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PloS One 2024Malathion® is a persistent organophosphate pesticide used against biting and chewing insects on vegetables. It is a difficult-to-remove surface contaminant of...
Malathion® is a persistent organophosphate pesticide used against biting and chewing insects on vegetables. It is a difficult-to-remove surface contaminant of vegetables and contaminates surface and ground water and soils. Malathion® is only partially water soluble, but use of detergent carriers makes adhering Malathion® residues difficult to subsequently remove. Magnetically treated water (MTW) successfully removed Malathion® from Chinese Kale (Brassica oleracea L.), meeting Maximum Residue Load (MRL) standards. Samples were soaked in MTW for 30 min prior to detection with GC/MS/MS, 98.5±3.02% of Malathion® was removed after washing by MTW. Removal by simple washing was only ≈42±1.2% which was not nearly sufficient to meet MRL criteria.
Topics: Brassica; Malathion; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water; Insecticides; Pesticide Residues; Water Purification; Food Contamination; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 38758738
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298371 -
Protein Science : a Publication of the... Jun 2024G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest class of membrane proteins encoded in the human genome with high pharmaceutical relevance and implications to human...
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest class of membrane proteins encoded in the human genome with high pharmaceutical relevance and implications to human health. These receptors share a prevalent architecture of seven transmembrane helices followed by an intracellular, amphipathic helix 8 (H8) and a disordered C-terminal tail (Ctail). Technological advancements have led to over 1000 receptor structures in the last two decades, yet frequently H8 and the Ctail are conformationally heterogeneous or altogether absent. Here we synthesize a peptide comprising the neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1) H8 and Ctail (H8-Ctail) to investigate its structural stability, conformational dynamics, and orientation in the presence of detergent and phospholipid micelles, which mimic the membrane. Circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements confirm that zwitterionic 1,2-diheptanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine is a potent stabilizer of H8 structure, whereas the commonly-used branched detergent lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol (LMNG) is unable to completely stabilize the helix - even at amounts four orders of magnitude greater than its critical micellar concentration. We then used NMR spectroscopy to assign the backbone chemical shifts. A series of temperature and lipid titrations were used to define the H8 boundaries as F376-R392 from chemical shift perturbations, changes in resonance intensity, and chemical-shift-derived phi/psi angles. Finally, the H8 azimuthal and tilt angles, defining the helix orientation relative of the membrane normal were measured using paramagnetic relaxation enhancement NMR. Taken together, our studies reveal the H8-Ctail region is sensitive to membrane physicochemical properties and is capable of more adaptive behavior than previously suggested by static structural techniques.
Topics: Receptors, Neurotensin; Humans; Micelles; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; Peptides; Circular Dichroism; Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical; Detergents; Models, Molecular
PubMed: 38757374
DOI: 10.1002/pro.4976 -
Animal Bioscience May 2024This study examined the effects of substituting winged bean tuber steam (WBTS) modified starches for cassava chips (CSC) in the concentrate diet on rumen fermentation,...
Effects of winged bean tuber (WBT) modified starches substituted for cassava chip in concentrate diets on rumen fermentation, nutrient utilization, and blood metabolites in Thai native beef cattle.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the effects of substituting winged bean tuber steam (WBTS) modified starches for cassava chips (CSC) in the concentrate diet on rumen fermentation, nutrient utilization, and blood metabolites in Thai-native beef cattle.
METHODS
Four Thai-native bulls were assigned randomly as a 4 × 4 Latin square design, which represents the amount of CSC replaced with WBTS in the concentrate mixture diets at 0, 10, 20, and 30%.
RESULTS
Increasing levels of WBTS replacement for CSC in the concentrate diets had a quadratic effect on total dry matter (DM) intake (p<0.05). Replacement of WBTS at 20% and 30% for CSC did not alter total DM intake compared to 0% WBTS, whereas 10% WBTS replacement could significantly increase total DM intake by 0.41 kg DM/day compared to the control group. In addition, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility showed a quadratic increase (p < 0.05) when CSC was substituted at various levels of WBTS in the concentrate diet (p < 0.05). Replacement of CSC with WBTS at 10% and 20% showed higher NDF digestibility when compared to 0% replacement. There was a quadratic increase in blood glucose at 4 h post-feeding, and the average blood glucose value was significantly lower (p < 0.01) when substituting CSC with WBTS. Substituting WBTS for CSC at 10% in the concentrate diet showed the highest blood glucose concentration when compared to other treatments. Replacing CSC with WBTS at 10% and 20% shows a higher concentration of C3 than those of other treatments (0% or 30%). The nitrogen (N) intake (NI) increased linearly (p<0.05) when substituting WBTS for CSC at all levels in the diet. Additionally, N retention (NR) and the ratio of N retention to N intake increased (p<0.05) when substituting WBTS for CSC at 10%, 20%, and 30% compared to 0%. The gross energy intake (GEI), digestible energy intake (DEI), and energy efficiency (DEI/GEI) were quadratically increased when substituted with various levels of WBTS for CSC in the concentrate diet.
