The Relationship between Zinc Deficiency and Febrile Convulsion in Isfahan,Iran

Objective  Febrile convulsion (FC) is a common cause of seizure in young children, with an excellent prognosis. In addition to genetic predisposition and infections,FCs are generally thought to be induced by metabolic and elemental changes during fever such as Zinc (Zn) deficiency. Regarding the high prevalence of febrile convulsions and the role of Zn deficiency, we investigated the role of Zn in FC patients in Isfahan, Iran.  Materials and Methods  In a controlled cross sectional study, 90 patients aged 9 months to 5 years were studied in a period of 12 months. They were assigned to three groups. Thirty patients were included in the Febrile Seizure group, thirty febrile children without convulsion or previous history of convulsion were included in the febrile group and thirty afebrile healthy ones were enrolled as controls. Venous blood was obtained and Zn concentration in serum was measured using Graphite Furnance Atomic Absorbance Spectrophotometering (GF-AAS).  Results  Patients and the control groups had no difference in either mean age or sex distribution. No significant relationship was observed between serum Zn level and age or sex among patients in the FC group and two other control groups.   Conclusion  Our findings showed that Zinc level was significantly lower in the febrile seizure group compared to two other groups. We tried to categorize various conditions in a more practical form. Also, Zinc is in close relationship with socioeconomic level of the individuals which was well considered in the current survey.  Keywords: Zinc; Zinc deficiency; Febrile Convulsion

Inhibition of MicroRNA miR-222 with LNA Inhibitor Can Reduce Cell Proliferation in B Chronic Lymphoblastic Leukemia

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory molecules that negatively regulate gene expression by base-pairing with their target mRNAs. miRNAs have contribute significantly to cancer biology and recent studies have demonstrated the oncogenic or tumor-suppressing role in cancer cells. In many tumors up-regulation miRNAs has been reported especially miR-222 has been shown to be up-regulated in B chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). In this study we assessed the effected inhibition of miR-222 in cell viability of B-CLL. We performed inhibition of mir-222 in B-CLL cell line (183-E95) using locked nucleic acid (LNA) antagomir. At different time points after LNA-anti-mir-222 transfection, miR-222 quantitation and cell viability were assessed by qRT-real time polymerase chain reaction and MTT assays. The data were analyzed by independent t test and one way ANOVA. Down-regulation of miR-222 in B-CLL cell line (183-E95) with LNA antagomir decreased cell viability in B-CLL. Cell viability gradually decreased over time as the viability of LNA-anti-mir transfected cells was <47 % of untreated cells at 72 h post-transfection. The difference in cell viability between LNA-anti-miR and control groups was statistically significant (p < 0.042). Based on our findings, the inhibition of miR-222 speculate represent a potential novel therapeutic approach for treatment of B-CLL

Designer carbon nanotubes for contaminant removal in water and wastewater: A critical review

The search for effective materials for environmental cleanup is a scientific and technological issue of paramount importance. Among various materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess unique physicochemical, electrical, and mechanical properties that make them suitable for potential applications as environmental adsorbents, sensors, membranes, and catalysts. Depending on the intended application and the chemical nature of the target contaminants, CNTs can be designed through specific functionalization or modification processes. Designer CNTs can remarkably enhance contaminant removal efficiency and facilitate nanomaterial recovery and regeneration. An increasing number of CNT-based materials have been used to treat diverse organic, inorganic, and biological contaminants. These success stories demonstrate their strong potential in practical applications, including wastewater purification and desalination. However, CNT-based technologies have not been broadly accepted for commercial use due to their prohibitive cost and the complex interactions of CNTs with other abiotic and biotic environmental components. This paper presents a critical review of the existing literature on the interaction of various contaminants with CNTs in water and soil environments. The preparation methods of various designer CNTs (surface functionalized and/or modified) and the functional relationships between their physicochemical characteristics and environmental uses are discussed. This review will also help to identify the research gaps that must be addressed for enhancing the commercial acceptance of CNTs in the environmental remediation industry

Development of manufacturing techniques for Ti-based functionally graded coatings / Reza Mahmoodian

Coating techniques are commonly used in the ceramic-lined piping industries. However, the obtained ceramic layers are too brittle and fail under piping processes such as branching and making orifices. This is in consequence to improper manufacturing techniques, which do not guarantee functionally graded coatings or the local reinforcement of coatings. Therefore, to overcome such setbacks, the current research focuses on the development of manufacturing techniques for in-situ, locally reinforced composites with good mechanical properties. Various manufacturing techniques for the fabrication of ceramic and composite coatings have been proposed, designed, and implemented. Titanium carbide, silicon carbide, and alumina composite phases were processed under different manufacturing conditions. The developed centrifugal self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) technique helped to fabricate an in-situ titanium carbide-alumina-iron composite with several intermetallic phases successfully. The SHS reaction under centrifugal force design was such as to combine with a chain reaction between titanium and carbon elemental powders. The developed centrifugal-assisted thermite method served to fabricate ceramic products in embedded and offset specimen positions. The elemental powders of titanium (Ti), carbon (C), and silicon (Si) were ball-milled and compacted into pellets, then exposed to a massive amount of heat generated from the thermite reaction of Fe2O3 and Al in a steel tube mounted in the developed centrifugal accelerator machine. The result was the formation of titanium carbide (TiC) and Al2O3-Fe composites. Evidently, the centrifugal force facilitated the formation of multi-component products and particle segregation during the process. In addition, centrifugal acceleration had a significant effect on both metallurgical alloying and mechanical interlocking between different sample layers when forming in-situ functionally graded coating with enhanced hardness and good fracture toughness. Processing silicon carbide (SiC)-based composite coating was not feasible, unlike the successful formation of TiC. A ceramic-coated pipe was produced using a conventional centrifugal thermite process. Consequently, the effects of an unexpected phase formed at the pipe’s head on the joining and post-processing of the ceramic-lined composite pipe with Al2O3 and Fe layers were studied. A plasma-assisted processing method was developed to fabricate ceramic parts and pellets under normal gravity and centrifugal force. Plasma-assisted reactions under normal gravity were successfully applied to fabricate SiC with large crystals of 270 μm and TiC with a highly crystallized super hard phase of 3660 HV hardness. The analytical and modified smoothed particle hydrodynamic (MSPH) computational technique simulated the molten particles’ motion on multi-scale analysis levels. The radial velocity and radial velocity gradient of molten alumina and iron infiltration inside the TiC product along with viscosity rate variations during the coating process were also simulated. The obtained results and conclusions are ultimately discussed, after which suggestions for future work are proposed

