Effects of vitamin E supplementation on renal non-enzymatic antioxidants in young rats submitted to exhaustive exercise stress

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exercise stress was shown to increase oxidative stress in rats. It lacks reports of increased protection afforded by dietary antioxidant supplements against ROS production during exercise stress. We evaluated the effects of vitamin E supplementation on renal non-enzymatic antioxidants in young rats submitted to exhaustive exercise stress.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 1) control group; 2) exercise stress group and; 3) exercise stress + Vitamin E group. Rats from the group 3 were treated with gavage administration of 1 mL of Vitamin E (5 mg/kg) for seven consecutive days. Animals from groups 2 and 3 were submitted to a bout of swimming exhaustive exercise stress. Kidney samples were analyzed for Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances to (TBARS) by malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and vitamin-E levels.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The group treated with vitamin E and submitted to exercise stress presented the lowest levels of renal MDA (1: 0.16+0.02 mmmol/mgprot vs. 2: 0.34+0.07 mmmol/mgprot vs. 3: 0.1+0.01 mmmol/mgprot; p < 0.0001), the highest levels of renal GSH (1: 23+4 μmol/gprot vs. 2: 23+2 μmol/gprot vs. 3: 58+9 μmol/gprot; p < 0.0001) and the highest levels of renal vitamin E (1: 24+6 μM/gtissue vs. 2: 28+2 μM/gtissue vs. 3: 43+4 μM/gtissue; p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Vitamin E supplementation improved non-enzymatic antioxidant activity in young rats submitted to exhaustive exercise stress.</p

Transcriptional and Post-Transcriptional Regulation of SPAST, the Gene Most Frequently Mutated in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) comprise a group of neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by progressive spasticity of the lower extremities, due to axonal degeneration in the corticospinal motor tracts. HSPs are genetically heterogeneous and show autosomal dominant inheritance in ∼70–80% of cases, with additional cases being recessive or X-linked. The most common type of HSP is SPG4 with mutations in the SPAST gene, encoding spastin, which occurs in 40% of dominantly inherited cases and in ∼10% of sporadic cases. Both loss-of-function and dominant-negative mutation mechanisms have been described for SPG4, suggesting that precise or stoichiometric levels of spastin are necessary for biological function. Therefore, we hypothesized that regulatory mechanisms controlling expression of SPAST are important determinants of spastin biology, and if altered, could contribute to the development and progression of the disease. To examine the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of SPAST, we used molecular phylogenetic methods to identify conserved sequences for putative transcription factor binding sites and miRNA targeting motifs in the SPAST promoter and 3′-UTR, respectively. By a variety of molecular methods, we demonstrate that SPAST transcription is positively regulated by NRF1 and SOX11. Furthermore, we show that miR-96 and miR-182 negatively regulate SPAST by effects on mRNA stability and protein level. These transcriptional and miRNA regulatory mechanisms provide new functional targets for mutation screening and therapeutic targeting in HSP

Does clinical examination aid in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections in women? A systematic review and meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Clinicians should be aware of the diagnostic values of various symptoms, signs and antecedents. This information is particularly important in primary care settings, where sophisticated diagnostic approaches are not always feasible. The aim of the study is to determine the probability that various symptoms, signs, antecedents and tests predict urinary tract infection (UTI) in women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a systematic search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases to identify articles published in all languages through until December 2008. We particularly focused on studies that examined the diagnostic accuracy of at least one symptom, sign or patient antecedent related to the urinary tract. We included studies where urine culture, a gold standard, was preformed by primary care providers on female subjects aged at least 14 years. A meta-analysis of the likelihood ratio was performed to assess variables related to the urinary tract symptoms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 1, 212 articles identified, 11 met the selection criteria. Dysuria, urgency, nocturia, sexual activity and urgency with dysuria were weak predictors of urinary tract infection, whereas increases in vaginal discharge and suprapubic pain were weak predictors of the absence of infection. Nitrites or leukocytes in the dipstick test are the only findings that clearly favored a diagnosis of UTI.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Clinical findings do not aid in the diagnosis of UTI among women who present with urinary symptoms. Vaginal discharge is a weak indicator of the absence of infection. The urine dipstick test was the most reliable tool for detecting UTI.</p

Twelve-year trends in the prevalence and risk factors of diabetes and prediabetes in Turkish adults

