal meal temperature decrease by 50 and 15 min, respectively. Average B. cereus counts in the naturally contaminated meals after the four-hour culturing at 40 °C was 2.99 log CFU·g⁻¹. It was concluded that a hot RTE meal delivered up to four hours under the tested conditions is not likely to facilitate B. cereus growth above unacceptable levels. Full article

Tonsil oral scrubbing (TOSc) is a simple and practical method recently developed for detecting PRRSV RNA in sows. This study evaluated how pooling and freeze-thaw procedures affect PRRSV RT-rtPCR results in TOSc samples. To assess pooling effects, 22 PRRSV-positive samples were divided into three Ct categories and diluted with negative TOSc samples at various ratios before testing. To assess freeze-thaw effects, 90 TOSc samples were split into two equal aliquots: one tested immediately, and the other tested after one freeze-thaw cycle. Results showed that PRRSV RNA detection probability decreased and Ct values increased as dilution (pooling) ratios rose. Samples with Ct values > 35 had significant drops in probability of detection beginning at a 1:3 dilution (≤71%). In contrast, samples with Ct values <35 maintained a high probability of detection until 1:10 dilution (≥85%). The freeze-thawed samples showed significantly higher Ct values and numerically lower probability of detection compared to non-freeze-thawed ones. In conclusion, pooling and freeze-thaw negatively impact PRRSV RNA detection in TOSc samples. Pooling may be acceptable for samples with a Ct value < 35 for up to 1:10 dilution, but should be avoided when the Ct value > 35. Similarly, the freeze-thaw process should be minimized during TOSc sample handling. Full article

A study was carried out with a representative data set of volcanic lakes from the Azores archipelago. A total of 672 samples were collected during four field surveys conducted over the year and along the depth. Following water sampling, temperature, pH, and EC were measured, the dissolved CO₂ and alkalinity were determined by titration, and aliquots were taken to perform analysis of major, minor and trace elements, as well as ¹⁸O/¹⁶O, ²H/¹H and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotopic ratios. Waters are of meteoric origin and from the Na-HCO₃ to Na-Cl types. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ranges between 0.709194 and 0.704294, and most of the lakes depict less radiogenic values than seawater, suggesting a potential contribution from rock dissolution. Along the reciprocal of the Sr vs. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr plot, most samples suggest a linear trend between rock values and rainwater. Samples display considerable variability in the ∑REE, ranging from 0.83 µg L⁻¹ to 13.54 µg L⁻¹, and when chondrite normalized, depict a negative slope, showing an enrichment in light REEs compared to heavy REEs. This pattern is consistent with the one from Azores rocks and bottom sediments from some lakes, and most lakes depict Eu anomalies, resulting from interaction between water and sediments or from incongruent mineral dissolution. Full article

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs) are emerging solvents for their yield when used for extraction of different molecules, including polyphenols. NaDESs are a cutting-edge technology that offers numerous advantages, including cheap cost, safety, effectiveness and environmental friendliness. However, due to NaDES’ high boiling point, the recovery and separation of compounds after the extraction is the bottleneck of the process. In this work, two affordable methods were tested for the recovery of phenolic compounds from three binary NaDESs (composed of choline chloride mixed separately with lactic acid, tartaric acid or glycerol as hydrogen bond donors): the antisolvent and the liquid–liquid extraction methods. The former was assessed by diluting the extracts with different aliquots of water, employed as antisolvent, which was ineffective. For the liquid–liquid extraction method, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), acetonitrile (ACN), 2-chlorobutane (2-CB) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) were compared. Except for ACN, all solvents were perfectly immiscible with the three NaDESs, forming biphasic systems that were analyzed by colorimetric assays and HPLC/MS. 2-MeTHF applied on a 10-fold water dilution of the NaDES extract reached recovery percentages higher than 90% for most of the non-anthocyanin phenols and good recovery (up to 80%) for some anthocyanins. 2-MeTHF appears to be the first known solvent capable of extracting anthocyanins from NaDESs. Finally, a two-step liquid–liquid extraction performed firstly with EtOAc and subsequently with 2-MeTHF is proposed for the separation of different phenolic fractions. Full article

