Acido solfidrico nella letteratura internazionale

Studi inseriti in PubMed nel mese di dicembre 2015 (aggiornamento al 13 gennaio 2016)

(1) Kim KH. The need for practical input data for modeling odor nuisance effects due to a

municipal solid waste landfill in the surrounding environment. Environ Int 2016 Feb;87:116-7.

(2) Miks-Krajnik M, Yoon YJ, Ukuku DO, Yuk HG. Volatile chemical spoilage indexes of raw Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stored under aerobic condition in relation to microbiological and sensory shelf lives. Food Microbiol 2016 Feb;53(Pt B):182-91. Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to identify and quantify the volatile chemical spoilage indexes (CSIs) for raw Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets stored under aerobic storage conditions at 4, 10 and 21 degrees C in relation to microbial and sensory shelf lives. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed with SPME-GC-MS technique. Through multivariate chemometric method, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and Pearson's correlations, the CSIs: trimethylamine (TMA), ethanol (EtOH), 3-methyl-1-butanol (3Met-1But), acetoin and acetic acid (C2) were selected from the group of 28 detected VOCs. At the moment of microbiological shelf life established at total viable count (TVC) of 7.0 log CFU/g, the CSIs achieved levels of 11.5, 38.3, 0.3, 24.0 and 90.7 mug/g of salmon for TMA, EtOH, 3M-1But, acetoin and C2, respectively. Pseudomonas spp. was found as major specific spoilage organism (SSOs), suitable for shelf life prediction using modified Gompertz model at the cut-off level of 6.5 log CFU/g. H2S producing bacteria and Brochothrix thermosphacta were considered as important spoilage microorganisms; however, they were not suitable for shelf life estimation. Partial least square (PLS) regression revealed possible associations between microorganisms and synthetized VOCs, showing correlations between Pseudomonas spp. and 3Met-1But and aldehydes synthesis, lactic acid bacteria were linked with EtOH, C2 and esters, and B. thermosphacta with acetoin formation

(3) Silva CR, Henriquez C, Frizzarin RM, Zagatto EA, Cerda V. A critical comparison of constant and pulsed flow systems exploiting gas diffusion. Talanta 2016 Feb 1;148:596-601. Abstract: Considering the beneficial aspects arising from the implementation of pulsed flows in flow analysis, and the relevance of in-line gas diffusion as an analyte separation/concentration step, influence of flow pattern in flow systems with in-line gas diffusion was critically investigated. To this end, constant or pulsed flows delivered by syringe or solenoid pumps were exploited. For each flow pattern, two variants involving different interaction times of the donor with the acceptor streams were studied. In the first one, both the acceptor and donor streams were continuously flowing, whereas in the second one, the acceptor was stopped during the gas diffusion step. Four different volatile species (ammonia, ethanol, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide) were selected as models. For the flow patterns and variants studied, the efficiencies of mass transport in the gas diffusion process were compared, and sensitivity, repeatability, sampling frequency and recorded peak shape were evaluated. Analysis of the results revealed that sensitivity is strongly dependent on the implemented variant, and that flow pattern is an important feature in flow systems with in-line gas diffusion

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(4) Borras E, Tortajada-Genaro LA, Munoz A. Determination of reduced sulfur compounds in air samples for the monitoring of malodor caused by landfills. Talanta 2016 Feb 1;148:472-7. Abstract: A reliable method for determining malodorous reduced sulfur compounds (RSC) in atmospheric samples has been developed. The method uses an activated coconut solid-phase sorbent for active sampling, hexane as desorption solvent, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique for specific and sensitive separation-detection. The compounds analyzed were hydrogen sulfide, ethyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, butyl mercaptan and dimethyl disulfide. Recovery efficiency varied between 75% and 97% and no detectable losses were observed during storage at -20 degrees C. Satisfactory analytical parameters were reported, such as good linearity (r(2)>0.98), low detection limits (0.6-59pgm(-3)), adequate repeatability (9%) and reproducibility (17%), and fast GC-MS analysis (<6.5min). The accurate determination of RSCs, free of interferences from atmospheric components, such as ozone or water was demonstrated. The method has been applied to analyze the composition of environmental air close to three landfills processing urban and industrial solid wastes. The results indicated that hydrogen sulfide and ethyl mercaptan were the main molecules responsible of malodor phenomenon in the study areas

(5) Ercole F, Mansfeld FM, Kavallaris M, Whittaker MR, Quinn JF, Halls ML, et al. Macromolecular Hydrogen Sulfide Donors Trigger Spatiotemporally Confined Changes in Cell Signaling. Biomacromolecules 2016 Jan 11;17(1):371-83. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is involved in a myriad of cell signaling processes that trigger physiological events ranging from vasodilation to cell proliferation. Moreover, disturbances to H2S signaling have been associated with numerous pathologies. As such, the ability to release H2S in a cellular environment and stimulate signaling events is of considerable interest. Herein we report the synthesis of macromolecular H2S donors capable of stimulating cell signaling pathways in both the cytosol and at the cell membrane. Specifically, copolymers having pendent oligo(ethylene glycol) and benzonitrile groups were synthesized, and the benzonitrile groups were subsequently transformed into primary aryl thioamide groups via thionation using sodium hydrosulfide. These thioamide moieties could be incorporated into a hydrophilic copolymer or a block copolymer (i.e., into either the hydrophilic or hydrophobic domain). An electrochemical sensor was used to demonstrate release of H2S under simulated physiological conditions. Subsequent treatment of HEK293 cells with a macromolecular H2S donor elicited a slow and sustained increase in cytosolic ERK signaling, as monitored using a FRET-based biosensor. The macromolecular donor was also shown to induce a small, fast and sustained increase in plasma membrane-localized PKC activity immediately following addition to cells. Studies using an H2S-selective fluorescent probe in live cells confirmed release of H2S from the macromolecular donor over physiologically relevant time scales consistent with the signaling observations. Taken together, these results demonstrate that by using macromolecular H2S donors it is possible to trigger spatiotemporally confined cell signaling events. Moreover, the localized nature of the observed signaling suggests that macromolecular donor design may provide an approach for selectively stimulating certain cellular biochemical pathways

(6) Falcinelli S, Bartocci A, Cavalli S, Pirani F, Vecchiocattivi F. Stereodynamics in the Collisional Autoionization of Water, Ammonia, and Hydrogen Sulfide with Metastable Rare Gas Atoms: Competition Between Intermolecular Halogen and Hydrogen Bonds. Chemistry 2016 Jan 11;22(2):764-71. Abstract: Recent experiments on the title subject, performed with a high-resolution crossed-beam apparatus, have provided the total ionization cross sections as a function of the collision energy between noble gas atoms, electronically excited in their metastable states (Ng*), and H2 O, H2 S, and NH3 reagents, as well as the emitted electron energy spectra. This paper presents a rationalization of all the experimental findings in a unifying picture to cast light on the basic chemical properties of Ng* under conditions of great

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relevance both from a fundamental and from an applied point of view. The importance of this investigation is that it isolates the selective role of the intermolecular halogen and hydrogen bonds, to assess their anisotropic effects on the stereodynamics of the promoted ionization reactions, and to model energy transfer and reactivity in systems of applied interest, such as planetary atmospheres, plasmas, lasers, and flames

(7) Ke B, Wu W, Liu W, Liang H, Gong D, Hu X, et al. Bioluminescence Probe for Detecting Hydrogen Sulfide in Vivo. Anal Chem 2016 Jan 5;88(1):592-5. Abstract: Considering that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenous signaling molecule involved in numerous biological processes, a method for monitoring H2S as a powerful tool for investigating its complicated functions and mechanisms is urgently demanded. Herein, a bioluminescent turn-on probe was reported based on caged strategy for the detection of H2S in vitro and in vivo. This probe will help us understand the intricate contribution of H2S to a variety of physiological and pathological processes

(8) Liu J, Guo X, Hu R, Liu X, Wang S, Li S, et al. Molecular Engineering of Aqueous Soluble Triarylboron-Compound-Based Two-Photon Fluorescent Probe for Mitochondria H2S with Analyte-Induced Finite Aggregation and Excellent Membrane Permeability. Anal Chem 2016 Jan 5;88(1):1052-7. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a multifunctional signaling molecule that participates in many important biological processes. Herein, by functionalizing triarylboron with cyclen and diphenylamine, we synthesized TAB-1, TAB-2, and TAB-3 for H2S recongnization by rational design of molecular structures. Among them, aqueous soluble TAB-2 possesses excellent properties, including large two-photon action cross section, membrane permeability and can effectively complex with Cu(2+). The complex of TAB-2-Cu(2+) can selectively detect H2S with an instant response and mitochondria targeted. Moreover, the H2S-induced finite aggregation of indicators enhances their photostability and causes variation of the fluorescence lifetime. TAB-2-Cu(2+) has also been successfully applied for the mitochondria H2S imaging in NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells by TPM and FLIM

(9) Karakus E, Ucuncu M, Emrullahoglu M. Electrophilic Cyanate As a Recognition Motif for Reactive Sulfur Species: Selective Fluorescence Detection of H2S. Anal Chem 2016 Jan 5;88(1):1039-43. Abstract: An ESIPT-based fluorescent dye, 3-hydroxyflavone, is chemically masked with an electrophilic cyanate motif in order to construct a fluorescent probe for cellular sulfur species. This novel probe structure, displays an extremely fast, highly sensitive and selective "turn-on" type fluorescent response toward H2S. We have also documented its utility for imaging of H2S in the living cells

(10) Centurion D, De la Cruz SH, Gutierrez-Lara EJ, Beltran-Ornelas JH, Sanchez-Lopez A. Pharmacological evidence that NaHS inhibits the vasopressor responses induced by stimulation of the preganglionic sympathetic outflow in pithed rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2016 Jan 5;770:40-5. Abstract: It has been reported that i.v. administration of NaHS, a donor of H2S, elicited dose-dependent hypotension although the mechanisms are not completely understood. In this regard, several mechanisms could be involved including the inhibition of the vasopressor sympathetic outflow. Thus, this study was designed to determine the potential capability of NaHS to mediate inhibition of the vasopressor responses induced by preganglionic sympathetic stimulation. For this purpose, Wistar rats were anaesthetised, pithed and cannulated for drug administration. In animals pre-treated with gallamine, the effect of i.v. infusion of NaHS (310 and 560mug/kgmin) or its vehicle (phosphate buffer) was determined on the vasopressor responses induced by: (1) sympathetic stimulation (0.03-10Hz); (2) i.v. bolus injections of exogenous noradrenaline (0.03-3mug/kg); or (3) methoxamine (1-100mug/kg). The vasopressor responses induced by preganglionic sympathetic stimulation were dose-dependently inhibited by i.v. infusion of NaHS (310 and 560mug/kgmin), but not by vehicle, particularly at high frequencies. In marked contrast, the

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vasopressor responses to exogenous noradrenaline or methoxamine were not inhibited by the above doses of NaHS or its vehicle. The above results, taken together, demonstrate that NaHS inhibited the vasopressor responses induced by preganglionic sympathetic outflow by a prejunctional mechanism. This is the first evidence demonstrating this effect by NaHS that may contribute, at least in part, to the hypotension induced by NaHS

(11) Basudhar D, Ridnour LA, Cheng R, Kesarwala AH, Heinecke J, Wink DA. Biological signaling by small inorganic molecules. Coord Chem Rev 2016 Jan 1;306(Pt 2):708-23. Abstract: Small redox active molecules such as reactive nitrogen and oxygen species and hydrogen sulfide have emerged as important biological mediators that are involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes. Advancement in understanding of cellular mechanisms that tightly regulate both generation and reactivity of these molecules is central to improved management of various disease states including cancer and cardiovascular dysfunction. Imbalance in the production of redox active molecules can lead to damage of critical cellular components such as cell membranes, proteins and DNA and thus may trigger the onset of disease. These small inorganic molecules react independently as well as in a concerted manner to mediate physiological responses. This review provides a general overview of the redox biology of these key molecules, their diverse chemistry relevant to physiological processes and their interrelated nature in cellular signaling

(12) Tabibzadeh S. Nature creates, adapts, protects and sustains life using hydrogen sulfide. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed) 2016;21:528-60. Abstract: Life emerged on Earth in an anaerobic environment, bathed in noxious gases. Among these gases, the role of hydrogen sulfide is significant since this gas, was required as a building block of life, contributed to abiogenic generation of organic compounds that gave rise to life and drove adaptations of life throughout its entire evolutionary path. During evolution, hydrogen sulfide contributed to sustaining life in face of harsh environmental conditions. Modern cells still utilize hydrogen sulfide as a signaling molecule, in pro and anti-inflammatory responses, for acquisition of tolerance against damage, in directing repair responses, as a source of energy and in modifying their genetic makeup and function to acquire a phenotype reminiscent of early life forms