There is concern about an emerging diabetes epidemic in Turkey. We aimed to determine the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, prediabetes and their 12-year trends and to identify risk factors for diabetes in the adult Turkish population. A cross-sectional, population-based survey, ‘TURDEP-II’ included 26,499 randomly sampled adults aged ≥ 20 years (response rate: 87 %). Fasting glucose and biochemical parameters were measured in all; then a OGTT was performed to identify diabetes and prediabetes in eligible participants. The prevalence of diabetes was 16.5 % (new 7.5 %), translating to 6.5 million adults with diabetes in Turkey. It was higher in women than men (p = 0.008). The age-standardized prevalence to the TURDEP-I population (performed in 1997–98) was 13.7 % (if same diagnostic definition was applied diabetes prevalence is calculated 11.4 %). The prevalence of isolated-IFG and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and combined prediabetes was 14.7, 7.9, and 8.2 %, respectively; and that of obesity 36 % and hypertension 31.4 %. Compared to TURDEP-I; the rate of increase for diabetes: 90 %, IGT: 106 %, obesity: 40 % and central obesity: 35 %, but hypertension decreased by 11 % during the last 12 years. In women age, waist, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, low education, and living environment; in men age, BMI, and hypertension were independently associated with an increased prevalence of diabetes. In women current smoking, and in men being single were associated with a reduced risk. These results from one of the largest nationally representative surveys carried out so far show that diabetes has rapidly become a major public health challenge in Turkey. The figures are alarming and underscore the urgent need for national programs to prevent diabetes, to manage the illness and thus prevent complications. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10654-013-9771-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Influence of false-twist texturing parameters on the structural properties of polyester yarn

37-41Structural changes of polyester yarn with false-twist draw texturing parameters have been studied using a high-temperature heater, high texturing speeds, short residence time in the heater and a short yarn path. The dependence of three structural parameters, viz. crystalline orientation, crystal size and birefringence, on texturing temperature, yarn residence time in the heater and draw ratio has also been studied. At high texturing speeds, the crystalline orientation and crystal size decrease due to low thermal input. Crystalline orientation tends to increase at high texturing temperatures and draw ratios

A comprehensive review and status of renewable resources and oil & gas under the supply and demand dynamics in the world

SPE Europec featured at 82nd EAGE Conference and Exhibition, EURO 2021 -- 18 October 2021 through 21 October 2021 -- -- 172792As major oil and gas companies have been investing in renewable energy, renewable energy has been part of the oil and gas industry in the last decade. Originally, renewables were seen as a competing form of energy source as a threat that may replace or decrease the share of fossil fuels as an alternative energy resource in the US and developed countries. However, oil and gas industry has adapted to the wind of change and has started investing and utilizing the renewable sources of energy significantly. In this perspective, this study investigates and outlines the latest advances, technologies, potential of renewables both as an alternative and a complementary source of energy in the world n the current supply and demand dynamics of oil and gas resources. A comprehensive literature review focusing on the recent developments and findings in the renewable resources along with the availability of the renewable energy and locations are outlined and discussed under the current dynamics of the oil and gas market and resources. Literature review includes a broad spectrum that spans from technical petroleum literature with very comprehensive research using SCOPUS database to non-technical but renowned resources including journals and other publications including raw data as well as forecasts and opinions of respected experts. The raw data and expert opinions are organized, summarized and outlined in a temporal way within its category for the respective energy source. Not only the facts and information are outlined for the individual type of energy resource but also the relationship between the forms of energy resources are discussed from a perspective of their roles either as a competing or a complementary source to oil and gas. In this sense, this study goes beyond only providing raw data or facts about the energy resources but also a thorough publication that provides the oil and gas industry professional with a clear image of the past, present and the expected near future of the oil and gas industry as it stands with respect to renewable energy resources. Among the few existing studies that shed light on the current status of the oil and gas industry facing the development of the renewable energy are up-to-date and the existing studies within SPE domain focus on facts only lacking the interrelationship between the individual form of renewable energy and oil and gas such as solar energy used in oil and gas fields as a complementary renewable energy. Copyright © 2021 Society of Petroleum Engineers

Optimization of smart well placement in waterfloods under geological uncertainty in intelligent fields

International Petroleum Technology Conference 2020, IPTC 2020 -- 13 January 2020 through 15 January 2020 -- -- 157334Latest technological developments and applications made optimal control methods usage in optimal well placement in intelligent fields practical and beneficial to increase the production. Effective usage of these methods strongly depends on the detailed evaluation of the economic view and performance in reservoirs that have high uncertainty, particularly. There are several methods of optimization of well placement ranging from classical reservoir engineering to derivative-free and hybrid methods. TNO's Olympus model used globally as a benchmark model in ISAAP-2 Challenge in used. Geological modeling software is coupled with the commercial full-physics reservoir simulator as well as the optimization software in order to produce different geological realizations to represent the geological uncertainty and run the simulation model with differing inputs of optimization and uncertainty in a loop. Results are outlined in detail in a comparative way including comparison to the previous study to illustrate the challenges and benefits of smart wells and optimization of placement of them in intelligent fields. Results indicate that classical reservoir engineering principles still prove useful in the beginning of the optimization process. Then, derivative-free and hybrid methods introduce significant improvement on economics. There are certain challenges in CPU requirements however the state-of-the-art facilities provided significant reduction in runtimes along with the help of the hybrid methods where proxies are built and used for faster runtimes. Despite higher initial capital expenses, smart wells provide significant advantages in recovery and economics compared to that of the conventional wells where these is less control on the production/injection at the layer level. Literature lacks a comprehensive study that takes into account the optimization of well placement in smart fields focusing on smart wells and the all major available methods for optimization. This study closes that gap providing a strong reference building on top of the previous study extending it to intelligent fields which are becoming very common and useful in oil and gas industry in conventional and unconventional applications. Copyright 2020, International Petroleum Technology Conference