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Background: Apolipoprotein E (APOE) is one of the most polymorphic genes at two single nucleotides (rs429358 and rs7412). The various isoforms of APOE have been associated with a variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative, type 2 diabetes, etc. Hence, predicting the APOE genotyping is critical for disease risk evaluation. The purpose of this study was to optimize the tetra amplification refractory mutation system (Tetra-ARMS) PCR method for the detection of APOE mutations. Material and methods: Here, in our optimized Tetra-ARMS PCR method, different factors like cycle conditions, using HiFidelity enzyme instead of Taq polymerase and setting its best concentration, and the lack of using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) for amplifying the GC-regions were set up for all primer pairs. The sensitivity and accuracy were tested. For validation of the assay, the results were compared with known genotypes for the APOE gene that were previously obtained by two independent methods, RFLP and Chip-typing. Results: Successful Tetra-ARMS PCR and genotyping are influenced by multiple factors. Our developed method enabled us to amplify the DNA fragment by 25 cycles without adding any hazardous reagent, like DMSO. Our findings showed 100 % accuracy and sensitivity of the optimized Tetra-ARMS PCR while both criteria were 95 % for RFLP and 100 % for the chip-typing method. In addition, our results showed 91 % and 100 % consistency with RFLP and chip typing methods, respectively. Conclusions: Our current method is a simple and accurate approach for detecting APOE polymorphisms within a large sample size in a short time and can be performed even in low-tech laboratories.

Nuts are an important food group that contributes to maintaining health; however, they can be a source of exposure to aflatoxins. This study was conducted from 2017 to 2021 to assess the incidence of aflatoxins in nuts and nut products imported to the UAE from 57 countries. Associations between container type and processing technique and aflatoxin levels were also analyzed. A total of 5401 samples of pistachios, peanuts, peanut butter, and mixed nuts were examined using HPLC-FLD analysis in conjunction with immunoaffinity cleanup. In nuts, non-conformity was detected in samples imported from 32 different countries. Mean aflatoxin values for the non-compliant samples ranged from 81.0 to 92.7 μg/kg in pistachios, peanuts, and mixed nuts. A significant difference (p

Pesticides are a major public health issue connected with excessive use because they negatively impact health and the environment. Pesticide toxicity has been connected to various human illnesses by means of pesticide exposure in direct or indirect ways. A total of 4513 samples of imported fresh fruits were collected from Dubai ports between 2018 to 2020. Their contamination by pesticides was evaluated using gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The display of monitoring results was based on the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) standard as per the procedures of the European Union. Eighty-one different pesticide residues were detected in the tested fruit samples. In 73.2% of the samples, the pesticide levels were ≥ MRL, while 26.8% were > MRL standards. Chlorpyrifos, carbendazim, cypermethrin, and azoxystrobin were the most frequently detected pesticides in more than 150 samples. Longan (81.4%) and rambutan (66.7%) showed the highest number of imported samples with multiple pesticide residues > MRL. These results highlight the need to continuously monitor pesticide residues in fruits, particularly samples imported into the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Fruit samples with residues > MRL are considered unfit for consumption and prevented from entering commerce in the UAE.

The development of an efficient catalyst to meet the world's increasing energy demand and eliminate organic pollutants in water, is a concern of current researchers. In this article, a highly effective composite has been synthesized using the solvothermal approach, by incorporating CuWO4 nanoparticles into Fe-based MOF, Fe (BDC). The synthesized samples were analyzed further by some characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy. The highest catalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction was observed in the CuWO4@MIL-101(Fe) composite, which exhibited low overpotential 188 mV to obtained the current density of 10 mA cm−2, and a smaller Tafel slope of 40 mV dec−1. The nanocomposite CuWO4@MIL-101(Fe) material showed enhanced visible light absorption and maximum degradation of methylene blue up to 96.92 %. It has been found that this research promotes the development of an efficient MOF-based catalyst for OER and photocatalytic technology.

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) play a fundamental role in angiogenesis. Herein, we introduce digital holographic microscopy (DHM) for the 3D quantitative morphological analysis of HUVECs in extracellular matrix (ECM)-based biomaterials as an angiogenesis model. The combination of volumetric information from DHM and the physicochemical and cytobiocompatibility data provided by fluorescence microscopy and cytology offers a comprehensive understanding of the angiogenesis-related parameters of HUVECs within the ECM. DHM enables label-free, non-contact, and non-invasive 3D monitoring of living samples in real time, in a quantitative manner. In this study, the human amniotic membrane (HAM) is decellularized, pulverized, and combined with sodium alginate hydrogel to provide an in vitro substrate for modeling HUVEC angiogenesis. Our results demonstrate that modifying alginate hydrogel with HAM enhances its biofunctionality due to the presence of ECM components. Moreover, the DHM results reveal an increase in its porous properties, which, in turn, aids in interpreting the tubulation results.

