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A Randomized Trial of Drug Route in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Caustic recovery from caustic-containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) washing wastewater generated during the recycling of plastic bottles
Abstract To prevent water scarcity, wastewater must be discharged to the surface or groundwater after being treated. Another method is to reuse wastewater in some areas after treatment and evaluate it as much as possible. In this study, it is aimed to recover and reuse the caustic (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) used in the recycling of plastic bottles from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) washing wastewater. Chemical substances used in the industry will be significantly reduced with chemical recovery from wastewater. Ultrafiltration (UP150) and nanofiltration (NP010 and NP030) membranes were used for this purpose in our study. Before using nanofiltration membranes, pre-treatment was performed with coagulation-flocculation process to reduce the pollutant accumulation on the membranes. Different coagulants and flocculants were used to find suitable coagulants and flocculants in pre-treatment. The pre-treated wastewater using aluminum oxide, which supplied the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal (76.0%), was used in a dead-end filtration system to be filtered through NP010 and NP030 membranes at different pressures (10–30 bar). In the same filtration system, raw wastewater was filtered through a UP150 membrane. Among these treatment scenarios, the best method that could remove pollutants and provide NaOH recovery was selected. After each treatment, pH, conductivity, COD, and NaOH analyses were performed. The maximum NaOH recovery (98.6%) was obtained with the UP150 membrane at 5 bar.
Chirping chorus rings out from an unexpected part of outer space
FAIRS — A Framework for Evaluating the Inclusion of Sex in Clinical Algorithms
Functional genomic insights into Floricoccus penangensis ML061-4 isolated from leaf surface of Assam tea
Abstract Floricoccus penangensis ML061-4 was originally isolated from the leaf surface of an Assam tea plant (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) from Northern Thailand. To assess the functions encoded by the F. penangensis ML061-4 genome, gene identification and annotation were undertaken by in silico analysis. The complete genome of F. penangensis ML061-4 consists of single chromosome of 2,159,127 base pairs, containing a GC content of 33.2% and encompassing 2049 predicted protein-encoding genes. A total of 1195 genes (58.0%) in the F. penangensis ML061-4 genome have assignable functions based on BlastKOALA analysis. Furthermore, 1235 genes (59.9%) were classified into six KEGG functional categories with 187 associated pathways, while 1419 genes (68.8%) were assigned a putative function by the Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs) database. The ML061-4 genome was evaluated for genes associated with complex carbohydrate metabolism, bacterial adhesion, virulence factors, pathogenicity, bacteriophages, antiviral defence systems as well as toxin- and antibiotic-resistance associated genes, and genes involved in toxin production, secondary metabolite biosynthesis and xenobiotics biodegradation. The obtained results support the notion of F. penangensis ML061-4 being safe for biotechnological and food industry purposes. This is the first report outlining functional genomic insights regarding a member of the genus Floricoccus.
Intraosseous or Intravenous Vascular Access for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Droplets impact on sparse microgrooved non-wetting surfaces
Evaluation of contralateral arterial flow compensation using transcranial Doppler in acute internal carotid artery occlusion and implications for neurological outcome
Analysis of tire contact stresses and asphalt pavement rutting under gradient temperature and typical driving conditions
Real-time detection and monitoring of public littering behavior using deep learning for a sustainable environment
Tracing the relationship between the upper plate earthquake cycle and megathrust slip, the Atacama fault system in Northern Chile
Associations of inferior frontal sulcal hyperintensities on brain MRI with cerebral small vessel disease, cognitive function, and depression symptoms
Abstract Inferior frontal sulcal hyperintensities (IFSH) observed on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI have been proposed as indicators of elevated cerebrospinal fluid waste accumulation in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). However, to validate IFSH as a reliable imaging biomarker, further replication studies are required. The objective of this study was to investigate associations between IFSH and CSVD, and their potential repercussions, i.e., cognitive impairment and depression. We prospectively recruited 47 patients with CSVD and 29 cognitively normal controls (NC). IFSH were rated visually based on FLAIR MRI. Using different regression models, we explored the relationship between IFSH, group status (CSVD vs. NC), CSVD severity assessed with MRI, cognitive function, and symptoms of depression. Patients with CSVD were more likely to have higher IFSH scores compared to NC (OR 5.64, 95% CI 1.91–16.60), and greater CSVD severity on MRI predicted more severe IFSH (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.14–1.88). Higher IFSH scores were associated with lower cognitive function (-0.96, 95% CI -1.81 to -0.10), and higher levels of depression (0.33, 95% CI 0.01–0.65). CSVD and IFSH may be tightly linked to each other, and the accumulation of waste products, indicated by IFSH, could have detrimental effects on cognitive function and symptoms of depression.
