Motor Unit Fatigability following Chronic Carnosine Supplementation in Aged Rats

Studies suggest that carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is effective in treating neuromuscular diseases associated with aging, but there is still a need to clarify its role in motor units (MUs) function during aging. In this study, 40 male Wistar rats aged 15 months were randomly assigned to a control or to two experimental groups in which 0.1% carnosine supplementation was performed for 10 or 34 weeks. After 34 weeks, we examined fast fatigable (FF), fast fatigue-resistant (FR) and slow (S) MUs’ force properties and fatigability, as well as antioxidant potential, advanced glycation end products, activity of enzymes, and histidyl dipeptides content in the medial gastrocnemius muscle. Short- and long-term carnosine supplementation maintained the force of FF MUs at a higher level during its rapid decline seen from the initial 10 to 70 s of the fatigue test. In FF, especially long-term, and in FR MUs, especially short-term, carnosine supplementation resulted in less rapid force decline during the initial 70 s of the second fatigue protocol. Carnosine supplementation did not change muscle antioxidant potential and mortality rate (~35% in all groups), nor muscle mass with aging. Moreover, instead of the expected increase, a decrease in histidyl dipeptides by ~30% in the red portion of medial gastrocnemius muscle after long-term supplementation was found. After chronic carnosine supplementation, the specific changes in fatigue resistance were observed in FF and FR units, but not in S MU types that were not accompanied by an improvement of antioxidant potential and activity of glycolytic or oxidative enzymes in aged rats. These observations indicate that carnosine supplementation during aging may generate different physiological adaptations which should be considered as an important factor when planning treatment strategies.     

The Effect of Scandium on the Structure,Microstructure and Superconductivity of Equimolar Sc-Hf-Nb-Ta-Ti-Zr Refractory High-Entropy Alloys

In this study, we investigate the scandium-containing Sc-Hf-Nb-Ta-Ti-Zr system of refractory high-entropy alloys (HEAs). Using the arc-melting method, we synthesized nine equimolar alloys (five 4-, three 5- and one 6-component), with all of them containing Sc. The alloys were characterized by XRD, electron microscopy and EDS, while superconductivity was investigated via electrical resistivity, specific heat and the Meissner effect. The results were compared to the parent Hf-Nb-Ta-Ti-Zr refractory HEAs, forming a single-phase body-centered cubic (bcc) structure and quite homogeneous microstructure. The addition of Sc produces a two-phase structure in the Sc-Hf-Nb-Ta-Ti-Zr alloys, with one phase being bcc and the other hexagonal close-packed (hcp). The hcp phase absorbs practically all Sc, whereas the Sc-poor bcc phase is identical to the bcc phase in the Hf-Nb-Ta-Ti-Zr parent system. Upon the Sc addition, the microstructure becomes very inhomogeneous. Large bcc dendrites (10–100 µm) are homogeneous in the central parts, but become a fine dispersion of sub-micron precipitates of the bcc and hcp phases close to the edges. The interdendritic regions are also a fine dispersion of the two phases. Superconductivity of the Sc-Hf-Nb-Ta-Ti-Zr alloys originates from the bcc phase fraction, which demonstrates identical superconducting parameters as the bcc Hf-Nb-Ta-Ti-Zr parent alloys, while the Sc-containing hcp phase fraction is non-superconducting.     

Increased postoperative myeloperoxidase concentration associated with low baseline antioxidant capacity as the risk factor of delirium after cardiac surgery

BackgroundThough risk factors of postoperative delirium are well described, its pathophysiology is still undiscovered. The primary objective of the current study is to assess whether increased pre- and postoperative myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels are associated with postoperative delirium in the population of cardiac surgery patients. The secondary objective is to evaluate the correlation between MPO levels and serum antioxidant capacity (AC).MethodsThe patients’ cognitive status was assessed one day preoperatively with the use of the Mini-Mental State Examination Test and the Clock Drawing Test. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders was established based on DSM-5 criteria. Blood samples for MPO and AC levels were collected both pre- and postoperatively. The Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit was used to screen for a diagnosis of delirium.ResultsDelirium occurred in 34% (61 of 177) of patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that increased postoperative MPO concentration was independently associated with postoperative delirium development, and negatively correlated with lower baseline serum AC.ConclusionsCardiac surgery patients with less efficient antioxidative mechanisms experience a higher postoperative peak of serum MPO, which in turn may predispose to postoperative delirium development.

