Adsorption and Distribution of Fluorescent Solutes near the Articular Surface of Mechanically Injured Cartilage

The development of cartilage-specific imaging agents supports the improvement of tissue assessment by minimally invasive means. Techniques for highlighting cartilage surface damage in clinical images could provide for sensitive indications of posttraumatic injury and early stage osteoarthritis. Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that fluorescent solutes interact with cartilage surfaces strongly enough to affect measurement of their partition coefficients within the tissue bulk. In this study, these findings were extended by examining solute adsorption and distribution near the articular surface of mechanically injured cartilage. Using viable cartilage explants injured by an established protocol, solute distributions near the articular surface of three commonly used fluorophores (fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC), and carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)) were observed after absorption and subsequent desorption to assess solute-specific matrix interactions and reversibility. Both absorption and desorption processes demonstrated a trend of significantly less solute adsorption at surfaces of fissures compared to adjacent intact surfaces of damaged explants or surfaces of uninjured explants. After adsorption, normalized mean surface intensities of fissured surfaces of injured explants were 6%, 40%, and 32% for FITC, TRITC, and TAMRA, respectively, compared to uninjured surfaces. Similar values were found for sliced explants and after a desorption process. After desorption, a trend of increased solute adsorption at the site of intact damaged surfaces was noted (316% and 238% for injured and sliced explants exposed to FITC). Surface adsorption of solute was strongest for FITC and weakest for TAMRA; no solutes negatively affected cell viability. Results support the development of imaging agents that highlight distinct differences between fissured and intact cartilage surfaces.     

Prospect of phytoaccumulation of arsenic by Brassica juncea (L.) in Bangladesh

The phytoaccummulation of arsenic by Brassica juncea (L.) was investigated for varying concentrations selected within the range that is evident in Bangladeshi soil. B. juncea (Rai and BARI-11) was grown in the hydroponic media under greenhouse condition with different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 15, 30, 50 and 100 ppm) of sodium arsenite. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) was used to analyze the data. Mapping of potential area of phytoaccumulation of arsenic by B. juncea was done using Geographic information system (GIS). Arsenic was detected at lower concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 ppm) only at root system of the plant. For higher concentrations (15, 30, and 50 ppm) arsenic was detected both in the root and shoot systems. The results suggested that at 15 and 50 ppm uptake was higher compared to 30 ppm. For 100 ppm of arsenic no plant growth was observed. In Bangladesh, where concentration of arsenic is at lower level and present only at rooting zone, B. juncea may be used for phytoaccumulation of arsenic keeping usual agronomic practices. However, for higher concentrations, B. juncea can be regarded as a good accumulator of arsenic where uptake of arsenic was up to 1% of total biomass of the plant.     

Conquering the cytokine storm in COVID-19-induced ARDS using placenta-derived decidua stromal cells

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most common cause of death in COVID-19 patients. The cytokine storm is the main driver of the severity and magnitude of ARDS. Placenta-derived decidua stromal cells (DSCs) have a stronger immunosuppressive effect than other sources of mesenchymal stromal cells. Safety and efficacy study included 10 patients with a median age of 50 (range 14–68) years with COVID-19-induced ARDS. DSCs were administered 1–2 times at a dose of 1 × 10⁶/kg. End points were safety and efficacy by survival, oxygenation and effects on levels of cytokines. Oxygenation levels increased from a median of 80.5% (range 69–88) to 95% (range 78–99) (p = 0.012), and pulmonary infiltrates disappeared in all patients. Levels of IL-6 decreased from a median of 69.3 (range 35.0–253.4) to 11 (range 4.0–38.3) pg/ml (p = 0.018), and CRP decreased from 69 (range 5–169) to 6 (range 2–31) mg/ml (p = 0.028). Two patients died, one of a myocardial infarction and the other of multiple organ failure, diagnosed before the DSC therapy. The other patients recovered and left the intensive care unit (ICU) within a median of 6 (range 3–12) days. DSC therapy is safe and capable of improving oxygenation, decreasing inflammatory cytokine level and clearing pulmonary infiltrates in patients with COVID-19.     

