Return(s) on investment: Restoration spending in the Columbia River Basin and increased abundance of salmon and steelhead.

The decline in salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia River Basin has been well documented, as have the decades-long, $9 billion restoration spending efforts by federal and state agencies. These efforts are mainly tied to Endangered Species Act (ESA) mandates for recovery of wild, naturally-spawning threatened or endangered fish species. The impact of these efforts remains poorly understood; many observers, including the federal courts, have long been concerned by the lack of evidence of recovery.

Genotoxic activities of wastewater after ozonation and activated carbon filtration: Different effects in liver-derived cells and bacterial indicators.

Aim of this study was to investigate the impact of advanced wastewater treatment techniques (combining ozonation with activated carbon filtration) on acute and genotoxic activities of tertiary treated wastewater. Concentrated samples were tested in Salmonella/microsome assays. Furthermore, induction of DNA damage was measured in liver-derived cells (human hepatoma and primary rat hepatocytes) in single cell gel electrophoresis experiments, which are based on the measurement of DNA migration in an electric field.

Early Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prior to Bypass Surgery Improves Tissue Penetration.

Background: We previously identified preparation of the internal mammary artery as a risk factor significantly impairing antibiotic tissue penetration into the presternal subcutaneous tissue. We, therefore, adapted our dosing schema regarding preoperative timing to overcome this risk factor.

Methods: Eight patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with a left internal mammary artery and vein grafts were included in this clinical trial.

Risk-adjusted proposal for >60 months follow up after surgical treatment of organ-confined renal cell carcinoma according to life expectancy.

Objectives: To determine the long-term oncological outcome of organ-confined (
Methods: We identified 889 patients with complete long-term follow-up data, who had been surgically treated for renal cell carcinoma ( View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Vasodilating, spasmolytic, inotropic and chronotropic activities of curcuminoids from Curcuma longa in isolated organ preparations of guinea pigs.

Turmeric is a yellowish orange spice, widely used in Asian cuisine and obtained from the rhizome of Curcuma longa. It is a mixture of three curcuminoids namely, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. Turmeric has been used as a medicinal substance since ancient times for respiratory and gastrointestinal problems.

Immune check point inhibitors for metastatic urothelial carcinoma: current evidence-based approach for urology daily practice.

Introduction: Treatment strategy for inoperable and metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) has been revolutionized by the introduction of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death protein ligand (PD-L1) antibodies. During the last 3 decades treatment options were limited to chemotherapy, making further treatment of patients whose disease progressed under ongoing therapy or who were ineligible to receive cytotoxic therapy in the first place, nearly impossible.

Evidence Acquisition: Five antibodies including pembrolizumab (PD-L1 antibody), atezolizumab (PD-1 antibody), nivolumab (PD-1 antibody), avelumab and durvalumab (PD-L1 antibodies) have been approved in the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma in first- and second-line treatment setting.

Combined Metabolomic Analysis of Plasma and Urine Reveals AHBA, Tryptophan and Serotonin Metabolism as Potential Risk Factors in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM).

Gestational diabetes mellitus during pregnancy has severe implications for the health of the mother and the fetus. Therefore, early prediction and an understanding of the physiology are an important part of prenatal care. Metabolite profiling is a long established method for the analysis and prediction of metabolic diseases.

Finding water scarcity amid abundance using human-natural system models.

Water scarcity afflicts societies worldwide. Anticipating water shortages is vital because of water's indispensable role in social-ecological systems. But the challenge is daunting due to heterogeneity, feedbacks, and water's spatial-temporal sequencing throughout such systems.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunts in neonates: a retrospective study of outcomes with antibiotic-impregnated catheters and a modified peri-operative antibiotic protocol.

Background: CSF infection is a significant complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts and results in prolonged hospital stay, developmental delay and decreased quality of life. To decrease the high rates of neonatal VP shunt infections, an updated clinical guideline that included the use of antibiotic-impregnated shunts and a revised peri-operative antibiotic protocol was introduced in our neonatal unit. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of these new guidelines in reducing the CSF shunt infection rates.

Bowel function in patients with urinary diversion: a gender-matched comparison of continent urinary diversion with the ileocecal pouch and ileal conduit.

Purpose: To evaluate stool habits and associated quality of life (QoL) in a matched pair analysis of patients who underwent continent cutaneous diversion using the ileocecal segment [Mainz pouch I (MzPI)] with an intussuscepted ileal nipple as efferent segment with those receiving an ileal conduit (IC) after radical cystectomy.

Methods: We identified 250 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and urinary diversion (UD) with either MzPI with an ileal nipple or IC in our database. A detailed history of stool habits using the modified Wexner score was obtained, and questions addressing general lifestyle, comparison of symptom differences before and after surgery considering bowel function as well as bowel-associated QoL were assessed.

Melatonin Interaction Resulting in Severe Sedation.

Purpose: Natural health products (NHPs), including melatonin, are widely used products. Despite the widespread assumption that all NHPs are safe, they contain pharmacologically active substances and can therefore have adverse effects and/or interact with pharmaceuticals.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism underlying NHP interactions identified through the Pharmacy SONAR active surveillance study.