CONCLUSION
The findings indicate that substituting 10% of CSC in the concentrate diet with WBTS may be sufficient as an alternative feed resource for improving nutrient utilization and metabolic efficiency in beef cattle diets.
PubMed: 38754852
DOI: 10.5713/ab.23.0516 -
Journal of Dairy Science May 2024The form of fat supplements, degree of saturation, and the fatty acid (FA) profile influence the cows' production response. The objective was to determine the effects of...
The form of fat supplements, degree of saturation, and the fatty acid (FA) profile influence the cows' production response. The objective was to determine the effects of supplemental fats in the form of calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA) with different ratios between palmitic (PA) and oleic (OA) acids on nutrient digestibility and cow performance. Forty-two dairy cows were assigned to 3 groups and fed (for 13 wk) rations that contained 2.2% CSFA (on a dry matter basis) with increasing the PA-to-OA ratio as follows: 1) CS45:35 - 45% PA and 35% OA, 2) CS60:30 - 60% PA and 30% OA, and 3) CS70:20 - 70% PA and 20% OA. Rumen and fecal samples were taken for volatile fatty acids (VFA) and digestibility measurements, respectively. Increasing the PA-to-OA ratio linearly decreased the milk and energy-corrected milk (ECM) yields, whereas a quadratic effect was observed for milk fat concentration (3.55, 3.94, and 3.87% in the CS45:35, CS60:30, and CS70:20 groups, respectively) and fat yield. Dry matter intake (DMI) was highest in the CS60:30 group (33.7 kg/d), and lowest in the CS70:20 /d), and a tendency of quadratic effect was observed for calculated energy balance with no difference in body weight gain among the groups. The milk-to-DMI ratio was decreased, and the ratio of ECM-to-DMI tended to decrease when the PA-to-OA ratio increased. The highest apparent total-tract digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, and protein were observed in the CS60:30 cows, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) tended to decrease with increasing the PA-to-OA ratio; however, digestibility of the total FA and FA subgroups (16 and 18-carbon FA) were not different among groups. Across treatments, the 18-carbon FA digestibility was higher than the 16-carbon FA digestibility. Under the current study conditions, the CS60:30 cows had the highest fat concentration and fat yield, energy output in milk, DMI, and digestibility of DM, OM, and protein. However, further research is required to fine-tune the optimal FA ratio in supplemental fat sources to maximize production and efficiency under various conditions, such as production level, stage of lactation, and diet composition.
PubMed: 38754825
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24382 -
Translational Animal Science 2024The objective of this meta-analysis was to develop and evaluate models for predicting nitrogen (N) excretion in feces, urine, and manure in beef cattle in South America....
The objective of this meta-analysis was to develop and evaluate models for predicting nitrogen (N) excretion in feces, urine, and manure in beef cattle in South America. The study incorporated a total of 1,116 individual observations of N excretion in feces and 939 individual observations of N excretion in feces and in urine (g/d), representing a diverse range of diets, animal genotypes, and management conditions in South America. The dataset also included data on dry matter intake (; kg/d) and nitrogen intake (; g/d), concentrations of dietary components, as well as average daily gain (; g/d) and average body weight (; kg). Models were derived using linear mixed-effects regression with a random intercept for the study. Fecal N excretion was positively associated with DMI, NI, nonfibrous carbohydrates, average BW, and ADG and negatively associated with EE and CP concentration in the diet. The univariate model predicting fecal N excretion based on DMI (model 1) performed slightly better than the univariate model, which used NI as a predictor variable (model 2) with a root mean square error () of 38.0 vs. 39.2%, the RMSE-observations SD ratio (RSR) of 0.81 vs. 0.84, and concordance correlation coefficient () of 0.53 vs. 0.50, respectively. Models predicting urinary N excretion were less accurate than those derived to predict fecal N excretion, with an average RMSE of 43.7% vs. 37.0%, respectively. Urinary and manure N excretion were positively associated with DMI, NI, CP, average BW, and ADG and negatively associated with neutral detergent fiber concentration in the diet. As opposed to fecal N excretion, the univariate model predicting urinary N excretion using NI (model 10) performed slightly better than the univariate model using DMI (model 9) as predictor variable with an RMSE of 36.0% vs. 39.7%, RSR 0.85 vs. 0.93, and CCC of 0.43 vs. 0.29, respectively. The models developed in this study are applicable for predicting N excretion in beef cattle across a broad spectrum of dietary compositions and animal genotypes in South America. The univariate model using DMI as a predictor is recommended for fecal N prediction, while the univariate model using NI is recommended for predicting urinary and manure N excretion because the use of more complex models resulted in little to no benefits. However, it may be more useful to consider more complex models that incorporate nutrient intakes and diet composition for decision-making when N excretion is a factor to be considered. Three extant equations evaluated in this study have the potential to be used in tropical conditions typical of South America to predict fecal N excretion with good precision and accuracy. However, none of the extant equations are recommended for predicting urine or manure N excretion because of their high RMSE, and low precision and accuracy.
