Electron scattering from molecules and molecular aggregates of biological relevance

In this Topical Review we survey the current state of the art in the study of low energy electron collisions with biologically relevant molecules and molecular clusters. We briefly describe the methods and techniques used in the investigation of these processes and summarise the results obtained so far for DNA constituents and their model compounds, amino acids, peptides and other biomolecules. The applications of the data obtained is briefly described as well as future required developments

Fragmentation processes of ionized 5-fluorouracil in the gas phase and within clusters

We have measured mass spectra for positive ions produced from neutral 5-fluorouracil by electron impact at energies from 0 to 100 eV. Fragment ion appearance energies of this (radio-)chemotherapy agent have been determined for the first time and we have identified several new fragment ions of low abundance. The main fragmentations are similar to uracil, involving HNCO loss and subsequent HCN loss, CO loss, or FCCO loss. The features adjacent to these prominent peaks in the mass spectra are attributed to tautomerization preceding the fragmentation and/or the loss of one or two additional hydrogen atoms. A few fragmentions are distinct for 5-fluorouracil compared to uracil, most notably the production of the reactive moiety CF+. Finally, multiphoton ionization mass spectra are compared for 5-fluorouracil from a laser thermal desorption source and from a supersonic expansion source. The detection of a new fragment ion at 114 u in the supersonic expansion experiments provides the first evidence for a clustering effect on the radiation response of 5-fluorouracil. By analogy with previous experiments and calculations on protonated uracil, this is assigned to NH3 loss from protonated 5-fluorouracil

Resource Extraction in a Political Economy Framework

We analyze resource extraction in a political economy setting by introducing a political leader who optimizes both his own and the society's welfare function. We find that accounting for the private utility of a political elite, its higher discount rate and a different time horizon generally speeds up extraction. The higher than optimal resource extraction is not only relevant in welfare terms, but also regarding possible consequences with respect to climate change. The effect of higher extraction caused by a political leader directly accroaching resources does not hold in a decentralized private ownership economy where the government strives to raise revenues through taxation. We endogenize the political economy framework and show that the politician's discount factor is higher than the social discount factor due to the probability of losing power. The weight that the political leader attaches to social welfare is determined by the way the probability of staying in power depends on the welfare of the society

General anaesthetic and airway management practice for obstetric surgery in England: a prospective, multi-centre observational study

There are no current descriptions of general anaesthesia characteristics for obstetric surgery, despite recent changes to patient baseline characteristics and airway management guidelines. This analysis of data from the direct reporting of awareness in maternity patients' (DREAMY) study of accidental awareness during obstetric anaesthesia aimed to describe practice for obstetric general anaesthesia in England and compare with earlier surveys and best-practice recommendations. Consenting patients who received general anaesthesia for obstetric surgery in 72 hospitals from May 2017 to August 2018 were included. Baseline characteristics, airway management, anaesthetic techniques and major complications were collected. Descriptive analysis, binary logistic regression modelling and comparisons with earlier data were conducted. Data were collected from 3117 procedures, including 2554 (81.9%) caesarean deliveries. Thiopental was the induction drug in 1649 (52.9%) patients, compared with propofol in 1419 (45.5%). Suxamethonium was the neuromuscular blocking drug for tracheal intubation in 2631 (86.1%), compared with rocuronium in 367 (11.8%). Difficult tracheal intubation was reported in 1 in 19 (95%CI 1 in 16-22) and failed intubation in 1 in 312 (95%CI 1 in 169-667). Obese patients were over-represented compared with national baselines and associated with difficult, but not failed intubation. There was more evidence of change in practice for induction drugs (increased use of propofol) than neuromuscular blocking drugs (suxamethonium remains the most popular). There was evidence of improvement in practice, with increased monitoring and reversal of neuromuscular blockade (although this remains suboptimal). Despite a high risk of difficult intubation in this population, videolaryngoscopy was rarely used (1.9%)

The therapeutic potential of truffle fungi: a patent survey

The purpose of this article is to research and retrieve patent information regarding the therapeutic use of truffles. Truffles have a unique value as a foodstuff and impact positively on human health and well-being. They are applied in such industries as the pharmaceutical industry and the cosmetic industry. Patent documentation available in the Espacenet network and the Patentscope service were analyzed by key word and patent specifications were examined to describe state of the art and to identify scientific research trends in therapeutic applications of truffles. Medicinal properties of truffles such as the anticancer or cardiovascular effect, a reduction in blood lipids, immunological resistance and increased energy were identified. Other therapeutic benefits include sedative action, prevention of hormonal imbalances in women, pre-menopause symptom relief, senile urethritis and prostate disorders, sleep disorders and increased absorption of calcium from milk. Truffles can also be used to alleviate symptoms of milk intolerance such as diarrhoea or bloating, to ease rheumatic pains and to treat and prevent further development or recurrence of senile cataract

Effect of the treatment with magnesium oxide on blood pressure, magnesium and cholesterol level in hypertensive policemen

