Making urban water smart: the SMART-WATER solution.

The rise of Internet of Things (IoT), coupled with the advances in Artificial Intelligence technologies and cloud-based applications, have caused fundamental changes in the way societies behave. Enhanced connectivity and interactions between physical and cyber worlds create 'smart' solutions and applications to serve society's needs. Water is a vital resource and its management is a critical issue. ICT achievements gradually deployed within the water industry provide an alternative, smart and novel way to improve water management efficiently. Contributing to this direction, we propose a unified framework for urban water management, exploiting state-of-the-art IoT solutions for remote telemetry and control of water consumption in combination with machine learning-based processes. The SMART-WATER platform aims to foster water utility companies by enhancing water management and decision-making processes, providing innovative solutions to consumers for smart water utilisation.

CCl4 induces tissue-type plasminogen activator in rat brain; protective effects of oregano, rosemary or vitamin E.

The high metabolic rate and relatively low antioxidant defenses of the lipid-rich brain tissue render it highly susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress, whereas the implication of ROS in the pathogenesis of several diseases in the central nervous system is well-established. The plasminogen activator (PA) system is a key modulator of extracellular proteolysis, extracellular matrix remodeling and neuronal cell signaling and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of these diseases. This study evaluates the role of tissue-type PA (t-PA) in oxidative stress and the protective role of dietary antioxidants in the rat brain. We used the CCl4 experimental model of ROS-induced lipid peroxidation and evaluated the antioxidant effect of oregano, rosemary or vitamin E. CCl4-treated Wistar rats exhibited elevated brain t-PA activity, which was decreased upon long-term administration of oregano, rosemary or vitamin E. PA inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity was also slightly elevated by CCl4, but this increase was not affected by the antioxidants. We hypothesize that the CCl4-induced t-PA activity indicates extracellular proteolytic activity that may be linked to neuronal cell death and brain damage. Vitamin E or antioxidants present in oregano or rosemary are effective in inhibiting t-PA elevation and can be considered as a potential protection against neuronal damage.

Endosulfan-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain and its effect on t-PA and PAI-1: ameliorating effect of vitamins C and E.

Endosulfan provokes systemic toxicity in mammals and induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). The brain is susceptible to LPO and several studies implicate ROS and LPO in CNS diseases. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) has been accredited with plasminogen-dependent roles in the CNS, as well as plasminogen-independent functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the activities of t-PA and its inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in the adult rat brain, after subchronic endosulfan treatment. Furthermore, the potency of vitamins C and E to attenuate these effects was explored. Endosulfan was administered in Wistar rats either alone or with vitamin C and/or vitamin E. The induced oxidative stress was manifested by induction of LPO as determined by higher malondialdehyde levels. This was accompanied by elevation of t-PA and PAI-1 activities. Vitamins E and C, both well-known for their antioxidant properties, substantially acted in a preventive way and protected the brain from these effects.

Enhancing and inhibitory effects of H2-receptor antagonists on the GABA and the GABAA-agonist muscimol responses of the isolated guinea pig ileum: a pharmacodynamic interaction.

This study investigates the effect of histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists on the GABA-responses of the intestine. GABA and the GABA(A)-agonist muscimol were applied to isolated ileal guinea pig preparations in the absence, and presence of two H(2)-receptor antagonists, famotidine and cimetidine. Both GABA and muscimol produced a concentration-dependent contractile effect on the guinea pig ileum. Famotidine and cimetidine modified this contractile effect, either by enhancing or by inhibiting it. The differing results depended not only on the antagonist concentration, but also on the concentration of GABA or muscimol. When tested at the concentration of 10(-5)M, famotidine enhanced the contractile response of the ileum to either GABA or muscimol, while cimetidine did not modify it. At the concentration of 3 x 10(-4)M, both H(2)-receptor antagonists tested inhibited the contractile effect of either GABA or muscimol. However, the famotidine-induced inhibition was more potent than the one produced by cimetidine. In conclusion, the interaction of H(2)-receptor antagonists with GABA receptors is not limited to the central nervous system, but it also extends to the peripheral nervous system. The receptor interaction mainly involves GABA(A)-receptors and depends on both the specific H(2)-antagonist and the concentration used.