Influence of primary particle density in the morphology of agglomerates

Agglomeration processes occur in many different realms of science such as colloid and aerosol formation or formation of bacterial colonies. We study the influence of primary particle density in agglomerate structure using diffusion-controlled Monte Carlo simulations with realistic space scales through different regimes (DLA and DLCA). The equivalence of Monte Carlo time steps to real time scales is given by Hirsch's hydrodynamical theory of Brownian motion. Agglomerate behavior at different time stages of the simulations suggests that three indices (fractal exponent, coordination number and eccentricity index) characterize agglomerate geometry. Using these indices, we have found that the initial density of primary particles greatly influences the final structure of the agglomerate as observed in recent experimental works.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, PRE, to appea

Toxoplasma gondii Superinfection and Virulence during Secondary Infection Correlate with the Exact [ROP5 over ROP18] Allelic Combination

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii infects a wide variety of vertebrate species globally. Infection in most hosts causes a lifelong chronic infection and generates immunological memory responses that protect the host against new infections. In regions where the organism is endemic, multiple exposures to T. gondii likely occur with great frequency, yet little is known about the interaction between a chronically infected host and the parasite strains from these areas. A widely used model to explore secondary infection entails challenge of chronically infected or vaccinated mice with the highly virulent type I RH strain. Here, we show that although vaccinated or chronically infected C57BL/6 mice are protected against the type I RH strain, they are not protected against challenge with most strains prevalent in South America or another type I strain, GT1. Genetic and genomic analyses implicated the parasite-secreted rhoptry effectors ROP5 and ROP18, which antagonize the host’s gamma interferon-induced immunity-regulated GTPases (IRGs), as primary requirements for virulence during secondary infection. ROP5 and ROP18 promoted parasite superinfection in the brains of challenged survivors. We hypothesize that superinfection may be an important mechanism to generate T. gondii strain diversity, simply because two parasite strains would be present in a single meal consumed by the feline definitive host. Superinfection may drive the genetic diversity of Toxoplasma strains in South America, where most isolates are IRG resistant, compared to North America, where most strains are IRG susceptible and are derived from a few clonal lineages. In summary, ROP5 and ROP18 promote Toxoplasma virulence during reinfection

Wastewater nutrient removal in a mixed microalgae bacteria culture: effect of light and temperature on the microalgae bacteria competition

