Sorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions by Nanolimestone from underground water samples from Tehama region of Saudi Arabia

Powdered Nano limestone (NLS)  has been investigated as an un-expensive  adsorbent for heavy toxic metals removal from aqueous solutions as cadmium and lead. Batch experiments were carried out, The favorable pH for maximum metals adsorption was at 6.8 for both. The surface area increased in case of  NLS up to 6.2 m2/g.  The adsorption capacity calculated by Langmuir equation was 75.1 mg/g for Cd(II)  and 68.4 for Pb(II) ions at pH 6.8. The adsorption capacity increased with temperature and the kinetics followed a First-order rate equation for both. The enthalpy change (ΔH0)  was 25.4 Jmol−1 for Cd(II)  and 20.8 Jmol−1  for Pb(II), while  entropy change (ΔS0) was 41.6 JK-1mol-1 for Cd(II)   and 38.7 JK-1mol-1  Pb(II), which indicate that adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. About 25  collected samples of groundwater were tested and found to be contaminated with cadmium and lead elements with different rates, with using NLS as adsorbent able to remove both metals from the samples.  All of the results suggested that the NLS is excellent nano-adsorbents for cadmium and lead contaminated water samples

Role of Hepatic Stellate Cells in the Early Phase of Liver Regeneration in Rat: Formation of Tight Adhesion to Parenchymal Cells

We investigated activation mechanisms of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that are known to play pivotal roles in the regeneration process after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx). Parenchymal liver cells (PLCs) and non-parenchymal cells (NPLCs) were isolated and purified from the regenerating livers at 1, 3, 7, 14 days after PHx. Each liver cell fraction was stained by immunocytochemistry using an anti-desmin antibody as a marker for HSCs, anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) as a marker for activated HSCs, and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) for detection of proliferating cells. Tissue sections from regenerating livers were also analyzed by immunohistochemistry and compared with the results obtained for isolated cell fractions. One and 3 days after PHx, PLC-enriched fraction contained HSCs adhered to PLCs. The HSCs adhered to PLCs were double positive for BrdU and alpha-SMA, and formed clusters suggesting that these HSCs were activated. However, HSC-enriched fraction contained HSCs not adhered PLCs showed positive staining for anti-desmin antibody but negative for anti-alpha-SMA antibody. These results suggest that HSCs are activated by adhering to PLCs during the early phase of hepatic regeneration

Influence of a classical homogeneous gravitational field on dissipative dynamics of the Jaynes-Cummings model with phase damping

In this paper, we study the dissipative dynamics of the Jaynes-Cummings model with phase damping in the presence of a classical homogeneous gravitational field. The model consists of a moving two-level atom simultaneously exposed to the gravitational field and a single-mode traveling radiation field in the presence of the phase damping. We present a quantum treatment of the internal and external dynamics of the atom based on an alternative su(2) dynamical algebraic structure. By making use of the super-operator technique, we obtain the solution of the master equation for the density operator of the quantum system, under the Markovian approximation. Assuming that initially the radiation field is prepared in a Glauber coherent state and the two-level atom is in the excited state, we investigate the influence of gravity on the temporal evolution of collapses and revivals of the atomic population inversion, atomic dipole squeezing, atomic momentum diffusion, photon counting statistics and quadrature squeezing of the radiation field in the presence of phase damping.Comment: 25 pages, 15 figure

Associations between maternal size and health outcomes for women undergoing caesarean section: a multicentre prospective observational study (the MUM SIZE study)

Objectives To investigate associations between maternal body mass index (BMI) at delivery (using pregnancy-specific BMI cut-off values 5 kg/m 2 higher in each of the WHO groups) and clinical, theatre utilisation and health economic outcomes for women undergoing caesarean section (CS). Design A prospective multicentre observational study. Setting Seven secondary or tertiary referral obstetric hospitals. Participants One thousand and four hundred and fifty-seven women undergoing all categories of CS. Data collection Height and weight were recorded at the initial antenatal visit and at delivery. We analysed the associations between delivery BMI (continuous and pregnancy-specific cut-off values) and total theatre time, surgical time, anaesthesia time, maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes, total hospital admission and theatre costs. Results Mean participant characteristics were: age 32 years, gestation at delivery 38.4 weeks and delivery BMI 32.2 kg/m 2. Fifty-five per cent of participants were overweight, obese or super-obese using delivery pregnancy-specific BMI cut-off values. As BMI increased, total theatre time, surgical time and anaesthesia time increased. Super-obese participants had approximately 27% (17 min, p < 0.001) longer total theatre time, 20% (9 min, p < 0.001), longer surgical time and 40% (11 min, p < 0.001) longer anaesthesia time when compared with normal BMI participants. Increased BMI at delivery was associated with increased risk of maternal intensive care unit admission (relative risk 1.07, p=0.045), but no increased risk of neonatal admission to higher acuity care. Total hospital admission costs were 15% higher in super-obese women compared with normal BMI women and theatre costs were 27% higher in super-obese women. Conclusions Increased maternal BMI was associated with increased total theatre time, surgical and anaesthesia time, increased total hospital admission costs and theatre costs. Clinicians and health administrators should consider these clinical risks, time implications and financial costs when managing pregnant women

MMP-8 Deficiency Increases TLR/RAGE Ligands S100A8 and S100A9 and Exacerbates Lung Inflammation during Endotoxemia

Matrix metalloproteinase-8, released mainly from neutrophils, is a critical regulator of the inflammatory response by its ability to cleave multiple mediators. Herein, we report the results of a model of endotoxemia after intraperitoneal LPS injection in mice lacking MMP-8 and their wildtype counterparts. Control, saline-treated animals showed no differences between genotypes. However, there was an increased lung inflammatory response, with a prominent neutrophilic infiltration in mutant animals after LPS treatment. Using a proteomic approach, we identify alarmins S100A8 and S100A9 as two of the main differences between genotypes. Mice lacking MMP-8 showed a significant increase in these two molecules in lung homogenates, but not in spleen and serum. Mice lacking MMP-8 also showed an increase in MIP-1α levels and a marked activation of the non-canonical NF-κB pathway, with no differences in CXC-chemokines such as MIP-2 or LIX. These results show that MMP-8 can modulate the levels of S100A8 and S100A9 and its absence promotes the lung inflammatory response during endotoxemia