(13) Kurosawa H, Shimoda Y, Miura M, Kato K, Yamanaka K, Hata A, et al. A novel metabolic activation associated with glutathione in dimethylmonothioarsinic acid (DMMTA(V))-induced toxicity obtained from in vitro reaction of DMMTA(V) with glutathione. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2016 Jan;33:87-94. Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the metabolic processing of dimethylmonothioarsinic acid (DMMTA(V)), which is a metabolite of inorganic arsenic and has received a great deal of attention recently due to its high toxicity. The metabolites produced from an in vitro reaction with GSH were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometer (HPLC-TOFMS), HPLC with a photodiode array detector (PDA), and also gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC with a flame photometric detector (FPD). The reaction of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)) with GSH did not generate DMA(V)-SG but did generate dimethylarsinous acid (DMA(III)) or DMA(III)-SG. On the contrary, we confirmed that the reaction of DMMTA(V) with GSH directly produced the stable complex of DMMTA(V)-SG without reduction through a trivalent dimethylated arsenic such as DMA(III) and DMA(III)-SG. Furthermore, the present study suggests the production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and dimethylmercaptoarsine (DMA(III)-SH), a trivalent dimethylated arsenic, as well as DMA(III) and DMA(III)-SG in the decomposition process of DMMTA(V)-SG. These results indicate that the toxicity of DMMTA(V) depends not only on the formation of DMA(III) but also on at least those of H2S and DMA(III)-SH

(14) Ying R, Wang XQ, Yang Y, Gu ZJ, Mai JT, Qiu Q, et al. Hydrogen sulfide suppresses endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition through Src pathway. Life Sci 2016 Jan 1;144:208-17.

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Abstract: AIMS: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) ameliorates cardiac fibrosis in several models by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is implicated in the development of cardiac fibrosis. Therefore, we investigated whether H2S could attenuate EndMT by suppressing ER stress. MAIN METHODS: ER stress was induced by tunicamycin (TM) and thapsigargin (TG) and inhibited by 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). ER stress and EndMT were measured by Western blot, Real-Time PCR and immunofluorescence staining. Inhibition Smad2 and Src pathway were performed by specific inhibitors and siRNA. Ultrastructural examination was detected by transmission electron microscope. The functions of HUVECs were investigated by cell migration assay and tube formation in vitro. KEY FINDINGS: Under ER stress, the expression of endothelial marker CD31 significantly decreased while mesenchymal markers alpha-SMA, vimentin and collagen 1 increased which could be inhibited by 4-PBA. Moreover, HUVECs changed into a fibroblast-like appearance with the activation of Smad2 and Src kinase pathway. After inhibiting Src pathway, EndMT would be significantly inhibited. TM reduced H2S levels in cell lysate and H2S pretreatment could preserve endothelial cell appearance with decreased ER stress and ameliorated dilation of ER. H2S could also downregulate the mesenchymal marker expression, and upregulate the endothelial markers expression, accompanied with the suppression of Src pathway. Moreover, H2S partially restored the capacity of migration and tube formation in HUVECs. SIGNIFICANCE: These results revealed that H2S could protect against ER stress-induced EndMT through Src pathway, which may be a novel role for the cardioprotection of H2S

(15) De PG, Deriemaeker C, Danhier P, Brisson L, Cao Pham TT, Gregoire V, et al. A Fast Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Donor Increases the Tumor Response to Radiotherapy. Mol Cancer Ther 2016 Jan;15(1):154-61. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the last gaseous transmitter identified in mammals, and previous studies have reported disparate conclusions regarding the implication of H2S in cancer progression. In the present study, we hypothesized that sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), a fast H2S-releasing donor, might interfere with the mitochondrial respiratory chain of tumor cells, increase tumor oxygenation, and potentiate the response to irradiation. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry, we found a rapid increase in tumor pO2 after NaHS administration (0.1 mmol/kg) in two human tumor models (breast MDA-MB-231 and cervix SiHa), an effect that was due to a decreased oxygen consumption and an increased tumor perfusion. Tumors irradiated 15 minutes after a single NaHS administration were more sensitive to irradiation compared with those that received irradiation alone (increase in growth delay by 50%). This radiosensitization was due to the oxygen effect, as the increased growth delay was abolished when temporarily clamped tumors were irradiated. In contrast, daily NaHS injection (0.1 mmol/kg/day for 14 days) did not provide any effect on tumor growth in vivo. To understand these paradoxical data, we analyzed the impact of external factors on the cellular response to NaHS. We found that extracellular pH had a dramatic effect on the cell response to NaHS, as the proliferation rate (measured in vitro by BrdU incorporation) was increased at pH = 7.4, but decreased at pH = 6.5. Overall, our study highlights the complex role of environmental components in the response of cancer cells to H2S and suggests a new approach for the use of H2S donors in combination with radiotherapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 154-61. (c)2015 AACR

(16) Nagpure BV, Bian JS. Interaction of Hydrogen Sulfide with Nitric Oxide in the Cardiovascular System. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2016;2016:6904327. Abstract: Historically acknowledged as toxic gases, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO) are now recognized as the predominant members of a new family of signaling molecules, "gasotransmitters" in mammals. While H2S is biosynthesized by three constitutively expressed enzymes (CBS, CSE, and 3-MST) from L-cysteine and homocysteine, NO is generated endogenously from L-arginine by the action of various isoforms of NOS. Both gases have been transpired as the key and independent regulators of many physiological functions in mammalian cardiovascular, nervous, gastrointestinal,

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respiratory, and immune systems. The analogy between these two gasotransmitters is evident not only from their paracrine mode of signaling, but also from the identical and/or shared signaling transduction pathways. With the plethora of research in the pathophysiological role of gasotransmitters in various systems, the existence of interplay between these gases is being widely accepted. Chemical interaction between NO and H2S may generate nitroxyl (HNO), which plays a specific effective role within the cardiovascular system. In this review article, we have attempted to provide current understanding of the individual and interactive roles of H2S and NO signaling in mammalian cardiovascular system, focusing particularly on heart contractility, cardioprotection, vascular tone, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress

(17) Wu D, Hu Q, Ma F, Zhu YZ. Vasorelaxant Effect of a New Hydrogen Sulfide-Nitric Oxide Conjugated Donor in Isolated Rat Aortic Rings through cGMP Pathway. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2016;2016:7075682. Abstract: Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxant injury leads to a lot of cardiovascular diseases. Both hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO) are gasotransmitters, which play a critical role in regulating vascular tone. However, the interaction between H2S and NO in vasorelaxation is still unclear. ZYZ-803 was a novel H2S and NO conjugated donor developed by H2S-releasing moiety (S-propyl-L-cysteine (SPRC)) and NO-releasing moiety (furoxan). ZYZ-803 could time- and dose-dependently relax the sustained contraction induced by PE in rat aortic rings, with potencies of 1.5- to 100-fold greater than that of furoxan and SPRC. Inhibition of the generations of H2S and NO with respective inhibitors abolished the vasorelaxant effect of ZYZ-803. ZYZ-803 increased cGMP level and the activity of vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) in aortic rings, and those effects could be suppressed by the inhibitory generation of H2S and NO. Both the inhibitor of protein kinase G (KT5823) and the inhibitor of KATP channel (glibenclamide) suppressed the vasorelaxant effect of ZYZ-803. Our results demonstrated that H2S and NO generation from ZYZ-803 cooperatively regulated vascular tone through cGMP pathway, which indicated that ZYZ-803 had therapeutic potential in cardiovascular diseases

(18) Olson KR, Straub KD. The Role of Hydrogen Sulfide in Evolution and the Evolution of Hydrogen Sulfide in Metabolism and Signaling. Physiology (Bethesda ) 2016 Jan;31(1):60-72. Abstract: The chemical versatility of sulfur and its abundance in the prebiotic Earth as reduced sulfide (H2S) implicate this molecule in the origin of life 3.8 billion years ago and also as a major source of energy in the first seven-eighths of evolution. The tremendous increase in ambient oxygen approximately 600 million years ago brought an end to H2S as an energy source, and H2S-dependent animals either became extinct, retreated to isolated sulfide niches, or adapted. The first 3 billion years of molecular tinkering were not lost, however, and much of this biochemical armamentarium easily adapted to an oxic environment where it contributes to metabolism and signaling even in humans. This review examines the role of H2S in evolution and the evolution of H2S metabolism and signaling

(19) Li X, Wolden CA, Ban C, Yang Y. Facile Synthesis of Lithium Sulfide Nanocrystals for Use in Advanced Rechargeable Batteries. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2015 Dec 30;7(51):28444-51. Abstract: This work reports a new method of synthesizing anhydrous lithium sulfide (Li2S) nanocrystals and demonstrates their potential as cathode materials for advanced rechargeable batteries. Li2S is synthesized by reacting hydrogen sulfide (H2S) with lithium naphthalenide (Li-NAP), a thermodynamically spontaneous reaction that proceeds to completion rapidly at ambient temperature and pressure. The process completely removes H2S, a major industrial waste, while cogenerating 1,4-dihydronaphthalene, itself a value-added chemical that can be used as liquid fuel. The phase purity, morphology, and homogeneity of the resulting nanopowders were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The synthesized Li2S nanoparticles (100 nm) were assembled into cathodes, and their performance was compared to that of cathodes

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fabricated using commercial Li2S micropowders (1-5 mum). Electrochemical analyses demonstrated that the synthesized Li2S were superior in terms of (dis)charge capacity, cycling stability, output voltage, and voltage efficiency

(20) Griffin MJ, Kabir KM, Coyle VE, Kandjani AE, Sabri YM, Ippolito SJ, et al. A Nanoengineered Conductometric Device for Accurate Analysis of Elemental Mercury Vapor. Environ Sci Technol 2015 Dec 30. Abstract: We developed a novel conductometric device with nanostructured gold (Au) sensitive layer which showed high-performance for elemental mercury (Hg0) vapor detection under simulated conditions that resemble harsh industrial environments. That is, the Hg0 vapor sensing performance of the developed sensor was investigated under different operating temperatures (30-130 degrees C) and working conditions (i.e., humid) as well as in the presence of various interfering gas species, including ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitric oxide (NO), carbon mono-oxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as ethylmercaptan (EM), acetaldehyde (MeCHO) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) among others. The results indicate that the introduction of Au nanostructures (referred to as nanospikes) on the sensor's surface enhanced the sensitivity toward Hg0 vapor by up-to 450%. The newly developed sensor exhibited a limit of detection (LoD) ( approximately 35 mug/m3), repeatability ( approximately 94%), desorption efficiency (100%) and selectivity ( approximately 93%) when exposed to different concentrations of Hg0 vapor (0.5 to 9.1 mg/m3) and interfering gas species at a chosen operating temperature of 105 degrees C. Furthermore, the sensor was also found to show 91% average selectivity when exposed toward harsher industrial gases such as NO, CO, CO2, and SO2 along with same concentrations of Hg0 vapor in similar operating conditions. In fact, this is the first time a conductometric sensor is shown to have high selectivity toward Hg0 vapor even in the presence of H2S. Overall results indicate that the developed sensor has immense potential to be used as accurate online Hg0 vapor monitoring technology within industrial processes

(21) Grosshennig S, Ischebeck T, Gibhardt J, Busse J, Feussner I, Stulke J. Hydrogen Sulfide is a Novel Potential Virulence Factor of Mycoplasma pneumoniae: Characterization of the Unusual Cysteine Desulfurase/Desulfhydrase HapE. Mol Microbiol 2015 Dec 29. Abstract: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a human pathogen causing atypical pneumonia with a minimalized and highly streamlined genome. So far, hydrogen peroxide production, cytadherence, and the ADP-ribosylating CARDS toxin have been identified as pathogenicity determinants. We have studied hemolysis caused by M. pneumoniae, and discovered that hydrogen peroxide is responsible for the oxidation of heme, but not for lysis of erythrocytes. This feature could be attributed to hydrogen sulfide, a compound that has previously not been identified as virulence factor in lung pathogens. Indeed, we observed hydrogen sulfide production by M. pneumoniae. The search for a hydrogen sulfide-producing enzyme identified HapE, a protein with similarity to cysteine desulfurases. In contrast to typical cysteine desulfurases, HapE is a bifunctional enzyme: It has both the cysteine desulfurase activity to produce alanine and the cysteine desulfhydrase activity to produce pyruvate and hydrogen sulfide. Experiments with purified HapE showed that the enzymatic activity of the protein is responsible for hemolysis, demonstrating that HapE is a novel potential virulence factor of M. pneumoniae. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

