54 research outputs found
Influence of 1 Alpha, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 on T helper 17 cells and related cytokines in systemic lupus erythematosus
Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease. Emerging data suggests that T helper 17 (Th17) cells play a pathogenic role in SLE and the increased number of these cells correlates with disease activity. In recent years, 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25VitD3) has been considered as an immunomodulatory factor. Objective: To investigate the effect of 1,25VitD3 on Th17 cells and on the expression of related cytokines in SLE patients. Method: Thirty SLE patients (newly diagnosed or in remission) were sampled for 10 ml whole blood to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. Isolated cells were cultured in the presence and absence of 50 nM 1,25VitD3. After incubation, cells were harvested and stimulated for 4-5 hours with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin in the presence of brefeldin A. IL-17 secreting cells were analyzed by flowcytometry. RNA was extracted from cultured cells, cDNA was synthesized, and the expression levels of IL-6, IL-17, IL-23 and TGF-β genes were assessed by real-time PCR. Results: The percentage of Th17 cells (CD3+CD8- IL-17+ T cells) decreased significantly in 1,25VitD3-treated cells (3.67 ± 2.43%) compared to untreated cells (4.65 ± 2.75%) (p=0.003). The expression of TGF-β up regulated (1.38-fold) and the expression of IL-6 (50%), IL-17 (27%) and IL-23 (64%) down regulated after 1,25VitD3 treatment. Conclusion: This study showed that 1,25VitD3 modulates Th17 related pathways in SLE patients and revealed the immunomodulatory effect of 1,25VitD3 on the Th17 mediated autoimmunity. © 2015, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved
Measurements of integral muon intensity at large zenith angles
High-statistics data on near-horizontal muons collected with Russian-Italian
coordinate detector DECOR are analyzed. Precise measurements of muon angular
distributions in zenith angle interval from 60 to 90 degrees have been
performed. In total, more than 20 million muons are selected. Dependences of
the absolute integral muon intensity on zenith angle for several threshold
energies ranging from 1.7 GeV to 7.2 GeV are derived. Results for this region
of zenith angles and threshold energies have been obtained for the first time.
The dependence of integral intensity on zenith angle and threshold energy is
well fitted by a simple analytical formula.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
Precise Measurements of Atmospheric Muon Fluxes with the BESS Spectrometer
The vertical absolute fluxes of atmospheric muons and muon charge ratio have
been measured precisely at different geomagnetic locations by using the BESS
spectrometer. The observations had been performed at sea level (30 m above sea
level) in Tsukuba, Japan, and at 360 m above sea level in Lynn Lake, Canada.
The vertical cutoff rigidities in Tsukuba (36.2 N, 140.1 E) and in Lynn Lake
(56.5 N, 101.0 W) are 11.4 GV and 0.4 GV, respectively. We have obtained
vertical fluxes of positive and negative muons in a momentum range from 0.6 to
20 GeV/c with systematic errors less than 3 % in both measurements. By
comparing the data collected at two different geomagnetic latitudes, we have
seen an effect of cutoff rigidity. The dependence on the atmospheric pressure
and temperature, and the solar modulation effect have been also clearly
observed. We also clearly observed the decrease of charge ratio of muons at low
momentum side with at higher cutoff rigidity region.Comment: 35 pages, 9 figures. Submitted to Astroparticle Physic
Prompt muon contribution to the flux underwater
We present high energy spectra and zenith-angle distributions of the
atmospheric muons computed for the depths of the locations of the underwater
neutrino telescopes. We compare the calculations with the data obtained in the
Baikal and the AMANDA muon experiments. The prompt muon contribution to the
muon flux underwater due to recent perturbative QCD-based models of the charm
production is expected to be observable at depths of the large underwater
neutrino telescopes. This appears to be probable even at rather shallow depths
(1-2 km), provided that the energy threshold for muon detection is raised above
TeV.Comment: 7 pages, RevTeX, 7 eps figures, final version to be published in
Phys.Rev.D; a few changes made in the text and the figures, an approximation
formula for muon spectra at the sea level, the muon zenith-angle distribution
table data and references adde
On inconsistency of experimental data on primary nuclei spectra with sea level muon intensity measurements
For the first time a complete set of the most recent direct data on primary
cosmic ray spectra is used as input into calculations of muon flux at sea level
in wide energy range GeV. Computations have been performed
with the CORSIKA/QGSJET and CORSIKA/VENUS codes. The comparison of the obtained
muon intensity with the data of muon experiments shows, that measurements of
primary nuclei spectra conform to sea level muon data only up to several tens
of GeV and result in essential deficit of muons at higher energies. As it
follows from our examination, uncertainties in muon flux measurements and in
the description of nuclear cascades development are not suitable to explain
this contradiction, and the only remaining factor, leading to this situation,
is underestimation of primary light nuclei fluxes. We have considered
systematic effects, that may distort the results of the primary cosmic ray
measurements with the application of the emulsion chambers. We suggest, that
re-examination of these measurements is required with the employment of
different hadronic interaction models. Also, in our point of view, it is
necessary to perform estimates of possible influence of the fact, that sizable
fraction of events, identified as protons, actually are antiprotons. Study of
these cosmic ray component begins to attract much attention, but today nothing
definite is known for the energies GeV. In any case, to realize whether
the mentioned, or some other reasons are the sources of disagreement of the
data on primaries with the data on muons, the indicated effects should be
thoroughly analyzed
Study of parasites occurrence and intensity in fishes of Anzali Lagoon
