CoV-19/SARS-CoV-2 is a highly pathogenic virus that causes coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) an acute respiratory distress syndrome which provokes serious problems for global health. Studies suggest ...that there are many differences between men and women in the immune response to CoV-19 infection and inflammatory diseases. Women, compared to men, are less susceptible to viral infections based on a different innate immunity, steroid hormones and factors related to sex chromosomes. The presence of two X chromosomes in women emphasize the immune system even if one is inactive. The immune regulatory genes encoded by X chromosome in female gender causes lower viral load levels, and less inflammation than in man, while CD4+ T cells are higher with better immune response. In addition, women generally produce higher levels of antibodies which remain in the circulation longer. The levels of activation of the immune cells are higher in women than in men, and it is correlated with the trigger of TLR7 and the production of IFN. TLR7 is higher in women than in men and its biallelic expression leads to higher immune responses and increases the resistance to viral infections. TLR7 is expressed in innate immune cells which recognizes single strand RNA virus by promoting the production of antibodies against the virus and the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and IL-1 family members. Moreover, in women the production of inflammatory IL-6 after viral infection is lower than in males and is often correlated with a better longevity. In addition, on the X chromosome there are loci that code for the genes involved in the regulation of immune cells such as FOXP3, and transcription factor for Treg involved in virus pathogenesis. The X chromosome influences the immune system by acting on many other proteins, including TLR8, CD40L and CXCR3 which can be over-expressed in women, and influence the response to viral infections and vaccinations. However, the biallelic expression of the X-linked genes can promote harmful autoimmune and inflammatory responses. Cardiovascular diseases are more frequent in males and subjects without cardiovascular dysfunctions infected by CoV-19 have a better prognosis, but these effects are still under study. It is hoped that certain drugs, such as CoV-19 receptor blockers, anti-inflammatories (against rheumatic diseases), monoclonal antibodies, anti-IL-1 and anti-IL-6, the remdesevir drug (analogue adenosine, effective against ebola), hydroxychloroquine (for the treatment of malaria) and vaccines, will open up new strategies and new therapeutic ways to combat this terrible virus.
The nanocrystalline iron–cobalt–alumina alloy displays exceptional properties compared to conventional materials with the same concentration due to the impact of the crystal size. Nanocrystalline ...FeCo/Al
2
O
3
was produced from elementary Fe, Co, and Al
2
O
3
powdered materials by mechanical alloying. This work aims to study the electromagnetic properties of nanocrystalline Fe/Al
2
O
3
and FeCo/Al
2
O
3
powder alloys. The approach adopted in this study implies using nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques to follow the evolution of this alloy's microstructural, morphological, and electromagnetic properties at all elaboration stages. Also, a relationship between the structural and morphological properties of the NDT techniques was established. The morphological, structural, and magnetic characterization of these powders was carried out with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The evolution of these properties is verified by eddy current techniques (ECT). In terms of structure, increasing the grinding time of nanocrystalline Fe/Al
2
O
3
decreases the average crystallite size and induces internal stress. On the other hand, from an electromagnetic point of view, the electromagnetic properties of materials depend on their composition, structure, residual stresses, and elaboration. The nature of the material, the phases present in the material, and the particle size are the parameters that provide the impedance diagram with a shape. The imaginary part
L
/
L
0
is always higher than 1, indicating that the material preserves its magnetic properties. However, the addition of cobalt improves the electromagnetic properties of the Fe/Al
2
O
3
system.
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•UiO-66-(COOH)2 MOF and its modification by cupper and iron were synthesized.•Remarakable removal of diclofenac by prepared MOFs was observed.•Zr atoms are the major interaction sites ...for DCF as they have the higher charge than Cu and Fe.•Remval mechanism may be due to H- bonding and and metal- π interaction.
Water pollution by pharmaceuticals is currently a great concern due to their ecological risks. In this study, zirconium-based metal–organic frameworks (UiO-66-(COOH)2) were used for removal of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac sodium (DCF). They have been synthesized using a hydrothermal method. Copper and iron metal ions were incorporated in the framework using post-synthetic modification techniques to produce UiO-66-(COOCu)2 and UiO-66-(COOFe)2. The resulted MOFs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning/transmission electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller. The effects of the pH, initial concentration, and adsorption time on the adsorption process of diclofenac were studied. The maximum adsorption capacities obtained on UiO-66-(COOH)2, UiO-66-(COOCu)2, and UiO-66-(COOFe)2 were 480.5, 624.3, and 769.1 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption of diclofenac was found to be better fitted with Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The adsorption mechanism was investigated using XRD, FT-IR, density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulation, in which the latter method was used to calculate the adsorption energies and determine the possible interactions between diclofenac and the adsorbents. UiO-66-(COOH)2, UiO-66-(COOCu)2, and UiO-66-(COOFe)2 exhibited good recyclability for diclofenac removal, which confirms the sustainability of these materials.