(22) Liu H, Zhang W, Yu H, Gao L, Song Z, Xu S, et al. Solution-Processed Gas Sensors Employing SnO Quantum Dot/MWCNT Nanocomposites. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2015 Dec 28. Abstract: Solution-processed SnO2 colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as an important new class of gas-sensing materials due to their potential for low-cost and high-throughput fabrication. Here we employed the design strategy based on the synergetic effect from highly sensitive SnO2 CQDs and excellent conductive properties of multiwalled

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carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to overcome the transport barrier in CQD gas sensors. The attachment and coverage of SnO2 CQDs on the MWCNT surfaces were achieved by simply mixing the presynthesized SnO2 CQDs and MWCNTs at room temperature. Compared to the pristine SnO2 CQDs, the sensor based on SnO2 quantum dot/MWCNT nanocomposites exhibited a higher response upon exposure to H2S, and the response toward 50 ppm of H2S at 70 degrees C was 108 with the response and recovery time being 23 and 44 s. Because of the favorable energy band alignment, the MWCNTs can serve as the acceptor of the electrons that are injected from H2S into SnO2 quantum dots in addition to the charge transport highway to direct the electron flow to the electrode, thereby enhancing the sensor response. Our research results open an easy pathway for developing highly sensitive and low-cost gas sensors

(23) Yadav PK, Martinov M, Vitvitsky V, Seravalli J, Wedmann R, Filipovic MR, et al. Biosynthesis and Reactivity of Cysteine Persulfides in Signaling. J Am Chem Soc 2015 Dec 28. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) elicits pleiotropic physiological effects ranging from modulation of cardiovascular to CNS functions. A dominant method for transmission of sulfide-based signals is via posttranslational modification of reactive cysteine thiols to persulfides. However, the source of the persulfide donor and whether its relationship to H2S is as a product or precursor is controversial. The transsulfuration pathway enzymes can synthesize cysteine persulfide (Cys-SSH) from cystine and H2S from cysteine and/or homocysteine. Recently, Cys-SSH was proposed as the primary product of the transsulfuration pathway with H2S representing a decomposition product of Cys-SSH. Our detailed kinetic analyses demonstrate a robust capacity for Cys-SSH production by the human transsulfuration pathway enzymes, cystathionine beta-synthase and gamma-cystathionase (CSE) and for homocysteine persulfide synthesis from homocystine by CSE only. However, in the reducing cytoplasmic milieu where the concentration of reduced thiols is significantly higher than of disulfides, substrate level regulation favors the synthesis of H2S over persulfides. Mathematical modeling at physiologically relevant hepatic substrate concentrations predicts that H2S rather than Cys-SSH is the primary product of the transsulfuration enzymes with CSE being the dominant producer. The half-life of the metastable Cys-SSH product is short and decomposition leads to a mixture of polysulfides (Cys-S-(S)n-S-Cys). These in vitro data, together with the intrinsic reactivity of Cys-SSH for cysteinyl versus sulfur transfer, are consistent with the absence of an observable increase in protein persulfidation in cells in response to exogenous cystine and evidence for the formation of polysulfides under these conditions

(24) Zhao FL, Qiao PF, Yan N, Gao D, Liu MJ, Yan Y. Hydrogen Sulfide Selectively Inhibits gamma-Secretase Activity and Decreases Mitochondrial Abeta Production in Neurons from APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice. Neurochem Res 2015 Dec 26. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is now considered to be a gasotransmitter and may be involved in the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A majority of APP is associated with mitochondria and is a substrate for the mitochondrial gamma-secretase. The mitochondria-associated APP metabolism where APP intracellular domains (AICD) and Abeta are generated locally and may contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction in AD. Here, we aimed to investigate the ability of H2S to mediate APP processing in mitochondria and assessed the possible mechanisms underlying H2S-mediated AD development. We treated neurons from APP/PS1 transgenic mice with a range of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) concentrations. NaHS attenuated APP processing and decreased Abeta production in mitochondria. Meanwhile, NaHS did not changed BACE-1 and ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10) protein levels, but NaHS (30 muM) significantly increased the levels of presenilin 1(PS1), PEN-2, and NCT, as well as improved the gamma-secretase activity, while NaHS (50 muM) exhibits the opposing effects. Furthermore, the intracellular ATP and the COX IV activity of APP/PS1 neurons were increased after 30 muM NaHS treatment, while the ROS level was decreased and the MMP was stabilized. The effect of NaHS differs from DAPT (a non-selective gamma-secretase inhibitor), and it selectively

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inhibited gamma-secretase in vitro, without interacting with Notch and modulating its cleavage. The results indicated that NaHS decreases Abeta accumulation in mitochondria by selectively inhibiting gamma-secretase. Thus, we provide a mechanistic view of NaHS is a potential anti-AD drug candidate and it may decrease Abeta deposition in mitochondria by selectively inhibiting gamma-secretase activity and therefore protecting the mitochondrial function during AD conditions

(25) Carvajal M, Lemus R. [In Process Citation]. J Phys Chem A 2015 Dec 24;119(51):12823-38. Abstract: A novel model for the analysis of the rovibrational structure of a molecule based on anharmonic ladder operators associated with the vibrational degrees of freedom is presented. This is devised as an alternative method for the global spectral analysis of rovibrational data considering vibrational anharmonicities from the outset. The present method is thought up with an effective rovibrational Hamiltonian written in terms of angular momentum components and anharmonic Morse ladder operators, associated with rotational and vibrational degrees of freedom, respectively. The resulting Hamiltonian is diagonalized in a symmetry-adapted basis set expressed as a product of rotational states and individual 1D-Morse wave functions for each local vibrational degree of freedom. This approach has been successfully applied to the study of the vibrational structure (up to polyad 14) and the rovibrational structure (up to polyad 2 and J(max) = 20) of hydrogen sulfide. It was shown that this new global analysis formalism is able to reduce considerably the number of fitted parameters with respect to the spectral analysis carried out for separate polyads

(26) Florentino AP, Brienza C, Stams AJ, Sanchez-Andrea I. Desulfurella amilsii sp. nov., a novel acidotolerant sulfur-respiring bacterium isolated from sediments of the Tinto River. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2015 Dec 23. Abstract: A novel acidotolerant and moderately thermophilic sulfur-reducing bacterium was isolated from sediments of the Tinto River (Spain), an extremely acidic environment. Strain TR1T stains Gram-negative, is obligately anaerobic, non-spore forming and motile. Cells are short rods (1.5-2 by 0.5-0.7 microm),appearing single or in pairs. Strain TR1T is catalase negative and slightly oxidase positive. Urease activity and indole formation were absent. But gelatin hydrolysis occurred. Growth was observed at 20 to 52 masculineC with optimum close to 50 masculineC and a pH range of 3 to 7, with optimum between 6 and 6.5. Yeast extract was essential for growth, but extra vitamins were not required. In the presence of sulfur, strain TR1T grew on acetate, lactate, pyruvate, stearate, arginine and H2/CO2. All substrates were completely oxidized and H2S and CO2 were the only metabolic products detected. Besides elemental sulfur, thiosulfate was used as electron acceptor. The isolate also grew by disproportionation of elemental sulfur. The predominant cellular fatty acids were saturated C16:0 (26.2%), anteiso-C17:0 (13.2%) and C18:0 (21.8%). The only quinone component detected was menaquinone MK-7(H2). The G+C content of genomic DNA was 34%. The isolate is affiliated to the genus Desulfurella of the Deltaproteobacteria class showing 97% of 16S rRNA gene identity to the four species described in the Desulfurella genus. Considering the distinct physiological and phylogenetic characteristics, strain TR1T represents a novel species within the genus Desulfurella, for which the name Desulfurella amilsii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Desulfurella amilsii is TR1T (= DSM 29984T = JCM 30680T)

(27) Salvi A, Bankhele P, Jamil JM, Kulkarni-Chitnis M, Njie-Mbye YF, Ohia SE, et al. Pharmacological Actions of Hydrogen Sulfide Donors on Sympathetic Neurotransmission in the Bovine Anterior Uvea, In Vitro. Neurochem Res 2015 Dec 23. Abstract: In the present study, we investigated the effect of three different sources of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on sympathetic neurotransmission from isolated superfused bovine iris-ciliary bodies. The three agents under consideration were: ACS67, a hybrid of latanoprost and a H2S-donating moiety; L-cysteine, a substrate for endogenous production of H2S and GYY 4137, a slow donor of H2S. We also examined the contribution of prostaglandins to the pharmacological actions of the H2S donors on release of

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[3H]-norepinephrine ([3H]NE) triggered by electrical field stimulation. ACS67, L-cysteine and GYY 4137 caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of electrically-evoked [3H]NE release from isolated bovine iris-ciliary bodies without affecting basal [3H]NE efflux. The cyclooxygenase inhibitor, flurbiprofen enhanced the inhibitory action of ACS67 and L-cysteine on stimulated [3H]NE release. Both aminooxyacetic acid, an inhibitor of cystathionine-beta-synthase and glibenclamide, a KATP channel blocker reversed the inhibition of evoked NE release induced by the H2S donors. We conclude that H2S donors can inhibit sympathetic neurotransmission from isolated bovine iris-ciliary bodies, an effect partially dependent on the in situ production of H2S and prostanoids, and is mediated by an action on KATP channels

(28) Paskevicius M, Richter B, Polanski M, Thompson SP, Jensen TR. Sulfurized metal borohydrides. Dalton Trans 2015 Dec 22;45(2):639-45. Abstract: The reactions between metal borohydrides and elemental sulfur are investigated in situ during thermal treatment and are found to be highly exothermic (up to 700 J g(-1)). These reactions are exceptionally rapid, occurring below 200 degrees C, also resulting in the sudden release of substantial quantities of hydrogen gas. For NaBH4 this hydrogen release is pure, with no detectable levels of H2S or B2H6. The reaction results in the formation of an array of metal-boron-sulfur compounds. These MBH4-S compounds are interesting for possible uses in high energy applications (fuels or explosives), hydrogen generation, and metal-boron-sulfur precursors

(29) Zanardi I, Borrelli E, Valacchi G, Travagli V, Bocci V. Ozone: a multifaceted molecule with unexpected therapeutic activity. Curr Med Chem 2015 Dec 21. Abstract: A comprehensive outline for understanding and recommending the therapeutic use of ozone in combination with established therapy in diseases characterized by a chronic oxidative stress is currently available. The view of the absolute ozone toxicity is wrong, because it has been based either on lung or on studies performed in artificial environments that do not correspond to the real antioxidant capacity of body compartments. In fact, ozone exerts either a potent toxic activity or it can stimulate biological responses of vital importance, analogously to gases with prospective therapeutic value such as NO, CO, H2S, H2, as well as O2 itself. Such a crucial difference has increasingly become evident during the last decade. The purpose of this review is to explain the aspects still poorly understood, highlighting the divergent activity of ozone on the various biological districts. It will be clarified that such a dual effect does not depend only upon the final gas concentration, but also on the particular biological system where ozone acts. The real significance of ozone as adjuvant therapeutic treatment concerns severe chronic pathologies among which cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, multiple sclerosis, and the dry form of age-related macular degeneration. It is time for a full insertion of ozone therapy within pharmaceutical sciences, responding to all the requirements of Quality, efficacy and safety, rather than as either an alternative or an esoteric approach

(30) Chen GB, Yang L, Li XZ, Zhong LT, Wu JF, Bin JP. [Preparation and characterization of microbubbles loaded with hydrogen sulfide]. Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao 2015 Dec 20;35(12):1672-7. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To prepare a phospholipid-coated microbubble loaded with hydrogen sulfide (HSMB) and evaluate its physicochemical and acoustic properties. METHODS: Hydrogen sulfide and perfluoropropane were mixed at the ratios of 4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3, and 0:4 to prepare hydrogen sulfide-loaded microbubbles (termed HSMB4:0, HSMB3:1, HSMB2:2, HSMB1:3, and HSMB0:4, respectively). The microbubble concentration and diameter were investigated and their stability were evaluated. The optimal ratio of hydrogen sulfide and perfluoropropane was determined according to the changes of microbubble concentration. The changes of dissolved hydrogen sulfide and concentration of the microbubbles were investigated after exposure to ultrasound, and their acoustic enhancement effects in the myocardium and kidney were observed after intravenous

