Removal of Cu(II) from Aqueous Solution by Modified Tea Waste with Magnetic Nanoparticles

Water and soil pollution by heavy metals is a serious threat to environment and human health. Therefore finding an effective method for removing heavy metals from water is very important. Removal of heavy metals from water by adsorption method has increasingly received much attention in recent years because it is simple relatively low-cost and effective method. The main objective of this research is to investigate the possibility of removing Cu(II) from aqueous solution using modified tea waste with magnetite nanoparticles. Consequently, modified tea waste with magnetite nanoparticles were prepared and characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The effects of various parameters, such as contact time, pH, Cu concentration and adsorbent dosage were studied. The adsorption isotherm data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich equation. The results indicated that the sorption data can be represented by both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and the Langmuir adsorption capacity, was found to be 22.4 mgg−1. The results indicated that Cu(II) adsorption increased with increasing solution pH. Maximum removal of Cu(II) was obtained at pH=5.5. The results also showed the adsorption were decreased by increasing of initial Cu(II) concentration. An increase in adsorbent dosage increased the removal of Cu(II). The results also revealed that modified tea waste with magnetite nanoparticles can be an attractive option for metal removal from contaminated water

Cognitive Fitness: Harnessing the Strength of Exerkines for Aging and Metabolic Challenges

Addressing cognitive impairment (CI) represents a significant global challenge in health and social care. Evidence suggests that aging and metabolic disorders increase the risk of CI, yet promisingly, physical exercise has been identified as a potential ameliorative factor. Specifically, there is a growing understanding that exercise-induced cognitive improvement may be mediated by molecules known as exerkines. This review delves into the potential impact of aging and metabolic disorders on CI, elucidating the mechanisms through which various exerkines may bolster cognitive function in this context. Additionally, the discussion extends to the role of exerkines in facilitating stem cell mobilization, offering a potential avenue for improving cognitive impairment

Evaluation of antibacterial effect of concentrated growth factor on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis

Introduction: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis are the two main bacteria that cause periodontitis which is an inflammatory disease of periodontal tissues. Numerous antibacterial agents have been introduced to fight against these periodontal pathogens, but the antibacterial efficacy of concentrated growth factor has not been studied yet. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the antibacterial impact of concentrated growth factor on the growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Methods: In this study, concentrated growth factor was obtained from blood samples of healthy people with no systemic disease and no antibiotics used for at least 3 months before the experiments. The concentrated growth factor from each blood sample was divided into two parts, i.e., three samples in P. gingivalis group and three samples in A. actinomycetemcomitans group, and a positive control group to verify the accuracy of the procedure and a negative group to rule out any contamination. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of CGF against A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were determined by the broth microdilution method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22 software, and P value significance was set to 0.05. Results: The antibacterial property of CGF on the studied bacteria in concentrations of MIC and ¼ MIC is the same for both bacteria, but in ½ MIC, its impact on A. actinomycetemcomitans is significantly higher than P. gingivalis. Examining the MBC showed that no MBC dose was obtained. Results of the disk diffusion test indicated the lack of the zones of bacterial growth inhibition. Conclusions: Considering the limitations of our study, it can be concluded that CGF has antibacterial effectiveness against A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis with no significant difference between two bacteria

Comparison and Evaluation of Current Animal Models for Perineural Scar Formation in Rat

  Objective (s): Scar formation in injured peripheral nerve bed causes several consequences which impede the process of nerve regeneration. Several animal models are used for scar induction in preclinical studies which target prevention and/or suppression of perineural scar. This study evaluates the translational capacity of four of physical injury models to induce scar formation around the sciatic nerve of rat: laceration, crush, mince and burn.   Materials and Methods: Functional (Toe out angle), macroscopic, and microscopic evaluations were performed weekly for four weeks and correlation of findings were analyzed. Result: While macroscopic and microscopic findings suggested a well-developed and adhesive fibrosis surrounding the sciatic nerve, functional assessment did not reveal any significant difference between control and experimental groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Our study suggests that none of the applied animal models reproduce all essential features of clinical perineural scar formation. Therefore, more studies are needed to develop optimal animal models for translating preclinical investigation

The Effect of Timing of Decompression on Neurologic Recovery and Histopathologic Findings After Spinal Cord Compression in a Rat Model

Prior animal models have shown that rats sustaining 3-second immediate spinal cord compression had significantly better functional recovery and smaller lesion volumes than rats subjected to compression times of 1 hour, 6 hours, 3 weeks, and 10 weeks after spinal cord injury. We compare locomotor rating scales and spinal cord histopathology after 3 seconds and 10 minute compression times. . Ten rats were assigned into two early (3-second) and late (10-minute) compressive surgery groups. Compressive injury was produced using an aneurysmal clip method. Rats were followed-up for 11 weeks, and behavioral assessment was done by inclined plane test and tail-flick reflex. At the end of the study, the rats were sacrificed, and spinal cord specimens were studied in light and EM. Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scales were significantly better in the early compression group after the 4th week of evaluation (P<0.05) and persisted throughout the remainder of the study. Histopathology demonstrated decreased normal tissue, more severe gliosis and cystic formation in the late group compared to the early group (P<0.05). In EM study, injuries in the late group including injury to the myelin and axon were more severe than the early compression group, and there was more cytoplasmic edema in the late compression group. Spinal cord injury secondary to 3-second compression improves functional motor recovery, spares more functional tissue, and is associated with less intracellular edema, less myelin and axon damage and more myelin regeneration in rats compared to those with 10 minutes of compression. Inclined plane test and tail-flick reflex had no significant difference

Subarachnoid Space Transplantation of Schwann and/or Olfactory Ensheathing Cells Following Severe Spinal Cord Injury Fails to Improve Locomotor Recovery in Rats

Treatment of spinal cord injury by exogenous cells has brought both successful and unsuccessful results. Olfactory ensheathing cells and Schwann cells have been widely used for transplantation purposes. In this study, we investigated the effects of these cells on contused spinal cord by introducing cells into subarachnoid space. Fifty thousand Schwann cells or olfactory ensheathing cells or a mixture of both cell types were transplanted one week after a 3-second clip compression injury at T-9 spinal cord level in rats. Starting from the day one of spinal cord injury, animals were assessed for six months by BBB test and then were sacrificed for immunohistochemistry labeling of the spinal cord injury site. There was no locomotor recovery in any of the treatment groups including controls. Immunohistochemistry assessment indicated positive labeling of P75 and S100 markers in the cell-transplanted groups compared with control. Our data suggest that transplantation of Schwann cells and/or olfactory ensheathing cells into the subarachnoid space does not improve motor recovery in severely injured spinal cord, at least with the number of cells transplanted here. This, however, should not be regarded as an essentially negative outcome, and further studies which consider higher densities of cells are required

Corrigendum to: “Subarachnoid Space Transplantation of Schwann and/or Olfactory Ensheathing Cells Following Severe Spinal Cord Injury Fails to Improve Locomotor Recovery in Rats” [Acta Med Iran 2016;54(9):562-569]

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