118 research outputs found
Holographic Complexity and Fidelity Susceptibility as Holographic Information Dual to Different Volumes in AdS
The holographic complexity and fidelity susceptibility have been defined as
new quantities dual to different volumes in AdS. In this paper, we will use
these new proposals to calculate both of these quantities for a variety of
interesting deformations of AdS. We obtain the holographic complexity and
fidelity susceptibility for an AdS black hole, Janus solution and a solution
with cylindrically symmetry, an inhomogeneous background and a hyperscaling
violating background. It is observed that the holographic complexity depends on
the size of the subsystem for all these solutions and the fidelity
susceptibility does not have any such dependence.Comment: Slighly updated version. Accepted for publication in Phys. Letters
Validation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in an Iranian sample
Background: Considering the adverse effects of postpartum depression
on both mother and infant, a screening instrument for early diagnosis
seems to be of importance.
Aims: To assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) on a sample of Iranian
postpartum women.
Method: The EPDS was translated and back-translated in the standard method. The questionnaire was completed by 600 postpartum
women. Hundred cases with an EPDS score of �9 and 100 cases with
an EPDS of <9 were randomly selected for interview. Sensitivity,
specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and receiver operating characteristics were calculated by comparing the EPDS sum score against the
DSM-IV diagnoses. The correlation coefficient of the EPDS score with
GHQ-12 score was calculated. Principal component analysis and internal consistency were assessed.
Results: The best cutoff scores for major depression were 12=13
with a sensitivity and specificity of 95.3% and 87.9%, respectively. The
correlation coefficient of the total score of the Persian version of EPDS
with the GHQ-12 total score was 0.76 (P<0.001). A two-factor solution was selected as the most appropriate model based on both values
and the score plot. The coefficient alpha for the whole scale was 0.83.
Conclusion: The Persian version of EPDS is a reliable and valid
measure for detecting postpartum depression. Furthermore, it seems
acceptable to patients and a valid screening instrument for depression
in postpartum women
Development of Paper Biosensor for the Detection of Phenol from Industrial Effluents Using Bioconjugate of Tyr-AuNps Mediated by Novel Isolate Streptomyces tuirus
Paper biosensor was developed using Tyr-AuNps bioconjugate produced by Streptomyces for the detection of phenol from the effluent of wine, paper, and plastic industries. Among three filter papers assessed, Whatman number 2 filter paper was proved to be the best paper base for the development of biosensor. Tyrosinase and gold nanoparticles being produced by a single novel isolate Streptomyces tuirus DBZ39 proved to be efficient bioconjugate for the detection of phenol constituents, due to its biocompatibility. The substrate specific catalytic activity of the tyrosinase and unique Surface Plasmon Resonance attribute of gold nanoparticles are the cause for efficient detection of phenol constituents from the effluent of wine, paper, and plastic industries in 3 min. The different types and quantity of phenolic constituents in various industrial effluents, such as phenol in wine, dopamine in paper, and catechol in plastic effluents, were accurately detected by the bioconjugate. The efficacy of tyrosinase in the detection of phenol constituents was expected to be enhanced by the gold nanoparticles because of their electron, optical, and magnetic properties. This novel paper strip biosensor could be cost-effective and efficient means of future devices for the detection of phenolic pollutants from any environmental samples
SEX-SPECIFIC RESTORATION OF MK-801-INDUCED SENSORIMOTOR GATING DEFICIT BY ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT
Despite ample evidence of N-methyl-D-aspartate
(NMDA) receptor dysfunction in schizophrenia, no study
has addressed the effects of enriched environment (EE) on
sensorimotor gating deficits induced by postnatal NMDA
receptor blockade. We evaluated the effect of EE on sensorimotor gating (measured by prepulse inhibition, PPI), or on
sensorimotor gating deficit induced by the NMDA receptor
antagonist (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cy
clohepten-5,10-imine maleate (MK-801) in both sexes of
Wistar rats. Rats were injected with MK-801 (1 mg/kg) on
postnatal days (P) 6–10. EE was provided from birth up to
the time of experiments on P28–30 or P58–60. PPI data were
collected at three prepulse intensities and then averaged to
yield global PPI. MK-801 treatment reduced PPI significantly in both sexes. While EE per se had no significant
effect on PPI, it restored MK-801-induced PPI deficit only
in male rats. An extended period of EE did not influence
PPI deficit in female rats. Our results indicate that postnatal
exposure to MK-801 may exert long-lasting effects on neuronal circuits underlying sensorimotor gating. Sex-specific
modulation of such effects by EE suggests sexually dimorphic mechanisms are involved. ďż˝ 2015 IBRO. Published by
Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Antibacterial efficacy of indigenous Pakistani honey against extensively drug-resistant clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi: an alternative option to combat antimicrobial resistance
Abstract
Background Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) poses a grave threat to public health due to increased mortality and morbidity caused by typhoid fever. Honey is a promising antibacterial agent,
and we aimed to determine the antibacterial activity of honey against XDR S. Typhi.
