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Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Jun 2024We assessed the hydrochemistry of 15 watersheds in the Halton Region, southern Ontario, in high resolution (n > 500 samples across n > 40 streams) to...
We assessed the hydrochemistry of 15 watersheds in the Halton Region, southern Ontario, in high resolution (n > 500 samples across n > 40 streams) to characterize water quality dynamics and governing controls on major and trace element concentrations in this rapidly urbanizing region. In 2022, major water quality parameters were generally in line with historic monitoring data yet significantly different across catchments, e.g., in specific conductance, turbidity, phosphate and chloride, and trace element concentrations. Distinct hydrochemical signatures were observed between urban and rural creeks, with urban stream sections and sites near the river mouths close to Lake Ontario having consistently higher chloride (up to 700 mg/L) and occasional enrichment in nutrients levels (up to 8 and 20 mg/L phosphate and nitrate, respectively). Particularly upper reaches exhibited hydrochemical signatures that were reflective of the catchment surface lithologies, for instance through higher dissolved Ca to Mg ratios. Unlike for chloride and phosphate, provincial water quality guidelines for trace elements and heavy metals were seldom surpassed (on < 10 occasions for copper, zinc, cadmium, and uranium). Concentrations of other trace elements (e.g., platinum group elements or rare earth elements) were expectedly low (< 0.3 µg/L) but showed spatiotemporal concentration patterns and concentration-discharge dynamics different from those of the major water quality parameters. Our results help improve the understanding of surface water conditions within Halton's regional Natural Heritage Systems and demonstrate how enhanced environmental monitoring can deliver actionable information for watershed decision-making.
Topics: Environmental Monitoring; Ontario; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Quality; Rivers; Trace Elements; Metals, Heavy; Chlorides; Water Pollution, Chemical
PubMed: 38949676
DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12833-6 -
Several common methods of making vesicles (except an emulsion method) capture intended lipid ratios.BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024Researchers choose different methods of making giant unilamellar vesicles in order to satisfy different constraints of their experimental designs. A challenge of using a...
UNLABELLED
Researchers choose different methods of making giant unilamellar vesicles in order to satisfy different constraints of their experimental designs. A challenge of using a variety of methods is that each may produce vesicles of different lipid compositions, even if all vesicles are made from a common stock mixture. Here, we use mass spectrometry to investigate ratios of lipids in vesicles made by five common methods: electroformation on indium tin oxide slides, electroformation on platinum wires, gentle hydration, emulsion transfer, and extrusion. We made vesicles from either 5-component or binary mixtures of lipids chosen to span a wide range of physical properties: di(18:1)PC, di(16:0)PC, di(18:1)PG, di(12:0)PE, and cholesterol. For a mixture of all five of these lipids, ITO electroformation, Pt electroformation, gentle hydration, and extrusion methods result in only minor shifts (≤ 5 mol%) in lipid ratios of vesicles relative to a common stock solution. In contrast, emulsion transfer results in ∼80% less cholesterol than expected from the stock solution, which is counterbalanced by a surprising overabundance of saturated PC-lipid relative to all other phospholipids. Experiments using binary mixtures of some of the lipids largely support results from the 5-component mixture. Exact values of lipid ratios variations likely depend on the details of each method, so a broader conclusion is that experiments that increment lipid ratios in small steps will be highly sensitive to the method of lipid formation and to sample-to-sample variations, which are low (roughly ±2 mol% in the 5-component mixture and either scale proportionally with increasing mole fraction or remain low). Experiments that increment lipid ratios in larger steps or that seek to explain general trends or new phenomena will be less sensitive to the method used.
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
Small changes to the amounts and types of lipids in membranes can drastically affect the membrane's behavior. Unfortunately, it is unknown whether (or to what extent) different methods of making vesicles alter the ratios of lipids in membranes, even when identical stock solutions are used. This presents challenges for researchers when comparing data with colleagues who use different methods. Here, we measure ratios of lipid types in vesicle membranes produced by five methods. We assess each method's reproducibility and compare resulting vesicle compositions across methods. In doing so, we provide a quantitative basis that the scientific community can use to estimate whether differences between their results can be simply attributed to differences between methods or to sample-to-sample variations.
PubMed: 38948736
DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.21.581444 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024Unfortunately, ovarian cancer is still diagnosed most often only in an advanced stage and is also the most lethal gynecological cancer. Another problem is the fact that... (Review)
Review
Unfortunately, ovarian cancer is still diagnosed most often only in an advanced stage and is also the most lethal gynecological cancer. Another problem is the fact that treated patients have a high risk of disease recurrence. Moreover, ovarian cancer is very diverse in terms of molecular, histological features and mutations. Many patients may also develop platinum resistance, resulting in poor response to subsequent lines of treatment. To improve the prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer, it is expected to make better existing and implement new, promising treatment methods. Targeted therapies seem very promising. Currently, bevacizumab - a VEGF inhibitor and therapy with olaparib - a polyADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor are approved. Other methods worth considering in the future include: folate receptor α, immune checkpoints or other immunotherapy methods. To improve the treatment of ovarian cancer, it is also important to ameliorate the determination of molecular features to describe and understand which group of patients will benefit most from a given treatment method. This is important because a larger group of patients treated for ovarian cancer can have a greater chance of surviving longer without recurrence.
