Degradation of the earthy and musty odorant 2,4,6-tricholoroanisole by persulfate activated with iron of different valences

Abstract

2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (TCA) is an odorous compound that is often detected in tap water and is difficult to be removed via water treatment. In this study, the transformation efficiency of TCA in the presence of persulfate (PS) activated by iron (Fe²⁺, Fe⁰, and Fe³⁺) was investigated for the first time. The effects of the activator dosage, oxidant dosage, pH, dosing method, chelating agents, humic acid, and temperature were evaluated. The degradation rate of TCA increased with increasing PS dosages (0.12–0.48 mM) and initial Fe²⁺ concentrations (0.12–0.96 mM), while it decreased with higher Fe²⁺ concentrations. Fe²⁺/PS and Fe⁰/PS systems achieved their best TCA removal efficiency at pH 7 and 2.5, respectively. According to the results of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), the contribution of SO₄⁻• to TCA degradation was much higher than that of •OH. Gradual addition of Fe²⁺ improved TCA degradation compared to single addition. Citric acid (CA) promoted TCA degradation under Fe²⁺/PS at the beginning of the reaction, but inhibited it after 10 min. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) improved the TCA removal rate with an EDTA/Fe²⁺ molar ratio of 0.5:1, while it decreased it at higher EDTA/Fe²⁺ molar ratios. Oxalic acid (OA) negatively affected TCA degradation with increasing OA/Fe²⁺ molar ratios. Among all of the chelating agents, only CA increased TCA degradation by Fe⁰/PS. Humic acid promoted TCA degradation by Fe²⁺/PS at the proper dosage (1 mg/L). Under our specific conditions and over the temperature ranging from 10 to 25 °C, no change was observed in the reaction kinetics. It was found that 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) was the only detected oxidation product. The presence of an Fe²⁺-Fe³⁺ redox cycle in iron-activated PS systems was confirmed by TCA degradation under the Fe³⁺/PS system.

http://ift.tt/2mEHmCA

A novel process for CO 2 capture by using sodium metaborate. Part I: effects of calcination

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive study on the carbonation of sodium metaborate (NaBO₂) and the synthesis of high added value chemicals via NaBO₂ and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a greenhouse gas and NaBO₂ is a by-product of sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) hydrolysis reaction to produce H₂. Therefore their transformation into commercial chemicals is quite important in order to provide a mutual benefit to global warming issue and hydrogen economy. In the presented study, reaction parameters such as hydration factor, furnace type, calcination temperature, and environment are investigated at different levels and optimized. The effects of those key parameters on CO₂ fixation yield are discussed. It is found that 400 °C is a key temperature for dehydration and reaction steps. Both dehydrated NaBO₂ is obtained and maximum carbonation conversion is reached at 400 °C. Moreover, at relatively low temperatures (below 400 °C), a new reaction pathway is proposed and proved by thermodynamic calculations. Structural properties of NaBO₂ are exhibited differences regard to thermal exposure and the conversion is strictly related to the structural properties.

http://ift.tt/2zf2bdp

Silica nanoparticle exposure inducing granulosa cell apoptosis and follicular atresia in female Balb/c mice

Abstract

Given that the effects of ultrafine fractions (< 0.1 μm) on reproductive diseases are gaining attention, this study aimed to explore the influence of silica nanoparticle (SiNP)-induced female reproductive dysfunction. In this study, 80 female mice were randomly divided into four groups including a control group and three concentrations of SiNP groups (7, 21, 35 mg/kg). Mice were exposed to the vehicle control and silica nanoparticles by tracheal perfusion every 3 days a total of five times in 15 days. Then, half of the mice in each group were sacrificed on 15 and 30 days after the first dose, respectively. Our findings indicated that SiNPs can result in ovarian damage, cause an imbalance of sex hormones, increase the number of atretic and primary follicles, and induce oxidative stress and DNA strand breaks in ovary by day 15. The protein expressions of ATM, CHK-2, P53, E2F1, P73, BAX, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3 were significantly increased, while expressions of RAD51 were down-regulated after SiNP exposure by days 15. Estradiol increased, while progesterone increased in low dose and decreased in high dose after SiNP exposure by 15 days. However, these changes were recovered by 30 days. The results suggest that SiNPs can cause reversible damage to follicles in mice. SiNPs could primarily cause DNA damage and DNA damage response through oxidative stress, while DNA damage repair failure because of severe DNA damage activated the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and therefore resulted in apoptosis of granulosa cell. In addition, the disorder of reproductive endocrine function caused by SiNPs could be another reason for SiNP-induced reproductive dysfunction in mice. These events in turn induce the follicles to undergo atresia.

http://ift.tt/2yY5jXd

Copyright

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1





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CME Accreditation Page

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1





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Forthcoming Issues

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1





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Contributors

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1





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Contents

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1





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Imaging of Brain Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Eliana Bonfante, Roy Riascos




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Imaging of Brain Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Suresh K. Mukherji




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Imaging of Cerebral Concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Eliana Bonfante, Roy Riascos




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Definition of Traumatic Brain Injury, Neurosurgery, Trauma Orthopedics, Neuroimaging, Psychology, and Psychiatry in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Mubashir Pervez, Ryan S. Kitagawa, Tiffany R. Chang

Teaser

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) disrupts the normal function of the brain. This condition can adversely affect a person's quality of life with cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and physical symptoms that limit interpersonal, social, and occupational functioning. Although many systems exist, the simplest classification includes mild, moderate, and severe TBI depending on the nature of injury and the impact on the patient's clinical status. Patients with TBI require prompt evaluation and multidisciplinary management. Aside from the type and severity of the TBI, recovery is influenced by individual patient characteristics, social and environmental factors, and access to medical and rehabilitation services.


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Conventional Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance in Brain Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Juan Nicolas Useche, Sonia Bermudez

Teaser

Conventional neuroimaging is still the mainstay in the assessment of the acute, follow-up, and chronic settings of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Computed tomography (CT) is preferred for the initial assessment of acute mTBI, repeat evaluation in acute mTBI with neurologic deterioration, and cautious use in children with mTBI. Clinical rules have been developed to identify pediatric and adult patients with mTBI who can safely forego CT. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is mostly used in patients with acute mTBI when initial or follow-up CT is normal and there are persistent neurologic findings and in subacute or chronic mTBI.


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Multimodal Advanced Imaging for Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Khader M. Hasan, Zafer Keser, Paul E. Schulz, Elisabeth A. Wilde

Teaser

In the United States alone, 1.6 to 3.8 million people have sports-related concussions yearly. The patho-mechanisms of concussions may not be directly measured by conventional neuroimaging; advanced models may be needed to address the shortcomings of the current clinical protocols. Multimodal advanced imaging may provide more accurate diagnosis and predict the clinical course of concussion, assessing the efficacy of existing and emerging multifaceted therapies. In this article, the authors present an overview and pictorial display of conventional and advanced multimodal MR imaging methods that have been applied to identify the brain structures affected in traumatic brain injuries.


