Oxygen is a pulmonary vasodilator and plays an important role in mediating circulatory transition from fetal and postnatal period. Alveolar oxygen tension (PAO2) and pulmonary arterial PO2 are the main factors that influence hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). Inability to achieve adequate pulmonary vasodilation at birth leads to persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). Supplemental oxygen is the mainstay of PPHN management. However, optimal monitoring of oxygenation to achieve low pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and optimize oxygen delivery to vital organs is not known. Noninvasive pulse oximetry measures peripheral saturations (SpO2) and ranges 91-95% are recommended during acute PPHN management. However, for a given SpO2, there is wide variability in arterial oxygen tension, especially with variations in hemoglobin type (transfusions), pH and body temperature. This review evaluates the role of alveolar, preductal, postductal, and mixed venous oxygen tension and SpO2 in the management of PPHN. Translation and clinical studies suggest maintaining an arterial oxygen tension of 50-80 mmHg to help decrease PVR and optimize pulmonary vasodilator management. Nevertheless, there are no randomized clinical trials evaluating outcomes in PPHN based on targeting SpO2 or PO2. However, most critically ill patients have umbilical arterial catheters and postductal arterial oxygenation may not be an accurate assessment of oxygen delivery to vital organs or factors influencing HPV. The mixed venous oxygen tension from umbilical venous catheter blood gas may assess pulmonary arterial PO2 and potentially predict HPV. It is crucial to conduct randomized controlled studies with different PO2/SpO2 ranges and compare outcomes in PPHN.

Stable isotope concentrations in the soil, rain and ground water have been used to trace the water extraction zones of plants in different environments. The need to identify the plant water use by plants in afforestation programs to control desertification increases the importance of sap water partitioning of plants in sand dune areas. However, the introduction of new plant covers exerts pressure on the water resources and can affect the local soil water conditions. In this study, we analyzed the isotope concentrations in rain, soil, sap, and ground water after the summer of 2010. Two experimental plots established in the Hailiutu catchment (Shaanxi province, northwest China) were selected to gather the water samples between September and October 2010. One plot is dominated by Salix bushes (Salix psammophila C. Wang \& Chang Y. Yang) and the other by the tree species Willow (Salix matsudana Koidz.). The total precipitation at the experimental site was 401 mm/yr during 2010, while 88.7 mm was collected in total for the period September to October. Willow trees transpired 12.82 kg/d being almost three times larger than Salix shrubs (4.57 kg/d). Despite the transpiration rates of both plant species and the few rain events in the region, the soil water beneath the plant covers is not depleted. Stable isotope signature of soil water beneath both covers shows the fractionation front in Salix at 20 cm depth and at Willow at 40 cm depth. However, soil water signature is closer to the groundwater than the collected rain water.

Description of redox reactions is critically important for understanding and rational design of materials for electrochemical technologies including metal-ion batteries, catalytic surfaces, or redox-flow cells. Most of these technologies utilize redox-active transition metal compounds due to their rich chemistry and their beneficial physical and chemical properties for these types of applications. A century since its introduction, the concept of formal oxidation states (FOS) is still widely used for rationalization of the mechanisms of redox reactions, but there exists a well-documented discrepancy between FOS and the electron density-derived charge states of transition metal ions in their bulk and molecular compounds. We summarize our findings and those of others which suggest that density-driven descriptors are in certain cases better suited to characterize the mechanism of redox reactions, especially when anion redox is involved, which is the blind spot of the FOS ansatz.

Gas-liquid reactors pose transfer difficulties due to diffusion effects. It is necessary to master the aeration and hydrodynamics of the medium to conduct the reaction well and get a good performance. For this purpose, a study in a submerged membrane bioreactor with a useful volume of 30L, consisting of a microfiltration membrane with an average pore size of 0.14 mm having an effective surface area of 0.2 m2 and a PVC cylindrical air diffuser of radius 4 cm has been studied. The saline tracing method associated with a conductimetric follow-up made it possible to determine the residence times and the mixing time in the reactor at 4 different points both in recirculation and in the absence of recirculation. Gas retention was measured by the manometric method. The experiments were carried out at different temperatures of 25 ° C, at 45 ° C, with a variable air flow rate of 0.5 to 16 mL / s and different solutions (osmosis water, ammonium formate solution, solution ammonium formate + salt, synthetic rubber effluent). The results show that the mixing time varies from one point to another and the recirculation of the mixture reduces the mixing time. One of the positions is limiting, the transfer is done most by diffusion with a mixing time of 115 min without circulation and 65 min with circulation. Gas retention increases with aeration rate and temperature. On the other hand, the more the medium becomes rich in organic substances, the more the gaseous retention decreases. The homogeneous fine-bubble regime is obtained for an air flow rate of between 3 and 10 mL / s of aeration. Beyond this flow rate, the regime becomes heterogeneous without a transition phase for ammonium formate and formate ammonium + salt solutions.

This review article seeks to provide relevant information about the applicability of cell-based assays in assessing cytotoxicity of phytochemicals in light of several traditional methods available. Phenolic compounds and other phytochemicals are significant resources for drug discovery and development, thus underlining the enormous potentials of plant-derived natural products for the prevention and management of oxidative stress associated with cancer and other diseases. These effects have been linked to the content of phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds and their antioxidant properties. The abundance and complexity of these bio-constituents highlight the need for well-defined methods for the in vitro characterization and quantification of extracts and/or preparations that can translate to in vivo effects. Cell culture systems provide a useful model for basic research and a wide range of clinical in vitro studies and physiological processes as well as assessing the toxicity and therapeutic potential of compounds including plant extracts with potential medicinal benefits. Their use in cancer research provide a useful insight into possible therapeutic properties of phytochemicals at the cellular level. This approach has been instrumental in the initial stages of developing chemotherapeutic agents where human cancer cell lines are used as experimental models. These models have continued to contribute to elucidating specific requirements for certain biochemical events associated with proliferation, metabolism, loss of cell viability/apoptosis. Cell culture systems remain a promising tool in natural product development.

The light response and resistance switching behavior in BaTiO3 (BTO) films are studied for a symmetric Pt/BTO/Pt structure. The resistance of films as a function of time with and without ultraviolet light has been studied. Furthermore, resistance switching behavior was clearly observed based on the application of 365 nm wavelength ultraviolet light. Consequently, the polarities of resistance switching can be controlled by ultraviolet light when the energy is larger than the band excitation energy. It is proposed that the polarity of the resistance switching is dictated by the competition of the ferroelectricity and oxygen vacancy migration. This provides a new mechanism for modulating the state of ferroelectric resistive memory devices.

Aging is associated with an increasing dysfunction of key brain homeostasis mechanisms and represents the main risk factor across most neurodegenerative disorders. However, the degree of dysregulation and the affectation of specific pathways set apart normal aging from neurodegenerative disorders. In particular, the neuronal metabolism of catecholaminergic neurotransmitters appears to be a specifically sensitive pathway that is affected in different neurodegenerations. In humans, catecholaminergic neurons are characterized by an age-related accumulation of neuromelanin (NM), rendering the soma of the neurons black. This intracellular NM appears to serve as a very efficient quencher for toxic molecules. However, when a neuron degenerates, NM is released together with its load (many undegraded cellular components, transition metals, lipids, antibiotics) contributing to initiate and worsen an eventual immune response, exacerbating the oxidative stress, ultimately leading to the neurodegenerative process. This review focuses on the analysis of the role of NM in normal aging and catecholaminergic metabolism due to its capability as a pro-oxidant and other harmful molecules, versus its involvement in oxidative stress and aberrant immune response, which it is highly dependent on NM saturation state and its extracellular release.

The objective of this study was to synthesize 9-/13-position substituted berberine derivatives and evaluated their cytotoxic and photocytotoxic effects against three human cancer cell lines. Among all the synthesized compounds, 9-O-dodecyl- (5e), 13-dodecyl- (6e) and 13-O-dodecyl-berberine (7e) exhibited stronger growth inhibition against three human cancer cell lines, (HepG2, HT-29 and BFTC905), in compare with structurally related berberine (1). These three compounds also showed the photocytotoxicity in human cancer cells in a concentration-dependent and light dose-dependent manner. Through flow cytometry analysis, we found out a lipophilic group at 9-/13-position of berberine may have facilitated its penetration into test cell and hence enhanced its photocytotoxicity on human liver cancer cell HepG2. Further, in cell cycle analysis, 5e, 6e and 7e induced HepG2 cells to arrest at S phase and caused apoptosis upon irradiation. In addition, photodynamic treatment of berberine (1) and its derivatives 5e, 6e and 7e again showed a significant photocytotoxic effects on HepG2 cells, induced remarkable cell apoptosis, greatly increased intracellular ROS level and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. These results over and again confirmed that berberine derivatives 5e, 6e and 7e greatly enhanced photocytotoxicity. Taking together, the test data led us to conclude that berberine derivatives with a dodecyl group at 9-/13-position could be great candidates for the anti-liver cancer medicines developments.

Within this work we review the metal coordination effect on the photophysics of metal dipyrrinato complexes. Dipyrrinato complexes are promising candidates in the search for alternative transition metal photosensitizers for application in photodynamic therapy (PDT). These complexes can be activated by irradiation with light of a specific wavelength, after which cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated. The metal coordination allows for the use of the heavy atom effect, which can enhance the triplet generation necessary for generation of ROS. Additionally, the flexibility of these complexes for metal ions, substitutions and ligands allows the possibility to tune their photophysical properties. A general overview of the mechanism of photodynamic therapy and the properties of the triplet photosensitizers is given, followed by further details of dipyrrinato complexes described in the literature that show relevance as photosensitizers for PDT. In particular, the photophysical properties of Re(I), Ru(II), Ir(III), Ni(II), Cu(II), Pd(II), Pt(II), Zn(II), Ga(III), In(III), Al(III), Sn(II), and P dipyrrinato complexes are discussed. The potential for future development in the field of (dipyrrinato)metal complexes is addressed and several new research topics are suggested throughout this work. We propose that significant advances could be made for heteroleptic bis(dipyrrinato)zinc(II) and homoleptic bis(dipyrrinato)palladium(II) complexes and their application as photosensitizers for PDT.

The mass concentration of particulate matter (PM) has been systematically used in epidemiological studies as exposure indicator, to relate airborne concentrations with a wide variety of human health effects, which can be hardly explained by using this single parameter. In fact, PM is a “particle cocktail” that includes a complex mixture of compounds with a wide range of sizes, chemical compositions and emission sources. Current research hypothesizes that many of the adverse health effects are derived from oxidative stress in biological systems caused by the deposition of PM into the lungs. This emerging hypothesis is called the oxidative stress paradigm. In this commentary article we analize how this new paradigm could help to answer the as-of-yet unanswered questions related to the mechanism of action of PM pollution on human health. Acellular oxidative potential (OP) assays have been emerged as a promising approach to quantify the PM potential to induce oxidative stress and to relate it with the chemical composition and size distribution of PM. Recent researches have shown that the OP is related to the presence of metals, organic carbon, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and quinones. However, the association between PM and particle-induced toxicity is still largely unknown. Therefore, additional research is needed to identify the specific PM characteristic(s), such as its specific size, emission source or chemical content, which contribute the most to its redox activity. Thus, the OP measurements provide information that allows us to evaluate and integrate the toxic potential of PM in a unique parameter, whose relationships with emission sources, size distribution and/or chemical composition should be faced in the near future.

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a hematologic disorder characterized by the abnormal proliferation and accumulation of immature B-lymphoblasts arrested at various stages of differentiation. Despite advances in treatment, a significant percentage of pediatric patients with precursor B-ALL still relapse. Therefore, alternative therapies are needed to improve the cure rates for pediatric patients. TPEN (N, N, N’, N’-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethylenediamine).is a pro-oxidant agent capable of selectively inducing apoptosis in leukemia cells. Consequently, it has been suggested that TPEN could be a potential agent for oxidative therapy. However, it is not yet known whether TPEN can selectively destroy leukemia cells in a more disease-like model, for example, the bloodstream and bone marrow (BM), in vitro. This investigation is an extension of a previous study that dealt with the effect of TPEN on ex vivo isolated/purified refractory B-ALL cells. Here, we evaluated the effect of TPEN on whole BM from nonleukemic patients (control) or pediatric patients diagnosed with de novo B-ALL or refractory B-ALL cells by analyzing the hematopoietic cell lineage marker CD34/CD19. Although TPEN was innocuous to nonleukemic BM (n=3), we found that TPEN significantly induced apoptosis in de novo (n = 5) and refractory B-ALL (n = 6) leukemic cell populations. Moreover, TPEN significantly increased the counts of cells positive for the oxidation of the stress sensor protein DJ-1, a sign of the formation of H2O2, and significantly increased the counts of cells positive for the pro-apoptotic proteins TP53, PUMA, and CASPASE-3 (CASP-3), indicative of apoptosis, in B-ALL cells. We demonstrate that TPEN selectively eliminates B-ALL cells independent of age, diagnosis status (de novo or refractory), sex, karyotype, or immunophenotype. Understanding TPEN-induced cell death in leukemia cells provides insight into more effective therapeutic oxidation-inducing anticancer agents.

The study reports about a case of a lung cancer patient with increasing difficulties in falling asleep and frequent periods of wakefulness. Severe dyspnea related to pneumonitis caused as a side effect of immunotherapy worsened the situation. Eventually, fear of falling asleep developed, including panic attacks and anxiety of choking, which was shown to lead to nights of complete wakefulness. The patient did not only sleep poorly; he did not sleep at all at night for several days, as evidenced by the notes he made during the night. Polygraphy showed no evidence of sleep-disordered breathing, but frequent periods of wakefulness and reduced basal saturation around 90% during sleep due to lung changes such as extensive functional failure of the left upper lobe with position-dependent shunts. The authors hypothesized that the symptoms described were causally related to a drop in oxygen saturation in the patient's blood. Therefore, they pursued the goal of finding a measurement technique that is as inexpensive as possible and that the patient can operate without outside assistance and great effort. So the patient started using a low-cost wearable device that allows simultaneous measurements of blood oxygen content, pulse rate and movement intensity. It consists of a finger ring with pulse oximetry sensor and a wristband with the control unit containing a vibration motor. The described device reliably warned of disturbances in oxygen concentration in the blood during the night with its vibration alarm. By use of that device during the whole night at home, the events of reduced oxygen saturation and the anxiety symptoms were reduced. Sleep disturbances with sudden awakenings did not occur when using the device. The patient benefited from the security gained in this way and slept much more peacefully, and he could spend nights without waking up again. In conclusion, wearable oximeters with vibration alarm can be recommended for patients’ home care in lung cancer patients.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common sensory disorder in the elderly. It is associated with aging and hair cell death due to oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Although transgenic mice and long-term cultures for induction of aging have been used to study ARHL, there are presently no ARHL animal models stimulated by intermittent environmental change for aging. In this study, an ARHL animal model was established by inducing continuous oxidative stress to promote short-term aging of cells, determined based on the expression of the hearing loss-induced phenotype and aging related factors in the short term. The incidence of hearing loss was significantly different among the groups subjected to intermittent hypoxic environment, high-fat diet (HFD), and injection with D-galactose. Continuous oxidative stress and HFD were factors that accelerated cellular aging. Increase in UCP2 affected oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. CDH23, SLC26A4, KCNQ4, Myo7a, and Myo6, which are ARHL-related factors, were modified by oxidative stress in cells of the hearing organ. We found that intermittent hypoxic, HFD, and galactose injection accelerated cellular aging in the short term. Thus, we anticipate that the development of this hearing loss animal model, which reflects intermittent environmental changes, will benefit future research on ARHL.