PubMed: 38948462
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1416555 -
Pleura and Peritoneum Jun 2024There are few data on Pressurized IntraPeritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy with cisplatin and doxorubicin (PIPAC C/D) in women with primary unresectable or recurrent...
OBJECTIVES
There are few data on Pressurized IntraPeritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy with cisplatin and doxorubicin (PIPAC C/D) in women with primary unresectable or recurrent platinum-resistant peritoneal metastasis (PM) from ovarian cancer (OC). We evaluated survival, histological and cytological response, Quality of Life (QoL) and toxicity after PIPAC C/D in these patients.
METHODS
Retrospective analysis of patients from the prospective PIPAC-OPC1 and -OPC2 studies. The histological response was evaluated by the Peritoneal Regression Grading Score (PRGS). QoL questionnaires were collected at baseline and after third PIPAC or 60 days. Adverse events were collected until 30 days after the last PIPAC. Demographic and survival data were analysed based on intention to treat. Response, QoL and toxicity were analysed per protocol (≥1 PIPAC).
RESULTS
Twenty-nine patients were included. Five patients (17 %) were non-accessible at PIPAC 1. One patient was excluded due to liver metastases at PIPAC 1. Thus, 23 patients had 76 PIPACs (median 2, range 1-12). Median overall survival was 8.2 months (95 % CI 4.4-10.3) from PIPAC 1. Biopsy data were available for 22 patients, and seven (32 %) patients had a major/complete histological response (PRGS≤2) at PIPAC 3. No cytological conversions were registered. Symptoms and function scores worsened, while emotional scores improved. Three patients had severe adverse reactions (two ileus, one pulmonary embolism); no life-threatening reactions or treatment-related mortality was observed.
CONCLUSIONS
PIPAC C/D was feasible and induced histological regression in a substantial proportion of patients with platinum-resistant PM from OC. Larger studies are needed to evaluate impact on survival.
PubMed: 38948328
DOI: 10.1515/pp-2023-0049 -
ACS Omega Jun 2024The durability of Pt nanoparticle catalysts is currently the most important factor limiting the widespread use of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Specifically,...
The durability of Pt nanoparticle catalysts is currently the most important factor limiting the widespread use of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Specifically, the Pt nanoparticles in standard carbon black-supported Pt nanoparticle (Pt/CB) catalysts repeatedly aggregate on the CB surfaces during PEFC operation, thus, reducing the performance of the cell. Therefore, PEFCs must contain large quantities of Pt to maintain sufficient service lifetimes. This is the main factor hindering the reduction of the cost of PEFCs. The present research demonstrates that ultrafine Pt particles (Pt) having diameters of approximately 0.5 nm can be formed in situ from a platinum chloride complex (PtCl ) on a carbon-based material doped with Fe and N via the dissolution and reprecipitation of Pt in the PtCl during potential cycling in a 0.1 M HClO solution. The Pt are immobilized by both Fe and N in the support material. The mass-based catalytic activity of this material during the oxygen reduction reaction is eight times higher than that of a standard Pt/CB catalyst and is maintained even after 100,000 potential step cycles (0.6 ↔ 1.0 V). The present results provide guidelines for the development of highly durable yet active membrane electrode assemblies that minimize the use of Pt.
PubMed: 38947817
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02723 -
Cureus May 2024Brain metastasis is a rare complication of ovarian cancer, always found at the advanced stage. Even though different multimodal approaches are available, including...
Niraparib Maintenance Therapy for Brain Metastasis in Ovarian Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma With Peritoneal Carcinomatosis: A Comprehensive Case Study and Literature Review.
Brain metastasis is a rare complication of ovarian cancer, always found at the advanced stage. Even though different multimodal approaches are available, including surgical intervention and radiotherapy, there are no official guidelines for handling this serious complication. Poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are a group of medications initially used for maintenance therapy in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer. Niraparib has shown some efficacy in patients with brain metastasis due to its unique properties of penetrating the blood-brain barrier. Here, we present the case of a 51-year-old patient with advanced ovarian cancer with no germline breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA) mutations. Despite undergoing surgery and multiple rounds of chemotherapy, the patient's condition worsened, culminating in brain metastasis. Given her neurological issues, radiotherapy was not an option, prompting the initiation of a 300 mg dose of niraparib. To date, only sporadic case reports in the literature have described patients with ovarian cancer treated with niraparib and complicated by brain metastasis. Our case is unique because it is the first case of a patient with the endometrioid type of ovarian cancer.
