Antirhea borbonica Aqueous Extract Protects Albumin and Erythrocytes from Glycoxidative Damages

Diabetes constitutes a major health problem associated with severe complications. In hyperglycemic conditions, chronically increased oxidation and glycation of circulating components lead to advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) formation, a key contributor in diabetes complication progression. In line with literature documenting the beneficial properties of herbal teas, this study evaluates the antioxidant/glycant properties of Antirhea borbonica (Ab). Ab aqueous extract effects were tested on human albumin or erythrocytes submitted to methyl glyoxal-mediated glycoxidative damages. By using mass spectrometry, Ab aqueous extracts revealed to be rich in polyphenols. All tested biomarkers of oxidation and glycation, such as AGE, ketoamine, oxidized thiol groups, were decreased in albumin when glycated in the presence of Ab aqueous extract. Ab extract preserve erythrocyte from methylglyoxal (MGO)-induced damages in terms of restored membrane deformability, reduced oxidative stress and eryptosis phenomenon. Antioxidant capacities of Ab extract on erythrocytes were retrieved in vivo in zebrafish previously infused with MGO. These results bring new evidences on the deleterious impacts of glycation on albumin and erythrocyte in diabetes. Furthermore, it reveals antioxidant and antiglycant properties of Ab that could be used for the dietary modulation of oxidative stress and glycation in hyperglycemic situations

A Comparison between the Compass Fundus Perimeter and the Humphrey Field Analyzer

Purpose: To evaluate relative diagnostic precision and test–retest variability of 2 devices, the Compass (CMP, CenterVue, Padova, Italy) fundus perimeter and the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA, Zeiss, Dublin, CA), in detecting glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON). Design: Multicenter, cross-sectional, case-control study. Participants: We sequentially enrolled 499 patients with glaucoma and 444 normal subjects to analyze relative precision. A separate group of 44 patients with glaucoma and 54 normal subjects was analyzed to assess test–retest variability. Methods: One eye of recruited subjects was tested with the index tests: HFA (Swedish interactive thresholding algorithm [SITA] standard strategy) and CMP (Zippy Estimation by Sequential Testing [ZEST] strategy), 24-2 grid. The reference test for GON was specialist evaluation of fundus photographs or OCT, independent of the visual field (VF). For both devices, linear regression was used to calculate the sensitivity decrease with age in the normal group to compute pointwise total deviation (TD) values and mean deviation (MD). We derived 5% and 1% pointwise normative limits. The MD and the total number of TD values below 5% (TD 5%) or 1% (TD 1%) limits per field were used as classifiers. Main Outcome Measures: We used partial receiver operating characteristic (pROC) curves and partial area under the curve (pAUC) to compare the diagnostic precision of the devices. Pointwise mean absolute deviation and Bland–Altman plots for the mean sensitivity (MS) were computed to assess test–retest variability. Results: Retinal sensitivity was generally lower with CMP, with an average mean difference of 1.85±0.06 decibels (dB) (mean ± standard error, P < 0.001) in healthy subjects and 1.46±0.05 dB (mean ± standard error, P < 0.001) in patients with glaucoma. Both devices showed similar discriminative power. The MD metric had marginally better discrimination with CMP (pAUC difference ± standard error, 0.019±0.009, P = 0.035). The 95% limits of agreement for the MS were reduced by 13% in CMP compared with HFA in participants with glaucoma and by 49% in normal participants. Mean absolute deviation was similar, with no significant differences. Conclusions: Relative diagnostic precision of the 2 devices is equivalent. Test–retest variability of MS for CMP was better than for HFA

Size-resolved aerosol composition at an urban and a rural site in the Po Valley in summertime: implications for secondary aerosol formation

The aerosol size-segregated chemical composition was analyzed at an urban (Bologna) and a rural (San Pietro Capofiume) site in the Po Valley, Italy, during June and July 2012, by ion-chromatography (major water-soluble ions and organic acids) and evolved gas analysis (total and water-soluble carbon), to investigate sources and mechanisms of secondary aerosol formation during the summer. A significant enhancement of secondary organic and inorganic aerosol mass was observed under anticyclonic conditions with recirculation of planetary boundary layer air but with substantial differences between the urban and the rural site. The data analysis, including a principal component analysis (PCA) on the size-resolved dataset of chemical concentrations, indicated that the photochemical oxidation of inorganic and organic gaseous precursors was an important mechanism of secondary aerosol formation at both sites. In addition, at the rural site a second formation process, explaining the largest fraction (22 %) of the total variance, was active at nighttime, especially under stagnant conditions. Nocturnal chemistry in the rural Po Valley was associated with the formation of ammonium nitrate in large accumulation-mode (0.42–1.2 µm) aerosols favored by local thermodynamic conditions (higher relative humidity and lower temperature compared to the urban site). Nocturnal concentrations of fine nitrate were, in fact, on average 5 times higher at the rural site than in Bologna. The water uptake by this highly hygroscopic compound under high RH conditions provided the medium for increased nocturnal aerosol uptake of water-soluble organic gases and possibly also for aqueous chemistry, as revealed by the shifting of peak concentrations of secondary compounds (water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and sulfate) toward the large accumulation mode (0.42–1.2 µm). Contrarily, the diurnal production of WSOC (proxy for secondary organic aerosol) by photochemistry was similar at the two sites but mostly affected the small accumulation mode of particles (0.14–0.42 µm) in Bologna, while a shift to larger accumulation mode was observed at the rural site. A significant increment in carbonaceous aerosol concentration (for both WSOC and water-insoluble carbon) at the urban site was recorded mainly in the quasi-ultrafine fraction (size range 0.05–0.14 µm), indicating a direct influence of traffic emissions on the mass concentrations of this range of particles

