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We show here that palladium-lutetium foil Pd–11.2 wt % Lu membrane can be efficiently used for hydrogen separation via its diffusion at temperatures 300–500°С. Several correlations of the membrane structure morphology and the specific permeability of the membranes are considered. Particular attention is placed in analysis of the membrane surface studied by atomic force microscopy using the phase contrast mode. The studies performed are addressed the problem of the membrane durability for the cyclic operation up to 40 h in hydrogen atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Fetal uterine survival depends on maintaining an immune balance between the mother and fetus. This study aimed to investigate the correlation of blood peripheral natural killer (NK) cells and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) with recurrent recurrent implantation failure (RIF) and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Methods In this case-control study, peripheral blood samples were obtained from three groups of RPL, RIF, and parous women without a history of abortion or infertility problems and analyzed by lymphocyte-based flow cytometry. Afterward, the levels of NK cells and IFN-γ were determined. All data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results The level of IFN-γ in the RPL group was significantly higher than that in parous women and the RIF group (P0.05). A significant correlation was found between the levels of IFN-γ and NK cells in the RPL group (r=0.481; P=0.02). However, no significant correlation was found between the levels of IFN-γ and the active NK cells in the RPL group (P=0.08). Moreover, no significant correlation was found between the levels of NK cells (whether activated or not) and IFN-γ in the RIF patients (P>0.05). Conclusion Immune dysfunction may not be involved in implantation failure during IVF but may be involved in recurrent miscarriage, probably by increasing IFN-γ levels.

Introduction: Sleep disturbance, particularly insomnia, is prevalent across various mental health disorders. While it is a common sign in mood disorders, emerging evidence suggests that insomnia might act as a precursor or an early sign of psychosis. Our case report and literature review emphasize the importance of evaluating sleep disturbances in the diagnosis and management of mental disorders. Objectives: - To explore potential neurobiological underpinnings linking sleep disturbances to psychosis onset. - To advocate for the importance of early identification and intervention for sleep disturbances in the broader context of preventing or managing psychotic disorders. Methods: We present a case describing a young patient's first episode of psychosis, which was masked by an initial presentation of insomnia. Additionally, we conducted a review of the relationship between sleep disturbances and psychosis, with a comprehensive literature search from Pubmed, Scopus and psychINFO. Results: A 20-year-old African-American male with a history of poor sleep was initially diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. He was treated with Bupropion, Quetiapine, and Trazodone. However, he later presented with worsening depression, odd behavior, and signs of disorganization, suggestive of a psychotic episode. After switching his medication to Risperidone 4mg twice daily, the patient's sleep and other symptoms markedly improved. Through our literature review, we identified that sleep disturbances, especially insomnia, can be a risk factor for developing psychosis. While a cross-sectional study recorded one-fourth of their study population experiencing First Episode Psychosis (FEP) with clinical insomnia, another study reported close to 80% of their study sample with early psychosis suffering from a minimum of one sleep disorder; insomnia and nightmare disorder being the most frequent. A large sample longitudinal analysis lasting one year also observed patients with sleep disorders to be twice at risk of onset and persistence of psychotic episodes. A growing body of evidence also suggests that structural brain abnormalities and neural development alterations in the early stages of psychosis may lead to sleep disturbances and subsequent psychotic symptoms. Findings suggest that thalamic dysfunction may in particular contribute to sleep spindle deficits and altered EEG microstate dynamics. These deficits are unrelated to antipsychotic medication exposure, and are also not observed in patients with other psychiatric illnesses. Conclusions: While the correlation between sleep disorders and psychosis has been well-established for decades, very limited literature is available on the role of sleep in FEP. Recognizing and treating sleep disturbances is pivotal in managing psychiatric disorders, including psychosis. Thus, a comprehensive evaluation of sleep issues in patients presenting with psychiatric symptoms is imperative for accurate diagnosis and management. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a software library that simulates noisy quantum logic circuits. We represent quantum states by their density matrices in the Pauli basis, and incorporate possible errors in initialization, logic gates, memory and measurement using simple models. Our quantum simulator is implemented as a new backend on IBM's open-source Qiskit platform. In this paper, we provide its description, and illustrate it with some simple examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of zinc phosphate (ZnP) cement, glass ionomer cement (GIC), and nano-integrated bio-ceramic (NIB) cement on mineralization when placed in contact with bone tissue-forming cells. Materials and Methods: ZnP cement, GIC, and NIB cement were divided into direct and indirect groups. A total of 72 cement pellets (24 pellets of each test sample) of 3 × 1 mm (width × height) were prepared using polytetrafluoroethylene molds. A total of 3 sample groups were demarcated using 96- cell well culture plates. In the control group, 24 wells were filled with mineralized osteoblasts and 1 µL of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). In test group 1, to show a direct effect, 36 samples were plated with mineralized osteoblasts and 1 µL GCF for 24 h; the cells were directly exposed to cement pellets. A total of 36 samples were immersed in GCF for 24 h; later the supernatant was transferred to the mineralized osteoblasts to demonstrate an indirect effect in test group 2. To assess the mineralization, osteoblasts were stained with alizarin red and later observed under an inverted phase-contrast microscope. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences. An independent t-test compared the direct and indirect effects of the ZnP cement, GIC, NIB cement, and control groups on the mineralization of osteoblasts derived from hDPCs. Results: A statistically significant difference was observed between the ZnP cement, GIC, and NIB cement groups (p < 0.05). ZnP cement exhibited a moderate, NIB cement the least harmful effect, and GIC showed the most harmful effect on the mineralization of osteoblast cells. Conclusions: The biocompatibility of dental luting cements is an important aspect that clinicians should consider during their selection. Nano-integrated bio-ceramic cement showed the least negative effect on the mineralization of osteoblast cells which is beneficial for the cementation of cement-retained implant prostheses. However, further studies are needed to evaluate osteoblast and osteoclast activity in vivo.

