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Laryngoscope, 131E929-E931, 2021.Oxygenic photogranules have been suggested as alternatives to activated sludge in wastewater treatment. Challenging for modeling photogranule-based processes is the heterogeneity of photogranule morphologies, resulting in different activities by photogranule type. The measurement of microscale-activities of filamentous photogranules is particularly difficult because of their labile interfaces. We present here an experimental and modeling approach to quantify phototrophic O2 production, heterotrophic O2 consumption, and O2 diffusion in filamentous photogranules. We used planar optodes for the acquisition of spatio-temporal oxygen distributions combined with two-dimensional mathematical modeling. Light penetration into the photogranule was the factor controlling photogranule activities. Opevesostat nmr The spatial distribution of heterotrophs and phototrophs had less impact. The photosynthetic response of filaments to light was detectable within seconds, emphasizing the need to analyze dynamics of light exposure of individual photogranules in photobioreactors. Studying other recurring photogranule morphologies will eventually enable the description of photogranule-based processes as the interplay of interacting photogranule populations.Symptomatic intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration accounts for significant socioeconomic burden. Recently, the expression of the tissue renin-angiotensin system (tRAS) in rat and bovine IVD was demonstrated. The major effector of tRAS is angiotensin II (AngII), which participates in proinflammatory pathways. The present study investigated the expression of tRAS in human IVDs, and the correlation between tRAS, inflammation and IVD degeneration. Human IVD tissue was collected during spine surgery and distributed according to principal diagnosis. Gene expression of tRAS components, proinflammatory and catabolic markers in the IVD tissue was assessed. Hydroxyproline (OHP) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content in the IVD tissue were determined. Tissue distribution of tRAS components was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Gene expression of tRAS components such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), Ang II receptor type 2 (AGTR2), angiotensinogen (AGT) and cathepsin D (CTSD) was confirmed in human IVDs. IVD samples that expressed tRAS components (n = 21) revealed significantly higher expression levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) 4 and 5 compared to tRAS-negative samples (n = 37). Within tRAS-positive samples, AGT, matrix-metalloproteinases 13 and 3, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 were more highly expressed in traumatic compared to degenerated IVDs. Total GAG/DNA content of non-tRAS expressing IVD tissue was significantly higher compared to tRAS positive tissue. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of AngII in the human IVD. The present study identified the existence of tRAS in the human IVD and suggested a correlation between tRAS expression, inflammation and ultimately IVD degeneration.The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk and threshold doses of lens opacity among residents exposed to low-dose radiation. Residents aged ≥45 years were recruited from a high natural background radiation (HNBR) area in Yangjiang City and a control area selected from nearby Enping City. Lens opacities (LOPs) were classified according to the Lens Opacities Classification System (LOCS) III system. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect information on lifestyles, migration and medical history. Life-time cumulative doses were estimated using gender, age, occupancy factors and environmental radiation doses received indoors and outdoors. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the dose response and determine thresholds. In the HNBR area, among 479 study participants, 101 (21.1%), 245(51.1%) and 23 cases (4.8%), respectively, of cortical, nuclear and posterior subcapsular (PSC) LOPs were found. In the control area, those types of LOPs were identified among 58 cases (12.6%), 206 cases (51.2%) and 6 cases (1.3%) of 462 examinees, respectively. Cumulative eye lens dose was estimated to be 189.5 ± 36.5 mGy in the HNBR area. Logistic analyses gave odds ratios at 100 mGy of 1.26 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.60], 0.81 (95% CI 0.64-1.01) and 1.73 (95% CI 1.05-2.85) for cortical, nuclear and PSC LOPs, respectively. For cortical LOPs, a logistic analysis with a threshold dose gave a threshold estimate of 140 mGy (90% CI 110-160 mGy). The results indicated that population exposed to life-time, low-dose-rate environmental radiation was at an elevated risk of cortical and PSC LOPs. A statistically significant threshold dose was obtained for cortical LOPs and no threshold dose for PSC LOPs.Stenting has become an important adjunctive tool for assisting coil embolization in complex-shaped intracranial aneurysms.Stent deployment has been related to both immediate and delayed remodeling of the local vasculature. Recent studies have demonstrated that this phenomenon may assume different roles depending on the treatment stage. The extent of such event on the intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics is still unclear; specially when performing two-step stent-assisted coiling (SAC). Therefore, we performed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of the blood flow in four bifurcation aneurysms focusing on the stent heal-in period found in SAC as a two-step maneuver. Our results show that by changing the local vasculature, the intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics changes considerably. Even though changes do occur, they were not consistent among the cases. By changing the local vasculature not only the shear levels change but also the shear distribution on the aneurysm surface. A geometric analysis alone can mislead the estimation of the novel hemodynamic environment after vascular remodeling, specially in the presence of mixing streams. Therefore, although the novel local vasculature might induce an improved hemodynamic environment, it is also plausible to expect that adverse hemodynamic conditions might occur. This could pose a particularly delicate condition since the aneurysm surface remains completely exposed to the novel hemodynamic environment during the stent heal-in period. Finally, our study emphasizes that vascular remodeling should be considered when assessing the hemodynamics in aneurysms treated with stents, specially when evaluating the earlier stages of the treatment process.