Polyaniline/palladium nanohybrids for moisture and hydrogen detection.

Palladium nanoparticles display fascinating electronic, optical and catalytic properties, thus they can be used for various applications such as sensor fabrication. Conducting polymers such as polyaniline have also been widely used in sensor technology due to its cost effectiveness, versatility, and ease of synthesis. In this research, attention was given to unify the exceptional properties of these two materials and construct palladium nanoparticle coated polyaniline films to detect hydrogen and moisture. Electrochemical polymerization of aniline was carried out on gold sputtered epoxy resin boards. Polyaniline film was generated across a gap of 0.2 mm created by a scratch made on the gold coating prior to electrochemical polymerization. A palladium nanoparticle dispersion was prepared using sonochemical reduction method and coated on to polyaniline film using drop-drying technique. Polyaniline only films were also fabricated for comparative analysis. Sensitivity of films towards humidity and hydrogen was evaluated using impedance spectroscopy in the presence of the respective species. According to the results, polyaniline films exhibited an impedance drop in the presence of humidity and the response was significantly improved once palladium nanoparticles were incorporated. Interestingly, polyaniline only films did not respond to hydrogen. Nevertheless, palladium nanoparticle coated polyaniline films exhibited remarkable response towards hydrogen

Deterioro de la calidad seminal de los cordobeses en los últimos 20 años: posibles factores causales

Worldwide, around 15% of the couples suffer from infertility; male factor has been linked to more than 50% of the cases. Several studies from different countries have tried to detect temporal trends in semen quality, reaching controversial findings. Only a few of them aimed to establish an association between trends in semen quality and possible explicative factors.The aim of this observational descriptive study was to analyze the possible variation in seminal quality during the last 20 years (2011 to 2020), evaluating 21130 semen samples from patients attending an andrology center (Laboratorio de Andrología y Reproducción –LAR-), and to identify possible explicative lifestyle and/or environmental factors.After the sign of the informed consent, all the patients attending to LAR were recluted. Those with age or abstinence out of the range (20-60 years and 2-7 days respectively) were excluded. The 20 years period was divided in four subperiods of five years each (P1-P4). Data of semen analysis, body mass index and lifestyle/environmental factors were evaluated by Chi square test and logistic regression.We found a significant increase (p<0.05) in the frequencies of asthenozoospermia (P125.02% vs.P436.39%), teratozoospermia (P130.25% vs.P345.55%) and patients with both abnormalities (P111.59% vs.P418.99%); and decreased frequencies in the percentages of nuclear maturity (P154,65% vs.P413,02%) and membrane integrity abnormalities (HOST:P16,11% vs.P41,98%, respectively) (p<0,05). In addition, we found significant increases (p<0.05) in the frequencies of varicocele, especially varicocele grade 1 (P110,00% vs.P443,87%) and surgically treated (P17,02% vs.P430,02%), exposure