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injection in rats. RESULTS: HSMBs were milky in color and spherical in shape without aggregations. The concentrations of HSMB4:0 and HSMB3:1 were lower than that of HSMB2:2 and decreased with time. HSMB2:2, HSMB1:3 and HSMB0:4 showed comparable concentrations and were stable within 72 h. After exposure to ultrasound, the concentration of HSMB2:2 decreased while the dissolved hydrogen sulfide increased significantly. Intravenous injection of HSMB2:2 produced a satisfactory contrast-enhancing effect in the myocardium and kidney of rats. CONCLUSION: HSMB prepared with the hydrogen sulfide to perfluoropropane ratio of 2:2 has excellent contrast-enhancing effect and is capable of carrying and releasing hydrogen sulfide upon ultrasound exposure to potentially allow visual site-specific delivery of hydrogen sulfide

(31) Zhang Q, Liu XN, Chang Q, Ao S, Zheng SG, Xu T. [Analysis of volatile sulfur compounds production of oral cavity in preschool children and influencing factors]. Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao 2015 Dec 18;47(6):983-9. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of volatile sulfur compounds(VSC) in oral cavity of preschool children, and to analyze related factors, thus to provide scientific basis for the prediction and treatment of halitosis. METHODS: The VSC content (hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide) of 170 preschool children (4 to 6 years old) was detected by a portable gas chromatograph OralChromaTM. The status of the oral health was evaluated. The living habits and other aspects were obtained through questionnaires from the children's parents. A soft package for social statistics version 13.0 (SPSS 13.0) was used in which univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were utilized to analyze the related factors of halitosis in children. RESULTS: In the study, 34.4% of the total subjects had excessive VSC. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) [(1.59+/-2.41) ng/10 mL] and total VSC concentration [(2.14+/-4.42) ng/10 mL] in the girls were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those in the boys. The tongue coating score had a significant positive correlation with H2S [tongue coating area (1.68+/-2.48) ng/10 mL,tongue coating thickness (2.18+/-2.69) ng/10 mL] and total VSC concentration [tongue coating area, (2.26+/-4.31) ng/10 mL,tongue coating thickness (2.41+/-3.02) ng/10 mL , P<0.01]. The site number of DI-S>/=2 had a significant positive correlation with methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) and dimethyl sulfide [(CH3)2S] concentration (P<0.01). The concentration of H2S [(1.19+/-1.62) ng/10 mL] in children, whose mother had a higher degree of education, was statistically lower (P<0.01). The children who took dessert or sweat drinks more frequently had lower H2S [(1.04+/-1.55) ng/10 mL, P<0.05] concentration, while CH3SH and (CH3)2S concentration [(0.29+/-1.92) ng/10 mL, (0.37+/-2.06) ng/10 mL, P<0.05) were higher in the children with mouth-breath habit. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of halitosis was noted in preschool children. Gender, tongue coating index, debris index-simplified, status of the mother's education, frequency of eating dessert or sweat drinks and dry mouth breath were related with halitosis of preschool children. The different related factors resulted in changes of each VSC concentration

(32) Sun H, Zhang J, Shi Y, Gao Y, Shi G, Wang X, et al. Effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide on gastric acid secretion. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2015 Dec 18. Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: H2 S is an important gasotransmitter in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of exogenous H2 S on gastric acid secretion. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into physiological saline (PS) group, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS; 50 micromol, 100 micromol and 150 micromol /kg body weight) group, glibenclamide (Gl) + NaHS group, SQ22536 + NaHS group. PH of gastric juice before injection and after injection were determined by a PH meter. RESULTS: The results showed that NaHS, an exogenous H2 S donor, injected into the enterocoelia significantly reduced the PH of gastric juice, the same volume of PS administered similarly did not change PH of gastric juice, and the promotional effect of NaHS on gastric acid secretion could be abolished by glibenclamide (GI), an ATP-sensitive potassium channel K(ATP) blocker and SQ22536, an inhibitor of adenyl cyclase. CONCLUSIONS: The data from these experiments suggest that exogenous H2 S

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promoted gastric acid secretion, which may occur via KATP channels and activate AC-cAMP pathway. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

(33) Szabo C. Gasotransmitters in cancer: from pathophysiology to experimental therapy. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2015 Dec 18. Abstract: The three endogenous gaseous transmitters - nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) - regulate a number of key biological functions. Emerging data have revealed several new mechanisms for each of these three gasotransmitters in tumour biology. It is now appreciated that they show bimodal pharmacological character in cancer, in that not only the inhibition of their biosynthesis but also elevation of their concentration beyond a certain threshold can exert anticancer effects. This Review discusses the role of each gasotransmitter in cancer and the effects of pharmacological agents - some of which are in early-stage clinical studies - that modulate the levels of each gasotransmitter. A clearer understanding of the pharmacological character of these three gases and the mechanisms underlying their biological effects is expected to guide further clinical translation

(34) Tang Z, Wang Y, Zhu X, Ni X, Lu J. Exercise Increases Cystathionine-gamma-lyase Expression and Decreases the Status of Oxidative Stress in Myocardium of Ovariectomized Rats. Int Heart J 2015 Dec 17. Abstract: Exercise could be a therapeutic approach for cardiovascular dysfunction induced by estrogen deficiency. Our previous study has shown that estrogen maintains cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) expression and inhibits oxidative stress in the myocardium of female rats. In the present study, we investigated whether exercise improves CSE expression and oxidative stress status and ameliorates isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac damage in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The results showed that treadmill training restored the ovariectomy-induced reduction of CSE and estrogen receptor (ER)alpha and decrease of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and increase of malondialdehyde (MDA). The level of CSE was positively correlated to T-AOC and ERalpha while inversely correlated to MDA. OVX rats showed increases in the serum levels of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the percentage of TUNEL staining in myocardium upon ISO insult compared to sham rats. Exercise training significantly reduced the serum levels of LDH and CK and the percentage of TUNEL staining in myocardium upon ISO insult in OVX rats. In cultured cardiomyocytes, ISO treatment decreased cell viability and increased LDH release, while overexpression of CSE increased cell viability and decreased LDH release in the cells upon ISO insult. The results suggest that exercise training improves the oxidative stress status and ameliorates the cardiac damage induced by oxidative stress in OVX rats. The improvement of oxidative stress status by exercise might be at least partially due to upregulation of CSE/H2S signaling

(35) Xiao T, Luo J, Wu Z, Li F, Zeng O, Yang J. Effects of hydrogen sulfide on myocardial fibrosis and PI3K/AKT1-regulated autophagy in diabetic rats. Mol Med Rep 2015 Dec 17. Abstract: Myocardial fibrosis is the predominant pathological characteristic of diabetic myocardial damage. Previous studies have indicated that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has beneficial effects in the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. However, there is little research investigating the effect of H2S on myocardial fibrosis in diabetes. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of H2S on the progression of myocardial fibrosis induced by diabetes. Diabetes was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) was used as an exogenous donor of H2S. After 8 weeks, expression levels of cystathioninegammalyase were determined by western blot analysis and morphological changes in the myocardium were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson staining. The hydroxyproline content and fibrosis markers were determined by a basic hydrolysis method and western blot analysis, respectively. Autophagosomes were observed under transmission electron microscopy. Expression levels of autophagy-associated proteins and their upstream signaling molecules were also

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evaluated by western blotting. The results of the current study indicated that diabetes induced marked myocardial fibrosis, enhanced myocardial autophagy and suppressed the phosphatidylinositol4,5bisphosphate 3kinase/RACalpha serine/threonineprotein kinase (PI3K/AKT1) signaling pathway. By contrast, following treatment with NaHS, myocardial fibrosis was ameliorated, myocardial autophagy was decreased and the PI3K/AKT1 pathway suppression was reversed. The results of the present study demonstrated that the protective effect of H2S against diabetesinduced myocardial fibrosis may be associated with the attenuation of autophagy via the upregulation of the PI3K/AKT1 signaling pathway

(36) Zhang H, Zhuang XD, Meng FH, Chen L, Dong XB, Liu GH, et al. Calcitriol prevents peripheral RSC96 Schwann neural cells from high glucose & methylglyoxal-induced injury through restoration of CBS/HS expression. Neurochem Int 2015 Dec 17. Abstract: A meta-analysis has suggested that vitamin D deficiency is involved in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and the levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are also decreased in type 2 diabetes. The injection of vitamin D induces cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) expression and H2S generation. However, it remains unclear whether the supplementation of vitamin D prevents DPN through improvement of CBS/H2S expression. In the present study, RSC96 cells, a rat Schwann cell line, were exposed to high glucose and methylglyoxal (HG&MG) to simulate diabetic peripheral nerve injury in vivo. Before the exposure to HG&MG, the cells were preconditioned with calcitriol (CCT), an active form of vitamin D, and then CCT-mediated neuroprotection was investigated in respect of cellular viability, superoxide anion (O2-) generation, inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS)/NO expression, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), as well as CBS expression and activity. It was found that both high glucose and MGO decreased cell viability and co-treatment with the two induced a more serious injury in RSC96 cells. Therefore, the exposure to HG&MG was used in the present study. The exposure to HG&MG markedly induced iNOS expression, NO and O2- generation, as well as MMP loss. In addition, the exposure to HG&MG depressed CBS expression and activity in RSC96 cells. However, the preconditioning with CCT significantly antagonized HG&MG-induced cell injury including the decreased viability, iNOS overexpression, NO and O2- accumulation, as well as MMP loss. CCT also partially restored the decreased CBS expression and activity triggered by HG&MG, while the inhibition of CBS with hydroxylamine attenuated CCT-mediated neuroprotection. Moreover, the exogenous donation of H2S produced similar cellular protective effects to CCT. The data indicate that the supplementation of vitamin D prevents HG&MG-induced peripheral nerve injury involving the restoration of endogenous H2S system, which may provide a basal support for the treatment of DPN with vitamin D clinically

(37) Dunn WR, Alexander SP, Ralevic V, Roberts RE. Effects of hydrogen sulphide in smooth muscle. Pharmacol Ther 2015 Dec 17. Abstract: In recent years, it has become apparent that the gaseous pollutant, hydrogen sulphide (H2S) can be synthesised in the body and has a multitude of biological actions. This review summarizes some of the actions of this 'gasotransmitter' in influencing the smooth muscle that is responsible for controlling muscular activity of hollow organs. In the vasculature, while H2S can cause vasoconstriction by complex interactions with other biologically important gases, such as nitric oxide, the prevailing response is vasorelaxation. While most vasorelaxation responses occur by a direct action of H2S on smooth muscle cells, it has recently been proposed to be an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. H2S also promotes relaxation in other smooth muscle preparations including bronchioles, the bladder, gastrointestinal tract and myometrium, opening up the opportunity of exploiting the pharmacology of H2S in the treatment of conditions where smooth muscle tone is excessive. The original concept, that H2S caused smooth muscle relaxation by activating ATP-sensitive K+ channels, has been supplemented with observations that H2S can also modify the activity of other potassium channels, intracellular pH, phosphodiesterase activity and transient receptor potential channels on sensory nerves. While the enzymes responsible for generating endogenous H2S are widely expressed in smooth muscle

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preparations, it is much less clear what the physiological role of H2S is in determining smooth muscle contractility. Clarification of this requires the development of potent and selective inhibitors of H2S-generating enzymes

(38) Horsman JW, Miller DL. Mitochondrial sulfide quinone oxidoreductase prevents activation of the unfolded protein response in hydrogen sulfide. J Biol Chem 2015 Dec 16. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenously produced gaseous molecule with important roles in cellular signaling. In mammals, exogenous H2S improves survival of ischemia/reperfusion. We have previously shown that exposure to H2S increases the lifespan and thermotolerance in C. elegans, and improves protein homeostasis in low oxygen. The mitochondrial SQRD-1 (sulfide quinone oxidoreductase) protein is a highly conserved enzyme involved in H2S metabolism. SQRD-1 is generally considered important to detoxify H2S. Here, we show that SQRD-1 is also required to maintain protein translation in H2S. In sqrd-1 mutant animals, exposure to H2S leads to phosphorylation of eIF2alpha and inhibition of protein synthesis. In contrast, global protein translation is not altered in wild-type animals exposed to lethally high H2S or in hif-1(ia04) mutants that die when exposed to low H2S. We demonstrate that both gcn2 and pek1 kinases are involved in the H2S-induced phosphorylation of eIF2alpha. Both ER and mitochondrial stress responses are activated in sqrd-1 mutant animals exposed to H2S, but not in wild-type animals. We speculate that SQRD-1 activity in H2S may coordinate proteostasis responses in multiple cellular compartments

