Spectral signatures of fluorescence and light absorption to identify crude oils found in the marine environment

To protect the natural marine ecosystem, it is necessary to continuously enhance knowledge of environmental contamination, including oil pollution. Therefore, to properly track the qualitative and quantitative changes in the natural components of seawater, a description of the essential spectral features describing petroleum products is necessary.This study characterises two optically-different types of crude oils (Petrobaltic and Romashkino) – substances belonging to multi-fluorophoric systems. To obtain the spectral features of crude oils, the excitation-emission spectroscopy technique was applied. The fluorescence and light absorption properties for various concentrations of oils at a stabilised temperature are described. Both excitation-emission spectra (EEMs) and absorption spectra of crude oils are discussed. Based on the EEM spectra, both excitation end emission peaks for the wavelengthindependent fluorescence maximum (Exmax/ Emmax) – characteristic points for each type of oil – were identified and compared with the literature data concerning typical marine chemical structures. 

Modification of optical properties of seawater exposed to oil contaminants based on excitation-emission spectra

The optical behaviour of seawater exposed to a residual amount of oil pollution is presented and a comparison of the fluorescence spectra of oil dissolved in both n-hexane and seawater is discussed based on excitation-emission spectra.Crude oil extracted from the southern part of the Baltic Sea was used to characterise petroleum properties after contact with seawater. The wavelength-independent fluorescence maximum for natural seawater and seawater artificially polluted with oil were determined. Moreover, the specific excitation-emission peaks for natural seawater and polluted water were analysed to identify the natural organic matter composition. It was found that fluorescence spectra identification is a promising method to detect even an extremely low concentration of petroleum residues directly in the seawater. In addition, alien substances disturbing the fluorescence signatures of natural organic substances in a marine environment is also discussed.

Influence of oil-in-water emulsions on fluorescence properties as observed by excitation-emission spectra

Oil poses a major threat to marine ecosystems. This work describes a set of studies focused on introducing an efficient method for the identification of oil in the form of oil emulsions through fluorescence spectra analyses. Hence the concept of classification of oil pollution in seawater based on fluorescence spectroscopy using a high sensitive fluorimeter [1] suitable for laboratory and in situ measurements is introduced. We consider that this approach, in the future, will make it possible to collect specific fluorescence information allowing us to build a base of the oil standards. Here we examined excitation-emission fluorescence spectra (EEMs) of water containing oil-in-water emulsion prepared artificially under laboratory conditions. Water polluted with oil-in-water emulsion was studied with the objective to estimate differences in three-dimensional fluorescence spectra. Studies included various types of oils and oil concentrations. Essential differences in fluorescence spectra for various oils are indicated

A p38 Mitogen‐Activated Protein Kinase Inhibitor Arrests Active Alveolar Bone Loss in a Rat Periodontitis Model

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141943/1/jper1992.pd

Analysis of High Temperature Degradation of Multi-layer Insulation (MLI) Systems for Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tanks

The interest in hydrogen-based green energy is increasing worldwide, and the same is true for hydrogen-powered vehicles. Among the possible solutions to store hydrogen in such vehicles, cryogenic tanks equipped with multi-layer insulation (MLI) are the most promising to increase the amount of energy stored per unit volume. However, MLI is affected by severe deterioration when exposed to an external source of heat such as a fire following a car accident, leaving the tank unprotected and leading to failure in a relatively short time. In this work, a one-dimensional model to evaluate MLI thermal degradation when a liquid hydrogen tank is exposed to fire is presented. The relevance of taking MLI degradation into account when simulating the pressure increase due to external fire exposure is here demonstrated through the analysis of several case studies. The results show that MLI systems performance depletes within a few minutes of exposure to hydrocarbon poolfire

PRECYCLE: multicenter, randomized phase IV intergroup trial to evaluate the impact of eHealth-based patient-reported outcome (PRO) assessment on quality of life in patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer treated with palbociclib and an aromatase inhibitor or palbociclib and fulvestrant