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Imaging of Concussion in Young Athletes

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Jeffrey P. Guenette, Martha E. Shenton, Inga K. Koerte

Teaser

Conventional neuroimaging examinations are typically normal in concussed young athletes. A current focus of research is the characterization of subtle abnormalities after concussion using advanced neuroimaging techniques. These techniques have the potential to identify biomarkers of concussion. In the future, such biomarkers will likely provide important clinical information regarding the appropriate time interval before return to play, as well as the risk for prolonged postconcussive symptoms and long-term cognitive impairment. This article discusses results from advanced imaging techniques and emphasizes imaging modalities that will likely become available in the near future for the clinical evaluation of concussed young athletes.


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Perfusion Imaging in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): David B. Douglas, Ruchir Chaudhari, Jason M. Zhao, James Gullo, Jared Kirkland, Pamela K. Douglas, Ely Wolin, James Walroth, Max Wintermark

Teaser

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant problem worldwide and neuroimaging plays a critical role in diagnosis and management. Recently, perfusion neuroimaging techniques have been explored in TBI to determine and characterize potential perfusion neuroimaging biomarkers to aid in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. In this article, computed tomography (CT) bolus perfusion, MR imaging bolus perfusion, MR imaging arterial spin labeling perfusion, and xenon CT are reviewed with a focus on their applications in acute TBI. Future research directions are also discussed.


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PET and Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography in Brain Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Cyrus A. Raji, Theodore A. Henderson

Teaser

This article offers an overview of the application of PET and single photon emission computed tomography brain imaging to concussion, a type of mild traumatic brain injury and traumatic brain injury, in general. The article reviews the application of these neuronuclear imaging modalities in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Additionally, this article frames the current literature with an overview of the basic physics and radiation exposure risks of each modality.


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Imaging the Role of Myelin in Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Alexander Mark Weber, Carlos Torres, Alexander Rauscher

Teaser

Myelin water imaging (MWI) provides mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) researchers with a specific myelin biomarker and helps to further elucidate microstructural and microarchitectural changes of white matter after mTBI. Improvement of scanner hardware and software with the implementation of MWI across scanner platforms will likely result in increased research regarding the role of myelin in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Future research should include detailed investigation of myelin between 2 weeks and 2 months after injury, the use of MWI in moderate and severe TBI, and investigation of the role of myelin in chronic TBI.


http://ift.tt/2AT5jIs

Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Ivan I. Kirov, Christopher T. Whitlow, Carlos Zamora

Teaser

Although susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) studies have suggested an increased number of microhemorrhages in concussion, most show no significant differences compared with controls. There have been mixed results on using SWI to predict neurologic outcomes. Drawbacks include inability to time microhemorrhages and difficulty in attributing them to the concussion. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in concussion can identify metabolic abnormalities, with many studies showing correlations with clinical outcome. Applications in individual patients are impeded by conflicting data and lack of consensus on an optimal protocol. Therefore, currently MRS has most utility in group-level comparisons designed to reveal the pathophysiology of concussion.


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Functional MR Imaging: Blood Oxygen Level–Dependent and Resting State Techniques in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Scott Rosenthal, Matthew Gray, Hudaisa Fatima, Haris I. Sair, Christopher T. Whitlow

Teaser

This article discusses mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)-associated effects on brain functional connectivity assessed via resting-state functional MR (fMR) imaging. Several studies have reported acute post-injury default mode network hyperconnectivity, followed by a period of decreased connectivity before later connectivity normalization in some patients. Other studies have reported mTBI associated effects on connectivity that remain evident for up to 5-years or more. Discordance in the published literature regarding the direction of network connectivity changes (eg, increased versus decreased connectivity) may reflect differences in timing of data collection post-injury, as well as the need to standardize MR imaging acquisition protocols and processing methods.


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Diffusion MR Imaging in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Maria J. Borja, Sohae Chung, Yvonne W. Lui

Teaser

Remarkable advances have been made in the last decade in the use of diffusion MR imaging to study mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Diffusion imaging shows differences between mTBI patients and healthy control groups in multiple different metrics using a variety of techniques, supporting the notion that there are microstructural injuries in mTBI patients that radiologists have been insensitive to. Future areas of discovery in diffusion MR imaging and mTBI include larger longitudinal studies to better understand the evolution of the injury and unravel the biophysical meaning that the detected changes in diffusion MR imaging represent.


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Imaging of Chronic Concussion

Publication date: February 2018
Source:Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Volume 28, Issue 1
Author(s): Eliana Bonfante, Roy Riascos, Octavio Arevalo

Teaser

Conventional imaging findings in patients with cerebral concussion and chronic traumatic encephalopathy are absent or subtle in the majority of cases. The most common abnormalities include cerebral volume loss, enlargement of the cavum of the septum pellucidum, cerebral microhemorrhages, and white matter signal abnormalities, all of which have poor sensitivity and specificity. Advanced imaging modalities, such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), blood oxygen level dependent functional MR Imaging (BOLD fMRI), MR spectroscopy, perfusion imaging, positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetoencephalography detect physiologic abnormalities in symptomatic patients and, although currently in the investigation phase, may become useful in the clinical arena.


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Elucidation of functional chemical groups responsible of compost phytotoxicity using solid-state 13 C NMR spectroscopy under different initial C / N ratios

Abstract

More than 1 million tons of fresh organic wastes is produced in the Souss-Massa region in Morocco. Tomato organic residues represent more than 25% of the total organic wastes and are deposited in uncontrolled landfills. Thus, composting can represent a valuable and pertinent solution to this environmental problem. The objectives of this experiment are to identify the potential functional groups responsible for compost phytotoxicity and to determine the optimum initial carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) for maximum recovery of tomato residues. The experiment consisted of the variation of the initial C/N ratios (25, 30, 35, and 40) using mixtures of different raw materials (tomato residues, melon residues, olive mill pomace, and sheep manure). Physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, C/N ratio, and humic acid/fulvic acid ratio) were determined and spectroscopic analyses (UV-vis and NMR-¹³C) were performed during the composting process along with quality parameters (germination and phytotoxicity tests) at the end. The results showed that the compost with the initial C/N ratio of 35 is the most humified with the least phytotoxic effect. The germination and phytotoxicity tests were negatively correlated with the methoxyl/N-alkyl-C ratio and O-alkyl-C. These two functional groups are probably the origin of phytotoxicity expression in compost quality tests. Thus, a simple and precise quality test could be performed to evaluate directly the phytotoxicity and maturity of compost.

