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  1. Fulltext Anaphylactic shock following the bite of a wild Kayan slow loris (Nycticebus kayan): implications for slow loris conservation
    Madani G, Nekaris KA
    J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis, 2014;20(1):43.
    PMID: 25309586 DOI: 10.1186/1678-9199-20-43
    BACKGROUND: Asian slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.) are one of few known venomous mammals, yet until now only one published case report has documented the impact of their venomous bite on humans. We describe the reaction of a patient to the bite of a subadult Nycticebus kayan, which occurred in the Mulu District of Sarawak in 2012.

    FINDINGS: Within minutes of the bite, the patient experienced paraesthesia in the right side of the jaw, ear and right foot. By 40 minutes, swelling of the face was pronounced. The patient was admitted to Mulu National Park Health Clinic/Klinik Kesihatan Taman Mulu Tarikh, at which time he was experiencing: swollen mouth, chest pain, mild abdominal pain, nausea, numbness of the lips and mouth, shortness of breath, weakness, agitation and the sensation of pressure in the ears due to swelling. The blood pressure was 110/76, the heart ratio was 116 and oxygen saturation was 96%. The patient was treated intramuscularly with adrenaline (0.5 mL), followed by intravenous injection of hydrocortisone (400 mg) and then intravenous fluid therapy of normal saline (500 mg). By 8 h10 the next day, the patient's condition had significantly improved with no nausea, and with blood pressure and pulse rate stable.

