A Review on Chemical Effects in Aqueous Solution induced by Plasma with Glow Discharge

Chemical effects in different aqueous solutions induced by plasma with glow discharge electrolysis (GDE) and contact glow discharge electrolysis (CGDE) are described in this paper. The experimental and discharge characteristics are also reviewed. These are followed by a discussion of their mechanisms of both anodic and cathodic CGDE..

A NEW CHEMICAL OSCILLATOR INDUCED BY SURFACTANT WITH GLUCOSE AS THE SUBSTRATE

A new Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillator induced by Triton X-100 (a nonionic surfactant)with glucose as the organic substrate and Ce^(4+)as the catalyst has been reported in this paper.

Immune-mediated liver injury following COVID-19 vaccination

Liver injury secondary to vaccination is a rare adverse event that has recently come under attention thanks to the continuous pharmacovigilance following the widespread implementation of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)vaccination protocols.All three most widely distributed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine formulations,e.g.,BNT162b2,mRNA-1273,and ChAdOx1-S,can induce liver injury that may involve immune-mediated pathways and result in autoimmune hepatitis-like presentation that may require therapeutic intervention in the form of corticosteroid administration.Various mechanisms have been proposed in an attempt to highlight immune checkpoint inhibition and thus establish causality with vaccination.The autoimmune features of such a reaction also prompt an in-depth investigation of the newly employed vaccine technologies.Novel vaccine delivery platforms,e.g.,mRNA-containing lipid nanoparticles and adenoviral vectors,contribute to the inflammatory background that leads to an exaggerated immune response,while patterns of molecular mimicry between the spike(S)protein and prominent liver antigens may account for the autoimmune presentation.Immune mediators triggered by vaccination or vaccine ingredients per se,including autoreactive antibodies,cytokines,and cytotoxic T-cell populations,may inflict hepatocellular damage through wellestablished pathways.We aim to review available data associated with immunemediated liver injury associated with COVID-19 vaccination and elucidate potential mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis.

Drug-induced liver injury and COVID-19:Use of artificial intelligence and the updated Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method in clinical practice

BACKGROUND Liver injury is a relevant condition in coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)inpatients.Pathophysiology varies from direct infection by virus,systemic inflammation or drug-induced adverse reaction(DILI).DILI detection and monitoring is clinically relevant,as it may contribute to poor prognosis,prolonged hospitalization and increase indirect healthcare costs.Artificial Intelligence(AI)applied in data mining of electronic medical records combining abnormal liver tests,keyword searching tools,and risk factors analysis is a relevant opportunity for early DILI detection by automated algorithms.AIM To describe DILI cases in COVID-19 inpatients detected from data mining in electronic medical records(EMR)using AI and the updated Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method(RUCAM).METHODS The study was conducted in March 2021 in a hospital in southern Brazil.The NoHarm©system uses AI to support decision making in clinical pharmacy.Hospital admissions were 100523 during this period,of which 478 met the inclusion criteria.From these,290 inpatients were excluded due to alternative causes of liver injury and/or due to not having COVID-19.We manually reviewed the EMR of 188 patients for DILI investigation.Absence of clinical information excluded most eligible patients.The DILI assessment causality was possible via the updated RUCAM in 17 patients.RESULTS Mean patient age was 53 years(SD±18.37;range 22-83),most were male(70%),and admitted to the non-intensive care unit sector(65%).Liver injury pattern was mainly mixed,mean time to normalization of liver markers was 10 d,and mean length of hospitalization was 20.5 d(SD±16;range 7-70).Almost all patients recovered from DILI and one patient died of multiple organ failure.There were 31 suspected drugs with the following RUCAM score:Possible(n=24),probable(n=5),and unlikely(n=2).DILI agents in our study were ivermectin,bicalutamide,linezolid,azithromycin,ceftriaxone,amoxicillin-clavulanate,tocilizumab,piperacillin-tazobactam,and albendazole.Lack of essential clinical information excluded most patients.Although rare,DILI is a relevant clinical condition in COVID-19 patients and may contribute to poor prognostics.CONCLUSION The incidence of DILI in COVID-19 inpatients is rare and the absence of relevant clinical information on EMR may underestimate DILI rates.Prospects involve creation and validation of alerts for risk factors in all DILI patients based on RUCAM assessment causality,alterations of liver biomarkers and AI and machine learning.

