Modulation of the UV-B-induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in HaCaT Cell Line with Calluna vulgaris Extract

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) production due to ultraviolet B (UV-B) exposure is extremely harmful to the skin. It causes lesions of DNA, proteins and lipids and leads to cellular death. In the present study the UV-B-induced ROS and subsequent apoptosis in the human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) were counterbalanced by a plant extract with antioxidant capacity. Some molecules modulated by common heather (Calluna vulgaris) (CV) extract through which this may exert its photoprotective effects were also identified. The ROS were evaluated with CM-H2DCFDA assay, while apoptosis and Bax-α/Bcl-xL molecules with ELISA. The extract was standardized according to its polyphenolic content and the most important biologically active compounds, such as hyperozid, quercetin, isoquercetin, kampferol were evidenced by high-performance liquid chromatography. The UV-B induced ROS production occurred at its highest level at 2 h after the exposure of the HaCaT cells, while apoptosis later, at 4 h. The most significant changes in Bax-α and Bcl-XL proteins induced by UV-B, as well as the highest effect of the extract on apoptosis, were both registered at 4 h. The CV extract decreased concentration- and time-dependently the UV-B-induced ROS production and prevented apoptosis. These effects of CV occurred, at least to a certain extent, due to the modulation of Bax-α/Bcl-XL proteins. These findings suggest that skin cells could be protected from some of the UV-B-induced harmful effects by the administration of the CV extract, which may be further exploited as a potential photoprotective agent

An Approach Towards a FEP-based Model for Risk Assessment for Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

AbstractWe consider an exemplary scenario drafted in the context of the recently started EU-project FracRisk. The setting belongs to six scenarios representing diverse subsurface processes on different scales. A numerical approach considering sources, pathways and targets quantifies the environmental impact associated with this setting. A Global Sensitivity Analysis of properly defined output quantities takes into account uncertain parameters and operational conditions within a FEP-based evaluation of risk and counteractive measures. At this early stage of the project, this showcase of the general modeling workflow addresses migration of frac-fluid through a naturally fractured reservoir (source) to an overlying formation (target)

Work orientations, well-being and job content of self-employed and employed professionals

Drawing on psychology-derived theories and methods, a questionnaire survey compared principal kinds of work orientation, job content and mental well-being between self-employed and organisationally employed professional workers. Self-employment was found to be particularly associated with energised well-being in the form of job engagement. The presence in self-employment of greater challenge, such as an enhanced requirement for personal innovation, accounted statistically for self-employed professionals’ greater job engagement, and self-employed professionals more strongly valued personal challenge than did professionals employed in an organisation. However, no between-role differences occurred in respect of supportive job features such as having a comfortable workplace. Differences in well-being, job content and work orientations were found primarily in comparison between self-employees and organisational non-managers. The study emphasises the need to distinguish conceptually and empirically between different forms of work orientation, job content and well-being, and points to the value of incorporating psychological thinking in some sociological research

A snapshot sample on how COVID-19 impacted and holds up a mirror to European water education

COVID-19 caused many disruptions, not only in society, but also in university education, including in hydrology and water-related sciences. Taking part in an academic teaching training course at Uppsala University during COVID-19, we got curious about how COVID-19 might have impacted European water education. Consequently, we chose to investigate this aspect in the mandatory project of the course by conducting an online survey. In this paper, we communicate the results of the survey and reflect (hold up a mirror to water education) on how the teaching of hydrology and water-related sciences changed due to COVID-19. The answers of 28 respondents, working in the field of hydrology at different universities across Europe, showed that in the pre-COVID-19 classroom lectures, laboratory work and fieldwork were commonly used teaching formats in courses with 10 to more than 40 students. These results agreed with those found in the literature. The occurrence of COVID-19 forced hydrological education to suddenly move from classroom to online teaching, which was possible thanks to the available digital tools and technical infrastructure. The practiced online teaching format remained lectures. Most of the respondents (>40 %) reported not using classroom assessment techniques to gauge the students' performances. In addition, a loss of human interaction in the online environment was noticeable. Hence, whether students reached their learning outcomes during distance teaching was largely unknown. The most affected learning activities were the ones that could not be moved to online teaching, such as laboratory work and fieldwork. As a result, comprehensive hydrological knowledge might be missing for at least several cohorts of hydrologists. In this way, COVID-19 caused a secondary effect on society which needs skills in solving future challenges such as water management in a changing climate. Next to negative aspects, we observed positive COVID-19 aspects; for example, the hydrology community explored novel teaching formats and shared teaching material and experiences online. COVID-19 forced hydrology teachers to explore, improvise, and be creative to continue teaching. Hydrology can use this experience to learn from and modernize hydrology education by developing a lesson design suited for the online environment, including best practices and making practical and “exotic” non-traditional teaching formats accessible to all hydrology and water students

