Analysis of Ammonia and Volatile Organic Amine Emissions in a Confined Poultry Facility

The National Air Emission Monitoring Study (NAEMS) project was funded by the Agricultural Air Research Council (AARC) to evaluate agricultural emissions nationwide. Utah State University (USU) is conducting a parallel study on agricultural emissions at a Cache Valley poultry facility. As part of this parallel study, samples of animal feed, eggs and animal waste were collected weekly from three manure barns (designated: manure barn, barn 4 - manure belt and barn 5 - high rise) from May 2008 to November 2009. These samples were analyzed to determine ammonia content, total Kjeldahl nitrogen content and ammonia emission. The yearly average calculated NH3 values for manure barn, barn 4 and barn 5 were determined in units of mg NH3/gmanure as: 1.1 ± 0.2, 0.6 ± 0.1 and 0.8 ± 0.1, respectively. The yearly average calculated TKN values in units of % N were determined as: 2.0% ± 0.3, 1.6% ± 0.3 and 1.9% ± 0.3 for manure barn, barn 4 and barn 5, respectively. The yearly average of NH3 emission in units of mg NH3/bird-day was determined to be 440 ± 180 mg NH3/bird-day for barn 4, and 540 ± 190 mg NH3/bird-day for barn 5. The ammonia and organic amines emissions in ambient air at a Cache valley confined poultry facility were measured by using a sulfuric acid trapping solution in an impinger train followed ion chromatography (IC) detection. The yearly average concentrations of ammonia in ambient air at the barns were calculated at 11.9 ± 2.9 ppm at the manure belt barn and 12.7 ± 3.1 ppm at the high rise barn. No organic amines were detected in the collected ambient air samples by the ion chromatography method. Because there were no amines detected by the IC method, limits of detection of organic amines in air were studied. The results showed that the organic amines in the manure must occur at a minimum concentration of 1 ppm in order to have sufficient vapor pressure so that enough is transported to the impingers for trapping and subsequently be detected by the IC

Efficacy and Toxicity of Folfoxiri for Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND: In recent times, scientists have found new treatments for colorectal cancer patients. AIM: The study is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of triplet combination chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI) for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in stage IV. METHODS: Uncontrolled clinical trial carried on 39 stage IV colorectal cancer patients. RESULTS: The overall response rate of the treatment was 79.4%. The average progression-free survival was 13.4 ± 9 months. The overall survival rate at 12th month and 24th month were 90% and 76%, respectively. The proportion of granulocytopenia was 48.9%, no grade 3 or 4. Side effect beyond hematology was most seen in hepatic toxicity with 52.5%, mainly at grade 1. Vomiting was 18.3%, all at grade 1. Other adverse event was very low at percentage. CONCLUSIONS: The triplet combination FOLFOXIRI chemotherapy improves the outcome of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer regarding rate of response, overall survival rate and progression-free survival, and the level of toxicity was acceptable

Developing a zebrafish-based pipeline to investigate the biological properties of medicinal plant extracts from Northern Vietnam

peer reviewe

Belgium

peer reviewedPurpose: Traditional medicines have been used in Vietnam for thousands of years, and still play an essential role in healthcare. However, so far, there is no clear definition of circumstances in which plants can be collected, conserved, and extracted; viable models for a productive and sustainable exploitation of natural extracts are missing, sometimes leading to severe and unfavorable consequences on health. In this study, we aim to develop a cost-effective pipeline to assess the pharmaco-/toxicological properties of these medicinal materials using the zebrafish embryo as an in vivo model. Methods: Medicinal plants extracts were prepared by incorporating in the design more standardized methods as the traditional ones, using increasing polarity solvents. After that, the zebrafish has been chosen as a whole animal model to determine the core of the biological properties of a specific extract. Embryotoxicity was analyzed by exposing extracts to zebrafish embryos, which were monitored at specific times during 4 days for survival and the presence of developmental malformations. In addition, the zebrafish transgenic line Tg(fli1:EGFP) displaying fluorescent endothelial cells was used to visualize blood vessels and detect effects on angiogenesis. Proof-of-concept experiments were done by passing samples from two plants: Caesalpinia sappan L. and Glochidion eriocarpum to evaluate its efficiency. Results: Effects of C. sappan L. extract on zebrafish embryonic morphology and lethality were determined in the corresponding concentration-response curves (LC50=500 mg/L and EC50=40 mg/L). Analysis of transgenic zebrafish showed the anti-angiogenic properties in a dose dependent manner. In addition, the interaction between this plant extract and the embryo chorion was explored. On the other hand, G. eriocarpum extract exposure led to a biphasic response from the zebrafish embryos, suggesting a protective role of the embryonic chorion. Our results may contribute to the design of a rational high throughput pharmacological screening approach using the zebrafish model

Spatiotemporal evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants during large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam, 2021

We analyzed 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from Vietnam, and found the Alpha and Delta variants were responsible for a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021. The Delta variant was confined to the AY.57 lineage and caused >1.7 million infections and >32,000 deaths. Viral transmission was strongly affected by nonpharmaceutical interventions

Лексические средства связности в речи телеведущего в жанре интерактивной белорусскоязычной телебеседы

Материалы XII Междунар. науч. конф. студентов, магистрантов, аспирантов и молодых ученых, Гомель, 16–17 мая 2019 г