Tish survey prolonged from summer 2011 trough summer 2012. During this period 574 samples of different fish species were investigated for their parasites. Totally 30 species of parasites isolated of the fishes. Some of the isolated parasites are recorded for the first time in Iran. Rafidascaris acus Orientocreadium siluri, Silurotaenia siluri, Acanthocephalus lucii , Argulus foliaceus has recorded for the first time from European catfish, Silurus glanis, and Dactylogyrus inexpectatus has recorded for the first time from Gibel Carp, Carassius auratus gibelio, in Anzali wetland. Statistical comparison of parasites infections and intensity between the different area of Anzali wetland were done. Infection of Pike, Esox lucius, to Diplostomum spathaceum, Raphidascaris acus and Monogenean in western parts of wetland were significantly different from the Eastern and Central areas (p<0.05). So based on the data have concluded the eastern and central regions of the wetland are more polluted than the western part. Comparing the results of the present study with before ones showed that the composition of parasite species has been changed over time, while the prevalence, intensity and abundance of parasites have been increased. It may be due to changing environmental conditions such as increasing discharge of effluent, eutrophication of the wetland. This results accents to necessity of reconstruction of Anzali wetland with preference of eastern and central regions
Measuring myocardial extracellular volume of the right ventricle in patients with congenital heart disease
The right ventricle's (RV) characteristics - thin walls and trabeculation - make it challenging to evaluate extracellular volume (ECV). We aimed to assess the feasibility of RV ECV measurements in congenital heart disease (CHD), and to introduce a novel ECV analysis tool. Patients (n = 39) and healthy controls (n = 17) underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance T1 mapping in midventricular short axis (SAX) and transverse orientation (TRANS). Regions of interest (ROIs) were evaluated with regard to image quality and maximum RV wall thickness per ROI in pixels. ECV from plane ROIs was compared with values obtained with a custom-made tool that derives the mean T1 values from a "line of interest" (LOI) centered in the RV wall. In CHD, average image quality was good (no artifacts in the RV, good contrast between blood/myocardium), and RV wall thickness was 1-2 pixels. RV ECV was not quantifiable in 4/39 patients due to insufficient contrast or wall thickness < 1 pixel. RV myocardium tended to be more clearly delineated in SAX than TRANS. ECV from ROIs and corresponding LOIs correlated strongly in both directions (SAX/TRANS: r = 0.97/0.87, p < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, RV ECV can be assessed if image quality allows sufficient distinction between myocardium and blood, and RV wall thickness per ROI is ≥ 1 pixel. T1 maps in SAX are recommended for RV ECV analysis. LOI application simplifies RV ECV measurements
Atmospheric Muon Flux at Sea Level, Underground, and Underwater
The vertical sea-level muon spectrum at energies above 1 GeV and the
underground/underwater muon intensities at depths up to 18 km w.e. are
calculated. The results are particularly collated with a great body of the
ground-level, underground, and underwater muon data. In the hadron-cascade
calculations, the growth with energy of inelastic cross sections and pion,
kaon, and nucleon generation in pion-nucleus collisions are taken into account.
For evaluating the prompt muon contribution to the muon flux, we apply two
phenomenological approaches to the charm production problem: the recombination
quark-parton model and the quark-gluon string model. To solve the muon
transport equation at large depths of homogeneous medium, a semi-analytical
method is used. The simple fitting formulas describing our numerical results
are given. Our analysis shows that, at depths up to 6-7 km w. e., essentially
all underground data on the muon intensity correlate with each other and with
predicted depth-intensity relation for conventional muons to within 10%.
However, the high-energy sea-level data as well as the data at large depths are
contradictory and cannot be quantitatively decribed by a single nuclear-cascade
model.Comment: 47 pages, REVTeX, 15 EPS figures included; recent experimental data
and references added, typos correcte
Calculation of the Flux of Atmospheric Neutrinos
Atmospheric neutrino-fluxes are calculated over the wide energy range from 30
MeV to 3,000 GeV for the study of neutrino-physics using the data from
underground neutrino-detectors. The atmospheric muon-flux at high altitude and
at sea level is studied to calibrate the neutrino-fluxes at low energies and
high energies respectively. The agreement of our calculation with observations
is satisfactory. The uncertainty of atmospheric neutrino-fluxes is also
studied.Comment: 51 page
The study of some limnological study of the Kan river in the catchment area of the Persian Gulf Martyrs Lake (Chitgar), Tehran trophic index in Anzali lagoon
This study focused on identification phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, fishes and relationship between biotic and abiotic parameters at three stations in the Kan river during 2014. This study identified 19 phytoplankton taxa. The findings showed, the diatoms abundance were dominated in the river. The chlorophytes abundance were recorded the lowest abundance in this study. The nutrients and water temperature were the significant abiotic parameters to increase cyanophytes and chlorophytes abundance in the Kan river. This study identified 26 zooplankton taxa. The Rotatoria and Protozoa abundance were dominated in the Kan river. Based on CCA, there was no correlation between abundance zooplankton and abiotic parameters. The biodiversity index of plankton was between 1.8 and 2 and the lake situation is located in the mesotrophic category. The study of the Kan river fishes showed, only one endemic fish species Capoeta bohsei. The length (between 38 and 270 mm, average 144±86 mm) and weight (between 1.1 and 356 g, average 108.8±146.7 g) of the C. bohsei were varied during the study period. The 19 benthos taxa were identified. The Ephemeroptera was most abundant in the benthos groups. The classification of river based on biology indicator and environmental parameters confimed that water quality is located in the moderate category
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