SITE SPECIFIC CANCER INDUCTION BY INTRA-ESOPHA-GEAL COTTON NODE RETENTION AND CARCINOGEN LADEN DRINKING WATER

Objective: To reveal the relationship between the restriction of esophagus and the esophageal carcinogenesis. Methods: Male Wistar rats weighing 200±20g (N=50) observed as experimental animals. Using carcinogen NethylNbutylnitrosamine (EBN), or NnitrosomethylNpropylamine (MPN), esophageal carcinogenesis was induced. In some rats, a cotton node was detained in the thoracic segment of the esophageal lumen to make artificial restriction. The rats were divided into 6 groups. Group EC or MC were those treated with the artificial restriction and EBN, or MPN. Group E, M or C included those treated only with EBN, MPN, or cotton node. Group U was untreated control. The rats were sacrificed, and the esophagus from the 6 groups of rats were compared. Results: On naked eye examination, the esophageal lesion was the most in EC group, followed by MC group. About 70% of the lesions were within 3mm from the thread node. The E or M group only had a few lesions. There was no observable lesion in the C and U groups. Histological examination found that the hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, papilloma, and dysplasia were significantly more in EC and MC groups than E and M groups. Severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ were only noticed in the EC and MC groups. Conclusion: It is suggested that the artificial restriction promotes the esophageal carcinogenesis. The effect is related with increased contact with carcinogen and injury at the area of the restriction.

Anabolic androgenic steroid-induced liver injury:An update

Anabolic androgenic steroids(AASs)are a group of molecules including endogenous testosterone and synthetic derivatives that have both androgenic and anabolic effects.These properties make them therapeutically beneficial in medical conditions such as hypogonadism.However,they are commonly bought illegally and misused for their anabolic,skeletal muscle building,and performanceenhancing effects.Supraphysiologic and long-term use of AASs affects all organs,leading to cardiovascular,neurological,endocrine,gastrointestinal,renal,and hematologic disorders.Hepatotoxicity is one of the major concerns regarding AASs treatment and abuse.Testosterone and its derivatives have been most often shown to induce a specific form of cholestasis,peliosis hepatis,and hepatic benign and malignant tumors.It is currently believed that mechanisms of pathogenesis of these disorders include disturbance of antioxidative factors,upregulation of bile acid synthesis,and induction of hepatocyte hyperplasia.Most toxicity cases are treated with supportive measures and liver function normalizes with discontinuation of AAS.However,some long-term consequences are irreversible.AAS-induced liver injury should be taken in consideration in patients with liver disorders,especially with the increasing unintentional ingestion of supplements containing AAS.In this paper,we review the most current knowledge about AAS-associated adverse effects on the liver,and their clinical presentations,prevalence,and pathophysiological mechanisms.

Chemically induced dynamic electron polarization investigation of the triplet-radical system in the solution of the triplet quencher

The chemically induced dynamic electron polarization (CIDEP) of the triplet molecule/triplet quencher/2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxyl (TEMPO) systems were measured using the high time-resolved ESR spectrometer. The competition between the radical-triplet pair mechanism (RTPM) and triplet mechanism (TM) or radical pair mechanism (KIM) polarization in the solution of the triplet quencher was investigated, and the relationships between reaction rate of the radical-triplet pair and quenching rate of triplet was deduced.

Production of high-quality agarwood in Aquilaria sinensis trees via whole-tree agarwood-induction technology

We used whole-tree agarwood-induction technology to produce agarwood from Aquilaria sinensis trees within 20 months, and evaluated the quality of this agarwood. The results showed its characteristics were similar to those of high-grade wild agarwood in terms of texture, chemical constituents, essential oil content, and ethanol-soluble extract content, with the lattermost quality far surpassing the requirement of traditional Chinese medicine agarwood, as indicated in Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010. To the best of our knowledge, this is first study to show that high-quality agarwood can be produced in whole A. sinensis trees via a chemically induced technology.

