The amnesic shellfish poison domoic acid enhances neurotoxicity by excitatory amino acids in cultured neurons

Summary A recent episode of human intoxication by cultured mussels containing a rare excitatory amino acid named domoic acid, received particular attention for its neurological implications. The intoxication produced neurological problems, such as headache, confusion, and loss of memory, particularly severe at times. Neuronal damage was found in the hippocampus and amygdala of four patients. We now report that in neuronal cultures the neurotoxicity of a domoic acid-containing mussel extract is the result of domoic acid potentiation of the excitotoxic effect of glutamic acid and aspartic acid present in high amounts in mussel tissue. Moreover, we show that subtoxic concentrations of domoic acid are sufficient to potentiate glutamic acid and aspartic acid neurotoxicity. We present evidence suggesting that the neurotoxic synergism may be due to a reduction of Mg^{+ +} block at the NMDA receptor-associated channel, following activation of NON-NMDA receptors by domoic acid.     

Selected factors limiting the microbial degradation of recalcitrant compounds

Summary The focus of this review is to examine some of the reasons biodegradation may not take place in the environment even though its occurrence in the laboratory has been demonstrated. Some approaches for dealing with chemical persistence will be discussed. In addition, the potential of bioremediation as an in situ clean-up technology will be considered.     

The concentrations of essential/toxic elements in serum of COVID-19 patients are not directly related to the severity of the disease

BackgroundIn recent months, the current COVID-19 pandemic has generated thousands of studies directly or indirectly related with this disease and/or the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causing the infection. On August 22, 2022, the database PUBMED included 287,639 publications containing the term COVID-19. However, in spite of the importance of trace elements in human health, including the immune system, data on the levels of metals/metalloids in COVID-19 patients is very limited.MethodsThe concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, Se, V and Zn were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in 126 serum samples of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, as well as in 88 samples of non-infected individuals. Participants were divided into four groups: i) individuals COVID-19 positive (COVID-19 +) with an asymptomatic infection course; ii) individuals suffering mild COVID-19; iii) individuals suffering severe COVID-19, and iv) individuals COVID-19 negative (COVID-19-) (control group). The occurrence of the analyzed metals/metalloids was evaluated along with the biochemical profile, including blood cell counts, lipids, proteins and crucial enzymes.ResultsSerum levels of Mg, V, Cr, Cu, Cd, and Pb were higher in COVID-19 positive patients than those in the control group. Although no significant differences were observed between the different groups of patients, the concentrations of Cd, Pb, V and Zn showed a tendency to be higher in individuals with severe COVID-19 than in those showing mild symptoms or being asymptomatic. Arsenic and Hg were rarely detected, regardless if the subjects were infected by SARS-CoV-2, or not. The current results did not show significant differences in the levels of the rest of analyzed elements according to the severity of the disease (asymptomatic, mild and severe).ConclusionsIn spite of the results here obtained, we highlight the need to reduce the exposure to Cd, Pb and V to minimize the potential adverse health outcomes after COVID-19 infection. On the other hand, although a protective role of essential elements was not found, Mg and Cu concentrations were higher in severe COVID-19 patients than in non-infected individuals.     

Incidence of thyroid diseases in Zhejiang Province,China, after 15 years of salt iodization

Thyroid diseases(TD) can be induced by either deficient or excessive iodine intake. Universal Salt Iodization(USI) program has been implemented in China since 1995, to prevent iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). To evaluate the current conditions of TD and the role of USI, a multi-stage stratified random sampling scheme was used to perform a cross-sectional survey on the incidence of TD among participants in 6600 households in Zhejiang Province, a coastal area in China. Iodine nutrition status of the population was assessed by dietary iodine intake recall and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of the participants, and TD were diagnosed by thyroid ultrasonography for 15122 participants and for 5873 participants by serum criteria for thyroid function(fT3, fT4, TSH, TRAb, TgAb, TPOAb; see Introduction for abbreviations). The median UIC of the surveyed population was 163 μg iodine/L. From the participants 23.2% had UIC < 100 μg/L which is moderately iodine-deficient according to WHO classification. Diffuse goiter was present in 2.3% of the population and thyroid nodule in 20.9%. The incidence of hyperthyroidism, subclinical hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, Graves’ disease and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis was 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.6%, 7.8%, 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively. The proportion of several TD for participants with non-iodized salt intake was higher than that for participants with iodized salt intake.     