PubMed: 38745851
DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae072 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), a classically used chelating agent of decalcification, maintains good morphological details, but its slow decalcification limits...
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), a classically used chelating agent of decalcification, maintains good morphological details, but its slow decalcification limits its wider applications. Many procedures have been reported to accelerate EDTA-based decalcification, involving temperature, concentration, sonication, agitation, vacuum, microwave, or combination. However, these procedures, concentrating on purely tissue-outside physical factors to increase the chemical diffusion, do not enable EDTA to exert its full capacity due to tissue intrinsic chemical resistances around the diffusion passage. The resistances, such as tissue inner lipids and electric charges, impede the penetration of EDTA. We hypothesized that delipidation and shielding electric charges would accelerate EDTA-based penetration and the subsequent decalcification. The hypothesis was verified by the observation of speedy penetration of EDTA with additives of detergents and hypertonic saline, testing on tissue-mimicking gels of collagen and adult mouse bones. Using a 26% EDTA mixture with the additives at 45°C, a conventional 7-day decalcification of adult mouse ankle joints could be completed within 24 h while the tissue morphological structure, antigenicity, enzymes, and DNA were well preserved, and mRNA better retained compared to using 15% EDTA at room temperature. The addition of hypertonic saline and detergents to EDTA decalcification is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method that doesn't disrupt the current histological workflow. This method is equally or even more effective than the currently most used decalcification methods in preserving the morphological details of tissues. It can be highly beneficial for the related community.
Topics: Animals; Edetic Acid; Detergents; Mice; RNA, Messenger; Saline Solution, Hypertonic; Bone and Bones; Decalcification Technique
PubMed: 38740835
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61459-8 -
The Journal of Hospital Infection Jul 2024Surface cleaning and disinfection is a key part of breaking the chain of transmission and reducing the risk of healthcare associated infections. However, if cleaning and...
BACKGROUND
Surface cleaning and disinfection is a key part of breaking the chain of transmission and reducing the risk of healthcare associated infections. However, if cleaning and disinfectant formulations are incompatible with surface materials, frequent application can cause premature failure of plastics due to environmental stress cracking (ESC). Material compatibility should be considered when selecting cleaning and disinfecting products.
AIM
This study evaluated the tendency of 2-in-1 wet wipes to cause ESC in commonly found healthcare plastics.
METHODS
Eight ready-to-use 2-in-1 wet wipes were evaluated for their ability to cause ESC in 13 plastic surfaces in accordance with BS EN ISO-22088-3. Polymers were exposed to fluid extracted from wipes at a fixed strain of 0.5% for seven days and assessed for cracking, crazing, and tensile strength in accordance with ISO 527-2:2012.
FINDINGS
All 2-in-1 wet wipes tested contained ESC agents, although the severity of ESC varied. Products with higher pH (>8.0) were responsible for 74% of failures, with 22 of the 39 tested plastics visibly cracking. Although the primary active in all tested wipe formulations were quaternary ammonium compounds, formulations that included small/medium amines or alcohol demonstrated a greater propensity for plastic cracking.
CONCLUSION
Each disinfectant formulation exhibits a unique spectrum of microbial efficacy and unique potential to cause surface damage. This may result in device failures and recalls that could compromise patient and staff safety. BS EN ISO-22088-3 can support material compatibility assessments of disinfectant and detergent products before they come to market.
Topics: Plastics; Detergents; Disinfectants; Humans; Disinfection
PubMed: 38740301
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.04.023 -
International Journal of Nanomedicine 2024Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular surface disease with a rising incidence. Therefore, it is urgent to construct a reliable and efficient drug delivery...
