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Heliyon May 2024This research aimed to investigate the occurrence and lithogeochemical composition of iron ore in the Ngororero District of Rwanda, with a specific focus on assessing...
This research aimed to investigate the occurrence and lithogeochemical composition of iron ore in the Ngororero District of Rwanda, with a specific focus on assessing its suitability as a raw material for iron and steel production. The objective was to determine the elemental composition, mineral species, and morphology of the iron ore samples collected from the study area. Eleven samples were collected and analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray diffractogram (XRD), and Optical Light Microscopy. The study shows that Ngororero iron ore is a medium-grade hematite (FeO) ore with iron content ranging from 58.3 % to 65.8 %. Importantly, it contains minimal impurities (less than 3.7 % SiO and less than 0.4 % AlO) and low levels of detrimental elements (P less than 0.02 % and S less than 0.19 %). While the sulfur (S) content slightly exceeds standard limits, the phosphorus (P) content falls within the acceptable range for commercial iron ores. These findings, marking the first report of iron ore occurrence in the Ngororero District, have significant implications for the potential exploitation of Ngororero iron ore as a valuable raw material in iron and steel production and its suitability for industrial applications. To confirm its economic potential and assess its viability for iron and steel production in Rwanda, the study recommends that additional thorough exploration activities be conducted in this area using both geology and geophysical investigation as well as exploration drilling for iron ore reserve estimation in the study area.
PubMed: 38813223
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31319 -
RSC Advances May 2024Resulting from the solubility reduction of elemental sulfur during the development of high sulfur gas formations, sulfur deposition often occurs to reduce the gas...
Resulting from the solubility reduction of elemental sulfur during the development of high sulfur gas formations, sulfur deposition often occurs to reduce the gas production and threaten the safety of gas wells. Understanding the dissolution mechanism of elemental sulfur in natural gas is essential to reduce the risk caused by sulfur deposition. Because of the harsh conditions in the high-sulfur formations, it remains challenging to characterize the dissolution-precipitation processes, making deficient the knowledge of sulfur dissolution mechanism. The dissolution of sulfur allotropes (S, = 2, 4, 6 and 8) in HS, the main solvent of sulfur in natural gas, is studied in this work by means of first-principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. While S and S undergo physical interaction with HS under the conditions corresponding to those at 1-6 km stratigraphic depths, S and S react with HS and form stable polysulfides. Unravelling the mechanism would be helpful for understanding and controlling the sulfur deposition in high-sulfur gas development.
PubMed: 38808240
DOI: 10.1039/d4ra01764a -
Frontiers in Medicine 2024To investigate the efficacy and safety profile of T-shaped pars plana scleral incision technique in removing large intraocular foreign bodies, during 23-gauge pars plana...
AIM
To investigate the efficacy and safety profile of T-shaped pars plana scleral incision technique in removing large intraocular foreign bodies, during 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy.
METHODS
Retrospective interventional case series that included patients diagnosed with a large intraocular foreign body (IOFB). Possible postoperative complications were recorded 24 h, 1 month, 3 and 6 months postoperatively.
RESULTS
Thirty eyes of 30 patients (48 ± 5 years old) were enrolled. All IOFBs were successfully removed: mean diameters of 7.8 ± 2.0 mm and 2.6 ± 0.3 mm. Silicone oil and sulfur hexafluoride were used in 27 and 3 eyes, respectively. Lensectomy was performed in 27 eyes. Intraocular lens was implanted at first attempt in 12 eyes; during a second operation in 12 eyes and 6 eyes remained aphakic. At any follow-up, no signs of postoperative complications were observed. Secondary retinal detachment occurred in 12 eyes. Mean preoperative corrected distance visual acuity was 0.04, on the Snellen scale; it increased to 0.07, at last follow-up. Mean intraocular pressure was 17.97 mmHg. All eyes were preserved.
CONCLUSION
T-shaped scleral incision could be an effective, safe and easy-to-perform standard procedure to remove large IOFBs during pars plana vitrectomy, without increasing the risk of surgical complications and additional damage to the ocular tissues.
PubMed: 38808133
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1399321 -
Cureus Apr 2024Allium cepa, or onion, boosts numerous health benefits, including anti-diabetic effects. Its rich array of antioxidants and sulfur compounds not only aids heart health...
BACKGROUND
Allium cepa, or onion, boosts numerous health benefits, including anti-diabetic effects. Its rich array of antioxidants and sulfur compounds not only aids heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure but also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Onion's antibacterial and antiviral properties help combat infections, while its compounds like quercetin show promise in cancer prevention. Additionally, Allium cepa supports respiratory health by relieving coughs and colds and aids digestion with its prebiotic properties. Incorporating onions into a balanced diet can enhance overall well-being, including managing blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE
This study aims to determine if the ethanolic extract from the dried peel of Allium cepa holds potential as an anti-diabetic agent, with a focus on its ability to manage diabetes and reduce blood sugar levels.