This study investigates the role of oxygen vacancy on Fe-doped CeO₂ catalyst activity for soot oxidation. The oxygen vacancy was assessed through Ce³⁺ content. The Fe content was varied between 0 and 30% for two catalyst preparation methods, co-precipitation (CP) and solution combustion synthesis (SCS). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that ceria exists as both Ce₄₊ and Ce₃₊, while iron is present only as Fe₃₊. The catalyst’s activity was evaluated by ignition (T10) and combustion (T50) temperatures using thermogravimetric analysis. Optimum Fe contents yielding the highest activity were found to be 10% and 5% for CP and SCS catalysts, respectively. The surface area and morphology have shown moderate effect on catalyst activity, because catalytic soot oxidation involves solid-solid contact. More importantly, regardless of the fabrication method, it was found that Ce₃₊ content, which is closely related to oxygen vacancies, plays the most important role in affecting the catalyst activity.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder, and continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) is the most effective treatment. Poor adherence is one of the major challenges in CPAP therapy. The recent boom of wearable optical sensors measuring oxygen saturation makes the at-home multiple-night CPAP titrations possible, which may essentially improve the adherence of CPAP therapy by optimizing its pressure in a real-life setting economically. We tested whether the oxygen desaturations (OD) measured in the arm muscle (arm_OD) by gold-standard frequency-domain multi-distance near-infrared spectroscopy (FDMD-NIRS) changes with titrated CPAP pressures in OSA patients together with polysomnography. We found that the arm_OD (2.08 ± 1.23%, mean ± standard deviation) was significantly smaller (P-value <0.0001) than the fingertip OD (finger_OD) (4.46 ± 2.37%) measured by polysomnography pulse oximeter. Linear mixed-effects models suggested that CPAP pressure was a significant predictor for finger_OD but not for arm_OD. Since FDMD-NIRS measures a mixture of arterial and venous OD, whereas fingertip pulse oximeter measures arterial OD, our results of no association between arm_OD and finger_OD indicate that the arm_OD mainly represented venous desaturation. Arm_OD measured by near-infrared optical sensors may be not a suitable indicator of the effectiveness of CPAP titration.

The activity of the mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore, mPTP, a highly regulated multi-component mega-channel, is enhanced in aging and in aging-driven degenerative diseases. mPTP activity accelerates aging by releasing large amounts of cell-damaging Reactive Oxygen Species, Ca2+ and NAD+. The various pathways that control the channel activity, directly or indirectly, can therefore either, inhibit, or accelerate aging, retards, or enhance the progression of aging-driven degenerative diseases, and determine lifespan and healthspan. Autophagy, a catabolic process that removes and digests damaged proteins and organelles protects the cell against aging and disease. However, the protective effect of autophagy depends on mTORC2/SKG1 inhibition of mPTP. Autophagy is inhibited in aging cells. Mitophagy, a specialized form of autophagy, which retards aging by removing mitochondrial fragments with activated mPTP, is also inhibited in aging cells, and this inhibition leads to increased mPTP activation, which is a major contributor to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. The Increased activity of mPTP in aging turns autophagy/mitophagy into a destructive process leading to cell aging and death. Several drugs and lifestyle modifications that enhance healthspan and lifespan enhance autophagy and inhibit the activation of mPTP. Therefore, elucidating the intricate connections between pathways that activate and inhibit mPTP, in the context of aging and degenerative diseases, could enhance the discovery of new drugs and lifestyle modifications that slow aging and degenerative disease.

This study develops into the application of a combined MFC unit with chemical coagulation for total treatment of inert contaminants in complex substrates. Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology converts chemical energy in the form of organic matter, into bioelectricity in an environmentally friendly and effi-cient manner, reducing carbon emissions and increasing bioenergy production. An evaluation of a la-boratory scale chemical coagulation using an aluminum and poly-based coagulant on how effective it can remove bulk impurities such as particulate COD and turbidity to obtain the purest and most cost-effectively treated wastewater using a jar test is being conducted in this current study. This study aims to find the most effective treatment technologies for wastewater recovery in breweries in order to achieve zero liquid effluent discharge (ZLED). The preliminary results showed that adding a modest amount of poly and a 50 % alum alone treatment improved COD, color, and turbidity reduction. The turbidity removal efficiency achieved after chemical coagulation treatment was 90.50 % and 59.36 % COD removal, demonstrating the benefits of adopting an alum/poly based technique. To determine ZLED, this study clearly advised a combined treatment technique, specifically the MFC-flocculator unit for efficient organics and inorganics removal.

Background: Depression, a multifaceted mental health condition, necessitates a multidimensional approach to treatment. This study aimed to elucidate the potential efficacy of various mitochondrial interventions, ranging from pharmacological treatments to lifestyle modifications, in alleviating depressive symptoms and enhancing overall mental well-being and assess the diverse range of mitochondrial assessments for managing depression by synthesizing findings from selected studies. Methods: A systematic compilation of studies, employing observational, interventional, and animal-based designs, was undertaken to elucidate the intricate relationship between mitochondrial function and depression as well as depressive signs and symptoms. The PRISMA guidelines were employed for conducting this review and a specific set of selection criterion were formulated by a team of reviewers for selection of relevant papers. Results: The synthesized results from the 21 selected papers highlighted the potential of these interventions to target diverse aspects of depression. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and psychotherapy demonstrated significant reductions in depression and anxiety scores, with hyperbaric oxygen therapy particularly effective in improving nerve function and daily living activities. Whole-body cryotherapy displayed substantial improvements in depressive symptoms and quality of life. Frequent sauna bathing exhibited a lower risk of depressive symptoms in males. Dietary patterns, including Paleolithic and Mediterranean diets, showcased potential protective effects against depression, anxiety, and stress. The ketogenic diet revealed promise in ameliorating depression and psychosis symptoms alongside positive metabolic changes. Fasting interventions, though challenging, were associated with lower anxiety and depression levels without increased fatigue. Bright white light therapy enhanced remission rates and reduced depression scores in bipolar depression. Probiotic supplementation exhibited potential in reducing depression scores and improving metabolic markers, although further investigation is warranted. Conclusion: The diverse array of interventions explored in this study underlines the multifaceted nature of depression treatment. While these findings offer hope for more personalized and effective approaches, it is imperative to consider the variability in study designs, sample sizes, and methodologies among the selected papers. The mechanisms underlying the observed effects remain partially understood, emphasizing the need for continued mechanistic research. This study sets the stage for future investigations and clinical practices, showcasing the potential of various interventions in mitigating the challenges posed by depression and paving the way for more effective treatment strategies.

The radiosensitivity of biological systems is strongly affected by the system oxygenation. On the nanoscopic scale and molecular level, this effect is considered to be strongly related to the indirect damage of radiation. Even though particle track radiolysis has been the object of several studies, still little is known about the nanoscopic impact of target oxygenation on the radical yields. We present here an extension of the chemical module of the Monte Carlo particle track structure code TRAX, taking into account the presence of dissolved molecular oxygen in the target material. The impact of the target oxygenation level on the chemical track evolution and the yields of all the relevant chemical species is studied in water under different irradiation conditions: different linear energy transfer (LET) values, different oxygenation levels, and different particle types. Especially for low LET radiation, a large production of two highly toxic species (HO₂^• and O₂^•− ), which are not produced in anoxic conditions, is predicted and quantified in oxygenated solutions. The remarkable correlation between the HO₂^• and O₂^•− production yield and the oxygen enhancement ratio observed in biological systems suggests a direct or indirect involvement of HO₂^• and O₂^•− in the oxygen sensitization effect. The results are in agreement with available experimental data and previous computational approaches. An analysis of the oxygen depletion rate in different radiation conditions is also reported.

Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) for water electrolysis have received tremendous attention due to their immediate response, high proton conductivity, low ohmic losses and gas crossover rate. However, design high activity, economical and long-term durable electrocatalysts in an acidic environment is still the bottleneck to realize the large-scale commercialization of PEMWEs. Iridium-based materials represent one of the most promising classes of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts due to their intrinsic stability in acid media over ruthenium-based counterparts. However, only a few innovative approaches have been developed to synthesizing iridium-based catalysts (IBCs) in the past decade, mainly due to achieving high activity may deteriorate the stability of IBCs. Accordingly, various engineering strategies of optimizing IBCs have been proposed to address this issue, including doping engineering, morphology engineering, crystal phase engineering and support engineering. Herein, a critical overview focusing on various synthesis and modulation strategies of IBCs is presented, based on an in-depth understanding of the relationship between electronic structures, charge redistribution and activity as well as stability of the electrocatalysts. In addition, the unprecedented achievements in PEMWEs are summarized. The reaction mechanisms and future perspectives are critically discussed to inspire more rational design of IBCs toward practical applications.

Oxidative stress is known to be critically implicated in the pathophysiology of several neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic stroke. The remarkable neurotrophic activity of Gelidium amansii, has been reported consistently in a series of our previous studies, inspired us to investigate whether this popular agarophyte could protect against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced oxidative injury in hippocampal neurons. The primary culture of hippocampal neurons challenged with H/R suffered from a significant loss of cell survival, accompanied by apoptosis and necrosis, DNA damage, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) which were successfully attenuated when the neuronal cultures were preconditioned with GAE, an optimized ethanolic extract of G. amansii. Moreover, the expression of N-methyl-D-acetate receptor subunit 2B (GluN2B), an extrasynaptic glutamate receptor, was significantly repressed in GAE-treated neurons as compared to those without GAE intervention. Together, this study demonstrates that GAE attenuated H/R-induced oxidative injury in hippocampal neurons through, at least in part, a potential neuroprotective mechanism that involves inhibition of GluN2B-mediated excitotoxicity and suppression of ROS production, and suggest that this edible seaweed could be a potential source of bioactive metabolites having therapeutic significance against oxidative stress-related neurodegeneration, including ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVMs) in children are rare lesions characterized by abnormal low resistance vascular structures connecting a pulmonary artery to a pulmonary vein, resulting in an intrapulmonary right-to-left shunt. The insidious onset and variable signs and symptoms make diagnosis difficult, especially in children. PAVMs  can be single or multiple, congenital or acquired, and up to 47-80% of cases are associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).We present the  case of a 12-year-old female teenager referred to our center for epistaxis, headache, fatigue and weakness, with evidence of mild oxygen desaturation.  Bubble test showed a right-to-left shunt and pulmonary angio-CT confirmed the diagnosis. Percutaneous selective embolization was performed with full recovery of normal arterial oxygen saturation. When differentiating between mild oxygen desaturation and exercise intolerance in children and adolescents, physicians should be aware of the possibility of PAVMs as a cause. 

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disease caused by mutations to the dystrophin gene - resulting in deficiency of dystrophin protein, loss of myofiber integrity in skeletal and cardiac muscle, and eventual cell death and replacement with fibrotic tissue. Pathologic cardiac manifestations occur in nearly every DMD patient, with development of cardiomyopathy - the leading cause of death - inevitable by adulthood. As early cardiac abnormalities are difficult to detect, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment modalities remain a challenge. There is no cure for DMD – treatment is aimed at delaying disorder progression and alleviating symptoms. A comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms is crucial to development of targeted treatments. While established hypotheses of underlying mechanisms include sarcolemmal weakening, upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and perturbed ion homeostasis, mitochondrial stress has recently come into focus as a potential key contributor. Several experimental compounds targeting the skeletal muscle pathology of DMD are in development, but effects of such agents on cardiac function remain unclear. Synergistic integration of small molecule- and gene-target-based drugs with metabolic, immune, or ion balance-enhancing compounds into a combinatorial therapy offers potential for treating dystrophin deficiency-induced cardiomyopathy, making it crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms driving the disorder.

Compared with precious metal catalysts, non-platinum catalysts have the advantages of low cost and high performance. Among them, the activated carbon (AC) with a large specific surface area (SSA) can be used as a carrier or as a carbon source of nonprecious metal/carbon system catalyst at the same time. Therefore, this paper uses cheap pine peel bio-based materials to prepare large surface area activated carbon and then compound with cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) to obtain a high-performance cobalt/nitrogen/carbon catalyst. The merits include AC@CoPc composite catalysts are prepared by precisely controlling the composite proportion of AC and CoPc, the atomically dispersed Co nanoparticles form and synergistically with N promote the exposure of CoNx active sites, and the Eonset of the catalyst treated with a composite proportion of AC and CoPc of 1 to 2 at 800 °C (AC@CoPc-800-1-2) is 1.01 V, which is higher than Pt/C (20 wt%) catalyst. Apart from this, the stability is 87.8% in 0.1 M KOH after 20000 s testing in compared with other AC@CoPc series catalysts and Pt/C (20 wt%) catalyst. Considering from the performance and price of the catalyst in practical application, these composite catalysts combine biomass carbon materials with phthalocyanine series, which will be widely used in the area of nonprecious metal catalysts.