    CONCLUSIONS: A handful of anecdotes further support the real danger that slow loris bites pose to humans. As the illegal pet trade is a major factor in the decline of these threatened species, we hope that by reporting on the danger of handling these animals it may help to reduce their desirability as a pet.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oxygen
  2. Assessment of water quality parameters using multivariate analysis for Klang River basin, Malaysia
    Mohamed I, Othman F, Ibrahim AI, Alaa-Eldin ME, Yunus RM
    Environ Monit Assess, 2015 Jan;187(1):4182.
    PMID: 25433545 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-014-4182-y
    This case study uses several univariate and multivariate statistical techniques to evaluate and interpret a water quality data set obtained from the Klang River basin located within the state of Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The river drains an area of 1,288 km(2), from the steep mountain rainforests of the main Central Range along Peninsular Malaysia to the river mouth in Port Klang, into the Straits of Malacca. Water quality was monitored at 20 stations, nine of which are situated along the main river and 11 along six tributaries. Data was collected from 1997 to 2007 for seven parameters used to evaluate the status of the water quality, namely dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, ammoniacal nitrogen, pH, and temperature. The data were first investigated using descriptive statistical tools, followed by two practical multivariate analyses that reduced the data dimensions for better interpretation. The analyses employed were factor analysis and principal component analysis, which explain 60 and 81.6% of the total variation in the data, respectively. We found that the resulting latent variables from the factor analysis are interpretable and beneficial for describing the water quality in the Klang River. This study presents the usefulness of several statistical methods in evaluating and interpreting water quality data for the purpose of monitoring the effectiveness of water resource management. The results should provide more straightforward data interpretation as well as valuable insight for managers to conceive optimum action plans for controlling pollution in river water.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  3. Treatment of laundry wastewater using polyethersulfone/polyvinylpyrollidone ultrafiltration membranes
    Sumisha A, Arthanareeswaran G, Lukka Thuyavan Y, Ismail AF, Chakraborty S
    Ecotoxicol Environ Saf, 2015 Nov;121:174-9.
    PMID: 25890841 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.04.004
    In this study, laundry wastewater filtration was studied using hydrophilic polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP) modified polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes. The performances of PES/PVP membranes were assessed using commercial PES membrane with 10kDa in ultrafiltration. Operating parameters The influence of transmembrane pressure (TMP) and stirring speed on laundry wastewater flux was investigated. A higher permeate flux of 55.2L/m(2)h was obtained for modified PES membrane with high concentration of PVP at TMP of 500kPa and 750rpm of stirring speed. The separation efficiencies of membranes were also studied with respect to chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity and conductivity. Results showed that PES membrane with 10% of PVP had higher permeate flux, flux recovery and less fouling when compared with other membranes. Higher COD and TDS rejection of 88% and 82% were also observed for modified membranes due to the improved surface property of membranes. This indicated that modified PES membranes are suitable for the treatment of surfactant, detergent and oil from laundry wastewater.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  4. Synergetic effect of conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) with different structural configuration of anode for microbial fuel cell application
    Kang YL, Ibrahim S, Pichiah S
    Bioresour Technol, 2015;189:364-369.
    PMID: 25913883 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.04.044
    PEDOT was synthesized by chemical polymerisation and characterised for its electrochemical insights. Three different anode configuration, namely graphite plate (GP), carbon cloth (CC) and graphite felt (GF) were then loaded with a fixed amount of PEDOT (2.5 mg/m(2)) denoted as GP-P, CC-P and GF-P respectively. The PEDOT coating improved the electrochemical characteristics and electron transfer capabilities of the anodes. They also contributed for enhanced MFC performances with maximum energy generation along with coulombic efficiency than the unmodified anodes. The morphological characteristics like higher surface area and open structure of felt material promoted both microbial formation and electrochemical active area. A maximum current density of 3.5A/m(2) was achieved for GF-P with CE and COD of 51% and 86% respectively. Thus, the GF-P anode excelled among the studied anodes with synergetic effect of PEDOT coating and structural configuration, making it as a potential optimum anode for MFC application.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  5. Aerobic sludge granulation at high temperatures for domestic wastewater treatment
    Ab Halim MH, Nor Anuar A, Azmi SI, Jamal NS, Wahab NA, Ujang Z, et al.
    Bioresour Technol, 2015 Jun;185:445-9.
    PMID: 25851807 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.03.024