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Aims and Scope & Editorial Board

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre, Volume 12





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Erratum to “Systematic literature review of health-related quality of life in locally-advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Has it yet become state-of-the-art?” [Crit. Rev. Oncol. Hematol., 119 (November) (2017) 40–49]

Publication date: Available online 19 October 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Lotte van der Weijst, Veerle Surmont, Wim Schrauwen, Yolande Lievens




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Fertility management for malignant ovarian germ cell tumors patients

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 120
Author(s): Chiara Di Tucci, Assunta Casorelli, Elisa Morrocchi, Innocenza Palaia, Ludovico Muzii, Pierluigi Benedetti Panici
Malignant Germ Cell Tumors have primarily affecting adolescents and young adults. In advanced disease, greater than 70% of patients can be cured with standard chemotherapy regimens and fertility-sparing surgery appears to be safe with excellent survival after long-term follow-up.Due to their rarity, follow up and fertility management is largely based on trials of epithelial ovarian cancer or on few small studies.We report a review of the literature studies about the assessment, the monitoring and the treatment of fertility for Malignant Germ Cell Tumors as pratical guidelines for management of fertility in these patients.



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Management of salivary gland malignant tumor: The policlinico Umberto I, sapienza university of rome head and neck unit clinical recommendations

Publication date: Available online 27 October 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Francesca De Felice, Marco de incentiis, Valentino Valentini, Daniela Musio, Silvia Mezi, Luigi Lo Mele, Marco Della Monaca, Vittorio D'Aguanno, Valentina Terenzi, Martina Di Brino, Edoardo Brauner, Nadia Bulzonetti, Gianluca Tenore, Giulia Pomati, Andrea Cassoni, Mario Tombolini, Andrea Battisti, Antonio Greco, Giorgio Pompa, Antonio Minni, Umberto Romeo, Enrico Cortesi, Antonella Polimeni, Vincenzo Tombolini
Salivary gland malignant tumor (SGMT) is a malignant disease requiring multidisciplinary approach. The rare incidence and the consequent lack of robust evidence-based medicine has called for a comprehensive update to draw recommendations for clinical practice. This paper is a summary of the XXX Head and Neck Unit guidelines regarding the management of SGMT. Recommendations include the indications for exclusive and adjuvant therapy, as well as metastatic management, for both major and minor SGMT.



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Incidence of skin toxicity in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with radiotherapy and cetuximab: A systematic review

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 120
Author(s): Pierluigi Bonomo, Mauro Loi, Isacco Desideri, Emanuela Olmetto, Camilla Delli Paoli, Francesca Terziani, Daniela Greto, Monica Mangoni, Silvia Scoccianti, Gabriele Simontacchi, Giulio Francolini, Icro Meattini, Saverio Caini, Lorenzo Livi
PurposeRadiotherapy plus cetuximab is an effective combination therapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of skin toxicity in patients receiving the combined treatment.ResultsForty-eight studies were included in our analysis, for a total of 2152 patients. The mean rates of G3/G4 radiation dermatitis and acneiform rash were 32.5% (SD: 20.4; 95% CI: 28.5–36.5) and 13.4% (SD: 11.5; 95% CI: 11.2–15.6), respectively. The majority of studies referred to CTCAE scales for reporting both side effects (85.7% and 92.1%, respectively). Data on the management of skin toxicity were available in only 35.4% of the reviewed literature.Conclusionssevere radiation dermatitis is a frequent side effect induced by the combination of radiotherapy and cetuximab in head and neck cancer. The lack of predictive biomarkers of toxicity hampers the possibilty to design preventive measures on a personalized basis.



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The effects of enzalutamide and abiraterone on skeletal related events and bone radiological progression free survival in castration resistant prostate cancer patients: An indirect comparison of randomized controlled trials

Publication date: Available online 16 October 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Sergio Rizzo, Antonio Galvano, Francesco Pantano, Michele Iuliani, Bruno Vincenzi, Francesco Passiglia, Silvia Spoto, Giuseppe Tonini, Viviana Bazan, Antonio Russo, Daniele Santini
Two new drugs, the CYP17 inhibitor abiraterone acetate and the androgen receptor (AR) antagonist enzalutamide, have recently shown to prolong OS prior chemotherapy or in docetaxel treated mCRPC patients, using steroidal therapy or placebo as control group. Updated analyses underlined the role of these new agents on two prostate-specific endpoints as radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) and time to first skeletal-related event (tSRE). On the basis of these reports, we made an indirect comparison between abiraterone and enzalutamide. We obtained a clinically but not significant difference favouring enzalutamide over abiraterone in terms of rPFS (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.22–1.02). No significant difference was shown in term of tSRE (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.83–1.17). In conclusion, abiraterone and enzalutamide have both demonstrated to significantly delay the bone progression resulting in similar improvements in bone-related endpoints in patients with mCRPC.



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Developing chemotherapy for diffuse pontine intrinsic gliomas (DIPG)

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 120
Author(s): Ho-Shin Gwak, Hyeon Jin Park
Prognosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is poor, with a median survival of 10 months after radiation. At present, chemotherapy has failed to show benefits over radiation.Advances in biotechnology have enabled the use of autopsy specimens for genomic analyses and molecular profiling of DIPG, which are quite different from those of supratentorial high grade glioma. Recently, combined treatments of cytotoxic agents with target inhibitors, based on biopsied tissue, are being examined in on-going trials. Spontaneous DIPG mice models have been recently developed that is useful for preclinical studies. Finally, the convection-enhanced delivery could be used to infuse drugs directly into the brainstem parenchyma, to which conventional systemic administration fails to achieve effective concentration.The WHO glioma classification defines a diffuse midline glioma with a H3-K27M-mutation, and we expect increase of tissue confirmation of DIPG, which will give us the biological information helping the development of a targeted therapy.



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ERCC1 as a prognostic factor for survival in patients with advanced urothelial cancer treated with platinum based chemotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 120
Author(s): Yuksel Urun, Jeffrey J. Leow, Andre P. Fay, Laurence Albiges, Toni K. Choueiri, Joaquim Bellmunt
BackgroundThe predictive role of excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) as a predictive factor in patients with advanced urothelial cancer (AUC) treated with platinum-based treatment is not well defined. Here, we evaluate the role of ERCC1 in patients with AUC treated with platinum-based treatment.MethodsWe performed comprehensive, systematic computerized search to identify relevant studies through Medline, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) databases and abstracts from American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, European Society For Medical Oncology (ESMO) and European Association of Urology (EAU) meeting up to July 2015. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed.ResultsWe included a total of 1475 patients from 13 studies. We found that ERCC1 positivity was significantly associated with worse progression-free survival (pooled HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.13–2.11, p=0.006). There was no significant association with overall survival (pooled HR1.63, 95% CI: 0.93–2.88, p=0.09) and disease-free survival (pooled HR: 1.092, 95% CI: 0.63–1.90, p=0.75).ConclusionERCC1 positivity might be a prognostic indicator for poorer survival outcomes among patients with AUC. ERCC1 positivity was trending to poorer OS but was statistically worse for PFS. Further large prospective studies are warranted as ERCC1 could be used as a predictive marker to direct treatment of patients with AUC.



