Transgenic rat with ubiquitous expression of angiotensin-(1-7)-producing fusion protein: a new tool to study the role of protective arm of the renin-angiotensin system in the pathophysiology of cardio-renal diseases.

The aim of the present study was to assess systemic circulatory and tissue activities of both the classical arm and of the alternative arm of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in a new transgenic rat line (TG7371) that expresses angiotensin-(1-7) (ANG 1-7)-producing fusion protein; the results were compared with the activities measured in control transgene-negative Hannover Sprague-Dawley (HanSD) rats. Plasma and tissue concentrations of angiotensin II (ANG II) and ANG 1-7, and kidney mRNA expressions of receptors responsible for biological actions of ANG II and ANG 1-7 [i.e.

Chemical Profiling and Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Artichoke ( var. ) Leaf By-Products' Extracts Obtained with Green Extraction Techniques.

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of different green extraction techniques (GETs) on targeted bioactive compounds from artichoke leaf by-products using deep eutectic solvent extraction (DESE), supercritical CO extraction (SCOE), subcritical water extraction (SWE), and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Moreover, (HR) LC-ESI-QTOF MS/MS and HPLC-PDA analyses were used to perform qualitative-quantitative analysis on the extracts, enabling the detection of several bioactive compounds, including luteolin, luteolin 7--glucoside, luteolin 7--rutinoside, apigenin rutinoside, chlorogenic acid, and cynaropicrin as the most representative ones. SWE showed better results than the other GETs (TPC: 23.

GDF-15 and mtDNA Deletions Are Useful Biomarkers of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Insulin Resistance and PCOS.

There is no literature available about the growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) biomarker in combination with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletions in insulin resistance (IR), and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); however, it would be useful to achieve optimal metabolic status and improve pregnancy success. In this study, the role of GDF-15 and mtDNA deletions as biomarkers in the pathogenesis of IR and PCOS was investigated. In our study, 81 female patients who were treated for IR and/or PCOS and 41 healthy controls were included.

Improved survival prediction for kidney transplant outcomes using artificial intelligence-based models: development of the UK Deceased Donor Kidney Transplant Outcome Prediction (UK-DTOP) Tool.

The UK Deceased Donor Kidney Transplant Outcome Prediction (UK-DTOP) Tool, developed using advanced artificial intelligence (AI), significantly enhances the prediction of outcomes for deceased-donor kidney transplants in the UK. This study analyzed data from the UK Transplant Registry (UKTR), including 29,713 transplant cases between 2008 and 2022, to assess the predictive performance of three machine learning models: XGBoost, Random Survival Forest, and Optimal Decision Tree. Among these, XGBoost demonstrated exceptional performance with the highest concordance index of 0.

Belatacept Versus Tacrolimus for Kidney Transplant Recipients of Deceased Donors With Acute Kidney Injury: US National Database Study.

Background: It is unclear whether kidney grafts from deceased donors with acute kidney injury (AKI) are more vulnerable to calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity, and whether de novo use of belatacept is more beneficial than tacrolimus for recipients of these types of kidney transplants.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study using the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database, we created 1:4 matches with highly similar characteristics for recipients of AKI-donor kidneys receiving belatacept versus tacrolimus for initial maintenance immunosuppression and compared outcomes for graft function, patient and graft survival, and rejection.

Results: The matched cohort consisted of 567 and 2268 recipients administered belatacept and tacrolimus, respectively.

Deceased Organ Donor HTLV Screening Practices Postelimination of Universal Screening in the United States.

Background: In the United States, universal screening for human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) in deceased organ donors was discontinued in 2009. Since then, the transplant guideline suggests considering targeted screening. However, the outcomes of this change in HTLV screening have not been evaluated.

Kidney Transplant Outcomes in Amyloidosis: US National Database Study.

Background: We aimed to assess contemporary transplant outcomes among kidney recipients with amyloidosis, as the treatment and prognosis of amyloidosis have shown improvement over time.

Methods: Using the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database, we initially evaluated the changes in patient and graft survival among kidney recipients with amyloidosis from 2002 to 2021. We then compared transplant outcomes between recipients with amyloidosis versus those with diabetic and nondiabetic causes of kidney failure, creating 1:4 matches with highly similar characteristics separately for deceased donor kidney transplant (DDKT) and living donor kidney transplant (LDKT) during the last decade (2012-2021).

The timing of the ca-660 BCE Miyake solar-proton event constrained to between 664 and 663 BCE.

Extreme solar energetic particle events, known as Miyake events, are rare phenomena observed by cosmogenic isotopes, with only six documented. The timing of the ca. 660 BCE Miyake event remains undefined until now.

The Impact of Cyclodextrins on the Physiology of : Exploring New Opportunities in the Cyclodextrin Application.

Cyclodextrins, commonly used as excipients in antifungal formulations to improve the physicochemical properties and availability of the host molecules, have not been systematically studied for their effects and bioactivity without a complex active substance. This paper evaluates the effects of various cyclodextrins on the physiology of the test organism . The research examines their impact on yeast growth, viability, biofilm formation and morphological changes.

