Investigation of the reactivity of AlCl3 and CoCl2 toward molten alkali-metal nitrates in order to synthesize CoAl2O4

Cobalt aluminate CoAl2O4 powder, constituted of nano-sized crystallites, is prepared, involving the reactivity of AlCl3 and CoCl2 with molten alkali-metal nitrates. The reaction at 450 °C for 2 h leads to a mixture of spinel oxide Co3O4 and amorphous γ-Al2O3. It is transformed into the spinel oxide CoAl2O4 by heating at 1000 °C. The powders are mainly characterized by XRD, FTIR, ICP, electron microscopy and diffraction, X-EDS and diffuse reflection. Their properties are compared to those of powders obtained by solid state reactions of a mechanical mixture of chlorides or oxides submitted to the same thermal treatment

سونوگرافی عصب اپتیک در افتراق سکته مغزی ایسکمیک از هموراژیک در بخش اورژانس؛ یک مطالعه مقطعی: سونوگرافی عصب اپتیک در افتراق سکته مغزس ایسکمیک از هموراژیک

Introduction: Ultrasonography of the optic nerve might help in detecting patients’ high intracerebral pressure. Given the importance of early diagnosis for implementing therapeutic measures, non-invasive methods have received a great deal of attention among researchers, recently. The present study investigated the accuracy of optic nerve ultrasonography in differentiation of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Methods: The present study was a descriptive analytical one. Through convenience sampling, 212 patients visiting Imam Hossein, Loghman, and Shohadaye Tajrish hospitals in 2018 were selected. The data gathering tool was a researcher-designed checklist, which consisted of demographics, clinical characteristics of the patients, and information about optic nerve diameter. Data were extracted from medical files and ultrasonography reports of the patients. The results obtained through estimating the diameter of the optic nerve sheath were analyzed in comparison with cerebral computed tomography (CT) scan findings as the golden standard. Finally, using statistical tests, sensitivity, specificity, positive/negative predictive value, and accuracy of ultrasonography in differentiating ischemic and hemorrhagic CVA were calculated. Results: Among the participants, 163 had ischemic CVA and 56 had hemorrhagic CVA. The mean diameter of optic nerve among the participants was 5.26±0.35 in the ischemic CVA group and 5.80±0.51 in the hemorrhagic CVA group (p=0.001). In addition, sensitivity and specificity were 86.50% (95% CI: 80.28%-91.34%) and 66.07% (52.19%-78.19%), respectively. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that in the cut-off point of 5.5, the ultrasonographic diameter of the optic nerve sheath had a sensitivity and specificity of 86.50% and 66.07%, respectively, and a mean accuracy of 81% in differentiation of ischemic and hemorrhagic CVA. Therefore, this method can be used as a non-invasive method in differentiation of ischemic and hemorrhagic CVA.    مقدمه: سونوگرافی عصب بینایی ممکن است به شناسایی فشار داخل مغزی بیماران کمک نماید. باتوجه به اهمیت تشخیص زودتر بیماران جهت انجام اقدامات درمانی اخیراً استفاده از روش های غیرتهاجمی بیشتر مورد توجه پژوهشگران قرار گرفته است. این مطالعه با هدف بررسی صحت تشخیص CVA ایسکمیک از هموراژیک با استفاده از سونوگرافی عصب اپتیک در بیماران CVA انجام شده است. روش کار: این مطالعه به صورت توصیفی تحلیلی انجام گرفت. با استفاده از روش نمونه گیری در دسترس 212 نفر از بیماران مراجعه کننده به بیمارستان های امام حسین، لقمان و شهدای تجریش در سال 1397 انتخاب شدند. ابزار جمع‌آوری اطلاعات چک‌لیست محقق ساخته که شامل ویژگی‌های دموگرافیک، ویژگی‌های بالینی بیماران و اطلاعات مربوط به قطر عصب بینایی با استفاده از پرونده بیماران و نتایج حاصل سونوگرافی جمع آوری شد. نتایج حاصل از تخمین میانگین قطر غلاف عصب چشم با یافته‌های حاصل از گزارش سی‌تی اسکن مغزی به عنوان استاندارد طلایی مورد تجزیه و تحلیل آماری قرار گرفت. در نهایت با استفاده از آزمون‌های آماری شاخص‌های مربوط به حساسیت، ویژگی، ارزش اخباری مثبت و منفی و همچنین دقت سونوگرافی در تشخیص سکته ایسکمیک و هموراژیک محاسبه شد. نتایج: نتایج مطالعه نشان داد که از بین افراد شرکت کننده در مطالعه 163 نفر سکته ایسکمیک و 56 نفر سکته هموراژیک داشتند. میانگین قطر عصب اپتیک در افراد شرکت کننده در مطالعه در گروه با سکته ایسکمیک 35/0±26/5 و در گروه هموراژیک 51/0±80/5 بدست آمد (001/0 = p). میزان حساسیت و ویژگی به ترتیب (34/91-28/80) 50/86 و (19/78-19/52) 07/66 درصد بدست آمد. نتیجه‌گیری: نتایج مطالعه حاضر نشان داد که نقطه برش 5/5 میلی متر برای قطر سونوگرافیک عصب اپتیک حساسیت و ویژگی 50/86 و 07/66 درصد و صحت 81 درصد (متوسط) در تشخیص سکته ایسکمیک و هموراژیک دارد. بنابراین استفاده از این روش می تواند به عنوان یک روش غیرتهاجمی در تشخیص سکته ایسکمیک و هموراژیک مورد استفاده قرار گیرد

Risk factors of knee osteoarthritis, WHO-ILAR-COPCORD study

"nBackground: To evaluate the association between age, sex, BMI, waist/hip ratio, smoking, religion, ethnicity, education and knee osteoarthritis. "nMethods: Eligible subjects were randomly included from participants of Tehran COPCORD study, of whom 480 subjects with knee osteoarthritis were compared to 490 subjects without (case-control study). Using a questionnaire developed by COPCORD group (Asia & Oceania), we enquired about the risk factors of knee osteoarthritis i.e. age, sex, BMI, Waist/Hip ratio, religion, ethnicity, education and smoking. Knee osteoarthritis was defined using ACR criteria. Each knee was unit of analysis using GEE technique to evaluate these associations. "nResults: Age (OR; 1.096; CI95%: 1.091-1.1; P: 0.00) and sex (OR; 2.85; CI95%: 2.49-3.28; P: 0.00) showed significant association with knee osteoarthritis. Overweight (OR; 1.81; CI95%: 1.28-2.55; P: 0.00) and obesity (OR; 3.3; CI95%: 2.34-4.66; P: 0.00) both showed higher risk for knee osteoarthritis. The association between waist/hip ratio and knee osteoarthritis showed an OR of 5.28, CI95%: 0.89-31.44; P: 0.07. However, this association was only borderline significant. People with different religion or ethnicity and smokers had no extra risks for knee osteoarthritis. Higher education is a protective factor for knee osteoarthritis as people who had university education compared to people with no/primary education showed a lower risk for knee osteoarthritis (OR; 0.54; CI95%: 0.38-0.78; P: 0.00). "nConclusions: Our study confirmed that elderly, females, overweight and obese people are at higher risk to develop knee osteoarthritis as found in western societies. Higher education is a protective factor against knee osteoarthritis. Ethnicity, religion and smoking showed no extra risk of knee osteoarthritis