Study on the hepatocellular carcinoma model with metastasis

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most common causes of cancerrelated death around the world due to advanced clinical stage at diagnosis,high incidence of recurrence and metastasis after surgical treatment.It is in urgent need to create appropriate animal models to explore the mechanism,patterns,risk factors,and therapeutic strategies of HCC metastasis and recurrence.However,most of the established models lack the phenotype of invasion and metastasis in patient,or have unstable phenotype.To establish HCC models with stable metastasis phenotype requires profound understanding in cancer metastasis biology and scientific methodology.Over the past 3 decades,HCC models with stable metastasis have been extensively studied.This paper reviewed the history and development of HCC animal models and cell models,focusing on the screening and maintaining of metastatic potential and phenotype.In-depth studies using these models vastly promote the understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms and development of therapeutic strategies on HCC metastasis.

Protective effect of Chushizi(Fructus Broussonetiae)on acetaminophen-induced rat hepatitis by inhibiting the Toll-like receptor 3/c-Jun N-terminal kinase/c-jun/c-fos/janus protein tyrosine kinase/activators of transcription 3 pathway

OBJECTIVE:To observe the intervention of Chushizi(Fructus Broussonetiae)(CSZ)on drug-induced liver injury(DILI)in rats,as well as indicators of liver function,serum levels of inflammatory cytokines,and expression of proteins and m RNA associated with toll-like receptor 3(TLR3)and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)pathway in the liver[TLR3,janus protein tyrosine kinase 2(JAK2),c-jun,c-fos,c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2(JNK2),and STAT3].METHODS:Forty specified pathogen free grade Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group,the model group,the silybin group and the CSZ group.Rats were given acetaminophen(APAP)to trigger DILI.Histopathology of the liver was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate transaminase(AST),direct bilirubin(DBIL),and total bilirubin(TBIL)in serum were detected by a semi-automatic biochemical instrument.Content of tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-6,IL-13,and IL-22 in serum were detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,the expression of TLR3,phosphorylation of JAK2(p-JAK2),while c-jun and c-fos proteins in the liver were determined by immunohistochemistry;expression of JNK2,and STAT3 in the liver were assayed by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.P-JNK2 and p-STAT3 in the liver were assayed by Western blot.RESULTS:After treatment,the activity of ALT,AST,and concentrations of TBIL,DBIL,TNF-α,IL-6,as well as IL-13 in serum,were lower than those in the model group,and expression of p-JAK2,TLR3,c-jun,c-fos,p-STAT3,and p-JNK2 could be downregulated.CONCLUSION:Our findings suggest that CSZ is a valid medicine to alleviate APAP-induced DILI,while its partial mechanism may regulate the TLR3/JNK/c-jun/c-fos/JAK/STAT3 pathway.

Ginsenoside Rb1 Reduces D-GalN/LPS-induced Acute Liver Injury by Regulating TLR4/NF-κB Signaling and NLRP3 Inflammasome

Background and Aims:The effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on D-galactosamine(D-GalN)/lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute liver injury(ALI)is unknown.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on ALI and its underlying mechanisms.Methods:Mice were pretreated with ginsenoside Rb1 by intraperitoneal injection for 3 days before D-GalN/LPS treatment,to induce ALI.The survival rate was monitored every hour for 24 h,and serum biochemical parameters,hepatic index and histopathological analysis were evaluated to measure the degree of liver injury.ELISA was used to detect oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines in hepatic tissue and serum.Immunohistochemistry staining,RT-PCR and western blotting were performed to evaluate the expression of toll-like receptor 4(TLR4),nuclear factorkappa B(NF-κB),and NLR family,pyrin domain-containing 3 protein(NLRP3)in liver tissue and Kupffer cells(KCs).Results:Ginsenoside Rb1 improved survival with D-GalN/LPS-induced ALI by up to 80%,significantly ameliorated the increased alanine and aspartate transaminase,restored the hepatic pathological changes and reduced the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines altered by D-GalN/LPS.Compared to the control group,the KCs were increased in the D-GalN/LPS groups but did not increase significantly with Rb1 pretreatment.D-GalN/LPS could upregulate while Rb1 pretreatment could downregulate the expression of interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-18,NLRP3,apoptosis associated specklike protein containing CARD(ASC)and caspase-1 in isolated KCs.Furthermore,ginsenoside Rb1 inhibited activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome induced by D-GalN/LPS administration.Conclusions:Ginsenoside Rb1 protects mice against D-GalN/LPS-induced ALI by attenuating oxidative stress and the inflammatory response through the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.