Individuals with HIV infection exhibit high cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG levels, but there are few data regarding the association of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with the immune response against CMV.
...Associations of HCV with CMV seropositivity and CMV IgG levels were studied in 635 HIV-infected women, 187 of whom were HCV-seropositive, with adjustment in multivariable models for age, race/ethnicity, and HIV disease characteristics. Eighty one percent of the women reported receipt of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) prior to or at CMV testing.
In adjusted models women with chronic HCV had higher CMV IgG levels than those without HCV RNA (β = 2.86, 95% CI:0.89 - 4.83; P = 0.004). The association of HCV RNA with CMV IgG differed by age (P(interaction) = 0.0007), with a strong association observed among women in the low and middle age tertiles (≤ 45.3 years of age; β = 6.21, 95% CI:3.30 - 9.11, P<0.0001) but not among women in the high age tertile. CMV IgG levels were not associated with non-invasive measures of liver disease, APRI and FIB-4, or with HCV RNA level and adjustment for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) IgG levels did not affect the association between HCV and CMV.
CMV IgG levels are higher in HCV/HIV co-infected women than in HIV mono-infected women. Further research on the association of HCV with CMV IgG is indicated because prior studies have found CMV IgG to be associated with morbidity and mortality in the general population and subclinical carotid artery disease in HIV-infected patients.
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Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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•Nanoporous silicas functionalized with the substituted pyridinium moieties were considered as novel adsorbents of metals ions.•The silicas displayed extraordinary efficiency, ...selectivity and stability, mainly due to the structure of the substituent.•MBr-D4IA was found to be the most efficient sorbent of Pb(II) with capacity of 339 mg/g.•The tests performed using the waste solution confirmed high potential of the materials.
For effective removal of toxic metals from waste water, novel bifunctional iminepyridinium- silicas were fabricated and studied in detail to show their high applicability as adsorbents of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II). The novel adsorbents were synthesized using two-stage procedure to incorporate sillylpropylpyridinium moieties: co-condensation to obtain chloro- and bromopropyl-functionalised silicas, and next quaternisation with N-decyloxy-1-(pyridin-4-yl)ethaneimine and N-decyloxypyridine-4-carboximidamide (MCl-D4EI, MBr-D4EI, and MCl-D4IA, MBr-D4IA, respectively). The fabricated materials were characterized by Raman, SEM, XPS, zeta potential and IGC techniques. Various batch adsorption parameters were investigated to demonstrate high potential of the novel sorbents. The optimum pH for adsorption of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) from aqueous solutions was found to be 4–6 and the maximum loading was obtained after a contact time of 15 min. The process took place on the surface through chemisorption, in which imine and amine groups lead to the strong binding of the metals ions. The spherical MBr-D4IA was found to be the most efficient sorbent of Pb(II) and Cd(II) with the adsorption capacity of 339 mg/g and 173 mg/g, respectively, while Cu(II) was co-extracted from the synthetic waste solution in 79%. Moreover, MBr-D4IA displayed extraordinary tolerance to the presence of coexisting ions, good reusability and stability.
Central venous catheters are essential elements enabling the treatment of intensive care unit patients. However, these catheters are sometimes colonised by both bacteria and fungi, and thus, they may ...become a potential source of systemic infections-catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI). The identification of the pathogen responsible for CRBSI is a time-consuming process. At the same time, the relationship between the quick identification of the pathogen and the implementation of targeted antibiotic therapy is of key importance for controlling the clinical symptoms of sepsis and septic shock in the patient. Quick diagnosis is of key importance to reduce morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. In our study, we attempted to create a catalogue of images of the most commonly cultured pathogens responsible for CRBSI. An FEI Quanta 250 FEG Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used for measurements. SEM images obtained during the analysis were included in this study. Images of SEM are three-dimensional and comparable to the images seen with the human eye and are a tool used for research and measurement whenever it is necessary to analyse the state of the surface and assess its morphology. The method described in our study will not replace the current procedures recognised as the gold standard, i.e., pathogen culturing, determination of the count of microorganisms (CFU -colony forming units), and assessment of drug sensitivity. However, in some cases, the solution proposed in our study may aid the diagnosis of patients with suspected catheter-related bloodstream infections leading to sepsis and septic shock.
Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is one of very few analytical techniques allowing sample chemical structure to be characterized in three-dimensional (3D) with nanometer ...resolution. Due to the excellent sensitivity in the order of ppm–ppb and capability of detecting all ionized elements and molecules, TOF-SIMS finds many applications for analyzing nanoparticle-containing systems and thin films used in microdevices for new energy applications, microelectronics, and biomedicine. However, one of the main drawbacks of this technique is potential mass interference between ions having the same or similar masses, which can lead to data misinterpretation. In this work, we present that this problem can be easily solved by delivering fluorine gas to a sample surface during TOF-SIMS analysis and we propose mechanisms driving this phenomenon. Our comprehensive studies, conducted on complex thin films made of highly mass-interfering elements, show that fluorine modifies the ionization process, leading to element-specific changes of ion yields (which can vary by several orders of magnitude), and affects the efficiency of metal hydride and oxide formation. In conjunction, these two effects can efficiently induce separation of mass interference, providing more representative TOF-SIMS data with respect to the sample composition and significant enhancement of chemical image resolution. Consequently, this can improve the chemical characterization of complex multilayers in nanoscale.
