Source rock and shale oil potential of the Pabdeh Formation (Middle-Late Eocene) in the Dezful Embayment, southwest Iran

The Pabdeh Brown Shale Unit (BSU) is an organic-rich calcareous mudstone within the Paleogene Pabdeh Formation, which has not yet been investigated in detail. A total of 166 core and cutting samples were selected from four wells in the Dezful Embayment to investigate the organic geochemical and the mineralogical compositions, as well as the shale oil potential of the BSU. XRD results show that it is mainly comprised of calcite (53wt.%), clay minerals (25wt.%), and quartz (14wt.%). TOC contents generally range from 1 to 9wt.% (avg. 4.2, 2.9, 5.2 and 3.3wt.%, for GS, KR, RR and RS wells, respectively) with HI values ranging between 400 and 650 mg HC/g TOC. Based on average values of T max and vitrinite reflectance, as well as saturate biomarker ratios, the BSU is immature at wells RR and RS (ranging from 0.3 to 0.53%) and its maturity increases northward at wells KR and GS (ranging from 0.5% to 0.67%). The organic matter is dominated by Type ΙΙ kerogen and is generally composed of liptinite and amorphous material with minor terrestrial input. Based on various biomarker parameters, the organic matter was most likely deposited under anoxic marine conditions. The mineralogical characteristics (i.e. presence of brittle minerals) and organic geochemical properties (i.e. TOC >2wt% and Type II kerogen) support the conclusion that the Pabdeh BSU displays a considerable shale oil potential where it attains appropriate thermal maturity

Source rock and shale oil potential of the Pabdeh Formation (Middle–Late Eocene) in the Dezful Embayment, southwest Iran

The Pabdeh Brown Shale Unit (BSU) is an organic-rich calcareous mudstone within the Paleogene Pabdeh Formation, which has not yet been investigated in detail. A total of 166 core and cutting samples were selected from four wells in the Dezful Embayment to investigate the organic geochemical and the mineralogical compositions, as well as the shale oil potential of the BSU. XRD results show that it is mainly comprised of calcite (53wt.%), clay minerals (25wt.%), and quartz (14wt.%). TOC contents generally range from 1 to 9wt.% (avg. 4.2, 2.9, 5.2 and 3.3wt.%, for GS, KR, RR and RS wells, respectively) with HI values ranging between 400 and 650 mg HC/g TOC. Based on average values of Tmax and vitrinite reflectance, as well as saturate biomarker ratios, the BSU is immature at wells RR and RS (ranging from 0.3 to 0.53%) and its maturity increases northward at wells KR and GS (ranging from 0.5% to 0.67%). The organic matter is dominated by Type ΙΙ kerogen and is generally composed of liptinite and amorphous material with minor terrestrial input. Based on various biomarker parameters, the organic matter was most likely deposited under anoxic marine conditions. The mineralogical characteristics (i.e. presence of brittle minerals) and organic geochemical properties (i.e. TOC >2wt% and Type II kerogen) support the conclusion that the Pabdeh BSU displays a considerable shale oil potential where it attains appropriate thermal maturity.

The association between hemoglobin concentration and neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to determine the association between hemoglobin concentration (Hgb) and neurologic outcome in postarrest patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Penn Alliance for Therapeutic Hypothermia (PATH) cardiac arrest registry. Inclusion criteria were resuscitated cardiac arrest (inhospital or out of hospital) and an Hgb value recorded within 24 hours of return of spontaneous circulation. The primary outcome was favorable neurologic status at hospital discharge. Survival to hospital discharge was a secondary outcome. RESULTS: There were 598 eligible patients from 21 hospitals. Patients with favorable neurologic outcome had significantly higher median Hgb in the first 2 hours (12.7 vs 10.5 g/dL; P \u3c .001) and 6 hours (12.6 vs 10.6 g/dL; P \u3c .001) postarrest. Controlling for age, pulseless rhythm, etiology, location of arrest, receipt of targeted temperature management, hematologic or metastatic malignancy, or preexisting renal insufficiency, there was a significant relationship between Hgb and neurologic outcome within the first 6 hours after arrest (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.38) and survival to hospital discharge (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.34). CONCLUSION: Higher Hgb after cardiac arrest is associated with favorable neurologic outcome, particularly within the first 6 hours. It is unclear if this effect is due to impaired oxygen delivery or if Hgb is a marker for more severe illness

Enhancing Teacher Education and Community Learning Center Programs through Critical Participatory Action Research

This paper describes the impact of using Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to enhance a campus-community partnership. The key stakeholders, who are also the participants, share how learning from the reflective journals, collaborative sessions, and interview data analysis transformed their practice. The collaborative partnership was designed to allow prospective teachers from a School of Education at a U.S. liberal arts college the opportunity to teach Diverse language learners (DLLs) who were attending a summer program at a nearby community learning center. The teacher educators responsible for teaching the prospective teachers, the director of the community learning center, and a student researcher joined the project as collaborative participant researchers. Together they analyzed the data collected from various participating groups which included their own work and reflections, as well as those of the prospective teachers and prevention specialists who were employed by the community learning center. The findings from this study revealed that all participants benefited from the campus-community partnership because it was built on trust, mutual respect, reciprocity, and the use of shared language among key stakeholders. This CPAR project provides specific ideas and steps implemented to develop a well-functioning and reflective partnership between a community learning center and a local college. Examples of the specific praxis involved in such partnerships are often absent from the literature

QuantiFERON-TB gold and tuberculin skin test for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in children