Background: Environmental crises, on the one hand, and the impact of environmental protection education from childhood, on the other hand, have focused on the need for environmental education in early life, which tries to teach the concept that humans can live in harmony with nature. Therefore, this study aims to identify environmental education strategies for children with an emphasis on children under four years old in Iran. Methods: The study was conducted using a qualitative method and through interviews with 14 experts and practitioners with ability and knowledge in environmental education for children. The text of the interviews was analyzed using the content analysis technique and MAXQDA-2018 software. Results: Based on the study results, 216 codes were presented in the form of 15 subcategories and five main categories. The results showed that child empowerment, indirect education of the child, production of relevant content and reviewing existing content, environment-oriented socialization, and creating appropriate infrastructure are basic strategies for teaching the environment to children. Conclusion: it is necessary to revise policies, interventions, and educational programs. For education to be effective for children, it is better to provide suitable conditions in both the individual and structural dimensions and the education should be done indirectly. Additionally, promoting a positive attitude towards the environment through the design and implementation of community programs can be beneficial.

The age-old discipline of plant therapy has gained renewed importance through the utilization of plants for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. However, toxicity testing and characterization of the recently synthesized nanomaterials are essential to evaluating their appropriate application. Citrullus colocynthis is a medicinal plant with several health benefits. Herein, we used its ethanolic pulp extract (PE) to manufacture gold nanoparticles (PE-AuNPs). Various approaches were employed to assess the MTT50 and NR50 values of PE and PE-AuNPs at different concentrations in the human hepatocarcinoma cell line (HepG2). The study aimed to assess the genotoxic effects and in vivo toxicity of PE and PE-AuNPs at MTT50 dosages. The quasi-spherical, cubic/triangular prisms, and nail-looking particles exhibited no antioxidant properties. They had an absorbance peak between 540 and 560 nm, diameters of less than 20 nm, hydrodynamic diameters of 177.9 nm, and a negative surface charge (−10.3 mV). The significant role of plant phytochemicals in the formation of metal nanoparticles is confirmed by the diminished antioxidant capacity of extract residues following PE-AuNP synthesis. PE-AuNPs exhibited in vivo and cytotoxic effects at relatively lower concentrations compared to PE. In contrast to PE, PE-AuNPs exhibited lower genotoxic at MTT50 dosages. Despite having MTT50 values of approximately 1.95 ± 0.06 and 0.89 ± 0.03 mg/ml, PE and PE-AuNPs can still be considered biocompatible. Nonetheless, our results suggest that the characteristics of recently produced nanoparticles can differ from those of the matching plant. Further investigation can provide a better understanding of the possible therapeutic and pharmacological impacts of PE-AuNPs.

Introduction: Nurses must have sufficient knowledge and skills in the field of medications and medication management. This study was designed to investigate the effect of the case-based learning (CBL) approach on the level of satisfaction and learning of nursing students. Materials and methods: This study was conducted using a randomized controlled trial on 70 Iranian third-semester nursing students during a pharmacology internship in 2023. After considering the inclusion criteria, the samples were entered into the study by census method and then they were placed in either the control (35 people) or intervention (35 people) groups by simple random method. Pharmacology training was done in the control group by the usual method (lectures by the instructor and conferences with students) and in the intervention group by the Kaddoura case-based learning method. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, satisfaction of educational approach questionnaire, and exam scores before and after the internship. SPSS version 26 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: There was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.88) in the mean scores of the pharmacology pre-test in the control (10.54 ± 2.74) and intervention groups (10.6 ± 3.49) before the intervention. Also, there was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.19) between the pharmacology post-test scores in the control (17.7 ± 1.15) and intervention groups (18.07 ± 0.91). A comparison of pre-test and post-test scores in both control and intervention groups showed that the post-test scores in both groups increased significantly (P

Indoor air quality significantly impacts the well-being and health of elderly residents in nursing homes. This study was conducted to explore the connection between indoor and outdoor PM (Particulate Matter) concentrations in nursing homes and their association with the facilities' location and construction characteristics. The findings revealed that indoor PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 124 μg/m3 and 2–188.4 μg/m3, respectively, which were approximately 12.67 and 1.25 times higher than their outdoor counterparts. A strong correlation (P