Abstract Introduction In chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), the congestion and blockage of the nose can cause anaerobic conditions within the sinus cavities which may promote the expression of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes in invading pathogens. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a facultative anaerobic bacteria and causes severe recalcitrant CRS. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance of P. aeruginosa isolates of CRS patients in planktonic and biofilm form grown in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Methods P. aeruginosa clinical isolates of CRS patients (n = 25) were grown in planktonic and biofilm form in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of planktonic forms and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBEC) were determined. Additionally, metabolic activity by fluorescein diacetate assay, biofilm biomass by crystal violet assay and eDNA concentration were assessed in both conditions. Results P. aeruginosa planktonic cells grown in anaerobic condition exhibited increased gentamicin resistance (p

Introduction: Recent researches have indicated that pregnancies with frozen embryo transfer are associated with the increment of risk of maternal and neonatal complications, especially hypertension during pregnancy. The present study aimed to compare the occurrence rate of gestational hypertension in pregnancy with frozen embryo transfer and normal pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This research, as a retrospective cross-sectional study, was performed on pregnant women with frozen embryo transfer (n = 97) and women with normal pregnancies (n = 164) referring to medical centers under the supervision of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences in 2021. Women aged 18–35 were included in the study after week 20th of pregnancy. Maternal and neonatal outcomes including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia), preterm birth (before the week 37th), low birth weight (lower than 2500 g), neonatal asphyxia (Apgar score >7 in minute 5th), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy were evaluated. The association between frozen embryo transfer and pregnancy outcomes was evaluated using multiple logistic regressions. Results: The findings of this study indicated that pregnancy hypertension was observed in 23 people (23.7%) from the frozen embryo transfer group vs. 18 people (11.0%) from the normal pregnancy group (P = 0.006). Frozen embryo transfer pregnancy has a higher risk of gestational hypertension (OR = 2.521, 95% CI: 1.281-4.962; P = 0.007), preterm birth (OR = 2.264, 95% CI: 1.335-3.840; P = 0.002), and low birth weight (OR = 2.017, 95% CI: 1.178-3.455; P = 0.011). However, the incidence of birth asphyxia (P = 0.850), intrauterine growth restriction (P = 0.068), first-trimester bleeding (P = 0.809), and placenta accreta (P = 0.143) did not show a significant difference between two types of normal pregnancy and frozen embryo transfer pregnancy. Conclusion: Frozen embryo transfer pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of maternal and neonatal complications, hypertension, preterm birth, and low birth weight compared to natural and spontaneous pregnancies.