to toxics (i.e agrochemichal, heat, etc) (P12,11% vs. P411,55%), smoking > 10 cigarettes/day (P13,24% vs.P44,66%), drinking 1-2 glasses of alcohol/day (P111,52% vs.P448,34%), and obesity (P118,20% vs.P423,22%). Toxic exposition, obesity and varicocele were significantly associated (p<0.05) with high frequencies of astenozoospermia, teratozoospermia y oligoastenoteratozoospermia. In agreement with previous studies, a moderate alcohol consumption (1-2 glasses/day) was significantly associated with low frequencies of nuclear maturity and HOST abnormalities (p<0,05).In summary, seminal quality declined during the last 20 years, in concordance with an increase in the frequencies of exposure to risk factor. On the other hand, moderate alcohol consumption showed a protective association with some seminal parameters.Mundialmente se estima que 15% de las parejas son infértiles; el factor masculino se asocia al 50% de los casos. Diferentes estudios han intentado detectar tendencias temporales en la calidad seminal; sin embargo los resultados son contradictorios y pocas veces se evaluaron posibles factores explicativos.El objetivo de este estudio descriptivo observacional fue analizar la posible variación en la calidad seminal en los últimos de 20 años (2001-2020), evaluando 21.130 pacientes del Laboratorio de Andrología y Reproducción (LAR) de Córdoba. Determinar además, posibles factores que se asocien a tales cambios.Tras firma de consentimiento, se reclutó a todos los pacientes del LAR durante el período, pero se excluyó a aquellos con edad o abstinencia fuera de rango (20-60 años y 2-7 días respectivamente). Se dividió al período de estudio en cuatro subperíodos de cinco años (P1-P4). Los datos de espermograma, índice de masa corporal y factores de exposición/estilo de vida se analizaron mediante Chi-cuadrado y regresiones logísticas.Se constató un aumento significativo (p<0,05) en las frecuencias de astenozoospermia (P125,02% vs.P436,39%), teratozoospermia (P130,25% vs.P345,55%) y de pacientes con ambas anormalidades (P111,59% vs.P418,99%); así como una disminución en las frecuencias de anormalidades en madurez nuclear (P154,65% vs.P413,02%) y en integridad funcional de la membrana (HOST: P16,11% vs.P41,98%) (p<0,05). Asimismo, aumentaron significativamente (p<0,05) las frecuencias de varicocele, especialmente las grado 1 (P110,00% vs.P443,87%) y las resueltas quirúrgicamente (P17,02%vs.P430,02%), exposición a tóxicos (agroquímicos, calor, etc) (P12,11% vs. P411,55%), consumo de más de 10 cigarrillos/día (P13,24% vs.P44,66%), consumo moderado (hasta dos vasos) de alcohol/día (P111,52% vs.P448,34%) y obesidad (P118,20% vs.P423,22%). Exposición a tóxicos, obesidad mórbida y varicocele se asociaron significativamente (p<0,05) a altas frecuencias de astenozoospermia, teratozoospermia y oligoastenoteratozoospermia; el tabaquismo se asoció a altas frecuencias de astenozoospermia y, en concordancia con estudios previos, el consumo moderado de alcohol se asoció a baja frecuencia de anormalidades en madurez y HOST.En conclusión, la calidad seminal mostró un perfil deletéreo en el período 2001-2020, en consonancia al aumento en la exposición a algunos factores de riesgo. Por su parte, el consumo moderado de alcohol se asoció a una mejoría en algunos parámetros del espermograma