METHODOLOGY
To prepare the ethanolic extract from dried onion peel, the peel was finely ground and soaked in ethanol. The mixture was then agitated and filtered to separate the liquid extract. Finally, the filtrate was concentrated using methods such as rotary evaporation or vacuum distillation to obtain a concentrated extract for further analysis like alpha-amylase inhibition assay and alpha-glucosidase inhibition assay.
RESULTS
The ethanolic extracts derived from dried onion peel demonstrate inhibition of alpha-glucosidase, leading to reduced blood glucose levels. Additionally, this inhibition prompts an increase in insulin production.
CONCLUSION
The study underscores that the efficacy of the ethanolic extract of dried onion peel increases with concentration. It highlights the presence of beneficial compounds like total phenolics, flavonoids, quercetin, and its derivatives in onion peel, known for their therapeutic roles in cardiovascular health, weight management, diabetes control, cancer prevention, and antimicrobial activity. These findings affirm the hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic properties of Allium cepa's ethanolic leaf extract.
PubMed: 38807798
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59174 -
Reproductive Medicine and Biology 2024To investigate whether seminal plasma (SP)/serum ratios of multiple trace elements (TEs) can classify patients with male subfertility.
PURPOSE
To investigate whether seminal plasma (SP)/serum ratios of multiple trace elements (TEs) can classify patients with male subfertility.
METHODS
SP/serum ratios of 20 TEs (lithium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, rubidium, strontium, molybdenum, cesium, barium, and thallium) were calculated for healthy volunteers ( = 4) and those consulting for male subfertility ( = 245). Volunteer semen samples were collected by split ejaculation into early and subsequent fractions, and SP/serum ratio data were compared between fractions. The patients' SP/serum ratio data were used in an unsupervised clustering analysis and qualitatively compared with the data from the fractions of ejaculation from the volunteers. Semen quality parameters and pregnancy outcomes were compared between patient clusters.
RESULTS
The early fraction of volunteers was characterized by lower phosphorus and arsenic and 18 other higher TEs than the subsequent fraction. Cluster analysis classified patients into four distinct clusters, one sharing characteristics with the early fraction and another with the subsequent fraction. One cluster with the early fraction characteristics had significantly lower semen volume and higher pregnancy rates from spontaneous pregnancies or intrauterine insemination.
CONCLUSIONS
Classification of patients based on SP/serum ratios of multiple TEs represents the dominance of fractions of ejaculation samples.
PubMed: 38807752
DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12584 -
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. C,... May 2024X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is one of the most common techniques used to analyze the surface composition of catalysts and support materials used in polymer...
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is one of the most common techniques used to analyze the surface composition of catalysts and support materials used in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells and electrolyzers, providing important insights for further improvement of their properties. Characterization of catalyst layers (CLs) is more challenging, which can be at least partially attributed to the instability of ionomer materials such as Nafion during measurements. This work explores the stability of Nafion during XPS measurements, illuminating and addressing Nafion degradation concerns. The extent of Nafion damage as a function of XPS instrumentation, measurement conditions, and sample properties was evaluated across multiple instruments. Results revealed that significant Nafion damage to the ion-conducting sulfonic acid species (>50% loss in sulfur signal) may occur in a relatively short time frame (tens of minutes) depending on the exact nature of the sample and XPS instrument. This motivated the development and validation of a multipoint XPS data acquisition protocol that minimizes Nafion damage, resulting in reliable data acquisition by avoiding significant artifacts from Nafion instability. The developed protocol was then used to analyze both thin film ionomer samples and Pt/C-based CLs. Comparison of PEM fuel cell CLs to Nafion thin films revealed several changes in Nafion spectral features attributed to charge transfer due to interaction with conductive catalyst and support species. This study provides a method to reliably characterize ionomer-containing samples, facilitating fundamental studies of the catalyst-ionomer interface and more applied investigations of structure-processing-performance correlations in PEM fuel cell and electrolyzer CLs.
PubMed: 38807630
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c00872 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Extremophile organisms are known that can metabolize at temperatures down to - 25 °C (psychrophiles) and up to 122 °C (hyperthermophiles). Understanding...
Extremophile organisms are known that can metabolize at temperatures down to - 25 °C (psychrophiles) and up to 122 °C (hyperthermophiles). Understanding viability under extreme conditions is relevant for human health, biotechnological applications, and our search for life elsewhere in the universe. Information about the stability and dynamics of proteins under environmental extremes is an important factor in this regard. Here we compare the dynamics of small Fe-S proteins - rubredoxins - from psychrophilic and hyperthermophilic microorganisms, using three different nuclear techniques as well as molecular dynamics calculations to quantify motion at the Fe site. The theory of 'corresponding states' posits that homologous proteins from different extremophiles have comparable flexibilities at the optimum growth temperatures of their respective organisms. Although 'corresponding states' would predict greater flexibility for rubredoxins that operate at low temperatures, we find that from 4 to 300 K, the dynamics of the Fe sites in these homologous proteins are essentially equivalent.