This article explores the influence of safety culture (as a subset of organizational culture) on the safety performance of a post-combustion carbon capture facility. After determining the controlling variables of safety culture, a system dynamics model was built to assess how those variables contribute to the safety performance of the facility. The focus on safety culture arises for avoiding major disasters that could significantly impact a company's ability to continue, as well as minor but disruptive incidents occurring during routine operations (i.e. when there is no system upset). This paper describes the complex relationship between cultural norms, leadership practices, communication patterns, and safety conduct with an emphasis on management and personnel commitment to safety, open communication, safety investments, and productivity pressure. Insights from this study contribute to the development of strategies for enhancing the safety performance of carbon capture operations, thereby promoting the integrity and reliability of these essential elements of energy networks. This paper focuses on the visible aspect of safety culture as manifested in organismal practices. We proposed a system dynamics model to devise strategies to reconcile the profitability while preventing accidents.

The rapid emergence of multiple strains of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has sparked profound concerns regarding the ongoing evolution of the virus and its potential impact on global health. Classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as variants of concern (VOC), these strains exhibit heightened transmissibility and pathogenicity, posing significant challenges to existing vaccine strategies. Despite widespread vaccination efforts, the continual evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants presents a formidable obstacle to achieving herd immunity. Of particular concern is the coronavirus spike (S) protein, a pivotal viral surface protein crucial for host cell entry and infectivity. Mutations within the S protein have been shown to enhance transmissibility and confer resistance to antibody-mediated neutralization, undermining the efficacy of traditional vaccine platforms. Moreover, the S protein undergoes rapid molecular evolution under selective immune pressure, leading to the emergence of diverse variants with distinct mutation profiles. This review underscores the urgent need for vigilance and adaptation in vaccine development efforts to combat the evolving landscape of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and ensure the long-term effectiveness of global immunization campaigns.

Purpose: The present research was conducted to assess the effect of the Benson relaxation technique on sleep quality and aggression among patients with bipolar type I disorder. Methods: This study was conducted using a randomized clinical trial design with the participation of 60 patients with bipolar type I disorder (30 participants in each group) in Mashhad, Iran (IRCT20220108053659N1). The intervention group received the Benson relaxation technique for 21 days in a row, twice a day (in the morning and evening), under the supervision of an expert psychiatric nurse (On the first day, instruction was given on implementing BRT. In the subsequent days of the intervention, the nurse stayed by the patient's bedside for the entire relaxation process). Aggression and sleep quality were assessed using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively, before and one week after the completion of the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Chi-squared, Fisher's exact test, independent sample t-test, and analysis of covariance). Results: The participants in the present study were individuals of both genders aged 18 and above. Based on the results, both groups were homogeneous regarding demographic characteristics. Prior to the intervention, the two groups of control and intervention were not significantly different from each other in terms of sleep quality (p = 0.870) and aggression (p = 0.961). After the intervention, in an intergroup comparison, a significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the mean difference of aggression (p

Within the scope of this research, we introduce a novel category of bi-univalent functions. Horadam polynomials are utilized to characterize these functions by utilizing series from the Poisson distribution of the Miller-Ross type. Functions from these new categories have been used to construct estimates for the Fekete-Szego functional, as well as estimates of the Taylor-Maclaurin coefficients |l2| and |l3|. These projections were created for the methods in each of these brand-new subclasses. We made some additional discoveries after, focusing on the traits that contributed to our initial findings.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was first reported in December 2019 and it has spread globally ever since. The HLA system is crucial in directing anti-viral immunity and recent studies are investigating the possible involvement of the HLA genes on the severity of immune inflammation in different phases of COVID-19. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, peripheral blood-extracted genomic DNAs of 109 COVID-19 patients and 70 healthy controls were genotyped for different alleles of HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1 loci using sequence-specific primer PCR method. Results: The results indicated that frequencies of HLA-DRB1*11:01 and HLA-DRB1*04:03 were significantly higher in severe patients rather than moderates (p:

The underlying mechanisms of inflammasome activation and the following dopaminergic neuron loss caused by chronic neuroinflammation remain entirely unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of crocin on the inflammasome complex within an experimental model of Parkinson's disease (PD) using male Wistar rats. PD was induced by the stereotaxic injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and crocin was intraperitoneally administrated one week before the lesion, and then treatment continued for 21 days. Open field (OF) and elevated plus maze tests were applied for behavioral assays. Furthermore, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunostaining were performed on whole brain tissue, while dissected substantia nigra (SN) was used for immunoblotting and real-time PCR to evaluate compartments involved in PD. The time spent in the center of test was diminished in the LPS group, while treatment with 30 mg/kg of crocin significantly increased it. H&E staining showed a significant increase in cell infiltration at the site of LPS injection, which was ameliorated upon crocin treatment. Notably, crocin-treated animals showed a reduced number of caspase-1 and IL-1β positive cells, whereas the number of positive cells was increased in the LPS group (P

