Schaefer Richards (vangrade00)

BACKGROUND In the current study, we have investigated the effect of each of curcumin (CUR) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) either separate or mixed together (CUR + SMX) on biochemical, hematological and histological alternations associated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. RESULTS CCl4, caused changes of several biomarkers, proving its hepatotoxic effects, such as an increase in aminotransferases liver enzymes alanine and aspartate transaminases (ALT, AST), malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) formation, with a decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSSG), total antioxidant capacity (TAO), glutathione (GSH), total protein, and albumin, compared to a negative control mice group. Compared to the CCl4 group of mice, the CUR and SMX separate and/or together (CUR + SMX) treatments showed significance in (p less then 0.001), ameliorated liver injury (characterized by an elevation of (ALT, AST) and a decrease (p less then 0.001) in serum albumin and total protein), antioxidant (characterized by a decrease in (p less then 0.001) MDA, NO; an increase (p less then 0.001) SOD, GSSG, TAO; and reducing GSH), hematological changes (characterized by a decrease (p less then 0.001) in white blood cells count and an increase (p less then 0.001) in platelets count, hematocrit levels, hemoglobin concentration, and (p less then 0.05) red blood cells count), SDS-PAGE electrophoresis with a decrease in protein synthesis and changes in histological examinations. CONCLUSIONS CUR and SMX either separate or together (SUR + SMX) may be considered promising candidates in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis.Because of COVID-19 outbreak, regular clinical services for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have been suddenly suspended, causing worries, confusion and unexpected needs in such frail population. Here, we reviewed the messages spontaneously sent by patients to an Italian PD clinic during the first two weeks of COVID-19 lockdown (9-21 March 2020), in order to highlight their main needs and then outline appropriate strategies of care for this critical period. One hundred sixty-two messages were analysed. Forty-six percent queried about clinical services; 28% communicated an acute clinical worsening for which a therapeutic change was done in 52% of cases; 17% (those patients with younger age and milder disease) asked about the relationship between PD and COVID-19; 8% informed about an intercurrent event. Our analysis suggests that PD patients' needs during COVID-19 emergency include appropriate and complete information, a timely update on changes in clinical services, and the continuity of care, even in a remote mode. By addressing these issues, acute clinical worsening, complications and subsequent therapeutic changes could be prevented. In this perspective, telecommunication systems and virtual medicine should be implemented.Enterobacter cloacae strain HNR was found to grow well and denitrify aerobically at high NO3--N concentrations. When the concentrations of NO3--N were 200, 300 and 500 mg/L, the removal efficiencies of NO3--N were 83%, 74.5% and 75%, respectively. More importantly, the intermediates accumulation of NO2--N and NH4+-N was not obvious during the aerobic denitrification processes, resulting in a high TN removal of 82%, 74% and 70%, respectively. Meanwhile, strain HNR also presented the ability of heterotrophic nitrification. With initial NH4+-N concentrations of 20 and 80 mg/L, the NH4+-N removal efficiency reached 78% and 76%, respectively. The key nitrate reductase enzyme gene relating to denitrification was successfully amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from strain HNR, and identified it as napA, which encodings the large catalytic subunit A of periplasmic nitrate reductase (NAPA). The sequence analysis of napA indicates that NAPA is a hydrophilic, non-transmembrane protein. The existence of napA might be crucial for strain HNR to denitrify nitrate und