[EN] The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of light intensity and temperature on nutrient removal and biomass productivity in a microalgae¿bacteria culture and their effects on the microalgae¿bacteria competition. Three experiments were carried out at constant temperature and various light intensities: 40, 85 and 125¿µE¿m¿2¿s¿1. Other two experiments were carried out at variable temperatures: 23¿±¿2°C and 28¿±¿2°C at light intensity of 85 and 125¿µE¿m¿2¿s¿1, respectively. The photobioreactor was fed by the effluent from an anaerobic membrane bioreactor. High nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies (about 99%) were achieved under the following operating conditions: 85¿125¿µE¿m¿2¿s¿1 and 22¿±¿1°C. In the microalgae¿bacteria culture studied, increasing light intensity favoured microalgae growth and limited the nitrification process. However, a non-graduated temperature increase (up to 32°C) under the light intensities studied caused the proliferation of nitrifying bacteria and the nitrite and nitrate accumulation. Hence, light intensity and temperature are key parameters in the control of the microalgae¿bacteria competition. Biomass productivity significantly increased with light intensity, reaching 50.5¿±¿9.6, 80.3¿±¿6.5 and 94.3¿±¿7.9¿mgVSS¿L¿1¿d¿1 for a light intensity of 40, 85 and 125¿µE¿m¿2¿s¿1, respectivelyThis research work was possible because of Projects CTM2011-28595-C02-01 and CTM2011-28595-C02-02 [funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness jointly with the European Regional Development Fund and the Generalitat Valenciana GVA-ACOMP2013/203]. This research was also supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport via a pre doctoral FPU fellowship to the first author [FPU14/05082].Gonzalez-Camejo, J.; Barat, R.; Pachés Giner, MAV.; Murgui Mezquita, M.; Seco Torrecillas, A.; Ferrer, J. (2018). Wastewater nutrient removal in a mixed microalgae bacteria culture: effect of light and temperature on the microalgae bacteria competition. Environmental Technology. 39(4):503-515. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2017.1305001S503515394Giménez, J. B., Robles, A., Carretero, L., Durán, F., Ruano, M. V., Gatti, M. N., … Seco, A. (2011). Experimental study of the anaerobic urban wastewater treatment in a submerged hollow-fibre membrane bioreactor at pilot scale. Bioresource Technology, 102(19), 8799-8806. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2011.07.014Huang, Z., Ong, S. L., & Ng, H. Y. (2011). Submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor for low-strength wastewater treatment: Effect of HRT and SRT on treatment performance and membrane fouling. Water Research, 45(2), 705-713. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2010.08.035Ruiz-Martinez, A., Martin Garcia, N., Romero, I., Seco, A., & Ferrer, J. (2012). Microalgae cultivation in wastewater: Nutrient removal from anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent. Bioresource Technology, 126, 247-253. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2012.09.022Chisti, Y. (2007). Biodiesel from microalgae. Biotechnology Advances, 25(3), 294-306. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2007.02.001Rawat, I., Bhola, V., Kumar, R. R., & Bux, F. (2013). Improving the feasibility of producing biofuels from microalgae using wastewater. Environmental Technology, 34(13-14), 1765-1775. doi:10.1080/09593330.2013.826287Collet, P., Hélias, A., Lardon, L., Ras, M., Goy, R.-A., & Steyer, J.-P. (2011). Life-cycle assessment of microalgae culture coupled to biogas production. Bioresource Technology, 102(1), 207-214. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2010.06.154Milledge, J. J. (2010). Commercial application of microalgae other than as biofuels: a brief review. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 10(1), 31-41. doi:10.1007/s11157-010-9214-7Posadas, E., García-Encina, P.-A., Soltau, A., Domínguez, A., Díaz, I., & Muñoz, R. (2013). Carbon and nutrient removal from centrates and domestic wastewater using algal–bacterial biofilm bioreactors. Bioresource Technology, 139, 50-58. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2013.04.008Podevin, M., De Francisci, D., Holdt, S. L., & Angelidaki, I. (2014). Effect of nitrogen source and acclimatization on specific growth rates of microalgae determined by a high-throughput in vivo microplate autofluorescence method. Journal of Applied Phycology, 27(4), 1415-1423. doi:10.1007/s10811-014-0468-2Meseck, S. L., Smith, B. C., Wikfors, G. H., Alix, J. H., & Kapareiko, D. (2006). Nutrient interactions between phytoplankton and bacterioplankton under different carbon dioxide regimes. Journal of Applied Phycology, 19(3), 229-237. doi:10.1007/s10811-006-9128-5Risgaard-Petersen, N., Nicolaisen, M. H., Revsbech, N. P., & Lomstein, B. A. (2004). Competition between Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria and Benthic Microalgae. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 70(9), 5528-5537. doi:10.1128/aem.70.9.5528-5537.2004Tiquia-Arashiro, S. M., & Mormile, M. (2013). Sustainable technologies: bioenergy and biofuel from biowaste and biomass. Environmental Technology, 34(13-14), 1637-1638. doi:10.1080/09593330.2013.834162Jordan, B. R. (1996). The Effects of Ultraviolet-B Radiation on Plants: A Molecular Perspective. Advances in Botanical Research, 97-162. doi:10.1016/s0065-2296(08)60057-9Znad, H., Naderi, G., Ang, H. M., & Tade, M. O. (2012). CO2 Biomitigation and Biofuel Production Using Microalgae: Photobioreactors Developments and Future Directions. Advances in Chemical Engineering. doi:10.5772/32568Martínez, M. (2000). Nitrogen and phosphorus removal from urban wastewater by the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus. Bioresource Technology, 73(3), 263-272. doi:10.1016/s0960-8524(99)00121-2Xin, L., Hong-ying, H., & Yu-ping, Z. (2011). Growth and lipid accumulation properties of a freshwater microalga Scenedesmus sp. under different cultivation temperature. Bioresource Technology, 102(3), 3098-3102. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2010.10.055Robles, Á., Durán, F., Ruano, M. V., Ribes, J., Rosado, A., Seco, A., & Ferrer, J. (2015). Instrumentation, control, and automation for submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors. Environmental Technology, 36(14), 1795-1806. doi:10.1080/09593330.2015.1012180Reynolds, C. S. (2006). The Ecology of Phytoplankton. doi:10.1017/cbo9780511542145Küster, E., Dorusch, F., & Altenburger, R. (2005). EFFECTS OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE TO VIBRIO FISCHERI, SCENEDESMUS VACUOLATUS, AND DAPHNIA MAGNA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24(10), 2621. doi:10.1897/04-546r.1Park, J., Jin, H.-F., Lim, B.-R., Park, K.-Y., & Lee, K. (2010). Ammonia removal from anaerobic digestion effluent of livestock waste using green alga Scenedesmus sp. Bioresource Technology, 101(22), 8649-8657. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2010.06.142McGinn, P. J., Dickinson, K. E., Park, K. C., Whitney, C. G., MacQuarrie, S. P., Black, F. J., … O’Leary, S. J. B. (2012). Assessment of the bioenergy and bioremediation potentials of the microalga Scenedesmus sp. AMDD cultivated in municipal wastewater effluent in batch and continuous mode. Algal Research, 1(2), 155-165. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2012.05.001Mara, D. D., & Feachem, R. G. A. (2003). Unitary environmental classification of water- and excreta-related communicable diseases. Handbook of Water and Wastewater Microbiology, 185-192. doi:10.1016/b978-012470100-7/50012-1Jeffrey, S. W., & Humphrey, G. F. (1975). New spectrophotometric equations for determining chlorophylls a, b, c1 and c2 in higher plants, algae and natural phytoplankton. Biochemie und Physiologie der Pflanzen, 167(2), 191-194. doi:10.1016/s0015-3796(17)30778-3Laliberté, G., Lessard, P., de la Noüe, J., & Sylvestre, S. (1997). Effect of phosphorus addition on nutrient removal from wastewater with the cyanobacterium Phormidium bohneri. Bioresource Technology, 59(2-3), 227-233. doi:10.1016/s0960-8524(96)00144-7Pachés, M., Romero, I., Hermosilla, Z., & Martinez-Guijarro, R. (2012). PHYMED: An ecological classification system for the Water Framework Directive based on phytoplankton community composition. Ecological Indicators, 19, 15-23. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2011.07.003Xin, L., Hong-ying, H., Ke, G., & Jia, Y. (2010). Growth and nutrient removal properties of a freshwater microalga Scenedesmus sp. LX1 under different kinds of nitrogen sources. Ecological Engineering, 36(4), 379-381. doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2009.11.003Wang, L., Min, M., Li, Y., Chen, P., Chen, Y., Liu, Y., … Ruan, R. (2009). Cultivation of Green Algae Chlorella sp. in Different Wastewaters from Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 162(4), 1174-1186. doi:10.1007/s12010-009-8866-7Pancha, I., Chokshi, K., George, B., Ghosh, T., Paliwal, C., Maurya, R., & Mishra, S. (2014). Nitrogen stress triggered biochemical and morphological changes in the microalgae Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077. Bioresource Technology, 156, 146-154. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.025Sarat Chandra, T., Deepak, R. S., Maneesh Kumar, M., Mukherji, S., Chauhan, V. S., Sarada, R., & Mudliar, S. N. (2016). Evaluation of indigenous fresh water microalga Scenedesmus obtusus for feed and fuel applications: Effect of carbon dioxide, light and nutrient sources on growth and biochemical characteristics. Bioresource Technology, 207, 430-439. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2016.01.044Krustok, I., Odlare, M., Truu, J., & Nehrenheim, E. (2016). Inhibition of nitrification in municipal wastewater-treating photobioreactors: Effect on algal growth and nutrient uptake. Bioresource Technology, 202, 238-243. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2015.12.020Chen, X., Goh, Q. Y., Tan, W., Hossain, I., Chen, W. N., & Lau, R. (2011). Lumostatic strategy for microalgae cultivation utilizing image analysis and chlorophyll a content as design parameters. Bioresource Technology, 102(10), 6005-6012. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2011.02.061Powell, N., Shilton, A., Chisti, Y., & Pratt, S. (2009). Towards a luxury uptake process via microalgae – Defining the polyphosphate dynamics. Water Research, 43(17), 4207-4213. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2009.06.011Cabello, J., Toledo-Cervantes, A., Sánchez, L., Revah, S., & Morales, M. (2015). Effect of the temperature, pH and irradiance on the photosynthetic activity by Scenedesmus obtusiusculus under nitrogen replete and deplete conditions. Bioresource Technology, 181, 128-135. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2015.01.034Zhu, W., Wan, L., & Zhao, L. (2010). Effect of nutrient level on phytoplankton community structure in different water bodies. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 22(1), 32-39. doi:10.1016/s1001-0742(09)60071-1Daims, H., Brühl, A., Amann, R., Schleifer, K.-H., & Wagner, M. (1999). The Domain-specific Probe EUB338 is Insufficient for the Detection of all Bacteria: Development and Evaluation of a more Comprehensive Probe Set. Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 22(3), 434-444. doi:10.1016/s0723-2020(99)80053-8Daims, H., Nielsen, J. L., Nielsen, P. H., Schleifer, K.-H., & Wagner, M. (2001). In Situ Characterization of Nitrospira-Like Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacteria Active in Wastewater Treatment Plants. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 67(11), 5273-5284. doi:10.1128/aem.67.11.5273-5284.2001analysis of nitrifying bacteria in sewage treatment plants. (1996). Water Science and Technology, 34(1-2). doi:10.1016/0273-1223(96)00514-