Patient-derived xenografts from circulating cancer stem cells as a preclinical model for personalized pancreatic cancer research
Abstract Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) provide biologically relevant models and potential platforms for the development of treatment strategies for precision medicine in pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, circulating epithelial tumor cells (CETCs/CTCs) are released into the bloodstream by solid tumors and a rare subpopulation—circulating cancer stem cells (cCSCs) – is considered to be responsible for recurrence and plays a key role in metastasis. For the identification of cCSCs, an innovative in vitro assay to generate tumorspheres was established in this study. The number of tumorspheres and CETCs/CTCs was analyzed perioperatively in 25 pancreatic cancer patients. Additionally, an individual in vivo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) culture system was used to generate PDXs from these tumorspheres. While overall correlations of CETCs/CTCs with clinicopathological parameters did not reach statistical significance, a significant difference in the number of tumorspheres was observed between patient subgroups with lower and higher UICC stages. This finding underscores their potential as biomarkers, providing valuable insights into clinical decision-making and tumor progression. The application of tumorspheres on the CAM successfully established PDXs within 7 days. These xenografts closely resembled the histological features of the primary tumor. Hence, this model represents a novel and fast option for individualized testing of new therapies for PDAC.
Predicting construction waste in Egyptian residential projects: a robust multiple regression model approach
Abstract Effective construction waste (CW) management, mainly concrete, brick, and steel, is a critical challenge due to its significant environmental and economic impacts. This study addresses this challenge by proposing multiple linear regression models to predict waste generation in residential buildings within the Egyptian construction industry, considering the influence of factors such as building design and site management features. Using data from 25 case studies, the models demonstrated high predictive accuracy, with adjusted R² values of 0.877, 0.893, and 0.889 for concrete, bricks, and steel waste, respectively. These R2 values indicate that the models explain approximately 88–89% of the variance in waste generation in residential buildings, highlighting their effectiveness in enhancing resource planning and waste management strategies. The findings suggest that incorporating variables such as total area, design consistency, and site organization significantly improves the accuracy of waste predictions. Although the models show acceptable performance, future research should aim to expand the dataset, incorporate additional variables, and test the models across different types of construction projects to validate further and refine these predictive tools. The models offer valuable insights for enhancing construction practices, minimizing waste, and supporting sustainable development in Egypt’s construction industry. With accurate forecasts of waste generation, the models help project managers and stakeholders to plan CW more effectively, mitigating unnecessary material consumption and reducing environmental impacts. These findings help to adopt sustainable construction practices, such as improved recycling processes and decreased dependence on landfills, to support Egypt’s Vision 2030.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Heart transplantation: comparing the impact of modified heart preservation with conventional methods
Clinical utility of hematological parameters in aplastic anemia
Field experiment confirms high macroplastic trapping efficiency of wood jams in a mountain river channel
Novel inhibitors of the (VIBVN) NAT protein identified through pharmacophore modeling
Abstract Arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs, E.C. 2.3.1.5) constitute a family of phase II drug metabolizing enzymes. These enzymes catalyze the transfer of acetyl groups from acetyl-CoA to a variety of substrates including arylamines, arylhydrazines, and N-hydroxyarylamines. By facilitating these reactions, NATs play a pivotal role in the detoxification and metabolic processing of a wide range of drugs and carcinogens. NAT in marine V. vulnificus plays a role in the metabolism of drugs, leading to the development of drug resistance in marine V. vulnificus. However, inhibitors targeted marine V. vulnificus NAT [(VIBVN)NAT] remain unclear. Therefore, our research aimed to identify potential hit compounds that target (VIBVN)NAT. We integrated multiple computational approaches to screen for effective inhibitors. From this process, we identified two hit compounds, AK-968-11563024 and AG-205-36710025, with IC50 values of 18.86 µM and 33.27 µM, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations further elucidated the binding mechanism between (VIBVN)NAT and AK-968-11563024. Our study revealed that AK-968-11563024 forms stable interactions with PHE124, HIS167, and TRP230, which may contribute to its biological activity. Our findings provide a valuable foundation for the future development of drugs targeted therapeutics against (VIBVN)NAT.