三维适形放疗治疗食管鳞癌的近期疗效、生存率及预后的影响因素分析

目的:观察三维适形放疗治疗食管鳞癌的近期疗效、生存率并分析其预后的影响因素。方法:纳入我院从2010年11月～2016年10月收治的食管鳞癌患者150例进行研究,按治疗方式的不同分成研究组(n=84,三维适形放疗治疗)和常规组(n=66,常规放疗治疗)。随访3年,比较两组近期疗效、毒副反应发生情况以及3年生存情况。单因素分析研究组患者3年生存情况与性别、年龄、病变长度、病变部位、大体肿瘤体积(GTV)的关系,多因素Logistic回归分析三维适形放疗食管鳞癌患者预后的影响因素。结果:研究组治疗总有效率显著优于常规组(P0.05)。研究组放射性食管损伤、血液毒性反应发生率均显著低于常规组(均P0.05)。研究组1、2、3年存活率均显著高于常规组(均P0.05)。单因素Logistic分析结果显示:不同年龄、病变长度、病变部位以及GTV的食管鳞癌患者三年生存率比较差异有统计学意义(均P0.05)。多因素Logistic回归分析发现年龄≥70岁、病变长度≥50 mm、病变部位为胸下段、GTV≥40 cm3均是三维适形放疗食管鳞癌患者3年内死亡的危险因素。结论:三维适形放疗治疗食管鳞癌患者的近期疗效优于常规放疗,可降低毒副反应发生率,提高生存率。年龄≥70岁、病变长度≥50 mm、病变部位为胸下段、GTV≥40 cm~3均是三维适形放疗食管鳞癌患者3年内死亡的危险因素,值得临床重点关注。     

Study on the Interaction Mechanism of 2‐Aminoanthraquinone with Calf Thymus DNA

By utilizing multispectrosopic techniques, the toxic interaction of 2‐aminoanthraquinone (2‐AAQ) with calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) was investigated in vitro under simulated physiological conditions. The experimental results proved that 2‐AAQ has a toxic interaction with ctDNA. The binding capacity of DNA with 2‐AAQ is diminishing as the pH value of system increasing in the optimization of experimental condition. Moreover we selected pH 7.4, which is nearly physiological condition to enhance the practical significance. According to the Stern–Volmer equation, the quenching was the static quenching process. And the quenching constant can be derived from the fluorescence quenching spectrogram. Ultraviolet absorption spectra and the change in the fluorescence intensity at different ionic strengths further indicated that there was electrostatic binding between 2‐AAQ and ctDNA. The circular dichroism experiment showed that the DNA conformation varied from B to A conformation. The basic group enhanced after 2‐AAQ embedding. The double helix is more compact, and the DNA conformation changes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J BiochemMol Toxicol 27:272‐278, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/jbt.21487     

FOLFOX方案联合西妥昔单抗治疗转移性结直肠癌的近期疗效及安全性分析

目的：探讨FOLFOX方案联合西妥昔单抗治疗转移性结直肠癌的近期临床疗效及安全性。方法：选择2009年2月～2011年2月本院诊治的42例转移性结直肠癌患者为研究对象,采用随机数字表法将其随机分入对照组与观察组,其中对照组20例,观察组22例。对照组患者接受FOLFOX方案治疗,每2周重复1次,治疗3周期;观察组患者给予FOLFOX方案联合西妥昔单抗治疗。比较两组的近期疗效及毒副反应。结果：观察组的客观缓解率和疾病控制率均显著高于对照组,差别具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;骨髓抑制、消化道反应、神经毒性是两组常见的毒副反应,两组患者骨髓抑制、消化道反应、神经毒性、脱发及肝功能损害发生率无显著差别（P〉0．05）,观察组痤疮样皮疹的发生率显著高于对照组（36．4％VS0,P〈0．05）。结论：西妥昔单抗联合FOLFOX方案可提高转移性结直肠癌患者的近期疗效,毒副反应可耐受。     

Towards an optimal sampling strategy for Alexandrium catenella (Dinophyceae) benthic resting cysts

The study proposes methodological developments to optimize sampling strategy of resting cysts of Alexandrium catenella to estimate their abundance with a predefined error. This work also aims to provide information on spatial distribution of resting cysts in sediments. The distribution mode of A. catenella resting cysts related to the abundance variability was studied through sediment cores sampling on four different spatial scales and using Ludox CLX gradient density method. The quantification method underestimates by a factor of 2 the resting cysts abundance in one gram of sediment. Application of Taylor's power law allowed us to define a compromise between sampling effort and abundance estimation error. In the case of A. catenella resting cysts from Thau lagoon, the optimal sampling strategy consists of sampling 10 stations on a surface of 2 km² for a given coefficient of variability (C) of 15%, sampling 3 sediment cores at each station (C = 30%) and counting only one replicate by core (C = 18%). Results related to the application of Taylor's power law are closely dependent on resting cyst density and aggregation in a given sediment. In our area, A. catenella resting cysts are mainly observed in the upper 3 cm of sediment. Horizontally, their heterogeneity is lower on 10 cm² surface and tends to stabilize itself beyond a surface of 10 m². Each author has to carry out this pre-sampling effort for his own resting cysts-forming species, in his own area, in order to increase accuracy of resting cyst mapping.     

A novel method for cloning of coding sequences of highly toxic proteins

Background

During standard gene cloning, the recombinant protein appearing in bacteria as the result of expression leakage very often inhibits cell proliferation leading to blocking of the cloning procedure. Although different approaches can reduce transgene basal expression, the recombinant proteins, which even in trace amounts inhibit bacterial growth, can completely prevent the cloning process.