The development and improvement of methods for the synthesis of environmentally friendly catalysts based on base metals is currently an urgent and promising task of modern catalysis. Catalysts based on nanoscale magnetite and maghemite have fast adsorption-desorption kinetics and high chemical activity. The purpose of this work was to obtain magnetic composites, determine their physicochemical characteristics and verify their activity in the process of liquid-phase oxidation of phenol with oxygen. Magnetic nanocomposites were obtained by chemical co-deposition of salts of ferrous and trivalent iron. The synthesized magnetic composites were studied by X-ray diffractometry, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and Mössbauer spectroscopy, IR-Fourier spectroscopy, elemental analysis. To increase the catalytic activity in oxidative processes, the magnetite surfaces were modified using cobalt nitrate salt. Further, CoFe2O4 was stabilized by adding polyethylenimine (PEI) as a surfactant. Preliminary studies of the oxidation of phenol with oxygen, as the most typical environmental pollutant were carried out on the obtained Fe3O4, CuFe2O4, CoFe2O4/PEI catalysts. The spectrum of the reaction product shows the presence of CH in the aromatic ring and double C=C bonds, stretching vibrations of the C=O groups of carbonyl compounds; the band at 3059 cm–1 corresponds to the presence of double C=C bonds, the band at 3424 cm–1 hydroquinone compounds. The band at 1678 cm–1 and the intense band at 1646 cm–1 refer to vibrations of the С=О bonds of the carbonyl group of benzoquinone. Peaks at 1366 cm–1 and 1310 cm–1 can be related to the vibrations of C–H and C–C bonds of the quinone ring. Thus it was demonstrated that produced magnetic composites based on iron oxide are quite effective in the oxidation of phenol with oxygen.

Glutathione peroxidases (GPxs) form a broad family of antioxidant proteins essential for maintaining redox homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. In this study, we used an integrative approach that combines bioinformatics, molecular biology, and biochemistry to investigate the role of GPxs in reactive oxygen species detoxification in the unicellular eukaryotic model organism Tetrahymena thermophila. Both phylogenetic and mechanistic empirical model analyses provided indications about the evolutionary relationships among the GPXs of Tetrahymena and the orthologous enzymes of phylogenetically related species. In-silico gene characterization and text mining were used to predict the functional relationships between GPxs and other physiologically-relevant processes. The GPx genes contain conserved transcriptional regulatory elements in the promoter region, which suggest that transcription is under tight control of specialized signaling pathways. The bioinformatic findings were next experimentally validated by studying the time course of copper (Cu)-dependent regulation of gene transcription and enzymatic activity. Results emphasize the role of GPxs in the detoxification pathways that, by complex regulation of Cu-dependent GPx gene expression, enables Tetrahymena to survive in high Cu concentrations and the associated redox environment.

Psilocybin-containing mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms have antidepressant effect, however, their safety in cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure is not fully known and needs to be investigated. Cardiac hypertrophy is an independent risk factor for heart failure morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin II (Ang-II) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. We investigated the cardiovascular safety of extracts of Panaeolus cyanescens, Psilocybe natalensis, Psilocybe cubensis, and Psilocybe cubensis leucistic A+ strain mushrooms, well-known psilocybin-containing mushrooms in the Panaeolus and Psilocybe genus on Ang II-induced hypertrophy oxidative stress. The four mushrooms were grown, dried and extracted with 70% ethanol, cold and hot water. Extracts were tested for cytotoxicity on H9C2 cardiomyoblast cells. The cardiomyocytes were induced with (10 µM) AngII and treated with the three extracts of the four mushrooms over 48 hours. Control cells were serum starved but neither AngII induced nor treated while AngII cells were serum starved and stimulated with AngII but not treated. Losartan, an inhibitor of AngII type 1 receptor was used as positive control. Effects of the extracts on actin-filament labelling and cell surface area, mitochondrial activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and atrial natriuretic peptide levels were determined. Stimulation with AngII lowered cell viability, increased the cell width measurements and intracellular ROS levels significantly compared to control cells. The results indicated that the ethanol and water extracts of the four psilocybin mushrooms did not exacerbate the angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy conditions, but the extracts had cardio-protective activity against angiotensin II-induced oxidative stress. The phytochemical analysis of the extracts confirmed detections of known compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the water and ethanol extracts of these four psilocybin mushrooms.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) concentration is a vital parameter that indicates water quality. DO short term forecasting using time series analysis on data collected from an aquaculture pond is presented here. This can provide data support for an early warning system for an improved management of the aquaculture farm. The conventional forecasting approaches are commonly characterized by low accuracy and poor generalization problems. In this article, we present a novel hybrid DO concentration forecasting method with ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) based LSTM (Long short-term memory) neural network (NN). With this method, first, the sensor data integrity is improved through linear interpolation and moving average filtering methods of data preprocessing. Next, the EEMD algorithm is applied to decompose the original sensor data into multiple intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Finally, the feature selection is used to carefully select IMFs that are strongly correlated with the original sensor data and integrate both into inputs for the NN. The hybrid EEMD-based LSTM forecasting model is then constructed. Performance of this proposed model in training and validation sets was compared with the observed real sensor data. To obtain the exact evaluation accuracy of the forecasted results of the hybrid EEMD-based LSTM forecasting model, three statistical performance indices were adopted: MAE, MSE, and RMSE. Results presented for short term (12-hour period) and long term (1-month period) give a strong indication of suitability of this method for forecasting DO values.

Ascending aorta aneurysm (AsAA) is a complex disease, currently defined an inflammatory disease. In the sporadic form, AsAA has, indeed, a complex physiopathology with a strong inflammatory basis, significantly modulated by genetic variants in innate/inflammatory genes, acting as independent risk factors and as largely evidenced in our recent studies performed during the last 10 years. Based on these premises, here, we want to revise the impact of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress on AsAA pathophysiology and consequently on the onset and progression of sporadic AsAA. This might consent to add other important pieces in the intricate puzzle of the pathophysiology of this disease with the translational aim to identify biomarkers and targets to apply in the complex management of AsAA, by facilitating the AsAA diagnosis currently based only on imaging evaluations, and the treatment exclusively founded on surgery approaches.

The molecular clusters ((HO)3Si-O-Si(OH)3, and (HO)3Al-O-Si(OH)3 ) representative of aluminosilicate mineral surface were employed to study the dissolution of aluminosilicate in acidic condition via density functional theory with the M06-2X+G(d,p) methodology. The surface termination sites (Si and Al) were both tetra-coordinated and the terminal oxygen was protonated in acidic condition. In the dissolution reaction, the calculated barrier height of the six-membered ring transition state complex containing two water molecules was predicted to be lower than that of four-membered ring transition state complex containing one water molecule. In addition, the calculated barrier heights for Al-terminated sites were predicted to be lower than those for the Si-terminated sites, suggesting that breaking the Al-O bond is easier than Si-O bond in the aluminosilicate mineral surface; the barrier heights of the surface termination sites with protonated terminal oxygen were lower than those without protonated terminal oxygen. With the fracture of Si-O and Al-O bonds, the Si and Al release from the aluminosilicate. These results confirm the experimental conclusions that the acidic condition facilitates the release of Si and Al from the aluminosilicate, and the concentration of Al leaching from aluminosilicate is higher than Si.

Aspartame is the methyl-ester of the aspartate-phenylalanine dipeptide. Over time it became a very popular artificial sweetener. However, since its approval by the main food safety agencies, several concerns have been raised related to neuropsychiatric effects and neurotoxicity, due to its ability to activate glutamate receptors, as well as carcinogenic risks by increased production of reactive oxygen species. Within this review we critically evaluated reports concerning the safety of aspartame. Some studies evidenced subtle mood and behavioral changes upon daily high-dose intake below the admitted limit. Epidemiology studies also evidenced associations between daily aspartame intake and higher predisposition for malignant diseases like non-Hodgkin lymphomas and multiple myelomas, particularly in males, but association by chance still could not be excluded. While the debate over the carcinogenic risk of aspartame is ongoing, it is clear that its use may pose some dangers in peculiar cases, such as patients with seizures or other neurological diseases; it should be totally forbidden for patients with phenylketonuria, and reduced doses or complete avoidance are advisable during pregnancy. It would be also highly desirable for every product containing aspartame to clearly indicate on the label the exact amount of the substance and some risk warnings.

Addressing global environmental problem, water splitting to produce hydrogen fuel by solar energy is getting so much attention. In the water splitting, the essential problem to solve is the development of efficient　catalysts for oxygen production. In this paper, having the prospect for a practical application of photocatalysts to artificial photosynthesis, molecular mechanisms in the current literature are briefly reviewed. At first, recent progress in the function of Mn cluster at the natural photosystem II is briefly described. The kinds of devices in which oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts are used were designated; water electrolyzers, photoelectrodes, and photocatalysts. Some methods for analyzing molecular mechanism in OER catalysis, emphasized by FTIR method, are shown briefly. After describing common OER mechanisms, the molecular mechanisms are discussed for TiO2 and BiVO4 photoelectrodes with our novel data, followed by presenting of co-catalysts IrO2, RuO2, NiO2, and other metal oxides for OER catalysts. Recent reports describing OER catalysts of perovskites, layered double hydroxides (LDH), metal-organic frameworks (MOF), single atom catalysts, as well as metal complexes are reviewed. Finally, by comparing with natural photosystem, the requiring factors to improve the activity of the catalysts for artificial photosynthesis will be discussed.

Standard cell culture is routinely performed at supraphysiological oxygen concentrations (~18% O2). Conversely, oxygen levels in most tissues range from 1%–6% (physioxia). Such hyperoxic conditions can alter reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, energy metabolism, mitochondrial network dynamics, and response to drugs and hormones. The aim of this project was to investigate the transcriptional response to different oxygen levels and whether it is similar across cell lines, or cell-line specific. Using RNA-seq, we performed differential gene expression and functional enrichment analyses in four human cancer cell lines, LNCaP, Huh-7, PC-3, and SH-SY5Y cultured at either 5% or 18% oxygen for 14 days. We found that oxygen levels affected transcript abundance of hundreds of genes, with the affected genes having little overlap between cell lines. Functional enrichment analysis also revealed different processes and pathways being affected in each cell line. Interestingly, we found that the top differentially expressed genes are involved in cancer biology. Further, we observed several hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) targets upregulated at 5% oxygen, suggesting a role of HIF at physiological oxygen conditions. Finally, oxygen strongly induced transcription of mitochondrial genes in most cell lines, in a cell-type specific manner too. We conclude that cellular response to oxygen is widely cell-type specific, emphasizing the importance of maintaining physioxia in cell culture.

The construction of optimized biological fuel cells requires a cathode which combines the longevity of a microbial catalyst with the power density of an enzymatic catalyst. Laccase secreting fungi were grown directly on the cathode of a biological fuel cell to facilitate the exchange of inactive enzymes with active enzymes with the goal of extending the lifetime of laccase cathodes. Additionally, a functionally graded coating was developed to increase enzyme loading at the cathode. Directly incorporating the laccase producing fungus at the cathode extends the operational lifetime of laccase cathodes while eliminating the need for frequent replenishment of the electrolyte. Additionally, the hybrid microbial-enzymatic cathode addresses the issue of enzyme inactivation by using the natural ability of fungi to exchange inactive laccases at the cathode with active laccases. Finally, enzyme adsorption was increased through the use of a functionally graded coating containing an optimized ratio of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and single walled carbon nanotubes. The hybrid microbial-enzymatic fuel cell combines the higher power density of enzymatic fuel cells with the longevity of microbial fuel cells and demonstrates the feasibility of a self-regenerating fuel cell in which inactive laccases are continuously exchanged with active laccases.

Increased screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic and the accelerated incorporation of technology into daily practices have directly contributed to the increased prevalence of eye disease. The human eye is not built for continual technological use and must adjust to exposure to digital screens. Overexposure to technology can result in eye strain and an increased risk of eye diseases such as myopia with complications later in life, including retinal tears, cataracts, and macular degeneration. As vision and ocular diseases become more prevalent, the study of eye diseases, including their causes and treatments, is especially relevant. There is a need to prevent ocular diseases before they become a burden to individuals, their families, and their communities by better understanding the pathophysiology of ocular diseases. Several ocular diseases are thought to be caused by imbalances in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and autophagy. ROS refers to a class of highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules that can undergo damaging reactions with other molecules in the cell. Autophagy is a cellular process of self-eating whereby damaged, harmful, or dead material in cells is broken down to maintain cellular homeostasis. This paper discusses the role of ROS and autophagy in the pathogenesis of computer vision syndrome (CVS), digital eye strain (DES), myopia, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), optic nerve crush injury (OCN), optic nerve gliomas, and retinoblastoma. Lifestyle changes such as limiting screen time, ensuring adequate exposure to evening sunlight, and using blue light protection measures or protective eyewear are important in the prevention of eye disease. Nutrition also contributes significantly to eye health. A balanced diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants may help to prevent ROS and autophagy imbalance-induced eye disease. Medical and surgical treatments become necessary when preventative measures fail. This paper also addresses how government measures to decrease the onset of eye disease, including targeted programs to increase access to fresh vegetables and fruits in food deserts, are a critical macro-level avenue to reduce eye disease prevalence in the US, which according to the National Eye Institute, costs $139 billion yearly.

The influence of the type and amount of oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), and/or phosphorus (P) heteroatoms on the surface of carbon nanotube (CNT) on stability and catalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was investigated in alkaline media. It is shown that the functionalization of CNT leads to the growth of the electrochemically active surface and to an increase in the activity in ORR. At the same time, a decrease in stability is observed after the functionalization of CNT under accelerated corrosion testing in an alkaline media. These results are most significant on CNT after functionalization in HNO3 due to the formation of a large number of structural defects. However, the subsequent doping by N and / or P atoms provides a further activity increase and enhances the corrosion stability of CNT. Thus, as shown by the studies of characteristic parameters (SEAS, E1/2, corrosion stability), CNT doped with N and NP are a promising catalytic system that can be recommended for use as fuel cell cathodes. An important condition for effective doping is the synthesis of carboxyl and carbonyl oxygen containing group on the surface of CNT.

Iron-containing nickel sulfides, selenides, and sulfoselenides were synthesized via a simple two-step hydrothermal reaction (temperature 160 °C) for their application as electrocatalysts in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in an alkaline solution (1 mol L–1 KOH). The study demonstrated that iron-containing nickel cobalt sulfides and selenides exhibit superior OER performance with lower overpotentials compared to iron-free nickel cobalt sulfide and selenide, which highlights the significant role of iron in enhancing OER nickel cobalt electrocatalysts: Fe0.1Ni1.4Co2.9(S0.87O0.13)4, η50 = 318 mV; Fe0.2Ni1.5Co2.8(S0.9O0.1)4, η50 = 310 mV; Fe0.3Ni1.2Co2.5(S0.9O0.1)4, η50 = 294 mV; Fe0.6Ni1.2Co2.5(S0.83O0.17)4, η50 = 294 mV, Fe0.4Ni0.7Co1.6(Se0.81O0.19)4, η50 = 306 mV compared to Ni1.0Co2.1(S0.9O0.1)4, η50 = 346 mV and Ni0.7Co1.4(Se0.85O0.15)4, η50 = 355 mV (all values at current densities η50 of 50 mA cm–2). Furthermore, the iron-containing nickel cobalt sulfoselenide Fe0.5Ni1.0Co2.0(S0.57Se0.25O0.18)4 displayed exceptional OER performance with η50 = 277 mV, surpassing the benchmark RuO2 electrode with η50 = 299 mV. The superior performance of the sulfoselenide was attributed to its low charge transfer resistance (Rct) of 0.8 Ω at 1.5 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Moreover, the sulfoselenide demonstrated remarkable stability, with only a minimal increase in overpotential (η50) from 277 mV to 279 mV after a 20 h chronopotentiometry test. These findings suggest that trimetallic iron, nickel and cobalt sulfide, selenide and especially sulfoselenide materials hold promise as high-performance, cost-effective, and durable electrocatalysts for sustainable OER reactions. This study provides a valuable approach for the development of efficient electrocatalytic materials, contributing to the advancement of renewable energy technologies.