Crystallite size and microstrain: XRD line broadening analysis of AgSiN thin films

Purpose: This paper aims to determine the crystallite size and microstrain values of AgSiN thin films using potential approach called approximation method. This method can be used as a replacement for other determination methods such as Williamson-Hall (W-H) plot and Warren-Averbach analysis. Design/methodology/approach: The monolayer AgSiN thin films on Ti6Al4V alloy were fabricated using magnetron sputtering technique. To evaluate the crystallite size and microstrain values, the thin films were deposited under different bias voltage (−75, −150 and −200 V). X-ray diffraction (XRD) broadening profile along with approximation method were used to determine the crystallite size and microstrain values. The reliability of the method was proved by comparing it with scanning electron microscopy graph and W-H plot method. The second parameters’ microstrain obtained was used to project the residual stress present in the thin films. Further discussion on the thin films was done by relating the residual stress with the adhesion strength and the thickness of the films. Findings: XRD-approximation method results revealed that the crystallite size values obtained from the method were in a good agreement when it is compared with Scherer formula and W-H method. Meanwhile, the calculations for thin films corresponding residual stresses were correlated well with scratch adhesion critical loads with the lowest residual stress was noted for sample with lowest microstrain and has thickest thickness among the three samples. Practical implications: The fabricated thin films were intended to be used in antibacterial applications. Originality/value: Up to the knowledge from literature review, there are no reports on depositing AgSiN on Ti6Al4V alloy via magnetron sputtering to elucidate the crystallite size and microstrain properties using the approximation method. © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

Investigation of Embedded Si/C System Exposed to a Hybrid Reaction of Centrifugal-Assisted Thermite Method.

A novel method is proposed to study the behavior and phase formation of a Si+C compacted pellet under centrifugal acceleration in a hybrid reaction. Si+C as elemental mixture in the form of a pellet is embedded in a centrifugal tube. The pellet assembly and tube are exposed to the sudden thermal energy of a thermite reaction resulted in a hybrid reaction. The hybrid reaction of thermite and Si+C produced unique phases. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) as well as microstructural and elemental analyses are then investigated. XRD pattern showed formation of materials with possible electronic and magnetic properties. The cooling rate and the molten particle viscosity mathematical model of the process are meant to assist in understanding the physical and chemical phenomena took place during and after reaction. The results analysis revealed that up to 85% of materials converted into secondary products as ceramics-matrix composite

Evaluation of Peroxide Value and Acid Number of Edible Oils Consumed in the Sandwich and Fast Food Shops of Qom, Iran in 2016

Background & Aims of the Study: The quality of the edible oils is made with chemical compositions and percentage of &nbsp;the degree of unsaturation fatty acids. The peroxide value (PV) always measures the extent of primary oxidation (rancidification) of oils. Oils Rancidity can produce potentially toxic compounds associated with health effects such as heart and neurological disorders. In order to investigate initial oxidative rancidity of the oils, PV will be measured. The aim of this paper is determination of &nbsp;PV and the acid number taking place in oils during frying process and its relationship with demographic characteristics and environmental conditions. Materials &Methods: In this study, the statistical populations are sandwich and fast food shops of Qom city, Iran. Samples were conducted, using cluster sampling. For data collection, a questionnaire and chemical tests were used. Samples were transferred in the laboratory under cool conditions for PV and acid number (AN) examination. A hundred fifty different sample of oil were collected. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS. The ANOVA, T-test and Pearson coefficient were used for data analysis. Results: From the points of view of PV, 80% of oils were consumable and 20% were &nbsp;not. The lowest and the highest number of PV were 0.6 to 16.5, respectively. The minimum and the maximum number of AN were 0.028 to 0.2, respectively. With the assumption of equal variances (p>0.05), a significant relationship between the increase after the age of the chefs and the lack of obtaining a health card was shown. The small correlation between the temperature of the oils and PV, r(150)=-0.21, p=0.009 is shown. There wasn&rsquo;t seen any relation between the type of oils with PV and AN. Discussion: Antioxidants, oil saturation and the reduction of &nbsp;temperature can reduce the production of peroxide; thus, &nbsp;PV was reduced. Due to the results, temperature increasing lead to increases the peroxide content. In this case, 3.3% of the edible oil samples were in rancidity conditions. Conclusion: This study has indicated that PV in almost sample was lower than the standard amount. However, removing the oil absorbed into the food leads to reducing the peroxide content and other hazardous compounds by fast-food consumers. This survey indicated that some cookers are not completely aware of government regulation and control procedures for PV and AN of frying oils