Decolorization of the dye reactive black 5 using Fenton oxidation

Study on the effect of Fenton process on decolorization and mineralization of RB-5 in aqueous solution is presented in this work. Batch experiments were carried out to find the optimal operational conditions including pH, temperature, H2O2 dosage, FeSO4 dosage and RB-5 concentration at low cost. Degradation of RB-5 dye as an organic pollutant was monitored based on decolorization and mineralization extents of the model solution determined by UV-vis spectrophotometric and chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis respectively. Optimum pH and temperature for 250 mg/L RB-5 were observed at 3.0 and 40°C respectively and using 50 mg/L of FeSO4 and 300 mg/L of H2O2 resulted in generation of 58.9% COD and 97% color removal after 10 min reaction by Fenton. It is concluded that Fenton process can provide better result for decolorization compared to COD removal in the treatment of textile effluent.Keywords: Decolorization, black 5, Fenton oxidation, dyeAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(26), pp. 4115-412

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among bacteria isolated from intensive care units of the largest teaching hospital at the northwest of Iran

This study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among common pathogens in the intensive care units (ICUs) of a university hospital in northwestern Iran. A retrospective study was done on laboratory records of patients with nosocomial infection who were admitted to five ICUs of Imam Reza Hospital during a 21-month period from March 2010 to January, 2012. A total number of 556 isolates from 328 patients were evaluated. The most common sites of infections included respiratory (51.7%), urinary (24.8%), and blood (10.4%). The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Enterobacter aerogenes (50.6%) followed by Escherichia coli (16.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.5%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent pathogen among gram-positives (39.7%). The rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 87.5%. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria were documented in 25.8% of Acinetobacter, 20% of Klebsiella, and 16.6% of Pseudomonas. The most active antimicrobials were vancomycin (93.5%) followed by amikacin (71.5%) and gentamicin (46%). The overall antibiotic susceptibility was as follows: 36% ciprofloxacin, 19% imipenem, 20% trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 20.5% ceftazidime, and 12% ceftriaxone. Due to the high rate of antimicrobial resistance in the ICU setting, more surveillance and control of the use of antimicrobials is needed to combat infections

Survey Physico-Chemical and Microbial Quality of Sanandaj City Swimming Pools Water

Background: Health of swimming pools is important to maintain health of swimmers that in case of failure to comply of health standards, can be lead to health problems and the transmission of infectious diseases to swimmers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the water quality of swimming pools in Sanandaj city and compare of their results with the national standards. Methods: In this cross – sectional study, 108 water samples were collected from 9 swimming pools of Sanandaj city. Some parameters including residual chlorine, pH, turbidity, hardness, alkalinity, temperature and also microbial parameters such as heterotrophic bacteria, staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, fecal streptococcus, total coliform, and fecal coliform were evaluated. Results: The results of the study showed that residual chlorine, pH, turbidity, hardness, alkalinity, and temperature in 80.5%, 72.2%, 60.1%, 52.7%, 30.5%, and 100% of samples, respectively, which were in desirable limit. Also the population of total coliform, fecal coliform, and Staphylococcus aureus in 32.4%, 45.3%, and 96.3% of samples, respectively, were in desirable ranges. Conclusion: Based on the results, turbidity, hardness, alkalinity, and also population of total coliform and fecal coliform of some samples didn’t have conformity with standards that indicates the need for continuous monitoring of swimming pools water quality

Prevalence of Intestinal Protozoa Infections and Associated Risk Factors among Schoolchildren in Sanandaj City, Iran

Background: Intestinal parasites are still a serious public health problem in the world, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal protozoa infections and associated risk factors among schoolchildren in Sanandaj City, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study involving 400 schoolchildren was carried out in 2015. Each student was selected using systematic random sampling method. Questionnaire and observation were used to identify possible risk factors. Fresh stool samples were observed using formal-ether concentration method. Results: Five species of intestinal protozoa were identified with an overall prevalence of 42.3%. No cases of helminthes infection were detected. The predominant protozoa were Blastocys hominis (21.3%) and Entamoeba coli (4.5%). Overall, 143 (35.9%) had single infections and 26 (6.4%) were infected with more than one intestinal protozoa, in which 23 (5.9%) had double intestinal protozoa infections and 3 (0.5%) had triple infections. A significant relationship was observed between intestinal protozoa infection with economic status, water resources for drinking uses, and the methods of washing vegetables (P<0.05). Conclusion: Education programs on students and their families should be implemented for the prevention and control of protozoa infections in the study area.