(39) Velmurugan GV, Huang H, Sun H, Candela J, Jaiswal MK, Beaman KD, et al. Depletion of H2S during obesity enhances store-operated Ca2+ entry in adipose tissue macrophages to increase cytokine production. Sci Signal 2015;8(407):ra128. Abstract: The increased production of proinflammatory cytokines by adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) contributes to chronic, low-level inflammation during obesity. We found that obesity in mice reduced the bioavailability of the gaseous signaling molecule hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Steady-state, intracellular concentrations of H2S were lower in ATMs isolated from mice with diet-induced obesity than in ATMs from lean mice. In addition, the intracellular concentration of H2S in the macrophage cell line RAW264.7 was reduced during an acute inflammatory response evoked by the microbial product lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Reduced intracellular concentrations of H2S led to increased Ca(2+) influx through the store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) pathway, which was prevented by the exogenous H2S donor GYY4137. Furthermore, GYY4137 inhibited the Orai3 channel, a key component of the SOCE machinery. The enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines by RAW264.7 cells and ATMs from obese mice was reduced by exogenous H2S or by inhibition of SOCE. Together, these data suggest that the depletion of macrophage H2S that occurs during acute (LPS-induced) or chronic (obesity) inflammation increases SOCE through disinhibition of Orai3 and promotes the production of proinflammatory cytokines

(40) Du HP, Li J, You SJ, Wang YL, Wang F, Cao YJ, et al. DNA methylation in cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) gene promoter induced by ox-LDL in macrophages and in apoE knockout mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015 Dec 12. Abstract: Recent studies suggest that epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation control many aspects of monocytes/macrophages and participate in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, a lipid-driven inflammatory disorder. Our and other groups demonstrated that dysregulation of cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE) -hydrogen sulfide (H2S) pathway was involved in monocyte/macrophages-mediated inflammation and atherosclerosis. However, it remains unknown whether altered cse methylation in macrophages may play a role in linking CSE-H2S dysregulation and atherosclerosis. In the present study, we showed that plasma H2S and H2S production in the peritoneal macrophages of apolipoprotein knockout (apoE-/-) mice gradually decreased with ages, and were also lower than that in control mice at 12 weeks older. Moreover, CSE mRNA expressions decreased while DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) expressions increased in the peritoneal

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macrophages isolated from apoE-/- mice, compared to age-matched wildtype mice. Similar observations were obtained in an in vitro study. In oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-treated raw264.7 macrophages, cse transcription was down-regulated while the expression and activity of DNMT was up-regulated, associated with enhanced DNA methylation in cse promoter. Suppression of DNMT with its inhibitor or siRNA reversed the decrease of CSE mRNA. Therefore, our data suggest that DNA hypermethylation of CpG rich region in cse promoter might contribute to the decrease of cse transcription and H2S production in macrophages, and thus contribute to atherosclerosis development

(41) Shiina T, Shima T, Horii K, Naitou K, Nakamori H, Sano Y, et al. Inhibitory action of hydrogen sulfide on esophageal striated muscle motility in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2015 Dec 11;771:123-9. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is recognized as a gaseous transmitter and has many functions including regulation of gastrointestinal motility. The aim of the present study was to clarify the effects of H2S on the motility of esophageal striated muscle in rats. An isolated segment of the rat esophagus was placed in an organ bath and mechanical responses were recorded using a force transducer. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve evoked contractile response in the esophageal segment. The vagally mediated contraction was inhibited by application of an H2S donor. The H2S donor did not affect the contraction induced by electrical field stimulation, which can excite the striated muscle directly, not via vagus nerves. These results show that H2S has an inhibitory effect on esophageal motility not by directly attenuating striated muscle contractility but by blocking vagal motor nerve activity and/or neuromuscular transmissions. The inhibitory actions of H2S were not affected by pretreatment with the transient receptor potential vanniloid-1 blocker, transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 blocker, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, blockers of potassium channels, and ganglionic blocker. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed the expression of H2S-producing enzymes in esophageal tissue, whereas application of inhibitors of H2S-producing enzymes did not change vagally evoked contractions in the esophageal striated muscle. These findings suggest that H2S, which might be produced in the esophageal tissue endogenously, can regulate the motor activity of esophageal striated muscle via a novel inhibitory neural pathway

(42) Perry S, Kumai Y, Porteus CS, Tzaneva V, Kwong RW. An emerging role for gasotransmitters in the control of breathing and ionic regulation in fish. J Comp Physiol B 2015 Dec 11. Abstract: Three gases comprising nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide, collectively are termed gasotransmitters. The gasotransmitters control several physiological functions in fish by acting as intracellular signaling molecules. Hydrogen sulphide, first implicated in vasomotor control in fish, plays a critical role in oxygen chemoreception owing to its production and downstream effects within the oxygen chemosensory cells, the neuroepithelial cells. Indeed, there is emerging evidence that hydrogen sulphide may contribute to oxygen sensing in both fish and mammals by promoting membrane depolarization of the chemosensory cells. Unlike hydrogen sulphide which stimulates breathing in zebrafish, carbon monoxide inhibits ventilation in goldfish and zebrafish whereas nitric oxide stimulates breathing in zebrafish larvae while inhibiting breathing in adults. Gasotransmitters also modulate ionic uptake in zebrafish. Though nothing is known about the role of CO, reduced activities of branchial Na+/K+-ATPase and H+-ATPase activities in the presence of NO donors suggest an inhibitory role of NO in fish osmoregulation. Hydrogen sulphide inhibits Na+ uptake in zebrafish larvae and contributes to lowering Na+ uptake capacity in fish acclimated to Na+-enriched water whereas it stimulates Ca2+ uptake in larvae exposed to Ca2+-poor water

(43) He J, Huang J, He Y, Cao P, Zeller M, Hunter AD, et al. A Boiling-Water-Stable, Tunable White-Emitting Metal-Organic Framework from Soft Imprint Synthesis. Chemistry 2015 Dec 10. Abstract: To open new avenues for making porous frameworks, we import an idea from

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molecularly imprinted polymers. In lieu of the small molecules commonly used as templates in MIPs, here soft metal components (e.g., CuI) are used to orient the molecular linker, and to leverage the formation of the network. Specifically, a linear dicarboxyl linker with thioether side groups was reacted at once with Ln3+ ions and CuI, leading to a bimetallic net featuring strong, chemically hard Eu3+-carboxylate links as well as soft, thioether-bound Cu2I2 clusters. The CuI block adds water stability to the host; with the tunable luminescence from the lanthanide ions, this creates the first white-emitting MOF stable in boiling water. The Cu2I2 block also readily reacts with H2S, and enables sensitive colorimetric detection, while the host net remains intact

(44) Roman P, Bijmans MF, Janssen AJ. Influence of methanethiol on biological sulfide oxidation in gas treatment system. Environ Technol 2015 Dec 10;1-42. Abstract: Inorganic and organic sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and thiols (RSH) are unwanted component in sour gas streams (e.g. biogas and refinery gases) because of their toxicity, corrosivity and bad smell. Biological treatment processes are often used to remove H2S at small and medium scales (<50 tons per day of H2S). Preliminarily research by our group focused on achieving maximum sulfur production from biological H2S oxidation in the presence of methanethiol. In this paper the underlying principles have been further studied by assessing the effect of methanethiol on the biological conversion of H2S under a wide range of redox conditions covering not only sulfur but also sulfate producing conditions. Furthermore, our experiments were performed in an integrated system consisting of a gas absorber and a bioreactor in order to assess the effect of methanethiol on the overall gas treatment efficiency. This study shows that methanethiol inhibits the biological oxidation of H2S to sulfate by way of direct suppression of the cytochrome c oxidase activity in biomass, whereas the oxidation of H2S to sulfur was hardly affected. We estimated the kinetic parameters of biological H2S oxidation that can be used to develop a mathematical model to quantitatively describe the biodesulfurization process. Finally, it was found that methanethiol acts as a competitive inhibitor, therefore, its negative effect can be minimized by increasing the enzyme (biomass) concentration and the substrate (sulfide) concentration, which in practice means operation the biodesulfurization systems under low redox conditions

(45) Tian R, Yang W, Xue Q, Gao L, Huo J, Ren D, et al. Rutin ameliorates diabetic neuropathy by lowering plasma glucose and decreasing oxidative stress via Nrf2 signaling pathway in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2015 Dec 10;771:84-92. Abstract: Rutin exhibits antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which makes rutin an attractive candidate for diabetic complications. The present study was designed to investigate the potential effect of rutin on diabetic neuropathy. After induction of diabetic neuropathy, rutin (5mg/kg, 25mg/kg and 50mg/kg) were daily given to the diabetic rats for 2 weeks. At the end of rutin administration, rutin produced a significant inhibition of mechanical hyperalgesia, thermal hyperalgesia and cold allodynia, as well as partial restoration of nerve conduction velocities in diabetic rats. Furthermore, rutin significantly increased Na+, K+-ATPase activities in sciatic nerves and decreased caspase-3 expression in dorsal root ganglions (DRG). In addition, rutin significantly decreased plasma glucose, attenuated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Further studies showed that rutin significantly increased hydrogen sulfide (H2S) level, up-regulated the expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in DRG. The evidences suggest the beneficial effect of rutin on diabetic neuropathy. Additionally, insulin (2 IU) and BG-12 (15mg/kg) were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of rutin on diabetic neuropathy. Insulin achieved lower plasma glucose and BG-12 achieved comparable Nrf2 expression than/to rutin (50mg/kg), respectively. In contrast, the beneficial effect of insulin and BG-12 was inferior to that of rutin (50mg/kg), suggesting that both lowered plasma glucose and Nrf2 signaling contribute to the beneficial effect of rutin on diabetic neuropathy. In conclusion, rutin produces significant protection in diabetic neuropathy, which makes it an attractive candidate for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy

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(46) Wu H, Wang L, Zhou J, Gao J, Zhang G, Xu S, et al. Facile preparation of porous InTiO-rutile composite nanotubes by electrospinning and sensitivity enhancement in NO gas at room temperature. J Colloid Interface Sci 2015 Dec 10;466:72-9. Abstract: Porous In2TiO5-rutile composite nanotubes (IRCNs) were synthesized via a facile one-step synthesis of the electrospinning approach by using tetrabutyl titanate (TBT), indium nitrate, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a soft-template followed by two-step calcination. The porous composite nanotubes with a bigger surface area have single-crystalline rutile with (110) crystal plane, and the sensor fabricated by it with a content of 12.5at% In2TiO5 (IRCN2) has shown a response of 4.04 to 100ppm NO2 at room temperature (RT), which was 20 times as high as the pure In2TiO5 sensor under the same conditions. The IRCN2 sensor had excellent selectivity compared with other gas species such as CO, H2, NH3, H2S and CH4 at RT. The enhanced sensing properties were attributed to the synergy of integrated In2TiO5 and rutile, heterojunction of single-crystal, and its nanotubular structure. Hence, the IRCN2 sensor has a potential application for the development of novel gas sensors at RT

(47) Heshka NE, Hager DB. Measurement of H2S in Crude Oil and Crude Oil Headspace Using Multidimensional Gas Chromatography, Deans Switching and Sulfur-selective Detection. J Vis Exp 2015;(106). Abstract: A method for the analysis of dissolved hydrogen sulfide in crude oil samples is demonstrated using gas chromatography. In order to effectively eliminate interferences, a two dimensional column configuration is used, with a Deans switch employed to transfer hydrogen sulfide from the first to the second column (heart-cutting). Liquid crude samples are first separated on a dimethylpolysiloxane column, and light gases are heart-cut and further separated on a bonded porous layer open tubular (PLOT) column that is able to separate hydrogen sulfide from other light sulfur species. Hydrogen sulfide is then detected with a sulfur chemiluminescence detector, adding an additional layer of selectivity. Following separation and detection of hydrogen sulfide, the system is backflushed to remove the high-boiling hydrocarbons present in the crude samples and to preserve chromatographic integrity. Dissolved hydrogen sulfide has been quantified in liquid samples from 1.1 to 500 ppm, demonstrating wide applicability to a range of samples. The method has also been successfully applied for the analysis of gas samples from crude oil headspace and process gas bags, with measurement from 0.7 to 9,700 ppm hydrogen sulfide