Introduction: Waardenburg Syndrome (WS) type IV or Waardenburg-Shah Syndrome (WSS) is a genetic disorder characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, pigmentary defects of the hair and skin, heterochromia of the eyes, and Hirschsprung Disease (HD). There are three other forms of WS, none of which include HD. Case presentation: A 7-year-old female born to non-consanguineous parents presented to our clinic with a history of chronic constipation. She had a white forelock on the frontal aspect of the head and multiple depigmented macules on the chest and lower extremities. She also had sensorineural hearing loss. On the physical exam, her abdomen was distended but soft and non-tender. The digital rectal exam was unremarkable. Plain film of the abdomen showed dilated bowel loops. She underwent a contrast enema that showed a narrow rectum and a dilated sigmoid colon. She subsequently underwent a rectal biopsy, which confirmed the diagnosis of HD. The combination of all the features confirmed the diagnosis of WSS. She underwent a laparotomy-assisted trans-anal pull-through, from which she recovered uneventfully. Conclusion: The possibility of WSS must be considered when a patient with HD presents depigmented lesions in the body and hearing loss.

The purity of hydrogen, which is an alternative energy carrier in powder sources of distributed energy resource systems and, in particular, is the feed stock for fuel cells, should be no less than 99.9999 vol % purity High-purity hydrogen can be prepared only via its separation as a result of selective diffusion through metallic membranes manufactured from specific membrane palladium-based alloys prepared in the form of thin foils. In the present work, the combination of deformation and annealings under different conditions is used to prepare the Pd–7.70 wt % Lu alloy in the form of foil 50 µm thick, whose specific hydrogen permeability is studied in the course of cyclic heating and cooling in a hydrogen atmosphere in a temperature range of 300–500°С. The Pd–7.70 wt % Lu membrane is shown to demonstrate high and stable hydrogen permeability. The evolution of the surface structure of the membrane in the course of its operation in the hydrogen atmosphere is studied by atomic force microscopy using the phase contrast mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the levels of background radiation in different locations across the Eastern part of Koshi province, specifically in Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, and Jhapa. We used a portable Geiger Muller counter to collect data from twenty different locations, with five sites taken from each district. The average absorbed dose rate was found to be 0.243±0.035 mSv/y. The highest measured value of absorbed dose was 0.335±0.041 mSv/y at Pathivara temple in Taplejung, and the lowest was found to be 0.197±0.039 mSv/y at Kakarvita, Jhapa. The results suggest that these four districts do not pose any radiation risk because it was below the threshold of risk (1mSv/y). We also measured the variation of absorption dose with altitude which is positively correlated with altitude with a correlation coefficient of +0.57. This might be because of the surge in cosmic radiation with an increase in altitude.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for education in disease transmission and prevention. In response, the University of California 4-H Positive Youth Development Program implemented a virtual epidemiology project, based on resources developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and collaborating agencies. The teenage participants were actively engaged in group lessons focused on epidemiology, immunology, vaccination, zoology, prevention strategies, related careers, and health communication. Surveys administered before and after the program showed an increase in knowledge about vaccinations and disease transmission and improved attitudes toward, and intentions to adopt, practices that reduce the spread of disease. They also showed increased self-efficacy and positive health behaviors (hand washing and mask use, and the intention to share what they learned in their communities). These findings contribute to the development of public health and epidemiological education programs for adolescents and programming that elevates youth as messengers of health information.