Effect of different concentrations of olive oil and oleic acid on the mechanical properties of albumen (egg white) edible films

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of olive oil and oleic acid addition to albumin (egg white) through emulsification to produce films on mechanical properties. Plasticizer was necessary to maintain film and coating integrity and to avoid pores cracks. Edible composite films were prepared from albumin and lipid material at (1 and 1.5%), respectively. The effect of unsaturated oleic acid with glycerol and monounsaturated olive oil on tensile strength, elongation at break, water vapor permeability (WVP), opacity (OP), solubility, colour and atomic force microscopy (AFM) was investigated. In general, the incorporation of lipid materials resulted in the increase (P < 0.05) of tensile strength and elongation at break, and the reduction of WVP with some exceptions. Overall, the effect of monounsaturated was greater than that of unsaturated. The surface microstructure of the films was analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM).Key words: Albumin protein, edible film, olive oil, oleic acid, mechanical properties

Nurturing Women Entrepreneurship, UK and Bahrain perspectives

The outcomes of two studies, conducted independently, in Bahrain and UK are presented in this workshop. The premise of both research studies were to address under representation of women entrepreneurship and to identify factors influencing the low uptake of entrepreneurship amongst women. The challenges facing women entrepreneurs as identified from the studies will be discussed and comparisons will be made where possible between the two results

Bilirubin deficiency renders mice susceptible to hepatic steatosis in the absence of insulin resistance.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Plasma concentrations of bilirubin, a product of heme catabolism formed by biliverdin reductase A (BVRA), inversely associate with the risk of metabolic diseases including hepatic steatosis and diabetes mellitus in humans. Bilirubin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and may also regulate insulin signaling and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) activity. However, a causal link between bilirubin and metabolic diseases remains to be established. Here, we used the global Bvra gene knockout (Bvra-/-) mouse as a model of deficiency in bilirubin to assess its role in metabolic diseases. APPROACH & RESULTS: We fed mice fat-rich diets to induce hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. Bile pigments were measured by LC-MS/MS, and hepatic lipids by LC-MS/MS (non-targeted lipidomics), HPLC-UV and Oil-Red-O staining. Oxidative stress was evaluated measuring F2-isoprostanes by GC-MS. Glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity were verified by glucose and insulin tolerance tests, ex vivo and in vivo glucose uptake, and Western blotting for insulin signaling. Compared with wild type littermates, Bvra-/- mice contained negligible bilirubin in plasma and liver, and they had comparable glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. However, Bvra-/- mice exhibited an inflamed and fatty liver phenotype, accompanied by hepatic accumulation of oxidized triacylglycerols and F2-isoprostanes, in association with depletion of α-tocopherol. α-Tocopherol supplementation reversed the hepatic phenotype and observed biochemical changes in Bvra-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests that BVRA deficiency renders mice susceptible to oxidative stress-induced hepatic steatosis in the absence of insulin resistance

Improved Melting of Latent Heat Storage Using Fin Arrays with Non-Uniform Dimensions and Distinct Patterns

Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Employing phase-change materials (PCM) is considered a very efficient and cost-effective option for addressing the mismatch between the energy supply and the demand. The high storage density, little temperature degradation, and ease of material processing register the PCM as a key candidate for the thermal energy storage system. However, the sluggish response rates during their melting and solidification processes limit their applications and consequently require the inclusion of heat transfer enhancers. This research aims to investigate the potential enhancement of circular fins on intensifying the PCM thermal response in a vertical triple-tube casing. Fin arrays of non-uniform dimensions and distinct distribution patterns were designed and investigated to determine the impact of modifying the fin geometric characteristics and distribution patterns in various spatial zones of the heat exchanger. Parametric analysis on the various fin structures under consideration was carried out to determine the most optimal fin structure from the perspective of the transient melting evolution and heat storage rates while maintaining the same design limitations of fin material and volume usage. The results revealed that changing the fin dimensions with the heat-flow direction results in a faster charging rate, a higher storage rate, and a more uniform temperature distribution when compared to a uniform fin size. The time required to fully charge the storage system (fully melting of the PCM) was found to be reduced by up to 10.4%, and the heat storage rate can be improved by up to 9.3% compared to the reference case of uniform fin sizes within the same fin volume limitations.Funding: This research received no external funding

