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Cureus 2021 Apr 30;13(4):e14780. Epub 2021 Apr 30.

Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine at the Permian Basin, Odessa, USA.

Many drugs are known to potentially cause liver injury; however, only a few reports investigate the association between levofloxacin and acute liver failure (ALF).  The case describes a 65-year-old man who was admitted with primary diagnoses of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who developed an upper respiratory tract infection for which he was started on levofloxacin. Following its administration, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased more than 100-fold above the upper limit of normal. Read More

Bioresour Technol 2021 May 29;336:125342. Epub 2021 May 29.

School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address:

A novel bacterial strain that exhibited a high capacity for the simultaneous degradation and removal of tylosin and ammonia nitrogen, respectively, was isolated from tylosin fermentation dregs (TFDs) and identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae TN-1. The removal efficiencies of tylosin and ammonia nitrogen reached 95.31% and 83. Read More

Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2021 Jun 3:1-5. Epub 2021 Jun 3.

Division of Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Introduction: Acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity can result in hyperammonemia, but it is not clear if elevated ammonia concentrations predict encephalopathy.

Methods: We retrospectively studied patients with acetaminophen toxicity at a liver transplant center over 8 years (January 1, 2010-December 31, 2017), who developed hepatotoxicity (AST and/or ALT >1000 IU/L) or hyperammonemia (ammonia > 40 µmol/L). We recorded baseline characteristics, laboratory data, documented grade of encephalopathy, and treatments administered. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021 Jun 1. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Department of Biotechnology, St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), 30, Mother Teresa Sarani, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700016, India.

The aim of the manuscript was to demonstrate the efficacy of salicylic acid (SA) in abrogating the fluoride-induced oxidative damages in the susceptible rice cultivar, MTU1010. Prolonged exposure of seedlings to sodium fluoride (25 mg L) severely impaired growth and overall physiological parameters like germination percentage, biomass and root and shoot length and incited the formation of hydrogen peroxide that enhanced electrolyte leakage, formation of cytotoxic products like malondialdehyde and methylglyoxal and lipoxygenase activity. Exogenous application of SA (0. Read More

Polymers (Basel) 2021 May 15;13(10). Epub 2021 May 15.

Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are emerging novel nanomaterials with a wide range of applications and high biocompatibility. However, there is a lack of in-depth research on whether CQDs can cause acute or long-term adverse reactions in aquatic organisms. In this study, two different types of CQDs prepared by ammonia citrate and spermidine, namely CQD and CQD, were used to evaluate their biocompatibilities. Read More

Front Plant Sci 2021 30;12:656144. Epub 2021 Apr 30.

College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.

Compared with sole nitrogen (N), the nutrition mixture of ammonium (NH) and nitrate (NO) is known to better improve crop yield and quality. However, the mechanism underlying this improvement remains unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the changes in nutrient solution composition, content of different N forms in plant tissues and exudates, and expression of plasma membrane (PM) H-ATPase genes () under different NH/NO ratios (0/100, 10/90, 25/75, 50/50 as control, T1, T2, and T3) in flowering Chinese cabbage. Read More

Pestic Biochem Physiol 2021 Jun 26;175:104833. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Neurochemical and ATPase deregulations play important role in toxicant-induced neurodegeneration. Previous studies have shown that loss of ATPase ionic-pumps alters neurochemical balance via increased ammonia, oxidative and nitrosative stress. Thus, this study investigated the ameliorative potentials of quercetin on neurochemical, ATPase changes, hyperammonemia and oxidative/nitrosative status in the brains of Wistar rats exposed to endosulfan, a known toxic environmental pesticide that is casually used in many developing countries. Read More

Hepatol Int 2021 May 11. Epub 2021 May 11.

Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated With Jinan University), No. 79 Kangning Road, Zhuhai, 519000, Guangdong Province, China.

Background/purpose: Overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) risk should be preoperatively predicted to identify patients suitable for curative transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) instead of palliative treatments.

Methods: A total of 185 patients who underwent TIPS procedure were randomised (130 in the training dataset and 55 in the validation dataset). Clinical factors and imaging characteristics were assessed. Read More

Bioresour Technol 2021 Apr 30;334:125246. Epub 2021 Apr 30.

Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki GR-54124, Greece. Electronic address:

Three continuously stirred-tank reactors fed with manure operating under high ammonia levels (5.0 g NH-N L) and with increased organic loading rate (OLR), (2.09 R1, 3. Read More

J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol 2021 May 10. Epub 2021 May 10.

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Although blackwaters, named for their rich content of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), are often very poor in ions and very acidic, they support great fish biodiversity. Indeed, about 8% of all freshwater fish species live in the blackwaters of the Rio Negro watershed in the Amazon basin. We review how native fish survive these harsh conditions that would kill most freshwater fish, with a particular focus on the role of DOC, a water quality parameter that has been relatively understudied. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2021 Jun 7;773:145041. Epub 2021 Feb 7.

Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.

