Electronic waste (e-waste) has been identified as an emerging pollutant and is the fastest growing waste stream at the present time. Significant technological development and modernization within the last decade has led to the rapid accumulation of outdated, broken and unwanted electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Electronic products mainly consist of a range of metal containing components that, when disposed of improperly, could result in metal constituents leached into the environment and posing a health risk to humans and animals alike. Metal exposure can induce oxidative stress in organisms, which could lead to synergistic, antagonistic and additive effects. The metals found highest in abundance in the simulated e-waste leachate, were nickel (Ni), barium (Ba), zinc (Zn), lithium (Li), iron (Fe), aluminium (Al) and copper (Cu). An acute exposure study was conducted over a 96 h period to determine the potential toxicity of e-waste on the test organism Danio rerio. Biomarker analysis results to assess the biochemical and physiological effects induced by e-waste leachate, showed a statistically significant effect induced on acetylcholinesterase activity, superoxide dismutase, catalase activity, reduced glutathione content, glutathione s-transferase, malondialdehyde and glucose energy available. The Integrated Biomarker Response (IBRv2) analysis revealed a greater biomarker response induced as the exposure concentration of e-waste leachate increased.

Protein methylation is a post-translational modification (PTM) that organisms undergo. This process is considered a part of epigenetics research. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in protein methylation, particularly histone methylation, as research has advanced. Methylation of histones is a dynamic process that is subject to fine control by histone methyltransferases and demethylases. In addition, many non-histone proteins also undergo methylation, and these modifications collectively regulate physiological phenomena, including RNA transcription, translation, signal transduction, DNA damage response, and cell cycle. Protein arginine methylation is a crucial aspect of protein methylation, which plays a significant role in regulating the cell cycle and repairing DNA. It is also linked to various diseases. Therefore, protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) that are involved in this process have gained considerable attention as a potential therapeutic target for treating diseases. Several PRMT inhibitors are in phase I/II clinical trials. This paper aims to introduce the structure, biochemical functions, and bioactivity assays of PRMTs. Additionally, we will review the structure-function of currently popular PRMT inhibitors. Through the analysis of various data on known PRMT inhibitors, we hope to provide valuable assistance for future drug design and development.

UNASSIGNED: Prone positioning is one type of postural lung recruitment manoeuvre that has been widely studied regarding the benefits and physiological changes of the cardiorespiratory system. However, prone positioning is not very comfortable for the patients because they have to lie on their stomachs for a while when the oxygen therapy and other monitoring devices are still attached. Based on patient observations, some patients will change to more comfortable positions, namely using the right/left lateral decubitus position. The purpose of this research was to examine the physiological impact of prone and lateral decubitus position in non-intubated patients who were diagnosed with severe COVID-19.
UNASSIGNED: It was a prospective cohort study in subsequent people with severe COVID-19 who obtained a non-rebreathing mask or high-flow nasal cannula at a University Hospital between 1 June and 10 September 2021. The study lasted for a total of 2021 days and involved 48 patients. The patients assumed the prone positioning or lateral decubitus every morning and afternoon for 4 h and were measured for cardiorespiratory parameters and blood gas analysis. It has been reported in line with the STROCSS criteria.
UNASSIGNED: Dynamic changes based on cardiorespiratory parameters and blood gas analysis parameters in patients with prone and lateral decubitus position in patients with severe COVID-19 receiving conventional oxygen therapy (via non-rebreathing mask) or high-flow nasal cannula did not show any significant difference.
UNASSIGNED: The physiological effect of prone positioning and lateral decubitus in non-intubated patients with severe COVID-19 are similar. Accordingly, lateral decubitus can be an alternative for postural lung recruitment manoeuvres and warrants further randomized trials.

All fungi emit mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during growth. The qualitative and quantitative composition of these volatile mixtures vary with the species of fungus, the age of the fungus, and the environmental parameters attending growth. In nature, fungal VOCs are found as combinations of alcohols, aldehydes, acids, ethers, esters, ketones, terpenes, thiols and their derivatives, and are responsible for the characteristic odors associated with molds, mushrooms and yeasts. One of the single most common fungal volatiles is 1-octen-3-ol also known as \"mushroom alcohol\" or \"matsutake alcohol.\" Many volatiles, including 1-octen-3-ol, serve as communication agents and display biological activity as germination inhibitors, plant growth retardants or promoters, and as semiochemicals (\"infochemicals\") in interactions with arthropods. Volatiles are understudied and underappreciated elements of the chemical lives of fungi. This review gives a brief introduction to fungal volatiles in hopes of raising awareness of the physiological importance of these gas phase fungal metabolites to encourage mycologists and other biologists to stop \"throwing away the head space.\"

Biopolymers are prevalent in both natural and processed foods, serving as thickeners, emulsifiers, and stabilizers. Although specific biopolymers are known to affect digestion, the mechanisms behind their influence on the nutrient absorption and bioavailability in processed foods are not yet fully understood. The aim of this review is to elucidate the complex interplay between biopolymers and their behavior in vivo, and to provide insights into the possible physiological consequences of their consumption. The colloidization process of biopolymer in various phases of digestion was analyzed and its impact on nutrition absorption and gastrointestinal tract was summarized. Furthermore, the review discusses the methodologies used to assess colloidization and emphasizes the need for more realistic models to overcome challenges in practical applications. By controlling macronutrient bioavailability using biopolymers, it is possible to enhance health benefits, such as improving gut health, aiding in weight management, and regulating blood sugar levels. The physiological effect of extracted biopolymers utilized in modern food structuring technology cannot be predicted solely based on their inherent functionality. It is essential to account for factors such as their initial consuming state and interactions with other food components to better understand the potential health benefits of biopolymers.
Food biopolymers (FBP) impact nutrient distribution differently in various digestion phases.FBP application can help tailor nutritional values for personalized dietary plans.FBP colloidization under complex interactions results challenges in practical applications.Accurate assessment of FBP colloidization requires combination of methodologies.Dietary FBP additives benefits and safety warrant investigation in real food matrix.