Chillies are considered a universal ingredient for imparting flavor and pungency to foods. Pakistan stood in the top twenty countries worldwide by producing 82 thousand Tons of chillies during 2022-23. Chilli fungal contamination and aflatoxin production during drying is a common problem during post-harvest process. Gasses treatment and Ionizing radiations are efficient methods for reducing toxigenic and pathogenic microbial growth in food items. The current study was designed to compare the effects of ethylene oxide (ETO), gamma (GB) & electron beam (EB) treatments on two red chilli local cultivars (Kunri and Hybrid) of Pakistan. After treatment, the chilli samples were analyzed for aflatoxins, physicochemical, quality & safety attributes. All results were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), dendrogram and ANOVA to check the correlations, grouping and level of significance within the varieties and treatments. The results showed that moisture and water activity mainly designated PC-2 directions and are slightly positively correlated. Conversely, both fat and proteins have a negative correlation with moisture, ash and water activity. Besides, carotenoids and ABTS assay mainly designated PC-2 directions and are slightly positively correlated. Color, flavonoids and TPC also possess positive correlations among them. ETO depicts effectiveness in the reduction of E. coli but is not effective in saving antioxidant potential such as total flavonoids. Similarly, gamma irradiations showed strong reduction trends in fungal and pathogenic count, however same trend was observed in ascorbic acid too. Besides, the electron beam with dosage levels of 12 and 15 kGy has shown effectiveness against Aspergillus spp., aflatoxins and pathogenic microbial load in addition to saving antioxidant potential (phenolics and flavonoids), physicochemical parameters and color values compared to other applied methods especially in Kunri variety. It was evident from the research that varietal combination in addition to applied treatment must be specially considered while designing a treatment for chillies.

Nowadays nanoparticles (NPs) due to their multidimensional applications in enormous different fields, has become an exciting research topic. In particular, they could attract a noticeable interest as drug deliver with increased bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy and drug specificity. Epigenetic can be considered as a complex network of molecular mechanism which are engaged in gene expression and have a vital role in regulation of environmental effects on ethology of different disorders like neurological disorders, cancers and cardiovascular diseases. For many of them epigenetic therapy was proposed although its application accompanied with limitations, due to drug toxicity. In this review we evaluate two aspects to epigenetic in the field of NPs: firstly, the role of epigenetic in regulation of nanotoxicity and secondly application of NPs as potential carriers for epidrugs.

The main goal of this research is to present the concept of enhancing heat transfer within emerging technology. To achieve this, tiny metal and nonmetal particles ranging from 1 to 100 nm in size are introduced into base liquids. These nanoscale particles are utilized to improve the thermal performance of the liquids, leading to what are termed nanofluids. The utilization of these fluids and the examination of the flow of thin films have valuable implications across various sectors such as engineering, technology, and industries. This research focuses on analyzing the convective flow behavior of nanofluids, specifically, graphene oxide-ethylene glycol (GO−EG) and graphene oxide-water (GO−W) on a moving surface. The study investigates the impacts of magnetic fields and varying viscosity. By making use of the thermophysical characteristics of the base fluid and the nanofluid, as well as implementing a similarity transformation within the fundamental equations that govern energy and momentum, we formulate a 5th order nonlinear ordinary differential equation (NODE) to describe the velocity profile. This is combined with a second-order NODE that describes the distribution of temperature. To solve this derived NODE, we employ a method known as the Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM) for analytical solution. The impact of the relevant factors, Prandtl number, including magnetic field parameter, thickness of the liquid, couple stress parameter, temperature distribution, dynamic viscosity, and Eckert number, on the skin friction, velocity profile, and Nusselt's number are interrogated through graphical representation. The velocity field exhibits a decline as the couple stress parameter, magnetic field parameter, liquid thickness, and dynamic viscosity experience an increase. Conversely, the temperature field displays a rise as the Eckert number and dynamic viscosity experience an increase. To ensure the convergence of the issue, dual solutions of the problem are employed, and this is verified through the utilization graphs and tables. Due to the considerable challenge encountered in heat transfer applications for cooling diverse equipment and devices across industries like automotive, microelectronics, defense, and manufacturing, there is a strong expectation that this theoretical methodology could make a favorable contribution towards enhancing heat transfer efficiency. This improvement is sought to meet the requirements of the manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Prevention and control of food pathogens are important for public health and E. coli O157:H7 infections are known as one of the most important food-borne bacterial diseases transmitted to humans. Vegetables can be a major source of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. Bacteriophages have been considered in recent years as a natural method for controlling pathogens with minimal damage to the quality of vegetables. The performance of these natural antimicrobial agents is affected by various factors including time, temperature, phage and bacterial dose, method of phage application and origin of phages. The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of the works that have examined the effect of different factors to reduce E. coli O157:H7 bacteria by its specific phages and model their effect. In our study, 10 articles were chosen after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria mentioned in the methodology. The multivariate regression results showed that time, temperature, and method of phage application revealed a positive influence on the phage function, and with each unit of increase, the E. coli O157:H7 reduction increases by 0.4 %, 3 % and 0.94 % respectively, and 6 % for phage dose, but not statistically significant (P = 0.44). In addition, commercial-type phages were more effective than wild-type phages and this result was statistically significant (Beta = 0.99; P = 0.001). The results of this study indicate that the various factors, such as temperature, time, method of phage application and type of vegetables can play an important role to reduce E. coli O157:H7 in vegetables.