Blood gas analysis is a diagnostic tool to evaluate the partial pressures of gas in blood and acid-base content. The use of blood gas analysis enables to clear understanding the respiratory, circulatory, and metabolic disorders. The arterial blood gas (ABG) explicitly analyzes blood taken from an artery, assessing the patient's partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), carbon dioxide (PaCO2) pH (acid/base). PaO2 indicates the oxygenation status, and PaCO2 indicates the ventilation status (chronic or acute respiratory failure). PaCO2 is affected by hyperventilation characterized by rapid or deep breathing, and hypoventilation characterized by slow or shallow breathing. The acid-base balance tested by the ABG procedure measures the pH and PaCO2 directly while the use of the Hasselbach equation gives the serum bicarbonate (HCO3) and base deficit or excess. The measured HCO3is based on strong alkali that frees all CO2 in serum, including dissolved CO2, carbamino compounds, and carbonic acid the calculation uses a standard chemistry analysis giving the amount of "total CO2", the difference will amount to around 1.2 mmol/L. Though ABG is frequently ordered in emergency medicine contests for acute conditions it may also be needed in other clinical settings. The ABG analysis shows to be an exceptional diagnostic tool including the group of those diseases known as acid-base diseases (ABDs) which include a great variety of conditions as such severe sepsis, septic shock, hypovolemic shock, diabetic ketoacidosis, renal tubular acidosis, chronic respiratory failure, chronic heart failure, and diverse metabolic diseases.

Gene expression variations of plant leaf are investigated by irradiating seed and leaf with oxygen or air plasmas. Enhancement of leaf growth is induced by oxygen plasma irradiation on seeds, which is supported by increased gene expression for protein synthesis, oxidative-reduction reactions and decreased gene expression concerning DNA methylation and histone modification. Suppression of leaf growth is observed by the oxygen plasma, which would be owing to increased gene expression concerning heat shock protein and redox reaction, and decreased expression of photosynthesis and glycoprotein. Also, gene expression variation due to air plasma irradiation is almost same as that of oxygen plasma. Active oxygen species are major factors in both oxygen and air plasmas for the variation of gene expressions in plant.

The paper portrays predictive models for dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in an urban lake using common water quality parameters like Temperature, pH, Conductivity and ORP at a time. Data were sampled using three real-time, industry-standard sensors, OPTOD, CTZN, and PHEHT, and then interpolated using the ArcGIS kriging technique. Correlation studies were analyzed through the ML algorithm, the correlation study signified a highly positive correlation between DO and other water parameters and the model was corroborated by R-score in order to create the linear regression model. In addition, an artificial neural network- a machine learning method using the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was developed to build a model to predict the do as well. Then, the performance of the models was validated and also the R² accuracy was checked of the predicted data against the actual data. Thus, the appropriateness of the ANN model for the forecasting of investigated attributes is indicated by the fact that the discrepancy between the forecasted and real ANN model is significantly lesser than that of the regression model. However, the model can be used to reveal DO data from unknown urban lake water.

Familial colorectal cancer (CRC) is only partially explained by known germline predisposing genes. We performed whole genome sequencing in 15 Polish families of many affected individuals, without mutations in known CRC predisposing genes. We focused on loss-of-function variants and functionally characterized them. We identified a frameshift variant in the CYBA gene (c.246delC) in one family and a splice site variant in the TRPM4 gene (c.25-1 G>T) in another family. While both variants were absent or extremely rare in gene variant databases, we identified four additional Polish familial CRC cases and two healthy elderly individuals with the CYBA variant (odds ratio 2.46, 95% confidence interval 0.48-12.69). Both variants led to a premature stop codon and to a truncated protein. Functional characterization of the variants showed that knockdown of CYBA or TRPM4 depressed generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in LS174T and HT-29 cell lines. Knockdown of TRPM4 resulted in decreased MUC2 protein production. CYBA encodes a component in the NADPH oxidase system which generates ROS and controls, e.g., bacterial colonization in the gut. Germline CYBA variants are associated with early onset inflammatory bowel disease, supported with experimental evidence on loss of intestinal mucus barrier function due to ROS deficiency. TRPM4 encodes a calcium-activated ion channel, which in a human colonic cancer cell line controls calcium-mediated secretion of MUC2, a major component of intestinal mucus barrier. We suggest that the gene defects in CYBA and TRPM4 mechanistically involve intestinal barrier integrity through ROS and mucus biology, which converges in chronic bowel inflammation.

Purpose:To explore (theoretically) the key parameters and their influence on the time profiles of photosensitizer (riboflavin), free radicals, singlet oxygen, oxygen and the efficacy of corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL)in both type-I and oxygen-mediated type-II mechanisms, specially the role of oxygen and the initiator regeneration. Methodology:Coupled kinetic equations are derived and numerically solved under the quasi-steady state condition for the 2-pathway mechanisms of CXL. The key parameters explored include (bI, V, Q', K, K',Q,P) and their influence on the time profiles of photosensitizer (riboflavin, C), radicals (R), singlet oxygen(S), oxygen (X) and efficacy (E), parameters of (K,K',Q) define the relative strength of type-I and type-II process. The oxygen depletion profile, X(t), and the associated singlet oxygen, S(t), depend on the parameters of V, Q' and the initial value of oxygen. The coupling strength given by (bI) governs almost all profiles, where b is an effective absorption parameter and I is the UV light intensity.Results:Our numerical method for CXL dynamic profiles demonstrated the following important features: (i) Type-I and type-II coexit in CXL, in the presence of oxygen. However, there is no type-II when oxygen is depleted or in a condition without oxygen. (ii) Type-I with bimolecular termination, the radical R(t) is a function of [K'(bIgC)]^0.5, leading to the steady-state efficacy given by a scaling law of 1/(bI)^0.5, in contract to that of type-II which is almost independent to the light intensity. (iii) The depletion rate (2 to 5 minutes) of X(t) is much faster than that of C(t) (10 to 20 minutes), (iv) Thepure type-II profile, has a transition point from straight line to saturating curve and matches the depletion point of singlet oxygen S(t). (v) Improved CXL efficacy of type-I and type-II may be achieved by external supply of photoinitiator (riboflavin) and oxygen, respectively.

Chemo-resistance is a substantial challenge in the realm of cancer treatment that requires exploring new therapeutic approaches for effective mitigation. Achieving this goal requires examination of the molecular mechanisms involved in both tumor growth and therapeutic interventions. The potential of NRF2 (Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2) in addressing resistance to chemotherapy across diverse cancer types highlights its value as a promising therapeutic approach based on cancer characteristics. Manipulating the NRF2 signaling pathway has a dual impact, offering promise for both preventing and treating cancer, as well as inhibiting carcinogenesis. The influence of the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway on the progression of tumor formation and resistance to drugs has been well-documented. The interplay between the NRF2 signaling pathway and processes such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, unfolded protein response (UPR), and autophagy plays a crucial protective role. A deeper understanding of NRF2's role in the modulating these pathways is necessary to develop novel approaches for improving chemotherapeutic efficacy. This article discusses the significance of the NRF2-KEAP1 pathway in preventing/promoting cancer and resistance mechanisms to various chemotherapeutic agents, with a focus on the complementary effects of antioxidants via NRF2-mediated signaling pathways. This study aims to provide a molecular basis for targeting NRF2 via inhibitors/activators as promising therapeutic strategies to overcome chemo-resistance.

The present overview of spin-dependent phenomena in nonmagnetic semiconductor microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) with interacting nuclear and electron spins is aimed at covering a gap between the basic properties of spin behavior in solid-state systems and a tremendous growth of the experimental results on biomedical applications of those particles. The first part of the review represents modern achievements of spin-dependent phenomena in the bulk semiconductors from the theory of optical spin orientation under indirect optical injection of carriers and spins in the bulk crystalline silicon (c-Si) – via numerous insightful findings in the realm of characterization and control through the spin polarization – to the design and verification of nuclear spin hyperpolarization in semiconductor MPs and NPs for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnostics. The second part of the review is focused on the electron spin-dependent phenomena in Si-based nanostructures, including the photosensitized generation of singlet oxygen in porous Si and design of Si NPs with unpaired electron spins as prospective contrast agents in MRI. The experimental results are analyzed by considering both the quantum mechanical approach and several phenomenological models for the spin behavior in semiconductor/molecular systems. Advancements and perspectives of the biomedical applications of spin-dependent properties of Si NPs for diagnostics and therapy of cancer are discussed.

The interaction of ultraviolet radiation with biological matter results in direct damage such as pyrimidine dimers in DNA. It also results in indirect damage provoked by the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) catalyzed by photo-sensitizers. Photosensitizers can be endogenous (e.g. Tryptophan) or exogenous (e.g. TiO2 and other photo-stable UVA sunscreens). Direct damage triggers an inflammatory response and the oxidative and proteolytic bursts that characterize its onset. The inflammatory reaction multiplies the effects of one single photon. Indirect damage, such as the peroxidative cascade in membrane lipids, can extend to thousands of molecular modifications per absorbed photon. Sunscreens should therefore be formulated in the presence of appropriate anti-oxidants. Superoxide and Singlet Oxygen are the main ROS that need to be tackled: this review describes some of the molecular, biochemical, cellular and clinical consequences of exposure to UV radiation as well as some results associated with scavengers and quenchers of Superoxide and Singlet Oxygen, as well as with inhibitors of singlet Oxygen production.

The clinical relationship between diabetes and inflammation is well-established. Various branches of science independently have confirmed that disrupting oxidant-antioxidant equilibrium and elevated lipid peroxidation could be a potential mechanism for chronic kidney disease associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Under diabetic condition, hyperglycemia, especially inflammation, and increased reactive oxygen species generation are bidirectionally associated. Inflammation, oxidative stress and tissue damage are believed to have a role in the development of diabetes. Although the exact mechanism underlying the oxidative stress and its impact on diabetes progression remains uncertain, the hyperglycemia-inflammation-oxidative stress interaction clearly plays a significant role in onset and progression of vascular disease, kidney disease, hepatic injury, pancreas damage and, therefore holds promise as a therapeutic target. Evidence strongly indicates that the use of multiple antidiabetic medications therapy fails to achieve the normal range for glycated hemoglobin target, signifying treatment resistant diabetes. Antioxidants with polyphenols are considered useful as adjuvant therapy for their potential anti-inflammatory effect and antioxidant activity. We aimed to analyze the current major points reported in preclinical in vivo and clinical studies of antioxidants in the prevention or treatment of inflammation in T2DM. Then, we will share our speculative vision of the future diabetes clinical trials.

Background. It is well established that human milk feeding contributes in limiting lung disease among vulnerable neonates. The primary aim of this research was to compare the need for mechanical ventilation of human milk-fed sick neonates with that of formula-fed sick neonates. Methods. All late preterm and full term infants from a single center with findings of sepsis, from 2002 to 2017, were identified. Data regarding infant feeding during hospital admission were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of the type of milk on ventilation support and main neonatal morbidities. Results. The total number of participants was 322 (human milk group = 260, exclusive formula group = 62). On bivariate analysis, 72% of human milk-fed neonates did not need oxygen therapy nor respiratory support versus 55% of their formula-fed counterparts (P<0.0001). Accordingly, invasive mechanical ventilation was required by 9.2% of human milk-fed infants versus 32% of their formula-fed counterparts (P=0.0085). These results hold true in multivariate analysis, indeed human milk-fed neonates were more likely to require less respiratory support (OR=0.44; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.89) when compared to those who were exclusively formula-fed. Conclusion. Human milk feeding might minimize exposure to mechanical ventilation.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in cellular senescence and aging, as well as in the onset and progression of many diverse genetic and acquired diseases and conditions. The search for biomarkers of oxidative stress has become relevant to many biomedical fields using many different methods and approaches. Fluorescence methodology is advantageous because of its simplicity and high sensitivity. Fluorescent probes are frequently used to investigate the role of reactive oxygen species in oxidative stress in experimental or clinical settings, often involving the use of flow cytometry and related single-cell based technologies. To assess the specific role of reactive oxygen species in oxidative stress studies by cytometric methodologies, it is essential to detect and characterize these species accurately. However, the detection and quantitation of individual intracellular ROS is still a challenge, but different and complementary strategies may focus on other endpoints of oxidative stress. In this review we present and discuss briefly the limitations and perspectives of such approaches. Based on our results, we also provide recommendations for proper design of cytometric studies of oxidative stress in order to prevent or minimize experimental errors..

Although a slight imbalance between oxidative and antioxidative mediators is part of normal physiology that enables cell aging and the removal of dead cells, burns disturb this equilibrium locally and systemically. Topical burn dressings may attenuate local and systemic oxidative stress and positively influence the post-burn clinical course. This review integrated knowledge regarding the impact of burn dressings on oxidative stress. Using keywords and in-text searches, literature was identified from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google articles, and studies on local or topical applications of wound dressings and associated oxidative stress were selected. As im-balances between oxidative mediators and antioxidative agents significantly contribute to organ dysfunction and healing disturbance, we investigated oxidative stress on organs, metabolic changes, clinical results, and oxidative parameters influenced by applied dressings. We found positive local and systemic effects of external burn dressings in laboratory and animal tests; however, such studies were rare in humans. Nevertheless, we identified successful cases of semi-occlusive, occlusive, and biologically active dressings that reduce oxidative stress in hu-man burns. In particular, we highlight promising clinical and laboratory results from lac-tate-releasing dressings. Our review provides an invaluable resource for future development and clinical applications of burn dressings.

