Mechanism of Hydrolysis of Octacalcium Phosphate

The chemical and structural properties of hydrolyzed octacalcium phosphate (OCP) appear to be of high relevance to tooth, bone and pathological bioapatites. Hydrolysis of synthetic well-crystallized OCP was studied at constant pH by using the pH stat method over the 6.1 to 8.6 range at 50°C and to a lesser extent at 37°C. Hydrolytic transformation proceeds according to thermodynamic requirements except for some retardation at the highest pH value as a consequence of decreased solubility of OCP which may be rate determining. The product of hydrolysis, OCP-hydrolyzate (OCPH), was characterized by chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, electron microprobe (x-ray microanalysis, EDX) and solubility measurements under static and dynamic conditions. Even after prolonged hydrolysis at 50°C, the resulting product was a calcium deficient apatite with chemical composition and thermodynamic solubility properties differing from those of well-crystallized hydroxyapatite. Our overall findings provide new evidence that OCP may be a precursor phase in the formation of pathologic calcified deposits and normal biomineral, which appear to be complex hydrolyzates of OCP

The SAMPL6 challenge on predicting octanol–water partition coefficients from EC-RISM theory

Results are reported for octanol–water partition coefficients (log P) of the neutral states of drug-like molecules provided during the SAMPL6 (Statistical Assessment of Modeling of Proteins and Ligands) blind prediction challenge from applying the “embedded cluster reference interaction site model” (EC-RISM) as a solvation model for quantum-chemical calculations. Following the strategy outlined during earlier SAMPL challenges we first train 1- and 2-parameter water-free (“dry”) and water-saturated (“wet”) models for n-octanol solvation Gibbs energies with respect to experimental values from the “Minnesota Solvation Database” (MNSOL), yielding a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.5 kcal mol−1 for the best-performing 2-parameter wet model, while the optimal water model developed for the pKa part of the SAMPL6 challenge is kept unchanged (RMSE 1.6 kcal mol−1 for neutral compounds from a model trained on both neutral and ionic species). Applying these models to the blind prediction set yields a log P RMSE of less than 0.5 for our best model (2-parameters, wet). Further analysis of our results reveals that a single compound is responsible for most of the error, SM15, without which the RMSE drops to 0.2. Since this is the only compound in the challenge dataset with a hydroxyl group we investigate other alcohols for which Gibbs energy of solvation data for both water and n-octanol are available in the MNSOL database to demonstrate a systematic cause of error and to discuss strategies for improvement

Desulfurization Effects on a Light-Duty Diesel Vehicle NOx Adsorber Exhaust Emission Control System

Analyzes the effects on gaseous emissions, before and after desulfurization, on a light-duty diesel vehicle with a NOx adsorber catalyst

Major Allergen Content in Allergen Immunotherapy Products: The Limited Value of Numbers

The prevalence of allergic disorders has increased drastically over the last 50 years to the extent that they can be considered epidemic. At present, allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only therapy that targets the underlying cause of allergic disorders, and evidence of its superiority is based on data accumulated from clinical trials and observational studies demonstrating efficacy and safety. However, several aspects remain unresolved, such as harmonization and standardization of manufacturing and quantification procedures across manufacturers, homogeneous reporting of strength, and the establishment of international reference standards for many allergens. This article discusses issues related to the measurement of major allergen content in AIT extracts, raising the question of whether comparison of products from different manufacturers is an appropriate basis for selecting a specific AIT product. Allergen standardization in immunotherapy products is critical for ensuring quality and, thereby, safety and efficacy. However, lack of harmonization in manufacturing processes, allergen quantification (methodologies and references), national regulatory differences, clinical practice, and labeling shows that the comparison of AIT products based solely on major allergen amounts is not rational and, in fact, impossible. Moreover, when rating the information given for a specific product, it is necessary to take into account further inherent characteristics of products and their application in clinical practice, such as the state of extract modification, addition of adjuvant or adjuvant system, route of administration (sublingual/ subcutaneous), and cumulative dose as per posology (including the volume per administration). Finally, only convincing clinical data can serve as the basis for product-specific evaluation and cross-product comparability of individual products

Punica granatum (Pomegranate) juice provides an HIV-1 entry inhibitor and candidate topical microbicide