The progression of tumors occurs through interactions between the tumor and the stroma. Understanding the role of adipose tissue (AT), as the main component of the breast tumor microenvironment (TME) in the development of cancer, is crucial for the early detection of breast cancer (BC). This study compared the FA profiles, desaturase index (DI), and stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) mRNA levels in the AT that surrounds tumors in women with BC and benign breast disease (BBD). Specimens were collected from 40 Iranian women who had undergone breast surgery. These women were age- and BMI-matched and were divided into two groups: BC (n = 20) and BBD (n = 20). Gas chromatography and quantitative real-time PCR were used to analyze the FA profiles and SCD1 mRNA levels, respectively. The DI was calculated by dividing the amounts of monounsaturated FAs by the amount of saturated FA. There were no significant differences in age and BMI between women with BC and BBD. The FA profiles and DI were also similar in both groups. However, mRNA levels of SCD1 were found to be 5 times higher in the breast AT of BC than in the breast AT of BBD (p

According to research, it has been suggested that individuals who are affected by depression could potentially engage in the creation and experience emotional advantages relating to positive events directed towards the past or future, with the condition that they are provided with suitable mental imagery techniques. The main aim of this study was to assess the impact of utilizing positive imagery, specifically through the utilization of photographs featuring loved ones, on mood states and suicidal ideation among individuals diagnosed with depression and exhibiting suicidal tendencies. This randomized, double-blind, controlled crossover trial was conducted among 78 hospitalized depressive patients at three psychiatric services between April and August 2019. The patients participated in four individual picture-viewing sessions on four consecutive days. The four categories of pictures were included: loved ones, neutral faces of strangers, natural landscapes, and optical illusions. Directly prior to and immediately following the observation of the visual stimuli (photographs), the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) and the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI) were completed by the patients. Repeated measures ANOVAs conducted in this study revealed a significant main effect of time on ratings of tension, depression, fatigue, vigor, calmness, and happiness (P values 0.05). Likewise, the interaction between picture category and time did not yield significant results for the variables of anger, confusion, and suicidal ideation (P values > 0.05). The positive imagery procedure using the presentation of loved ones’ photos showed beneficial effects on the mood states of depressed patients. The findings of this study suggest that incorporating a greater emphasis on positive imagery within the context of clinical depression may offer potential advantages. This highlights the potential for novel opportunities in the treatment of depression. Trial registration: The study has been registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (registration number: IRCT20180808040744N1; first registration date: December 22, 2018; website: https://en.irct.ir/trial/33186).

