Total plasma sulfde in mild to moderate diastolic heart dysfunction

Background. Te early pathophysiological mechanisms of diastolic dysfunction are not understood well. Hydrogen sulfde is an important endogenous gaseous transmitter that can infuence heart remodeling. The aim was to determine total plasma sulfde (TPS) levels, as a surrogate marker of hydrogen sulfde, in patients with mild diastolic dysfunction. Methods. Total plasma sulfde and N-terminal pro brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were determined in ambulatory patients with arterial hypertension or diabetes mellitus and echocardiographically mild to moderate diastolic dysfunction. Results. Twenty-four patients were included: nine with normal diastolic function (Grade 0), eight with an impaired relaxation pattern (Grade 1), and seven with a pseudo-normalized pattern (Grade 2). TPS levels were highest in patients with normal diastolic function (Grade 0), and lowest in patients with Grade 2 diastolic dysfunction, with this diference between Grade 0 and Grade 2 showing statistical signifcance (p = 0.017). NT-proBNP levels showed the reverse behavior, with this diference again showing statistical signifcance (p = 0.042). Conclusions. Total plasma sulfde levels decrease with worsening of diastolic function from normal to moderate diastolic dysfunction

Untangling the relationship between hemoglobin, peak troponin level, and mortality in patients with myocardial infarction

Patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and lower admission hemoglobin (aHb) levels have a worse outcome than patients with higher aHb, but lower or similar peaks in enzymatic infarct size. Hemoglobin levels are positively correlated with body surface area (BSA), which is positively correlated with cardiac mass. We hypothesized that patients with lower aHb suffer comparatively greater myocardial injury. We examined the relationships between aHb, and troponin (Tn) normalized to BSA (Tn/BSA) and its association with 30-day mortality. Data from 6055 patients, who were divided into seven groups based on their aHb at 10g/L intervals, were analyzed, and the groups were compared. The relationships between aHb and Tn/BSA and between Tn/BSA and 30-day mortality were assessed. Patients with higher aHb levels had greater BSA (p<0.0001). A negative relationship between aHb and log10Tn/BSA was observed in the entire group, and in men and women separately (p<0.0001, p<0.0001, and p=0.013, respectively). The log10Tn/BSA value was associated with 30-day mortality in the entire group, and in men and women separately (p<0.0001, p=0.014, and p<0.0001, respectively). Our finding suggests that a similar peak Tn value in patients with lower aHb means comparatively greater myocardial injury relative to cardiac mass. This hypothesis helps to explain the worse outcomes in patients with lower aHb. According to our findings, troponin should be indexed to BSA to provide comparable information on cardiac injury relative to cardiac mass. Whether this relationship is causal remains to be clarified

High-performance thin-layer chromatography - antibacterial assay first reveals bioactive clerodane diterpenes in giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea Ait.)

The present work introduces a high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)–direct bioautography method using the Gram-positive plant pathogenic bacterium, Rhodococcus fascians. The screening and isolation procedure comprised of a non-targeted high-performance thin-layer chromatography-effect-directed analysis (HPTLC–EDA) against Bacillus subtilis, B. subtilis subsp. spizizenii, R. fascians, and Aliivibrio fischeri, a targeted HPTLC–mass spectrometry (MS), and bioassay-guided column chromatographic (preparative flash and semi-preparative HPLC) fractionation and purification. The developed new separation methods enabled the discovery of four bioactive cis-clerodane diterpenes, solidagoic acid H (1), solidagoic acid E (2), solidagoic acid I (3), and solidagoic acid F (4), in the n-hexane extract of giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea Ait.) leaf for the first time. These compounds were identified by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The initially used HPTLC method (chloroform – ethyl acetate – methanol 15:3:2, V/V/V) was changed (to n-hexane – isopropyl acetate – methanol – acetic acid 29:20:1:1, V/V/V/V) to achieve the separation of the closely related isomer pairs (1–2 and 3–4). Compounds 1 and 3 exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive B. subtilis subsp. spizizenii and R. fascians bacterial strains in microdilution assays with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) values in the range of 32.3–64.4 μg/mL. The mass spectrometric fragmentation of the isolated compounds was interpreted and their previously published NMR assignments lacking certain resonances were completed

The 42nd Symposium Chromatographic Methods of Investigating Organic Compounds : Book of abstracts

The 42nd Symposium Chromatographic Methods of Investigating Organic Compounds : Book of abstracts. June 4-7, 2019, Szczyrk, Polan

Extraction of anthraquinones from Japanese knotweed rhizomes and their analyses by high performance thin-layer chromatography and mass spectrometry