This study aims to offer insights into how ciprofloxacin (CIP) impact bacterial community structures in the Sponge-MBR process when CIP is spiked into hospital wastewater. We found that the CIP toxicity decreased richness critical phylotypes such as phylum class ẟ-, β-, ɣ-proteobacteria, and Flavobacteria that co-respond to suppress denitrification and cake fouling to 37% and 28% respectively. Cluster analysis shows that the different community structures were formed under the influence of CIP toxicity. Read More

Environ Toxicol Chem 2021 Apr 30. Epub 2021 Apr 30.

Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, GPO Box 461, Darwin, NT, 0801, Australia.

Six tropical freshwater species were used to assess the toxicity of mine waters from a uranium mine adjacent to a World-Heritage area in northern Australia. Key contaminants of potential concern for the mine are uranium (U), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn) and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN). Direct toxicity assessments were carried out to assess whether the established site-specific guideline values for individual contaminants would be protective with the contaminants occurring as mixtures. Read More

Saudi J Biol Sci 2021 Apr 10;28(4):2540-2548. Epub 2021 Feb 10.

Genetics and Cytology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.

L-Asparaginase is an antileukemic agent that depletes L-asparagine "an important nutrient for cancer cells" through the hydrolysis of L-asparagine into L-aspartic acid and ammonia leading to leukemia cell starvation and apoptosis in susceptible leukemic cell populations. Moreover currently, bacterial L-asparaginase has been limited by problems of lower productivity, stability, selectivity and a number of toxicities along with the resistance towards bacterial L-asparaginase. Then the current work aimed to provide pure L-asparaginase with in-vitro efficacy against various human carcinomas without adverse effects related to current L-asparaginase formulations. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2021 Apr 24;277:114141. Epub 2021 Apr 24.

Department of Pharmacology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Kornaish El Nile, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba (P.O. 30), Giza, 12411, Egypt. Electronic address:

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ashwagandha (ASH) is one of the medicinal plants used in traditional Indian, Ayurvedic, and Unani medicines for their broad range of pharmacological activities including, tonic, aphrodisiac, energy stimulant, and counteracting chronic fatigue. Besides, it is used in the treatment of nervous exhaustion, memory-related conditions, insomnia, as well as improving learning ability and memory capacity. ASH is preclinically proven to be efficient in hepatoprotection and improving cognitive impairment, however, its beneficial effects against hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is still unclear. Read More

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2021 Apr 23. Epub 2021 Apr 23.

Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Mérida. Km. 6 Antigua Carretera a Progreso, Cordemex, Yucatán, 97310, Mérida, Mexico.

We report the chemical characterisation and toxic effects of municipal solid waste landfill leachates on the embryonic development of Danio rerio. The results of the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the presence of nitrogen-containing groups and aromatic functional groups associated with highly toxic pollutants such as ammonia and heavy metal-humic complexes. Mortalities of up to 93 and 100% were observed in 1:64 and 1:32 landfill leachate dilutions, v/v, respectively. Read More

mBio 2021 04 20;12(2). Epub 2021 Apr 20.

National Biofilms Innovation Centre, Nottingham University Biodiscovery Institute, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

The opportunistic pathogen produces an arsenal of virulence factors causing a wide range of diseases in multiple hosts and is difficult to eradicate due to its intrinsic resistance to antibiotics. With the antibacterial pipeline drying up, antivirulence therapy has become an attractive alternative strategy to the traditional use of antibiotics to treat infections. To identify genes required for virulence in multiple hosts, a random library of Tn mutants in strain PAO1-L was previously screened for those showing pleiotropic effects in the production of virulence phenotypes. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021 Jul 17;217:112203. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Swine Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Ammonia (NH) is a major gaseous pollutant in livestock production and has adverse effects on production, health and welfare of animals. The liver is one of the target organs of NH, and excessive NH inhalation can induce liver damage. However, the toxicity assessment of NH on pig liver and its mechanism have not been reported yet. Read More

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2021 Jul 16;81(1):46-57. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Adıyaman University, 02040, Adıyaman, Turkey.

The present study investigates the toxicity of the herbicide tribenuron methyl (TBM) as an anthropogenic agent and ammonia as an abiotic factor on Daphnia magna at environmentally relevant concentrations. These stressors may coexist in surface waters in agricultural regions. To achieve this objective, D. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021 Jul 11;217:112219. Epub 2021 Apr 11.