Background: Recent evidence suggests that B cells and autoantibodies have a substantial role in the pathogenesis of Multiple sclerosis. T cells could be engineered to express chimeric autoantibody receptors (CAARs), which have an epitope of autoantigens in their extracellular domain acting as bait for trapping autoreactive B cells. This study aims to assess the function of designed CAAR T cells against B cell clones reactive to the myelin basic protein (MBP) autoantigen. Methods: T cells were transduced to express a CAAR consisting of MBP as the extracellular domain. experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced by injecting MBP into mice. The cytotoxicity, proliferation, and cytokine production of the MBP-CAAR T cells were investigated in co-culture with B cells. Results: MBP-CAAR T cells showed higher cytotoxic activity against autoreactive B cells in all effector-to-target ratios compared to Mock T cell (empty vector-transduced T cell) and Un-T cells (un-transduced T cell). In co-cultures containing CAAR T cells, there was more proliferation and inflammatory cytokine release as compared to Un-T and Mock T cell groups. Conclusion: Based on these findings, CAAR T cells are promising for curing or modulating autoimmunity and can be served as a new approach for clone-specific B cell depletion therapy in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is accompanied by chronic low-grade inflammation, and inflammatory markers like high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP), interleukin-6(IL-6), and homocysteine(Hcy) contribute to inflammation, obesity, and insulin resistance. Adiponectin(AdipoQ) and interleukin-10(IL-10) are anti-inflammatory markers that play protective roles in MetS. This study aimed to investigate the association between these biochemical marker changes and MetS in a sample of the Tehranian population during six years of follow-up. Methods: In this longitudinal study, 340 adults at baseline and after a six-year follow-up, aged ≥18 years, were selected randomly from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). MetS was defined according to the Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria. Individuals were categorized into four groups based on their MetS status at baseline and follow-up: 1) non-MetS: participants who did not have MetS at both baseline and follow-up; 2) incident MetS: participants who did not have MetS at baseline but developed MetS during the follow-up ; 3) recovery MetS: participants who had MetS at baseline but no longer had MetS during the follow-up; 4) persistent MetS: participants who had MetS both at baseline and follow-up. Results: The mean follow-up time was 6.1 years. There were 176 subjects in the non-MetS group, 35 in the incident MetS group, 41 in the recovery MetS group, and 88 in the persistent MetS group. Increases in the levels of both hs-CRP 1.40 (95% CI: 1.15, 1.71, p = 0.001) and IL-6 1.09 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.17, p = 0.004) significantly increased the odds of the incident and persistent MetS, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was more than 0.69 (p

This study provides techno-economical insights for acid regeneration and metal recovery from spent acidic wastewater by a diffusion dialysis plate-and-frame module using Quaternized Polyepichlorohydrin – Polyacrylonitrile (QPECH-PAN) membranes. Quaternized Polyepichlorohydrin (QPECH) membranes were synthesized using 1,4-diazobicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and blended with polyacrylonitrile (PAN). Said membranes were analyzed in terms of their mechanical, physicochemical, and electrochemical characteristics, providing significant results comparable to the commercial membranes (IEC: 1.76 mmol/g, SD: 60.91%, Permselectivity: 79.5 ± 0.31%, and transport no. t(−): 0.5). Mechanical characterization reveals that the QPECH-PAN membranes possess comparable mechanical strengths (tensile strength: 329.56 MPa). Further, sheet resistivity (6.11 Ω cm2) and conductivity (0.16 S/cm2) reveal the relative conductive nature of these membranes. Percent acid recovery and metal ion recovery ratios were found to be 72% and 48% respectively, and separation factors were 126.8 and 84.57 respectively. The QPECH-PAN membrane's techno-economic feasibility was also analyzed within the context of a textile industry processing up to 5500 kg/d of acidic wastewater. It indicates a potential cost saving of US $0.53 million on H2SO4 and NaOH, as well as an OPEX saving of 40.91% against a semi-continuous acid neutralizer.

Macrophages are essential mediators of innate immunity. Non-self-cells resist phagocytosis through the expression of the checkpoint molecule CD47. CD47, as the integrin-associated protein, is overexpressed on tumor and SARS-CoV-2-infected cells as a potential surface biomarker for immune surveillance evasion. CD47-signal-regulating protein alpha (SIRPα) interaction is a promising innate immunotarget. Previous findings based on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) or fusion proteins that block CD47 or SIRPα have been developed in cancer research. While CD47 efficacy in infectious diseases, especially severe COVID-19 studies, is lacking, focus on macrophage-mediated immunotherapy that increases “eat me” signals in combination therapy with mAbs is optimistic. This integrin-related protein can be as a potential target to therapy for COVID-19. Here, we concentrate on the role of the CD47 signaling pathway as a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19-associated cancer treatment.