    With inoculum sludge from a conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant, three sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) fed with synthetic wastewater were operated at different high temperatures (30, 40 and 50±1°C) to study the formation of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) for simultaneous organics and nutrients removal with a complete cycle time of 3h. The AGS were successfully cultivated with influent loading rate of 1.6CODg(Ld)(-1). The COD/N ratio of the influent wastewater was 8. The results revealed that granules developed at 50°C have the highest average diameter, (3.36mm) with 98.17%, 94.45% and 72.46% removal efficiency observed in the system for COD, ammonia and phosphate, respectively. This study also demonstrated the capabilities of AGS formation at high temperatures which is suitable to be applied for hot climate conditions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  6. Development of effluent removal prediction model efficiency in septic sludge treatment plant through clonal selection algorithm
    Ting SC, Ismail AR, Malek MA
    J Environ Manage, 2013 Nov 15;129:260-5.
    PMID: 23968912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.07.022
    This study aims at developing a novel effluent removal management tool for septic sludge treatment plants (SSTP) using a clonal selection algorithm (CSA). The proposed CSA articulates the idea of utilizing an artificial immune system (AIS) to identify the behaviour of the SSTP, that is, using a sequence batch reactor (SBR) technology for treatment processes. The novelty of this study is the development of a predictive SSTP model for effluent discharge adopting the human immune system. Septic sludge from the individual septic tanks and package plants will be desuldged and treated in SSTP before discharging the wastewater into a waterway. The Borneo Island of Sarawak is selected as the case study. Currently, there are only two SSTPs in Sarawak, namely the Matang SSTP and the Sibu SSTP, and they are both using SBR technology. Monthly effluent discharges from 2007 to 2011 in the Matang SSTP are used in this study. Cross-validation is performed using data from the Sibu SSTP from April 2011 to July 2012. Both chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS) in the effluent were analysed in this study. The model was validated and tested before forecasting the future effluent performance. The CSA-based SSTP model was simulated using MATLAB 7.10. The root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and correction coefficient (R) were used as performance indexes. In this study, it was found that the proposed prediction model was successful up to 84 months for the COD and 109 months for the TSS. In conclusion, the proposed CSA-based SSTP prediction model is indeed beneficial as an engineering tool to forecast the long-run performance of the SSTP and in turn, prevents infringement of future environmental balance in other towns in Sarawak.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  7. Assessment of sewage sludge bioremediation at different hydraulic retention times using mixed fungal inoculation by liquid-state bioconversion
    Rahman RA, Molla AH, Fakhru'l-Razi A
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2014 Jan;21(2):1178-87.
    PMID: 23881591 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-1974-5
    Sustainable, environmental friendly, and safe disposal of sewage treatment plant (STP) sludge is a global expectation. Bioremediation performance was examined at different hydraulic retention times (HRT) in 3-10 days and organic loading rates (OLR) at 0.66-7.81 g chemical oxygen demand (COD) per liter per day, with mixed filamentous fungal (Aspergillus niger and Penicillium corylophilum) inoculation by liquid-state bioconversion (LSB) technique as a continuous process in large-scale bioreactor. Encouraging results were monitored in treated sludge by LSB continuous process. The highest removal of total suspended solid (TSS), turbidity, and COD were achieved at 98, 99, and 93%, respectively, at 10 days HRT compared to control. The minimum volatile suspended solid/suspended solid implies the quality of water, which was recorded 0.59 at 10 days and 0.72 at 3 days of HRT. In treated supernatant with 88% protein removal at 10 days of HRT indicates a higher magnitude of purification of treated sludge. The specific resistance to filtration (SRF) quantifies the performance of dewaterability; it was recorded minimum 0.049 × 10(12) m kg(-1) at 10 days of HRT, which was equivalent to 97% decrease of SRF. The lower OLR and higher HRT directly influenced the bioremediation and dewaterability of STP sludge in LSB process. The obtained findings imply encouraging message in continuing treatment of STP sludge, i.e., bioremediation of wastewater for environmental friendly disposal in near future.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  8. Bathroom greywater recycling using polyelectrolyte-complex bilayer membrane: Advanced study of membrane structure and treatment efficiency
    Oh KS, Poh PE, Chong MN, Chan ES, Lau EV, Saint CP
    Carbohydr Polym, 2016 Sep 05;148:161-70.
    PMID: 27185127 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.04.039
