The Effect of 400 µg Inhaled Salbutamol on 3 km Time Trial Performance in a Low Humidity Environment.

The Objectives of the study were to investigate whether 400 µg inhaled salbutamol influences 3 km running time-trial performance and lung function in eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea positive (EVH+ve) and negative (EVH-ve) individuals. Fourteen male participants (22.4 ± 1.6yrs; 76.4 ± 8.7kg; 1.80 ± 0.07 m); (7 EVH+ve; 7 EVH-ve) were recruited following written informed consent. All participants undertook an EVH challenge to identify either EVH+ve (↓FEV1>10%) or EVH-ve (↓FEV110% from baseline) in FEV1 following any time-trial. Administration of 400µg inhaled salbutamol does not improve 3 km time-trial performance in either mild EVH+ve or EVH-ve individuals despite significantly increased HR and FEV1

Eucapnic Voluntary Hyperpnea: Gold Standard for Diagnosing Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Athletes?

In athletes, a secure diagnos is of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is dependent on objective testing. Evaluating spirometric indices of airflow before and following an exercise bout is intuitively the optimal means for the diagnosis; however, this approach is recognized as having several key limitations. Accordingly, alternative indirect bronchoprovocation tests have been recommended as surrogate means for obtaining a diagnosis of EIB. Of these tests, it is often argued that the eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea (EVH) challenge represents the ‘gold standard’. This article provides a state-of-the-art review of EVH, including an overview of the test methodology and its interpretation. We also address the performance of EVH against the other functional and clinical approaches commonly adopted for the diagnosis of EIB. The published evidence supports a key role for EVH in the diagnostic algorithm for EIB testing in athletes. However, its wide sensitivity and specificity and poor repeatability preclude EVH from being termed a ‘gold standard’ test for EIB

Modelling heavy metal ion adsorption onto fungi using chitin and chitosan

Abstract not available

Aqueous metal adsorption onto biological substrates: the effect of surface chemistry

Abstract not available

Critical congenital heart disease: contemporary prenatal screening performance and outcomes in a multi-centre perinatology service

Abstract Background Prenatal detection of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) optimises perinatal decision-making and neonatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the prenatal screening performance, care pathways and perinatal outcomes for prenatally and postnatally diagnosed cases of CCHD over a four-year period. Study design This retrospective cohort study in a tertiary centre and its two affiliated secondary sites examined all cases of CCHD, including cases of pregnancy termination and in-utero fetal death, neonatal death and liveborn babies that underwent cardiac catheterization or surgery in the first six weeks of life. Prenatal and postnatal data were ascertained from the first trimester assessment for all patients diagnosed prenatally. Cases requiring intervention that were first identified in the postnatal period were included to determine prenatal detection rates. Follow-up for all cases of CCHD continued to one year of age. Results In a consecutive cohort of 49,950 pregnancies in a 4-year period 01/2019 to 12/2022, a prenatal diagnosis of CCHD was made in 96 cases, yielding a prevalence of 1.9 per 1000 births. The prenatal detection for right duct-dependant heart pathology and congenital heart block was 100%, 85% for left duct-dependant pathology and 93% for transposition of the great arteries (TGA). In the prenatally diagnosed group, 37% of cases were complicated by extracardiac structural abnormalities, a genetic diagnosis or both. All cases of prenatal detection were identified in the context of routine anatomy screening rather than specialist Fetal Cardiac screening services. Almost half of all pregnancies complicated by CCHD did not undergo neonatal cardiac intervention, by virtue of parental choice determined either prenatally or after birth. An additional eight babies were diagnosed with CCHD in the neonatal period, such that the prenatal detection rate for CCHD was 92% (96/104, 95% CI = 84%-96%). Survival at 1-year for infants deemed suitable for CCHD surgery was 85%. Conclusion In a large unselected population, optimal rates of prenatal detection of critical congenital heart disease can be achieved by a protocolised approach to mid-trimester fetal anatomy ultrasound, underpinned by a programme of sonographer education and training. The cardiac abnormalities most likely to evade prenatal detection are left-sided obstructive lesions

Surface characterisation of fungi and its implications to metal ion adsorption

Heavy metal pollution of water ways via industrial activities has the potential to have considerable impact on the environment. Specifically, heavy metals tend to accumulate through the food chain, leading to serious environmental and public health problems. Therefore technologies that allow efficient and economic removal of metal contaminates are highly desirable. Biological substrates provide the basis of one such technology and have been shown to remove aqueous heavy metals from effluent streams. Many biological substrates have been studied ranging from fungi, bacteria, seaweed and leaves. Fungal species in particular, have shown promise as effective, efficient and economic adsorbents, comparable to currently used inorganic substrates. Metal removal by biological substrates occurs through a process known as biosorption, which is considered complex, often involving multiple mechanisms such as ion exchange, complex formation and/or precipitation. While the suitability of various substrates has been extensively studied, elucidation of the mechanisms involved has yet to be as thoroughly examined. This study examined three inactive (dead) fungal substrates (Mucor rouxii, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus and Rhizopus stolonifer) for their potential to remove a range of divalent aqueous heavy metals from solution as a function of pH. It was found that Mucor rouxii demonstrated substantially greater adsorption efficiency than the other two fungi for all metals studied (Cd(II), Cu(II), Mg(II), Pb(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II)). Kinetic studies of Cu(II) adsorption show that the biosorption step is a relatively fast step with the majority of adsorption occurring within the first minute. The mechanisms responsible for biosorption were studied through a range of surface characterisation techniques including, analysis of the chemical structure of the substrates (via X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)), electrophoretic mobility studies and modelling of surface charge titration data. Spectroscopic studies established the importance of both carboxyl and amine functionality, a finding also supported by the surface charge modelling of the three fungi. Adsorption efficiency appears to be directly correlated to the amount of these functional groups present M. rouxii, in particularly, was established as a suitable candidate for removal of heavy metals from solution and worthy of consideration as a biological adsorbent

Assessment of dna topoisomerase i unwinding activity, radical scavenging capacity, and inhibition of breast cancer cell viability of n-alkylacridones and n,n′-dialkyl-9,9′-biacridylidenes

The anticancer activity of acridone derivatives has attracted increasing interest, therefore, a variety of substituted analogs belonging to this family have been developed and evaluated for their anti-cancer properties. A series of N-alkyl-acridones 1–6 and N,N′-dialkyl-9,9′-biacridylidenes 7–12 with variable alkyl chains were examined for their topoisomerase I activity at neutral and acidic conditions as well as for their binding capacity to calf thymus and possible radical trapping antioxidant activity. It was found that at a neutral pH, topoisomerase I activity of both classes of compounds was similar, while under acidic conditions, enhanced intercalation was observed. Nalkyl- acridone derivatives 1–6 exhibited stronger, dose-dependent, cytotoxic activity against MCF- 7 human breast epithelial cancer cells than N,N′-dialkyl-9,9′-biacridylidenes 7–12, revealing that conjugation of the heteroaromatic system plays a significant role on the effective distribution of the compound in the intracellular environment. Cellular investigation of long alkyl derivatives against cell migration exhibited 40–50% wound healing effects and cytoplasm diffusion, while compounds with shorter alkyl chains were accumulated both in the nucleus and cytoplasm. All N,N′-dialkyl- 9,9′-biacridylidenes showed unexpected high scavenging activity towards DPPH or ABTS radicals which may be explained by higher stabilization of radical cations by the extended conjugation of heteroaromatic ring system. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland