ON THE GROUPS WITH THE PARTICULAR NON-COMMUTING GRAPHS

Let $G$ be a non-abelian finite group. In this paper, we prove that $Gamma(G)$ is $K_4$-free if and only if $G cong A times P$, where $A$ is an abelian group, $P$ is a $2$-group and $G/Z(G) cong mathbb{ Z}_2 times mathbb{Z}_2$. Also, we show that $Gamma(G)$ is $K_{1,3}$-free if and only if $G cong {mathbb{S}}_3,~D_8$ or $Q_8$

Association between rs56066773 and rs56232250 polymorphisms of FOXP3 gene in target site of microRNA with rheumatoid arthritis in patients referred to Emam Ali clinic of Shahrekord

Background and aims: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the numder or function of regulatory T cells (Treg) is impaired. FOXP3 is one of the major factors of Treg function. Among the factors involved on FOXP3 expression are microRNAs (MIR) which bind to 3´UTR. A nucleotide substitution in the sequence of the target site of microRNA can affect the regulation of microRNA. Polymorphisms of rs56066773 and rs56232250 in the 3´UTR of gene FOXP3 can relate with rheumatoid arthritis through the target gene. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between two polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: In this case-control study, 98 RA patients were recruited from Emam Ali rheumatology clinic and 124 healthy individuals (without the negative history of autoimmune diseases) served as control. Rs56066773 and rs56232250 polymorphisms in the 3´UTR of FOXP3 gene were investigated with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)- Restricted Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). The data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: In the study population, the frequency of the A/G in rs56066773 in patients and control was 3.1 and 1.6%, respectively. The frequency of the same genotype in rs56232250 was 1 and 1.6% in patients and controls respectively. It was not found any significant relationship between two polymorphism and disease. Conclusion: Although not found a significant relationship between polymorphisms and arthritis, previous studies has been established the relationship between polymorphisms in the microRNA target site with a number of diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to examine other FOXP3 gene 3'UTR polymorphisms

Listeria monocytogenes Contamination in Unpasteurized Traditional Cheese Products in Qazvin, Iran

Background and purpose: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and a pothential risk to public health. Listeriosis is one of the most serious infectious diseases in most developed countries . Consumption of raw milk and unpasteurized traditional dairy products such as cheese can be a major reason for listeriosis in humans. This reaserch aimed at investigating Listeria monocytogenes contamination in unpasteurized cheese products by using culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in Qazvin, Iran. Materials and methods: In this research, 128 samples of traditional cheese products were collected from different traditional shopping centers in Qazvin, between October 2017 and September 2018. They were transported to the laboratory under controlled conditions. All isolates were analysed to biochemical test. L. monocytogenes strains were further confirmed by PCR amplification. Results: Findings showed that 14 samples (10.9%) were contaminated with L. monocytogenes. The highest prevalence of L. monocytogenes was found in white cheese samples (7%). The highest rate of contamination was reported in spring and winter (3.1%). Conclusion: Listeria contamination in cheese samples studied can pose a serious risk to consumers of non-pasteurized dairy products. Therefore, food safety and health practitioners should apply effective methods and standards

Kinetics and Physicochemical Characteristics of Electrodeposited PEDOT:PSS Thin Film Growth

Abstract In bioelectronics, conducting polymer coatings allow the reduction of the impedance of metallic electrodes and facilitate the translation of bioelectrical signals at their interface. Such coatings can be made using thin film deposition from a solution or direct synthesis via electrodeposition. The electrical control over the deposition offers the possibility for a fine‐tuning of the film's thickness and structure. However, the mechanical stability of such coatings mainly suffer from their poor adhesion to the electrode surface and film cracking. Here, an extended study on the kinetics of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) electropolymerization and the evolution of its physicochemical properties is provided. The impedance spectroscopy closely follows the electrochemical variations during the PEDOT:PSS's film growth, described by modeled equivalent circuits. The film's properties change during polymerization in relation to the supporting electrode size, its surface chemistry, and the deposition time. The film growth structures polymeric morphology in a confluent layer with a strong thickness increase before reaching its mechanical surface failure. Before this point, the film remains stable over a hundred cycles of applied potential strain in a defined redox window. These evaluations benchmark the PEDOT:PSS film properties during its electropolymerization toward electrochemically tunable transducers for bioelectronics