Topics: Iron; Extremophiles; Rubredoxins; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Temperature
PubMed: 38806591
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62261-2 -
Clinical and Translational Medicine Jun 2024Copper, a trace element and vital cofactor, plays a crucial role in the maintenance of biological functions. Recent evidence has established significant correlations... (Review)
Review
Copper, a trace element and vital cofactor, plays a crucial role in the maintenance of biological functions. Recent evidence has established significant correlations between copper levels, cancer development and metastasis. The strong redox-active properties of copper offer both benefits and disadvantages to cancer cells. The intestinal tract, which is primarily responsible for copper uptake and regulation, may suffer from an imbalance in copper homeostasis. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most prevalent primary cancer of the intestinal tract and is an aggressive malignant disease with limited therapeutic options. Current research is primarily focused on the relationship between copper and CRC. Innovative concepts, such as cuproplasia and cuproptosis, are being explored to understand copper-related cellular proliferation and death. Cuproplasia is the regulation of cell proliferation that is mediated by both enzymatic and nonenzymatic copper-modulated activities. Whereas, cuproptosis refers to cell death induced by excess copper via promoting the abnormal oligomerisation of lipoylated proteins within the tricarboxylic acid cycle, as well as by diminishing the levels of iron-sulphur cluster proteins. A comprehensive understanding of copper-related cellular proliferation and death mechanisms offers new avenues for CRC treatment. In this review, we summarise the evolving molecular mechanisms, ranging from abnormal intracellular copper concentrations to the copper-related proteins that are being discovered, and discuss the role of copper in the pathogenesis, progression and potential therapies for CRC. Understanding the relationship between copper and CRC will help provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation for innovative treatment strategies in CRC management.
Topics: Humans; Copper; Colorectal Neoplasms; Cell Proliferation
PubMed: 38804588
DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1724 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Since infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause increasing problems worldwide, the identification of alternative therapies is of great importance....
Since infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause increasing problems worldwide, the identification of alternative therapies is of great importance. Plant-derived bioactives, including allyl-isothiocyanate (AITC), have received attention for their antimicrobial properties. The present study therefore investigates the impact of AITC on survival and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) levels in challenged with the fly pathogenic bacteria subsp. and . AITC, a sulfur-containing compound derived from glucosinolates, exhibits antimicrobial properties and has been suggested to modulate AMP expression. By using , we demonstrate that AITC treatment resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease of survival rates among female flies, particularly in the presence of the Gram-negative bacterium subsp. , whereas AITC did not affect survival in male flies. Despite the ability of isothiocyanates to induce AMP expression in cell culture, we did not detect significant changes in AMP mRNA levels in infected flies exposed to AITC. Our findings suggest sex-specific differences in response to AITC treatment and bacterial infections, underlining the complexity of host-pathogen interactions and potential limitations of AITC as a preventive or therapeutic compound at least in models of bacterial infections.
Topics: Animals; Isothiocyanates; Drosophila melanogaster; Female; Male; Antimicrobial Peptides; Pectobacterium carotovorum; Drosophila Proteins
PubMed: 38803500
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1404086 -
Thoracic Cancer May 2024Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common malignancy with high morbidity and mortality. Circular RNAs are widely involved in NSCLC progression. However, the...
BACKGROUND
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common malignancy with high morbidity and mortality. Circular RNAs are widely involved in NSCLC progression. However, the mechanism of circSLC25A16 in NSCLC has not been reported.
METHODS
The expressions of circSLC25A16, microRNA-335-5p (miR-335-5p), and CDGSH iron-sulfur domain-containing protein 2 (CISD2) were monitored by quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction. Western blot was also carried out to measure the protein levels of CISD2, hexokinase 2 (HK2), and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA). For functional analysis, cell counting kit-8 assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, flow cytometry, transwell, and wound healing assays were utilized to examine cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. Glucose uptake and lactate production were detected using commercial kits. The relationship between miR-335-5p and circSLC25A16 or CISD2 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Furthermore, tumor xenograft was established to explore the function of circSLC25A16 in vivo.
RESULTS
CircSLC25A16 and CISD2 were overexpressed in NSCLC, but miR-335-5p was downregulated. CircSLC25A16 acted as a miR-335-5p sponge, and silencing of circSLC25A16 arrested cell proliferation, migration, and glycolysis, and promoted apoptosis, but these impacts were resumed by miR-335-5p inhibition. CISD2 was a miR-335-5p target, and overexpression of CISD2 abolished the suppressive function of miR-335-5p mimic on the malignant behavior of NSCLC cells. CircSLC25A16 could adsorb miR-335-5p to mediate CISD2 expression. Additionally, silencing circSLC25A16 restrained the growth of NSCLC tumor xenograft in vivo.
CONCLUSION
CircSLC25A16 facilitated NSCLC progression via the miR-335-5p/CISD2 axis, implying that circSLC25A16 may serve as a novel biomarker for NSCLC treatment.
PubMed: 38803052
DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.15163