Brain injury-associated biomarkers of TGF-beta1, S100B, GFAP, NF-L, tTG, AbetaPP, and tau were concomitantly enhanced and the UPS was impaired during acute brain injury caused by Toxocara canis in mice

BACKGROUND: Because the outcomes and sequelae after different types of brain injury (BI) are variable and difficult to predict, investigations on whether enhanced expressions of BI-associated biomarkers (BIABs), including transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light chain( NF-L), tissue transglutaminases (tTGs), beta-amyloid precursor proteins (AbetaPP), and tau are present as well as whether impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is present have been widely used to help delineate pathophysiological mechanisms in various BIs. Larvae of Toxocara canis can invade the brain and cause BI in humans and mice, leading to cerebral toxocariasis (CT). Because the parasitic burden is light in CT, it may be too cryptic to be detected in humans, making it difficult to clearly understand the pathogenesis of subtle BI in CT. Since the pathogenesis of murine toxocariasis is very similar to that in humans, it appears appropriate to use a murine model to investigate the pathogenesis of CT. METHODS: BIAB expressions and UPS function in the brains of mice inoculated with a single dose of 250 T. canis embryonated eggs was investigated from 3 days (dpi) to 8 weeks post- infection (wpi) by Western blotting and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Results revealed that at 4 and 8 wpi, T. canis larvae were found to have invaded areas around the choroid plexus but without eliciting leukocyte infiltration in brains of infected mice; nevertheless, astrogliosis, an indicator of BI, with 78.9~142.0-fold increases in GFAP expression was present. Meanwhile, markedly increased levels of other BIAB proteins including TGF-beta1, S100B, NF-L, tTG, AbetaPP, and tau, with increases ranging 2.0~12.0-fold were found, although their corresponding mRNA expressions were not found to be present at 8 wpi. Concomitantly, UPS impairment was evidenced by the overexpression of conjugated ubiquitin and ubiquitin in the brain. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to determine whether there is an increased risk of CT progression into neurodegenerative disease because neurodegeneration-associated AbetaPP and phosphorylated tau emerged in the brain. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-8-8

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Poligeneracja energii cieplnej, energii elektrycznej i produktów antropogenicznych

This is the first in the series of engineering papers presenting new possibilities of coal-based power engineering, where the energy producing boiler is seen as a chemical reactor, which in the poly-generation process should be outputting only products, no waste. This is to help meeting the Circular Economy (CE) goals by the power sector. Rich chemical composition of flyash and conditions in which they arise, high temperatures and flue gas control systems, many times suggest to purposefully combine the processes of combustion of fuels with the processes of their energy-and-technological processing. Taking into account the huge interest in extracting aluminum compounds (alumina) from flyash, theoretical considerations were made in terms of possibilities of combing the combustion of coals rich in alumina compounds with the process of their extraction. Out of a very rich list of techniques for producing alumina, in the context of ashes the most interesting are the alkali-sintering methods. Of particular potential is the sintering-disintegrating method by Prof J. Grzymek, which has been already verified in industrial conditions in the cement sector, while in this paper it is analyzed from the angle of coal combustion and sintering of calcium-oxide containing ash.Jest to pierwsza z serii prac inżynieryjnych prezentujących nowe możliwości energetyki węglowej, w której kocioł energetyczny jest postrzegany jako reaktor chemiczny, który w procesie poligeneracji powinien wytwarzać tylko produkty, bez odpadów. Ma to pomóc w osiągnięciu celów gospodarki o obiegu zamkniętym (Circular Economy) przez sektor energetyczny. Bogaty skład chemiczny popiołów lotnych i warunki, w których powstają, wysokie temperatury i systemy kontroli spalin, sugerują celowe łączenie procesów spalania paliw z procesami przetwarzania powstających odpadów i produktów ubocznych. Biorąc pod uwagę ogromne zainteresowanie wydobyciem związków glinowych (tlenku glinu) z popiołów lotnych, przeprowadzono analizę możliwości adaptacji procesów spalania węgli bogatych w związki glinu do zwiększenia odzysku związków glinu. Z bardzo bogatej literatury dotyczącej technik wytwarzania tlenku glinu na bazie popiołów najciekawsze są metody spiekania alkalicznego. Szczególny potencjał stanowi metoda spiekania i dezintegracji wg Prof. J. Grzymka, która została już zweryfikowany w warunkach przemysłowych w sektorze produkcji cementu, natomiast w niniejszym opracowaniu przeprowadzono analizę spalania węgla i spiekania popiołu zawierającego tlenek wapnia

Stan i perspektywy zwiększenia produktowego zagospodarowania ubocznych produktów spalania (UPS)