(48) Gudziol H, Gottschall R, Geil D, Lehnich H, Bitter T, Guntinas-Lichius O. [Chemosensory Evoked Changes of Breathing Pattern During Propofol-induced Sedation]. Laryngorhinootologie 2015 Dec 8. Abstract: Background: The affective valence of an olfactory stimulus will be encoded in its respiratory response. Unpleasant odors shorten the inhalation of the first stimulated breaths in wakefulness and sleep. The aim of the present study was to assess the effekt of intravenous anesthetic propofol on the chemosensory evoked changes of breathing pattern. Material and methods: 13 ASA 1/2 patients got intranasal chemosensory stimuli (H2S and CO2) by flow-olfactometer during "deep" (EEG-based bispectral analysis, BIS:</=60) and "moderate" (BIS>60) propofol-induced sedation with preserved spontaneous breathing. The duration of the in- and exhalation was analyzed for 5 breaths before and for 2 breaths after the onset of stimulation. Results: During deep sedation respiratory reactions were observed only by CO2 irritation. During moderate sedation respiratory responses were evoked by H2S stimuli, too. In moderate sedation extensions of the inhalations of the first breath after both the unpleasant pure olfactory H2S stimuli and the trigeminal stimuli were more frequent than reductions. Conclusion: Olfactory stimuli change the breathing only during moderate sedation, trigeminal stimuli during deep and moderate propofol-induced sedation. In opposite to both wakefulness and sleep the duration of inhalation is often extended by H2S-stimuli during moderate sedation

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(49) Wang L, Wan R, Shi Y, Xue S. Hydrogen Sulfide Activates S-type Anion Channel via OST1 and Ca modules. Mol Plant 2015 Dec 8. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colorless gas with a foul odor of rotton-eggs, it has been known for hundreds of years as a toxic environmental pollutant. Recently, H2S has been recognized as the third gasotransmitter with similar biological functions to nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. The endogenous H2S production and its physiology functions have been initially revealed in mammalian systems, which are mediated by different molecular targets, including different ion channels and signaling proteins. Similarly, H2S can be produced enzymatically in plants. H2S has been reported to have multiple functions in alleviating abiotic stresses such as improving plant tolerance to drought, salt and heat. It has also been shown to improve plant endurance to heavy metal stresses

(50) Prandini JM, da Silva ML, Mezzari MP, Pirolli M, Michelon W, Soares HM. Enhancement of nutrient removal from swine wastewater digestate coupled to biogas purification by microalgae Scenedesmus spp. Bioresour Technol 2015 Dec 5;202:67-75. Abstract: This work investigated the effects of swine wastewater-derived biogas on microalgae biomass production and nutrient removal rates from piggery wastewater concomitantly with biogas filtration. Photobioreactors with dominant Scenedesmus spp. were prepared using non-sterile digestate and exposed to different photoperiods. In the presence of biogas and autotrophic conditions microalgae yield of 1.1+/-0.2gL-1 (growth rate of 141.8+/-3.5mgL-1d-1) was obtained leading to faster N-NH3 and P-

(51) Vicari P, Sthel VM. IMAGES IN CLINICAL MEDICINE. Cystine Crystals in Bone Marrow. N Engl J Med 2015 Dec 3;373(23):e27.

(52) Henzler K, Heilemann A, Kneer J, Guttmann P, Jia H, Bartsch E, et al. Investigation of reactions between trace gases and functional CuO nanospheres and octahedrons using NEXAFS-TXM imaging. Sci Rep 2015;5:17729. Abstract: In order to take full advantage of novel functional materials in the next generation of sensorial devices scalable processes for their fabrication and utilization are of great importance. Also understanding the processes lending the properties to those materials is essential. Among the most sought-after sensor applications are low-cost, highly sensitive and selective metal oxide based gas sensors. Yet, the surface reactions responsible for provoking a change in the electrical behavior of gas sensitive layers are insufficiently comprehended. Here, we have used near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy in combination with x-ray microscopy (NEXAFS-TXM) for ex-situ measurements, in order to reveal the hydrogen sulfide induced processes at the surface of copper oxide nanoparticles, which are ultimately responsible for triggering a percolation phase transition. For the first time these measurements allow the imaging of trace gas induced reactions and the effect they have on the chemical composition of the metal oxide surface and bulk. This makes the new technique suitable for elucidating adsorption processes in-situ and under real operating conditions

(53) Mora M, Lopez LR, Lafuente J, Perez J, Kleerebezem R, van Loosdrecht MC, et al. Respirometric characterization of aerobic sulfide, thiosulfate and elemental sulfur oxidation by S-oxidizing biomass. Water Res 2015 Dec 2;89:282-92. Abstract: Respirometry was used to reveal the mechanisms involved in aerobic biological sulfide oxidation and to characterize the kinetics and stoichiometry of a microbial culture obtained from a desulfurizing biotrickling filter. Physical-chemical processes such as stripping and chemical oxidation of hydrogen sulfide were characterized since they contributed significantly to the conversions observed in respirometric tests. Mass transfer coefficient for hydrogen sulfide and the kinetic parameters for chemical oxidation of sulfide with oxygen were estimated. The stoichiometry of the process was determined and the different steps in the sulfide oxidation process were identified. The conversion scheme proposed includes intermediate production of elemental sulfur and thiosulfate and the subsequent oxidation of both compounds to sulfate. A kinetic model describing each of the

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reactions observed during sulfide oxidation was calibrated and validated. The product selectivity was found to be independent of the dissolved oxygen to hydrogen sulfide concentration ratio in the medium at sulfide concentrations ranging from 3 to 30 mg S L-1. Sulfide was preferentially consumed (SOURmax = 49.2 mg DO g-1 VSS min-1) and oxidized to elemental sulfur at dissolved oxygen concentrations above 0.8 mg DO L-1. Substrate inhibition of sulfide oxidation was observed ( [Formula: see text] = 42.4 mg S L-1). Intracellular sulfur accumulation also affected negatively the sulfide oxidation rate. The maximum fraction of elemental sulfur accumulated inside cells was estimated (25.6% w/w) and a shrinking particle equation was included in the kinetic model to describe elemental sulfur oxidation. The microbial diversity obtained through pyrosequencing analysis revealed that Thiothrix sp. was the main species present in the culture (>95%)

(54) Guo SB, Duan ZJ, Wang QM, Zhou Q, Li Q, Sun XY. Endogenous carbon monoxide downregulates hepatic cystathionine-gamma-lyase in rats with liver cirrhosis. Exp Ther Med 2015 Dec;10(6):2039-46. Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) on the hydrogen sulfide/cystathionine-gamma-lyase (H2S/CSE) pathway in cirrhotic rat livers. The rats were allocated at random into four groups: Sham, cirrhosis, cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) and zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP). The expression of hepatic CSE mRNA was evaluated using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction, while CSE protein expression was determined using immunohistochemical analysis. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed for the histological evaluation of liver fibrosis. The levels of H2S, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL) and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the arterial blood were determined, in addition to the portal vein pressure. The mRNA and protein expression levels of hepatic CSE and the serum levels of H2S were significantly decreased in the cirrhosis group compared with those in the sham group (P<0.05). Compared with the cirrhosis group, rats in the ZnPP group had significantly lower levels of serum ALT, AST and TBIL, arterial COHb and hepatic fibrosis, while hepatic CSE expression and the production of H2S were significantly increased (P<0.05). The CoPP group exhibited decreased hepatic CSE expression and H2S production, but aggravated hepatic function and fibrosis (P<0.05). In conclusion, the H2S/CSE pathway is involved in the formation of liver cirrhosis and serves a crucial function in protecting liver cells against the progression of liver fibrosis. Endogenous CO downregulates hepatic CSE mRNA and protein expression and the production of H2S in rats with liver cirrhosis

(55) Badiei A, Gieseg S, Davies S, Izani OM, Bhatia M. LPS Up-Regulates Cystathionine gamma-Lyase Gene Expression in Primary Human Macrophages via NF-kappaB/ERK Pathway. Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets 2015 Dec 1. Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenous inflammatory mediator produced by the activity of cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE) in mammals. Macrophages are a key element of the immune system and play a crucial role in inflammation. To determine the role of H2S and macrophages in inflammation, we investigated the expression of CSE in human primary macrophages. Our results show that H2S is produced by the activity of CSE in these cells. To investigate the role of common signalling pathway in biosynthesis of CSE in human primary macrophages, specific inhibitors were used to block NF-kappaB, ERK, p38 and JNK. Inhibition of NF-kappaB, ERK significantly reduced levels of CSE gene and protein expression in these cells but inhibition of JNK and p38 did not have an inhibitory effect on the expression of CSE gene in macrophages. Inhibition of NF-kappaB and ERK prevented the effect of LPS on H2S synthesizing activity in human primary macrophages. These data showed that H2S acts as an inflammatory mediator via NF-kappaB/ERK pathway in macrophages

(56) Mistry RK, Murray TV, Prysyazhna O, Martin D, Burgoyne JR, Santos C, et al. Transcriptional Regulation of Cystathionine-gamma-lyase in Endothelial cells by NADPH oxidase 4-dependent Signaling. J Biol Chem 2015 Nov 30.

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Abstract: The gasotransmitter, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is recognised as an important mediator of endothelial cell homeostasis and function, which impacts upon vascular tone and blood pressure. Cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) is the predominant endothelial generator of H2S and recent evidence suggests that its transcriptional expression is regulated by the reactive oxygen species (ROS), H2O2. However, the cellular source of H2O2, and the redox-dependent molecular signaling pathway which modulates this is not known. We aimed to investigate the role of Nox4, an endothelial generator of H2O2, in the regulation of CSE in endothelial cells. Both gain- and loss-of-function experiments in human endothelial cells in vitro demonstrated Nox4 to be a positive regulator of CSE transcription and protein expression. We demonstrate that this is dependent upon a heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI) kinase /eIF2alpha /Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4) signaling module. ATF4 was further demonstrated to bind directly to cis-regulatory sequences within the first intron of CSE, to activate transcription. Furthermore, CSE expression was also increased in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells, isolated from endothelial-specific Nox4 transgenic (eNox4 Tg) mice, compared to wild-type littermate controls. Using wire myography we demonstrate that eNox4 Tg mice exhibit a hypo-contractile phenotype in response to phenylephrine that was abolished when vessels were incubated with the CSE inhibitor, Propargyl-glycine. We therefore conclude that positive transcriptional regulation of CSE by Nox4 in endothelial cells results in increased H2S production, and contributes to the regulation of vascular tone

(57) Chen W, Liu Y, Qin Z, Wu Y, Li S, Ai P. A Single Eu-Doped In(2)O(3) Nanobelt Device for Selective H(2)S Detection. Sensors (Basel) 2015;15(12):29950-7. Abstract: Eu-doped In(2)O(3) nanobelts (Eu-In(2)O(3) NBs) and pure In(2)O(3) nanobelts (In(2)O(3) NBs) are synthesized by the carbon thermal reduction method. Single nanobelt sensors are fabricated via an ion beam deposition system with a mesh-grid mask. The gas-sensing response properties of the Eu-In(2)O(3) NB device and its undoped counterpart are investigated with several kinds of gases (including H(2)S, CO, NO(2), HCHO, and C(2)H(5)OH) at different concentrations and different temperatures. It is found that the response of the Eu-In(2)O(3) NB device to 100 ppm of H(2)S is the best among these gases and the sensitivity reaches 5.74, which is five times that of pure In(2)O(3) NB at 260 degrees C. We also found that the former has an excellent sensitive response and great selectivity to H(2)S compared to the latter. Besides, there is a linear relationship between the response and H(2)S concentration when its concentration changes from 5 to 100 ppm and from 100 to 1000 ppm. The response/recovery time is quite short and remains stable with an increase of H(2)S concentration. These results mean that the doping of Eu can improve the gas-sensing performance of In(2)O(3) NB effectually