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The role of Nuclear Factor-kappa B signaling in human cervical cancer

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 120
Author(s): Sam Tilborghs, Jerome Corthouts, Yannick Verhoeven, David Arias, Christian Rolfo, Xuan Bich Trinh, Peter A. van Dam
Background The Nuclear Factor kappaB (NF-kB) family consists of transcription factors that play a complex and essential role in the regulation of immune responses and inflammation. NF-kB has recently generated considerable interest as it has been implicated in human cancer initiation, progression and resistance to treatment. In the present comprehensive review the different aspects of NF-kB signaling in the carcinogenesis of cancer of the uterine cervix are discussed. NF-kB functions as part of a network, which determines the pattern of its effects on the expression of several other genes (such as crosstalks with reactive oxygen species, p53, STAT3 and miRNAS) and thus its function. Activation of NF-kB triggered by a HPV infection is playing an important role in the innate and adaptive immune response of the host. The virus induces down regulation of NF-kB to liquidate the inhibitory activity for its replication triggered by the immune system leading a status of persistant HPV infection. During the progression to high grade intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer NF-KB becomes constitutionally activated again. Mutations in NF-kB genes are rare in solid tumors but mutations of upstream signaling molecules such as RAS, EGFR, PGF, HER2 have been implicated in elevated NF-kB signaling. NF-kB can stimulate transcription of proliferation regulating genes (eg. cyclin D1 and c-myc), genes involved in metastasis, VEGF dependent angiogenesis and cell immortality by telomerase. NF-kB activation can also induce the expression of activation-induced cytodine deaminase (AID) and the APOBEC proteins, providing a mechanistic link between the NF-kB pathway and mutagenic characteristic of cervical cancer. Inhibition of NF-kB has the potential to be used to reverse resistance to radiotherapy and systemic anti-cancer medication, but currently no clinicaly active NF-kB targeting strategies are available.



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Examining the bleeding incidences associated with targeted therapies used in metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 120
Author(s): MacKenzie Crist, Elizabeth Hansen, Lipika Chablani, Elizabeth Guancial
A systematic review was conducted to illustrate the bleeding risks associated with targeted therapies used in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Eligible studies included phase II, III, or IV clinical trials using pazopanib, sunitinib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib, everolimus, temsirolimus, bevacizumab, axitinib, and/or sorafenib in the setting of mRCC. Types of bleeding event(s), bleeding event frequency, and incidence of thrombocytopenia were collected from the relevant articles. ClinicalTrials.gov was also searched for incidence of "Serious bleeding adverse effects" reported in these trials. The incidences of bleeding events ranged from 1 to 36%, and incidences of thrombocytopenia ranged from 2 to 78%. Available serious bleeding adverse events ranged from 1 to 7%. The highest percentage of bleeding incidences were seen with bevacizumab, while the lowest percentage of bleeding incidences were seen with axitinib. All of the included trials were of high quality per Jadad scoring.



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Impact of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and febrile neutropenia (FN) on cancer treatment outcomes: An overview about well-established and recently emerging clinical data

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 120
Author(s): Yassine Lalami, Jean Klastersky
Despite the overwhelming evidence for the role of granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) in managing febrile neutropenia (FN) risk, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and/or FN still remain the most common reasons for reducing relative dose intensity (RDI) and/or delaying chemotherapy schedule. The need to maintain RDI to ensure optimal clinical outcomes is one of the key rationales for utilizing G-CSF. There is a high incidence of reduced RDI in both curative and palliative settings, and this observation is especially evidenced in retrospective analyses. Reduced RDI leads to significantly decreased survival outcomes and quality of life in various malignancies at various clinical settings and stages.Beyond its role as a surrogate prognostic marker, high-grade CIN may have an unexpected predictive role in clinical practice, as illustrated by several data relating CIN occurrence with favorable survival outcomes; this may be due to the fact that body surface area (BSA) – based calculation of dose may not fully account for the pharmacokinetics (PK) of cytotoxic drugs and the fact that there may be variability in drug metabolism between patients treated with same chemotherapy regimens.



http://ift.tt/2AvwYyU

Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer – Current Clinical Utility and Future Perspectives

Publication date: Available online 13 November 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Alexander Kretschmer, Derya Tilki
Current tendencies in the treatment course of prostate cancer patients increase the need for reliable biomarkers that help in decision-making in a challenging clinical setting. Within the last decade, several novel biomarkers have been introduced. In the following comprehensive review article, we focus on diagnostic (PHI^®, 4K score, SelectMDx^®, ConfirmMDx^®, PCA3, MiPS, ExosomeDX, mpMRI) and prognostic (OncotypeDX GPS^®, Prolaris^®, ProMark^®, DNA-ploidy, Decipher^®) biomarkers that are in widespread clinical use and are supported by evidence. Hereby, we focus on multiple clinical situations in which innovative biomarkers may guide decision-making in prostate cancer therapy. In addition, we describe novel liquid biopsy approaches (circulating tumour cells, cell-free DNA) that have been described as predictive biomarkers in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and might support an individual patient-centred oncological approach in the nearer future.



http://ift.tt/2hBP8Yc

Optimization and purification of l-asparaginase from fungi: A systematic review

Publication date: Available online 13 November 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Paula Monteiro Souza, Marcela Medeiros de Freitas, Samuel Leite Cardoso, Adalberto Pessoa, Eliete Neves Silva Guerra, Pérola Oliveira Magalhães
The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the available literature of the l-asparaginase producing fungi. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews. The search was conducted on five databases: LILACS, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science up until July 20th, 2016, with no time or language restrictions. The reference list of the included studies was crosschecked and a partial gray literature search was undertaken. The methodology of the selected studies was evaluated using GRADE. Asparaginase production, optimization using statistical design, purification and characterization were the main evaluated outcomes. Of the 1,686 initially gathered studies, 19 met the inclusion criteria after a two-step selection process. Nine species of fungi were reported in the selected studies, out of which 13 studies optimized the medium composition using statistical design for enhanced asparaginase production and six reported purification and characterization of the enzyme. The genera Aspergillus were identified as producers of asparaginase in both solid and submerged fermentation and l-asparagine was the amino acid most used as nitrogen source. This systematic review demonstrated that different fungi produce l-asparaginase, which possesses a potential in leukemia treatment. However, further investigations are required to confirm the promising effect of these fungal enzymes.



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Concomitant Use Of Corticosteroids And Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors In Patients With Hematologic Or Solid Neoplasms: A Systematic Review

Publication date: Available online 27 October 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): A. Garant, C. Guilbault, T. Ekmekjian, Z. Greenwald, P. Murgoi, T. Vuong
PurposeClinical trials studying immune checkpoint inhibitors exclude patients on corticosteroids, due to the hypothesis that corticosteroids may antagonize immunotherapy. We performed a systematic review of the literature looking at the clinical outcomes of cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and concomitant corticosteroids.MethodsThe following databases were searched for relevant studies: MEDLINE, Embase Classic+Embase, BIOSIS Previews, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the CENTRAL Registry of Controlled Trials, Web of Science and Scopus. Abstracts from the meetings of the European Cancer Congress/European Society for Medical Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology, the American Society for Radiation Oncology and the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology were manually searched. Two independent reviewers screened the references: case reports and articles with a low risk of bias were retained.ResultsFollowing a retrieval of 14603 unique references, 140 abstracts were retained for review; 27 articles are in the final analysis. Although limited, the reviewed data suggests that the concomitant administration of corticosteroids and immune checkpoint inhibitors may not necessarily lead to poorer clinical outcomes.ConclusionIn our systematic review, there was no objective data on the exact types of corticosteroids and the dose threshold above which an interaction could be measured clinically. Consideration of stratified randomization and treatment sequence evaluations in prospective trials may clarify this challenging topic and perhaps improve patient access to immune checkpoint therapies.