Survey on the quality of outlet biosolids and sludge heavy metals in the wastewater treatment plants of Mazandaran province

Background: Sewage sludge is rich in fecal coliforms, Salmonella, parasite eggs, and heavy metals that can cause disease in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of outlet biosolids and sludge heavy metals in the wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Mazandaran province and to compare them with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Methods: This study was carried out on the sludge of the treatment plants of Sari, Joybar, Babol, Babolsar, Nowshahr, and Nowshahr-Chalus sludge compost plants. In this study, physical, chemical, and biological properties of sludge samples including retention time, pH, total solids (TS), color, heavy metals (copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, and chromium) as well as the density of fecal coliform, Salmonella and parasite eggs were determined and reported. Results: Biosolids of Joybar, Babol, Babolsar, and Nowshahr-Chalus WWTP in terms of parasite eggs were in class A. Biosolids of Sari WWTP in summer after drying off naturally were located in Class A, and in summer and spring, were located in Class B based on the US EPA criteria. The average concentration of heavy metals (copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, and chromium) was lower than the EPA standard. Conclusion: The results showed that mostly the treated sewage sludge in Mazandaran WWTPs were in Class B of the EPA guideline. The concentration of heavy metals in the biosolids of these WWTPs is lower than the EPA regulation and the use of these biosolids in agriculture is not limited for these metals

Carbon and metal microelectrodes for recording of epileptic High Frequency Oscillations: A comparative study

International audienceHigh Frequency Oscillations (HFO: 80-600 Hz) and particularly Fast-Ripples (FRs: 200-600 Hz) gained increasing interest over the last decade as a biomarker of epileptogenic networks. FRs were shown to be generated by small clusters of weakly synchronized hyperexcitable neurons, the recording of which requires the use of intracerebral microelectrodes. Nonetheless, the detection of FRs recorded using classical metal microelectrodes is very challenging. This is due to their small size which increases the impedance resulting in poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and distortion. Coating electrodes with Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a promising approach that was found to reduce their impedance by several orders of magnitude. However, it is also associated with poor adhesion to metals, which severely impacts its stability for chronic usage. In this study, we compared the performances of novel carbon microelectrodes combined with PEDOT:PSS and gold electrodes with PEDOT:PSS coating to Stainless Steel electrodes for the recording and detection of in vivo FRs (mouse hippocampus, kainate model of epilepsy). Results suggest that carbon electrodes allow for better detectability of epileptiform events and, in particular FRs. Perspectives of this work include the design of clinical hybrid (micro-macro) electrodes for the pre-surgical evaluation of patients with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy (DRE) and the design of neural implants for other applications in which chronic recording over long periods of time is required. © 2023 IEEE

Pulmonary Hypertension in Hemodialysis Patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of primary pulmonary hypertension (PHT) among hemodialysis patients and search for possible etiologic factors. The prevalence of PHT was prospectively estimated by Doppler echocardiogram in 62 long-term hemodialysis patients on the day post dialysis. PHT (> 35 mm Hg) was found in 32 (51.6%) patients with a mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure of 39.6 ± 13.3 mmHg. The hemoglobin and albumin levels were significantly lower in the PHT subgroup (11.1 ± 1.86 vs 9.8 ± 1.97 g/dL and 3.75 ± 0.44 vs 3.38 ± 0.32 g/dL, p = 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). Our study demonstrates a surprisingly high prevalence of PHT among patients receiving long-term hemodialysis. Early detection is important in order to avoid the serious consequences of the disease

Tuning Microelectrodes’ Impedance to Improve Fast Ripples Recording

International audienceEpilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures resulting from abnormal neuronal hyperexcitability. In the case of pharmacoresistant epilepsy requiring resection surgery, the identification of the Epileptogenic Zone (EZ) is critical. Fast Ripples (FRs; 200–600 Hz) are one of the promising biomarkers that can aid in EZ delineation. However, recording FRs requires physically small electrodes. These microelectrodes suffer from high impedance, which significantly impacts FRs’ observability and detection. In this study, we investigated the potential of a conductive polymer coating to enhance FR observability. We employed biophysical modeling to compare two types of microelectrodes: Gold (Au) and Au coated with the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (Au/PEDOT:PSS). These electrodes were then implanted into the CA1 hippocampal neural network of epileptic mice to record FRs during epileptogenesis. The results showed that the polymer-coated electrodes had a two-order lower impedance as well as a higher transfer function amplitude and cut-off frequency. Consequently, FRs recorded with the PEDOT:PSS-coated microelectrode yielded significantly higher signal energy compared to the uncoated one. The PEDOT:PSS coating improved the observability of the recorded FRs and thus their detection. This work paves the way for the development of signal-specific microelectrode designs that allow for better targeting of pathological biomarkers