College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, NO. 600 Chang Jiang Road, Xiang Fang District, Harbin 150030, China. Electronic address:

Ammonia gas is a well-known environmental pollution gas, threatening human health. Ammonia gas is also one of the most harmful gases to livestock and poultry for many years. Many studies have demonstrated toxic effect of ammonia gas on animal health, such as eyes, respiratory system, and digestive system. Read More

Arch Toxicol 2021 Apr 14. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Hepatocytes are the main cell components of the liver and perform metabolic, detoxification, and endocrine functions. Functional hepatocytes are of great value in drug development, toxicity evaluation, and cell therapy for liver diseases. In recent years, an increasing number of in vitro models have been developed to screen drugs and test their toxicity. Read More

Bioresour Technol 2021 Jul 30;332:125081. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Department of Environmental Biotechnology, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology (UST), 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Microalgal treatment of undiluted raw piggery wastewater is challenging due to ammonia toxicity and a deep dark color hampering photosynthesis. To overcome these problems, (1) a microalga (Coelastrella sp.) was isolated from an ammonia-rich environment, (2) the wastewater treatment was divided into two steps: a heterotrophic process followed by a mixotrophic process, and (3) a narrower transparent photobioreactor was employed with higher light intensity in the mixotrophic process. Read More

Clin J Gastroenterol 2021 Jun 3;14(3):852-857. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan.

Radical treatments of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) can be often difficult due to poor liver function or disturbance of consciousness. An effective treatment requires a combinatorial approach incorporating a treatment for HE and radical therapy for HCC that does not compromise liver function. Here, we report a case of a 78-year-old Japanese male with HCC and HE caused by splenorenal shunt. Read More

Mol Biol Rep 2021 Mar 3;48(3):2611-2618. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-Agriculture, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, School of Wetlands, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, 224001, Jiangsu, China.

Procambarus clarkii is an important model crustacean organism in many researches. Ammonia nitrogen is one of common contaminants in aquatic environment, influencing the health of aquatic organisms. The primary objective of this study was to investigate molecular mechanisms on ammonia stress in gills of P. Read More

Genes (Basel) 2021 Mar 25;12(4). Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.

Cereal productivity is reduced by environmental stresses such as drought, heat, elevated CO, salinity, metal toxicity and cold. Sometimes, plants are exposed to multiple stresses simultaneously. Plants must be able to make a rapid and adequate response to these environmental stimuli in order to restore their growing ability. Read More

Animals (Basel) 2021 Mar 24;11(4). Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30605, USA.

Nitrocompounds are derivatives of hydrocarbons, alcohols, fatty acids, and esters, consisting one or more nitro functional groups. Either natural sources of nitrocompounds or synthetic chemicals have been applied in animal diets to investigate their effects on economic animals, since conjugates of 3-nitropropanol and 3-nitropropionic acid were isolated from In this review, emphasis will be placed on nitrocompounds' antimicrobial activity, toxicity, metabolisms and mechanisms of actions. Nitrocompounds can be metabolized by ruminal microbials, such as , or alcohol dehydrogenase in the liver. Read More

J Environ Sci (China) 2021 May 16;103:207-218. Epub 2020 Nov 16.

Hebei Key Lab of Power Plant Flue Gas Multi-Pollutants Control, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding, 071003, PR China. Electronic address:

Accelerating the (NH)SO oxidation gives rise to the reclaiming of byproduct, while there are secondary environmental risks from reduction of the coexisted selenium species by sulfite. In this study, a bi-functional Co-SBA-15-SH, were synthesized through Co impregnation and sulfhydryl (-SH) decoration, which can simultaneously uptake Se and accelerate sulfite oxidation efficiently. Meanwhile, the adsorption kinetics and migration mechanism of Se species were revealed through characterization and density functional calculations, with maximum adsorption capacity of 223 mg/g. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021 Jun 16;215:112141. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Environmental Analysis and Testing Laboratory, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China.

Current Chinese surface water environmental quality standard GB3838-2002 for ammonia fails to take water quality factors and native organism distributions in different basins into consideration. In this study, ammonia toxicity tests were performed using three aquatic organisms native to the Shaying River Basin (China). Published ammonia toxicity data with pH and temperature, and toxicity data acquired in this study were used to establish water quality criteria. Read More

Environ Toxicol 2021 Jun 15;36(6):1195-1205. Epub 2021 Mar 15.

College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.

In this study, healthy Wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) juveniles were exposed to 0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 mg/L total ammonia nitrogen for 30 days to elucidate toxic effects and mechanisms of ammonia on growth performance involved with the regulation of growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes. Our results showed that the increasing total ammonia nitrogen concentrations caused dose-depend decreases in the weight gain and specific growth rate but increases in the food conversion ratio and mortality in juvenile bream, indicating growth inhibitory effects induced by ammonia. Concurrently, GH, IGF-1 at protein and mRNA levels were significantly decreased in ammonia exposure groups (p < . Read More

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2021 May 12;114(5):527-538. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education Jilin University/College of Animal Medicine, Changchun, 130062, Jilin, China.

A Gram-positive, smooth, sub-transparent, faint yellow,0.5-0.7 µm diameter, rod shaped aerobic or facultative aerobic strain P40-2was isolated from livestock farms in Northeast China. Read More

Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2021 Mar 11:1-9. Epub 2021 Mar 11.

Division of Clinical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, VA, USA.

Introduction: References listing common occupational poisons often include agents that were observed decades prior to the introduction of worker protective laws and regulations. Current causes of work-related acute poisonings have not been characterized. This study's primary objective was to describe the most common poisons and routes of exposure responsible for clinically significant occupational poisonings. Read More