Multi-particle azimuthal correlations in p-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

Measurements of multi-particle azimuthal correlations (cumulants) for charged particles in p-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions are presented. They help address the question of whether there is evidence for global, flow-like, azimuthal correlations in the p-Pb system. Comparisons are made to measurements from the larger Pb-Pb system, where such evidence is established. In particular, the second harmonic two-particle cumulants are found to decrease with multiplicity, characteristic of a dominance of few-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions. However, when a $|\Delta \eta|$ gap is placed to suppress such correlations, the two-particle cumulants begin to rise at high-multiplicity, indicating the presence of global azimuthal correlations. The Pb-Pb values are higher than the p-Pb values at similar multiplicities. In both systems, the second harmonic four-particle cumulants exhibit a transition from positive to negative values when the multiplicity increases. The negative values allow for a measurement of $v_{2}\{4\}$ to be made, which is found to be higher in Pb-Pb collisions at similar multiplicities. The second harmonic six-particle cumulants are also found to be higher in Pb-Pb collisions. In Pb-Pb collisions, we generally find $v_{2}\{4\} \simeq v_{2}\{6\}\neq 0$ which is indicative of a Bessel-Gaussian function for the $v_{2}$ distribution. For very high-multiplicity Pb-Pb collisions, we observe that the four- and six-particle cumulants become consistent with 0. Finally, third harmonic two-particle cumulants in p-Pb and Pb-Pb are measured. These are found to be similar for overlapping multiplicities, when a $|\Delta\eta| > 1.4$ gap is placed.Comment: 25 pages, 11 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 20, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/87

Multiplicity dependence of jet-like two-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02 TeV

Two-particle angular correlations between unidentified charged trigger and associated particles are measured by the ALICE detector in p-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The transverse-momentum range 0.7 $< p_{\rm{T}, assoc} < p_{\rm{T}, trig} <$ 5.0 GeV/$c$ is examined, to include correlations induced by jets originating from low momen\-tum-transfer scatterings (minijets). The correlations expressed as associated yield per trigger particle are obtained in the pseudorapidity range $|\eta|<0.9$. The near-side long-range pseudorapidity correlations observed in high-multiplicity p-Pb collisions are subtracted from both near-side short-range and away-side correlations in order to remove the non-jet-like components. The yields in the jet-like peaks are found to be invariant with event multiplicity with the exception of events with low multiplicity. This invariance is consistent with the particles being produced via the incoherent fragmentation of multiple parton--parton scatterings, while the yield related to the previously observed ridge structures is not jet-related. The number of uncorrelated sources of particle production is found to increase linearly with multiplicity, suggesting no saturation of the number of multi-parton interactions even in the highest multiplicity p-Pb collisions. Further, the number scales in the intermediate multiplicity region with the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions estimated with a Glauber Monte-Carlo simulation.Comment: 23 pages, 6 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 17, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/161

First wave of COVID-19 in Venezuela:Epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of first cases

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has particularly affected countries with weakened health services in Latin America, where proper patient management could be a critical step to address the epidemic. In this study, we aimed to characterize and identify which epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical risk factors defined COVID-19 infection from the first confirmed cases through the first epidemic wave in Venezuela. A retrospective analysis of consecutive suspected cases of COVID-19 admitted to a sentinel hospital was carried out, including 576 patient cases subsequently confirmed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Of these, 162 (28.1%) patients met the definition criteria for severe/critical disease, and 414 (71.2%) were classified as mild/moderate disease. The mean age was 47 (SD 16) years, the majority of which were men (59.5%), and the most frequent comorbidity was arterial hypertension (23.3%). The most common symptoms included fever (88.7%), headache (65.6%), and dry cough (63.9%). Severe/critical disease affected mostly older males with low schooling (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher levels of glycemia, urea, aminotransferases, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed in severe/critical disease patients compared to those with mild/moderate disease. Overall mortality was 7.6% (44/576), with 41.7% (28/68) dying in hospital. We identified risk factors related to COVID-19 infection, which could help healthcare providers take appropriate measures and prevent severe clinical outcomes. Our results suggest that the mortality registered by this disease in Venezuela during the first epidemic wave was underestimated. An increase in fatalities is expected to occur in the coming months unless measures that are more effective are implemented to mitigate the epidemic while the vaccination process is ongoing

Oxidation of Low-Density Lipoprotein by Iron at Lysosomal pH: Implications for Atherosclerosis

