Background
As a method with insignificant adverse effects on in vitro quality of platelet concentrates (PCs), gamma irradiation is applied to abrogate the risk of transfusion‐associated graft‐vs‐host ...disease in vulnerable recipients. However, there is some evidence of lower posttransfusion responses and proteomic alterations in gamma‐irradiated platelets (PLTs), which raises some questions about their quality, safety, and efficacy. Since reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered as markers of PLT storage lesion (PSL), the study presented here investigated oxidant state in gamma‐irradiated PCs.
Study Design and Methods
PLT‐rich plasma PC was split into two bags, one kept as control while other was subjected to gamma irradiation. Within 7 days of storage, the levels of intra‐PLT superoxide, H2O2, mitochondrial ROS, P‐selectin expression, and phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure were detected by flow cytometry while intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH), glucose concentration, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were measured by enzymocolorimetric method.
Results
GSH decreased, while ROS generation and LDH activity increased, during storage. Gamma irradiation significantly attenuated GSH whereas increased ROS generation in earlier and later stages of storage associated with either P‐selectin or PS exposure increments.
Conclusion
Gamma irradiation can significantly increase cytosolic ROS generation in two distinct phases, one upon irradiation and another later in longer‐stored PCs. While earlier ROS influx seems to be governed by direct effect of irradiation, the second phase of oxidant stress is presumably due to the storage‐dependent PLT activation. Intriguingly, these observations were also in line with early P‐selectin increments and increased PS exposure in longer‐stored PLTs. Given the mutual link between ROS generation and PLT activation, further investigation is required to explore the effect of gamma irradiation on the induction of PSL.
Neuromorphic computing based on spikes offers great potential in highly efficient computing paradigms. Recently, several hardware implementations of spiking neural networks based on traditional ...complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology or memristors have been developed. However, an interface (called an afferent nerve in biology) with the environment, which converts the analog signal from sensors into spikes in spiking neural networks, is yet to be demonstrated. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate an artificial spiking afferent nerve based on highly reliable NbO
Mott memristors for the first time. The spiking frequency of the afferent nerve is proportional to the stimuli intensity before encountering noxiously high stimuli, and then starts to reduce the spiking frequency at an inflection point. Using this afferent nerve, we further build a power-free spiking mechanoreceptor system with a passive piezoelectric device as the tactile sensor. The experimental results indicate that our afferent nerve is promising for constructing self-aware neurorobotics in the future.
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•The ZnS nanoparticles were prepared via simple chemical process.•The catalyst was characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, EDX and UV–vis.•The catalyst can be recovered seven cycles ...without any loss of catalytic activity.•The ZnS nanoparticles was employed in synthesis of 1-substituted 1H-tetrazols.
Ultrasound irradiation was applied for the appropriate and rapid synthesis of 1-substituted tetrazoles through cyclization reaction of various primary amines, sodium azide and triethyl orthoformate. This reaction was effectively catalyzed by ZnS nanoparticles as an efficient, recoverable and reusable catalyst. Compared with conventional methods, this method has the considerable advantages such as shorter reaction times, easier work-up, purer products with high yields and mild conditions. The ZnS nanoparticles catalyst is an excellent instance to replace Brønsted acids for the preparation of 1-substituted tetrazole derivatives in very short reaction times with excellent yields. The catalyst can be recovered and reused several times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.
This study investigated the use of synthesized nanozeolite Y to prepare modified carbon paste electrode for electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrogen peroxide. In order to prepare the modified ...electrodes, the nickel ions were doped to Y zeolite framework through ion exchange mechanism and the electrochemical behaviour of the proposed modified electrode was studied using the cyclic voltammetry technique. The obtained results revealed that modified carbon paste electrode in the form of Ni/NiYCPE is the best electrode for the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide in the alkaline media. The hydrogen peroxide transfer coefficient (α) and the current density were calculated as 0.54 and 6.7 mA/cm2, respectively. The catalytic rate constant (K) for this electrocatalytic reaction was calculated through the chronoamperometric technique (K = 0.43 × 104 cm2s−1mol−1).
•The nano Y zeolite was synthesized in the hydrothermal condition.•The synthesized zeolite was used to prepare modified electrode for electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrogen peroxide.•The catalytic rate constant, transfer coefficient and charge density for this catalytic reaction were determined.
Cryptosporidium is an intracellular protozoan that causes gastrointestinal symptoms in humans and animals. In immunocompromised patients and children under 5 years of age, the infection is severe and ...can be life-threatening due to severe diarrhea.
We report a case of urticaria associated with Cryptosporidium in a 17-month-old female Iranian child. The patient had moderate diarrhea (> 3 loose, watery stools but not more than 10 diarrhea stools in a day), weight loss, and acute urticarial (rash clears completely within 6 weeks). Since the child's father worked in livestock farming, the parasite may have been transferred from the cow or calve to the house and the child. Several Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in the modified acid-fast staining of the child's stool sample. The patient was successfully treated with nitazoxanide (100 mg twice daily) and became negative for parasites three days after treatment and one week after discharge from the hospital. The child was observed to produce < 3 loose stools in the previous 24 h after 1-week post-treatment and after 6 months of follow-up.