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among bacteria isolated from intensive care units of the largest teaching hospital at the northwest of Iran

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among common pathogens in the intensive care units (ICUs) of a university hospital in northwestern Iran. A retrospective study was done on laboratory records of patients with nosocomial infection who were admitted to five ICUs of Imam Reza Hospital during a 21-month period from March 2010 to January, 2012. A total number of 556 isolates from 328 patients were evaluated. The most common sites of infections included respiratory (51.7%), urinary (24.8%), and blood (10.4%). The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Enterobacter aerogenes (50.6%) followed by Escherichia coli (16.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.5%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent pathogen among gram-positives (39.7%). The rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 87.5%. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria were documented in 25.8% of Acinetobacter, 20% of Klebsiella, and 16.6% of Pseudomonas. The most active antimicrobials were vancomycin (93.5%) followed by amikacin (71.5%) and gentamicin (46%). The overall antibiotic susceptibility was as follows: 36% ciprofloxacin, 19% imipenem, 20% trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 20.5% ceftazidime, and 12% ceftriaxone. Due to the high rate of antimicrobial resistance in the ICU setting, more surveillance and control of the use of antimicrobials is needed to combat infections

A Large Primary Subcutaneous Hydatid Cyst in Proximal Thigh: An Unusual Localization

Primary muscular hydatidosis is a very rare condition with an incidence of 1%–4% in endemic regions. This case report describes an unusual location of hydatid cyst in the sartorius muscle and the application of imaging in its preoperative diagnosis, choosing a treatment strategy, and monitoring

Data on physicochemical quality of drinking water in the rural area in Divandarreh county, Kurdistan, Iran

Good quality of drinking water is very important in the maintenance of human health. The gathered data from the present work was used to evaluate the quality of drinking water resources in the rural villages of Divandarreh, Iran. Physicochemical quality of water was determined by a collection of 35 random samples during dry and rainy seasons in 2015. The APHA approach was used to determine the physicochemical parameters of the samples. The results showed that the average concentration of Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, SO4, TDS and TH during dry season was 85.64 mg/l, 13.41 mg/l, 34.11 mg/l, 2.8 mg/l, 9.9 mg/l, 45.7 mg/l, 326.06 mg/l and 269.61 mg/l, respectively. Also, the average concentration of the parameters during rainy season was 77.3 mg/l, 18.27 mg/l, 30.3 mg/l, 1.9 mg/l, 12.54 mg/l, 39 mg/l, 269.1 mg/l and 316.17 mg/l, respectively. Keywords: Divandarreh, Physicochemical quality, Drinking water, Rural are

Breast cancer cells promote a notch-dependent mesenchymal phenotype in endothelial cells participating to a pro-tumoral niche