Investigation of Sexes and Fertility Potential of Female Russian Sturgeon () and Male American Paddlefish () Hybrids.

In the present study, 10 allotriploid (3nALT) and 10 allopentaploid (5nALP) six-month-old hybrid fish and two 3nALT and four 5nALP 40-month-old hybrid fish, which resulted by crossing female Russian sturgeon (Brandt and Ratzeberg, 1833) and male American paddlefish (Walbaum, 1792), were investigated. It was revealed that six-month-old 3nALT and 5nALP hybrids initially had "undifferentiated" gonads, while in the 40-month-old hybrids, only testes were observed in one case of 3nALT and one case of 5nALP hybrids. The testis of 3nALT hybrids was partially developed with spermatogonia, while the testis of one 5nALP hybrid was in the second developmental stage with low spermatogonia density.

Industrial ecotoxicology in focus: The unexplored environmental impacts of pilot-scale advanced filtration in Sc recovery.

The demand within the European Union (EU) for the crucial raw material Scandium (Sc), coupled with the lack of sufficient recovery strategies, has gravitated research into exploiting alternative secondary sources. Utilizing residues from ore-production processes has proven to be a successful attempt for advanced Sc recovery. Despite the emergence of new technologies for Sc recovery from such residues, the potential environmental impacts of byproducts and technology wastes are often disregarded.

Long-Chain Alkylthio Cyclodextrin Derivatives for Modulation of Quorum-Sensing-Based Bioluminescence in Model System.

Quorum sensing (QS) allows bacteria to coordinate their activities by producing and detecting low-molecular-weight signal molecules based on population density, thereby controlling the infectivity of bacteria through various virulence factors. Quorum-sensing inhibition is a promising approach to tackle bacterial communication. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are a class of cyclic oligosaccharides that reversibly encapsulate the acyl chain of the signal molecules, thereby preventing their binding to receptors and interrupting bacterial communication.

Characterisation of urban aerosol size distribution by radiocarbon and PIXE analyses in a middle-European urban environment for source identification: a pilot study.

This study, conducted in Debrecen, Hungary, aimed to analyse atmospheric particulate matter (APM or PM) through radiocarbon and PIXE analyses during the winter smog (23-25 January) and spring (15-18 May) seasons. The information presented in this pilot study aims to provide insight into the importance of utilising detailed characteristics of the mass size distributions of fossil carbon (f) and contemporary carbon (f) content. Additionally, it seeks to compare these characteristics with the size distributions of various elements to enable even more accurate PM source identification.

Essential components of an effective transition from paediatric to adult neurologist care for adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; a consensus derived using the Delphi methodology in Eastern Europe, Greece and Israel.

Purpose: An increasing number of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) now have access to improved standard of care and disease modifying treatments, which improve the clinical course of DMD and extend life expectancy beyond 30 years of age. A key issue for adolescent DMD patients is the transition from paediatric- to adult-oriented healthcare. Adolescents and adults with DMD have unique but highly complex healthcare needs associated with long-term steroid use, orthopaedic, respiratory, cardiac, psychological, and gastrointestinal problems meaning that a comprehensive transition process is required.

Spring buds of European woody plants have old C age.

Trees and shrubs maintain carbon reserves to support their functions during periods when metabolic demand exceeds carbon supply, such as during the dormant season. To gain a better understanding of carbon storage and utilisation dynamics of eight woody plant species in temperate Central Europe, bud scale and leaf samples were collected to determine the radiocarbon age of fresh sprouts in trees and shrubs, at three background sites avoiding local emissions that may influence affect the observed C/C ratio. The accelerator mass spectrometry-based bomb-radiocarbon approach, to determine the age of the mobilized carbon in the plant bud samples from storage, was complemented by stable carbon isotope measurements.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Diversity, Structure, Biosynthesis and Extraction of Biologically Active Tannins from Various Plant-Based Materials Using Deep Eutectic Solvents.

This paper explores the emerging subject of extracting tannins from various plant sources using deep eutectic solvents (DESs). Tannins are widely used in the food and feed industries as they have outstanding antioxidant qualities and greatly enhance the flavor and nutritional content of a wide range of food products. Organic solvents are frequently used in traditional extraction techniques, which raises questions about their safety for human health and the environment.

Exploring Phenolic Compounds Extraction from Saffron () Floral By-Products Using Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction, Deep Eutectic Solvent Extraction, and Subcritical Water Extraction.

Saffron () floral by-products are a source of phenolic compounds that can be recovered and used in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic industries. This study aimed to evaluate the phenolic compounds' extraction using green extraction techniques (GETs) in saffron floral by-products and to explore the influence of selected extraction techniques on the phytochemical composition of the extracts. Specifically, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), subcritical water extraction (SWE), and deep eutectic solvents extraction (DESE) were used.

Candidate protein biomarkers in chronic kidney disease: a proteomics study.

Proteinuria poses a substantial risk for the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its related complications. Kidneys excrete hundreds of individual proteins, some with a potential impact on CKD progression or as a marker of the disease. However, the available data on specific urinary proteins and their relationship with CKD severity remain limited.