Abstract The prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) is known to be higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, few studies have examined specific risk factors contributing to its ...progression among diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, so this study aimed to investigate the risk factors specific to diabetes mellitus that influence overactive bladder in the Syrian population. This cross-sectional study was conducted at four endocrinology centers in four Syrian provinces: Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, and Latakia. The study was comprised of patients who had been diagnosed with both T2DM and OAB and had visited these centers from February 2020 to January 2023. The Arabic version of the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) scale was used to categorize the participants based on the severity score into two groups: the mild OAB group and the moderate-severe OAB group. A logistic analysis was conducted to assess the risk factors associated with the OAB among patients with diabetes. Among the 153 patients diagnosed with both DM and OAB, significant distinctions were found between the two groups concerning the severity of overactive bladder, age, duration of diabetes, symptomatic diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), and ankle reflex ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, a multivariate analysis revealed that age (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.89–2.19), duration of diabetes (OR 1.94, 95% CI 0.53–2.23), and symptomatic DPN (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.39–4.13) independently acted as risk factors for the advancement of OAB. The severity of OAB in Syrian patients with diabetes is closely associated with the severity of DM. Factors such as age, duration of diabetes, and symptomatic DPN are independent predictors of the severity of OAB. Patients who experience symptomatic DPN are at an increased risk of developing OAB.
Depression and anxiety often coexist with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and affect the course of the disease. These mental health conditions can be overlooked or underdiagnosed in people with RA. There ...is conflicting evidence in previous studies regarding this topic, indicating that further research is necessary to provide a thorough understanding of the relationship between anxiety, depression, and RA. This study aims to determine the factors correlated with depression and anxiety symptoms in RA patients by evaluating disease activity at the same time. This cross-sectional study was conducted at four outpatient rehabilitation centers in four Syrian provinces: Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Latakia. The study included RA patients who attended the RA department of rehabilitation centers from January 1 to June 31, 2023. RA patients who presented at a rheumatology clinic were selected consecutively. RA patients were included in the study in accordance with the ACR/EULAR classification criteria, disease activity was assessed by disease activity score based on the 28-joint count (DAS28), and patients with DAS28 > 2.6 were considered to have active RA. The demographic data, as well as disease duration, educational status, Disease Activity Score with 28-joint counts (DAS28), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score, and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), were the parameters used in the analysis. Two hundred and twelve patients (female, 75%) with a mean age of 49.3 ± 13.1 years and a mean disease duration of 8.3 ± 6.9 years were studied. Depression was diagnosed in 79 (37.3%) patients and anxiety in 36 (16.9%) patients. Patients with depression and/or anxiety had higher HAQ and DAS28 scores compared to other RA patients. Blue-collar workers exhibited a higher prevalence of anxiety, whereas females, housewives, and individuals with lower educational attainment demonstrated a higher prevalence of depression. The current study found high rates of anxiety and depression in RA patients, highlighting the significant burden of these mental health conditions compared to the general population. It is essential for healthcare providers not to overlook the importance of psychiatric evaluations, mental health assessments, and physical examinations of RA patients.
The Short-Form Qualiveen (SF-Qualiveen) questionnaire assesses the effect of bladder and urinary symptoms on patients' quality of life (QoL) with urological impairment caused by neurological ...diseases. There is no validated SF-Qualiveen questionnaire in Arabic, so this study aims to provide a translated and validated version of the SF-Qualiveen questionnaire among Arabic patients experiencing spinal cord injury (SCI).
Psychometric features such as content and construct validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were analyzed. Construct validity was evaluated by contrasting the SF-Qualiveen with the Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score Short-Form (NBSS-SF) questionnaire. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha, whereas the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was employed to assess the test-retest reliability. Factorial validity was established by principal component analysis (PCA).
The internal consistency of the total SF-Qualiveen and the domains "Bother with limitations," "Fear," "Feeling," and "Frequency of limitations" showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of > 0.7). ICC was 0.90 for the total score, 0.83 for the bother with limitations, 0.80 for fears, 0.84 for feeling, and 0.81 for frequency of limitations. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association between the total scores on the NBSS-SF and the domains of the SF-Qualiveen, comprising bother with limitations (r = 0.53, p = 0.02), fears (r = 0.44, p = 0.03), feelings (r = 0.49, p = 0.04), and frequency of limitations (r = 0.46, p = 0.02). The best-fit four-factor model for confirming overall item communalities ranged from 0.552 to 0.814, which indicates moderate to high communalities, and confirms the homogeneity of the SF-Qualiveen using PCA.
The findings of this validation study revealed that the SF-Qualiveen is a reliable and valid instrument appropriate for Arabic-speaking patients with SCI in both research and clinical practices.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is usually associated with sedentary behavior (SB). Literature reports a harmful impact of SB on the physical, mental, and social health of individuals ...with COPD. However, Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) programs seem to have no clear effect on changing SB. Therefore, our study aimed to identify the strategies used in the literature to reduce SB among individuals with COPD.