Evidence for ambient dark aqueous SOA formation in the Po Valley, Italy

Laboratory experiments suggest that water-soluble products from the gas-phase oxidation of volatile organic compounds can partition into atmospheric waters where they are further oxidized to form low volatility products, providing an alternative route for oxidation in addition to further oxidation in the gas phase. These products can remain in the particle phase after water evaporation, forming what is termed as aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA). However, few studies have attempted to observe ambient aqSOA. Therefore, a suite of measurements, including near-real-time WSOC (water-soluble organic carbon), inorganic anions/cations, organic acids, and gas-phase glyoxal, were made during the PEGASOS (Pan-European Gas-AeroSOls-climate interaction Study) 2012 campaign in the Po Valley, Italy, to search for evidence of aqSOA. Our analysis focused on four periods: Period A on 19–21 June, Period B on 30 June and 1–2 July, Period C on 3–5 July, and Period D on 6–7 July to represent the first (Period A) and second (Periods B, C, and D) halves of the study. These periods were picked to cover varying levels of WSOC and aerosol liquid water. In addition, back trajectory analysis suggested all sites sampled similar air masses on a given day. The data collected during both periods were divided into times of increasing relative humidity (RH) and decreasing RH, with the aim of diminishing the influence of dilution and mixing on SOA concentrations and other measured variables. Evidence for local aqSOA formation was only observed during Period A. When this occurred, there was a correlation of WSOC with organic aerosol (R2 = 0.84), aerosol liquid water (R2 = 0.65), RH (R2 = 0.39), and aerosol nitrate (R2 = 0.66). Additionally, this was only observed during times of increasing RH, which coincided with dark conditions. Comparisons of WSOC with oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) factors, determined from application of positive matrix factorization analysis on the aerosol mass spectrometer observations of the submicron non-refractory organic particle composition, suggested that the WSOC differed in the two halves of the study (Period A WSOC vs. OOA-2 R2 = 0.83 and OOA-4 R2 = 0.04, whereas Period C WSOC vs. OOA-2 R2 = 0.03 and OOA-4 R2 = 0.64). OOA-2 had a high O ∕ C (oxygen ∕ carbon) ratio of 0.77, providing evidence that aqueous processing was occurring during Period A. Key factors of local aqSOA production during Period A appear to include air mass stagnation, which allows aqSOA precursors to accumulate in the region; the formation of substantial local particulate nitrate during the overnight hours, which enhances water uptake by the aerosol; and the presence of significant amounts of ammonia, which may contribute to ammonium nitrate formation and subsequent water uptake and/or play a more direct role in the aqSOA chemistry

Molecular excitation in the Interstellar Medium: recent advances in collisional, radiative and chemical processes

We review the different excitation processes in the interstellar mediumComment: Accepted in Chem. Re

Multi-purpose InSTRument for Astronomy at Low-resolution: MISTRAL@OHP

MISTRAL is the new Faint Object Spectroscopic Camera mounted at the folded Cassegrain focus of the 1.93m telescope of Haute-Provence Observatory. We describe the design and components of the instrument and give some details about its operation. We emphasise in particular the various observing modes and the performances of the detector. A short description is also given about the working environment. Various types of objects, including stars, nebulae, comets, novae, galaxies have been observed during various test phases to evaluate the performances of the instrument. The instrument covers the range of 4000 to 8000A with the blue setting, or from 6000 to 10000A with the red setting, at an average spectral resolution of 700. Its peak efficiency is about 22% at 6000A. In spectroscopy, a limiting magnitude of 19.5 can be achieved for a point source in one hour with a signal to noise of 3 in the continuum (and better if emission lines are present). In imaging mode, limiting magnitudes of 20-21 can be obtained in 10-20mn (with average seing conditions of 2.5 arcsec at OHP). The instrument is very users-friendly and can be put into operations in less than 15mn (rapid change-over from the other instrument in use) if required by the science (like for Gamma-Rays Bursts). Some first scientific results are described for various types of objects, and in particular for the follow-up of GRBs. While some further improvements are still under way, in particular to ease the switch from blue to red setting and add more grisms or filters, MISTRAL is ready for the follow-up of transients and other variable objects, in the soon-to-come era of e.g. the SVOM satellite and of the Rubin telescope.Comment: Accepted in A&

Phase 1/2 study of the selective TRK inhibitor larotrectinib, in pediatric patients with cancer

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Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory-9 (CAHAI-9): Perceived clinical utility within 14 days of stroke

Purpose: The Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory-9 (CAHAI-9) is an activity-based assessment developed to include relevant functional tasks and to be sensitive to clinically important changes in upper limb function. The aim of this study was to explore both therapists' and clients' views on the clinical utility of CAHAI-9 within 14 days of stroke. Method: Twenty-one occupational therapists actively working in stroke settings were recruited by convenience sampling from 8 hospitals and participated in semistructured focus groups. Five clients within 14 days of stroke were recruited by consecutive sampling from 1 metropolitan hospital and participated in structured individual interviews. The transcripts were analyzed thematically. Results: Six themes emerged from the focus groups and interviews: collecting information, decisions regarding client suitability, administration and scoring, organizational demands, raising awareness, and clients' perceptions of CAHAI-9 utility. All therapists agreed CAHAI-9 was suited for the stroke population and assisted identification of client abilities or difficulties within functional contexts. Opinions varied as to whether CAHAI-9 should be routinely administered with clients who had mild and severe upper limb deficits, but therapists agreed it was appropriate for clients with moderate deficits. Therapists made suggestions regarding refinement of the scoring and training to increase utility. All clients with stroke felt that the assessment provided reassurance regarding their recovery. Conclusion: The findings indicate that CAHAI-9 shows promise as an upper limb ability assessment for clients within 14 days of stroke