Efects of PDT with 5-aminolevulinic acid and chitosan on Walker carcinosarcoma

Porphyrins and new chitosan hydrogels based composites with porphyrins are used as active cytotoxic antitumor agents in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Aim: The present study evaluates the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and 5-ALA associated with chitosan (CS) using Walker carcinosarcoma in rats as experimental model. Methods: The animals were irradiated with red light (l = 685 nm, D = 50 J/cm2, 15 min) 3 h after i.p. administration of 5-ALA (250 mg/kg b.w.) or a mixture of 5-ALA (250 mg/kg b.w.) and CS (1.5 mg/kg b.w.). The animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, 6, 24 h and 14 days after the treatment. The effects of PDT were investigated by morphological studies, monitoring the 5-ALA induced protoporphyrin IX (Pp IX) level in tumor tissue and serum, MMP 2 and 9 (gelatinases) activity in tumor and malondialdehyde level (MDA), marker of the lipoperoxidation process, in tumor and serum. Results: Zymography revealed an increased activity of MMP 2 in tumors from animals treated with 5-ALA PDT. PDT with 5-ALA induced a higher lipid peroxidation in tumor tissue compared with 5-ALA-CS. CS associated to 5 ALA PDT enhanced the accumulation of PS in tumors inducing earlier necrotic changes. In the same time CS reduced MMP 2 activity. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MMPs activation and oxygen reactive species are involved in PDT effects.Порфирины и новые соединения, основу которых составляют гидрогели хитозана с порфиринами, используются как активные цитотоксические противоопухолевые препараты при фотодинамической терапии (PDT). Цель: оценить действие PDT с 5-аминолевуленовой кислотой (5-ALA) и 5-ALA, ассоциированной с хитозаном (CS), на клетки карциносаркомы Уокера. Методы: крыс облучали красным светом (λ = 685 нм, D = 50 Дж/см2 , 15 мин) 3 ч после внутрибрюшинного введения 5-ALA (250 мг/кг) или смеси 5-ALA (250 мг/кг) и CS (1,5 мг/кг). Подопытных животных забивали через 1 ч, 3 ч, 6 ч, 24 ч и 14 дней после воздействия PDT. Эффект PDT определяли с помощью морфологических исследований, регистрируя уровень протопорфирина IX (Pp IX), вызываемого 5-ALA, в опухолевой ткани и сыворотке крови, активность MMP 2 и 9 (желатиназы) в опухоли и уровень малонового диальдегида (MDA), маркера процесса перекисного окисления липидов, в опухоли и сыворотке крови. Результаты: зимографические исследования показали повышенную активность MMP 2 в опухолях животных, которых подвергали 5-ALA PDT. PDT с 5-ALA вызывала повышенный уровень перекисного окисления липидов в опухолевой ткани по сравнению с 5-ALA-CS. CS с 5 ALA PDT усиливал накопление фотосенсибилизирующего вещества (PS) в опухолях, вызывая более ранние некротические изменения. В то же время CS снижал активность MMP 2. Выводы: полученные результаты позволяют предположить, что для проявления эффектов PDT необходимы активация MMP и образование активных форм кислорода

Hydraulic Modeling of Induced and Propagated Fractures: Analysis of Flow and Pressure Data From Hydromechanical Experiments in the COSC-1 Deep Borehole in Crystalline Rock Near Åre, Sweden

To characterize the coupled hydromechanical behavior of rock fractures, the step-rate injection method for fracture in-situ properties (SIMFIP) was conducted with a specialized downhole probe developed by Guglielmi et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-013-0517-1). In June 2019, a field campaign was carried out near Åre, Sweden, where the SIMFIP probe was applied in the Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides-1 scientific borehole to understand the dynamics of injection-induced fracture initiation, fracture opening, and shearing due to water injection-withdrawal in a borehole interval isolated by two packers. Three intervals were investigated at ∼500 m depth: (a) an unfractured section (intact rock), (b) a section with non-conductive fractures, and (c) a section with hydraulically conductive fractures. Pressure, injection flow rate, and borehole wall displacement were simultaneously measured during the tests. In the present study, the geometry of the induced fracture and deformation of existing fractures at different time stages of the tests are determined based on a hydrologic model by using the measured pressure and flow data during each time stage of the experiment. A numerical model for the fluid flow within the fracture and the packed-off borehole interval is implemented within COMSOL Multiphysics. By matching model simulations with observed data for all three sections, estimates of the induced and propagated fractures' radius and aperture at successive time stages have been obtained in each case. We could also determine the non-linear relationship between fracture aperture and pressure for values above fracture opening pressures. The model results provide insights for the understanding of pressure-induced fracture initiation and propagation in crystalline rock