Tag: pubmed

J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2022 Feb 10;212:114658. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.114658. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The fatty acid composition is a parameter that determines the quality and origin of vegetable oils. The standard method used in the analysis of fatty acid composition is gas chromatography (GC). In the last 20 years, however, the ¹H NMR method has become more important in the analysis of fatty acids. Thanks to no need of special sample preparation, the high speed of analysis and the possibility to automate the process of analysis, ¹H NMR is becoming a popular method of testing vegetable oils. It is possible to test oils both qualitatively and quantitatively, taking into account both the fatty acid profile and the level of minor components. In combination with statistical and chemometric methods, the analysis of ¹H NMR spectra allows one to obtain much valuable information about the tested oil, considering its composition, quality, the presence of impurities, or the origin. The paper presents an overview of publications focusing on the application of the ¹H NMR method in the profiling of fatty acids in vegetable oils.

PMID:35168124 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpba.2022.114658

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2022 Feb 4;272:120980. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.120980. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Using the proper size of nanoparticles as an active substrate, Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can provide a reliable technique for detecting and identifying fungi, including Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium verticilliodes, and Aspergillus parasiticus that have been associated to biodeterioration and biodegradation of cultural heritage materials. In this research spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of average size of 10, 30 and 60 nm were synthesized using the wet chemical method with good yield and their size and shape distributions were examined using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The protocol for fungi sample preparation proved to be critical for producing high-quality and reproducible SERS spectra. We found that the effect of AgNPs on SERS signal enhancement is size dependent under the same experimental conditions; the SERS intensity of fungal strains using 60 nm achieved up to 2.3×10⁵ enhancement, about twice as intense as those produced with 30 nm, and 10 nm produced a minor broad weak peak barely discernible around 1400 cm^-1, similar to the NR spectra profile in the 550-1700 cm^-1 spectral region, and the SERS signals using 60 nm showed high reproducibility, with less than 20% variance. Furthermore, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to statistically classify the SERS spectrum into four separate clusters with 99 percent variability so that the four fungal strains could be clearly detected and identified. The SERS technique, in combination with the PCA developed in this study, provides a simple, rapid, accurate, and cost-effective analytical tool for detecting and identifying filamentous fungal strains.

PMID:35168033 | DOI:10.1016/j.saa.2022.120980

J Contam Hydrol. 2022 Feb 2;246:103963. doi: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.103963. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The excessive application of agricultural irrigation water and chemical fertilizer has increased crop yields to help meet the demand for food, but it has also led to major water environment problem, i.e. non-point source (NPS) pollution, which needs to be addressed to achieve sustainable development targets. Although numerous studies have focused on the control and reduction of agricultural NPS pollution from the perspective of irrigation and fertilizer, the effects of different cropping systems on NPS pollution (ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N)) in the Dongjiang River Basin (DRB) were seldom assessed. Specifically, variation in the NH₃-N load was simulated and analyzed at the annual and semi-annual scales under ten different cropping systems using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, which was calibrated and validated with satisfactory statistical index values in the DRB. The results indicated that the NH₃-N load decreased, distinctly increased, slightly decreased when sweet potato, peanut, and rice were planted, respectively. Compared with mono-cropping, crop rotation could reduce the NH₃-N load, and the planting sequence of crops could affect the NH₃-N load to a certain extent. Planting peanuts in spring would dramatically increase NH₃-N load. To evaluate NH₃-N pollution, a critical threshold of NH₃-N emission (5.1 kg·ha^-1·year^-1) was proposed. Meeting the NH₃-N emission threshold cannot be achieved by altering the cropping system alone; additional measures are needed to reduce agricultural NPS pollution. This study facilitates the development of cropping systems and provides relevant information to aid the sustainable development of agriculture in the DRB.

PMID:35168031 | DOI:10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.103963

Phytomedicine. 2022 Jan 26;99:153955. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.153955. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Equisetum arvense L. (EA) is a traditional phytomedicine used as a diuretic agent worldwide and regulated strictly by European Medicine Agency (EMA) and Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). However, few studies evaluating its efficacy and safety have been published and no clinical trial assessing its antihypertensive effect has been reported to date.

PURPOSE: To assess antihypertensive effect, safety and tolerability of EA compared to hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).

METHODS: This is a double-blind randomized clinical trial, allocating 58 systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) stage I patients (both sexes, 25-65 years old) into two groups (EA and HCTZ). All patients underwent biochemical and cardiologic checkup prior to and during interventions. The EA standardized dry extract (900 mg/day) or HCTZ (25 mg/day) were administered for 3 months and follow-up visits were conducted every 30 days. Efficacy established goals were systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreases ≥ 10.0 mmHg and/or casual blood pressure (CBP) < 140/90 mmHg.

