The CCFM uPDF evolution uPDFevolv

uPDFevolv is an evolution code for TMD parton densities using the CCFM evolution equation. A description of the underlying theoretical model and technical realization is given together with a detailed program description, with emphasis on parameters the user may want to changeComment: Code and description on https://updfevolv.hepforge.org Version to be published in EPJ

Comparison of serum levels of hepcidin and pro-hepcidin in hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects

Hepcidin prevents absorption of iron from the intestine and inhibits release of iron from macrophages and hepatocytes. For this reason, it seems that high levels of hepcidin are a predisposing factor for anemia in chronic inflammatory conditions such as chronic kidney disease and dialysis patients. This study was designed to determine the role of changes in the level of serum hepcidin in the management of hemodialysis patients. This study included 44 dialysis patients and 44 controls. The hepcidin and pro-hepcidin levels were measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. The serum ferritin level was measured by the chemiluminescence method. The mean hepcidin level was 999.3 ± 996.7 ng/mL in the case group and 770.4 ± 815.9 ng/mL in the control group (P = 0.25). The mean pro-hepcidin level was, respectively, 186.1 ± 220.3 pg/mL and 150.87 ± 207.7 pg/mL, in the case group and control groups (P = 0.45). The mean (standard deviation) ferritin level was 816.4 ± 379.4 ng/mL in the case group and 193 ± 171.8 ng/mL in the control group (P < 0.001). In the case group, the correlation between serum ferritin and hepcidin was not significant (r = 0.6, P = 0.08). Also, there was no significant correlation between serum ferritin and pro-hepcidin levels (r = 0.6, P = 0.08). A positive correlation was seen between pro-hepcidin and hepcidin levels (r = 0.92, P < 0.01). In this study, the results showed that the serum hepcidin levels are high in dialysis patients and that there was no correlation with the serum ferritin levels

Synthesis of novel azo compounds containing 5(4H)-oxazolone ring as potent tyrosinase inhibitors

Six new azo dyes containing of 5(4H)-oxazolone ring were prepared by diazotization of 4-aminohippuric acid and coupling with N,N-dimethylaniline, 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol and condensation with 4-fluoro benzaldehyde or 4-trifluoromethoxy benzaldehyde. The new compounds were fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques. All synthesized compounds exhibited high tyrosinase inhibitory behavior. The results of mushroom tyrosinase inhibition assays indicate that the 4-trifluoromethoxy derivatives have high degrees of inhibition and N,N-dimethylaniline derivatives are better for tyrosinase inhibition than 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol derivatives. All synthesized azo compounds (4a-4f) showed the most potent mushroom tyrosinase inhibition, comparable to that of Kojic acid and l-mimosine, as reference standard inhibitors. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Hepatic Lymphomas Post Renal Transplantation May Signify Worse Disease Behavior: Analysis of Data from 26 International Studies

Introduction: Hepatic involvement by posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) is an important but rarely investigated issue. In the current study, we aimed to pool data of cases of PTLD localization in liver (L-PTLD) among renal allograft recipients from different series to find new perspectives on the disease. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search for the available data through PubMed and Google Scholar for reports of PTLD localization in the liver and surrounding lymph nodes in renal allograft recipients. Data of 232 cases from 26 international studies have been pooled and reanalyzed. Results: Patients with L-PTLD were significantly more likely to be of male gender (P=0.02). Death due to PTLD was higher in L-PTLD patients (P=0.06). Disseminated PTLD, based on our definition, was significantly more prevalent in L-PTLD than in none-liver-PTLD (NL-PTLD) (P&lt;0.001); the same finding was noted with multi-organ involvement which was significantly higher in L-PTLD (P&lt;0.001). L-PTLD was significantly more likely to complicate heart (P=0.03), bone marrow (P=0.002), spleen (P=0.01), and kidney allograft involvement (P=0.04). Conclusion We conclude that renal transplant patients exhibiting liver localization for PTLD should be carefully followed for multi-organ involvement. Most notably, bone marrow biopsy should be considered, and evaluations for renal allograft, heart and spleen localization for PTLD should be executed. Due to the unfavorable characters of liver localization by PTLD in renal recipients, we propose higher levels of evaluations and follow up for these patients. Prospective studies with larger patient populations are needed to confirm our results.Keywords: Kidney Transplantation; Liver Localization; Lymphoproliferative Disorder