Deterioro de la calidad seminal de los cordobeses en los últimos 20 años: posibles factores causales

Abstract:  Worldwide, around 15% of the couples suffer from infertility; male factor has been linked to more than 50% of the cases. Several studies from different countries have tried to detect temporal trends in semen quality, reaching controversial findings. Only a few of them aimed to establish an association between trends in semen quality and possible explicative factors.The aim of this observational descriptive study was to analyze the possible variation in seminal quality during the last 20 years (2011 to 2020), evaluating 21130 semen samples from patients attending an andrology center (Laboratorio de Andrología y Reproducción –LAR-), and to identify possible explicative lifestyle and/or environmental factors.After the sign of the informed consent, all the patients attending to LAR were recluted. Those with age or abstinence out of the range (20-60 years and 2-7 days respectively) were excluded. The 20 years period was divided in four subperiods of five years each (P1-P4). Data of semen analysis, body mass index and lifestyle/environmental factors were evaluated by Chi square test and logistic regression.We found a significant increase (p<0.05) in the frequencies of asthenozoospermia (P125.02% vs.P436.39%), teratozoospermia (P130.25% vs.P345.55%) and patients with both abnormalities (P111.59% vs.P418.99%); and decreased frequencies in the percentages of nuclear maturity (P154,65% vs.P413,02%) and membrane integrity abnormalities (HOST:P16,11% vs.P41,98%, respectively) (p<0,05). In addition, we found significant increases (p<0.05) in the frequencies of varicocele, especially varicocele grade 1 (P110,00% vs.P443,87%) and surgically treated (P17,02% vs.P430,02%), exposure to toxics (i.e agrochemichal, heat, etc) (P12,11% vs. P411,55%), smoking > 10 cigarettes/day (P13,24% vs.P44,66%), drinking 1-2 glasses of alcohol/day (P111,52% vs.P448,34%), and obesity (P118,20% vs.P423,22%). Toxic exposition, obesity and varicocele were significantly associated (p<0.05) with high frequencies of astenozoospermia, teratozoospermia y oligoastenoteratozoospermia. In agreement with previous studies, a moderate alcohol consumption (1-2 glasses/day) was significantly associated with low frequencies of nuclear maturity and HOST abnormalities (p<0,05).In summary, seminal quality declined during the last 20 years, in concordance with an increase in the frequencies of exposure to risk factor. On the other hand, moderate alcohol consumption showed a protective association with some seminal parameters.Resumen:  Mundialmente se estima que 15% de las parejas son infértiles; el factor masculino se asocia al 50% de los casos. Diferentes estudios han intentado detectar tendencias temporales en la calidad seminal; sin embargo los resultados son contradictorios y pocas veces se evaluaron posibles factores explicativos.El objetivo de este estudio descriptivo observacional fue analizar la posible variación en la calidad seminal en los últimos de 20 años (2001-2020), evaluando 21.130 pacientes del Laboratorio de Andrología y Reproducción (LAR) de Córdoba. Determinar además, posibles factores que se asocien a tales cambios.Tras firma de consentimiento, se reclutó a todos los pacientes del LAR durante el período, pero se excluyó a aquellos con edad o abstinencia fuera de rango (20-60 años y 2-7 días respectivamente). Se dividió al período de estudio en cuatro subperíodos de cinco años (P1-P4). Los datos de espermograma, índice de masa corporal y factores de exposición/estilo de vida se analizaron mediante Chi-cuadrado y regresiones logísticas.Se constató un aumento significativo (p<0,05) en las frecuencias de astenozoospermia (P125,02% vs.P436,39%), teratozoospermia (P130,25% vs.P345,55%) y de pacientes con ambas anormalidades (P111,59% vs.P418,99%); así como una disminución en las frecuencias de anormalidades en madurez nuclear (P154,65% vs.P413,02%) y en integridad funcional de la membrana (HOST: P16,11% vs.P41,98%) (p<0,05). Asimismo, aumentaron significativamente (p<0,05) las frecuencias de varicocele, especialmente las grado 1 (P110,00% vs.P443,87%) y las resueltas quirúrgicamente (P17,02%vs.P430,02%), exposición a tóxicos (agroquímicos, calor, etc) (P12,11% vs. P411,55%), consumo de más de 10 cigarrillos/día (P13,24% vs.P44,66%), consumo moderado (hasta dos vasos) de alcohol/día (P111,52% vs.P448,34%) y obesidad (P118,20% vs.P423,22%). Exposición a tóxicos, obesidad mórbida y varicocele se asociaron significativamente (p<0,05) a altas frecuencias de astenozoospermia, teratozoospermia y oligoastenoteratozoospermia; el tabaquismo se asoció a altas frecuencias de astenozoospermia y, en concordancia con estudios previos, el consumo moderado de alcohol se asoció a baja frecuencia de anormalidades en madurez y HOST.En conclusión, la calidad seminal mostró un perfil deletéreo en el período 2001-2020, en consonancia al aumento en la exposición a algunos factores de riesgo. Por su parte, el consumo moderado de alcohol se asoció a una mejoría en algunos parámetros del espermograma.&nbsp

Infrared absorbing nanoparticle impregnated self-heating fabrics for significantly improved moisture management under ambient conditions.

Propensity of a textile material to evaporate moisture from its surface, commonly referred to as the 'moisture management' ability, is an important characteristic that dictates the applicability of a given textile material in the activewear garment industry. Here, an infrared absorbing nanoparticle impregnated self-heating (IRANISH) fabric is developed by impregnating tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) nanoparticles into a polyester fabric through a facile high-pressure dyeing approach. It is observed that under simulated solar radiation, the impregnated ITO nanoparticles can absorb IR radiation, which is effectively transferred as thermal energy to any moisture present on the fabric. This transfer of thermal energy facilitates the enhanced evaporation of moisture from the IRANISH fabric surface and as per experimental findings, a 54 ± 9% increase in the intrinsic drying rate is observed for IRANISH fabrics compared with control polyester fabrics that are treated under identical conditions, but in the absence of nanoparticles. Approach developed here for improved moisture management via the incorporation of IR absorbing nanomaterials into a textile material is novel, facile, efficient and applicable at any stage of garment manufacture. Hence, it allows us to effectively overcome the limitations faced by existing yarn-level and structural strategies for improved moisture management