Grothwaters3021

BACKGROUND The antioxidant properties of epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), a green tea compound, have been already studied in various diseases. Improving the bioavailability of EGCG by nanoformulation may contribute to a more effective treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) metabolic consequences and vascular complications. The aim of this study was to test the comparative effect of liposomal EGCG with EGCG solution in experimental DM induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in rats. METHOD 28 Wistar-Bratislava rats were randomly divided into four groups (7 animals/group) group 1-control group, with intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 1 mL saline solution (C); group 2-STZ administration by i.p. route (60 mg/100 g body weight, bw) (STZ); group 3-STZ administration as before + i.p. administration of EGCG solution (EGCG), 2.5 mg/100 g b.w. as pretreatment; group 4-STZ administration as before + i.p. administration of liposomal EGCG, 2.5 mg/100 g b.w. (L-EGCG). The comparative effects of EGCG and L-EGCG were studied on (i) oxidative stress parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA), indirect nitric oxide (NOx) synthesis, and total oxidative status (TOS); (ii) antioxidant status assessed by total antioxidant capacity of plasma (TAC), thiols, and catalase; (iii) matrix-metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9). RESULTS L-EGCG has a better efficiency regarding the improvement of oxidative stress parameters (highly statistically significant with p-values less then 0.001 for MDA, NOx, and TOS) and for antioxidant capacity of plasma (highly significant p less then 0.001 for thiols and significant for catalase and TAC with p less then 0.05). MMP-2 and -9 were also significantly reduced in the L-EGCG-treated group compared with the EGCG group (p less then 0.001). CONCLUSIONS the liposomal nanoformulation of EGCG may serve as an adjuvant therapy in DM due to its unique modulatory effect on oxidative stress/antioxidant biomarkers and MMP-2 and -9.BACKGROUND Neurodegenerative and mood disorders represent growing medical and social problems, many of which are provoked by oxidative stress, disruption in the metabolism of various neurotransmitters, and disturbances in calcium homeostasis. Biologically active plant compounds have been shown to exert a positive impact on the function of calcium in the central nervous system. METHODS The present paper reviews studies of naturally occurring terpenes and derivatives and the calcium-based aspects of their mechanisms of action, as these are known to act upon a number of targets linked to neurological prophylaxis and therapy. Selleck Itacnosertib RESULTS Most of the studied phytochemicals possess anticancer, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, and these have been used to reduce the risk of or treat neurological diseases. CONCLUSION The neuroprotective actions of some phytochemicals may employ mechanisms based on regulation of calcium homeostasis and should be considered as therapeutic agents.The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...].In December 2019, cases of unidentified pneumonia with a history of exposure in the Huanan Seafood Market were reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province. A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was identified to be accountable for this disease. Human-to-human transmission is confirmed, and this disease (named COVID-19 by World Health Organization (WHO)) spread rapidly around the country and the world. As of 18 February 2020, the number of confirmed cases had reached 75,199 with 2009 fatalities. The COVID-19 resulted in a much lower case-fatality rate (about 2.67%) among the confirmed cases, compared with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Among the symptom composition of the 45 fatality cases collected from the released official reports, the top four are fever, cough, short of breath, and chest tightness/pain. The major comorbidities of the fatality cases include hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, and chronic bronchitis. The source of the virus and the pathogenesis of this disease are still unconfirmed. No specific therapeutic drug has been found. The Chinese Government has initiated a level-1 public health response to prevent the spread of the disease. Meanwhile, it is also crucial to speed up the development of vaccines and drugs for treatment, which will enable us to defeat COVID-19 as soon as possible.The oil and gas industry generates a large volume of contaminated water (produced water) which must be processed to recover oil before discharge. Here, we evaluated the performance and fouling behavior of commercial ceramic silicon carbide membranes in the treatment of oily wastewaters. In this context, microfiltration and ultrafiltration ceramic membranes were used for the separation of oil during the treatment of tank dewatering produced water and oily model solutions, respectively. We also tested a new online oil-in-water sensor (OMD-32) based on the principle of light scattering for the continuous measurement of oil concentrations in order to optimize the main filtration process parameters that determine membrane performance the transmembrane pressure and cross-flow velocity. Using the OMD-32 sensor, the oil content of the feed, concentrate and permeate streams was measured continuously and fell within the range 0.0-200 parts per million (ppm) with a resolution of 1.0 ppm. The ceramic membranes achieved an oil-recovery efficiency of up to 98% with less than 1.0 ppm residual oil in the permeate stream, meeting environmental regulations for discharge in most areas.Hemicellulose is one of the most common polysaccharides found in nature. Its use as a green and sustainable raw material for industries is desirable. In this work, an alkaline-alcoholic method was used to extract hemicelluloses from sugarcane bagasse. After extraction, films with 2%, 3% and 4% (w/v) hemicellulose were produced. The films' morphology, thickness, water solubility, tensile properties and thermal stability were evaluated. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) results reveal that the method used removes the hemicellulose from bagasse with a low concentration of lignin. The films presented a compact and dense structure with uniformity in thickness associated with higher solubility in water. The increase in hemicellulose content increased tensile strength, but reduced the tensile strain of the films. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the increase in hemicellulose content reduced the films' thermal stability. Thus, these films may act as useful, biodegradable and environmentally friendly materials for engineering applications.