    Polyelectrolyte-complex bilayer membrane (PCBM) was fabricated using biodegradable chitosan and alginate polymers for subsequent application in the treatment of bathroom greywater. In this study, the properties of PCBMs were studied and it was found that the formation of polyelectrolyte network reduced the molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) from 242kDa in chitosan membrane to 2.71kDa in PCBM. The decrease in MWCO of PCBM results in better greywater treatment efficiency, subsequently demonstrated in a greywater filtration study where treated greywater effluent met the household reclaimed water standard of <2 NTU turbidity and <30ppm total suspended solids (TSS). In addition, a further 20% improvement in chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was achieved as compared to a single layer chitosan membrane. Results from this study show that the biodegradable PCBM is a potential membrane material in producing clean treated greywater for non-potable applications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  9. Fulltext Gallic acid induced apoptotic events in HCT-15 colon cancer cells
    Subramanian AP, Jaganathan SK, Mandal M, Supriyanto E, Muhamad II
    World J Gastroenterol, 2016 Apr 21;22(15):3952-61.
    PMID: 27099438 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i15.3952
    AIM: To investigate the inhibitory action of diet-derived phenolic compound gallic acid (GA) against HCT-15 colon cancer cells.
    METHODS: The antiproliferative effect of GA against colon cancer cells was determined by performing thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The colony forming ability of GA treated colon cancer cells was evaluated using the colony forming assay. The cell cycle changes induced by GA in HCT-15 cells were analyzed by propidium iodide staining. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential of HCT-15 exposed to GA was assessed using 2',7'-dichlorfluorescein-diacetate and rhodamine-123 respectively, with the help of flow cytometry. Morphological changes caused by GA treatment in the colon cancer cells were identified by scanning electron microscope and photomicrograph examination. Apoptosis was confirmed using flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells after staining with Yo-Pro-1.
    RESULTS: MTT assay results illustrated that GA has an inhibitory effect on HCT-15 cells with IC50 value of 740 μmol/L. A time-dependent inhibition of colony formation was evident with GA treatment. Cell cycle arrest was evident from the accumulation of GA treated HCT-15 cells at sub-G1 phase (0.98 ± 1.03 vs 58.01 ± 2.05) with increasing exposure time. Flow cytometric analysis of GA treated HCT-15 cells depicted early events associated with apoptosis like lipid layer breakage and fall in mitochondrial membrane potential apart from an increase in the generation of ROS which were in a time dependent manner. SEM and photomicrograph images of the GA-treated cells displayed membrane blebbing and cell shrinking characteristics of apoptosis. Further apoptosis confirmation by Yo-Pro-1 staining also showed the time-dependent increase of apoptotic cells after treatment.
    CONCLUSION: These results show that GA induced ROS dependent apoptosis and inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells.
    KEYWORDS: Apoptosis; Cell cycle; Colon cancer; Gallic acid; Lipid layer break; Reactive oxygen species
    Matched MeSH terms: Reactive Oxygen Species
  10. Optimization of leachate treatment using persulfate/H2O2 based advanced oxidation process: case study: Deir El-Balah Landfill Site, Gaza Strip, Palestine
    Hilles AH, Abu Amr SS, Hussein RA, Arafa AI, El-Sebaie OD
    Water Sci Technol, 2016;73(1):102-12.
    PMID: 26744940 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2015.468
    The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of employing H2O2 reagent in persulfate activation to treat stabilized landfill leachate. A central composite design (CCD) with response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to evaluate the relationships between operating variables, such as persulfate and H2O2 dosages, pH, and reaction time, to identify the optimum operating conditions. Quadratic models for the following two responses proved to be significant with very low probabilities (<0.0001): chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH3-N removal. The obtained optimum conditions included a reaction time of 116 min, 4.97 g S2O8(2-), 7.29 g H2O2 dosage and pH 11. The experimental results were corresponding well with predicted models (COD and NH3-N removal rates of 81% and 83%, respectively). The results obtained in the stabilized leachate treatment were compared with those from other treatment processes, such as persulfate only and H2O2 only, to evaluate its effectiveness. The combined method (i.e., /S2O8(2-)/H2O2) achieved higher removal efficiencies for COD and NH3-N compared with other studied applications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  11. Fulltext Germinated Brown Rice Alters Aβ(1-42) Aggregation and Modulates Alzheimer's Disease-Related Genes in Differentiated Human SH-SY5Y Cells
    Azmi NH, Ismail M, Ismail N, Imam MU, Alitheen NB, Abdullah MA
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2015;2015:153684.
    PMID: 26858770 DOI: 10.1155/2015/153684