Anthraquinones (yellow dyes) were extracted from Japanese knotweed rhizomes with twelve extraction solvents (water; ethanol(aq) (20%, 40%, 60%, 70% and 80%), ethanol, 70% methanol(aq), methanol, 70% acetone(aq), acetone and dichloromethane). The obtained sample test solutions (STSs) were analyzed using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) coupled to densitometry and mass spectrometry (HPTLC&ndash;MS/MS) on HPTLC silica gel plates. Identical qualitative densitometric profiles (with anthraquinone aglycones and glycosylated anthraquinones) were obtained for STSs in all the solvents except for the STS in dichloromethane, which enabled the most selective extractions of anthraquinone aglycones emodin and physcion. The highest extraction efficiency, evaluated by comparison of the total peak areas in the densitograms of all STSs scanned at 442 nm, was achieved for 70% acetone(aq). In STS prepared with 70% acetone(aq), the separation of non-glycosylated and glycosylated anthraquinones was achieved with developing solvents toluene&ndash;acetone&ndash;formic acid (6:6:1, 3:6:1 and 3:3:1 v/v) and dichloromethane&ndash;acetone&ndash;formic acid (1:1:0.1, v/v). Non-glycosylated anthraquinones were separated only with toluene&ndash;acetone&ndash;formic acid, among which the best resolution between emodin and physcion gave the ratio 6:6:1 (v/v). This solvent and dichloromethane&ndash;acetone&ndash;formic acid (1:1:0.1, v/v) enabled the best separation of glycosylated anthraquinones. Four HPTLC-MS/MS methods enabled the identification of emodin and tentative identification of its three glycosylated analogs (emodin-8-O-hexoside, emodin-O-acetyl-hexoside and emodin-O-malonyl-hexoside), while only the HPTLC-MS/MS method with toluene-acetone-formic acid (6:6:1, v/v) enabled the identification of physcion. Changes of the shapes and the absorption maxima (bathochromic shifts) in the absorption spectra after post-chromatographic derivatization provided additional proof for the detection of physcion and rejection of the presence of chrysophanol in STS

Using artificial intelligence in travel journal creation: case study

V diplomski nalogi raziskujem uporabo umentne intelogence (UI) za izboljšanje uporabniške izkušnje pri načrtovanju in beleženju potovanj v okviru narejenega potovalnega dnevnika »Eurotrip journal«. V nalogi sem raziskoval, ali lahko umetna inteligenca pripomore k boljioši uporabniški izkušnji in ali lahko umetna inteligenca soustvarja potovalni dnevnik z optimizacijo procesa izdelave. V nalogi se osredotočam na raziskovanje napredka umetne inteligence pri izdelavi človeško podobnih besedil in slik. S pomočjo te raziskave ugotovim, da je umetna inteligenca dovolj razvita, da človeško oko njene prisotnosti ne zazna v slikah ali besedilih. V uvodnem delu naloge so opredeljeni raziskovalni problemi, poudarek pa je na razvoju edinstvene izkušnje za vsakega uporabnika potovalnega dnevnik Eurotrip journall. Cilj naloge je usmerjen v preučevanje uporabniške izkušnje potovalnega dnevnika »Eurotrip journal«, skozu katerega v diplomskem delu opravim tudi analizo primera. S pomočjo analize primera in preučitve pridobljenih rezultatov, pridobim smernice kako je potrebno izboljšati potovalni dnevnik »Eurotrip journal«, ter jih po potrebi s pomočjo umetne inteligence implementiram v potovalni dnevnik »Eurotrip journal«, za boljšo uporabniško izkušnjo. Predpostavke in omejitev se nananšajo na uporabnost umetne inteligence, prilagodljivost izdelka »Eurotrip journal« ter kokurenčnost trga. Naloga vsebuje tudi načrt raziskovanja, ki obsega analizo literature, testiranje uporabniške izkušnje, raziskovalne intervjuje ter opazovanje uporabnikov. Cilj diplomskega dela je ustvariti presonaliziran potovalni dnevnik z uporabo umetne inteligence, ter preučiti učinke umetne inteligence na uporabniško izkušnjo. V diplomskem delu si prizadevam pridobiti odgovor na vprašanje vpliva umetne inteligence na oblikovanje besedil, slik in pridobiti povratno informacijo o zadovoljstvu uporabnika ob soustvarjanju potovalnega dnevnika »Eurotrip journal«. V zaključku naloge potrdim, da uporaba umetne inteligence lahko pozitivno vpliva na izboljšanje uporabniške izkušnje in olajša proces izdelave potovalnega dnevnika »Eurotrip journal«. Diplomsko delo prispeva k razumevanju kako umetna inteligenca pomaga pri oblikovanju besedil in slik ter njen vplivu na uporabnike, kar lahko vodi do boljših in bolj prilagojenih potovalnih dnevnikov.In this thesis, I explore the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the user experience in planning and documenting journeys within the context of the "Eurotrip Journal." I investigate whether AI can contribute to an improved user experience and whether it can co-create a travel journal while optimizing the creation process. The focus of the thesis is on the advancement of AI in generating human-like text and images. Through this research, I ascertain that AI has reached a level of development where its presence in images or texts is imperceptible to the human eye. The introductory section of the thesis defines the research problems, emphasizing the development of a unique experience for each user of the "Eurotrip Journal." The goal of the thesis is directed towards studying the user experience of the "Eurotrip Journal," through which I also conduct a case analysis. By analyzing the case and studying the obtained results, I derive guidelines for improving the "Eurotrip Journal." If necessary, these guidelines are then implemented using artificial intelligence to enhance the user experience. Assumptions and limitations pertain to the utility of artificial intelligence, adaptability of the "Eurotrip Journal" product, and the competitiveness of the market. The thesis also includes a research plan encompassing literature analysis, testing of user experience, research interviews, and user observation. The aim of the thesis is to create a personalized travel journal using artificial intelligence and to examine the effects of artificial intelligence on the user experience. In the thesis, I strive to address the question of how artificial intelligence influences the generation of text and images and to gather user feedback on their satisfaction while co-creating the "Eurotrip Journal." In the conclusion of the thesis, I affirm that the use of artificial intelligence can positively impact the enhancement of the user experience and streamline the creation process of the "Eurotrip Journal." This thesis contributes to understanding how artificial intelligence aids in text and image generation and its impact on users, potentially leading to improved and more tailored travel journals