PURPOSE
Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular surface disease with a rising incidence. Therefore, it is urgent to construct a reliable and efficient drug delivery system for DED treatment.
METHODS
In this work, we loaded C-dots nanozyme into a thermosensitive in situ gel to create C-dots@Gel, presenting a promising composite ocular drug delivery system to manage DED.
RESULTS
This composite ocular drug delivery system (C-dots@Gel) demonstrated the ability to enhance adherence to the corneal surface and extend the ocular surface retention time, thereby enhancing bioavailability. Furthermore, no discernible ocular surface irritation or systemic toxicity was observed. In the DED mouse model induced by benzalkonium chloride (BAC), it was verified that C-dots@Gel effectively mitigated DED by stabilizing the tear film, prolonging tear secretion, repairing corneal surface damage, and augmenting the population of conjunctival goblet cells.
CONCLUSION
Compared to conventional dosage forms (C-dots), the C-dots@Gel could prolong exhibited enhanced retention time on the ocular surface and increased bioavailability, resulting in a satisfactory therapeutic outcome for DED.
Topics: Animals; Dry Eye Syndromes; Mice; Carbon; Antioxidants; Hydrogels; Cornea; Drug Delivery Systems; Disease Models, Animal; Biological Availability; Tears; Benzalkonium Compounds; Female; Male; Temperature; Quantum Dots
PubMed: 38736656
DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S456613 -
International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2024This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the design and synthesis of biologically active quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). The covered... (Review)
Review
This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the design and synthesis of biologically active quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). The covered scope extends beyond commonly reviewed antimicrobial derivatives to include synthetic agents with antifungal, anticancer, and antiviral properties. Additionally, this review highlights examples of quaternary ammonium compounds exhibiting activity against protozoa and herbicidal effects, as well as analgesic and anesthetic derivatives. The article also embraces the quaternary-ammonium-containing cholinesterase inhibitors and muscle relaxants. QACs, marked by their inherent permanent charge, also find widespread usage across diverse domains such as fabric softeners, hair conditioners, detergents, and disinfectants. The effectiveness of QACs hinges greatly on finding the right equilibrium between hydrophilicity and lipophilicity. The ideal length of the alkyl chain varies according to the unique structure of each QAC and its biological settings. It is expected that this review will provide comprehensive data for medicinal and industrial chemists to design and develop novel QAC-based products.
Topics: Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Humans; Animals; Anti-Infective Agents; Cholinesterase Inhibitors
PubMed: 38731869
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094649 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Apr 2024Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of isobutyramide (IBA) and slow-release urea (SRU) as substitutes for soybean meal (SBM) in the finishing diet...
Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of isobutyramide (IBA) and slow-release urea (SRU) as substitutes for soybean meal (SBM) in the finishing diet of beef cattle. The completely randomized design in vitro experiment with five treatments, i.e., control, 0.9% SRU group, 0.6% SRU + 0.3% IBA group (SRU-I), 0.3% SRU + 0.6% IBA group (IBA-S), 0.9% IBA group was conducted. The results showed that the IBA-S and IBA increased ( ≤ 0.05) substrate disappearance of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), total gas, and total volatile fatty acids (TVFA). The SRU group had the highest ( < 0.01) crude protein disappearance and ammonia nitrogen concentration, but the IBA contrarily decreased ( < 0.01) them compared with the control. Inclusion of IBA increased isobutyrate concentrations ( = 0.01) with the highest value for the IBA group. Then, an 84-day replicate 4 × 4 Latin square design with 8 Angus steers and four treatments, i.e., control, SRU, SRU-I, IBA-S was performed. The results showed that the treatments did not affect DM intake ( > 0.05) but tended ( = 0.09) to increase average daily gain. The inclusion of IBA increased ( < 0.05) the apparent digestibility of DM, organic matter, NDF, ADF, TVFA, and microbial crude protein with the highest values for the IBA-S group. The IBA-contained groups also increased ( ≤ 0.01) isobutyrate concentration, activities of carboxymethyl cellulase and xylanase, and the relative abundance of with the highest values for the IBA-S group. The SRU had no effect on animal growth and nutrient apparent digestibility. In conclusion, IBA was developed as a new substitute for SBM in the finishing diet of beef cattle, and the optimal strategy was the isonitrogenous substitution of SBM with 0.3% SRU and 0.6% IBA of the diet.
PubMed: 38731325
DOI: 10.3390/ani14091321