Background: Appropriate diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) play the most important role in the control of tuberculosis. This study aimed to determine theprevalence of LTBI among healthy tuberculosis unexposed children vaccinated with BCG using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and comparing the agreement between the two tests. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out between October 2009 and March 2010 in 24 schools and 11 daycare centers. A total of 967 children were divided into 15 age groups, with a minimum of 64 children per group. Results: The prevalence rates of LTBI with TST were 3.8, and 2.2 with QFT-GIT. One case was positive in TST and QFT-GIT, 20 cases were QFT-GIT positive, but TST negative and 36 cases were TST positive, but QFT-GIT negative, and finally, 910 cas eswere negative in both. There was poor agreement between TST and QFT-GIT (1.8, 95, CI: 0-5.3, k=0.007). The specificity of QFT-GIT in the BCG vaccinate, children aged 1-15 years old, was 97.8 (97.8, 95 CI: 96.8-98.8). After three months, 2/17 (11.8) of those initially QFT-GIT negative converted, and 10/15 (66) of those initially QFT-GITpositive reverted. Conclusion: It seems that TST and QFT-GIT are not appropriate tests for the diagnosis of LTBI among healthy tuberculosis unexposed BCG vaccinated children. There was a low reproducibility rate of QFT-GIT. The cause of the the poor agreement requires further studies. © 2015 Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Oral poliovirus vaccine-induced programmed cell death involves both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways in human colorectal cancer cells.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer death throughout the world. Replication-competent viruses, which are naturally able to infect and lyse tumor cells, seem to be promising in this field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) on human CRC cells and elucidate the mechanism of apoptosis induction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Protein and gene expression of poliovirus (PV) receptor (CD155) on four human CRC cell lines including HCT116, SW480, HT-29, and Caco-2 and normal fetal human colon (FHC) cell line as a control were examined by flow cytometry and SYBR Green Real-Time PCR, respectively. Cytotoxicity of OPV on indicated cell lines was tested using MTT assay. The ability of OPV on apoptosis induction for both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways was examined using caspase-8 and caspase-9 colorimetric assay kits. The PV propagation in mentioned cell lines was investigated, and the quantity of viral yields (cells associated and extracellular) was determined using TaqMan PCR. RESULTS: CD155 mRNA and protein were expressed significantly higher in studied CRC cell lines rather than the normal cell line (P=0). OPV induced cell death in a time- and dose-dependent manner in human CRC cells. Apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways was detected in CRC cells with the minimum level found in FHC. PV viral load was significantly correlated with apoptosis via extrinsic (R=0.945, P=0.0001) and intrinsic (R=0.756, P=0.001) pathways. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that OPV has potential for clinical treatment of CRC. However further studies in animal models (tumor xenografts) are needed to be certain that it is qualified enough for treatment of CRC

Targeting Listeria monocytogenes consensus sequence of internalin genes using an antisense molecule

As an intracellular pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes can enter host cells where it can replicate and escape detection and eradication by the host immune response making the clearance of infection very challenging. Furthermore, with the advent of antimicrobial resistance, the need for alternative targets is inevitable. Internalin proteins are crucial to this bacterium as they contribute to bacterial entry to the systemic circulation. In this study, we targeted a highly conserved region of these proteins by an antisense sequence that was covalently conjugated to the cell penetrating peptides (CPP) to overcome the challenging delivery barriers. Then, we evaluated the efficiency of this construct in vitro. We also assessed the antigenicity, cytotoxicity, and probability of apoptosis induction by this construct. The studied CPP-PNA inhibited bacterial growth and suppressed the mRNA expression of internalins in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, at all studied concentrations, CPP-PNA significantly reduced the invasion rate of L. monocytogenes in the examined cell lines. Moreover, different concentrations of CPP-PNA did not have a significant antigenic, cytotoxic, and apoptotic properties compared to the control. These results suggest the effectiveness of CPP-antisense in targeting the mRNAs of internalins for various research, therapeutic and preventive purposes. However, additional research is required to evaluate the potency, safety, and pharmacokinetics of this compound for the prevention and treatment of listeriosis

Diagnostic role of serum haptoglobin level in early onset neonatal sepsis

Background: Introduction: Searching for an ideal marker for diagnosing neonatal infection is still an important concern in every country. There are many biomarkers reported for neonatal sepsis. Haptoglobin is an acute phase reactants which rise in response to infection and injuries. In this report we discussed the efficacy of serum haptoglobin level in different cut off levels in early onset neonatal sepsis. Material and methods: Total of 84 neonates divided in to a sepsis (43 neonates) and control group (41 neonates) and enrolled in this case-control study. Sepsis was defined base on both clinical and laboratory criteria. Serum haptoglobin level was evaluated in both groups. Sensitivity and specificity of haptoglobin in different cut off points was evaluated and study data was analyzed by SPSS 18 software. Results: Neonates in both groups didn't have significant relation in term of gender, gestational age at birth and birth weight. Serum level of haptoglobin in sepsis group was significantly higher than control group (P=0.0001). Also there was significant relation between haptoglobin and positive blood cultures (p=0.0001). Cut of point of 25mg/dl had sensitivity of 67, specificity of 95, accuracy of 80 and positive predictive value of 93 and considered as preferable cut off point in early neonatal sepsis. Conclusion: Serum plasma haptoglobin can be a specific diagnostic factor in diagnosing early neonatal sepsis in keeping with other diagnostic tests for sepsis