Cyanobacteria and their toxins widely exist in freshwater ecosystems. Microcystis aeruginosa is among dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Water temperature is a key factor influencing the life cycle of M. aeruginosa. We simulated elevated temperature (4-35 °C) experiment and cultured M. aeruginosa during the overwintering, recruitment and rapid growth phases. The results showed that M. aeruginosa recovered growth after overwintering at 4-8 °C and recruited at 16 °C. The total extracellular polymeric substance (TEPS) concentration increased rapidly at 15 °C. The actual quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv\'/Fm\') peaked at 20 °C during the rapid growth phase, and the optimum temperature of M. aeruginosa growth was 20-25 °C. Additionally, TEPS and microcystins (MCs) secretion peaked at 20-25 °C. The cell density accumulated rapidly from 26 °C to 35 °C. Furthermore, enzymes of RuBisCO and FBA related to photosynthetic activity were confirmed to contribute to the metabolism, as well as mcyB gene was affected by elevated temperature. Our results provide insights of the physiological effects and metabolic activity during annual cycle of M. aeruginosa. And it is predicted that global warming may promote the earlier recruitment of M. aeruginosa, extend the optimum growth period, enhance the toxicity, and finally intensify M. aeruginosa blooms.

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as organochlorines (OCs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), is associated with adverse health effects in wildlife. Many POPs have been banned and consequently their environmental concentrations have declined. To assess both temporal trends of POPs and their detrimental impacts, raptors are extensively used as biomonitors due to their high food web position and high contaminant levels. White-tailed eagles (WTEs; Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Baltic ecosystem represent a sentinel species of environmental pollution, as they have suffered population declines due to reproductive failure caused by severe exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) during the 1960s through 1980s. However, there is a lack of long-term studies that cover a wide range of environmental contaminants and their effects at the individual level. In this study, we used 135 pooled samples of shed body feathers collected in 1968-2012 from breeding WTE pairs in Sweden. Feathers constitute a temporal archive for substances incorporated into the feather during growth, including corticosterone, which is the primary avian glucocorticoid and a stress-associated hormone. Here, we analysed the WTE feather pools to investigate annual variations in feather corticosterone (fCORT), POPs (OCs and PBDEs), and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (SIs; dietary proxies). We examined whether the expected fluctuations in POPs affected fCORT (8-94 pg. mm-1) in the WTE pairs. Despite clear temporal declining trends in POP concentrations (p < 0.01), we found no significant associations between fCORT and POPs or SIs (p > 0.05 in all cases). Our results do not support fCORT as a relevant biomarker of contaminant-mediated effects in WTEs despite studying a highly contaminated population. However, although not detecting a relationship between fCORT, POP contamination and diet, fCORT represents a non-destructive and retrospective assessment of long-term stress physiology in wild raptors otherwise not readily available.

Owing to their unique physicochemical properties and diverse biological effects, ultrafine bubbles (UFBs) have recently been expected to be utilized for industrial and biological purposes. Thus, this study investigated the biological safety of UFBs in water for living beings in drinking the water with a view to future use in health sciences. In this study, we used H2-filled UFBs (NanoGAS®) that can hold hydrogen in the aqueous phase for a long time. Mice were randomly assigned to one of three groups: those receiving NanoGAS® water, reverse osmosis water, or natural mineral water, and they ingested it ad libitum for one month or three months. As a result, subchronic drinking of NanoGAS® water does not affect either the common blood biochemical parameters or the health of the organs and mucosal membranes. Our results, for the first time, scientifically demonstrated the biological safety of H2-filled UFBs water for subchronic oral consumption.

[18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is a well-established modality with high sensitivity for the diagnosis and staging of oncologic patients. FDG is taken up by the glucose transporter of the cell membrane and becomes trapped within the cell. In addition to malignant neoplasms, active inflammatory lesions and some kinds of benign tumors also accumulate FDG. Moreover, the degree of uptake into normal organs and tissues depends on various physiological conditions, which is affected by various medical procedures, treatments, and drugs. To avoid misleading interpretations, it is important to recognize possible situations of unexpected abnormal accumulation that mimic tumor lesions. In this review, we present various FDG findings associated with surgical or medical procedures and treatments. Some findings reflect the expected physiological reaction to treatment, and some show inflammation due to prior procedures. Occasionally, FDG-PET visualizes other disorders that are unrelated to the malignancy, which may be associated with the adverse effects of certain drugs that the patient is taking. Careful review of medical records and detailed interviews of patients are thus necessary.

Bread is a commonly consumed staple and could be a viable medium to deliver plant-based ingredients that demonstrate health effects. This review brings together published evidence on the bioactive properties of bread formulated with plant-based ingredients. Health effects associated with the consumption of bread formulated with plant-based functional ingredients was also reviewed. Bioactive properties demonstrated by the functional ingredients fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and tea incorporated into bread include increased phenolic and polyphenolic content, increased antioxidant activity, and extension of bread shelf-life by impairment of lipid and protein oxidation. Acute health effects reported included appetite suppression, reduced diastolic blood pressure, improvements in glycaemia, insulinaemia and satiety effect. These metabolic effects are mainly short lived and not enough for a health claim. Longer term studies or comparison of those who consume and those who do not are needed. The incorporation of plant-based functional ingredients in bread could enhance the health-promoting effects of bread.