Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent ligand for AhR and a known carcinogen. While AhR activation by TCDD leads to significant immunosuppression, how this translates into carcinogenic signal is unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that activation of AhR by TCDD in naïve C57BL6 mice leads to massive induction of myeloid derived-suppressor cells (MDSCs). In the current study, we investigated the role of the gut microbiota in TCDD-mediated MDSC induction. TCDD caused significant alterations in the gut microbiome, such as increases in Prevotella and Lactobacillus, while decreasing Sutterella and Bacteroides. Fecal transplants from TCDD-treated

In this publication, several six coordinate Co(III)-complexes are reported. The reaction of 2,3-butanedione monoxime with ethylenediamine or o-phenylenediamine in mole ratios of 2:1 gave the tetradentate imine-oxime ligands diaminoethane-N,N`-bis(2-butylidine-3-onedioxime) H2L1 and o-phenylenediamine-N,N`-bis(2-butylidine-3-onedioxime), respectively. The reaction of H2L1 and H2L2 with Co(NO3)2, and the amino acid co-ligands (glycine or serine) resulted in the formation of the required complexes. Upon complex formation, the ligands behave as a neutral tetradantate species, while the amino acid co-ligand acts as a monobasic species. The mode of bonding and overall geometry of the complexes were determined through physico-chemical and spectro

Organofluorines, as a pollutant, belongs to a group of substances which are very difficult to neutralize. They are part of many products of everyday use and for this reason they pollute the environment in large quantities. Perfluorinated carboxylic acids are entered into the list of the “Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants” in order to minimize the load on the environment by significantly reducing their use, up to their complete rejection. The DD4 strain was isolated from the soil by the enrichment method and identified using 16S rRNA method as Pseudomonas plecoglossicida. It is able to metabolize perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as the only carbon source in Raymond nutrient medium with a concentration of 1000

This study investigates the possibility of using waste plastic as one of the components of expired lead-acid batteries to produce lightweight concrete. Different percentages of lead-acid battery plastic were used in the production of lightweight concrete. The replacements were (70, 80 and 100%) by volume of the fine and coarse aggregate. Results demonstrated that a reduction of approximately 23.6% to 35% in the wet density was observed when replacement of 70% to 100% of the natural aggregate by lead-acid battery plastic. Also, the compressive strength decreased slightly with the increase in plastic content at different curing ages of 7, 28, 60, 90, 120 days. The lowest value of compressive strength was (20.7 MPa) for (wa

(1) Background: Plant flavonoids are efficient in preventing and treating various diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of hesperidin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruits, in inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation, which induced lethal toxicity in vivo, and to evaluate its importance as an antitumor agent in breast cancer. The in vivo experiments revealed the protective effects of hesperidin against the negative LPS effects on the liver and spleen of male mice. (2) Methods: In the liver, the antioxidant activity was measured by estimating the concentration of glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT), whereas in spleen, the concentration of cytokines including IL-33 and TNF-α was measured. The in vitro expe

This work focuses on the use of biologically produced activated carbon for improving the physi-co-chemical properties of water samples obtained from the Tigris River. An eco-friendly and low-cost activated carbon was prepared from the Alhagi plant using potassium hydroxide (KOH) as an impregnation agent. The prepared activated carbon was characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to determine the functional groups that exist on the raw material (Alhagi plant) and Alhagi activated carbon (AAC). Scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope was also used to investigate the surface shape and the elements that compose the powder. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis was used to evaluate the spe