(58) Bhatt A, Parsi MA, Stevens T, Gabbard S, Kumaravel A, Jang S, et al. Volatile Organic Compounds in Plasma for the Diagnosis of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: A Pilot Study. Gastrointest Endosc 2015 Nov 29. Abstract: BACKGROUND & AIMS: A non-invasive screening test that can detect esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) at an earlier stage could improve the prognosis associated with EAC. The role of plasma volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for diagnosis of EAC has not been previously studied. METHODS: Plasma samples were collected from subjects with EAC and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) before endoscopy. 22 pre-selected VOCs were analyzed with a selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The headspaces from 39 plasma samples (20 EAC, 19 GERD) were analyzed. Levels of 9 VOCs (acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, carbon disulfide, isoprene, 1-heptene, 3-methylhexane, (E)-2-nonene, hydrogen sulfide and triethylamine) were significantly altered in EAC patients compared with GERD patients. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to build a model for prediction of EAC. The model identified patients with EAC with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.67, 0.98). CONCLUSION: Plasma VOCs maybe useful in diagnosing EAC. Larger studies are needed to confirm our pilot study observations

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(59) Qu Z, Zhang J, Gao W, Chen H, Huang H, Huo L, et al. Antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects of Cerebralcare granule on spontaneously hypertensive rats from the perspective of the gaseous triumvirate NO-CO-HS system. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2015 Nov 22;41:22-31. Abstract: Cerebralcare granule(R) (CG) has been reported to have hypotensive effect. However, several pathways involved in the mechanism of hypotension are still unclear. This study was designed to verify the antihypertensive effect of CG and to characterize its mechanism of action, especially from the perspective of gasotrasmmiter NO/cGMP, CO/HO and H2S/CSE systems. By using the widely used in vitro model of rat isolated thoracic aortic rings, the vasorelaxant effect of CG were studied. Furthermore, we assessed the chronic hypotensive effect of CG on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and further to explore the potential mechanisms of its antihypertensive activity. Data in the present study demonstrated that oral treatment with CG could induce a potent antihypertensive effect. CG could reduce the intima-media thickness (IMT) of thoracic aorta significantly and increase the serum NO and H2S levels. In addition, the present results indicated that CG played a critical protective role against pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. CG not only inhibited the development of cardiac hypertrophy but also improved ventricular function. In vitro, the results showed that CG induced relaxation in rat aortic rings through an endothelium-dependent pathway mediated by NO/cGMP, CO/HO and H2S/CSE systems. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that CG could induce a potent antihypertensive effect that was partly due to the improvement of endothelial function. Also CG played a critical protective role against pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, CG could induce relaxation in rat aortic rings

(60) Ruiz-Moreno M, Binversie E, Fessenden SW, Stern MD. Mitigation of in vitro hydrogen sulfide production using bismuth subsalicylate with and without monensin in beef feedlot diets. J Anim Sci 2015 Nov;93(11):5346-54. Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine if a sulfur binder, bismuth subsalicylate (BSS), alone or combined with monensin (MON) could decrease the production of HS by rumen microbes. In Exp. 1, two 24-h batch culture incubations were conducted using a substrate consisting of 50% corn, 40% distillers grains, 9.75% hay, and 0.25% mineral premix, on a DM basis. Five treatments including BSS concentrations of 0% (control), 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% of DM were assigned in 5 replicates to 120-mL serum bottles containing rumen fluid, buffer, and 0.5 g of dietary substrate. Addition of 2% and 4% BSS decreased ( < 0.05) gas production, whereas all concentrations of BSS reduced ( < 0.05) HS production by 18%, 24%, 82%, and 99% for 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% BSS, respectively. Final pH increased ( < 0.05) with 2% and 4% BSS treatments. At 4% of DM, BSS decreased ( < 0.05) total VFA concentration (m) and propionate (mol/100 mol) but increased acetate (mol/100 mol) and acetate to propionate ratio. Concentration of branched-chain VFA increased ( < 0.05) with the addition of 0.5% BSS, compared with the control. On the basis of these results, addition of BSS (1% of DM) and MON (5 mg/kg) were used to assess their effects on metabolism and HS release by rumen microbes in 8 dual flow continuous culture fermenters during two 10-d periods (Exp. 2). Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Substrate similar to that used in Exp. 1 was provided at 75 g DM/fermenter daily. Headspace HS concentration was reduced ( < 0.05) by 99% with BSS treatment but was not affected ( = 0.21) by MON. An overall increase ( < 0.05) in fermentation pH was found following addition of BSS. Addition of BSS increased ( < 0.05) digestion of NDF and ADF but decreased ( < 0.05) nonfiber carbohydrate digestion and total VFA concentration. Acetate and propionate (mol/100 mol) increased ( < 0.05) with BSS, whereas butyrate (mol/100 mol) and branched-chain VFA (m) decreased ( < 0.05). Addition of BSS increased ( < 0.05) NH-N concentration and NH-N outflow but decreased ( < 0.05) microbial N outflow. Results from this study showed no response to monensin addition, but BSS markedly reduced HS production and altered microbial fermentation during in vitro rumen fluid incubations

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(61) Chakraborty R, Serdy J, West B, Stuckelberger M, Lai B, Maser J, et al. Development of an in situ temperature stage for synchrotron X-ray spectromicroscopy. Rev Sci Instrum 2015 Nov;86(11):113705. Abstract: In situ characterization of micro- and nanoscale defects in polycrystalline thin-film materials is required to elucidate the physics governing defect formation and evolution during photovoltaic device fabrication and operation. X-ray fluorescence spectromicroscopy is particularly well-suited to study defects in compound semiconductors, as it has a large information depth appropriate to study thick and complex materials, is sensitive to trace amounts of atomic species, and provides quantitative elemental information, non-destructively. Current in situ methods using this technique typically require extensive sample preparation. In this work, we design and build an in situ temperature stage to study defect kinetics in thin-film solar cells under actual processing conditions, requiring minimal sample preparation. Careful selection of construction materials also enables controlled non-oxidizing atmospheres inside the sample chamber such as H2Se and H2S. Temperature ramp rates of up to 300 degrees C/min are achieved, with a maximum sample temperature of 600 degrees C. As a case study, we use the stage for synchrotron X-ray fluorescence spectromicroscopy of CuInxGa1-xSe2 (CIGS) thin-films and demonstrate predictable sample thermal drift for temperatures 25-400 degrees C, allowing features on the order of the resolution of the measurement technique (125 nm) to be tracked while heating. The stage enables previously unattainable in situ studies of nanoscale defect kinetics under industrially relevant processing conditions, allowing a deeper understanding of the relationship between material processing parameters, materials properties, and device performance

(62) Yang R, Jia Q, Guo X, Liu X, Ma S, Gao Q, et al. [Protective effects of hydrogen sulfide on diaphragmatic muscle of Type 1 diabetic rats and its anti-apoptotic mechanisms]. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2015 Nov;40(11):1173-8. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on diaphragmatic muscle of Type 1 diabetic rats and its anti-apoptotic mechanism. METHODS: Thirty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group, a diabetes group and a treatment group (n=10 per group). Streptozotocin (i.p.) was utilized to establish a rat model of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). The DM rats were treated with NaHS solution (i.p.). After 8 weeks, the diaphragmatic muscle contractility was assessed by isolated diaphragmatic strips experiments. The peak twitch tension (Pt), maximum tetanic tension (Po), time to peak contraction (CT), half relaxation time (1/2RT) and maximal rates of contraction/relaxation (+/-dT/dtmax) were measured. The alterations of diaphragmtic ultrastructure were observed by electron microscopy. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and caspase-3 were analyzed by spectrophotometric method. The expressions levels of Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA in diaphragmatic muscle were detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, in the diabetic group, the Pt, Po and +/-dT/dtmax were significantly reduced (all P<0.01), while CT and 1/2RT were significantly increased (both P<0.01); ultrastructure in the diaphragmatic muscle were obviously changed; the content of MDA and the activity of caspase-3 were increased (both P<0.01), while the activity of SOD was decreased (P<0.01); the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax at mRNA level was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the diabetes group, in the treatment group, the diaphragm contractility and ultrastructural damage were improved; the content of MDA and the activity of caspase-3 were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01 respectively), while the activity of SOD was increased (P<0.01), the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax at mRNA level was also increased (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The exogenous H2S can protect diaphragmatic muscle of Type 1 diabetic rats, which is related to reducing oxidative damage and suppressing cell apoptosis

(63) Monier L, Mauvieux L. Cystine crystals in bone marrow aspirate. Blood 2015 Sep 17;126(12):1515.

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(64) Hou JF, Li XX, Shen XR, Huojia M, Guan M. [Determination of H2S in Rat Intestinal Perfusion Solution Based on Fluorescence Analysis]. Guang Pu Xue Yu Guang Pu Fen Xi 2015 Aug;35(8):2217-20. Abstract: Under alkaline conditions, Fluorescein mercury has strong fluorescence, however, when it met S(2-), its fluorescence would quench, in view of the above, a fluorescence method for determination of H2S in biological samples was established. In the 0.1 mol . L(-1) NaOH dilution, when the concentration of fluorescein Mercury and Na2S was 5.0 x 10(-5) and 1.0 x 10(-5) mol . L(-1) respectively, the fluorescence intensity of system was determined at 522 nm. The results showed that, at the range of 4.0 x 10(-7)~2.0 x 10(-6) mol . L(-1), the concentration decreasing of H2S and fluorescence intensity had good linear relationship, r=0.9980, the RSD of precision test was 4.59% (n=7), the detection limit was 3.5 x 10(-8) mol . L(-1), the content of H2S in the sample were 1.01 x 10(-6) and 1.15 x 10(-6) mol . L(-1), and the recovery rate was 95.8%~101.0%, the method has the advantages of simple operation, high sensitivity, good selectivity, can accurately determine of H2S in intestinal perfused solution, and provides the basis for the determination of endogenous H2S

(65) Lin F, Chen Y, Liao C, Sun Y, Bai Y, Liao Y, et al. [Hydrogen sulfide attenuates bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress]. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2015 Jul 28;95(28):2297-301. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of hydrogen sulfide on nicotine-induced bronchial epithelial cell endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis. METHODS: Nicotine was used to establish the apoptotic model in human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE) for mimicing the effect of cigarette smoke on apoptosis. The 16HBE cells were grouped by the concentration gradients of 0 (control), 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 micromol/L nicotine dosing. All groups were treated for 72 h. And 16HBE cells were grouped by the time gradients of 0 (control), 24, 48, 72 h of nicotine dosing. For control group, the nicotine concentration was 40 micromol/L. Then the protein expression level of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) was measured by Western blot to define the effect of various concentrations of nicotine and different dosing periods of nicotine on the protein expression level of CHOP. For observing the role of hydrogen sulfide in ER stress-mediated apoptosis, 16HBE cells were divided into 6 groups of control, 40 micromol/L nicotine, 100 micromol/L sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) + 40 micromol/L nicotine, 200 micromol/L NaHS + 40 micromol/L nicotine, 400 micromol/L NaHS + 40 micromol/L nicotine and 10 mmol/L taurine + 40 micromol/L nicotine. NaHS or taurine was pretreated for 30 min and then nicotine dosed for 72 h. The protein expression levels of GRP78 and ER stress-mediated apoptosis markers, such as cleaved caspase-12 and CHOP, were measured by Western blot. And chromatin dye Hoechst 33258 was used to detect the morphological changes of apoptotic 16HBE cells and apoptotic index calculated. RESULTS: Nicotine could concentration and time-dependently improve the expression of CHOP in 16HBE cells. The ratio of CHOP to average absorbance of glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was significantly higher in 40 micromol/L nicotine group than that in control group (1.04 +/- 0.32 vs 0.30 +/- 0.17, P < 0.05). The ratio of GRP78 to average absorbance of beta-actin (0.59 +/- 0.19 vs 1.00 +/- 0.08), cleaved caspase-12 to average absorbance of procaspase-12 (0.06 (0.01, 6.06) vs 20.30(12.79, 23.78)) and CHOP to average absorbance of beta-actin (0.18 +/- 0.10 vs 0.53 +/- 0.09) in 200 micromol/L NaHS + 40 micromol/L nicotine group were all significantly lower than those in 40 micromol/L nicotine group (all P < 0.05). The apoptotic index in 200 micromol/L NaHS + 40 micromol/L nicotine group (3.04 +/- 1.83 vs 16.60 +/- 3.32) and apoptotic index in 10 mmol/L taurine + 40 micromol/L nicotine group (4.08 +/- 2.04 vs 16.60 +/- 3.32) were significantly lower than those in 40 micromol/L nicotine group (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: NaHS exerts its protection against nicotine-induced bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis through suppressing ER stress. And the underlying mechanism may be through a down-regulation of ER stress-mediated apoptosis markers of cleaved caspase-12 and CHOP