    The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease involves complex etiological factors, of which the deposition of beta-amyloid (Aβ) protein and oxidative stress have been strongly implicated. We explored the effects of H2O2, which is a precursor for highly reactive hydroxyl radicals, on neurotoxicity and genes related to AD on neuronal cells. Candidate bioactive compounds responsible for the effects were quantified using HPLC-DAD. Additionally, the effects of germinated brown rice (GBR) on the morphology of Aβ(1-42) were assessed by Transmission Electron Microscopy and its regulatory effects on gene expressions were explored. The results showed that GBR extract had several phenolic compounds and γ-oryzanol and altered the structure of Aβ(1-42) suggesting an antiamyloidogenic effect. GBR was also able to attenuate the oxidative effects of H2O2 as implied by reduced LDH release and intracellular ROS generation. Furthermore, gene expression analyses showed that the neuroprotective effects of GBR were partly mediated through transcriptional regulation of multiple genes including Presenilins, APP, BACE1, BACE2, ADAM10, Neprilysin, and LRP1. Our findings showed that GBR exhibited neuroprotective properties via transcriptional regulation of APP metabolism with potential impact on Aβ aggregation. These findings can have important implications for the management of neurodegenerative diseases like AD and are worth exploring further.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reactive Oxygen Species
  12. Fulltext Investigation into the effects of antioxidant-rich extract of Tamarindus indica leaf on antioxidant enzyme activities, oxidative stress and gene expression profiles in HepG2 cells
    Razali N, Abdul Aziz A, Lim CY, Mat Junit S
    PeerJ, 2015;3:e1292.
    PMID: 26557426 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1292
    The leaf extract of Tamarindus indica L. (T. indica) had been reported to possess high phenolic content and showed high antioxidant activities. In this study, the effects of the antioxidant-rich leaf extract of the T. indica on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activities, H2O2-induced ROS production and gene expression patterns were investigated in liver HepG2 cells. Lipid peroxidation and ROS production were inhibited and the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase was enhanced when the cells were treated with the antioxidant-rich leaf extract. cDNA microarray analysis revealed that 207 genes were significantly regulated by at least 1.5-fold (p < 0.05) in cells treated with the antioxidant-rich leaf extract. The expression of KNG1, SERPINC1, SERPIND1, SERPINE1, FGG, FGA, MVK, DHCR24, CYP24A1, ALDH6A1, EPHX1 and LEAP2 were amongst the highly regulated. When the significantly regulated genes were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software, "Lipid Metabolism, Small Molecule Biochemistry, Hematological Disease" was the top biological network affected by the leaf extract, with a score of 36. The top predicted canonical pathway affected by the leaf extract was the coagulation system (P < 2.80 × 10(-6)) followed by the superpathway of cholesterol biosynthesis (P < 2.17 × 10(-4)), intrinsic prothrombin pathway (P < 2.92 × 10(-4)), Immune Protection/Antimicrobial Response (P < 2.28 × 10(-3)) and xenobiotic metabolism signaling (P < 2.41 × 10(-3)). The antioxidant-rich leaf extract of T. indica also altered the expression of proteins that are involved in the Coagulation System and the Intrinsic Prothrombin Activation Pathway (KNG1, SERPINE1, FGG), Superpathway of Cholesterol Biosynthesis (MVK), Immune protection/antimicrobial response (IFNGR1, LEAP2, ANXA3 and MX1) and Xenobiotic Metabolism Signaling (ALDH6A1, ADH6). In conclusion, the antioxidant-rich leaf extract of T. indica inhibited lipid peroxidation and ROS production, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities and significantly regulated the expression of genes and proteins involved with consequential impact on the coagulation system, cholesterol biosynthesis, xenobiotic metabolism signaling and antimicrobial response.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reactive Oxygen Species
  13. Modeling of wastewater quality in an urban area during festival and rainy days
    Obaid HA, Shahid S, Basim KN, Chelliapan S
    Water Sci Technol, 2015;72(6):1029-42.
    PMID: 26360765 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2015.297
    Water pollution during festival periods is a major problem in all festival cities across the world. Reliable prediction of water pollution is essential in festival cities for sewer and wastewater management in order to ensure public health and a clean environment. This article aims to model the biological oxygen demand (BOD(5)), and total suspended solids (TSS) parameters in wastewater in the sewer networks of Karbala city center during festival and rainy days using structural equation modeling and multiple linear regression analysis methods. For this purpose, 34 years (1980-2014) of rainfall, temperature and sewer flow data during festival periods in the study area were collected, processed, and employed. The results show that the TSS concentration increases by 26-46 mg/l while BOD(5) concentration rises by 9-19 mg/l for an increase of rainfall by 1 mm during festival periods. It was also found that BOD(5) concentration rises by 4-17 mg/l for each increase of 10,000 population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  14. Cardiorespiratory fitness is positively associated with a healthy dietary pattern in New Zealand adolescents
    Howe AS, Skidmore PM, Parnell WR, Wong JE, Lubransky AC, Black KE
    Public Health Nutr, 2016 May;19(7):1279-87.
    PMID: 26347042 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980015002566
    OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and dietary patterns in adolescents.