Photosystem II (PSII) is a quinone-utilising photosynthetic system that converts light energy into chemical energy and catalyses the splitting of water. PsbA (D1) and PsbD (D2) are the core subunits of the reaction centre that provide most of the ligands to the redox-active cofactors and exhibit photooxidoreductase activities that convert quinone and water into quinol and oxygen. This analysis explored the putative uncoupled electron transfer pathways surrounding P680+ induced by far-red light (FRL) based on photosystem II (PSII) complexes containing substituted D1 subunits in Halomicronema hongdechloris. Chlorophyll f-synthase (ChlF) is a D1 protein paralog. Modelling PSII-ChlF complexes determined several key protein motifs of ChlF. The PSII complexes showed a dysfunctional Mn4CaO5 cluster if ChlF replaced the D1 protein. We propose the mechanism of chlorophyll f synthesis from chlorophyll a via free radical chemistry in an oxygenated environment created by over-excited pheophytin a and an inactive water splitting reaction due to an uncoupled Mn4CaO5 cluster in PSII-ChlF complexes. The role of ChlF in the formation of an inactive PSII reaction centre is under debate and the putative mechanisms of chlorophyll biosynthesis are discussed.

In osteoarthritis (OA), oxidative stress plays a crucial role in maintaining and sustaining cartilage degradation. Current OA management requires a combination of pharmaceutical and non-pharmacological strategies, including intraarticular injections of hyaluronic acid (HA). However, several lines of evidence reported that HA oxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is linked with HA cleavage and fragmentation, resulting in reduced HA viscosity. Resolvin D1 (RvD1) is a lipid mediator that is biosynthesized from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and is a good candidate with the potential to regulate of panoply of biological processes, including tissue repair, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death in OA. Herein, newly designed, and synthesized imidazolium RvD1 analogues were introduced to compare their potential antioxidant properties with commercially available RvD1. Their antioxidant capacities were investigated by several in vitro chemical assays including Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl Radical Scavenging, Ferric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Power, Hydroxyl Radical Scavenging, and HA Fragmentation Assay. All results proved that imidazolium RvD1 analogues showed excellent antioxidant performance compared to RvD1 due to their structural modifications. Interestingly, they scavenged the formed reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protected HA from degradation, as verified by agarose gel electrophoresis and gel permission chromatography. A computational study using Gaussian 09 with DFT calculations and B3LYP/6-31 G (d, p) basis set was also employed to study the relationship between the antioxidant properties and chemical structures as well as calculation of the molecular structures, frontier orbital energy, molecular electrostatic potential, and bond length. The results showed that the antioxidant activity of our analogues was higher than that of RvD1. In conclusion, the findings suggest that imidazolium RvD1 analogues can be good candidates as antioxidant molecules for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases like OA. Therefore, they can prolong the longevity of HA in the knee and thus may improve the mobility of the articulation.

This research presents a novel approach for estimating soil organic carbon (SOC) content in agricultural soils using a photocatalytic Chemical Oxygen Demand (PeCOD) analyzer integrated with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology for spatial analysis. The PeCOD method, which relies on photochemical oxidation of organic carbon, demonstrated an uncanny correlation between its values and SOC content, making it a quick and accurate way to estimate SOC levels. Finer materials, such as clayey soils, demonstrated higher SOC content compared to coarser ones and decreased with increasing soil depth. GIS georeferencing enabled precise mapping of SOC distribution and identification of hotspot areas with high SOC content. This study highlights the significance of soil texture and depth on SOC distribution and emphasizes its significance within geological context when studying soil properties. Research results have practical ramifications for sustainable agriculture, climate change mitigation and soil health management - providing farmers and land managers with strategies that increase carbon sequestration while simultaneously improving soil health. Integrating PeCOD analyzer technology with GIS technology offers promising avenues for advanced soil carbon monitoring practices that promote climate-smart agricultural practices.

With the rapid increase in diabetes worldwide, the number of patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a complication of diabetes mellitus, is also on the rise. DKD is a major cause of chronic kidney disease progressing to end-stage renal failure; however, current medical treatments for DKD do not achieve satisfactory outcomes. Molecular hydrogen (H2) is an antioxidant that selectively reduces hydroxyl radicals, a reactive oxygen species with a very potent oxidative capacity. H2 was recently shown to exert not only antioxidant, but also anti-inflammatory, cell lethality-regulating, and signal transduction-regulating effects, and is now being applied clinically. Many factors contribute to the onset and progression of DKD, with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation being strongly implicated. Recent preclinical and clinical trials reported that substances with antioxidant properties may slow the progression of DKD. Therefore, we conducted a literature review on animal models and human clinical trials in which H2 showed efficacy against various renal diseases. This literature review and our previous findings collectively suggest that H2 exerts therapeutic effects in patients with DKD by improving mitochondrial function. Future large-scale clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Recent developments in the field of room temperature ferromagnetic metal oxide semiconductors (RTFMOS) have shown promising potential for improved photocatalytic performance. This review focuses on the combined study of photocatalytic and ferromagnetic properties at room temperature, with a particular emphasis on metal oxides, such as TiO2, which have emerged as a key area of interest in the domains of magnetism and environmental remediation. Despite extensive research over the years, the precise mechanism behind the interplay of ferromagnetism and photocatalysis in these materials remains incompletely understood. Several critical factors contributing to magnetism have been hinted at, including oxygen vacancies and various metal doping. Numerous reports have demonstrated that these factors play a primary role in room temperature ferromagnetism and photocatalysis in wide-band-gap metal oxides. However, establishing a direct correlation between magnetism, oxygen vacancies, dopant concentration, and photocatalysis has proven challenging. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent progress in understanding the magnetism and photocatalytic behaviour of metal oxides. By examining the latest findings, this study sheds light on the potential of RTFMOS as effective photocatalysts, thereby contributing to advancements in environmental remediation and related applications.

The efficiency and performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) are primarily influenced by ORR electrocatalysts. In recent years, atomically dispersed met-al-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) catalysts have gained significant attention due to their high active center density, high atomic utilization, and high activity. These catalysts are now considered the preferred alternative to traditional noble metal electrocatalysts. The unique properties of M-N-C catalysts are anticipated to enhance the energy conversion efficiency and lower the manufac-turing cost of the entire system, thereby facilitating the commercialization and widespread ap-plication of fuel cell technology. This article initially delves into the origin of performance and degradation mechanisms of Fe-N-C catalysts from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. Building on this foundation, the focus shifts to strategies aimed at enhancing the activity and durability of atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalysts. These strategies encompass the use of bi-metallic atoms, atomic clusters, heteroatoms (B, S, and P), and morphology regulation to optimize catalytic active sites. The article concludes by detailing the current challenges and future pro-spects of atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalysts.

Background. There are scant data about the effectiveness of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy in patients hospitalized with severe acute respiratory failure (ARF) in non-intensive medical wards, particularly regarding the effect on arterial oxygenation compared to conventional oxygen therapy (COT) and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Methods. In a retrospective observational study, oxygenation parameters were measured before and immediately after HFNC initiation in 37 consecutive patients hospitalized in a geriatric ward in 2017. Results. HFNC was used as escalation therapy for untreatable hypoxia after failure of NIV/CPAP (n=18) or COT (n=19). Twenty-two patients died, 2 were transferred to the intensive care unit, while 13 were discharged alive. A “do not intubate” status was identified in 17 of the 22 deceased patients. Partial pressure of oxygen (pO2, p< 0.0001), oxygen saturation (SO2, p< 0.0001), pO2/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (p=0.004) and peripheral SO2 measured by pulse oximetry (p< 0.0001) significantly increased soon after HFNC application. Oxygenation improvements were greater after escalation from NIV/CPAP and in patients discharged alive. Conclusion. HFNC significantly improved oxygenation in severe ARF after failure of COT or NIV/CPAP and may be particularly suitable for older patients hospitalized in non-intensive medical wards.

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming, and one of the most pollutant sectors is heavy industry, where cement production is a significant contributor. This work briefly explores some alternatives: recycling, reducing clinker content, waste heat recovery, and carbon capture, discussing their advantages and drawbacks. Then, it examines the economic viability and benefits of increasing oxygen concentration in the primary burning air from 21% to 27%, which could improve clinker production by 7%, and the production of hydrogen through PEM electrolysis to make up 5% of the fuel thermal fraction, both on a cement plant producing 3000 tons of clinker per day. It is concluded that oxygen enrichment can provide substantial fuel savings for a relatively low cost despite a possible significant increase in NOx emissions. By opposition, hydrogen production at this scale does not appear economically viable.

In this work, we obtained three new phosphorescent iridium complexes (Ir1-Ir3) of general stoichiometry [Ir(N^C)2(N^N)]Cl decorated with oligo(ethylene glycol) fragments to make them water soluble and biocompatible, as well as to protect them from aggregation with biomolecules such as albumin. The major photophysical characteristics of these phosphorescent complexes are determined by the nature of two cyclometallating ligands (N^C) based on 2-pyridine-benzothiophene, since quantum chemical calculations revealed that the electronic transitions responsible for the excitation and emission are localized mainly at these fragments. However, the use of various diimine ligands (N^N) proved to affect the quantum yield of phosphorescence and allows for changing the complexes sensitivity to oxygen, due to the variations in the steric accessibility of the chromophore center for O2 molecules. It was also found that the N^N ligands made possible to tune the biocompatibility of the resulting compounds. The wavelengths of the Ir1-Ir3 emission maxima fall in the range of 630-650 nm, the quantum yields reach 17% (Ir1) in deaerated solution and sensitivity to molecular oxygen, estimated as ratio of emission lifetime in deaerated and aerated water solution, displays the highest value 8.2 for Ir1. The obtained complexes feature low toxicity, good water solubility and the absence of a significant effect of biological environment components on the parameters of their emission. Of the studied compounds Ir1 and Ir2 have been chosen for in vitro and in vivo biological experiments aimed at estimation of oxygen concentration in cell lines and tumors. These sensors have demonstrated their effectiveness for mapping the distribution of oxygen and for monitoring hypoxia in biological objects studied.

Background: Portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) have shown efficacy in delivering adequate oxygen for various patient scenarios; however, there is a lack of research on POCs’ efficacy across different respiratory rates specifically among COPD patients. Methods: This bench study was conducted using the IngMar Medical Active Servo Lung 5000 attached to flexible tubing, which simulated an adult patient’s nares. An oxygen analyzer (Maxtec Handi+) was connected to the tubing 6 inches below the nares to estimate the inspired oxygen concentration at the adult trachea. A standard nasal cannula was placed in the simulated patient nares, which was also attached to each POC. The IngMar Lung was programmed to simulate a COPD patient at the following respiratory rates: 15, 20, 30, and 40 breaths/min. POC devices were then compared to an oxygen wall outlet and a standard oxygen concentrator (non-portable CAIRE device). The POCs included the CAIRE FreeStyle Comfort (with Autosat), CAIRE FreeStyle Comfort (without Autosat), Inogen G4, Inogen G5, Phillips SimplyGo Mini, GCE Zen-O lite, Drive Medical iGo2, and Kingon POCs. Descriptive statistics and ANOVAs were computed to determine statistically significant differences between POCS and control devices (wall oxygen and standalone oxygen concentrator). Results: Across most respiratory rate scenarios, the wall oxygen and standalone oxygen concentrator (control group) resulted higher oxygen measurements compared to the POCs. Among the POCs on setting 2, the highest oxygen measurement for 15, 30, and 40 breaths/min was the CAIRE FreeStyle Comfort with AutoSat on sensitivity 5 (24.43%, 24.81%, and 25.0%, respectively). On setting 2, the 20 breaths/min highest oxygen measurement was the Inogen G4 (24.43%). For setting 5, the highest oxygen measurement for 15 breaths/min and 40 breaths/min was the CAIRE FreeStyle Comfort without AutoSat (31.56% and 26.13%, respectively), while the highest oxygen measurement for 20 breaths/min was the Inogen G5 (30.26%), and the highest oxygen measurement for 30 breaths/min was the CAIRE FreeStyle Comfort with AutoSat on sensitivity level 5 (27.89%). Conclusions: The oxygen administered through the wall and the standalone CAIRE oxygen concentrator all delivered higher oxygen levels compared to the POCs (with the exception of the 40 breaths/min scenario on setting 2). However, among the POCs, the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort with AutoSat, CAIRE Freestyle Comfort without AutoSat, and the Inogen G4 all performed the best among the various breathing rate scenarios.

Worldwide, oral lesions and cancers are still being significant public health conditions. Thus, an introduction of new oral healthcare protocols is becoming essential. Oral diseases are related to many causative factors, manly dental plaque/biofilm due to poor hygiene. New anti-biofilm therapies are needed to develop. The strategies of anti-biofilm therapies should help to control biofilm formation and microbial attachment to dental surfaces. The present review aimed to provide a comprehensive over-view on evidence related to the potential utility of topical oxygen therapy (BlueM formula) as novel oral care therapies in clinical practice.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by itching, impaired epidermal barrier function and unbalanced inflammatory response. The pathophysiology involves immune dysregulation, with a predominance of T-helper 2 cells. AD is triggered by many known and unknown factors, including oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to AD pathogenesis by causing cellular damage and inflammation. Moreover, increased oxidative stress in AD leads to hyperactivation of the MAP kinase pathway, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38, with DNA damage and subsequent skin barrier dysfunction. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the role of natural antioxidant compounds, highlighting their potential therapeutic value in AD management. They include vitamin D, vitamin E, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), Vitamin C, carotenoids and melatonin, in AD. Despite some studies have shown an association between vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C and carotenoids levels and AD course, conflicting results exist. Pyridoxine supplementation has shown mixed results, and melatonin has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in AD; in fact, melatonin treatment resulted in a decrease in symptoms in patients with AD, although no significant correlation with changes in sleep latency was reported. In addition, iron and zinc (Zn) supplementation can also improve AD symptoms. Further research is needed to elucidate the optimal use of these natural antioxidants in AD treatment

Electronic structure calculations have been carried out to examine the effect of protonation and water molecules on the heme group of peroxidases in different redox (ferric, ferrous, compounds I and II) and spin states. Shared geometries, spectroscopic properties at Soret region, and thermodynamics of peroxidases are discussed. B3LYP and M06-2X density functionals with different basis sets were employed on a common molecular model of the active site (Fe-centred porphine and proximal imidazole). Computed Gibbs free energies indicate that the corresponding aquo complexes are not thermodynamically stable, supporting the five-coordinate Fe(III) centre in native ferric peroxidases, with a water molecule located at a non-bonding distance. Protonation of the ferryl oxygen of compound II is discussed in terms of thermodynamics, Fe–O bond distances, and redox properties. It is demonstrated that this protonation is necessary to account for the experimental data and computed Gibbs free energies that reveal pKa values of compound II about 8.5 – 9.0. Computation suggests that the origin of the general oxidative properties of peroxidase species, as well as their reactivity towards water and protons and Soret spectral properties, mostly resides on the iron porphyrin and its proximal ligand histidine.