At present, the situation in utilisation of combustion products in Poland should be viewed as a positive outcome of efforts of research and implementation centres associated with the power sector, as well as of users on the market. This was in large extent facilitated by emerging new companies concentrating not solely on transport tasks but also on active development of new ways of utilisation. As using pure coal fuel for power generation gives place to optimisation by co-combustion of other fuels with coal, which impacts the properties of arising fly ashes, slags and flue-gas desulphurisation products, it is necessary to further study the physico-chemical properties and toxicity behaviours of these new products and make public the results of both research and practical application. It seems appropriate to consider the production of varieties of processed ash, such as quality, activated and hydrophobic ash, in order to increase the overall scope of utilization. In terms of high-quality products it seems desirable to develop manufacturing of cenospheres in dry technologies as well as metal-concentrates, micro- and nano-fillers, and carriers. Successful utilization of deposited ashes should bring about large economic effects, also in terms of recovery of land suitable for development.Dotychczasowy stan zagospodarowanie ubocznych produktów spalania z energetyki należy uznać za duże osiągnięcia krajowych ośrodków badawczych i wdrożeniowych energetyki i użytkowników. Na uzyskane rezultaty duży wpływ miał i ma nowy system zagospodarowania ups polegający na powstaniu szeregu organizacji nie tylko transportu, ale także rozwoju nowych technologii ich zagospodarowania. W okresie niepopularności i dokonywanych optymalizacji spalania paliw węglowych, co niejednokrotnie obciąża również popioły lotne, żużle i produkty odsiarczania spalin staje się koniecznym dalsze rozeznawanie ich właściwości fizykochemicznych i toksycznych oraz upowszechnianie uzyskiwanych wyników badań, ocen i wyników wdrożeń. Dla zwiększenia zakresu dotychczasowych zastosowań celowym jest rozważyć możliwości masowego ich zagospodarowania do produkcji kwalifikowanych, aktywowanych i hydrofobizowanych popiołów lotnych. W zakresie wytwarzania wysokiej jakości produktów wskazanym jest natomiast rozwinąć prace nad wytwarzaniem mikrosfer w technologii suchej i koncentratów metali oraz mikro i nano wypełniaczy i nośników. W miarę upowszechniania zagospodarowywania zdeponowanych popiołów ze składowisk staje się możliwym uzyskiwanie dużych efektów ekonomicznych poprzez kompleksowe zagospodarowanie złoża

The giant pliosaurid that wasn’t-revising the marine reptiles from the Kimmeridgian, Upper Jurassic, of Krzyzanowice, Poland

Marine reptiles from the Upper Jurassic of Central Europe are rare and often fragmentary, which hinders their precise taxonomic identification and their placement in a palaeobiogeographic context. Recent fieldwork in the Kimmeridgian of Krzyżanowice, Poland, a locality known from turtle remains originally discovered in the 1960s, has reportedly provided additional fossils thought to indicate the presence of a more diverse marine reptile assemblage, including giant pliosaurids, plesiosauroids, and thalattosuchians. Based on its taxonomic composition, the marine tetrapod fauna from Krzyżanowice was argued to represent part of the “Matyja-Wierzbowski Line”—a newly proposed palaeobiogeographic belt comprising faunal components transitional between those of the Boreal and Mediterranean marine provinces. Here, we provide a detailed re-description of the marine reptile material from Krzyżanowice and reassess its taxonomy. The turtle remains are proposed to represent a “plesiochelyid” thalassochelydian (Craspedochelys? sp.) and the plesiosauroid vertebral centrum likely belongs to a cryptoclidid. However, qualitative assessment and quantitative analysis of the jaws originally referred to the colossal pliosaurid Pliosaurus clearly demonstrate a metriorhynchid thalattosuchian affinity. Furthermore, these metriorhynchid jaws were likely found at a different, currently indeterminate, locality. A tooth crown previously identified as belonging to the thalattosuchian Machimosaurus is here considered to represent an indeterminate vertebrate. The revised taxonomy of the marine reptiles from Krzyżanowice, as well as the uncertain provenance of the metriorhynchid specimen reported from the locality, cast doubt on the palaeobiogeographic significance of the assemblage

Peat consolidation -- new approach

The problem of consolidation of soil has been widely investigated. The basic approach was given by Terzaghi who assumed soil of constant physical and mechanical parameters. In the case of peat consolidation, the permeability coefficient of soil and the elasticity modulus are functions of the settlement which is an important additional factor. The model proposed here assumes varying the elasticity and permeability coefficients. Moreover, the settlement is described by the so-called elementary curve which was approximated empirically based upon laboratory tests. The model allows to consider the case when the filtration in the peat body goes in horizontal direction. It happens so when the charging layer does not receive outgoing water from the pores. The model includes also the case when the load involving consolidation varies in time i.e. the charging layer grows up gradually. The model has been applied practically in several cases and it comes that there is a good agreement between calculated and measured settlement of the consolidated peat layer

The use of ash generated in energy production for construction purposes

W referacie przedstawiono krótką charakterystykę fizyko-chemiczną i mechaniczną odpadów poenergetycznych z węgla kamiennego oraz wybrane ich zastosowania w budownictwie.This paper presents a brief description of the physicochemical and mechanical characteristics of waste produced from bituminous coal burnt for energy production, and selected uses of such waste in the construction industry