Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticle synthesized by a microwave-assisted combustion method and catalytic activity for the removal of ortho-nitrophenol

ZnO nanoparticles were manufactured using microwave-assisted combustion. The structural and morphological properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Photocatalytic degradation of ortho-nitrophenol (O-NP) in aqueous solution using the synthesized nanoparticles was performed under UV–C irradiation and is reported for the first time. The effect of the initial O-NP concentration, amount of photocatalyst, pH, and salt was investigated during photodegradation. Analysis of the degraded samples using HPLC with UV detection revealed that photocatalysis in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles removed 98% of the O-NP in 5 h. In addition, the photocatalytic degradation kinetics of O-NP were studied, and the results suggest that the data are best fitted to pseudo-first-order kinetic and Langmuir–Hinshelwood models

Predictors for surgical outcome in patients with Tumor-Associated epilepsy

This study aimed to evaluate possible predictors for postoperative outcome in patients with tumorassociated epilepsy. Methods: In this study, patients with tumor-associated epilepsy who were candidates for epilepsy surgery were included. After required presurgical evaluations, they underwent surgical resection of the tumor. Patients were followed 24-57 months after the surgery and were divided to two groups of seizure-free and not-seizure-free. Demographic data, medical history, seizure characteristics and tumor features were compared between the two groups to find possible predictors. Findings: Thirty-five patients (17 men and 18 women) with the mean age of 22.8 years (8 to 45 years) were enrolled this study. Most of the patients had temporal lobe tumors (68.0%) followed by frontal and parietal lobe tumors. Ganglioglioma was seen in 62.9% of the patients, followed by astrocytoma and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour (DNET). We found a non-significant positive correlation between better surgical outcome and being male, younger age at epilepsy onset, longer duration of epilepsy, more seizure frequency, tumors in right hemisphere, tumor type of ganglioglioma, and seizures with secondary generalization. Furthermore, we found that history of head trauma, infection of centeral nervous system (CNS), febrile convulsion, natural vaginal delivery, familial history of epilepsy, tumors in temporal lobe, having auras, developing more seizure types and ipsilateral temporal spikes on preoperative electroencephalogram (EEG) were associated with worst surgical outcome (P > 0.05 for all). Conclusion: In this study, we found no statistically significant predicting factor for surgical outcome; however, we found that being male, smaller ages at seizure onset, longer duration of epilepsy, higher seizure frequency before surgery, involvement of right hemisphere, ganglioglioma, and secondary generalization are more seen in patients with better surgical outcome while history of head trauma, CNS infection, family history of epilepsy, temporal lobe tumors, presence of aura, having multiple types of seizures, and epileptic discharges from temporal lobe in preoperative EEG were seen more in patients with poor outcome. Studies with larger sample sizes are suggested to confirm these findings

Molecular identification of Palearctic members of Anopheles maculipennis in northern Iran

BACKGROUND: Members of Anopheles maculipennis complex are effective malaria vectors in Europe and the Caspian Sea region in northern Iran, where malaria has been re-introduced since 1994. The current study has been designed in order to provide further evidence on the status of species composition and to identify more accurately the members of the maculipennis complex in northern Iran. METHODS: The second internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA (rDNA-ITS2) was sequenced in 28 out of 235 specimens that were collected in the five provinces of East Azerbayjan, Ardebil, Guilan, Mazandaran and Khorassan in Iran. RESULTS: The length of the ITS2 ranged from 283 to 302 bp with a GC content of 49.33 – 54.76%. No intra-specific variations were observed. Construction of phylogenetic tree based on the ITS2 sequence revealed that the six Iranian members of the maculipennis complex could be easily clustered into three groups: the An. atroparvus – Anopheles labranchiae group; the paraphyletic group of An. maculipennis, An. messeae, An. persiensis; and An. sacharovi as the third group. CONCLUSION: Detection of three species of the An. maculipennis complex including An. atroparvus, An. messae and An. labranchiae, as shown as new records in northern Iran, is somehow alarming. A better understanding of the epidemiology of malaria on both sides of the Caspian Sea may be provided by applying the molecular techniques to the correct identification of species complexes, to the detection of Plasmodium composition in Anopheles vectors and to the status of insecticide resistance by looking to related genes