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(66) Li J, Chen S, Yu Z, He L, Li X, Jia Y, et al. [Construction of host-vector balanced lethal system of Salmonella typhimurium SL1344Deltacya mutant and immune protection test of chickling]. Wei Sheng Wu Xue Bao 2015 Jul 4;55(7):942-8. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To develop a host-vector balanced lethal system of Salmonella typhimurium adenylate cyclase mutant, and detect its biological characteristics. METHODS: We constructed SL1344DeltacyaDeltaasd mutant strain by recombinant suicide plasmid (pREAasd), and screened by two-step method, transformed pYA3493 plasmid containing the asd gene without resistance electric into the lack of SL1344 AcyaDeltaasd, then the recombinant strains SL1344 DeltacyaDeltaasd (pYA3493) was constructed successfully. RESULTS: The biochemical characteristics and growth rate of the mutant were different from that of the wild strain SL1344, but almost the same as that of the parent strain SL1344Deltacya. The mutant strain could neither ferment maltose, lactose, and sorbitol, nor decompose H2S, galactose and rat lee sugar, but still retained the ability to use glucose. The one-day chicken lethal test showed that SL1344DeltacyaDeltaasd (pYA3493) mutant was at least 104 times lower than SL1344 strain. The protection rate induced by the SL1344DeltacyaDeltaasd (pYA3493) mutant was 62. 5%. CONCLUSION: The SL1344DeltacyaDeltaasd (pYA3493) mutant was successfully constructed, and had good immune protection, it laid a foundation for developing potential oral vaccines

(67) Quan X, Luo H, Xia H, Fan H, Yu G, Tang Q. [Effects of hydrogen sulfide on colonic contraction of rats and ion channel mechanisms]. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2015 Jun 9;95(22):1768-72. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) on colonic contraction of rats at low concentration and ion channel mechanisms. METHODS: Organ bath recordings were used to examine the contraction of colonic smooth muscle strips. The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to record the currents of L-type calcium and large conductance Ca(2)(+)-activated K(+) (BKCa) channels in smooth muscle cells isolated from 30 male Wistar rats. RESULTS: The H(2)S donor NaHS ((1-12) x 10(-)(5) mol/L) increased the spontaneous contractions of longitudinal and circular muscle strips in a dose-dependent manner (all P<0.05) and the effect could not be blocked by tetrodotoxin. NaHS (6 x 10(-)(5) and 12 x 10(-)(5) mol/L) reversibly increased the L-type calcium current (ICa,L) in a dose-dependent manner. And the peak of ICa,L at 0 mV increased from (-3.16 +/- 0.47) to (-3.33 +/- 0.54) and (-3.65 +/- 0.66) pA/pF respectively (n=6, both P<0.05). Current-voltage (I-V) curve had no shift after NaHS treatment and H(2)S donor caused no change in the curves of steady-state activation. Likewise BKCa channel was significantly inhibited by NaHS (6 x 10(-)(5) and 12 x 10(-)(5) mol/L) in a dose-dependent manner. And IBKCa at 60 mV decreased from (16.68 +/- 1.23) to (15.26 +/- 2.67) and (13.80 +/- 3.04) pA/pF respectively(both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: H2S at low concentrations increases the spontaneous contraction of rat colonic smooth muscle in a dose-dependent manner. Such an effect may be due to a direct activation of L-type calcium channel and an inhibition of BKCa channel in smooth muscle cells

(68) Ahmad A, Sattar MZ, Rathore HA, Hussain AI, Khan SA, Fatima T, et al. ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING CAPACITY OF L-ARGININE AND NAHS: A COMPARATIVE IN VITRO STUDY. Acta Pol Pharm 2015 Mar;72(2):245-52. Abstract: In the family of gaseous transmitters, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is considered as third member beside nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), which can play physiological role in different organs. The present study was designed to elucidate the antioxidant and free radical scavenging potentials of L-arginnine (a source for endogenous production of NO in vivo) and NaHS (a source H2S) individually and in combination. Different assays like 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, percent inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and reducing power assays were used to evaluate the free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant activity of L-arginine and NaHS. Furthermore, study was aimed to know the antioxidant potential of both compounds at their effective doses in human body, which is 56 microM for H2S and 1.2 g/mL for L-arginine. The study also aimed to clear whether either NaHS, L-arginine or the mixture of NaHS and

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L-arginine in vitio (in the form of new compounds) is responsible for their therapeutic action. Results showed that NaHS, L-arginine and combination of NaHS + L-arginine showed good radical scavenging activity i.e., 55.60%, 52.10% and 52.32%, respectively. Moreover, NaHS was found to have ability to inhibit linoleic acid peroxidation by 53.98% at effective dose while L-arginine did not show inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation. Combination of NaHS + L-arginine showed 54.15% inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation, which is similar to that of H2S. Reducing power of NaHS was 0.073 and L-arginine showed 0.037, combination of NaHS + L-arginine showed 0.063. It can be concluded that NaHS showed better antioxidant potential in vitio as compared to L-arginine and the antioxidant activity of the mixture of NaHS + L-arginine is closed to the antioxidant activity of NaHS, which reflects that NaHS is a dominant factor in combination mixture that is responsible for antioxidant activity

(69) Ibrahim MY, Aziz NM, Kamel MY, Rifaai RA. Sodium hydrosulphide against renal ischemia/reperfusion and the possible contribution of nitric oxide in adult male Albino rats. Bratisl Lek Listy 2015;116(11):681-8. Abstract: This study evaluates the effects produced by H2S donor; sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), in a renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) rat model and assesses the possible mediating role of nitric oxide (NO) in these H2S' effects. BACKGROUND: For several centuries, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) had been known to be a highly toxic agent. Recent studies, however, indicated that apart from NO and CO, H2S is the third "gasotransmitter" involved in the regulation of various physiological functions. Nevertheless, its impact on renal IR injury remains unclear. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham control; renal IR; and renal IR+NaHS groups.NaHS (100 micromol/kg, ip) was administered 30 min prior to the induction of renal ischemia. RESULTS: NaHS was found to attenuate significantly the IR-induced elevations in the serum levels of urea, creatinine and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) as compared with IR group. NaHS also significantly compensated the deficits in the total antioxidant capacities (TAC) and lowered the elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels observed with renal IR in renal, hepatic, pulmonary, and cardiac tissues. Furthermore, NaHS pretreatment down-regulated the renal IR-induced over-expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and up-regulated the IR-induced suppression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). The loss of normal architecture, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cells infiltration detected by histopathological examination of renal, hepatic, pulmonary, and cardiac tissues in IR rats were markedly ameliorated by pre-ischemic NaHS treatment. CONCLUSION: NaHS protects against the effects of renal IR injury by acting primarily through a decrease in both pro-inflammatory cytokines and iNOS expression as well as through up-regulation of the eNOS pathway. Furthermore, H2S has a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects (Tab. 2, Fig. 6, Ref. 45)

(70) Xiao J, Zhu X, Kang B, Xu J, Wu L, Hong J, et al. Hydrogen Sulfide Attenuates Myocardial Hypoxia-Reoxygenation Injury by Inhibiting Autophagy via mTOR Activation. Cell Physiol Biochem 2015;37(6):2444-53. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Autophagy plays a significant role in myocardial ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been demonstrated to protect cardiomyocytes against IR injury, while whether it has anti-autophagy effect has not been known. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H2S regulates autophagy during IR injury and its possible mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS: The cardiomyocytes of neonatal rats were randomized into Con, hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) and H2S protection groups. The severity of cell injury was evaluated by cell vitality (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays, and autophagy level was evaluated by flow cytometry and the assessment of autophagy-related gene (Atg) expression, such as that of Beclin1 and LC3-II. In response to H2S, Beclin1 and LC3-II protein were found to be down-regulated and p-mTOR protein was found to be up-regulated, together with an increase in cell vitality and a decrease in LDH. Furthermore, to find out whether mTOR was involved in the protective effect of H2S, rapamycin, inhibiter of mTOR, was used with or

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without applying NaHS and HR. It was found that rapamycin attenuated the myocardiocyte protective effect of H2S. To demonstrate the effect of autophagy during HR injury, the cardiomyocytes were pre-treated with 3-MA, which is an autophagy inhibitor, cell injury was attenuated by 3-MA. CONCLUSIONS: H2S plays a myocardial protective role against IR injury by regulating autophagy via mTOR activation

(71) Huang HJ, Chen SL, Hsieh-Li HM. Administration of NaHS Attenuates Footshock-Induced Pathologies and Emotional and Cognitive Dysfunction in Triple Transgenic Alzheimer's Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2015;9:312. Abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Increasing evidence indicates that environmental risk factors in young adults may accelerate cognitive loss in AD and that Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) may represent an innovative treatment to slow the progression of AD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of NaHS, an H2S donor, in a triple transgenic AD mouse model (3xTg-AD) under footshock with situational reminders (SRs). Inescapable footshock with SRs induced anxiety and cognitive dysfunction as well as a decrease in the levels of plasma H2S and GSH and an increase in IL-6 levels in 3xTg-AD mice. Under footshock with SR stimulus, amyloid deposition, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, and microgliosis were highly increased in the stress-responsive brain structures, including the hippocampus and amygdala, of the AD mice. Oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) levels were also increased, and the level of inactivated glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3beta) (pSer9) was decreased in the hippocampi of AD mice subjected to footshock with SRs. Furthermore, the numbers of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum/diagonal band of Broca (MS/DB) and noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) were also decreased in the 3xTg-AD mice under footshock with SRs. These biochemical hallmarks and pathological presentations were all alleviated by the semi-acute administration of NaHS in the AD mice. Together, these findings suggest that footshock with SRs induces the impairment of spatial cognition and emotion, which involve pathological changes in the peripheral and central systems, including the hippocampus, MS/DB, LC, and BLA, and that the administration of NaHS may be a candidate strategy to ameliorate the progression of neurodegeneration

(72) Salmina AB, Komleva YK, Szijarto IA, Gorina YV, Lopatina OL, Gertsog GE, et al. H2S- and NO-Signaling Pathways in Alzheimer's Amyloid Vasculopathy: Synergism or Antagonism? Front Physiol 2015;6:361. Abstract: Alzheimer's type of neurodegeneration dramatically affects H2S and NO synthesis and interactions in the brain, which results in dysregulated vasomotor function, brain tissue hypoperfusion and hypoxia, development of perivascular inflammation, promotion of Abeta deposition, and impairment of neurogenesis/angiogenesis. H2S- and NO-signaling pathways have been described to offer protection against Alzheimer's amyloid vasculopathy and neurodegeneration. This review describes recent developments of the increasing relevance of H2S and NO in Alzheimer's disease (AD). More studies are however needed to fully determine their potential use as therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's and other forms of vascular dementia

(73) Kushkevych I, Bolis M, Bartos M. Model-based Characterization of the Parameters of Dissimilatory Sulfate Reduction Under the Effect of Different Initial Density of Desulfovibrio piger Vib-7 Bacterial Cells. Open Microbiol J 2015;9:55-69. Abstract: The objective of this study was to design a model of dissimilatory sulfate reduction process using the Verhulst function, with a particular focus on the kinetics of bacterial growth, sulfate and lactate consumption, and accumulation of hydrogen sulfide and acetate. The effect of the initial density (0.12+/-0.011, 0.25+/-0.024, 0.5+/-0.048 and 1.0+/-0.096 mg cells/ml of medium) of the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio piger Vib-7 on the growth and dissimilatory sulfate reduction was studied. The exponential growth phase of the D. piger Vib-7 was observed for 72 hours of cultivation at the (0.12 and 0.25 mg/ml) initial concentration of bacterial cells. Sulfate and lactate were consumed

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incompletely during this time. The increase in the initial concentration of cells to 0.5 and 1 mg/ml led to a shortening of the exponential bacterial growth phase and a shift to the stationary phase of the growth. In the case of 0.5 mg/ml seeding, the stationary growth phase was observed in the 36(th) hour of cultivation. The increase in the initial concentration of cells to 1 mg/ml led to the beginning of the stationary growth phase in 24th hours of cultivation. Under these conditions, sulfate and lactate were consumed completely in the 48th hour of cultivation. The kinetic analysis of the curves of bacterial growth and the process of dissimilatory sulfate reduction by D. piger Vib-7 was carried out