A consistent factor in the epidemic of chronic disease is a pro-inflammatory metabolic state. The ability of clinicians to use nutrients to balance inflammation by supporting oxidant homeostasis rests on the quality of research within the field of antioxidants. Understanding the intersection of two prominent theories regarding the role of antioxidants in quelling inflammation, nutritional hormesis and oxidant scavenging, will enable the therapeutic use of antioxidants in clinical practice. This review investigates the less well-established theory, nutritional hormesis, which has not been comprehensively reviewed recently to our knowledge. To understand the state of research on the hormetic response, we conducted a comprehensive literature review describing the relationship between dietary antioxidants, hormesis, and chronic disease. We used an adaptive search strategy in PubMed and Scopus, retrieving a total of 343 articles, of which 218 were unique. Title and abstract screenings were conducted by two reviewers independently with a third as a tiebreaker, resulting in 152 articles included in this review. Most studies reviewed the hormetic response in plant and cell models (73.6%) while only 2.2% were conducted in humans. Limitations exist in translating plant/cell/animal models into the complexities of human biochemistry and physiology that warrant consideration before extrapolating such results into clinical practice. A critical hurdle in our literature review process is the lack of standardized nomenclature describing the hormetic effect in the research community that challenges the ability to comprehensively review the subject matter. Further, aA knowledge gap exists between the cell culture and animal model research that shows a biphasic, hormetic quality to the role of antioxidants and the observational human studies, which have yet to corroborate these findings. Therefore, we cannot accurately translate this research into clinical care at this time.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex disease involving multiple factors such as amyloid plaque formation, mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere length, and oxidative stress. As the disease began 20 years before the onset of clinical symptoms, treatment of AD after its onset is likely to be too late to have a significant effect. Therefore, prevention from an early stage is important. Twendee X®︎ (TwX, Oxicut®︎) is an antioxidant supplement consisting of eight ingredients. TwX has been proven to prevent dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, prospective intervention trial. To elucidate the mechanisms of TwX on brain and cellular function, TwX was administered in in vitro experiments and in a C57BL/6 old wild-type, and spontaneous hyperglycemia model with accelerated cognitive decline, and its effects on diabetes, brain autophagy, neurogenesis, and telomere length were evaluated in comparison with those of the non-treated groups. TwX protected mitochondria from oxidative stress with higher antioxidant capacity than a single antioxidant. TwX not only lowered blood glucose levels, but also suppressed reduction of brain neurogenesis and loss of autophagy. Telomeres in aged mice were significantly longer than those in non-TwX-treated mice. Development of dementia is based on many factors of brain function. TwX was suggested to prevent dementia not only by its antioxidant effects, but also by its effects on diabetes, brain neurogenesis, telomere deficiency, and energy production.

Methane (CH4), produced endogenously in animals and plants, has recently been suggested to play a role in cellular physiology, potentially influencing the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved in nitrosative and oxidative stress responses. In addition, it has been proposed that supplementation of CH4 to organisms may be beneficial for the treatment of several diseases, including ischemia, reperfusion injury, and inflammation. However, it is still unclear if and how CH4 is produced in mammalian cells without the help of microorganisms, and how CH4 might be involved in physiological processes in humans. In this study, we provide first proof of the principle that CH4 is formed non-microbially in the human body by applying isotopically labeled methylated sulfur compounds, such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methionine, as carbon precursors to confirm cellular CH4 formation. A volunteer applied isotopically labeled (2H and 13C) DMSO on the skin, orally, and to blood samples. Monitoring of stable isotope values of CH4 convincingly showed the conversion of the methyl groups, as isotopically labeled CH4 was formed during all experiments. Based on these results, we consider several hypotheses about endogenously formed CH4 in humans, including physiological aspects and stress responses involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). While further and broader validation studies are needed, the results may unambiguously serve as a proof of concept for the endoge-nous formation of CH4 in humans by a radical-driven process. Furthermore, these results might encourage follow up studies to decipher the potential physiological role of CH4 and its bioactiv-ity in humans in more detail. Of particular importance is the potential to monitor CH4 as an ox-idative stress biomarker if the observed large variability of CH4 in breath air is an indicator for physiological stress responses and immune reactions. Finally, the potential role of DMSO as a radical scavenger to counteract oxidative stress caused by ROS might be considered in the health sciences. DMSO has already been investigated for many years, but its potential positive role for medical use remained highly uncertain.

Knowledge of the biological effects of molecular hydrogen (H2), hydrogen gas, is constantly expanding giving a reason for optimism for several healthcare practitioners regarding management of multiple diseases, including socially significant ones. However, mechanisms underlying the biological effects of H2 are still being actively argued. In this review, we focus on mast cells as a potential target for H2 at the level of a specific tissue microenvironment. H2 regulates processing of pro-inflammatory components of the mast cell secretome and their entry into the extracellular matrix; this can significantly affect the state of the integrated-buffer metabolic environment and the structure of the immune landscape of the local tissue microenvironment. The analysis performed highlights several potential mechanisms for developing the biological effects of H2 and offers great opportunities for translating the obtained findings into clinical practice.

Oxygen is a limiting factor both in the environment and production systems, so reduction may become a stressor. Diel cyclic hypoxia occurs with varying frequency and duration in freshwater habitats. Under a stressful situation fish activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis (HPI) which triggers the release of cortisol that induces secondary and tertiary responses. The recovery of individuals depends on their ability to modulate physiological, and biochemical responses to maintain homeostasis. The aim of this study is to determine the hematological and physiological responses of rainbow trout under repeated hypoxic stress in different time points. The methodology of the experiment consisted of dividing the fish in 5 different treatment groups, 2 control groups and 3 hypoxia groups. Every exposure consisted in decrease the dissolved oxygen concentration from 8mg O2/L to 2mg O2/L for 1 hour. After the exposure the fish went to a recovery tank until the sampling procedure. Hematological and physiological results show a habituation of the fish to different parameters such as hematocrit, hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume among others. Overall, our results indicate an ability of rainbow trout to resist this type of hypoxic exposures and a habituation of fish to repeated hypoxia as observed in the different measured parameters.

A high perovskite activity is sought for use in magnetic applications. In this paper, we present the simple synthesis of (2.5 and 5%) Tellurium-impregnated-LaCoO3 (Te-LCO), Te and LaCoO3 (LCO) by using a ball mill, chemical reduction, and hydrothermal synthesis, respectively. We also explored the structure stability along with the magnetic properties of Te-LCO. Te has a rhombohedral crystal structure, whereas Te-LCO has a hexagonal crystal system. The reconstructed Te was imbued with LCO that was produced by hydrothermal synthesis; as the concentration of the imbuing agent grew, the material became magnetically preferred. According to the X-ray photoelectron spectra, the oxidation state of the cobaltite is one that is magnetically advantageous. As a result of the fact that the creation of oxygen-deficient perovskites has been shown to influence the mixed (Te4+/2-) valence state of the incorporated samples, it is abundantly obvious that this process is of utmost significance. The TEM image confirms the inclusion of Te in LCO. The samples start out in a paramagnetic state (LCO), but when Te is added to the mixture, the magnetic state shifts to a weak ferromagnetic one. It is at this point that hysteresis occurs due to the presence of Te. Despite being doped with Mn in our prior study, rhombohedral LCO retains its paramagnetic characteristic at room temperature (RT). As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of RT field dependency of magnetization (M-H) for Te-impregnated LCO in order to improve the magnetic properties of RT because it is a low-cost material for advanced multi-functional and energy applications.

This research presents a comprehensive computational analysis of the two-phase flow dynamics within a three-dimensional porous transport layer (PTL) in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. Employing advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a volume of fluid (VOF) approach, the study utilizes the finite-volume method to model a time-dependent, isothermal process within a laminar flow regime. Notably, the study treats oxygen as the dispersed phase and water as the continuous phase within the system. Investigations on the anode side uncovered the formation of gas bubbles on the electrode's surface subsequent to the electrochemical reaction. The simulation, spanning 5 seconds with 0.25-second intervals, highlights the critical role of the time interval between the initiation and 2 seconds in achieving pressure and velocity equilibrium within the PTL. The initial 0.75 seconds witnessed a peak in oxygen concentration, followed by its movement across the PTL, exhibiting a transition from regions of lower to higher concentration, consistent with known physical behaviour. Remarkably, the model recorded the highest pressure of 3.5 Pa at 0.25 s. Furthermore, the study observed an incremental pressure drop from 0.25 s to 0.5 s and 1 s, approximately amounting to 28.5% and 20%, respectively, ultimately leading to a uniform pressure distribution within the model. Over time, the pressure drop intensified across the entire model due to the evolving nature of the oxygen gas. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics of two-phase flow processes within PEM electrolyzers, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy technologies.

UV induced photoluminescence of organosilica films with ethylene and benzene bridging groups in their matrix and terminal methyl groups on the pore wall surface is studied to reveal optically active defects and understand their origin and nature. Careful selection of the film’s precursors and conditions of deposition and curing, analysis of chemical and structural properties led to the conclusion that luminescence sources are not associated with the presence of oxygen-deficient centers, as in the case in pure SiO2. It is shown that the sources of luminescence are the carbon-containing components that are part of the low-k-matrix, as well as the carbon residues formed upon removal of the template and UV induced destruction of organosilica samples. A good correlation between the energy of the photoluminescence peaks and the chemical composition is observed. This correlation is confirmed by the results obtained by the Density Functional theory. The photoluminescence intensity increases with porosity and internal surface area. The spectra become more complicated after annealing at 400 °C, although Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy does not show these changes. The appearance of additional bands is associated with compaction of low-k matrix and segregation of template residues on the surface of the pore wall.

Resistance evolution during exposure to non-lethal levels of antibiotics is influenced by various stress responses of bacteria which are known to affect growth rate. Here, we aim to disentangle how the interplay between resistance development and associated fitness costs is affected by stress responses. We performed de novo resistance evolution of wild-type strains and single-gene knockout strains in stress response pathways using four different antibiotics. Throughout resistance development, the increase in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is accompanied by a gradual decrease in growth rate, most pronounced with amoxicillin or kanamycin. By measuring biomass yield on glucose and whole-genome sequences at intermediate and final timepoints, we identified two patterns of how the stress responses affect the correlation between MIC and growth rate. First, single-gene knockout E. coli strains associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) acquire resistance faster and mutations related to antibiotic permeability and pumping out occur earlier. This increases the metabolic burden of resistant bacteria. Second, the ΔrelA knockout strain which has reduced (p)ppGpp synthesis, is restricted in its stringent response, leading to diminished growth rates. The ROS-related mutagenesis and the stringent response are vulnerabilities within the fitness of resistant strains that can possibly be targeted to prevent development of resistance.

Background: The hypothesis is that a hypoxic-hyperoxic preconditioning (HHP) is associated with a protective effect on myocardial function by reducing endothelial damage and a beneficial effect on postoperative outcome in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: Patients (n=120) were randomly assigned to an HHP and a control group. A safe inhaled oxygen fraction for the hypoxic preconditioning phase (10-14% oxygen for 10 minutes) was determined by measuring the anaerobic threshold. At hyperoxic phase, 75-80% oxygen fraction was used during 30 minutes. Results: The cumulative frequency of postoperative complications was 14 (23.3%) in the HHP vs 23 (41.1%), p=0.041. The nitrate decreased after surgery by up to 20% in the HHP group and up to 38% in the control group. Endothelin-1 and nitric oxide metabolites were stable in HHP but remained low more than 24 h in control group. The endothelial damage markers appeared to be predictors of postoperative complications. Conclusion: The HHP with individual parameters based on the anaerobic threshold is a safe procedure, it can reduce the frequency of postoperative complications. The endothelial damage markers appeared to be predictors of postoperative complications.

This work is devoted to the study of active and stable nickel catalysts for methane dry reforming based on Pr-doped ceria-zirconia obtained by solvothermal continuous method. The studies of physicochemical and catalytic properties of the 5%Ni\Ce0.75Zr0.25-xPrxO2 series showed that Pr introduction leads to an increase in the amount of highly reactive oxygen of the oxide lattice. Praseodymium-based catalysts showed significantly higher reactant conversions. In addition to the nature of support, the method of nickel introduction was also studied - Ni was added both by impregnation and one-pot with mixed oxide preparation. The method of Ni addition was shown to have significant effect on the morphology of the supported active component and, respectively, on the catalytic activity. The 5%Ni/Ce0.75Zr0.15Pr0.1O2 catalyst prepared by one-pot method showed stable operation in the MDR reaction for 30 hours at CO2 and CH4 conversions of ~40% and an H2 yield of ~18% (Т=700°С, τ=10ms).

Abstract: This is a retrospective study of patients admitted to Jackson Hospital, Montgomery, Alabama with a diagnosis of COVID-19 from January 1, 2021, to February 15, 2022. The independent variable used in the models were patient sex, age, race, BMI category, daily D-dimer categories, categories of anticoagulation doses (Enoxaparin 40 mg VS. Enoxaparin 80 mg VS Enoxaparin 1mg/kg or equivalent), bleeding episodes, and vaccination status. The three different categories of anticoagulation doses were considered for the purpose of the study. Results: The study reviewed a total of one hundred (100) hospitalized patients. Intermediate-dose anticoagulation was found to be the optimal dose as only fourteen percent (14%) patients died compared to a thirty-six percent (36%) and fifty percent (57%) death rate among those treated with low-dose and high-dose anticoagulation, respectively. The multivariate linear regression model predicting patient oxygen requirements revealed D-Dimer and bleeding status to be statistically significant predictors with a p value of <0.01. For the patients who had a D-dimer value ≥ 2 µg/mL, the oxygenation requirement was predicted to be 31 L higher than those with a D-dimer <2 µg/mL (99% CI; p<0.01). When mean D-dimer and corresponding oxygen requirements were calculated per hospitalization days category, the D-dimer levels and oxygen requirements were noted to follow the same trends indicating both values tended to increase and decrease simultaneously. Conclusion: The study concludes daily D-dimer trends can predict COVID-19 patient survival or daily oxygen requirements indicating D-dimer can be the miracle molecule for COVID-19 prognosis.