Separation and quantitation ofcis- andtrans-thiothixene in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure is described for the separation ofcis andtrans isomers of thiothixene, a thioxanthene derivative used as an antipsychotic agent. A radial compression module (RCM-100) was used with both silica and cyanopropyl cartridges. A fixed-wavelength UV detector (254 nm) was used in these studies for quantitation. Mesoridazine is used as an internal standard because of its separation characteristics and reproducible quantitation. C₁₈ Sep-Pak cartridges are used for biological sample cleanup. Plasma samples from patients treated with thiothixene (Navane) were assayed forcis andtrans-thiothixene. Notrans-thiothixene was detectable andcis-thiothixene concentrations ranged from 0 to 22.5 ng/ml.     

Bioactive Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Capacity of Wheatgrass Treated with Salicylic Acid under Organic Soil Cultivation

This study was undertaken to determine the influence of salicylic acid (SA) on the bioactive phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity of wheatgrass extract in the organic growing medium. Wheatgrass was cultivated in SA-enriched organic growing medium, obtained from acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) of various concentrations (0 [control], 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 mM) in a plant growth chamber by controlling atmosphere (20/15 °C, day/night), light (14/10 h, light/dark; light intensity 150 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹, using quantum dot light-emitting diodes), and atmospheric moisture (60 %) for 10 d. The 0.25 mM SA-treatment showed the highest impact on germination rate, wheatgrass length, weight, yield, and chlorophyll content. Levels of bioactive phytochemicals, mainly phenolic compounds, flavonoids, β-carotene, and vitamin C, were the highest in the 1.00 mM SA-treated wheatgrass extract. The DPPH radical and nitrite-scavenging capacities were the highest in the 1.00 mM SA-treated wheatgrass extract. The 0.50 mM SA-treated wheatgrass extract showed the highest superoxide dismutase-like capacity, whereas the 2.00 mM SA-treated wheatgrass extract showed the highest anthocyanin content and ABTS radical-scavenging capacity. Therefore, it might be suggested that the appropriate levels of SA-treatment were between 0.5 and 1.0 mM to enhance the bioactive phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity of wheatgrass.     

γ-Lactam-Based Antifungal Compounds against the Wheat Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici

As new environmentally friendly and effective antifungal agents are deeply needed, efficient ecofriendly strategies were designed to access two series of compounds inspired from natural γ-lactams. Designed compounds were fully characterized and evaluated as antifungal candidates against Zymoseptoria tritici, the main pathogen on wheat crops. The targeted derivatives were prepared from natural resources using green solvents, simple procedures, and limited purification steps. These bio-inspired compounds revealed as good candidates for further development of efficient crop protection products. Indeed, the HIT compounds exhibited IC₅₀ around 1 μg/mL and were more active than the references tebuconazole and bixafen towards some multidrug-resistant strains. Two dozen of derivatives have been obtained for each series and allowed to establish early structure-activity relationships useful for the development of next generation of γ-lactam derivatives with improved efficacy.     

Impaired spermatogenesis associated with changes in spatial arrangement of Sertoli and spermatogonial cells following induced diabetes

The current study was conducted to assess the relationship between testicular cells in spermatogenesis, through which the production of healthy and mature sperm is essential. However, it seems necessary to obtain more information about the three-dimensional pattern of the testis cells arrangement, which is directly related to the function of the testis after induction of diabetes. Twelve adult mice (28-30 g) were assigned into two experimental groups: (1) control and (2) diabetic (40 mg/kg STZ). The epididymal sperm collected from the tail of the epididymis and testes samples were taken for stereology, immunocytochemistry and RNA extraction. Our data showed that diabetes could notably decrease the number of testicular cells, together with a reduction of total sperm count. In addition, the results from the second-order stereology indicated the significant changes in the spatial arrangement of Sertoli cells and spermatogonial cells in the diabetic groups, in comparison with the control (P < .05). Moreover, the immunohistochemistry results showed a significant reduction in Sex-determining Region Y (SRY) box 9 gene (SOX9), vimentin, occludin, and connexin-43 positive cells in the diabetic groups compared with the control (P < .05). Furthermore, our data showed that the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and peripheral benzodiazepine receptor peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) was significantly reduced in the diabetic groups, in comparison with the control (P < .05). These findings suggest that structural and functional changes of testis cells after induction of diabetes cause the alterations in the spatial arrangement of Sertoli and spermatogonial cells, ultimately influencing the normal spermatogenesis in mice.