A scoping review was conducted to summarize the current literature regarding the proposed strategies to reduce SB in individuals with COPD. Searches were conducted in PUBMED; SCOPUS and COCHRANE LIBRARY for studies published from 2010 to march 2024.
Twenty four articles were retained for our review. Most of the identified strategies in the literature (21/24 articles) are based on behavioral approaches, with various forms: promoting self-efficacy, self-management and self-regulation of one's own behavior (12 articles), goal setting (10 articles), constant feedback (11 articles), therapeutic education (8 articles), motivational strategies (6 articles), re-engagement in meaningful activities (4 articles), promoting light intensity physical activity (LPA) (6 articles) and social support (6 articles). In association with the behavioral strategies, wearable connected technologies have been used in 4 articles, alone or combined with physical exercise programs included or not in a PR program. The home is associated with 83 % of interventions as a place for initial and continuous implementation of behavioral strategies.
It would seem appropriate to focus on combined strategies to reduce SB in individuals with COPD (improvement of physical abilities and behavioral strategies). Further research is needed to only target the reduction of SB and to evaluate the effects of various interventions.
•Strategies to address SB focus mainly on behavioral interventions.•Behavioral interventions are often combined with exercise.•Strategies are often proposed in a home-based context.•Wearable connected devices help to promote self-management of behavior change.
Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) is a class of smart materials with the ability to remember the original shape. SMAs exhibit stress-induced martensitic transformation through twinning which is an important ...deformation mechanism that renders strength and ductility. Tailoring the capability of alloys for deformation twinning enables to optimise their mechanical performance. This paper presents a comprehensive review on the effect of internal and external parameters on the twinning propensity. Among these parameters, the effect of the composition, grain size, temperature and strain rate will be explored. In addition the use of shape memory phase as a strategy to improve the ductility of metallic use memory behaviour is of great importance to develop SMAs for multiple applications including mechanical, automotive, aerospace, civil and biomedical industries. A tentative outlook about the challenges and proposed solutions will be also discussed.
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•Shape memory alloys exhibit stress induced martensitic transformation.•Tailoring deformation twinning enables to optimise the mechanical performance.•Effect of internal and external parameters on twinning propensity.
Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) is an important virus affecting many vegetable crops in Egypt. In this study, virus isolates were collected from naturally infected potato, tomato, alfalfa and clover ...plants that showed suspected symptoms of AMV in different locations of Beheira and Alexandria governorates during the 2019-2020 growing season. The relative incidence of the virus ranged from 11-25% based on visual observations of symptoms and ELISA testing. A total of 41 samples were tested by ELISA using polyclonal antisera for AMV. Four AMV isolates collected from different host plants, named AM1 from potato, AM2 from tomato, AM3 from alfalfa and AM4 from alfalfa, were maintained on Nicotiana glutinosa plants for further characterization of AMV. Electron micrographs of the purified viral preparation showed spheroidal particles with a diameter of 18 nm and three bacilliform particles with lengths of roughly 55, 68, and 110 nm and diameters identical to those of the spheroidal particles. The CP gene sequence comparisons of four AMV isolates (AM1, AM2, AM3 and AM4) showed the highest nucleotide identity of 99.7% with the Gomchi isolate from South Korea infecting Gomchi (Ligularia fischeri) plants. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the present isolates were grouped together into a distinct separate clade (GPI) along with the Gomchi isolate from South Korea. Similarly, the deduced amino acid sequence comparisons of Egyptian AMV isolates revealed that amino acids Q.sup.29, S.sup.30, T.sup.34, V.sup.92 and V.sup.175 were conserved among the Egyptian isolates in GPI. The present study found strong evolutionary evidence for the genetic diversity of AMV isolates by the identification of potential recombination events involving parents from GPI and GPII lineages. Additionally, the study found that Egyptian AMV isolates are genetically stable with low nucleotide diversity. Genetic analysis of the AMV population suggested that the AMV populations differ geographically, and AMV CP gene is under mild purifying selection. Furthermore, the study proposed that the Egyptian AMV population had common evolutionary ancestors with the Asian AMV population. Antioxidant enzymes activity was assessed on N. glutinosa plants in response to infection with each AMV isolate studied, and the results revealed that the enzyme activity varied.
The notion of specific assessments of the function of a particular lobe of the brain is in many ways archaic. Advances in our understanding of brain network function have revealed that brain ...functions are underpinned by large-scale networks with long range connections between cortical distant regions. It would, therefore, be more correct to discuss the contributions of parietal areas to specific functions. Nevertheless, in clinical practice, as we show here, simple bedside assessment can still often point towards parietal dysfunction, or at least reveal an impairment in a function to which parietal regions normally contribute.
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