Water electrolysis is a highly efficient route to produce ideally clean H2 fuel with excellent energy conversion efficiency and high gravimetric energy density, without producing carbon trace unlike steam methane reforming, and resolves the issues of environmental contamination via replacing the conventional fossil fuel. Of special importance lies in the advancement of highly effective non-precious catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The electrocatalytic activity of an active catalyst mainly depends on the material conductivity, accessible catalytically active sites, and intrinsic OER reaction kinetics, which can be tuned via introducing heteroatom N in the catalyst stricture. Herein, an efficacious nitrogenation of CuS has been accomplished, which was synthesized using hydrothermal procedure, and characterized for their electrocatalytic activity towards OER. The nitrogen-doped CuO@CuS (N,CuO@CuS) electrocatalyst exhibits superior OER activity than pristine CuS (268 and 602 mV), achieving the low overpotential of 240 and 392 mV at a current density of 10 and 100 mA/cm2, respectively, ascribed to the favorable electronic structural modification triggered by nitrogen incorporation. The N,CuO@CuS also exhibits excellent endurance under varied current rates and a static potential response over 25 h stability measured at 10 and 100 mA/cm2.

Activity of the Nox1 centered NADPH oxidase complex depends on the activator NoxA1 and the organizer NoxO1. NoxO1 itself is not involved in electron transfer for superoxide formation. Instead, by creating proximity of all components in the right place NoxO1 enables a constitutive formation of reactive oxygen species by that complex. All subunits should form the complex in a 1:1:1 ratio. When analyzing different cell lines in this study, we found an unequal expression of the component on mRNA level with an excess of NoxO1. Even with plasmid-based overexpression of individual components of Nox1 centered NADPH oxidase complex results in different expression of their mRNA, with NoxO1 mRNA being best expressed. Despite an unchanged high level of NoxO1 mRNA over a wide range of transfected plasmid, protein expression is increased with accelerating plasmid concentrations. We thought to analyze the ability of NoxO1 to induce ROS formation, when present in different ratio to Nox1 and NoxA1. To this end, we used Hek293 cells with constitutive expression of Nox1 and NoxA1 transfected with increasing concentrations of NoxO1. Our results suggest that ROS formation by the Nox1 centered NADPH oxidase strongly depends on the level of NoxO1 and a surplus of NoxO1 further increases the activity of the complex.

In order to harmonize supply and demand of green energy, new future-proof technologies are needed. Here, hydrogen plays a key role. Within the current framework conditions, the production of green hydrogen is not yet economically viable. The use of the oxygen produced and the possible increase in efficiency associated with it mostly remains unconsidered. The aim is to demonstrate that the economic efficiency of a power-to-gas (PtG) project can be increased by using the by-product oxygen. In this research project, a water electrolyser connected to grid is powered to supply hydrogen to a hydrogen refuelling station. By utilising the by-product oxygen from water electrolysis for a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), it is shown that the net present value (NPV) of the project can be improved by up to 13 % compared to the initial scenario. If a photovoltaic (PV) system is used in addition to grid electricity for higher green hydrogen production, the NPV can be further improved by up to 58 %. The levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is calculated for different scenarios with and without oxygen configuration. A sensitivity analysis is then performed to find important parameters.

Oxygen based heterocyclic moieties hold an ample range of therapeutic activities. Heterocyclic molecules are nominated as vital components of an extensive array of structural motifs with both biological and pharmaceutical significance. The oxygen-based scaffolds act as anticancer candidates and are also present in numerous phytomolecules viz; irinotecan, camptothecin, topotecan, taxol, taxotere, podophylotoxin, etoposide, daunorubicin and teniposide. The architectural design of numerous structural motifs for amelioration of cancer has become progressively amplified in recent past years. Until now presently there is no strategic treatment which is so capable that can cure cancer from its roots. Henceforth, it is very indispensible to design novel anticancer structural motifs with least side effects. The oxygen containing heterocyclic scaffolds includes flavonoids, pyrans, xanthones and coumarins are of utmost importance in medical chemistry for the mitigation of cancer. This assemblage offers several recent developments as anticancer oxygen containing heterocyclic molecules all-round the globe and attracted the structural motifs of auspicious molecules, along with their mechanistic insights, IC50 values, structure–activity relationships, and molecular docking studies. The encouraging properties discovered by these oxygen-based scaffolds unconditionally engaging them at frontline in invention of potential drug candidates. Consequently, these probably will be of amazing attention to scientists working on the design and synthesis of antitumor candidates.

Terminalia arjuna possesses significant cardio protective, antidiabetic and antioxidant properties as these properties are described in Ayurveda. In the present study, three flavonoids were isolated through the separation and chromatographic purification of the whole plant material of T. arjuna. Spectroscopic characterization identified one of them as a new flavonoid “Terminalone A (1)” and two known flavonoids i.e. 6-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-4H-chromen-4-one (2) and 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one (3). The bioactivity studies showed considerable antibacterial and antioxidant (DPPH was used as a scavenger) potential for all the three compounds 1-3 where the compound 1 showed strong antibacterial and antioxidant activity.

Antimicrobial and anti-viral materials have attracted significant interest in recent years due to increasing occurrences of nosocomial infections and pathogenic microbial contamination. One method to address this is the combination of photoactive compounds that can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals to disinfect microbes, with carrier materials that meet the application requirements. Using anthraquinone (AQ) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as the photoactive and carrier components respectively, this work demonstrates the first covalent incorporation of AQ onto CNCs. The morphology and the photoactive properties were investigated, revealing the structural integrity of the CNCs, and high degree of photoactivity of AQ-CNC materials upon UVA exposure. The AQ-CNCs also exhibited an unexpected persistent generation of ROS under darkness, which adds advantages for antimicrobial applications.

Oxygen and hydrogen mobility are among the important characteristics for operation of solid oxide fuel cells, permselective membranes and many other electrochemical devices. This, along with other characteristics, enables reaching a high power density of solid oxide fuel cells and a high oxygen or hydrogen permeation fluxes for membranes. This work focuses on oxygen and hydrogen diffusion of mixed ionic (oxide ionic or/and protonic) – electronic conducting materials for these devices and its role in the performance. Ionic transport properties of conventional and state-of-the-art materials are reviewed.

Worldwide, hypoxia-related conditions, including cancer, COVID-19, and neuro-degenerative diseases, often lead to multi-organ failure and significant mortality. Oxygen, crucial for cellular function, becomes scarce as levels drop below 10 mmHg (<2% O2), triggering mitochondrial dysregulation and activating hypoxia-induced factors (HiFs). Herein, Oxygen nanoBubbles (OnB), an emerging versatile oxygen de-livery platform, implies to offer a novel approach to address hypoxia-related pathologies. This review explores OnB oxygen delivery strategies and systems, including diffusion, ultrasound, photodynamic, and pH-responsive nanobubbles. It delves into the nanoscale mechanisms of OnB, elucidating their role in mitochondrial metabolism (TFAM, PGC1alpha), hypoxic responses (HiF-1alpha), and their interplay in chronic pathologies including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, amongst others. By understanding these dynamics and underlying mechanisms, this article aims to contribute to our accruing knowledge of OnB and the developing potential in ameliorating hypoxia- and metabolic stress-related conditions and fostering innovative therapies.

The present work describes the synthesis, characterization and photomineralization activity of synthesized Ce1-xZnxO2-x solid solution catalysts allowing the degradation of Diclofenac as a model of anti-inflammatory medicines in water. Oxygen deficient photocatalysts Ce1-xZnxO2-x (CeZnx), produced with mixing ZnO and CeO2 have been characterized for their crystallographic parameters, specific surface area and morphology. Photomineralization activity determinations using TOC analysis have shown efficient diclofenac photooxidation under sunlight. Moreover, results indicate that coexistence of Zn2+, Ce4+ and oxygen vacancies rate in CeZnx solid solution are key factors for strong drug mineralization. Finally, CeZn0.1 which is one of the photocatalysts synthesized in the present work represents a cheap and efficient reagent for organic matter photomineralization in wastewater.

Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser suffers mainly from slow kinetics regarding oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Noble metal oxides, like IrO2, RuO2, are generally more active for OER than metal electrodes, exhibiting low anodic overpotentials and high catalytic activity. However, issues like electrocatalyst stability under continuous operation and cost minimization through reduction of the catalyst loading are of great importance for the research community. In the present study, unsupported IrO2 of various particle sizes (different calcination temperatures) were evaluated for the OER and as anode electrodes for PEM water electrolyzers [1]. The elec-trocatalysts were synthesized by the modified Adams method [2][3] and the effect of calcination temperature on the properties of IrO2 electrocatalysts is investigated. Physicochemical charac-terization was conducted using X-ray Diffraction, BET, High-Resolution TEM and XPS analyses. For the electrochemical performance of synthesized electrocatalysts in the OER, cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry were conducted in a typical 3-cell electrode configuration, using glassy carbon as working electrode, where the synthesized electrocatalysts were casted on, in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. The materials, as anode PEM water electrolysis electrodes, were further evaluated in a typical electrolytic cell using Nafion®115 membrane as electrolyte and Pt/C as cathode elec-trocatalyst. The IrO2 electrocatalyst calcined at 400°C shows high crystallinity with 1.24 nm particle size, high specific surface area (185 m2 g-1) and a high OER activity of 177 mA cm-2 at 1.8 V as anode electrocatalyst for PEM water electrolyzer.

An important indicator of human-related pollution in watersheds is dissolved oxygen (DO). The DO is highly dependent on both space and time characteristics of the watershed and is directly linked to eutrophication, which impairs the development of both the aquatic fauna and flora, also negatively impacting the water quality. Aspiring to reach a more accurate and precise forecasting approach to predict levels of DO, the present work proposes new graph-based and transformer-based deep learning models. The models were trained and validated for the Credit River Watershed, and the results were compared with both benchmarking and literature-found approaches. The proposed Graph Neural Network Sample and Aggregate (GNN-SAGE) model was the best-performing approach, reaching coefficient of determination (R2) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) values of 97% and 0.34 ppm, respectively. The findings from the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) indicated that the GNN-SAGE benefited from spatiotemporal information from the surrounding stations, improving the model’s results, and that temperature is a major input attribute for determining future DO levels. The results established that the proposed GNN-SAGE model stands as a state-of-the-art solution for DO forecasting, with potential for real-time water quality applications.

The brain's unique characteristics make it exceptionally susceptible to oxidative stress, which arises from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, reactive nitrogen species (RNS) production, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This review explores the factors contributing to the brain vascular tone vulnerability in the presence of oxidative damage, which can be of clinical interest in critically ill patients or presenting acute brain injuries. The brain's high metabolic rate and inefficient electron transport chain in mitochondria lead to significant ROS generation. Moreover, non-replicating neuronal cells and low repair capacity increase susceptibility to oxidative insult. ROS can influence cerebral vascular tone and permeability, with a potential impact on cerebral autoregulation. Different ROS species, including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, exhibit vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects on cerebral blood vessels. Reactive nitrogen species (RNS), particularly NO and peroxynitrite, also exert vasoactive effects. This review further investigates the neuroprotective effects of antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), vitamin C, vitamin E, and the glutathione redox system. Various studies suggest that these antioxidants could be used as adjunct therapies to protect the cerebral vascular tone during high oxidative stress conditions. Nevertheless, more extensive research is required to comprehensively grasp the relationship between oxidative stress and cerebrovascular tone, as well as to explore the potential benefits of antioxidants as adjunctive therapies in critical illnesses and acute brain injuries.

Telomere repeats at the ends of human chromosomes protect chromosomes from degradation, and telomerase has a prominent role in telomere maintenance. Telomerase also affects cell proliferation, DNA replication, differentiation, and tumourigenesis. TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase enzyme) is the catalytic subunit of telomerase and is critical for enzyme activity. TERT promoter mutations and promoter methylation are strongly associated with increased telomerase activation in cancer cells. Notably, TERT and telomerase are downregulated in stem cells during their differentiation. Therefore, the link between differentiation and telomerase provides a valuable tool for studying the epigenetic regulation of TERT enzyme. Oxygen tension affects several cellular behaviours including proliferation, metabolic activity, stemness, and differentiation. The role of oxygen tension in driving promoter modifications of the TERT gene in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is poorly understood either in vitro or in vivo. We adopted a monolayer ESCs differentiation model to explore the role of low, physiological, oxygen (physoxia) in the epigenetic regulation of telomerase and associated genes, including TERT, DNMTs, and HDACs. Cells were cultured in either air, a 2% O2 incubator, or a 2% O2 oxygen workstation to provide a fully defined 2% O2 environment. Pre-gassed media (pre-conditioned to 2% O2 in a HypoxyCool unit) was used in all 2% O2 experimentation. As anticipated, physoxia culture increased the proliferation rate and stemness of ESCs and a slower onset of differentiation in physoxia was evident. Further, downregulated TERT expression was correlated to reduced telomerase activity during differentiation. TERT expression and telomerase activity remained significantly elevated in physoxia during differentiation. A substantial increase in TERT promoter methylation levels was noted during differentiation. Chemical inhibition of DNMT3B reduced TERT promoter methylation and was associated with increased TERT gene and telomerase activity during differentiation. DNMT3B CHiP demonstrated that downregulated TERT expression and increased proximal promoter methylation were associated with DNMT3B binding to the promoter. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that DNMT3B can directly bind TERT promoter, change its methylation levels, and contribute to regulation of telomerase activity.

Many medicinal plants and their essential oils are used to treat or prevent diseases without the risk of mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, or teratogenicity. Eucalyptus essential oils are commonly used as preservatives, flavoring agents, and in various consumer goods. Eucalyptus leaves are being widely studied due to their volatile essential oils, including 1,8-cineole, p-cymene, α and β-pinene, limonene, citronellal, citral, eudesmol, terpinen-4-ol, terpineol, α–phellanderene, and 9β-sitosterol. Among these compounds, 1,8-cineole is the most abundant. Eucalyptus leaves are rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds and are thus a great source of antioxidants. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays are used to measure antioxidant capacity. The antioxidant activity of Eucalyptus essential oil is stronger than that of standard antibiotics like Erythromycin, Cefixime, and Gentamicin due to the presence of significant terpenoids in addition to phenolic chemicals and flavonoids. The lower the IC₅₀ value, the higher the antioxidant potential. Phenolic compounds and flavonoids are often associated with beneficial health outcomes, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, anti-cancer properties, reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, prevention of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Flavonoids also play an essential role in plants, including protecting against reduction, fertility, reproduction, and infection. Due to their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and immune-modulatory properties, flavonoids are crucial for pharmacological, medical, and nutraceutical applications.