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) has recently been shown to be oxidised by iron within the lysosomes of macrophages and this is a novel potential mechanism for LDL oxidation in atherosclerosis. Our aim was to characterise the chemical and physical changes induced in LDL by iron at lysosomal pH and to investigate the effects of iron chelators and α-tocopherol on this process. LDL was oxidised by iron at pH 4.5 and 37°C and its oxidation monitored by spectrophotometry and HPLC. LDL was oxidised effectively by FeSO4 (5-50 µM) and became highly aggregated at pH 4.5, but not at pH 7.4. Cholesteryl esters decreased and after a pronounced lag 7-ketocholesterol increased greatly. Total hydroperoxides (measured by tri-iodide assay) increased up to 24 h and then decreased only slowly. The lipid composition after 12 h at pH 4.5 and 37°C was similar to that of LDL oxidised by copper at pH 7.4 and 4°C, i.e. rich in hydroperoxides but low in oxysterols. Previously oxidised LDL aggregated rapidly and spontaneously at pH 4.5, but not at pH 7.4. Ferrous was much more effective than ferric iron at oxidising LDL when added after the oxidation was already underway. The iron chelators diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and, to a lesser extent, desferrioxamine inhibited LDL oxidation when added during its initial stages, but were unable to prevent LDL aggregating after it had been partially oxidised. Surprisingly, desferrioxamine increased the rate of LDL modification when added late in the oxidation process. α-Tocopherol enrichment of LDL initially increased the oxidation of LDL, but inhibited it later. The presence of oxidised and highly aggregated lipid within lysosomes has the potential to perturb the function of these organelles and to promote atherosclerosis

Pollution monitoring in two urban areas of Cuba by using Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L. and top soil samples: spatial distribution and sources

This work provides a comprehensive report on the chemical composition of 47 major and trace elements in Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L. and top soil samples from the cities of Cienfuegos and Santa Clara in Cuba. The main aims were to provide new information on the urban pollution degree in Caribbean urban regions where the availability of data of urban health indicators are very limited and to identify the main pollution sources. The abundance of the analyzed elements at both type of samples were different at each urban regions suggesting the influence of various sources. Top soils were slightly contaminated with Zn, V, Ba, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co and Hg and seriously contaminated with Ni and Cr in Santa Clara. These and other elements such as Se, S, P, Cd, Mo and Ca where highly enriched in T. recurvata indicating a significant impact of anthropogenic sources in the air quality of both urban areas. Cluster analysis helped us associate most of the elements with an anthropogenic origin with three main pollution sources: road traffic, industrial emissions and oil combustion. The spatial variability was particularly useful to identify some of these sources including the emissions from diesel and fuel oil combustion in power stations, biomass burning and metallurgic industries. The results also showed that V and Ni were strongly associated to the oil combustion and that V/Ni ratio indices in both indicators can be used to trace this type of sources. The results presented in this study confirmed the conclusion that both T. recurvata and top soils can be used as feasible indicators of the health of Caribbean urban ecosystems and the distribution of the main pollution sources that are affecting them

Persistence with Statins and Onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Cohort Study

In a retrospective cohort study, Gabriel Chodick and colleagues find a significant association between persistence with statin therapy and reduced risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, but only a modest decrease in risk of osteoarthritis

Protective effects of a compound herbal extract (Tong Xin Luo) on free fatty acid induced endothelial injury: Implications of antioxidant system

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tong-Xin-Luo (TXL) – a mixture of herbal extracts, has been used in Chinese medicine with established therapeutic efficacy in patients with coronary artery disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the protective role of TXL extracts on endothelial cells injured by a known risk factor – palmitic acid (PA), which is elevated in metabolic syndrome and associated with cardiovascular complications. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were preconditioned with TXL extracts before exposed to PA for 24 hours.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that PA (0.5 mM) exposure induced 73% apoptosis in endothelial cells. However, when HAECs were preconditioned with ethanol extracted TXL (100 μg/ml), PA induced only 7% of the endothelial cells into apoptosis. Using antibody-based protein microarray, we found that TXL attenuated PA-induced activation of p38-MAPK stress pathway. To investigate the mechanisms involved in TXL's protective effects, we found that TXL reduced PA-induced intracellular oxidative stress. Through AMPK pathway, TXL restored the intracellular antioxidant system, which was depressed by the PA treatment, with an increased expression of thioredoxin and a decreased expression of the thioredoxin interacting protein.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, our study demonstrates that TXL protects endothelial cells from PA-induced injury. This protection is likely mediated by boosting intracellular antioxidant capacity through AMPK pathway, which may account for the therapeutic efficacy in TXL-mediated cardiovascular protection.</p