Background & aim: Stress, anxiety, and depression are among the major public health problems worldwide. These problems, which may lead to more challenges, continue to grow. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the main factors affecting the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among citizens of Karaj. Materials & methods: A total of 920 people participated in the study. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), consisting of 21 items, was used for the assessment of the studied problems. Single and multiple regressions were used for the data analysis. In addition, all statistical analysis was done by Stata version 12 at the 0.05significance level. Results: We found that the prevalence rate of depression, anxiety, and stress was 4.79%, 13.28%, and 15.13%, respectively. Education level was significantly associated with stress (b: 1.21; p

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed healthcare staff to mental distress. Given the importance of applying effective strategies to cope with stress caused by COVID-19, this study aimed to assess the stress-coping strategies of Iranian healthcare providers. This cross-sectional study was performed through a web-based survey. Data collection was done online using a demographic data questionnaire and the short form of Endler and Parker’s coping inventory. The mean scores of task-oriented strategies (27.06 ± 5.13) were higher than avoidance-oriented (19.42 ± 5.77) and emotion-oriented strategies (18.45 ± 5.76), and the healthcare workers mainly used task-oriented styles to cope with COVID-19-related stress. There was a significant difference between the score of task-oriented strategy in terms of age groups (P

Prevention and control of foodborne pathogens are of vital public health importance, and poultry meat is recognized as a major source of Salmonella infection in humans. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the presence of salmonella in poultry meat. This article provided a systematic review and modeling to assess the effect of various factors on bacteriophages' function on Salmonella spp. Reduction in poultry meat. Twenty-two studies were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria mentioned in the methodology. The results showed that each unit increase in bacterial dose, phage dose, and temperature increases the Salmonella reduction by about 7%, 20%, and 1%, respectively. In addition, wild-type phages were more efficient than commercial-type phages, and this result was statistically significant (β = 1.124; p-value

Over time, the antigenic evolution of emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 has demanded the development of potential protective vaccines. Administration of additional doses of current vaccines based on the WT spike protein may boost immunity, but their effectiveness has dwindled for patients with more recent variants. Here, we studied the neutralization activity of post-WT strain-based vaccination and a structural simulation in-silico based on the interactions of the RBD-hACE2 as the key to initiating infection among the VOCs of SARS-CoV-2. Our data display shows that WT sera showed a markedly greater reduction in Delta and Omicron, suggesting that the Wuhan-based vaccines may be more susceptible to breakthrough and new VOCs. According to the MD simulation, mutations of Omicron result in a significant change in the variant charge distribution throughout the binding interface that consequently alters the critical interface electrostatic potential in comparison to other variants. This observation provides new insights into immunization policy and next-generation vaccine development.

Introduction: Acute Appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency encountered in emergency departments. To prevent the rate of negative appendectomies, different systems i.e. Alvarado score and Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score (AIR) scores were used, but their diagnostic accuracy in Asian population is questionable. Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPASA) score has showed promising results in the recent literature. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Alvarado, AIR and RIPASA scores in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Methods: Alvarado, AIR and RIPASA scores were prospectively applied to 132 included patients that were admitted with provisional diagnosis of acute appendicitis and then their surgery was performed in General Surgery Unit, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, Pakistan from 1st January 2022 to 31st July 2022. Final diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology report and scores were correlated with final report. Cut off value of score >7, >5 and >7.5 were set for Alvarado, AIR and RIPASA score, respectively according to previous literature. Statistics analysis was done for all 3 scoring systems on SPSS version 23. Results: Of 132 patients, there were n = 79(59.8%) males and n = 53(40.2%) females. Mean age was 24 years (SD ± 11.6) with youngest patient of 9 years and oldest one was 70 years old. Negative Appendectomy rate was 8.3%(n = 11). RIPASA score was superior to AIR and Alvarado score in Sensitivity, NLR, Accuracy and Area under the Curve. AIR score performed better in specificity, NPV, PLR compared to RIPASA and Alvarado score. Conclusion: RIPASA score is an overall better scoring system in diagnosing acute appendicitis in compared to Alvarado and AIR score.

Worldwide, a substantial economic loss in agricultural products is caused by plant pathogens. The increased losses in agriculture have drawn attention towards the development of miniaturized pathogen detection systems for phytopathology. This review paper's main selling point supports recent research (from 2015 to 2022) and technological advancements in the field of plant pathogen detection. The article discusses in depth important developments in the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, microfluidics, Molecular Imprinted Polymer (MIP) based biosensors, digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), disposable all-printed electronics, and nanoparticle-based sensors for instantaneous pathogen detection in agricultural applications. Utilizing nanoparticles to identify agricultural pathogens is a crucial topic that is explored. A brief on various commercially available detection systems worldwide have been listed. Finally, we discuss the perspective in the development of portable miniaturized systems and novel assay technologies based on advanced nanomaterials. Gold standard techniques: Although Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and culture counting have been widely used for plant pathogen detection, they are not appropriate for measurements made in the field due to their higher installation costs, lack of portability, need for well-equipped laboratories, and requirement of skilled personnel. Therefore, these recent trends are overtaking the traditional methods in Agri-diagnostics because of their superior performances and suitability for the task.