Conformation Effects of CpG Methylation on Single-Stranded DNA Oligonucleotides: Analysis of the Opioid Peptide Dynorphin-Coding Sequences

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is characterized by high conformational flexibility that allows these molecules to adopt a variety of conformations. Here we used native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to show that cytosine methylation at CpG sites affects the conformational flexibility of short ssDNA molecules. The CpG containing 37-nucleotide PDYN (prodynorphin) fragments were used as model molecules. The presence of secondary DNA structures was evident from differences in oligonucleotide mobilities on PAGE, from CD spectra, and from formation of A-T, G-C, and non-canonical G-T base pairs observed by NMR spectroscopy. The oligonucleotides displayed secondary structures at 4°C, and some also at 37°C. Methylation at CpG sites prompted sequence-dependent formation of novel conformations, or shifted the equilibrium between different existing ssDNA conformations. The effects of methylation on gel mobility and base pairing were comparable in strength to the effects induced by point mutations in the DNA sequences. The conformational effects of methylation may be relevant for epigenetic regulatory events in a chromatin context, including DNA-protein or DNA-DNA recognition in the course of gene transcription, and DNA replication and recombination when double-stranded DNA is unwinded to ssDNA

Interhospital Transfer Before Thrombectomy Is Associated With Delayed Treatment and Worse Outcome in the STRATIS Registry (Systematic Evaluation of Patients Treated With Neurothrombectomy Devices for Acute Ischemic Stroke).

BACKGROUND: Endovascular treatment with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is beneficial for patients with acute stroke suffering a large-vessel occlusion, although treatment efficacy is highly time-dependent. We hypothesized that interhospital transfer to endovascular-capable centers would result in treatment delays and worse clinical outcomes compared with direct presentation. METHODS: STRATIS (Systematic Evaluation of Patients Treated With Neurothrombectomy Devices for Acute Ischemic Stroke) was a prospective, multicenter, observational, single-arm study of real-world MT for acute stroke because of anterior-circulation large-vessel occlusion performed at 55 sites over 2 years, including 1000 patients with severe stroke and treated within 8 hours. Patients underwent MT with or without intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and were admitted to endovascular-capable centers via either interhospital transfer or direct presentation. The primary clinical outcome was functional independence (modified Rankin Score 0-2) at 90 days. We assessed (1) real-world time metrics of stroke care delivery, (2) outcome differences between direct and transfer patients undergoing MT, and (3) the potential impact of local hospital bypass. RESULTS: A total of 984 patients were analyzed. Median onset-to-revascularization time was 202.0 minutes for direct versus 311.5 minutes for transfer patients ( CONCLUSIONS: In this large, real-world study, interhospital transfer was associated with significant treatment delays and lower chance of good outcome. Strategies to facilitate more rapid identification of large-vessel occlusion and direct routing to endovascular-capable centers for patients with severe stroke may improve outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02239640

Genome-wide meta-analysis of cerebral white matter hyperintensities in patients with stroke.