Aflatoxin contamination in wheat flour samples from Golestan province, Northeast of Iran

Background: Due to the high toxicity of aflatoxin and its effects on public health, determination of aflatoxin level in Wheat flour samples in the Golestan province, north of Iran was investigated. To examine the effect of seasonal changes, summer and winter sampling was performed with standard sampling methods. Methods: A total of 200 flour samples were collected from 25 factories. HPLC method with immunoaffinity chromatography was used to measure aflatoxin types (G2, G1, B2 and B1). Statistical analysis was performed by the Pearson correlation test, One-way ANOVA and multivariate regression analysis. Results: Mean total aflatoxin levels of samples were 0.82 and 1.99 ng/g in summer and winter, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 levels were detected in 3.1%, 7.4% over permissible limits by worldwide regulations in samples collected in summer and winter, respectively. Aflatoxins in winter were higher than summer. The highest frequency of aflatoxin contamination in winter was B2 (98%) and in summer G1 (51%). The relationship between humidity and rate of aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin was significant in winter. Results of multivariate regression were showed the strongest relationship with humidity and aflatoxin level. Despite the contamination of flour samples, there was no contamination higher than the standard limit of Iran Standard Institute. But it was significantly higher than similar studies from other regions. Conclusions: Therefore, with regard to negative impacts of aflatoxin on health, aflatoxin contamination should be considered in future programs. Decrease of aflatoxin contamination may be made practical through reducing wheat storage duration and controlling humidity

TMD parton densities and corresponding parton showers: the advantage of four- and five-flavour schemes

The calculations of $Z + b{\bar b}$ tagged jet production performed in the four- and five-flavour schemes allow for detailed comparison of the heavy flavour structure of collinear and transverse momentum dependent (TMD) parton distributions as well as for detailed investigations of heavy quarks radiated during the initial state parton shower cascade. We have determined the first set of collinear and TMD parton distributions in the four-flavour scheme with NLO DGLAP splitting functions within the Parton-Branching (PB) approach. The four- and five-flavour PB-TMD distributions were used to calculate $Z + b{\bar b}$ tagged jet production at LHC energies and very good agreement with measurements obtained at $\sqrt{s} = 8, 13$ TeV by the CMS and ATLAS collaborations is observed. The different configurations of the hard process in the four- and five-flavour schemes allow for a detailed investigation of the performance of heavy flavor collinear and TMD parton distributions and the corresponding initial TMD parton shower, giving confidence in the evolution of the PB-TMD parton densities as well as in the PB-TMD parton shower

Farming increases the spore population of AM fungi in central deserts of Iran

Non-Peer ReviewedMycorrhizal symbiosis is a key component of natural and agricultural ecosystems. It enhances the mineral nutrition and increase tolerance of host plants to environmental and biological stress particularly in extreme environments. In this study, the changes in spore abundance of AM fungus Paraglomus occultum was compared in two neighbouring habitat in central deserts of Iran. Farming practice applied over 12 years sharply increased P. occultum spore population in this region

Numerical Investigation of Effective Heat Conductivity of Fluid in Charging Process of Thermal Storage Tank

This paper presents a numerical case study of heat transfer mechanisms during the charging process of a stratified thermal storage tank applied in a specific adsorption heat pump cycle. The effective thermal conductivity of the heat transfer fluid during the charging process is analyzed through CFD simulations using Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations (URANS). The aim of the study is to provide an equivalent thermal conductivity for a one-dimensional storage tank model to be used in a system simulation of the complete adsorption heat pump cycle. The influence of the turbulent mixing and also the advection effect due to fluid bulk motion are investigated. The results show that in the case considered here, the turbulence effect on the effective thermal conductivity is more considerable than the advection effect