Spośród 203 policjantów, nadciśnienie tętnicze stwierdzono u 65 (32%). U 32 z nich, u których leczenie pojedynczym lekiem (perindopril 4 mg) by³o nieskuteczne, podano dodatkowo tlenek magnezu (MgO). Wydzielono z grupy chorych: ze stężeniem Mg w surowicy mniejszym od 1,0 mmol⋅dm-3 (NM) i większym lub równym 1,0 mmol⋅dm-3 (WM). Obie grupy nie różniły się między sobą wiekiem – 41,1±5,8 vs 39,3±6,2 lat, średnim ciśnieniem tętniczym (MAP) – 124,8±8 vs 123,6±7,4 mm Hg, wskaźnikiem masy ciała (BMI) – 28,20±8,2 vs 28,80±8,8 kg⋅m-2 i stężeniem sodu – 137,5±2,8 vs 136,6 ± 3 mmol⋅dm-3. Różniły się natomiast stężeniem: magnezu odpowiednio 0,790±0,1 vs 1,430±0,22 mmol⋅dm-3 (p<0,001), cholesterolu 7,5±0,4 vs 6,0±0,4 μmol⋅dm-3 (p<0,001), wapnia 2,340±0,12 vs 2,540±0,16 mmol⋅dm-3 (p<0,001) i potasu 4,380±0,32 vs 4,160±0,32 mmol⋅dm-3 (p=0,036). Po 30 dniach leczenia perindoprilem i MgO w obu grupach uzyskano znamienne obniżenie ciśnienia tętniczego o ok. 7%. Towarzyszyło mu obniżenie stężenia cholesterolu, znamienne statystycznie jedynie w grupie NM. W odróżnieniu od grupy NM, gdzie uzyskano wzrost stężenia magnezu o 21,5% (p<0,05), w grupie WM wystąpiło znamienne obniżenie stężenia tego pierwiastka w surowicy o 16,1% (p<0,05). Wniosek: Możliwe jest stosowanie u policjantów profilaktycznych dawek magnezu w połączeniu z lekami przeciw nadciśnieniowymi w celu wspomagania leczenia hipotensyjnego, obniżenia stężenia cholesterolu i wyrównywania zaburzeń gospodarki magnezowej, także u chorych z prawidłowymi stężeniami magnezu w surowicy.Among 203 policemen, arterial hypertension was affirmed in 65 persons (32%). In the therapy of 32 of those patients, whose treatment with a single drug, Perindopril 4 mg, was ineffective, the magnesium oxide (MgO) was additionally introduced. The patients were divided into two subgroups: with Mg serum concentration less than 1.0 mmol⋅dm-3 (NM) and 1.0 mmol⋅dm-3 or higher (WM). Both groups did not differ in age 41.1 ± 5.8 vs 39.3 ± 6.2 years, mean arterial pressure (MAP) – 124.8 ± 8 vs 123.6 ± 7.4 mm Hg, body mass index (BMI) – 28.20 ± 8.2 vs 28.80 ± 8.8 kg⋅m-2 and sodium concentration – 137.5 ± 2.8 vs 136.6 ± 3 mmol⋅dm-3. NM and WM groups differed in: magnesium concentration in serum 0.790 ± 0.1 vs 1.430 ± ± 0.22 mmol⋅dm-3 (p<0.001), cholesterol level 7.5 ± 0.4 vs 6.0 ± 0.4 μmol⋅dm-3 (p<0.001) as well as calcium 2.340 ± 0.12 vs 2.540 ± 0.16 mmol⋅dm-3 (p<0.001) and potassium concentration in serum 4.38 ± 0.32 vs 4.16 ± 0.32 mmol⋅dm-3 (p=0.036). After 30 days of treatment with Perindopril and MgO in both groups ca 7% reduction of blood pressure was observed. This was accompanied by depression in cholesterol, statistically significant only in NM group. In contrast to group NM, where growth of magnesium concentration by about 21.5% was observed (p<0.05), in group WM the concentration of this element in serum was significantly lowered, by ca 16.1% (p<0.05). Conclusion: Preventive doses of magnesium in connection with antihypertensive medicaments may be useful in policemen in the treatment of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia as well as magnesium metabolism disorders also in patients with normal Mg concentration in serum

Influence of incubation conditions on baker’s yeast enrichment in selenium

Selenium has been recognized as an essential nutrient for human health; however, the gap between toxic and essential levels of selenium is narrow. The recommended daily selenium dose for adult humans ranges from 50-100 μg and it should not exceed 400 μg. The capability of baker’s yeast to bind with Se+4 ions which are present in the yeast-culture media has provided an opportunity to obtain natural bioplexes of this microelement. The influence of incubation conditions on efficiency of selenium enrichment in baker’s yeast was studied. The study process factors were as follow: factor 1: glucose concentration (0.055, 0.166, 0.277 mol dm-3); factor 2: incubation temperature (25, 30, and 35°C); factor 3: selenium concentration (1, 4, 7 10-4 mol dm-3). The yeast cell enrichment with selenium was conducted for 24 hrs. Data were analysed by using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The selenium bioaccumulation values ranged from 141.67 to 1136.69 mg kg-1 of dried baker’s yeast. It was shown that the content of total selenium (r = 0.99, p = 0.0001) and organic selenium (r = 0.99, p = 0.0001) in yeast biomass correlated positively with its concentration in the culture medium, while selenium concentration in the medium had significantly negative correlation with yeast biomass (r = -0.92, p = 0.0001). The Pearson correlation coefficient showed a significant correlation between glucose concentration and biomass yield (r = 0.27, p = 0.048). Temperature (r = 0.44, p = 0.002) and the concentration of glucose in culture medium (r = 0.80, p = 0.0001) correlated positively with total process efficiency. The highest amount of selenium (1136.69 mg kg-1) incorporation was obtained in variant 8: with sugar concentration of 0.277 mol dm-3 and selenium concentration of 7 10-4 mol dm-3 in the medium, at the temperature of 35°C