RESULTS: EA treatment demonstrated a significant antihypertensive effect, promoting a mean decrease of SBP and DBP by 12.6 and 8.1 mmHg, respectively, and resulting a CBP mean of 134.0/84.5 mmHg at the end of intervention on the SAH stage I patients (CBP mean of 148.5/95.7 mmHg). There were no significant statistical differences between EA and HCTZ interventions on blood pressure decrease, and before-after treatments regarding to biochemical tests and signs of acute toxicity, renal, hepatic and hematologic alterations. A slight trend but no significant difference were observed between adverse events from EA (3.58%) and HCTZ (4.68%) groups.

CONCLUSION: EA standardized dry extract was successfully applied to the SAH stage I patient treatment, decreasing effectively SBP ad DBP values to the reference normal ranges, and demonstrating a well-tolerability profile similar to HCTZ intervention.

PMID:35168030 | DOI:10.1016/j.phymed.2022.153955

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2022 Feb 8;71:126944. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.126944. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The dynamics of essential metals such as Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) may be associated with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has spread across the globe.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between serum levels of Cu and Zn, as well as the Cu:Zn ratio in the acute phase of COVID-19 along with the assessment of their connection to other laboratory parameters (hematological, biochemical, hemostatic).

METHODS: Serum levels of Cu and Zn were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry in 75 patients in the acute COVID-19 phase and were compared with those of 22 COVID-19 patients evaluated three months after the acute phase of the disease (‘non-acute’ group) and with those of 68 healthy individuals.

RESULTS: In comparison with both the non-acute patients and the healthy controls, the acute patients had lower levels of hemoglobulin and albumin, and higher levels of glucose, creatinine, liver transaminases, C-reactive protein (CRP), and higher values of the neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (NLR) at the hospital admission. They also exhibited increased levels of Cu and decreased of Zn, well represented by the Cu:Zn ratio which was higher in the acute patients than in both non-acute patients (p = 0.001) and healthy controls (p < 0.001), with no statistical difference between the last two groups. The Cu:Zn ratio (log scale) positively correlated with CRP (log scale; r = 0.581, p < 0.001) and NLR (r = 0.436, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION: Current results demonstrate that abnormal dynamics of Cu and Zn levels in serum occur early during the course of COVID-19 disease, and are mainly associated with the inflammation response.

PMID:35168023 | DOI:10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.126944

Clin Neurophysiol. 2022 Feb 4;136:150-157. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.01.132. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether barques can be localized across the hippocampal longitudinal axis with sufficient specificity.

METHODS: We identified 51 focal epilepsy patients implanted with a minimum of two electrodes – unilateral anterior and posterior – in either hippocampus. We used visual inspection of the intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG) and 3D brain volume spectrum-based statistical parametric mapping (SPM) to localize barques.

RESULTS: In 18/51 patients (35.29%), barques were identified in 22/70 (31.42%) hippocampi. In all hippocampi (100%), barques were present in the posterior hippocampus, while 9 (40.90%) showed concurrent non-independent barque activity anteriorly (P < 0.0001). Statistical parametric mapping confirmed the posterior barque localization, with significant differences in t-values (t₍₂₇₎ = 8.08, P < 0.0001) and z-scores (t₍₂₄₎ = 6.85, P < 0.0001) between anterior and posterior hippocampal barque activity. Posterior lateral extrahippocampal contacts demonstrated phase reversals of positive polarity during barque activity (P = 0.0092, compared to anterior extrahippocampal contacts).

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the posterior hippocampal predominance of barques. Our findings are concordant with the posterior distribution of the scalp manifestation of barques as “14&6/sec positive spikes”. The posterio-lateral hippocampal barque phase reversal can explain the positive polarity of scalp 14&6/sec spikes.

SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding the properties of barques is critical for the iEEG interpretation in epilepsy surgery evaluations that include the hippocampus.

PMID:35168029 | DOI:10.1016/j.clinph.2022.01.132

Pregnancy Hypertens. 2022 Feb 11;28:35-40. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2022.02.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to develop a multivariable predictive model for the risk of placental vascular complications (PVC), by using biochemical, biophysical, anamnestic and clinical maternal features available at the first trimester. PVC include gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, placenta abruption, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and stillbirth. Prospective study that included all singleton pregnancies attending the first-trimester aneuploidy screening (11 +0-12 +6 weeks) at Obstetrics Unit of the University Hospital of Modena, in Northern Italy, between June 2018 and December 2019. In a total of 503 women included in the analysis, 40 patients were in the PVC group. The final prediction model for PVC included the following independent variables: pre-pregnancy BMI ≥ 30 (OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.04; 6.75, p = 0.0415), increasing values of mean arterial pressure (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02; 1.10, p = 0.0008), PAPP-A < 2.40465 U/L (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19; 0.96, p = 0.0388) and decreasing values of PlGf (MoM) (OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.10; 0.79, p = 0.0153). The area under the ROC curve was 79.4% indicating a satisfactory predictive accuracy. The best predictive cut-off for this score was equal to -2.562, which corresponds to a 7.2 % probability of having PVC. By using such a cut-off, the risk of PVC can be predicted in our sample with sensitivity equal to 82,4 % and specificity equal to 69,9 %. This model for early prediction of PVC is a promising tool to early identify women at greater risk for placenta vascular complications.