Methods We isolated 20 clinical isolates of XDR S. Typhi from pediatric septicemic patients and determined the
minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of diferent antibiotics against the pathogens using the VITEK 2 Compact
system. Antimicrobial-resistant genes carried by the isolates were identifed using PCR. The antibacterial efcacy of
fve Pakistani honeys was examined using agar well difusion assay, and their MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were determined with the broth microdilution method.
Results All 20 isolates were confrmed as S. Typhi. The antibiogram phenotype was confrmed as XDR S. Typhi with
resistance to ampicillin (≥32 µg/mL), ciprofoxacin (≥4 µg/mL), and ceftriaxone (≥4 µg/mL) and sensitivity to
azithromycin (≤16 µg/mL) and carbapenems (≤1 µg/mL). Molecular conformation revealed the presence of blaTM-1,
Sul1, qnrS, gyrA, gyrB, and blaCTX-M-15 genes in all isolates. Among the fve honeys, beri honey had the highest zone of
inhibition of 7–15 mm and neem honey had a zone of inhibition of 7–12 mm. The MIC and MBC of beri honey against
3/20 (15%) XDR S. Typhi isolates were 3.125 and 6.25%, respectively, while the MIC and MBC of neem were 3.125 and
6.25%, respectively, against 3/20 (15%) isolates and 6.25 and 12.5%, respectively, against 7/20 (35%) isolates.
Conclusion Indigenous honeys have an efective role in combating XDR S. Typhi. They are potential candidates for
clinical trials as alternative therapeutic options against XDR S. Typhi isolates.
Keywords Antimicrobial resistance, Natural antibiotics, XDR S. Typhi, MIC, Honey, Resistance gene
Dysregulated autophagy in restrictive cardiomyopathy due to Pro209Leu mutation in BAG3
Myofibrillary myopathies (MFM) are hereditary myopathies histologically characterized by degeneration of myofibrils and aggregation of proteins in striated muscle. Cardiomyopathy is common in MFM but the pathophysiological mechanisms are not well understood. The BAG3-Pro209Leu mutation is associated with early onset MFM and severe restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), often necessitating heart transplantation during childhood. We report on a young male patient with a BAG3-Pro209Leu mutation who underwent heart transplantation at eight years of age. Detailed morphological analyses of the explanted heart tissue showed intracytoplasmic inclusions, aggregation of BAG3 and desmin, disintegration of myofibers and Z-disk alterations. The presence of undegraded autophagosomes, seen by electron microscopy, as well as increased levels of p62, LC3-I and WIPI1, detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses, indicated a dysregulation of autophagy. Parkin and PINK1, proteins involved in mitophagy, were slightly increased whereas mitochondrial OXPHOS activities were not altered. These findings indicate that altered autophagy plays a role in the pathogenesis and rapid progression of RCM in MFM caused by the BAG3-Pro209Leu mutation, which could have implications for future therapeutic strategies
Degradation mechanism analysis in temperature stress tests on III-V ultra-high concentrator solar cells using a 3D distributed model
A temperature stress test was carried out on GaAs single-junction solar cells to analyze the degradation suffered when working at ultra-high concentrations. The acceleration of the degradation was realized at two different temperatures: 130 °C and 150 °C. In both cases, the degradation trend was the same, and only gradual failures were observed. A fit of the dark I–V curve at 25 °C with a 3D distributed model before and after the test was done. The fit with the 3D distributed model revealed degradation at the perimeter because the recombination current in the depletion region of the perimeter increased by about fourfold after the temperature stress test. Therefore, this test did not cause any morphological change in the devices, and although the devices were isolated with silicone, the perimeter region was revealed as the most fragile component of the solar cell. Consequently, the current flowing beneath the busbar favors the progression of defects in the device in the perimeter region
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