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The predictive value of primary tumor location in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: A systematic review

Publication date: Available online 7 November 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Nele Boeckx, Katleen Janssens, Guy Van Camp, Marika Rasschaert, Konstantinos Papadimitriou, Marc Peeters, Ken Op de Beeck
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide. It has been reported that left- and right-sided CRC harbor varying disease characteristics, which leads to a difference in prognosis and response to therapy. Recently, there have been retrospective studies about tumor location in metastatic CRC (mCRC) and its potential to predict the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) therapies. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest trials studying the predictive value of primary tumor location in mCRC and discuss biomarkers that might be associated with the differences in treatment response. Although data need to be interpreted with caution due to the absence of randomized trials stratified based on tumor location, patients with left-sided CRC seem to benefit more from anti-EGFR therapy than patients with right-sided CRC. Further clinical trials, stratified for tumor location, are warranted.



http://ift.tt/2hBOWbq

Ovarian sex-cord stromal tumours and small cell tumours: pathological, genetic and management aspects

Publication date: Available online 16 October 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Stergios Boussios, Michelle Moschetta, George Zarkavelis, Alexandra Papadaki, Aristides Kefas, Konstantina Tatsi
Non-epithelial ovarian cancers (NEOC) constitute a group of uncommon malignancies and their treatment is still a challenging task. Collectively, these tumours account for about 10% of all ovarian cancers and occur in all age groups from childhood to old-age. They include malignancies of germ cell origin, sex cord-stromal cell origin, and a variety of extremely rare ovarian cancers, such as small-cell carcinomas and sarcomas. Each of these classifications encompasses multiple histologic subtypes. It is imperative that these rare tumours are managed with accurate diagnosis, staging, and treatment, to optimise the outcome. The aetiology and molecular origins of each sub-group of NEOC remain largely unresolved, and international cooperation to promote high quality translational research is crucial. Much effort has been made into researching the molecular mechanisms underlying epithelial ovarian cancers, but far less is known about the genetic changes in NEOC. In this article, it is provided an overview of the current knowledge on the incidence, clinical presentation, pathology, genetics, therapeutic interventions, survival and prognostic factors of adult and juvenile granulosa cell tumours (GrCT), Sertoli-Leydig Cell tumours (SLCT) and small cell carcinoma of the ovary. We also consider future potential therapeutic targets in these rare cancers.



http://ift.tt/2yNCccu

Effects of exercise on cancer patients suffering chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy undergoing treatment: A systematic review

Publication date: Available online 7 November 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Duregon Federica, Vendramin Barbara, Bullo Valentina, Gobbo Stefano, Cugusi Lucia, Di Blasio Andrea, Neunhaeuserer Daniel, Zaccaria Marco, Bergamin Marco, Ermolao Andrea
BackgroundChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is the most common neurological and clinically relevant side effect of many commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. Moreover, little effort has been done to investigate the potentially beneficial effects of specific exercises to counteract the CIPN symptoms.ObjectiveThis document aims to summarize and analyze systematically the current body of evidence about the effects of specific exercise protocols on CIPN symptoms, balance control, physical function and quality of life in patients with CIPN.Literature surveySpecific terms were identified for the literature research in MEDLINE, Scopus, Bandolier, PEDro, and Web of Science.MethodologyFour manuscripts were considered eligible for this review. Quality appraisal distinguished two studies as high quality investigations while two with low quality. Results were summarized in the following domains: "CIPN symptoms", "Static balance control", "Dynamic balance control", "Quality of life and Physical function".SynthesisSignificant improvements were detected on postural control. Additionally, patients' quality of life and independence were found ameliorated after exercise sessions. Combined exercise protocols including endurance, strength and sensorimotor training showed larger improvements.ConclusionsThis systematic review comes from a highly selected but small source of data. Nevertheless, specific exercise for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with CIPN symptoms should be recommended since these interventions appeared as feasible and have been demonstrated as useful tools to counteract some of the limitations due to chemotherapy.



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Editorial Board

Publication date: November 2017
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Volume 119





http://ift.tt/2zQFdsi

Tracheocutaneous Fistula Closure with Turnover Flap and Polydioxanone Plate

Summary: An alternative surgical treatment is proposed for closure of tracheocutaneous fistulas. The authors present a new technique for reconstruction of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula resultant from temporary tracheostomy. The single-stage closure under local anesthesia involves a fistulous tract turnover flap with a perforated 0.15 mm polydioxanone plate between the flap and the subcutaneous closure. This article presents 3 cases of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula treated by this method. At follow-up examination after follow-up, no recurrent fistula formation had occurred, and no respiratory deformity was present.

http://ift.tt/2yVul93

Increased serum 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) levels are associated with glucose metabolism in Chinese pregnant women

Abstract

Purpose

Previous studies have found that 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) was associated with diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between abnormal increased CMPF levels and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

We recruited 828 pregnant women, and all of them underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). We screened out 141 GDM patients and 230 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance as controls. The serum CMPF concentration in participants was measured, and the relationship between the serum CMPF concentration and various parameters and biochemical indices was analyzed.

Results

Compared with the serum levels in pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance, GDM patients exhibited markedly higher serum CMPF levels. The serum CMPF concentration showed an independent positive correlation with the blood glucose levels, glycated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c), and the area under the glucose–time curve from the 2-h OGTT (AUC for glucose). Moreover, the CMPF concentration was independently negatively correlated with insulin secretion. However, CMPF was not significantly associated with lipid metabolism.