Oxidative stress (OS) contributes to poor sperm parameters and increased sperm DNA fragmentation (sDF), yet effective therapeutic strategies remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of pentoxifylline (PTX) in improving sperm motility and reducing OS and sDF in men with isolated asthenozoospermia. Thirty semen samples from patients with asthenozoospermia were processed using density gradient centrifugation. Each sample was divided into two aliquots: one treated with PTX at a dose of 3.6 mM and the other without PTX treatment. The sperm viability and motility were assessed at 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, and 24 h post-treatment. OS was evaluated using nitro blue tetrazolium staining and a chemiluminescence assay. sDF was assessed using the alkaline Comet assay. The sperm samples treated with PTX, compared to the controls, exhibited a significant increase in total sperm motility (71.8 ± 23.03% versus 47.47 ± 4.88%, respectively; p < 0.0001). However, no significant difference was observed in the sperm viability. PTX treatment significantly reduced ROS production and sDF levels compared to controls (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that in vitro PTX supplementation enhances sperm motility and reduces the nuclear sperm injury associated with seminal ROS production. Therefore, PTX supplementation in vitro may be beneficial in assisted reproductive technology procedures involving men with asthenozoospermia. Full article

This study evaluated the relationship between the microstructure, photoluminescence, and photocatalytic properties of newly synthesized nanostructured phosphor materials. The combustion method was used to create samples of down-converting SrGd₂O₄ doped with Dy³⁺ ions (1, and 7 at%) and up-converting SrGd₂O₄ co-doped with varying quantities of Yb³⁺ ions (2, and 6 at%) and a constant quantity of Ho³⁺ ions (1 at%). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the existence of porous agglomerated round-shaped particles, with the size around 150 nm, arranged in network-like structures. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the presence of all structural elements and their homogeneous distribution throughout the particles. The presence of specific emission peaks associated with Dy³⁺ or Ho³⁺ dopant ions was demonstrated by luminescent measurement. The degradation processes of specific organic dyes (methylene blue for up-converters and rhodamine B for down-converters) under simulated sun irradiation were used to investigate photocatalytic activity. A reduction in dye concentration in aqueous solutions was measured using UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy. The results showed a successful dye breakdown rate after 4 h, and aliquots of the working solutions were obtained at precise intervals. Additionally, the results indicated that samples with the highest luminescence intensity exhibited superior photocatalytic activity, suggesting a significant promise for usage as multifunctional materials. Full article

Background/Objectives: I Paliperidone is an antipsychotic recently added into the market in various formulations. There are few data about safety and on therapeutic, toxic, or lethal blood concentrations. Currently, the published analytical methods are often applied to serum or plasma that are not obtained from cadaveric blood. Alternatively, aliquots of high volume of whole blood are used, but often in forensic investigations using samples at very small quantities. The aims of the present study were (a) to develop an analytical method to detect and quantify paliperidone in whole blood using only a small sample volume (10 µL) and (b) to summarize data on post-mortem blood analysis obtained from authentic autopsy cases. Methods: Method validation was carried out on 10 µL of whole blood, extracted by LLE and analyzed by LC-MS. Paliperidone concentrations obtained from blood analysis of 16 authentic autopsy cases were reported. Results: The method showed a good linearity and sensitivity, a normal distribution, the absence of anomalous values, an interday RSD% always less than 10%, and an 80–120% recovery, as required by AAFS guidelines. Femoral blood concentrations obtained from authentic autopsy cases ranged between 23.4 and 146.9 ng/mL. Conclusions: This method is to be used properly in all cases where it is necessary (a) to monitor the therapeutic adherence of patients, (b) to establish the psycho-physical conditions of the treated subject at the time of the death, and (c) to ascertain if the drug may have played a causal role in the obitus. This study reported the first data obtained from post-mortem investigation of subjects treated with paliperidone LAI. Cadaveric blood concentrations could be higher than ante-mortem reference values due to post-mortem redistribution. Full article

Toxins produced by cyanobacteria are a threat to drinking water and the aquatic ecosystem. Previously, we reported that adding glucose to lake water could reduce cyanobacterial populations. To target the glucose to the euphotic zone, floating HABS-BLOCKS© infused with glucose were created. On 12 June 2024, 24 L of bloom lake water was collected, and then 6 L was aliquoted into each of four 7 L mesocosms. Two HABS-BLOCKS© were added to each of two replicate treatment mesocosms, while two “Dummy” HABS-BLOCKS© (same but without glucose) were added to each of two control mesocosms. Cyanobacteria cell densities and microcystin concentrations were measured weekly. Total nitrogen and phosphorus and other water quality variables including dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity, and turbidity were measured at the end of the six-week experiment. Initially, Microcystis was measured at 2.4 × 10³ cells/mL and Planktothrix at 5.0 × 10² cells/mL. After 6 weeks, both the Microcystis and Planktothrix population were significantly lower in the treated mesocosms compared to the controls. The initial microcystin concentration averaged 10.4 µg/L. By the third week of the experiment, the microcystin concentration was about 70% lower in the treated mesocosms. Total nitrogen was also lower in the HABS-BLOCKS©-treated mesocosm, but the other water quality measures were similar between the control and treated mesocosms. HABS-BLOCKS© appeared to reduce cyanobacterial cell densities, lower toxin concentrations, and lower total nitrogen while not having negative impacts on other water quality measures. Although much remains to be learned, this technology may someday be useful in suppressing HABS. Full article