Tuning the Physically Induced Crystallinity of Microfabricated Bioresorbable Guides for Insertion of Flexible Neural Implants

International audienceDevices that safely interface with the brain are critical to advancing neuroengineering. Thin and flexible neural implants show great promise alongside established silicon technologies. They therefore require a physical stiffener to allow their insertion into brain tissue. Bioresorbable polymer shanks are novel transient guides enabling accurate implantation using biocompatible materials that will be absorbed by the body over time. The development of materials with optimized stiffness and degradation is needed to provide minimally invasive probes with precise insertion capability under surgical conditions. A microfabrication protocol for the patterning of polyvinyl alcohol and its physical cross-linking is presented, resulting in insertion guides with precise shapes and tunable degradation and stiffness. The results demonstrate a remarkable improvement in batch fabricating micro-scale neural shanks with designed crystallinity. It results in their prolonged degradation time, evaluated in agarose gel, and remarkably improved penetrability due to the increase in mechanical stiffness. In vitro and in vivo studies support the high acceptability of this combination in interfacing with neural cells and tissue. This work represents a novel approach to the material and process engineering of bioresorbable polymers for developing fully organic and safe implants

A randomized trial study on the effect of amniotic membrane graft on wound healing process after anal fistulotomy

Objective: Human amniotic membrane (HAM) used as a wound coverage for more than a century. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of amniotic membrane on wound healing and reduce post-operative complication. Study design: Randomized clinical trial study. Place and duration of study: Surgery Department, Shahid Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz, in the period of between Sep. 2014 and Nov. 2015. Methodology: 73 patients with anal fistula were divided into two groups. The patients suffered from simple perianal fistula (low type) without any past medical history. Fistulotomy were performed for all of them and in interventional group HAM were applied as biologic dressing. Their wound healing improvement was evaluated post-operative in two groups. Results: From 73 patients participated in the study, 36 patients were in control group and 37 patients were in intervention group. According to the analysis of images taken from the wound, the rate of wound healing was 67.39% in intervention group and 54.51% in control group (p < 0.001). Discharge, pain, itching and stool incontinency was lower in intervention group. Analysis of pathology samples taken from the wound showed no differences between two groups. Conclusion: HAM application could lead to improvement of wound healing and reduced post-operative complications. In conclusion, HAM may act as a biologic dressing in the patients with anal fistula. Resumo: Objetivo: Membrana amniótica humana (MAH) tem sido usada para cobrir feridas por mais de um século. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a eficácia da membrana amniótica na cicatrização de feridas e reduzir complicações pós-operatórias. Desenho do estudo: Ensaio clínico randomizado. Local e duração do estudo: Departamento de Cirurgia, Shahid Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz, Irã, entre setembro de 2014 a novembro de 2015. Método: 73 pacientes com fístula anal foram divididos em dois grupos. Os pacientes sofriam de fístula perianal simples (tipo baixo) sem histórico médico prévio. A fistulotomia foi realizada em todos eles e no grupo intervenção, MAH foi aplicada como curativo biológico. A melhora da cicatrização foi avaliada no período pós-operatório em dois grupos. Resultados: De 73 pacientes que participaram do estudo, 36 pacientes eram do grupo controle e 37 pacientes do grupo intervenção. De acordo com a análise das imagens da ferida, a taxa de cicatrização foi 67,39% no grupo intervenção e 54,51% no grupo controle (p < 0,001). Secreção, dor, prurido e incontinência fecal foi menor no grupo intervenção. A análise das amostras patológicas retiradas da ferida não mostrou diferenças entre os dois grupos. Conclusão: A aplicação de MAH pode levar à melhoria da cicatrização de feridas e reduzir as complicações pós-operatórias. Em conclusão, a MAH pode atuar como um curativo biológico nos pacientes com fístula anal. Keywords: Anal fistula, Human amniotic membrane, Wound healing, Post-operative complication, Palavras-chave: Fístula anal, Membrana amniótica humana, Cicatrização da ferida, Complicação pós-operatóri