Conclusions

Elevated serum CMPF levels are detrimental to the development of hyperglycemia and islet β-cell functional failure in patients with GDM, which may promote the development of GDM.

http://ift.tt/2zTQiqI

The environmental pollutant BDE-209 regulates NO/cGMP signaling through activation of NMDA receptors in neurons

Abstract

The common flame retardant decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209) is a persistent organic pollutant. Epidemiological studies have revealed that prenatal or postnatal exposure to BDE-209 can result in delayed cognitive development, and BDE-209 has been shown to be toxic to cultured neurons with maturation interference effects. However, its neurotoxic mechanism remains unclear. Nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO/cGMP) signaling plays an important role in regulating neuronal maturation. We examined the influence of BDE-209 (100, 200, and 400 nM) on NO production and cGMP levels signaling in rodent neurons in vitro, with or without pretreatment N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonism. We found that nanomolar concentrations of BDE-209 affected levels of the second messengers NO and cGMP, and that these effects could be blocked by NMDA receptor antagonism. Moreover, BDE-209 activation of NMDA receptors inhibited the expression of phosphodiesterases (PDEs), which modulate intracellular cGMP levels, and increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, favoring apoptosis induction. Our studies implicate the NMDA-NO/cGMP pathway in the pathogenic mechanism through which BDE-209 induces neurotoxicity.

http://ift.tt/2yY0FIN

Spatial distributions of hexachlorobutadiene in agricultural soils from the Yangtze River Delta region of China

Abstract

Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) is one of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) listed by the Stockholm Convention and poses potential risks to human health and ecosystems. To reveal the regional-scale pollution status of HCBD in agricultural soils from fast-developing areas, an extensive investigation was conducted in the core Yangtze River Delta (YRD), China. The detectable concentrations of HCBD in 241 soil samples ranged from 0.07 to 8.47 ng g⁻¹ dry weight, with an average value of 0.32 ng g⁻¹ and a detection rate of 59.3%. Industrial emissions and intensive agricultural activities were the potential source of HCBD. The concentrations of HCBD were highly associated with the soil physicochemical properties such as organic matter contents. Higher concentrations of HCBD were found in paddy fields than other land-use types. The concentrations of HCBD were much lower than those of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls. Significant positive correlations were found between HCBD and most organochlorine pesticides. HCBD was not found in ten vegetable samples due to its low concentration and detection rate. A positive relationship was observed between the level of HCBD and the biomass of fungi, indicating that the fungi in soils might be influenced by the existence of HCBD. The potential risks of HCBD to ecosystems and health of inhabitants were estimated to be negligible. The finding from this study provides an important basis for soil quality assessment and risk management of HCBD in China.

http://ift.tt/2zOGRe4

Dry flue gas desulfurization by-product application effects on plant uptake and soil storage changes in a managed grassland

Abstract

Environmental regulations mandate that sulfur dioxide (SO₂) be removed from the flue gases of coal-fired power plants, which results in the generation of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-products. These FGD by-products may be a viable soil amendment, but the large amounts of trace elements contained in FGD by-products are potentially concerning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of land application of a high-Ca dry FGD (DFGD) by-product on trace elements in aboveground biomass and soil. A high-Ca DFGD by-product was applied once at a rate of 9 Mg ha⁻¹ on May 18, 2015 to small plots with mixed-grass vegetation. Soil and biomass were sampled prior to application and several times thereafter. Aboveground dry matter and tissue As, Co, Cr, Hg, Se, U, and V concentrations increased (P < 0.05) following application, but did not differ (P > 0.05) from pre-application levels or the unamended control within 3 to 6 months of application. Soil pH in the amended treatment 6 months after application was greater (P < 0.05) than in the unamended control. Soil Ca, S, and Na contents also increased (P < 0.05), following by-product application compared to the unamended control. High-Ca DFGD by-products appear to be useful as a soil amendment, but cause at least a temporary increase in tissue concentrations of trace elements, which may be problematic for animal grazing situations.

http://ift.tt/2B154vZ

Biochar effects on uptake of cadmium and lead by wheat in relation to annual precipitation: a 3-year field study

Abstract

Biochar has been widely studied for its ability to reduce plant uptake of heavy metals by lowering metal bioavailabilities through adsorption and pH-driven fixation reactions. However, the long-term effect of biochar on heavy metal bioavailabilities in alkaline soils under natural redox condition is rarely studied. Here, we report a study examining the effects of biochar on bioavailability and partitioning of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) among different soil fractions over 3 years in a field study with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Plots were established on two similar soils having low and high levels of contamination, both of which were amended in the first year with wheat straw biochar at 0, 20, and 40 t ha⁻¹. Precipitation patterns varied greatly over the study period, with 2014 having record drought, which was followed by 2 years having extreme flooding events. Results showed a significant increase in grain yield and reductions in Cd and Pb concentrations in wheat grain in the biochar-amended soils in 2014. In contrast, bioavailable (exchangeable) heavy metal concentrations and plant uptake of Cd and Pb were significantly higher in the subsequent very wet years in 2015 and 2016, where the effects of biochar were much more variable and had an overall lesser effect on reducing heavy metal uptake. The results suggest that fluctuations in soil pH and redox caused by periodic drought and flood cycles strongly drive metal cycling through mobilization and immobilization of metals associated with different mineral phases. Under these conditions, biochar may have reduced efficacy for reducing heavy metal uptake in wheat.

http://ift.tt/2hB5BMr

Predictability of hypoadrenalism occurrence and duration after adrenalectomy for ACTH-independent hypercortisolism

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate if the parameters of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity could predict the occurrence and duration of post-surgical hypocortisolism (PSH) in patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS) and with adrenal incidentaloma (AI).

Methods

We studied 80 patients (54 females, age 53.3 ± 11 years), who underwent adrenalectomy for CS (17 patients) or for AI (53 patients). Before surgery, we measured adrenocorticotroph hormone (ACTH), urinary free cortisol (UFC) and serum cortisol after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (1 mg-DST) levels. After surgery, all patients were given a steroid replacement therapy, and PSH was searched after 2 months by a low-dose (1 µg, iv) corticotropin stimulation test, that was repeated every 6 months in PSH patients for at least 4 years.

Results

The PSH occurred in 82.4 and 46% of CS and AI patients, respectively. In the whole sample and in AI patients separately considered, the PSH was independently predicted by the preoperative cortisol levels after 1 mg-DST, however, with a low (< 70%) accuracy. In AI patients the PSH occurrence was not ruled out even by the cortisol levels after 1 mg-DST lower than 1.8 μg/dL (50 nmol/L). In the 50% of CS patients and in 31% of AI patients the PSH lasted more than 18 months and in 35.7% of CS patients it persisted for more than 36 months. In AI patients, the PSH duration was not predictable by any parameter. However, a PSH duration of at least 12 months was significantly predicted before adrenalectomy (sensitivity 91.7%, specificity 41.2%, positive predictive value 52.4%, negative predictive value 87.5%, p = 0.05) by the presence of at least 2 out of low ACTH levels, increased UFC levels and cortisol levels after 1 mg-DST ≥ 3.0 µg/dL (83 nmol/L).