PMID:35168013 | DOI:10.1016/j.preghy.2022.02.002

J Biomed Inform. 2022 Feb 12:104008. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2022.104008. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Generalized Linear Mixed Model is one of the most pervasive class of statistical models. It is widely used in the medical domain. Training such models in a collaborative setting often entails privacy risks. Standard privacy preserving mechanisms such as differential privacy can be used to mitigate the privacy risk during training the model. However, experimental evidence suggests that adding differential privacy to the training of the model can cause significant utility loss which makes the model impractical for real world usage. Therefore, it becomes clear that the specific class of generalized linear mixed models which lose their usability under differential privacy requires a different approach for privacy preserving model training. In this work, we propose a value-blind training method in a collaborative setting for generalized linear mixed models. In our proposed training method, the central server optimizes model parameters for a generalized linear mixed model without ever getting access to the raw training data or intermediate computation values. Intermediate computation values that are shared by the collaborating parties with the central server are encrypted using homomorphic encryption. Experimentation on multiple datasets suggests that the model trained by our proposed method achieves very low error rate while preserving privacy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that performs a systematic privacy analysis of generalized linear mixed model training in collaborative setting.

PMID:35167978 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbi.2022.104008

J Genet Genomics. 2022 Feb 12:S1673-8527(22)00034-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2022.01.005. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Food intake is generally assumed to reflect a regulatory tension between homeostatic and hedonic drivers. Information from individuals with memory dysfunction suggests that episodic memory may also play a significant role. We reasoned that if memory influences food intake, then disrupting a genetic factor that is important in episodic memory formation should affect food intake and energy balance. We performed spatial learning tests on neuronal specific endophilin A1 (EENA1) KO mice using the four-arm baited version of the radial arms maze (RAM). Energy regulation has also been evaluated. As anticipated neuronal EENA1 KO mice had impaired spatial memory. However, loss of endophilin A1 did not result in greater food intake, or altered energy absorption efficiency, relative to wild-type (WT) mice, when fed either low or high fat diets. Moreover, loss of EENA1 did not significantly affect other features of energy balance – physical activity and energy expenditure. No statistically significant changes were observed in the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides related to food intake regulation, or circulating levels of leptin. We conclude that food intake and energy balance are largely governed by homeostatic and hedonic processes, and when these processes are intact memory probably plays a relatively minor role in food intake regulation.

PMID:35167981 | DOI:10.1016/j.jgg.2022.01.005

Int J Infect Dis. 2022 Feb 12:S1201-9712(22)00097-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.02.019. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Low ADAMTS 13 Activity has been suggested as an interplaying factor in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, considering that it is a thrombo-inflammatory disease with high risk of microthrombosis.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to explore the correlation between ADAMTS13 activity and the pathophysiological pathway of COVID-19.

PATIENTS/METHODS: We carried out a retrospective observational study of 87 COVID-19 patients in Nmc Royal Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE. ADAMTS13 activity was measured and compared with patients’ characteristics and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS: Low ADAMTS13 level was associated with pneumonia (p=0.007), severity of COVID-19 (p<0.001), and mechanical ventilation rates (p=0.018). Death was more frequently observed among patients (5 patients) with low ADAMTS13 activity compared to normal activity (1 patient), as well as inflammatory markers. Decreased ADAMTS13 levels increased the risk of pneumonia, severity of COVID-19, need for mechanical ventilation, and use of anticoagulants ((OR= 4.75, 95%CI: [1.54-18.02], p=0.011), (OR= 6.50, 95%CI: [2.57-17.74], p<0.001), (OR= 4.10, 95%CI: [1.29-15.82], p=0.024), (OR=8.00, 95%CI: (3.13-22.16), p<0.001), respectively). The low ADAMTS13 activity group had a slightly longer time to viral clearance than the normal ADAMTS13 group, but it was not statistically significant. (20 days, 95% CI: [16-27] days, vs. 17 days, 95% CI: [13-22] days, p=0.08, Log rank= 3.1).

CONCLUSION: Low ADAMTS13 activity has been linked to pneumonia, COVID-19 severity, use of anticoagulants, and need for mechanical ventilation, but not to mortality. We propose rADAMTS13 as a novel treatment for severe COVID-19.

PMID:35167969 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijid.2022.02.019