In vitro mutagenicity evaluation of iron oxide nanoparticles by the bacterial reverse mutation assay

Iron oxide nanoparticles are becoming highly promising tools for a wide spectrum of biomedical applications. The aim of our work was to determine the potential mutagenic effects of Fe2C>3 and FesCU nanoparticles (NPs), using bacterial reverse mutation assay. This is still the most widely used method for evaluating chemicals and environmental samples for mutagenic activity. In the bacterial reverse mutation assay, two genotypic variants of the Salmonella typhimurium strains (TA98 and TA1535) were used. Fe2Ü3 and Fe3Ü4 NPs were incubated with these two strains in four different doses both in presence and in absence of the rat liver metabolic activation system (S9); concurrently, appropriate positive controls were used to validate the test. The assessment of the results was based on the number of reverse mutants. The average number of reverse mutants per plate treated with NPs was less than double compared to negative control. Fe203 and Fe3C>4 NPs proved to have no mutagenic effect in the bacterial cellular systems tested, in that they did not significantly increase the number of revertant colonies. Our findings indicate that Fe203 and Fe304 NPs are non mutagenic in bacterial reverse mutation assay under the present test conditions. These results are useful to expand our knowledge on the safety of iron oxides NPs

Development of flame-retarded nanocomposites from recycled PET bottles for the electronics industry

Recycled polyethylene-terephthalate (rPET) nanocomposites of reduced flammability were prepared by combining aluminum-alkylphosphinate (AlPi) flame retardant (FR) and natural montmorillonite (MMT), in order to demonstrate that durable, technical products can be produced from recycled materials. During the development of the material, by varying the FR content, the ratio and the type of MMTs, rheological, morphological, mechanical and flammability properties of the nanocomposites were comprehensively investigated. Related to the differences between the dispersion and nucleation effect of MMT and organo-modified MMT (oMMT) in rPET matrix, analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), mechanical properties of the nanocomposites changed differently. The flexural strength and modulus were increased more significantly by adding untreated MMT than by the oMMT, however the impact strength was decreased by both types of nanofillers. The use of different type of MMTs resulted in contradictory flammability test result; time-to-ignition (TTI) during cone calorimeter tests decreased when oMMT was added to the rPET, however MMT addition resulted in an increase of the TTI also when combined with 4% FR. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the oMMT containing composites decreased independently from the FR content, however, the MMT increased it noticeably. V0 classification according to the UL-94 standard was achieved with as low as 4% FR and 1% MMT content. The applicability of the upgraded recycled material was proved by a pilot experiment, where large-scale electronic parts were produced by injection molding and characterized with respect to the commercially available counterparts

Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection Related Death: an Autopsy Database Analysis

Acute aortic catastrophes (AAC), mainly ruptured aneurysms and dissections, lead all other vascular conditions in morbidity and mortality, even if intervention occurs. The aim of our study was to give a descriptive overview of the demographic and pathological characteristics of AAC. Between 1994 and 2013, 80,469 autopsies were performed at Semmelweis University hospitals in Budapest. After collecting the autopsy reports we were able to create the AAC database upon which we conducted our analysis. We found 567 cases of AAC. The cause of death in 120 of them was classified as a non-ruptured aorta with malperfusion or distal embolization. Of the remaining 447 cases, in 305 the cause of death was a ruptured aortic aneurysm (rAA), and in 142 it was a ruptured aortic dissection (rAD). The distribution of rAA cases was 34.4% thoracal, 4.3% thoracoabdominal, and 61.3% abdominal. We found female dominance where the rAA was thoracal. In rAD cases, 84% were Stanford A and 16% Stanford B type. In both groups we found different pathological distributions. In the prehospital group, the number of thoracal ruptures was considerable. 88% of the patients with Stanford A dissection died in the prehospital or perioperative period. The most progressive AACs were ruptures of intrapericardial aneurysms and Stanford A dissections., however survival rate can be elevated by using rapid imaging examination and immediate surgical intervention. We want to highlight that our study contains such gender differences, which are worth to be taken into consideration

Állatorvosi szakértői tevékenység a laboratóriumi vizsgálatok tükrében = Investigating cases of animal cruelty – the perspective of the laboratory pathologist

Magyarországon az állatkínzás büntetőjog által szankcionált cselekmény. Ahhoz, hogy az állatkínzásos büntetőügyekben megfelelő bírói ítéletek szülessenek, alapos, releváns és a szakkérdés megválaszolásához szükséges minden részletre kiterjedő szakértői ténymegállapítások szükségesek. Jelen közleményben a szerzők tanulságokat és tapasztalatokat igyekeznek átadni az elmúlt 4 év (2019–2022) hatósági eljárás keretében végzett laboratóriumi diagnosztikai anyagaiból, ill. felhívni a figyelmet az ez irányú patológiai vizsgálatok buktatóira, és ezzel mintegy támpontokat adni egy esetleges állatorvosi szakértői munka elvégzéséhez. | Background: In Hungary, animal cruelty is a felony sanctioned by the Penal Code. Experts can greatly assist juries in issuing appropriate judicial verdicts. Expert findings that cover the necessary details and answer all technical questions aid juries to determine the facts in an animal cruelty case. Hence, it is extremely important to continuously improve the quality of the examination routines of the veterinary expert. This includes the efficiency of forensic pathology, which is required to provide more appropriate expert statements. Objectives: This study aims to share experiences from laboratory diagnostic cases carried out at the request of the local authority in the framework of the official procedure. The authors intend to draw attention to possible mistakes in routine pathological examinations, and thus provide a better perspective for veterinary expert work. Materials and methods: All the examinations are taken from official cases, each performed due to suspicion of animal cruelty. The forensics carried out by the Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate regional Pathology Departments from the beginning of 2019 to the end of 2022. Results and Discussion: During the 4 years period 165 official requests were received. On a pathological basis, the most frequently diagnosed offender behavior was abuse, followed by neglect, and lastly poisoning. Considering the animal abuse crime, out of all wound types, half of the cases were bullet trauma. During the crime scene investigation, sampling has a decisive influence on the effectiveness of the subsequent pathological work. Therefore, special attention must be paid to sending the sample in the correct way. Furthermore, veterinarians participating in expert work must know the documentation to be recorded both during on-site inspection and pathology. Prosecutors require the appropriate knowledge and understanding of the evidence in question to present and challenge expert evidence. It is also worth mentioning that experts are getting increasingly into the focus of social interest due to social sensitivity, which is further amplified by the fiction of media products

Investigation of Deteriorated Dissolution of Amorphous Itraconazole: Description of Incompatibility with Magnesium Stearate and Possible Solutions

Disadvantageous crystallization phenomenon of amorphous itraconazole (ITR) occurring in the course of dissolution process was investigated in this work. A perfectly amorphous form (solid dispersion) of the drug was generated by the electroblowing method (with vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer), and the obtained fibers were formulated into tablets. Incomplete dissolution of the tablets was noticed under the circumstances of the standard dissolution test, after which a precipitated material could be filtered. The filtrate consisted of ITR and stearic acid since no magnesium content was detectable in it. In parallel with dissolution, ITR forms an insoluble associate, stabilized by hydrogen bonding, with stearic acid deriving from magnesium stearate. This is why dissolution curves do not have the plateaus at 100%. Two ways are viable to tackle this issue: change the lubricant (with sodium stearyl fumarate >95% dissolution can be accomplished) or alter the polymer in the solid dispersion to a type being able to form hydrogen bonds with ITR (e.g., hydroxypropyl methylcellulose). This work draws attention to one possible phenomenon that can lead to a deterioration of originally good dissolution of an amorphous solid dispersion