Conclusion

The PSH occurrence and its duration are hardly predictable before surgery. All patients undergoing unilateral adrenalectomy should receive a steroid substitutive therapy.

http://ift.tt/2zdRloe

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 on Cu2O-loaded Zn-Cr layered double hydroxides

Publication date: May 2018
Source:Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, Volume 224
Author(s): Haoyang Jiang, Ken-ichi Katsumata, Jeongsoo Hong, Akira Yamaguchi, Kazuya Nakata, Chiaki Terashima, Nobuhiro Matsushita, Masahiro Miyauchi, Akira Fujishima
A series of Cu2O-loaded Zn-Cr layered double hydroxides (LDHs) was prepared via an in situ reduction process from Cu-Zn-Cr ternary LDHs and applied to the photoreduction of CO2. The formation of Cu2O nanoparticles and the preservation of the LDH structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Among the loaded LDHs, the 0.1Cu2O@Zn1.8Cr LDH exhibited optimal activity for the conversion of CO2 into CO in pure water and was superior to both the corresponding Cu-Zn-Cr ternary LDH and pristine Zn2Cr LDHs. In addition, the production of CO was further promoted by increasing the solubility of CO2 using a nano-bubble solution instead of pure water. The loaded Cu2O nanoparticles probably function as effective electron traps, promoting charge separation and providing active sites for CO2 reduction.

Graphical abstract

http://ift.tt/2zLC39H

Ion-exchange modified zeolites X for selective adsorption desulfurization from Claus tail gas: Experimental and computational investigations

Publication date: 1 May 2018
Source:Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, Volume 261
Author(s): Xi Chen, Benxian Shen, Hui Sun, Guoxiong zhan
Zn, Co and Ag modified NaX zeolites were prepared by ion-exchange method and the post-synthesized samples were characterized using EDS, XRD, FT-IR, SEM and N2 adsorption. The selective adsorption performances for H2S and COS from Claus tail gas were evaluated in a fixed bed adsorption column. In addition, the underlying mechanism for H2S and COS adsorption on zeolites X was revealed by DFT computation. Among all the samples, AgX shows the most excellent adsorption performance, which shows the highest H2S and COS breakthrough adsorption capacities up to 1.53 mmol/g and 10.5 μmol/g, respectively. The used AgX zeolite can also be regenerated by thermal treatment at 350 °C under air atmosphere. The DFT study indicates that the S-M bond between H2S or COS and metal ion can be formed during the adsorption process. Furthermore, the Ag-sulfide complex shows the strongest S-M interaction, hence, benefits the adsorption of H2S and COS on Ag-exchanged zeolite X.

Graphical abstract

http://ift.tt/2zNHMvB

Cone-beam computed tomography and anatomical observations of normal variants in the mandible: variant dentists should recognize

Abstract

Many types of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) have recently been developed and are being used in many dental clinics. CBCT has significantly changed imaging diagnosis in dentistry by showing detailed structures in multiple dimensions with high spatial resolution. This allows dentists to confirm what cannot be recognized with conventional two-dimensional images, such as small neurovascular canals, the buccolingual location of structures/lesions, and the three-dimensional shapes of hard tissue structures. The aim of this study was to review the normal variants of detailed anatomical structures in relation with the mandibular canal by comparing the previous reports and anatomical evaluations. These structures are likely to be observed on CBCT images by dental practitioners prior to dental procedures involving the mandibular teeth and bone. Understanding the relationship of these structures is useful for dental practitioners and oral surgeons to reduce the possibility of causing damage and patient discomfort during dental procedures.

http://ift.tt/2yVMDao

Mercury in organs of Pacific walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens ) from the Bering Sea

Abstract

The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) is still used as an important source of protein-rich food by indigenous peoples of Chukotka, Alaska, and other Arctic regions. Total mercury (THg) concentration was measured in eight internal organs of walruses. Samples were taken from 22 individuals (11 males and 11 females). Age of the animals ranged from 1 to 30 years. All the walruses were harvested by local hunters from the coastal waters off the Chukchi Peninsula (Russia) during the autumn of 2011. Total mercury concentration in the samples was determined by atomic absorption method. No statistically significant difference in the level of mercury was found between males and females. Mercury was detected in all the organs of the studied walruses. The highest total mercury concentration was recorded from excretory organs: liver and kidneys. The level of mercury in liver (mean = 1.87 μg/g, range = 0.05–5.87) was by an order of magnitude higher than in kidneys (mean = 0.54 μg/g, range = 0.09–1.64.); in kidneys, it was by an order of magnitude higher than in the rest of the organs. The analyzed organs can be arranged in the order of decreasing Hg concentration as follows: liver >> kidney >> muscle > spleen ≥ heart ≥ intestine > lung ≥ testis. The mercury concentration values in walruses from the coastal waters off the Chukchi Peninsula are lower than those obtained from walruses in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic. Our findings may provide a basis for the further long-term monitoring of the condition of the Pacific walrus population and pollution of the Arctic ecosystem.