In this study novel organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites were synthesized from modified cellulose acetate propionate (MCAP) via sol-gel reaction at ambient temperature. The inorganic phase was ...introduced in situ by hydrolysis-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in different concentrations, under acid catalysis, in the presence of organic polymer dissolved in acetone. The chemical modification of CAP was monitored by infrared spectroscopy (IR). The nanocomposites structure was characterized by IR analysis and solid state 29Si NMR studies. The spectral data revealed that organic and inorganic phases are linked through covalent bound. Surface morphology of the samples and the degree of dispersion of inorganic phase in the polymer matrix were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The actual incorporation of the inorganic component into the hybrid nanocomposites was deducted from the residual weight according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
Hydrophobization of cotton fabrics was carried out with the use of bifunctional polysiloxanes with various contents of functional groups. Polysiloxanes contained in their structure groups capable of ...bonding to substrates (trialkoxysilyl or glycidyl ones) and fluoroalkyl groups showing surface activity. Two methods of surface modification were compared: (1) a one-step method via the chemical modification of fabrics with solutions of bifunctional polysiloxanes and (2) a two-step method—via preliminary modification of fabrics with silica sol followed by chemical modification with solutions of bifunctional polysiloxanes. The hydrophobicity was determined by measuring the water contact angle by drop profile tensiometry. Changes in the surface topography were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Superhydrophobic fabrics were obtained by a simple one-step method by the chemical modification in solutions of bifunctional polysiloxanes. The fabrics maintained their superhydrophobic properties even after multiple washings. The modification does not cause any changes visible to the naked eye, such as stiffening, color changes or a decrease in mechanical properties.
Herein, this research focuses on a series of hybrid epoxy materials containing modifiers based on open-cage silsesquioxanes. The study involves the synthesis of various open-cage silsesquioxanes (via ...hydrosilylation reaction) featuring extended epoxy groups, allowing for cross-linking with epoxy resin and an amine hardener. The core structure of silsesquioxanes and the linker length and nature between the IC-POSS (incompletely condensed silsesquioxane) framework and epoxy group are crucial parameters affecting the cured material properties. This article presents a comprehensive investigation into the synthesis, characterization, and impact of epoxy-functionalized open-cage silsesquioxane modifiers on epoxy resin properties (morphology, thermal, surface, and mechanical properties), offering valuable insights into developing epoxy cured composites.
We present a green and simple approach for the fabrication of multi-walled carbon nanotubes decorated with silver nanoparticles (MWCNT/LS/NAg) via lignosulfonate assisted synthesis. Due to reducing ...and stabilizing properties of lignosulfonate, silver nanoparticles were produced in a facile synthetic route without the addition of any reductant or toxic solvents. The existence of silver nanoparticles was confirmed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to investigate the morphologies and structures of prepared functional nanomaterials. Cyclic voltammograms of the MWCNT/LS/NAg nanomaterial presented, revealed well-defined and sharp redox peaks recorded in phosphate buffer (pH = 7.4) corresponding to silver nanoparticles electroactivity.
The obtained data proved that the hybrid material exhibits persistent reversible redox behavior. The hybrid nanomaterial possesses strong electrocatalytic properties toward hydrogen peroxide reduction. Based on the electrocatalytic properties of the material, the amperometric detection of H2O2 at −0.2 V demonstrated a wide linear range of 6.00–486 μM. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 1.169 μM and 3.543 μM, respectively. Substantial electrochemical performance shows the proposed material as a promising electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of hydrogen peroxide.
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•A green approach was applied to synthesis MWCNT/LS/NAg.•MWCNT/LS/NAg shows reversible redox activity and strong electrocatalytic properties.•Electrocatalytic reduction of H2O2 was investigated on MWCNT/LS/Nag hybrid material.•The LOD and LOQ of H2O2 were found to be 1.169 and 3.543 μM, respectively.
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•PDA significantly improves the material’s properties•The material has versatile and universal features for wide-ranging applications•Fe3O4/Lig/PDA was successfully used for ...immobilization of GOx and for biosensor
In this paper, a synthesis and physicochemical characterization of a novel magnetite/lignin (Fe3O4/Lig) and magnetite/lignin/polydopamine (Fe3O4/Lig/PDA) materials are presented as a novel and effective platforms for an enzyme immobilization or biosensing application. The hybrid has interesting features like improved thermal and mechanical stability, excellent adhesion for inorganic and organic materials, transferability of electrons and photothermal properties. In order to characterize features of the materials, carried out Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), electrokinetic potential (zeta), and magnetic measurements (SQUID). From the TEM analysis, magnetite/lignin hybrid is proved to be covered by a 2–3 nm uniform layer of polydopamine.
In a further study, the resultant functional biomaterial Fe3O4/Lig and Fe3O4/Lig/PDA were used to immobilize glucose oxidase (GOx). The immobilization capacity of 26.92 and 29.24 mg/g were achieved for Fe3O4/Lig and Fe3O4/Lig/PDA, respectively.
After mixing of the materials with graphite and ferrocene, the modified carbon paste electrodes CPE/Fe3O4/Lig/GOx/Fc and CPE/Fe3O4/Lig/PDA/GOx/Fc were obtained and they were tested for application as bioelectrochemical glucose sensing system. The linear ranges of CPE/Fe3O4/Lig/GOx/Fc and CPE/Fe3O4/Lig/PDA/GOx/Fc were from 0.5 to 4.5 and 0.5–9.0 mM glucose, respectively. The hysteresis loops of the prepared materials show no coercivity and remanent magnetizations at room temperature, exhibiting typical superparamagnetic behavior.
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