The paper considers the problem of interaction between robots with parallel and serial structures that are part of a robotic system for aliquoting biomaterials. An approach to selecting the relative position and limiting the ranges of movement of manipulators working nearby to avoid collisions is presented. The elimination of collisions is ensured by the absence of intersections between work safety zones (a 3D space within which all manipulator links can be located for a given range of robot positions). Universal algorithms for determining work safety zones were developed, including for an individual manipulator and taking into account the work safety zone of the manipulator installed nearby and other obstacles. An analysis of the workspace and safety zones was performed, taking into account both individual limitations and limitations associated with collaboration within the system. The issue of adapting control algorithms of the robotic system to external disturbances in order to minimize the time spent on executing a given trajectory was addressed. In particular, the meeting point (interaction) of robots solving the problem of biomaterial aliquotation was optimized depending on the workload level of each robot. Experiments were carried out to verify the developed approaches. Full article

The dichotomy of striking a balance between sustainable food crop production for the skyrocketing human population and ensuring agricultural practices that mitigate environmental degradation has prompted much research into sustainable crop production methods. The application of amendments has become an integral part of arable soil management in restoring declining soil fertility for sustainable and high-quality crop production. This study was conducted on lettuce and carrot cultivated on soil treated with three different amendments: cow dung, sewage sludge, and nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium (NPK) mineral fertilizer. The vegetables were harvested at maturity at 60 and 110 days for lettuce and carrot, respectively, dried in a hot air oven, crushed, and then digested to obtain an aliquot sample. The level of macronutrients was quantified from the aliquots using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), Avio 550 Max, PerkinElmer, USA. It was observed that both soil treatment and types of vegetables significantly impacted the level of mineral contents in the vegetables. The highest values of 58.00 ± 8.36 mg/kg and 72.97 ± 12.53 mg/kg were recorded for Na and P in carrots from soil treated with sewage sludge, respectively. The highest values of 247.97 ± 17.07 mg/kg and 104.72 ± 4.12 mg/kg were recorded for Ca and Mg in lettuce from sewage sludge-treated soil, respectively. Similarly, the highest value of 546.75 ± 76.44 mg/kg for K was also recorded in lettuce, but from cow dung-treated soil. The overall pattern of mineral accumulation by vegetables shows that carrots accumulate more Na than lettuce, and lettuce accumulates more Mg, Ca, and K than carrots, while there was no significant difference in the level of P in both lettuce and carrots. The findings reveal that lettuce and carrots from soil treated with organic manure cow dung and sewage sludge accumulated higher mineral contents of most of the investigated minerals. It was also observed that lettuce accumulated higher contents of most of the minerals investigated. This study therefore concludes that organic manures are better alternatives to mineral fertilizers for vegetable production, which supports the effort to strike a balance between sustainable and ecofriendly agriculture. Full article

Background/Objectives: Alternatives to antibiotics in semen extenders used for pig breeding are needed. Cold storage of boar semen is possible in certain extenders; however, bacteria can still survive. Colloid centrifugation can remove bacteria; therefore, a combination of colloid centrifugation and cold storage on the bacterial load and sperm quality of boar semen was investigated. Results: The sperm quality in the original samples were similar in samples with and without antibiotics, respectively. At Day 4, the bacterial count was not different between controls stored at 17 °C with antibiotics and SLC cold-stored samples without antibiotics. The proportion of dead sperm increased in controls at 16–18 °C (28.12 ± 21.72% vs. 32.88 ± 20.94%; p < 0.05), and DNA fragmentation increased from 1.5 ± 1.02% at Day 0 to 6.1 ± 3.64% at Day 4 (p < 0.01), whereas it did not deteriorate in the cold-stored samples (Day 4: %DFI 2.00 ± 1.65% and 1.90 ± 1.05% for SLC samples with and without antibiotics, respectively). Methods: Aliquots of boar ejaculates were extended in Androstar Premium with and without antibiotics. The samples without antibiotics were processed by Single Layer Centrifugation (SLC) through Porcicoll; sperm pellets were resuspended in AndroStar Premium, with or without antibiotics, cooled slowly, and stored for 4 days at 4 °C. Controls (aliquots extended in AndroStar Premium with antibiotics) were stored at 17 °C. The bacterial load and sperm quality were assessed in the original samples and after 4 days of storage. Conclusions: Single Layer Centrifugation combined with cold storage is an effective method for reducing the bacterial load in boar semen, with or without antibiotics. Full article