    DESIGN: Food choice was assessed using the validated New Zealand Adolescent FFQ. Principal components analysis was used to determine dietary patterns. Trained research assistants measured participants' height and body mass. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed in a subset of participants using the multistage 20 m shuttle run. The level and stage were recorded, and the corresponding VO2max was calculated. Differences in mean VO2max according to sex and BMI were assessed using t tests, while associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and dietary patterns were examined using linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, school attended, socio-economic deprivation and BMI.

    SETTING: Secondary schools in Otago, New Zealand.

    SUBJECTS: Students (n 279) aged 14-18 years who completed an online lifestyle survey during a class period.

    RESULTS: Principal components analysis produced three dietary patterns: 'Treat Foods', 'Fruits and Vegetables' and 'Basic Foods'. The 279 participants who provided questionnaire data and completed cardiorespiratory fitness testing had a mean age of 15·7 (sd 0·9) years. Mean VO2max was 45·8 (sd 6·9) ml/kg per min. The 'Fruits and Vegetables' pattern was positively associated with VO2max in the total sample (β=0·04; 95%CI 0·02, 0·07), girls (β=0·06; 95% CI 0·03, 0·10) and boys (β=0·03; 95% CI 0·01, 0·05).

    CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that increase in cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a healthier dietary pattern, suggesting both should be targeted as part of a global lifestyle approach. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this association in relation to health outcomes in New Zealand adolescents.

