In the process of physiological cardiac repair, splenic leukocyte-activated lipoxygenases (LOXs) are essential for the biosynthesis of specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators as a segment of an active process of acute inflammation in splenocardiac manner. In contrast, young 12/15LOX-/- mice use a compensatory mechanism that amplifies epoxyeicosatrienoic acid mediators after myocardial infarction, improving cardiac repair, function, and survival. Next, we tested whether deletion of 12/15LOX impacted the genesis of chronic inflammation in progressive aging. To test the risk factor of aging, we used the inter-organ hypothesis and assessed heart and spleen leukocyte population along with the number of inflammation markers in age-related 12/15LOX-/- aging mice (2 months, 6 months, 13 months) and compared with C57BL/6 J (WT; wild type) as controls (2 months). The 12/15LOX-/- aging mice showed an age-related increase in spleen mass (hypersplenism) and decreased marginal zone area. Results suggest increased interstitial fibrosis in the heart marked with the inflammatory mediator (PGD2) level in 12/15LOX-/- aging mice than WT controls. From a cellular perspective, the quantitative measurement of immune cells indicates that heart and spleen leukocytes (CD11b+ and F4/80+ population) were reduced in 12/15LOX-/- aging mice than WT controls. At the molecular level, analyses of cytokines in the heart and spleen suggest amplified IFN-γ, with reduced COX-1, COX-2, and ALOX5 expression in the absence of 12/15LOX-derived mediators in the spleen. Thus, aging of 12/15LOX-/- mice increased spleen mass and altered spleen and heart structure with activation of multiple molecular and cellular pathways contributing to age-related integrative and inter-organ inflammation.The significance of classical risk factors in coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unclear in older age due to possible changes in underlying disease pathologies. Therefore, we conducted Mendelian Randomization approaches to investigate the causal relationship between classical risk factors and primary CAD in different age groups. A Mendelian Randomization study was conducted in European-ethnicity individuals from the UK Biobank population. Analyses were performed using data of 22,313 CAD cases (71.6% men) and 407,920 controls (44.5% men). Using logistic regression analyses, we investigated the associations between standardized genetic risk score and primary CAD stratified by age of diagnosis. In addition, feature importance and model accuracy were assessed in different age groups to evaluate predictive power of the genetic risk scores with increasing age. We found age-dependent associations for all classical CAD risk factors. Notably, body mass index (OR 1.22 diagnosis  70 years). In line with the Mendelian Randomization analyses, model accuracy and feature importance of the classical risk factors decreased with increasing age of diagnosis. Causal determinants for primary CAD are age dependent with classical CAD risk factors attenuating in relation with primary CAD with increasing age. These results question the need for (some) currently applied cardiovascular disease risk reducing interventions at older age.Stormwater ponds can provide flood protection and efficiently treat stormwater using sedimentation. As the ponds also host aquatic biota and attract wildlife, there is a growing concern that the sediment bound pollutants negatively affect aquatic organisms and the surrounding ecosystem. In this study, we used three methods to assess the accumulation and the potential ecological risk of 13 different heavy metals and metalloids (e.g. trace elements) including both elements that are frequently monitored and some which are rarely monitored in sediment from 5 stormwater ponds located within catchments with predominately industrial activities. Ecological risk for organisms in the older ponds was observed for both commonly (e.g. Cd, Cu, Zn) and seldom (e.g. Ag, Sb) monitored trace elements. The 3 methods ranked the degree of contamination similarly. We show that methods usually used for sediment quality assessment in aquatic ecosystems can also be used for screening the potential risk of other trace elements in stormwater ponds and may consequently be useful in stormwater monitoring and management. Our study also highlights the importance of establishing background conditions when conducting ecological risk assessment of sediment in stormwater ponds.The paper presents the photodegradation process of one-, two- and three-component dye mixtures by ZnO-SnO2 nanoparticles. After 60 min of running the processes, the dye removal efficiencies of 76.44, 72.69, 62.43, 77.00 and 92.46% for MB, RB, TB, MO and YQ degradation, respectively, were obtained. For binary and ternary systems, dye removal efficiencies for all cases exceeded 70%. When the binary and ternary dye mixtures were tested, the photodegradation efficiencies of ZnO-SnO2 were similar to those of the single mixtures, indicating that this material could be used in industrial applications in the future. The focus of the study was to investigate the effect of sorption on photodegradation efficiency and the presence of both cationic and anionic dyes on their degradation efficiency under UV light. The significance of the effect of sorption on the degradation efficiency allowing the interaction of the catalyst with the dyes removed was confirmed. The main factor influencing sorption and consequently photocatalysis was the nature of the dye. It was confirmed that the positively charged ZnO-SnO2 surface effectively sorbs the dyes and causes their degradation.