http://ift.tt/2zOIvfS

Scholar : These new articles for International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Letter to the Editor Response to Second Letter by Lee et al. of 2016 Ronald E. Gordon Pages: 1-4 | DOI: 10.1080/10773525.2017.1281787 Original Research Paper It does not occur by chance: a mediation model of the influence of workers' characteristics, work environment factors, and near misses on agricultural machinery-related accidents Federica Caffaro , Margherita Micheletti Cremasco , Michele Roccato & Eugenio Cavallo Pages: 1-8 | DOI: 10.1080/10773525.2017.1404220 NEW to Taylor & Francis for 2017: Inland Waters Are you interested in inland aquatic ecosystems? The special issue on Alpine Lakes is currently free to view online now To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : AJOB Neuroscience, Volume 8, Issue 4, October-December 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content AJOB Neuroscience, Volume 8, Issue 4, October-December 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. This new issue contains the following articles: Guest Editorial The Rubicon Already Crossed Karen S. Rommelfanger & Paul F. Boshears Pages: 197-199 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392384 Point–Counterpoint Feature HEAVEN in the Making: Between the Rock (the Academe) and a Hard Case (a Head Transplant) Xiaoping Ren & Sergio Canavero Pages: 200-205 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392372 Counterpoint Ahead of Our Time: Why Head Transplantation Is Ethically Unsupportable Paul Root Wolpe Pages: 206-210 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392386 Open Peer Commentaries Head Transplants: Ghoulish Takes on New Definition Judy Illes & Patrick J. McDonald Pages: 211-212 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392381 Animal Testing and Medical Ethics in Human Head Transplantation Michael S. Dauber Pages: 212-214 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392382 "The Failure of Peer Review" Ana Iltis Pages: 214-216 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392374 The Ethical Asymmetry Between a Head/Body Transplant and Multiple Organ Transplants: Overall Health, Justice, and Risk Gerard Vong Pages: 217-219 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392375 HEAVEN, Equipoise, and What's Best for the Patient Scott Gelfand Pages: 219-221 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392376 Whose Head, Which Body? Jason T. Eberl Pages: 221-223 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392380 The Road to HEAVEN Is Paved With Good Intentions: Transplanting Heads, Manipulating Selves, and Reassigning Genders Russell DiSilvestro, Chong Choe-Smith, Timothy Houk & Saray Ayala-Lopez Pages: 223-225 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392383 Married to HEAVEN: Some Ethical Concerns in Response to "HEAVEN in the Making" by Ren and Canavero Jonathan K. Crane Pages: 225-227 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392385 Why HEAVEN Is Not About Saving Lives at All Mirko Daniel Garasic & Andrea Lavazza Pages: 228-229 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1393027 Ethics Transplants? Addressing the Risks and Benefits of Guiding International Biomedicine John R. Shook & James Giordano Pages: 230-232 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392377 Personal Identity and Head Transplant: A Psychological Analysis Giulia Avvenuti Pages: 232-234 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392379 Is There a Place for Humility in HEAVEN? Anto Čartolovni Pages: 234-236 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392378 Reasonable Default in Organ Donation Policy William Simkulet Pages: 236-238 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1392373 Response The New Age of Head Transplants: A Response to Critics Xiaoping Ren & Sergio Canavero Pages: 239-241 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1393028 Correspondence Throwing the Ethics (Hand)Book at Professional Organizations in the Neurological Sciences Cynthia Forlini, Emily Bell & Adrian Carter Pages: W1-W2 | DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2017.1393026 2018 Future Directions Forum JOIN US at the 2018 Future Directions Forum for Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology - June 15-16, 2018 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : Philosophical Magazine, Volume 97, Issue 36, December 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Philosophical Magazine, Volume 97, Issue 36, December 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. Strongly Correlated Electron Systems This new issue contains the following articles: Part B: Condensed Matter Physics Correlated electrons 2016 – Preface Stefan Kirchner Pages: 3397-3398 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1354136 Divalent, trivalent, and heavy fermion states in Eu compounds Y. Ōnuki, A. Nakamura, F. Honda , D. Aoki, T. Tekeuchi, M. Nakashima, Y. Amako, H. Harima, K. Matsubayashi, Y. Uwatoko, S. Kayama, T. Kagayama, K. Shimizu, S. Esakki Muthu, D. Braithwaite, B. Salce, H. Shiba, T. Yara, Y. Ashitomi, H. Akamine, K. Tomori, M. Hedo & T. Nakama Pages: 3399-3414 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2016.1218081 Classification of materials with divergent magnetic Grüneisen parameter P. Gegenwart Pages: 3415-3427 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2016.1235803 On the multiferroic skyrmion-host GaV4S8 S. Widmann, E. Ruff, A. Günther, H.-A. Krug von Nidda, P. Lunkenheimer , V. Tsurkan, S. Bordács, I. Kézsmárki & A. Loidl Pages: 3428-3445 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2016.1253885 Magnetic field-induced Fermi surface reconstruction and quantum criticality in | L. Jiao, Z. F. Weng, M. Smidman, D. Graf, J. Singleton, E. D. Bauer, J. D. Thompson & H. Q. Yuan Pages: 3446-3459 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1282181 -BiPd: a clean noncentrosymmetric superconductor Srinivasan Ramakrishnan , Bhanu Joshi & A. Thamizhavel Pages: 3460-3476 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1292061 Fine-tuning the Mott metal–insulator transition and critical charge carrier dynamics in molecular conductors Jens Müller, Benedikt Hartmann & Takahiko Sasaki Pages: 3477-3494 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1296200 Ubiquity of unconventional phenomena associated with critical valence fluctuations in heavy fermion metals K. Miyake & S. Watanabe Pages: 3495-3516 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1314561 SCES2016 Summary: experiment J. D. Thompson Pages: 3517-3526 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2016.1216196 Theory perspective: SCES 2016 Piers Coleman Pages: 3527-3543 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2016.1232866 Browse articles in this special issue on: 'Advancements in Civil and Structural Engineering' To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : Chemistry and Ecology, Volume 33, Issue 10, November 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Chemistry and Ecology, Volume 33, Issue 10, November 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. This new issue contains the following articles: Research Articles Using biochemical and isotopic tracers to characterise organic matter sources and their incorporation into estuarine food webs (Rufiji delta, Tanzania) Dativa Shilla & Joyanto Routh Pages: 893-917 | DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1391796 Molecular changes of aquatic humic substances formed from four aquatic macrophytes decomposed under different oxygen conditions Argos Willian de Almeida Assunção, Brayan Pétrick de Souza, Wilson Tadeu Lopes da Silva, Marcela Bianchessi Cunha-Santino & Irineu Bianchini Jr. Pages: 918-931 | DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1393532 Combined bioremediation for lead in mine tailings by Solanum nigrum L. and indigenous fungi Xinxin Li, Xu Zhang & Zhaojie Cui Pages: 932-948 | DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1394458 Response of non-enzymatic antioxidative mechanisms to stress caused by infection with Fusarium fungi and chemical protection in different wheat genotypes Kinga Stuper-Szablewska, Danuta Kurasiak-Popowska, Jerzy Nawracała & Juliusz Perkowski Pages: 949-962 | DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1381689 Characterisation of growth and biochemical response of Onopordum acanthium L. under lead stress as affected by microbial inoculation Akbar Karimi, Habib Khodaverdiloo & MirHassan Rasouli Sadaghiani Pages: 963-976 | DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1391798 Source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Lake Baikal water and adjacent air layer Mikhail Y. Semenov, Irina I. Marinaite, Lyudmila P. Golobokova, Olga I. Khuriganova, Tamara V. Khodzher & Yuri M. Semenov Pages: 977-990 | DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1393533 Corrigenda Corrigendum Pages: 991-991 | DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1404734 Hoping to have your article read by anyone, anywhere and at any time? Find out more about publishing open access with Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : Journal of Human Rights, Volume 16, Issue 4, October-December 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Journal of Human Rights, Volume 16, Issue 4, October-December 2017 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. This new issue contains the following articles: Original Articles Recovering from statelessness: Resettled Bhutanese-Nepali and Karen refugees reflect on the lack of legal nationality Lindsey N. Kingston & Kathryn R. Stam Pages: 389-406 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2015.1132156 NGOs invite attention: From the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to the Human Rights Council Laura K. Landolt & Byungwon Woo Pages: 407-427 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2016.1153411 Who cares about human rights? Public opinion about human rights foreign policy Michelle Giacobbe Allendoerfer Pages: 428-451 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2015.1129603 "What is reconciliation and are we there yet?" Different types and levels of reconciliation: A case study of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lina Strupinskienė Pages: 452-472 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2016.1197771 Institutionalized autocracies, policy interdependence, and labor rights Zhiyuan Wang Pages: 473-493 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2016.1200965 The evolution of norms: American policy toward revolution in Iran and Egypt Chad E. Nelson Pages: 494-515 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2016.1216308 Uprooting the curious grapevine? The transformative potential of reverse standard-setting in the field of human rights Tine Destrooper Pages: 516-531 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2016.1225193 Book Review Democracy's Double-Edged Sword: How Internet Use Changes Citizens' Views of Their Government by Catie Snow Bailard. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014. 162 pp. $34.95 paperback Jack Barry Pages: 532-539 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2015.1119039 Corrigenda Corrigendum Pages: 540-540 | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2017.1390959 Editorial Board EOV Editorial Board Pages: ebi-ebi | DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2017.1395277 Interested in the political-economic topics surrounding China? You wouldn't want to miss this exclusive collection. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.