A resveratrol analog termed 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexahydroxy-trans-stilbene is a potent HIV-1 inhibitor.

HIV resistance to current anti-HIV drugs and drug toxicity have created a need for new anti-HIV agents. We have examined and characterized a synthetic resveratrol analog, termed 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexahydroxy-trans-stilbene (M8), for potential anti-HIV activity. Here, we demonstrate that M8 possesses potent anti-HIV activity against several HIV variants with EC50 values in the low μM range.

Epigallocatechin gallate, ellagic acid, and rosmarinic acid perturb dNTP pools and inhibit de novo DNA synthesis and proliferation of human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells: Synergism with arabinofuranosylcytosine.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), ellagic acid (EA) and rosmarinic acid (RA) are natural polyphenols exerting cancer chemopreventive effects. Ribonucleotide reductase (RR; EC 1.17.

Cefazolin and linezolid penetration into sternal cancellous bone during coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objectives: Deep sternal wound infection is a severe complication after cardiac surgery. Insufficient antibiotic target site concentrations may account for variable success of perioperative prophylaxis. Therefore, we measured perioperative penetration of cefazolin and of linezolid into sternal cancellous bone after sternotomy in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients by in vivo microdialysis.

Proteome profiling of breast cancer biopsies reveals a wound healing signature of cancer-associated fibroblasts.

Breast cancer is still the most common type of cancer in women; an important role in carcinogenesis is actually attributed to cancer-associated fibroblasts. In this study, we investigated whether it is possible to assess the functional state of cancer-associated fibroblasts through tumor tissue proteome profiling. Tissue proteomics was performed on tumor-central, tumor-near, and tumor-distant biopsy sections from breast adenocarcinoma patients, which allowed us to identify 2074 proteins.

Cytochrome P450 3A-mediated metabolism of the topoisomerase I inhibitor 9-aminocamptothecin: impact on cancer therapy.

The metabolism of 9-aminocamptothecin (9-AC) was investigated in human and rat liver microsomes. In both species 9-AC was almost exclusively biotransformed to dihydroxy-9-AC (M1) and monohydroxy-9-AC (M2). The enzymatic efficiencies of the formation of M1 and M2 (V(max)/K(m)) were 1.

Biophysical Detection of Diversity and Bias in GPCR Function.

Guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs) function in complexes with a range of molecules and proteins including ligands, G proteins, arrestins, ubiquitin, and other receptors. Elements of these complexes may interact constitutively or dynamically, dependent upon factors such as ligand binding, phosphorylation, and dephosphorylation. They may also be allosterically modulated by other proteins in a manner that changes temporally and spatially within the cell.

Molecular determinants of orexin receptor-arrestin-ubiquitin complex formation.

Background And Purpose: The orexin system regulates a multitude of key physiological processes, particularly involving maintenance of metabolic homeostasis. Consequently, there is considerable potential for pharmaceutical development for the treatment of disorders from narcolepsy to metabolic syndrome. It acts through the hormonal activity of two endogenous peptides, orexin A binding to orexin receptors 1 and 2 (OX₁ and OX₂) with similar affinity, and orexin B binding to OX₂ with higher affinity than OX₁ receptors.

Digalloylresveratrol, a novel resveratrol analog inhibits the growth of human pancreatic cancer cells.

Digalloylresveratrol (DIG) is a recently synthesized substance aimed to combine the effects of the natural polyphenolic compounds gallic acid and resveratrol, which both are excellent free radical scavengers with anticancer activity. In this study, we investigated the effects of DIG in the human AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. Treatment with DIG dose-dependently attenuated cells in the S phase of the cell cycle and led to a significant depletion of the dATP pool in AsPC-1 cells.

Hepatotoxic seafood poisoning (HSP) due to microcystins: a threat from the ocean?

Cyanobacterial blooms are a major and growing problem for freshwater ecosystems worldwide that increasingly concerns public health, with an average of 60% of blooms known to be toxic. The most studied cyanobacterial toxins belong to a family of cyclic heptapeptide hepatotoxins, called microcystins. The microcystins are stable hydrophilic cyclic heptapeptides with a potential to cause cell damage following cellular uptake via organic anion-transporting proteins (OATP).

Interplay between metabolism and transport of resveratrol.

Resveratrol exhibits a variety of biological and pharmacological activities despite its extensive metabolism to sulfates and glucuronides in the intestine and liver. The metabolism of resveratrol is cell specific and strongly correlates with enzyme expression levels. However, a high rate of biotransformation, in concert with the action of the efflux transporters MRP2, MRP3, and ABCG2, reduces intracellular resveratrol concentrations, and may thereby decrease its pharmacological activity.

Effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on regional antibiotic penetration into lung tissue.

The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during cardiac surgery causes regional ventilation-perfusion mismatch, contributing to regional disturbances in antibiotic penetration into lung tissue. Ventilation-perfusion mismatch is associated with postoperative pneumonia, a frequent and devastating complication after cardiac surgery. In this prospective clinical animal study, we performed in vivo microdialysis to determine the effect of CPB on regional penetration of levofloxacin (LVX) into lung tissue.