A number of parasites are associated with urticaria, but to our knowledge, there is no information on Cryptosporidium-induced urticaria. Therefore, our result may be evidence for the role of this parasite in the development of urticaria if other causes such as food allergies, autoimmune diseases and etc. don't role in urticaria.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Comorbidities are common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of common comorbidities in patients with COPD compared with ...people without COPD. This cross-sectional, population-based study was performed on 6961 adults aged 35-70 years enrolled in the Shahrekord PERSIAN cohort study. Data (demographic and clinical characteristics, comorbidities, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, laboratory, and spirometry tests) collection was performed according to the cohort protocol from 2015 to 2019. In the present study, 215 (3.1%) patients were diagnosed with COPD and 1753 (25.18%) ones with restrictive lung patterns. The mean age of COPD patients was 52.5 ± 9.76 years. 55.8% of patients were male, 17.7% were current smokers and 12.1% had a history of smoking or were former smokers. 5.6% of patients had no comorbidity and 94.5% had at least one comorbidity. The most common comorbidities in COPD patients were dyslipidemia (70.2%), hypertension (30.2%), metabolic syndrome (22.8%), and diabetes (16.7%). The most common comorbidities in individuals with a restrictive spirometry pattern were dyslipidemia (68.9%), metabolic syndrome (27.2%), hypertension (26.1%), depression (17.6%), and fatty liver (15.5%). The logistic regression analysis with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of odds ratio (OR) showed that comorbidities of chronic lung diseases (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.30-3.44), diabetes (OR = 1.54, 95%CI 1.03-2.29), cardiovascular disease (OR = 1.52, 95%CI 1.17-2.43), and hypertension (OR = 1.4, 95%CI 1.02-1.99) were more likely to occur in COPD patients than in healthy individuals. Knowing these prevalence rates and related information provides new insights on comorbidities to reduce disease burden and develop preventive interventions and to regulate health care resources to meet the needs of patients in primary health care.
Oxidative stability of chia seed oil enriched with oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) extracts at different concentrations (600, 1200, and 1800 ppm) was evaluated under ...accelerated oxidation conditions for 5 days. The total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of oregano extract were higher than the yarrow extract. With decreasing concentrations of extracts and increasing time, the oxidative stability of chia seed oil decreased significantly (p<0.05). At the first day, the acid value of chia seed oil did not show a significant difference, and the highest acid value was related to the control sample at the end of the storage period. The oil containing 1200 and 1800 ppm of oregano extract had the lowest acid, peroxide, anisidine, and Totox values. In the rancimat, the highest oxidative stability index (OSI) was shown in the sample containing 1800 ppm oregano extract, followed by yarrow extract. Our findings showed the potential of oregano and yarrow extracts by improving the oxidative stability of chia seed oil, especially at 1200 and 1800 ppm. At similar concentrations, oregano extract was more successful than yarrow extract in reducing the oxidation rate.
Applications in photodetection, photochemistry, and active metamaterials and metasurfaces require fundamental understanding of ultrafast nonthermal and thermal electron processes in metallic ...nanosystems. Significant progress has been recently achieved in synthesis and investigation of low-loss monocrystalline gold, opening up opportunities for its use in ultrathin nanophotonic architectures. Here, we reveal fundamental differences in hot-electron thermalisation dynamics between monocrystalline and polycrystalline ultrathin (down to 10 nm thickness) gold films. Comparison of weak and strong excitation regimes showcases a counterintuitive unique interplay between thermalised and non-thermalised electron dynamics in mesoscopic gold with the important influence of the X-point interband transitions on the intraband electron relaxation. We also experimentally demonstrate the effect of hot-electron transfer into a substrate and the substrate thermal properties on electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering in ultrathin films. The hot-electron injection efficiency from monocrystalline gold into TiO
, approaching 9% is measured, close to the theoretical limit. These experimental and modelling results reveal the important role of crystallinity and interfaces on the microscopic electronic processes important in numerous applications.
Seasonal influenza is a significant public health challenge worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and spatial patterns of severe hospitalized influenza cases ...confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Iran.
Data were obtained from Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education and included all hospitalized lab-confirmed influenza cases from January 1, 2016, to December 30, 2018 (n = 9146). The Getis-Ord Gi* and Local Moran's I statistics were used to explore the hotspot areas and spatial cluster/outlier patterns of influenza. We also built a multivariable logistic regression model to identify covariates associated with patients' mortality.
Cumulative incidence and mortality rate were estimated at 11.44 and 0.49 (per 100,000), respectively, and case fatality rate was estimated at 4.35%. The patients' median age was 40 (interquartile range: 22-63), and 55.5% (n = 5073) were female. The hotspot and cluster analyses revealed high-risk areas in northern parts of Iran, especially in cold, humid, and densely populated areas. Moreover, influenza hotspots were more common during the colder months of the year, especially in high-elevated regions. Mortality was significantly associated with older age (adjusted odds ratio aOR: 1.01, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.01-1.02), infection with virus type-A (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.27-2.15), male sex (aOR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.44-2.18), cardiovascular disease (aOR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.33-2.20), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (aOR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.40-2.34), malignancy (aOR: 4.77, 95% CI: 2.87-7.62), and grade-II obesity (aOR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.09-3.74).
We characterized the spatial and epidemiological heterogeneities of severe hospitalized influenza cases confirmed by PCR in Iran. Detecting influenza hotspot clusters could inform prioritization and geographic specificity of influenza prevention, testing, and mitigation resource management, including vaccination planning in Iran.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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