Broomrape (Orobanche cumana), root parasitic weed, negatively affects sunflower, thereby causing severe yield losses and required controls on O. cumana infestation. Brassinosteroids (BRs) plays key roles in plant growth and provides resilience to weed infection. This designed study evaluated the mechanisms by which BRs ameliorates O. cumana infection in sunflower (Helianthus annuus). The pretreatment of sunflower seeds with various concentrations of BRs (1, 10, and 100 nM) were applied with and without O. cumana infestation. Under O. cumana infection, a significant reduction in plant height (38.61%), fresh/dry biomass, photosynthesis and regulation in plant defense (POX, GST), BRs signaling (BAK1, BSK1 to BSK4) and synthesis (BRI1, BR6OX2) associated genes. Moreover, O. cumana elevated the levels of MDA, OH‒, H2O2 and O2•‒ in leaves/roots by 77%/112%, 62%/104%, 57%/98% and 55%/89.4% and caused ultrastructural damages in leaves/roots, suggesting the severe oxidative or cellular damages in sunflower. In response, plants activate activities of SOD and POD enzymes as well as reduced or oxidized glutathione, but unable to stimulate APX and CAT activities. Addition of BRs, especially at 10 nM notably lowered the production of oxidative stress, activated the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The downregulation in the reported genes by BRs attributed to the increased resilience of sunflower (via susceptible reaction). In nutshell, the pretreatment of BRs enhanced the sunflower resistance to O. cumana infection by improving the planta growth and biomass, photosynthesis, activating the antioxidant defense system, lowering the oxidative stress, cellular damages and modulating the expression of BR synthesis and signaling genes.

Prolonged exercise induces acute renal injury; however, the precise mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effects of neutrophil depletion in male C57BL/6J mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups: sedentary with control antibody, sedentary with antineutrophil antibody, exhaustive exercise with control antibody, and exhaustive exercise with antineutrophil antibody. Antineutrophil (1A8) or control antibody was administered intraperitoneally to the mice prior to their running on a treadmill. Renal histology was assessed 24 h after exhaustive exercise, and the concentration of kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1 was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity and hydrogen peroxide concentration in the kidneys were measured. The pathologic changes were manifested as congested and swollen glomeruli, tubular dilatation, and nuclear infiltration after exhaustive exercise. These changes were suppressed by the administration of the 1A8 antibodies. KIM-1 concentration increased after exhaustive exercise but were reduced by the 1A8 antibodies. Treatment with the 1A8 antibody also decreased exhaustive exercise-induced inflammation and reactive oxygen species levels in the kidney. These results suggest that neutrophils contribute to exercise-induced acute renal injury by regulating inflammation and reactive oxygen species levels.

Cerebral ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL), a human milk oligosaccharide, has anti-inflammatory effects and plays a protective role in arterial thrombosis, but its role in ischemic stroke remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of 2’-FL and its potential mechanisms in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. The administration of 2’-FL led to a reduction in the size of cerebral infarct and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related products in the brain of MCAO mice. Further, 2’-FL promotes the recovery of neurological deficits and motor function in neurological scores and behavior tests. Biochemical studies showed that 2’-FL reduced upregulated IL-10 and downregu-lated TNF-α. Additionally,2’-FL enhanced M2-type microglial polar2’-FL upregulated IL-10 and downregulated TNF-α ization at 7 days after MCAO, with an increase in IL-4 levels and STAT6 activation at 3 days after MCAO. Our data showed that 2’-FL reduced the neurological symptoms of ischemic stroke and ROS accumulation in the brain through IL-4/STAT6-dependent M2-type mi-croglial polarization in MCAO mice. These results demonstrate that 2’-FL is a potentially effective therapeutic agent for ischemic stroke.

Saprotrophic fungi are key in global carbon cycling, capable of decomposing lignocellulose in wood. This study, for the first time, explores the influence of oxygen (O2) and temperature on methane (CH4) production by two fungi, Laetiporus sulphureus and Pleurotus sapidus. We examined CH4 formation under varying O2 levels (0 to 98%) and temperatures (17, 27, and 40 °C) when the fungi grew on pine wood, beech wood, and grass under sterile conditions. Our findings reveal a strong dependency of fungal CH4 production on O2 mixing ratios. Methane formation was highest when O2 levels exceeded 5%, whilst no CH4 formation was observed after complete O2 consumption by the fungi. Reintroducing O2 immediately resumed fungal CH4 production. When CH4 formation was normalized to O2 consumption (CH4_norm) a different pattern between species was observed. L. sulphureus showed higher CH4_norm rates with higher O2 levels, whereas P. sapidus showed elevated rates between 0-5% O2. Temperature also significantly influenced CH4 and CH4_norm rates, with the highest production at 27 °C, and comparatively lower rates at 17 and 40 °C. These results demonstrate that O2 levels and temperature are critical in controlling fungal CH4 emissions, a consideration necessary for future CH4 source predictions.

In this article, the biocatalytic oxidation of ethanol into acetaldehyde was studied using a catalase entrapped within monolithic polyampholyte cryogel, p(APTAC-co-AMPS), derived from an anionic monomer, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid sodium salt (AMPS), and a cationic monomer, (3-acrylamidopropyl) trimethylammonium chloride (APTAC) as catalyst. Macroporous polyampholyte cryogels containing various amounts of catalase were synthesized in situ under cryo-polymerization conditions at a molar ratio of monomers [APTAC]:[AMPS] = 75:25 mol.% in the presence of 10 mol.% cross-linking agent, N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA). The conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde in good-to-high yields was observed in flow-through and batch type reactors under optimal conditions: at T = 10-20 C, pH = 7.1, [C2H5OH]:[H2O2] = 50:50 vol.%. According to SEM image the pore sizes of p(AMPS-co-APTAC) cryogel vary from 15 to 55 μm. The catalytic activity of catalase entrapped within monolithic polyampholyte cryogel in the conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde was evaluated through the determination of such kinetic parameters as Michaelis constant (Km), the maximum enzymatic rate (Vmax), activation energy (Ea), turnover number (TON) and turnover frequency (TOF). The catalase encapsulated within monolithic polyampholyte cryogel exhibits a high conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde. The advantages and disadvantages of flow-through and batch type reactors were highlighted.

In this contribution, unmodified silver nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized for their size and morphological properties. Thereafter, their peroxidase-like activity as the common catalytic property of silver nanoparticles was investigated by catalyzing the oxidation of 3,3’,5,5’-tetramethyl-benzidine (TMB) as peroxidase substrate, exhibiting, a specific activity as high as 5.4 µM min^-1 for the as-prepared unmodified silver nanoparticles. The stability of the catalytic activity of the as-prepared nanozymes was also checked upon their storage at ambient temperature within 7 days at different storage conditions. The results revealed that the peroxidase-like activity of unmodified silver nanoparticles was approximately retained at about 75%, and 63% after 7 days exposing daylight and air oxygen, in order. The shelf-life (storage stability) of the as-prepared nanozymes was also investigated at usual storage conditions (i.e., 4 ℃ under dark), revealed that the nanozymes saved their activity about 96% of their initial activity after 10 days of storage at 4 ℃ under dark conditions.

Oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), the fraction of oxygen that tissue extracts from blood, is an es-sential biomarker for directly assessing tissue viability and function in neurologic disorders. For quantitative mapping of OEF, an integrative model of quantitative susceptibility mapping and quantitative blood oxygen level-dependent magnitude (QSM+qBOLD or QQ) was recently pro-posed. However, QQ assumes Gaussian noise in both susceptibility and multi-echo gradient echo (mGRE) magnitude signals for OEF estimation. This assumption is unreliable in low sig-nal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regions like disease-related lesions, risking inaccurate OEF estimation and potentially impacting clinical decisions. Addressing this, our study presents a novel multi-echo complex QQ (mcQQ) that models realistic noise in mGRE complex signals. The proposed mcQQ was implemented using a deep learning framework (mcQQ-NET) and compared with the existing deep learning-based QQ (QQ-NET) in simulations, ischemic stroke patients, and healthy subjects. Both mcQQ-NET and QQ-NET used identical training and testing datasets and schemes for a fair comparison. In simulations, mcQQ-NET provided more accurate OEF than QQ-NET. In the sub-acute stroke patients, mcQQ-NET showed a lower average OEF ratio in lesions relative to unaf-fected contralateral normal tissue than QQ-NET. In the healthy subjects, mcQQ-NET provided uniform OEF maps, similar to QQ-NET, but without unrealistically high OEF outliers in areas of low SNR. Therefore, mcQQ-NET improves OEF accuracy by better reflecting realistic data noise characteristics.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by rapid growth and uncontrolled proliferation of undifferentiated myeloid cells. Metabolic reprogramming is commonly observed in the bone marrow of AML patients, as leukemia cells require increased ATP supply to support disease progression. In this study, we examined the potential role of mesothelin as a metabolic modulator in myeloid cells in AML. Mesothelin is a well-known marker of solid tumors that promotes cancer cell proliferation and survival. We initially analyzed alterations in mesothelin expression in the myeloblast subpopulations, defined as SSC-Alow/CD45dim, obtained from bone marrow of AML patients using flow cytometry. Our results showed overexpression of mesothelin in 34.8% of AML patients. Subsequently, metabolic changes in leukemia cells were evaluated by comparing the oxygen consumption rates (OCR) of bone marrow samples derived from adult AML patients. Notably, higher OCR was observed in the mesothelin-positive compared to the mesothelin-low and non-expressing groups. Treatment with recombinant human mesothelin protein enhanced OCR and increased the mRNA expression of glycolytic enzymes and mitochondrial complex II in KG1α AML cells. Notably, siRNA targeting mesothelin in KG1α cells led to reduction of glycolysis-related gene expression but had no effect on the mitochondrial complex gene. The collective results demonstrate that mesothelin induces metabolic changes in leukemia cells, facilitating acquisition of a rapid supply of ATP for proliferation in AML. Therefore, targeting of mesothelin presents a potentially promising approach for mitigating the progression of AML through inhibition of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration in myeloid cells.

Water splitting technology is an efficient approach to generate hydrogen (H2) energy, which can well address the problems of environmental deterioration and energy shortage, as well as establishment of a clean and sustainable hydrogen economy powered by renewable energy sources due to the green reaction of H2 with O2. While the efficiency of H2 production by water splitting technology is intimately related with the reactions on electrode. Nowadays, the efficient electrocatalysts in water splitting reactions are the precious metal-based materials, i.e., Pt/C, RuO2 and IrO2. Ni (Co, Fe)-based layered double hydroxides (LDH) 2D materials are the typical non-precious metal-based materials in water splitting with advantages of low cost, excellent electrocatalytic performance and simple preparation methods, which exhibits a great potential for the substitution for precious metal-based materials. This review summarizes the recent progress of Ni (Co, Fe)-based LDH 2D materials for water splitting, which mainly focuses on discussing and analyzing the different strategies to modify LDH materials towards high electrocatalytic performance. We also discuss the recent achievements including their electronic structure, electrocatalytic performance, catalytic center, preparation process and catalytic mechanism. Furthermore, the characterization progress in revealing electronic structure and catalytic mechanism of LDH is highlighted in this review. Finally, we put forward some future perspectives related to design and explore advanced LDH catalysts in water splitting.

The design and fabrication of low-cost catalysts for highly efficient oxygen reduction is of paramount importance for various renewable energy-related technologies, such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Herein, we report the in situ growth of Fe3N nanoparticles encapsulated N-doped carbon nanotubes on the surface of flexible biomass-derived carbon cloth (Fe3N@CNTs/CC) via a simple one-step carbonization process. Taking advantage of its unique structure, Fe3N@CNTs/CC was employed as a self-standing electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and possessed high activity as well as excellent long-term stability and methanol resistance in alkaline media. Remarkably, Fe3N@CNT/CC can directly play the role of both gas diffusion layer and electrocatalytic cathode in a zinc-air battery without additional means of catalyst loading, and display higher open circuit voltage, power density, and specific capacity in comparison with the commercial Pt/C catalyst. This work is anticipated to inspire the design of cost-effective, easy-preparation, and high-performance air electrodes for advanced electrochemical applications.

Oxidative stress-mediated damage is often a downstream result of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is marked by sharp decline in dopaminergic neurons within the nigrostriatal regions of the brain, accounting for the symptomatic motor deficits in patients. Regulating the level of oxidative stress may present a beneficial approach in preventing PD pathology. Here, we assessed the efficacy of a nicotinamide adenine phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX) inhibitor, an exogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulator synthesized by Aptabio therapeutics with the specificity to NOX-1, 2, and 4. Utilizing N27 rat dopaminergic cells and C57Bl/6 mice, we confirmed that the exposures of alpha-synuclein preformed fibrils (PFF) induced protein aggregation, a hallmark in PD pathology. In vitro assessment of the novel compound revealed an increase in cell viability and decreases in cytotoxicity, ROS, and protein aggregation (Thioflavin-T stain) against PFF exposure at the optimal concentration of 10nM. Concomitantly, the oral treatment alleviated motor deficits in behavioral tests, such as hindlimb clasping, rotarod, pole, nesting, and grooming test, via reducing protein aggregation, based on rescued dopaminergic neuronal loss. The suppression of NOX-1, 2, and 4 within the striatum and ventral midbrain regions including SNc contributed to neuroprotective/recovery effects, making it a potential therapeutic option for PD.

Oxidation reactions on semiconducting metal oxides (SMOs) surfaces have been extensively worked on in catalysis, fuel cells, and sensors. SMOs engaged powerfully in energy-related applications such as batteries, supercapacitors, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and chemical gas sensors. The deep understanding of SMO surface and oxygen interactions and defect engineering has become significant because all those mentioned applications are based on the adsorption/absorption and consumption/transportation of adsorbed (physisorbed-chemisorbed) oxygen. More understanding of adsorbed oxygen and oxygen vacancies (〖V_O^•,V〗_O^(••)) is needed, as the former is the vital requirement for sensing chemical reactions, while the latter facilitates the replenishment of adsorbed oxygen ions on the surface. We determined the relation between sensor response (sensitivity) and the amounts of adsorbed oxygen ions (O_(2(ads))^-,O_((ads),)^- O_2(ads)^(2-),O_((ads))^(2-)), water/hydroxide groups (H2O/OH^-), oxygen vacancies (〖V_O^•,V〗_O^(••)), and ordinary lattice oxygen ions (O_lattice^(2-)) as a function of temperature. During hydrogen (H2) testing, the different oxidation states (W6+, W5+, and W4+) of WO3 were quantified and correlated with oxygen vacancy formation (〖V_O^•,V〗_O^(••)). We used a combined application of XPS, UPS, XPEEM-LEEM, and chemical, electrical and sensory analysis for H2 sensing. We established a correlation between the H2 sensing mechanism of WO3, sensor signal magnitude, the amount of adsorbed oxygen ions, and sensor testing temperature. This paper also provides a review of the detection, quantification, and identification of different adsorbed oxygen species. The different surface and bulk-sensitive characterization techniques relevant to analyzing the SMOs-based sensor are tabulated, providing the sensor designer with the chemical, physical, and electronic information extracted from each technique.