PubMed: 38947662
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61355 -
Heliyon Jun 2024During the measurement of multiphase flow in low yield oil wells, the liquid volume will vary with the operating characteristics of the pumping unit. Using the pulsating...
During the measurement of multiphase flow in low yield oil wells, the liquid volume will vary with the operating characteristics of the pumping unit. Using the pulsating characteristics of the up and down strokes of a pumping unit, the flow rate is measured when there is a flow rate on the up stroke, and the water content is measured when the fluid is stationary on the down stroke. In this paper, the heat transfer method is used to measure the water content of the oil water mixture during the down stroke process. At this time, the water content can be expressed as the instantaneous water content of the oil well. Firstly, the feasibility of measuring water content using heat transfer method is demonstrated theoretically, and then the temperature change of the heating probe PT300 is simulated. Finally, the actual temperature of PT300 is measured experimentally. Comparing the experimental value with the simulation value, the calculated measurement error is within 1.27 %, which indicates that the heat transfer method is feasible for measuring water content. Using the same single sensor to measure oil water two-phase flow using the pulsation characteristics of the up and down strokes of a pumping unit is a major innovation in this paper. And lays a foundation for the detection of multiphase flow using heat transfer methods. The successful implementation of the text heat transfer method for measuring water content has broken the previous situation of multiple sensor detection, simplified the structure of multiphase flow instruments, and extended the life of the instrument.
PubMed: 38947454
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31835 -
Journal of Cancer 2024As a chemotherapy agent, cisplatin (DDP) is often associated with drug resistance and gastrointestinal toxicity, factors that severely limit therapeutic efficacy in...
As a chemotherapy agent, cisplatin (DDP) is often associated with drug resistance and gastrointestinal toxicity, factors that severely limit therapeutic efficacy in patients with ovarian cancer (OC). Naringin has been shown to increase sensitivity to cisplatin, but whether the intestinal microbiota is associated with this effect has not been reported so far. In this study, we applied a humanized mouse model for the first time to evaluate the reversal of cisplatin resistance by naringin, as well as naringin combined with the microbiota in ovarian cancer. The results showed that naringin combined with subsp. NCU-01 had an inhibitory effect on the tumor, significantly reducing tumor size (<0.05), as well as the concentrations of serum tumor markers CA125 and HE4, increased the relative abundance of and , inhibit Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)-induced intestinal inflammation and increase the expression of intestinal permeability-associated proteins ZO-1 (<0.001) and occludin (<0.01). In conclusion, the above data demonstrate how naringin combined with subsp. NCU-01 reverses cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer by modulating the intestinal microbiota, inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and modulating the p38MAPK signaling pathway.
PubMed: 38947385
DOI: 10.7150/jca.96448 -
Health Care Science Jun 2024The exploration of newer antibacterial strategies is driven by antibiotic-resistant microbes that cause serious public health issues. In recent years, nanoscale... (Review)
Review
The exploration of newer antibacterial strategies is driven by antibiotic-resistant microbes that cause serious public health issues. In recent years, nanoscale materials have developed as an alternative method to fight infections. Despite the fact that many nanomaterials have been discovered to be harmful, numerous researchers have shown a keen interest in nanoparticles (NPs) made of noble metals like silver, gold and platinum. To make environmentally safe NPs from plants, green chemistry and nanotechnology have been combined to address the issue of toxicity. The study of bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) has increased tremendously in the past 10 years. The production of BNPs mediated by natural extracts is straightforward, low cost and environmentally friendly. Due to their low toxicity, safety and biological stability, noble BNPs with silver, gold, platinum and palladium have the potential to be used in biomedical applications. They have a significant impact on human health and are used in medicine and pharmacy due to their biological characteristics, which include catalytic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, anticancer, hepatoprotective and regenerative activity.
PubMed: 38947365
DOI: 10.1002/hcs2.96 -
Inorganic Chemistry Jul 2024The first fully inorganic Pt(IV) carbonato-complex -[Pt(CO)(OH)] with a {PtO} coordination sphere was isolated as the (MeN)[Pt(CO)(OH)] () salt. The compound was...
The first fully inorganic Pt(IV) carbonato-complex -[Pt(CO)(OH)] with a {PtO} coordination sphere was isolated as the (MeN)[Pt(CO)(OH)] () salt. The compound was characterized using single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were also performed to analyze the spectral features of the complex. crystallizes in the triclinic system (P-1) with a Z of 1. The -[Pt(CO)(OH)] anion has axial hydroxo ligands and κ-CO ligands, which form an equatorial plane. This anionic complex exhibits notable stability in aqueous solutions, while the axial hydroxo ligand can be readily modified, as exemplified by the acylation of the -[Pt(CO)(OH)] into -[Pt(CO)(OAc)] anion. Furthermore, it has been shown that rigid and glittering platinum coatings can be electrochemically deposited from an aqueous solution of without the addition of surfactants.
PubMed: 38946343
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c00909