International audienceBackground: Endothelial cells (ECs) are responsible for creating a tumor vascular niche as well as producing angiocrine factors. ECs demonstrate functional and phenotypic heterogeneity when located under different microenvironments. Here, we describe a tumor-stimulated mesenchymal phenotype in ECs and investigate its impact on tumor growth, stemness, and invasiveness.Methods: Xenograft tumor assay in NOD/SCID mice and confocal imaging were conducted to show the acquisition of mesenchymal phenotype in tumor-associated ECs in vivo. Immunocytochemistry, qPCR and flow cytometry techniques showed the appearance of mesenchymal traits in ECs after contact with breast tumor cell lines MDA-MB231 or MCF-7. Cell proliferation, cell migration, and sphere formation assays were applied to display the functional advantages of mesenchymal ECs in tumor growth, invasiveness, and enrichment of tumor initiating cells. qPCR and western blotting were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying EC mesenchymal transition.Results: Our results showed that co-injection of ECs and tumor cells in NOD/SCID mice significantly enhanced tumor growth in vivo with tumor-associated ECs expressing mesenchymal markers while maintaining their intrinsic endothelial trait. We also showed that a mesenchymal phenotype is possibly detectable in human neoplastic breast biopsies as well as ECs pre-exposed to tumor cells (ECs(Mes)) in vitro. The ECs(Mes) acquired prolonged survival, increased migratory behavior and enhanced angiogenic properties. In return, ECs(Mes) were capable of enhancing tumor survival and invasiveness. The mesenchymal phenotypes in ECs(Mes) were the result of a contact-dependent transient phenomenon and reversed upon removal of the neoplastic contexture. We showed a synergistic role for TGFβ and notch pathways in this phenotypic change, as simultaneous inhibition of notch and TGFβ down-regulated Smad1/5 phosphorylation and Jag1(KD) tumor cells were unable to initiate the process.Conclusions: Overall, our data proposed a crosstalk mechanism between tumor and microenvironment where tumor-stimulated mesenchymal modulation of ECs enhanced the constitution of a transient mesenchymal/endothelial niche leading to significant increase in tumor proliferation, stemness, and invasiveness. The possible involvement of notch and TGFβ pathways in the initiation of mesenchymal phenotype may propose new stromal targets

Adipose triglyceride lipase gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of subjects with obesity and its association with insulin resistance, inflammation and lipid accumulation in liver

Abstract Introduction Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is a crucial enzyme responsible for the release of fatty acids from various tissues. The expression of ATGL is regulated by insulin and this enzyme is linked to Insulin resistance (IR). On the other hand, ATGL‐mediated lipolysis is connected to macrophage function and thus, ATGL is involved in inflammation and the pathogenesis of lipid‐related disorders. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between ATGL, obesity, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), and inflammation. Methods A total of 100 participants, including 50 individuals with obesity and 50 healthy participants, were recruited for this study and underwent comprehensive clinical evaluations. Blood samples were collected to measure plasma lipid profiles, glycemic indices, and liver function tests. Additionally, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and used for the assessment of the gene expression of ATGL, using real‐time PCR. Furthermore, PBMCs were cultured and exposed to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) with simultaneous ATGL inhibition, and the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines, along with the secretion of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), were measured. Results The gene expression of ATGL was significantly elevated in PBMCs obtained from participants with obesity and was particularly higher in those diagnosed with MetS. It exhibited a correlation with insulin levels and Homeostatic Model Assessment for IR (HOMA‐IR), and it was associated with lipid accumulation in the liver. Stimulation with LPS increased ATGL expression in PBMCs, while inhibition of ATGL attenuated the inflammatory responses induced by LPS. Conclusions Obesity and MetS were associated with dysregulation of ATGL. ATGL might play a role in the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and act as a significant contributor to the development of metabolic abnormalities related to obesity

Assessment of global histone acetylation in pediatric and adolescent obesity: Correlations with SIRT1 expression and metabolic-inflammatory profiles.

BackgroundEpigenetic modifications, particularly histone acetylation-deacetylation and its related enzymes, such as sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) deacetylase, may have substantial roles in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated health issues. This study aimed to evaluate global histone acetylation status and SIRT1 gene expression in children and adolescents with obesity and their association with metabolic and anthropometric parameters.MethodsThis study included 60 children and adolescents, 30 with obesity and 30 normal-weight. The evaluation consisted of the analysis of global histone acetylation levels and the expression of the SIRT1 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, by specific antibody and real-time PCR, respectively. Additionally, insulin, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels were measured. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Metabolic syndrome was determined based on the diagnostic criteria established by IDF.ResultsIndividuals with obesity, particularly those with insulin resistance, had significantly higher histone acetylation levels compared to control group. Histone acetylation was positively correlated with obesity indices, TNF-α, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Additionally, a significant decrease in SIRT1 gene expression was found among obese individuals, which was negatively correlated with the histone acetylation level. Furthermore, SIRT1 expression levels showed a negative correlation with various anthropometric and metabolic parameters.ConclusionHistone acetylation was enhanced in children and adolescents with obesity, potentially resulting from down-regulation of SIRT1, and could play a role in the obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities and insulin resistance. Targeting global histone acetylation modulation might be considered as an epigenetic approach for early obesity management