    Matched MeSH terms: Oxygen Consumption
  15. Comparison of the efficiencies of attached- versus suspended-growth SBR systems in the treatment of recycled paper mill wastewater
    Muhamad MH, Sheikh Abdullah SR, Abu Hasan H, Abd Rahim RA
    J Environ Manage, 2015 Nov 1;163:115-24.
    PMID: 26311084 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.08.012
    The complexity of residual toxic organics from biologically treated effluents of pulp and paper mills is a serious concern. To date, it has been difficult to choose the best treatment technique because each of the available options has advantages and drawbacks. In this study, two different treatment techniques using laboratory-scale aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were tested with the same real recycled paper mill effluent to evaluate their treatment efficiencies. Two attached-growth SBRs using granular activated carbon (GAC) with and without additional biomass and a suspended-growth SBR were used in the treatment of real recycled paper mill effluent at a chemical oxygen demand (COD) level in the range of 800-1300 mg/L, a fixed hydraulic retention time of 24 h and a COD:N:P ratio of approximately 100:5:1. The efficiency of this biological treatment process was studied over a 300-day period. The six most important wastewater quality parameters, namely, chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, ammonia (expressed as NH3-N), phosphorus (expressed as PO4(3)-P), colour, and suspended solids (SS), were measured to compare the different treatment techniques. It was determined that these processes were able to almost completely and simultaneously eliminate COD (99%) and turbidity (99%); the removals of NH3-N (90-100%), PO4(3)-P (66-78%), colour (63-91%), and SS (97-99%) were also sufficient. The overall performance results confirmed that an attached-growth SBR system using additional biomass on GAC is a promising configuration for wastewater treatment in terms of performance efficiency and process stability under fluctuations of organic load. Hence, this hybrid system is recommended for the treatment of pulp and paper mill effluents.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  16. Anti-cancerous efficacy and pharmacokinetics of 6-mercaptopurine loaded chitosan nanoparticles
    Kumar GP, Sanganal JS, Phani AR, Manohara C, Tripathi SM, Raghavendra HL, et al.
    Pharmacol Res, 2015 Oct;100:47-57.
    PMID: 26232590 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.07.025
    6-Mercaptopurine is a cytotoxic and immunosuppressant drug. The use of this drug is limited due to its poor bioavailability and short plasma half-life. In order to nullify these drawbacks, 6-mercaptopurine-chitosan nanoparticles (6-MP-CNPs) were prepared and evaluated to study the influence of preparation conditions on the physicochemical properties by using DLS, SEM, XRD and FTIR. The in vitro drug release profile at pH 4.8 and 7.4 revealed sustained release patterns for a period of 2 days. The nanoformulations showed enhanced in vitro anti-cancer activities (MTT assay, apoptosis assay, cell cycle arrest and ROS indices) on HT-1080 and MCF-7 cells. In vivo pharmacokinetics profiles of 6-MP-CNPs showed improved bioavailability. Thus, the results of the present study revealed that, the prepared 6-MP-CNPs have a significant role in increasing anti-cancer efficacy, bioavailability and in vivo pharmacokinetics profiles.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reactive Oxygen Species
  17. The use of palm kernel shell (PKS) as substrate material in vertical-flow engineered wetlands for septage treatment in Malaysia
    Jong VS, Tang FE
    Water Sci Technol, 2015;72(1):84-91.
    PMID: 26114275 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2015.186
    In this study, the treatment of septage (originating from septic tanks) was carried out in a pilot-scale, two-staged, vertical-flow engineered wetland (VFEW). Palm kernel shells (PKS) were incorporated as part of the VFEW's substrate (B-PKS), to compare its organic matter (OM) and nitrogen (N) removal efficiency against wetlands with only sand substrates (B-SD). The results revealed satisfactory OM removal with >90% reduction efficiencies at both wetlands B-PKS and B-SD. No increment of chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration was observed in the effluent of B-PKS. Ammonia load removal efficiencies were comparable (>91% and 95% in wetland B-PKS and B-SD, respectively). However, nitrate accumulation was observed in the effluent of B-SD where PKS was absent. This was due to the limited denitrification in B-SD, as sand is free of carbon. A lower nitrate concentration was associated with higher COD concentration in the effluent at B-PKS. This study has shown that the use of PKS was effective in improving the N removal efficiency in engineered wetlands.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  18. Hypoxia-regulated microRNAs: the molecular drivers of tumor progression
    Sawai S, Wong PF, Ramasamy TS
    Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol, 2022 Aug;57(4):351-376.
    PMID: 35900938 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2022.2088684
    Hypoxia is a common feature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of nearly all solid tumors, leading to therapeutic failure. The changes in stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM), pH gradients, and chemical balance that contribute to multiple cancer hallmarks are closely regulated by intratumoral oxygen tension via its primary mediators, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). HIFs, especially HIF-1α, influence these changes in the TME by regulating vital cancer-associated signaling pathways and cellular processes including MAPK/ERK, NF-κB, STAT3, PI3K/Akt, Wnt, p53, and glycolysis. Interestingly, research has revealed the involvement of epigenetic regulation by hypoxia-regulated microRNAs (HRMs) of downstream target genes involved in these signaling. Through literature search and analysis, we identified 48 HRMs that have a functional role in the regulation of 5 key cellular processes: proliferation, metabolism, survival, invasion and migration, and immunoregulation in various cancers in hypoxic condition. Among these HRMs, 17 were identified to be directly associated with HIFs which include miR-135b, miR-145, miR-155, miR-181a, miR-182, miR-210, miR-224, miR-301a, and miR-675-5p as oncomiRNAs, and miR-100-5p, miR-138, miR-138-5p, miR-153, miR-22, miR-338-3p, miR-519d-3p, and miR-548an as tumor suppressor miRNAs. These HRMs serve as a potential lead in the development of miRNA-based targeted therapy for advanced solid tumors. Future development of combined HIF-targeted and miRNA-targeted therapy is possible, which requires comprehensive profiling of HIFs-HRMs regulatory network, and improved formula of the delivery vehicles to enhance the therapeutic kinetics of the targeted cancer therapy (TCT) moving forward.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oxygen
  19. Fulltext Synthesis and Characterization of Graphene Oxide/Polyethylene Glycol/Folic Acid/Brucine Nanocomposites and Their Anticancer Activity on HepG2 Cells
    Ibrahim IAA, Alzahrani AR, Alanazi IM, Shahzad N, Shahid I, Falemban AH, et al.
    Int J Nanomedicine, 2024;19:1109-1124.
    PMID: 38344441 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S445206
    BACKGROUND: Liver cancer is the sixth most prevalent form of cancer and the second major cause of cancer-associated mortalities worldwide. Cancer nanotechnology has the ability to fundamentally alter cancer treatment, diagnosis, and detection.