Trabeculectomy is commonly performed for glaucoma when medications are unable to control disease progression or have intolerable adverse effects. Previous studies have suggested that a higher number of and/or longer treatment duration with preoperative topical glaucoma medications are associated with a higher risk of trabeculectomy failure, but most of these studies lack quantification of exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between preoperative exposure to topical glaucoma medications and trabeculectomy outcome, using a new method for quantifying accumulated exposure.

Consecutive patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) who underwent primary trabeculectomy between 2013 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The Glaucoma Medications Intensity Index (GMII) was calculated for each eye by multiplying the number of drops per week by duration of use (in years). The relationship between the GMII and postoperative outcome in terms of 1- andon in glaucoma medication was less (P = 0.02).

The GMII can be used to predict eyes at higher risk for trabeculectomy that may benefit from additional perioperative intervention or treatment. It can also help the surgeon time the surgery before the GMII becomes too high, thereby optimizing the patient’s postoperative outcome.

The GMII can be used to predict eyes at higher risk for trabeculectomy that may benefit from additional perioperative intervention or treatment. It can also help the surgeon time the surgery before the GMII becomes too high, thereby optimizing the patient’s postoperative outcome.Mammary gland is an outstanding system to study the regulatory mechanisms governing adult epithelial stem cell activity. Stem cells in the basal layer of the mammary gland fuel the morphogenesis and regeneration of a complex epithelial network during development and upon transplantation. The self-renewal of basal stem/progenitor cells is subjected to regulation by both cell-intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. Nfatc1 is a transcription factor that regulates breast tumorigenesis and metastasis, but its role in mammary epithelial development and stem cell function has not been investigated. Here we show that Nfatc1 is expressed in a small subset of mammary basal epithelial cells and its epithelial-specific deletion results in mild defects in side branching and basal-luminal cell balance. Moreover, Nfatc1-deficient basal cells exhibit reduced colony forming ability in vitro and somewhat compromised regenerative potential upon transplantation. Thus, our study provides evidence for a detectable yet non-essential role of Nfatc1 in mammary epithelial morphogenesis and basal stem/progenitor cell self-renewal.The close interaction between the enteric nervous system, microbiome, and brain in vertebrates is an emerging topic of recent studies. Different species such as rat, mouse, and human are currently being used for this purpose, among others. The transferability of protocols for tissue isolation and sample collection is not always straightforward. Thus, the present work presents a new protocol for isolation and sample collection of rat myenteric plexus cells for in vivo as well as in vitro studies. With the methods and chemicals described in detail, a wide variety of investigations can be performed with regard to normal physiological as well as pathological processes in the postnatal developing enteric nervous system. The fast and efficient preparation of the intestine as the first step is particularly important. We have developed and described a LIENS chamber to obtain optimal tissue quality during intestinal freezing. Cryosections of the flat, snap-frozen intestine can then be prepared for histological examination of the various wall layers of the intestine, e.g. by immunohistochemistry. In addition, these cryosections are suitable for the preparation of defined regions, as shown here using the ganglia of the mesenteric plexus. This specific tissue was obtained by laser microdissection, making the presented methodology also suitable for subsequent analyses that require high quality (specificity) of the samples. Furthermore, we present here a fully modernized protocol for the cultivation of myenteric neurons from the rat intestine, which is suitable for a variety of in vitro studies.

Massive aspiration of gastric contents as acause of death in pregnancy without anesthesia is possible, but is not documented in the available literature as aseparate case report.

To describe sudden death of a pregnant woman because of massive aspiration of gastric contents.

The presence of avalvular anomaly in a26-year-old woman had been known since childhood the prolapse of both mitral cusps. In the 34th week of her second pregnancy, after dinner, she went to take ashower when she collapsed with abundant vomiting of stomach contents. The ambulance came in 20 min and started aresuscitation procedure which was unsuccessful, and the death of the pregnant woman was established in the 34th week of pregnancy. Autopsy revealed massive aspiration of gastric contents into the trachea and bronchi, pulmonary edema, and generalized cyanosis. Left ventricular dilatation was found in the heart, with prolapse of both mitral valve cusps.

Sudden deaths in pregnancy are rare and dramatic conditions in emergency medicine. Cardiac checkups are very important for pregnant women with heart failures or heart anomalies, and must be recommended by gynecologists.

Sudden deaths in pregnancy are rare and dramatic conditions in emergency medicine. Cardiac checkups are very important for pregnant women with heart failures or heart anomalies, and must be recommended by gynecologists.