BACKGROUND: For ≈ 24 years the AIDS pandemic has claimed ≈ 30 million lives, causing ≈ 14,000 new HIV-1 infections daily worldwide in 2003. About 80% of infections occur by heterosexual transmission. In the absence of vaccines, topical microbicides, expected to block virus transmission, offer hope for controlling the pandemic. Antiretroviral chemotherapeutics have decreased AIDS mortality in industrialized countries, but only minimally in developing countries. To prevent an analogous dichotomy, microbicides should be: acceptable; accessible; affordable; and accelerative in transition from development to marketing. Already marketed pharmaceutical excipients or foods, with established safety records and adequate anti-HIV-1 activity, may provide this option. METHODS: Fruit juices were screened for inhibitory activity against HIV-1 IIIB using CD4 and CXCR4 as cell receptors. The best juice was tested for inhibition of: (1) infection by HIV-1 BaL, utilizing CCR5 as the cellular coreceptor; and (2) binding of gp120 IIIB and gp120 BaL, respectively, to CXCR4 and CCR5. To remove most colored juice components, the adsorption of the effective ingredient(s) to dispersible excipients and other foods was investigated. A selected complex was assayed for inhibition of infection by primary HIV-1 isolates. RESULTS: HIV-1 entry inhibitors from pomegranate juice adsorb onto corn starch. The resulting complex blocks virus binding to CD4 and CXCR4/CCR5 and inhibits infection by primary virus clades A to G and group O. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the possibility of producing an anti-HIV-1 microbicide from inexpensive, widely available sources, whose safety has been established throughout centuries, provided that its quality is adequately standardized and monitored

Detección y diferenciación molecular en simultáneo de especies de eimeria spp. que infectan aves comerciales

La producción de carne aviar enfrenta en la actualidad nuevos desafíos por lo cual los productores requieren de mejores técnicas diagnósticas para adoptar a tiempo medidas de control. La coccidiosis aviar es una parasitosis intestinal, altamente contagiosa que causa pérdidas económicas significativas en los sistemas de producción intensiva. La coccidiosis subclínica, de difícil diagnóstico, causa el 80% de las pérdidas económicas ya que influye directamente en la ganancia de peso de los animales de producción. La coccidiosis es causada por parásitos del género Eimeria y se transmiten vía fecal-oral a través del ooquiste esporulado. Hasta el momento se conocen siete especies que infectan a las aves.Instituto de PatobiologíaFil: Tomazic, Mariela Luján. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Delgado, Fernando Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Balbiani, Facundo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Jauregui, Gloria R. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Schapiro, Javier Hernan. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador. Escuela de Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Palacios, L. Universidad Nacional de Luján (UNLU); ArgentinaFil: De Franceschi, M. Universidad Nacional de Luján (UNLU); ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Anabel Elisa. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; Argentin

Reproducción experimental de la infección de Eimeria spp. en pollos parrilleros a partir de un aislamiento de campo

La coccidiosis es la afección parasitaria de mayor trascendencia económica en explotaciones avícolas. La producen protozoarios del género Eimeria que afectan el intestino delgado y los ciegos de las aves. Su control se logra mediante la administración continua de coccidiostáticos y coccidicidas suministrados en el alimento o con vacunas. El SENASA en su última resolución (1119/2018) prohibió la comercialización de alimentos para animales con antibióticos -entre otros- debido a la resistencia antimicrobiana que pueden generar. La implementación de un modelo de infección experimental además de evaluar la patogenia de distintos aislamientos, servirá para la evaluación de alternativas de control existentes (compuestos naturales, aditivos, vacunas).Instituto de PatobiologíaFil: Tomazic, Mariela Luján. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Delgado, Fernando Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Balbiani, Facundo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Jauregui, Gloria R. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Chacana, Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; ArgentinaFil: Schapiro, Javier Hernan. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador. Escuela de Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: De Franceschi, M. Universidad Nacional de Luján (UNLU); ArgentinaFil: Palacios, L. Universidad Nacional de Luján (UNLU); ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Anabel Elisa. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología; Argentin

Animal welfare attitudes: Effects of gender and diet in university samples from 22 countries

Animal Welfare Attitudes (AWA) are defined as human attitudes towards the welfare of animals in different dimensions and settings. Demographic factors, such as age and gender are associated with AWA. The aim of this study was to assess gender differences among university students in a large convenience sample from twenty-two nations in AWA. A total of 7914 people participated in the study (5155 women, 2711 men, 48 diverse). Participants completed a questionnaire that collected demographic data, typical diet and responses to the Composite Respect for Animals Scale Short version (CRAS-S). In addition, we used a measure of gender empowerment from the Human Development Report. The largest variance in AWA was explained by diet, followed by country and gender. In terms of diet, 6385 participants reported to be omnivores, 296 as pescatarian, 637 ate a vegetarian diet and 434 were vegans (n = 162 without answer). Diet was related with CRAS-S scores; people with a vegan diet scored higher in AWA than omnivores. Women scored significantly higher on AWA than men. Furthermore, gender differences in AWA increased as gender inequality decreased

Benefits and harm of systemic steroids for short- and long-term use in rhinitis and rhinosinusitis : an EAACI position paper

Correction: Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Article Number: 38 DOI: 10.1186/s13601-020-00343-w Published: SEP 28 2020Because of the inflammatory mechanisms of most chronic upper airway diseases such as rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis, systemic steroids have been used for their treatment for decades. However, it has been very well documented that-potentially severe-side-effects can occur with the accumulation of systemic steroid courses over the years. A consensus document summarizing the benefits of systemic steroids for each upper airway disease type, as well as highlighting the potential harms of this treatment is currently lacking. Therefore, a panel of international experts in the field of Rhinology reviewed the available literature with the aim of providing recommendations for the use of systemic steroids in treating upper airway disease.Peer reviewe