There are several reports about the effect of gravity removal on some characteristics of microorganisms due to possible change in surface layer thickness and adherence properties. In this study, bioremoval efficiency of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 from water under simulated microgravity conditions was investigated. Furthermore, pretreatment effects (untreated, NaOH, and heat pretreated) of L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 on heavy metal removal was evaluated on microgravity, as our previous research showed impact of pretreatment on adherence properties of probiotics to environmental metals. The results showed that ability of L. acidophilus for arsenic adsorption enhanced following heat-pretreatment in simulated and normal gravity. Moreover, in both conditions of simulated microgravity and normal gravity NaOH-treated L. acidophilus increased the removal of cadmium and lead. In none of the conditions, pretreatment of lactobacillus affects mercury removal. Evaluation of stability of binding of L. acidophilus-heavy metal was investigated to check irreversibility of complex formation between microorganisms and metals in simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Data showed release of heavy metals from complex in normal gravity. Obtained results of this research show the favorable potential of simulated microgravity condition to increase bioremoval capacity of L. acidophilus for heavy metals.

Frontier market banks fill key funding gaps in the markets they serve, resulting in increased evaluation (a positive) and earnings management (EM) (a negative). Examination of a large sample of banks in 22 frontier market countries from 2001 to 2018 reveals a downward trend in efficiency, indicating that loan quality issues persist despite increasing economic growth in the respective countries. Using stochastic frontier analysis to quantify efficiency and random effects and truncated regression to investigate the EM-efficiency relation, this study demonstrates that efficiency is negatively associated with EM. Furthermore, there was no clear relationship between bank size and efficiency, which counters economic efficiency theory and implies that frontier market banks absorb higher non-performing loan costs. The findings herein support prospect theory by demonstrating that managers engage in risk-seeking behaviour while making risk-averse decisions. Overall, the study's implications suggest that banks employ alternative loan provision practices to optimise resource allocation and, by extension, performance.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) continues to be one of the most complex reproductive and endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. Recent reports have identified close interaction of Vitamin D deficiency and oxidative stress (OS) in exacerbating the pathophysiology of PCOS. This current study aims at assessing the combine effect of MitoQ10 and Vitamin D3 on dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) induced PCOS. Following successful induction of PCOS using DHEA, mice were organized into five groups (n = 8) namely: Negative Control (NC), Vitamin D3 Vehicle (VDV), Vitamin D3 (VD), MitoQ10 (MQ), Vitamin D3 plus MitoQ10 (V+M) and DHEA, ethanol and distilled water, Vitamin D3, MitoQ10 and Vitamin D3 plus MitoQ10 were respectively administered for 20 consecutive days. The study also included positive control (PC) group (n = 8) in which no treatment was applied. Treatment effects were assessed using hormonal assays, biochemical assays, Real-Time PCR, western blotting and histological analysis. Combination of Vitamin D3 and MitoQ10 significantly reduced levels of estradiol, progesterone, FSH, LH, LH/FSH, SOD and MDA. The expression rate of mRNAs of 3β-HSD, Cyp19a1, Cyp11a1, StAR, Keap1, HO-1 and Nrf2 were also significantly low in V+M group. Moreover, the histomorphological inspection of ovaries from this group revealed many healthy follicles at various stages of development including few atretic follicles, pre-antral and antral follicles and many corpora lutea. The characteristics observed in this group were in many ways similar to that of the PC group. The combination of MitoQ10 and Vitamin D3 may be potential candidate to ameliorate PCOS.

Economic growth and development requires greater access to global markets, while developing countries face many challenges in terms of trade liberalization. That is why most of the countries relying on natural income sources have not been able to improve their indicators of economic complexity and high technology utilization. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of trade liberalization on the economic complexity as a strategy adopted by the Middle East developing economies during the period 2002–2017; using the panel vector auto regression model (PVAR). Immediate reaction test results show that, over a period of 10 years, economic complexity increases with positive shock from variables of trade freedom, foreign direct investment and gross fixed capital formation, but in the long run, the effect of imports of intermediate and capital goods is initially increasing and, after a short period, has a positive downward effect. In general, the results of this study recommend that; in order to achieve a proper share of export revenues in economic growth, the Middle East countries need to strengthen the foreign trade economy through trade liberalization and experience the impact of imports of medium and final capital goods, gross capital formation, and foreign direct investment in the index of economic complexity.