Background Efficacy and quality of life (QoL) are key criteria for therapy selection in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). In hormone receptor positive (HR +) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2 −) MBC, addition of targeted oral agents such as everolimus or a cycline-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK 4/6) inhibitor (e.g., palbociclib, ribociclib, abemaciclib) to endocrine therapy substantially prolongs progression-free survival and in the case of a CDK 4/6i also overall survival. However, the prerequisite is adherence to therapy over the entire course of treatment. However, particularly with new oral drugs, adherence presents a challenge to disease management. In this context, factors influencing adherence include maintaining patients’ satisfaction and early detection/management of side effects. New strategies for continuous support of oncological patients are needed. An eHealth-based platform can help to support therapy management and physician–patient interaction. Methods PreCycle is a multicenter, randomized, phase IV trial in HR + HER2 − MBC. All patients (n = 960) receive the CDK 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib either in first (62.5%) or later line (37.5%) together with endocrine therapy (AI, fulvestrant) according to national guidelines. PreCycle evaluates and compares the time to deterioration (TTD) of QoL in patients supported by eHealth systems with substantially different functionality: CANKADO active vs. inform. CANKADO active is the fully functional CANKADO-based eHealth treatment support system. CANKADO inform is a CANKADO-based eHealth service with a personal login, documentation of daily drug intake, but no further functions. To evaluate QoL, the FACT-B questionnaire is completed at every visit. As little is known about relationships between behavior (e.g., adherence), genetic background, and drug efficacy, the trial includes both patient-reported outcome and biomarker screening for discovery of forecast models for adherence, symptoms, QoL, progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Discussion The primary objective of PreCycle is to test the hypothesis of superiority for time to deterioration (TTD) in terms of DQoL = “Deterioration of quality of life” (FACT-G scale) in patients supported by an eHealth therapy management system (CANKADO active) versus in patients merely receiving eHealth-based information (CANKADO inform). EudraCT Number: 2016–004191-2

Clinical and immunologic phenotype associated with activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ syndrome 2: A cohort study

Background Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ syndrome (APDS) 2 (p110δ-activating mutations causing senescent T cells, lymphadenopathy, and immunodeficiency [PASLI]–R1), a recently described primary immunodeficiency, results from autosomal dominant mutations in PIK3R1, the gene encoding the regulatory subunit (p85α, p55α, and p50α) of class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinases. Objectives We sought to review the clinical, immunologic, and histopathologic phenotypes of APDS2 in a genetically defined international patient cohort. Methods The medical and biological records of 36 patients with genetically diagnosed APDS2 were collected and reviewed. Results Mutations within splice acceptor and donor sites of exon 11 of the PIK3R1 gene lead to APDS2. Recurrent upper respiratory tract infections (100%), pneumonitis (71%), and chronic lymphoproliferation (89%, including adenopathy [75%], splenomegaly [43%], and upper respiratory tract lymphoid hyperplasia [48%]) were the most common features. Growth retardation was frequently noticed (45%). Other complications were mild neurodevelopmental delay (31%); malignant diseases (28%), most of them being B-cell lymphomas; autoimmunity (17%); bronchiectasis (18%); and chronic diarrhea (24%). Decreased serum IgA and IgG levels (87%), increased IgM levels (58%), B-cell lymphopenia (88%) associated with an increased frequency of transitional B cells (93%), and decreased numbers of naive CD4 and naive CD8 cells but increased numbers of CD8 effector/memory T cells were predominant immunologic features. The majority of patients (89%) received immunoglobulin replacement; 3 patients were treated with rituximab, and 6 were treated with rapamycin initiated after diagnosis of APDS2. Five patients died from APDS2-related complications. Conclusion APDS2 is a combined immunodeficiency with a variable clinical phenotype. Complications are frequent, such as severe bacterial and viral infections, lymphoproliferation, and lymphoma similar to APDS1/PASLI-CD. Immunoglobulin replacement therapy, rapamycin, and, likely in the near future, selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ inhibitors are possible treatment options