51 research outputs found
Solar energy integration in heritage buildings. A case study of St. Nicholas Church
As climate change accelerates and operational energy burdens strain resources, protecting irreplaceable cultural heritage assets requires urgent prioritization to align preservation with principles of environmental and economic sustainability. Global building energy associated carbon dioxide emissions are projected to escalate over 50% by 2060 in a business as usual scenario, necessitating extensive retrofitting interventions. This research pioneer's solar technology integration methodologies for heritage sites by developing an original framework evaluating renewable addition feasibility based on comprehensive multi-criteria assessments integrating architectural, cultural, climatic and energy data analytic techniques with participatory planning essential for meaningful adoption. Outcomes aim conveying solar solutions as contemporary manifestations of custodial stewardship honoring artifacts from prior generations by sustaining their continuation using state-of-the-art environmental control modernizations. Demonstration case studies confirm site net-zero energy balances attainable today through 50% consumption reductions from envelope and lighting upgrades supplemented by distributed 20% efficiency building-integrated photovoltaic arrays sized under 50 W/m2 for negligible visibility or structural impacts. Controlled demonstration installations enable incremental capacity expansion validating projections to overcome reservations around inadequately modeled material impacts over full weathering exposure cycles. Participatory monitoring and contextual priority balancing thereby foster smooth logistical coordination and optimized generative restoration
Effect of Cyperus rotundus on ischemia-induced brain damage and memory dysfunction in rats
Objective(s): Global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury causes loss of pyramidal cells in CA1 region of hippocampus. In this study, we investigated the possible neuroprotective effects of the ethanol extract of Cyperus rotundus (EECR) on a model of global transient ischemia in rat, by evaluating the pathophysiology of the hippocampal tissue and spatial memory. Materials and Methods: Treatment group (EECR, 100 mg/kg/day) was gavaged from 4 days before, to 3 days after ischemia. Morris water maze test was performed 1 week after ischemia for 4 days. Brain tissue was prepared for Nissl staining. Results: Our data showed no statistical difference between the treatment and ischemia groups in water maze task. So, treatment of ischemia with EECR cannot improve spatial learning and memory. On the contrary EECR ameliorated the CA1 pyramidal cell loss due to transient global ischemia/ reperfusion injury. Conclusion: These results suggest that EECR cannot reduce the ischemia-induced, cognitive impairments seen after transient, global cerebral ischemia but can prevent pyramidal cell loss in CA1 region of hippocampus. © 2015, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved
Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1: A Urinary Biomarker of Kidney Disease.
Identifying noninvasive biomarkers of kidney disease is valuable for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) expression is known to be elevated in the kidneys in several renal disease pathologies. We hypothesized that the urinary HIF-1a mRNA level may be a suitable biomarker for expression of this protein in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We compared HIF-1a mRNA levels from urine pellets of CKD and healthy subjects. To ensure that urinary HIF-1a mRNA is of kidney origin, we examined colocalization of HIF-1a mRNA with two kidney specific markers in urine cells. We found that HIF-1a mRNA is readily quantifiable in urine pellets and its expression was significantly higher in CKD patients compared with healthy adults. We also showed that the urinary HIF-1a mRNA comes primarily from cells of renal origin. Our data suggest that urinary HIF-1a mRNA is a potential biomarker in CKD and can be noninvasively assessed in patients
Early Detection of t(8;21) Chromosomal Translocations During Treatment of PML-RARA Positive Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Case Study
Here we describe a female patient who developed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) characterized by t(l5;17) translocation at diagnosis. The patient began treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) + chemotherapy. During follow up, the patient was found to be negative for the t(15;17) transcript after 3 months of therapy which remained undetectable, thereafter. However, the emergence of a small clone with a t(8;21) abnormality was observed in the bone marrow and peripheral blood (PB) cells between 3 and 18 months following treatment initiation. The abnormal translocation observed in PB cells obtained at 3 months was detected after the second cycle of consolidation therapy and reappeared at 15 months during maintenance treatment, a period without ATRA. Although based on a single case, we conclude that genetic screening of multiple translocations in AML patients should be requested to allow early identification of other emerging clones during therapy that may manifest clinically following treatment
Pneumococcal infection of respiratory cells exposed to welding fumes; Role of oxidative stress and HIF-1 alpha
Colt Foundation: CF/05/12
Huygens Principle-based Microwave Brain Imaging through Finite Difference Time Domain
This paper investigates the application of Huygens principle (HP) in brain imaging. We employ simulation techniques, specifically the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method, in order to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of
this methodology in detecting strokes within the brain. The FDTD method is particularly noteworthy due to its straightforward implementation and high level of accuracy. Moreover, its compatibility with time domain analysis allows us to effectively incorporate time-varying sources. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of HP procedure, we examine various scenarios in our simulations. The results provide compelling evidence of the considerable potential of HP imaging for the brain, highlighting its adaptability for a wide range of applications. These research findings yield valuable insights into the possibilities of using HP for brain imaging, laying the foundation for future advancements and innovation in the field of brain imaging for stroke detection
Clinical and molecular spectrum of P/Q type calcium channel Cav2.1 in epileptic patients
Background: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by the potential to induce seizure and accompanied by cognitive, psychological, and social consequences. CACNA1A gene is a voltage-gated P/Q-type Cav2.1 channel that is broadly expressed in the central nervous system, and the pathogenic variants within this gene may be associated with the epileptic phenotype. In the present study, we collected clinical and molecular data related to epileptic patients with CACNA1A pathogenic variants and investigated possible meaningful relationship between age at onset, neurodevelopmental disorders, type of seizures, brain imaging abnormalities, genotype, and protein domains. Results: In our retrospective literature studies, from among 890 articles reviewed, a total of 90 individuals were related to epilepsy phenotype. Our findings showed that about 90 percent of patients have shown the first symptoms in childhood and teenage years and different types of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as intellectual disability, developmental arrest, and behavioral disorders, have been common findings for these patients. Further, a wide range of abnormalities have been observed in their brain imaging, and generalized seizures have been the most type of seizures in these patients. However, our data showed no specific genotype�phenotype correlation in epileptic patients with CACNA1A pathogenic alterations. Conclusions: Our study focused on epileptic phenotype in patients with CACNA1A pathogenic variants and showed a wide range of clinical and molecular heterogeneity with no specific genotype�phenotype correlation. It seems that incomplete penetrance, de-novo variants, and modifier genes are obstacles in predicting the clinical outcome. © 2021, The Author(s)
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