KEY MESSAGES

• MPO is a lysosomal enzyme with strong pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory properties.
• Cardiac surgery patients who have increased concentration of postoperative MPO are at significantly higher risk of postoperative delirium development.
• This higher level of postoperative MPO is negatively correlated with baseline antioxidant capacity (AC).
• It can be hypothesized that individuals with decreased baseline AC experience a higher peak of MPO post-surgery due to less efficient antioxidative mechanisms, which in turn contributes to postoperative delirium development.

     

Sense of taste in patients after cochlear implantation-preliminary study

BackgroundTaste is the leading sense in how we determine the quality of consumed food. Proper gustatory sensation largely determines the well-being and health of an organism, and this affects their quality of life.ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to estimate the risk of early taste disorders following implantation surgery.MethodsTwenty patients underwent a taste test before, 1 day after, and 1 month after cochlear implantation. The taste sensations of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter were determined.ResultsStatistical analysis showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) between individual tests among the entire study group. After dividing the respondents into smoking (n=6) and non-smoking (n=14) groups, only a weak correlation (p = 0.043) was found between the results of the first and second examination in the smoker group. However, a statistically significant decrease in the number of saline-sensitive (p<0.001) and acid-sensitive (p = 0.042) subjects was observed.ConclusionThese findings suggest that people after a cochlear implant may have transient taste disorders. Taste disorder called dysgeusia may be an early complication after the implantation procedure contributing to deterioration of patients quality of life.     

Rapid hot-injection as a tool for control of magnetic nanoparticle size and morphology

The rapid hot-injection (HI) technique was employed to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles with well-defined morphology (octahedrons, cubes, and star-like). It was shown that the proposed synthetic approach could be an alternative for the heat-up and flow hot-injection routes. Instant injection of the precursor to the hot reaction mixture (solvent(s) and additives) at high temperatures promotes fast nucleation and particle directional growth towards specific morphologies. We state that the use of saturated hydrocarbon namely hexadecane (sHD) as a new co-solvent affects the activity coefficient of monomers, forces shape-controllable growth, and allows downsizing of particles. We have shown that the rapid hot-injection route can be extended for other ferrites as well (ZnFe₂O₄, CoFe₂O₄, NiFe₂O_4, and MnFe₂O₄) which has not been done previously through the HI process before.

Rapid hot-injection can be used for precise control of magnetic particle shape.     

New dinuclear zinc(ii) complexes with Schiff bases obtained from o-phenylenediamine and their application as fluorescent materials in spin coating deposition

Two Zn(ii) complexes, K1 and K2, obtained from the template reaction of zinc(ii) acetate dihydrate with o-phenylenediamine and 2-hydroxy-5-methylisophthalaldehyde (K1) or 2-hydroxy-5-tert-butyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxaldehyde (K2), respectively, were characterized by X-ray crystallography, spectroscopic (UV-vis, fluorescence and IR), and thermal methods. In the complex [Zn₂(MeO)_1.4(OH)_0.6(L1)]·2H₂O K1, there are two binding sites in the macrocyclic ligand and they are occupied by zinc(ii) cations found in slightly distorted square pyramidal environment. The zinc(ii) cations are connected by slightly asymmetric oxo bridges with a Zn1–O14–Zn1[−x, −y + 1, −z + 1] angle of 104.8(2)°. In the dimer [Zn₂(CH₃COO)₂(L2)]·2EtOH K2, there are two crystallographically independent binding sites both occupied by zinc(ii) cations. There is a significant difference between both complexes, since in K1 only one site is independent and the second is occupied due to the application of symmetry rules, and the geometry of both sites is identical. Thin layers of the obtained Zn(ii) complexes were deposited on Si(111) by the spin coating method and studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), fluorescence spectroscopy and ellipsometry. In the non-absorbing range, the value of the refractive index exhibits normal dispersion between 1.8 and 2.1 for K1_1–K1_3; and between 2.3 and 2.6 for the K2 series of samples established for long wavelengths (longer than 500 nm). The Zn(ii) complexes and their thin layers exhibited fluorescence between 534–573 nm and 495–572 nm for the compounds and the layers, respectively. The highest quantum yield of fluorescence was achieved for K2 in benzene and in the solid state ϕ = 0.78 and 0.58, respectively. The influence of the solvent polarity on the fluorescence properties of the obtained complexes was studied. Additionally, DFT calculations were performed to explain the structures and electronic spectral properties of the complexes.

Tin fluorescent materials were obtained using a spin coating method.     

Using amyloid PET imaging to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in patients with multiple sclerosis

Journal of Neurology - Cognitive dysfunction affects 40–60% of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The neuropsychological profile commonly consists of a subcortical pattern of deficits,...