OBJECTIVE: For 3,670 stroke patients from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Belgium, and Italy, we performed a genome-wide meta-analysis of white matter hyperintensity volumes (WMHV) on data imputed to the 1000 Genomes reference dataset to provide insights into disease mechanisms. METHODS: We first sought to identify genetic associations with white matter hyperintensities in a stroke population, and then examined whether genetic loci previously linked to WMHV in community populations are also associated in stroke patients. Having established that genetic associations are shared between the 2 populations, we performed a meta-analysis testing which associations with WMHV in stroke-free populations are associated overall when combined with stroke populations. RESULTS: There were no associations at genome-wide significance with WMHV in stroke patients. All previously reported genome-wide significant associations with WMHV in community populations shared direction of effect in stroke patients. In a meta-analysis of the genome-wide significant and suggestive loci (p < 5 × 10(-6)) from community populations (15 single nucleotide polymorphisms in total) and from stroke patients, 6 independent loci were associated with WMHV in both populations. Four of these are novel associations at the genome-wide level (rs72934505 [NBEAL1], p = 2.2 × 10(-8); rs941898 [EVL], p = 4.0 × 10(-8); rs962888 [C1QL1], p = 1.1 × 10(-8); rs9515201 [COL4A2], p = 6.9 × 10(-9)). CONCLUSIONS: Genetic associations with WMHV are shared in otherwise healthy individuals and patients with stroke, indicating common genetic susceptibility in cerebral small vessel disease.Funding for collection, genotyping, and analysis of stroke samples was provided by Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium-2, a functional genomics grant from the Wellcome Trust (DNA-Lacunar), the Stroke Association (DNA-lacunar), the Intramural Research Program of National Institute of Ageing (Massachusetts General Hospital [MGH] and Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study [ISGS]), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Siblings With Ischemic Stroke Study, ISGS, and MGH), the American Heart Association/Bugher Foundation Centers for Stroke Prevention Research (MGH), Deane Institute for Integrative Study of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke (MGH), National Health and Medical Research Council (Australian Stroke Genetics Collaborative), and Italian Ministry of Health (Milan). Additional support for sample collection came from the Medical Research Council, National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre and Acute Vascular Imaging Centre (Oxford), Wellcome Trust and Binks Trust (Edinburgh), and Vascular Dementia Research Foundation (Munich). MT is supported by a project grant from the Stroke Association (TSA 2013/01). HSM is supported by an NIHR Senior Investigator award. HSM and SB are supported by the NIHR Cambridge University Hospitals Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre. VT and RL are supported by grants from FWO Flanders. PR holds NIHR and Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Awards. PAS is supported by an MRC Fellowship. CML’s research is supported by the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) based at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, and the BRC for Mental Health at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wolters Kluwer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.000000000000226

Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, ventilation management, and outcomes in invasively ventilated intensive care unit patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pooled analysis of four observational studies

Background: Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, the practice of ventilation, and outcome in invasively ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain unexplored. In this analysis we aim to address these gaps using individual patient data of four large observational studies. Methods: In this pooled analysis we harmonised individual patient data from the ERICC, LUNG SAFE, PRoVENT, and PRoVENT-iMiC prospective observational studies, which were conducted from June, 2011, to December, 2018, in 534 ICUs in 54 countries. We used the 2016 World Bank classification to define two geoeconomic regions: middle-income countries (MICs) and high-income countries (HICs). ARDS was defined according to the Berlin criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patients in MICs versus HICs. The primary outcome was the use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) for the first 3 days of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes were key ventilation parameters (tidal volume size, positive end-expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, peak pressure, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory rate), patient characteristics, the risk for and actual development of acute respiratory distress syndrome after the first day of ventilation, duration of ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. Findings: Of the 7608 patients included in the original studies, this analysis included 3852 patients without ARDS, of whom 2345 were from MICs and 1507 were from HICs. Patients in MICs were younger, shorter and with a slightly lower body-mass index, more often had diabetes and active cancer, but less often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure than patients from HICs. Sequential organ failure assessment scores were similar in MICs and HICs. Use of LTVV in MICs and HICs was comparable (42\ub74% vs 44\ub72%; absolute difference \u20131\ub769 [\u20139\ub758 to 6\ub711] p=0\ub767; data available in 3174 [82%] of 3852 patients). The median applied positive end expiratory pressure was lower in MICs than in HICs (5 [IQR 5\u20138] vs 6 [5\u20138] cm H2O; p=0\ub70011). ICU mortality was higher in MICs than in HICs (30\ub75% vs 19\ub79%; p=0\ub70004; adjusted effect 16\ub741% [95% CI 9\ub752\u201323\ub752]; p&lt;0\ub70001) and was inversely associated with gross domestic product (adjusted odds ratio for a US$10 000 increase per capita 0\ub780 [95% CI 0\ub775\u20130\ub786]; p&lt;0\ub70001). Interpretation: Despite similar disease severity and ventilation management, ICU mortality in patients without ARDS is higher in MICs than in HICs, with a strong association with country-level economic status. Funding: No funding