298 research outputs found
Association of serum fetuin-A and biochemical parameters in hemodialysis patients.
Fetuin-A, a hepatic glycoprotein present in the circulation, is a potential inhibitor for systemic calcification. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the association between fetuin-A and other biochemical parameters as facilitator factors for developing atherosclerosis in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This case-control study was conducted on 44 HD patients undergoing treatment in 2012. Parathormone (i-PTH) and fetuin levels were performed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) by chemiluminescence, low-density lipoprotein by direct enzymatic, calcium and albumin by colorimetric and phosphorous by ultraviolet (UV) methods. Chi-square was used for evaluating the association between variables and t-test was used for comparing the mean of the quantitative variables for the two groups. SPSS-16 software was used for data analysis and P-value less than 5% was considered as significant. Mean of serum fetuin level was 23.25 ± 4.90 ng/mL in HD patients and 32.92 ± 5.21 in the control group. Median of hs-CRP was 2.45 mg/dL in the patients and 1.00 mg/dL in the control group and i-PTH was 74.3 pg/mL in the patients and 7.30 pg/mL in the control group. The calcium-phosphorous product was 46.77 ± 14.22 mg/dL in the patient and 31.73 ± 6.48 mg/dL in the control group. A reverse significant association was found between fetuin-A and hs-CRP in this study. In this study, serum fetuin-A level in HD patients was lower than controls. Therefore, a low level of fetuin-A seems to be associated with atherosclerosis, inflammation and malnutrition
Logarithmic entropy--corrected holographic dark energy with non--minimal kinetic coupling
In this paper, we have considered a cosmological model with the non--minimal
kinetic coupling terms and investigated its cosmological implications with
respect to the logarithmic entropy-- corrected holographic dark energy
(LECHDE). The correspondence between LECHDE in flat FRW cosmology and the
phantom dark energy model with the aim to interpret the current universe
acceleration is also examined.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures; Can. J. Phys. Vol. 90, 201
Cloning and expression of NS3 helicase fragment of hepatitis C virus and the study of its immunoreactivity in HCV infected patients
Objective(s): Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver failure worldwide. Current therapies applied for this disease are not fully effective and produce side effects in most cases. Non-structural protein 3 helicase (NS3) of HCV is one of the key enzymes in viral replication and infection. Therefore, this region is a promising target to design new drugs and therapies against HCV infection. The aim of this study was cloning and expression of HCV NS3 helicase fragment in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) using pET102/D-TOPO expression vector and studying immunoreactivity of the expressed antigen in Iranian infected with hepatitis C. Materials and Methods: The viral RNA was extracted from the serum of HCV infected patient. The NS3 helicase region was amplified by RT-PCR. The PCR product was directionally cloned into the expression vector pET102/D-TOPO and transformed into the BL21 strain of E. coli (DE3). The transformed bacteria were then induced by adding 1mM isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) into the culture medium to enhance the protein expression. SDS-PAGE and western blotting were carried out to identify the protein under investigation, and finally purified recombinant fusion protein was used as the antigen for ELISA method. Results: The insertion of the DNA fragment of the NS3 region into the expression vector was further confirmed by PCR and sequencing. SDS-PAGE analysis showed the successful expression of the recombinant protein of interest. Furthermore, immunoreactivity of fusion NS3 helicase was confirmed by ELISA and western blotting. Conclusion: It seems that this recombinant protein could be a useful source of antigen for future studies on HCV diagnosis and therapy. © 2015, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved
Universe acceleration and fine structure constant variation in BSBM theory
In this work we investigate the utility of using SNe Ia observations in
constraining the cosmological parameters in BSBM theory where a scalar field is
responsible for both fine structure constant variation and late time universe
acceleration. The model is discussed in the presence of an exponential self
potential for the scalar field. Stability and phase space analysis of the
solutions are studied. The model is tested against observational data for
Hubble parameter and quasar absorption spectra. With the best fitted model
parameters, the theory predicts a good match with the experimental results and
exhibits fine structure constant variation. The analysis also shows that for
the equation of state parameter, recent universe acceleration and possible
phantom crossing in future is forecasted.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, final version with minor modification accepted
to be published in JCA
On the Dynamics of Bianchi IX cosmological models
A cosmological description of the universe is proposed in the context of
Hamiltonian formulation of a Bianchi IX cosmology minimally coupled to a
massless scalar field. The classical and quantum results are studied with
special attention to the case of closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figur
Stability analysis of agegraphic dark energy in Brans-Dicke cosmology
Stability analysis of agegraphic dark energy in Brans-Dicke theory is
presented in this paper. We constrain the model parameters with the
observational data and thus the results become broadly consistent with those
expected from experiment. Stability analysis of the model without best fitting
shows that universe may begin from an unstable state passing a saddle point and
finally become stable in future. However, with the best fitted model, There is
no saddle intermediate state. The agegraphic dark energy in the model by itself
exhibits a phantom behavior. However, contribution of cold dark matter on the
effective energy density modifies the state of teh universe from phantom phase
to quintessence one. The statefinder diagnosis also indicates that the universe
leaves an unstable state in the past, passes the LCDM state and finally
approaches the sable state in future.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figure
Geometric and thermodynamic properties in Gauss-Bonnet gravity
In this paper, the generalized second law (GSL) of thermodynamics and entropy
is revisited in the context of cosmological models in Gauss-Bonnet gravity with
the boundary of the universe is assumed to be enclosed by the dynamical
apparent horizon. The model is best fitted with the observational data for
distance modulus. The best fitted geometric and thermodynamic parameters such
as equation of state parameter, deceleration parameter and entropy are derived.
To link between thermodynamic and geometric parameters, the "entropy rate of
change multiplied by the temperature" as a model independent thermodynamic
state parameter is also derived. The results show that the model is in good
agreement with the observational analysis.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, to be published in Astrophysics and Space Sc
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