    OBJECTIVE: In this study, we explained the development of graphene oxide/polyethylene glycol/folic acid/brucine nanocomposites (GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs) and evaluated their antimicrobial and anticancer effect on the liver cancer HepG2 cells.

    METHODOLOGY: The GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs were prepared using the co-precipitation technique and characterized using various techniques. The cytotoxicity of the GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs was tested against both liver cancer HepG2 and non-malignant Vero cells using an MTT assay. The antimicrobial activity of the GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs was tested against several pathogens using the well diffusion technique. The effects of GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs on endogenous ROS accumulation, apoptosis, and MMP levels were examined using corresponding fluorescent staining assays, respectively. The apoptotic protein expressions, such as Bax, Bcl-2, and caspases, were studied using the corresponding kits.

    RESULTS: The findings of various characterization assays revealed the development of GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs with face-centered spherical morphology and an agglomerated appearance with an average size of 197.40 nm. The GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs treatment remarkably inhibited the growth of the tested pathogens. The findings of the MTT assay evidenced that the GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs effectively reduced the HepG2 cell growth while not showing toxicity to the Vero cells. The findings of the fluorescent assay proved that the GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs increased ROS generation, reduced MMP levels, and promoted apoptosis in the HepG2 cells. The levels of Bax, caspase-9, and -3 were increased, and Bcl-2 was reduced in the GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs-treated HepG2 cells.

    CONCLUSION: The results of this work demonstrate that GO/PEG/Bru-FA NCs suppress viability and induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells, indicating their potential as an anticancer candidate.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reactive Oxygen Species
  20. Role and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy on pain relief through NOX-ROS-NLRP3 pathway in CCI rats models
    Jinying W, Keming L, Hanqing T, Xuqing Z, Muccee F, Xuan L, et al.
    Mol Biol Rep, 2023 Nov;50(11):9367-9378.
    PMID: 37819498 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08858-8
    OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy on pain relief in sciatica rats and to explore the mechanism of its anti-inflammatory effect.

    METHODS: SPF grade 4-6-week-old Kunming rats were randomly divided into 5 groups including a blank group, sham-operated group, model group, acupuncture, and moxibustion (AnM) group, and positive group. A total of 10 rats were included in each group. The model group, the AnM group, and the positive group were prepared by ligating the left sciatic nerve. AnM group was used for acupuncture and moxibustion therapy intervention, and the positive group was rendered to quick-acting sciatica pills once a day for 7 days (3 courses of treatment). The blank group, sham-operated group, and model group were not treated. The changes in thermal and mechanical pain thresholds were observed before and after the operation, and the morphological changes of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in the lumbosacral region of the rats in each group were observed by HE staining after the courses of treatment finished. The contents of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α were measured by ELISA and the expressions of NOX1, NOX2, NOX4, and NLRP3 genes were detected by RT-qPCR while the protein expressions of NOX1, NOX2, NOX4 and NLRP3 were analyzed by Western blotting.

    RESULTS: The AnM and positive group showed a significant increase in thermal and mechanical pain thresholds after treatment, while there was no significant change in the model group. As compared to the control group, the contents of IL- 1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α, as well as the relative expressions of NOX1, NOX2, NOX4, and NLRP3 genes were significantly increased in the model group (P 

    Matched MeSH terms: Reactive Oxygen Species
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