Background/Objectives: Post-translationally modified peptide fragments of fetuin-A (FetA) were identified as a potential biomarker of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). An independent association between urinary FetA-derived peptide levels (uPTM3-FetA) and DKD progression in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) was evidenced. This study aimed to explore uPTM3-FetA excretion and its associations with insulin resistance, inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and the normal albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) > 60 mL/min/1.73 m². Methods: uPTM3-FetA levels in aliquots of 24 h urine specimens, routine laboratory renal, metabolic and inflammatory tests, adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, resistin), and insulin resistance, assessed as the estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), were measured in a cohort of 169 adult T1D patients. To evaluate the changes in early renal dysfunction, the cohort was divided according to the median eGFR. Above- and below-median-eGFR groups were considered as having normal and declining kidney function, respectively. Results: The median (IQR) uPTM3-FetA level was 11.7 (8.43–16.65 µg/24 h), with no significant difference between males and females, as well as normal and declining kidney function patients. However, a sex-specific analysis revealed a significantly higher uPTM3-FetA excretion in male T1D patients with lower eGFRs, when compared to those with higher eGFRs, whereas no such difference was observed in female patients. BMI, hs-CRP, resistin and HDL-cholesterol were identified as independent predictors of uPTM3-FetA excretion. Conclusions: Our results implicate the potential role of uPTM3-FetA in the detection of an early renal dysfunction in male patients with T1DM and pinpoint the importance of a sex-specific approach in diabetes diagnostics and research. Full article

Laser ablation combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the analysis of trace elements in specially prepared glass beads is adapted to silicate rocks of unusual compositions. The modified technique is applied to standard samples and garnet-rich combustion metamorphic rocks (paralavas) from the Hatrurim Formation, Israel. Thirty-two to thirty-five minor and trace elements, including high field strength elements, rare earth elements and Y, are determined in 5–8 mg powder aliquots of samples with large ranges of major-, minor-, and trace-element contents. As the first step of the study, the composition of the NIST SRM 612, BCR-2, and AGV-2 reference materials is analyzed to assess the accuracy and precision of analytical data. The results for standard samples agree well with the compiled estimates (3.5 to 12.4% relative standard deviation) for all elements except Cu (18.1%). The following step is to analyze, with the same procedure, the glass beads of paralava, which are remarkable due to their high trace-element loading. Good agreement (70%–100%) with the compositions determined previously by aqueous nebulizer mode ICP-MS confirms that the method is a promising tool for the rapid and precise analysis of compositionally complex materials available in small amounts. Full article

This study investigated the influence of parameters such as pH condition, polyelectrolyte concentration, polymer ratio, and order of addition of the commercial polyelectrolytes chitosan and iota-carrageenan (ι-carrageenan) on the formation of polymeric nanoparticles in suspension (coacervates). A preliminary purification step of the polymers was essential for obtaining stable nanoparticles with small sizes as impurities, particularly metal ions that interfere with complexation, are removed by dialysis. Microparticles (13.5 μm in dry diameter) are obtained when aliquots of chitosan solution are poured into the ι-carrageenan solution. In general, an excess of chitosan results in the formation of agglomerated particles. The addition of an aliquot of ι-carrageenan solution (30 mL at 0.6 mg/mL and pH 4.0) to the chitosan solution (6.0 mL at 0.3 mg/mL and pH 4.0) leads to dispersed nanoparticles with a hydrodynamic radius of 278 ± 5 nm, a zeta potential of −31 ± 3 mV, and an average dry diameter of 45 ± 11 nm. The hydrodynamic radius increases as the pH rises. The partial deprotonation of ι-carrageenan chains enhances the interaction with water molecules, causing the particles to swell. These findings contribute to the fundamental understanding of polyelectrolyte complexation processes in aqueous suspension and provide insights for developing stable nanomaterials for potential practical applications. Full article