1.Silymarin Prevents Restraint Stress-Induced Acute Liver Injury by Ameliorating Oxidative Stress and Reducing Inflammatory Response.
Kim SH1, Oh DS2, Oh JY3, Son TG4, Yuk DY5, Jung YS6. Molecules. 2016 Apr 1;21(4). pii: E443. doi: 10.3390/molecules21040443.
Silymarin is a flavonoid extracted from the milk thistle Silybum marianum. It has been reported to prevent liver injuries induced by various chemicals or toxins. Our recent study suggested that silymarin induces hepatic synthesis of glutathione by increasing cysteine availability, which may consequently contribute to increased antioxidant capacity of the liver. In the present study, we investigated the effects of silymarin on acute liver injury induced by restraint stress. Silymarin (100 mg/kg) was orally administered to BALB/c mice every 12 h (3 times in total). After the last dose, mice were subjected to restraint stress for 6 h, and serum levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, and hepatic levels of lipid peroxidation were determined. Hepatic levels of sulfur-containing metabolites such as methionine, S-adenosylmethionine, cysteine, and glutathione were also measured. The level of pro-inflammatory mediators in both liver and serum was determined.
2.Characterization and ciprofloxacin adsorption properties of activated carbons prepared from biomass wastes by H3PO4 activation.
Sun Y1, Li H1, Li G1, Gao B2, Yue Q3, Li X4. Bioresour Technol. 2016 Mar 22. pii: S0960-8524(16)30341-8. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.03.047. [Epub ahead of print]
As biomass wastes, Arundo donax Linn and pomelo peel were used as precursors for activated carbons (ALAC and PPAC) preparation by phosphoric acid activation. The pore structure and surface acidic functional groups of both carbons were characterized by nitrogen adsorption/desorption experiment, NH3-temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A batch of experiments was carried out to investigate the adsorption performances of ciprofloxacin under different conditions. Results showed that PPAC exhibited larger surface area (1252m2/g) and larger portion of mesoporous, while ALAC was typical of microporous materials. Results from NH3-TPD suggested that ALAC was characteristic of more acidic functional group than PPAC. The maximum monolayer adsorption capability was 244mg/g for ALAC and 400mg/L for PPAC. Kinetics studies showed intra-particle diffusion was not the unique rate-controlling step.
3.Sensitization profiles to peanut allergens in Belgium; cracking the code in infants, children and adults.
Faber MA1, Donné I1, Herrebosch E1, Sabato V1, Hagendorens MM1,2, Bridts CH1, De Clerck LS1, Ebo DG1. Acta Clin Belg. 2016 Feb 5:1-7. [Epub ahead of print]
OBJECTIVES: Peanut allergy shows distinct clinical patterns that can be predicted by component resolved diagnosis. However, data about peanut sensitization profiles in populations with a broad age stratification are scarce.
4.A study of the properties of chlorine dioxide gas as a fumigant.
Shirasaki Y1, Matsuura A, Uekusa M, Ito Y, Hayashi T. Exp Anim. 2016 Apr 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a strong oxidant that possesses an antimicrobial activity. We demonstrated here that ClO2 gas is easily generated by mixing 3.35% sodium chlorite solution (Purogene) and 85% phosphoric acid at a 10:1 volume ratio without using an expensive machine. In a test room (87 m3), experiments were carried out using various amounts of sodium chlorite solution (0.25 ml/m3 to 20.0 ml/m3). The gas concentration increased in a sodium chlorite volume-dependent manner and reached peak values of from 0.8 ppm to 40.8 ppm at 2 h-3 h, and then gradually decreased. No differences in gas concentrations were observed between 0.1 and 2.5 m above the floor, indicating that the gas was evenly distributed. Under high-humidity (approximately 80% relative humidity), colony formation of both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was completely inhibited by ClO2 gas exposure at 1.0 ml/m3 sodium chlorite solution (mean maximal concentration of 3.
