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Biophysical and in silico studies on the interaction of polypyridyl ruthenium complexes with human serum albumin : overcoming low affinity and high luminescence challenges
No full textNanoarchitecture design for improved photocatalytic performance : a case study of titania mesocrystals modified with noble metals
No full textLate working life policies in Poland
No full textThis chapter presents the country context for Poland, focusing on three key areas: (a) First, the main inequalities in late working life (LWL), namely age, gender, income, education, region, sector, ethnicity/migration, care responsibilities and health. These sections are standardised across all the country chapters to allow for ease of comparison. (b) Second, the significant policy measures affecting inequalities in late working lives. This section has a particular emphasis on impact and focuses on: employer-based age management policies, pension reforms, anti-age discrimination legislation, lifelong learning, flexible working, health protection and carer support. (c) The final section looks at all the preceding information from this chapter in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and current world financial crisis. Focusing predominantly on older workers, this section looks at interim and longer-term policy changes and the implications for inequalities in extended working lives. The sections in this chapter are standardised with those for other country chapters to allow for easy cross-comparison.</jats:p
Safety and efficacy of upfront triple therapy including parenteral treprostinil compared to double oral therapy in PAH (TripleTRE): study protocol for a randomised trial
No full textVirtual Surgical Planning (VSP) in orthognathic surgery for non-syndromic cleft patients : a scoping review of trends and clinical outcomes
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In silico assessment of neuromuscular blocking agents and fluoroquinolones as ligands of the Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2
No full textBackground. Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) may trigger severe perioperative hypersensitivity reactions. A recently proposed mechanism involves off-target activity of NMBAs. They are thought to directly activate the Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2), leading to mast cell degranulation and drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions. This study investigated which NMBAs exert this effect, whether in silico findings are consistent with cell-based experiments, and how the affinity of NMBAs for MRGPRX2 compares with that of fluoroquinolones, known MRGPRX2 agonists. We also sought to predict MRGPRX2 binding-site mutations that might enhance interactions with these drugs. Methods. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area binding free-energy calculations were combined with a β-hexosaminidase release assay in MRGPRX2-expressing RBL-2H3 stable cell line. Computational alanine scanning was performed to predict the impact of receptor mutations. Results. We demonstrated that atracurium-induced mast cell degranulation can be attributed to its immediate metabolite, laudanosine, which binds strongly to MRGPRX2. Pipecuronium, but not rocuronium, suxamethonium, or vecuronium, exhibited high affinity for MRGPRX2 in MD simulations. Complexes of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin with MRGPRX2 demonstrated excellent stability in MD simulations. RBL-MX2 responses to NMBAs and fluoroquinolones were highly consistent with our MD findings. Alanine substitutions reduced the affinity of ligands for MRGPRX2. Conclusions. In contrast to fluoroquinolones, NMBAs displayed different affinity for MRGPRX2. Cellular responses in bench experiments closely reflected the MD predictions. Alanine scanning revealed that the MRGPRX2 binding pocket exhibits low susceptibility to single-site mutations that enhance receptor responsiveness
Robot-assisted vs. laparoscopic cholecystectomy in children : a meta-analysis with systematic review of comparative studies
No full textApplication of ToF-SIMS to detection and imaging of cannabis-contaminated fingerprints : a preliminary study
No full textHumans have used cannabis for centuries for medical and recreational purposes. In some countries, such as the Netherlands, individuals are permitted to possess small amounts of cannabis for personal use, whereas in others, it is only available for medical purposes. However, cannabis is prohibited in the majority of countries and can only be obtained through illicit channels. Therefore, reliable methods for identifying cannabis are necessary in these countries especially with regard to fingerprints, which may contain traces of various substances, including psychoactive substances. This study presents the results of using the ToF-SIMS technique to detect cannabis-related compounds present as contaminants in fingerprints. These include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabivarin (CBV), cannabinol (CBN) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). Additionally, the ToF-SIMS technique was tested for its ability to record images of fingerprints contaminated with dried cannabis. This technique makes such research possible and has a variety of applications, including in forensic science. During this study, the volunteers' fingerprints, which had been contaminated with cannabis (marijuana), were revealed using black, antistatic fingerprint powder. They were then transferred using fingerprint tape. The ToF-SIMS technique was found to allow cannabis to be detected in fingerprints transferred with the fingerprint tape. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of cannabis residues on transferred fingerprints could be demonstrated using ToF-SIMS imaging. These preliminary results suggest ToF-SIMS could be a valuable tool for the forensic analysis of cannabis residues on fingerprints