Batch studies on the removal of Ni (II) from aqueous solution by Azolla filiculoides

There are many plants which have the ability to accumulate large amounts of heavy metals and one of them is the aquatic fern, Azolla filiculoides. Toxic metals constitute a serious health risk because they accumulate in soils, water and organisms. One of the methods for removing these pollutants from water and soil is the use of plants. The aim of this study was to test the ability of A. filiculoides to adsorb Ni from polluted waters. The maximum uptake of nickel ions by the collected A. filiculoides biomass under the optimal conditions was approximately 45.32 mg/g dry Azolla. Desorption experiments indicated that EDTA was an efficient desorbent for recovery from nickel ions.Key words: Nickel, Azolla filiculoides, wastewater, biosorption

Composición química de aceites de almendras (Prunus scoparia) y pistachos silvestres (Pistacia atlantica)

The aim of this study was to determine the fatty acids, sterols and triacylglycerol compositions as well as the amount of tocopherols, total phenols and pigments wild almond and cold pressed wild pistachio oils. Triacylglycerols, tocopherols and pigments were analyzed with HPLC, fatty acids and sterols with gas chromatography, and total phenols photometrically. The main fatty acids in both samples were oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids. The most predominant TAG species are SLL + PLO (21.83%) in wild pistachio oil and OOO (47.27%) in wild almond oil. Pheophytin a was the major pigment in wild pistachio oil. There were no pigments detected in wild almond oil. Total phenols were 57.6 mg kg-1 oil for wild pistachio and 45.3 mg kg-1 oil for wild almond oil.El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la composición en ácidos grasos, esteroles, triglicéridos, así como tocoferoles, fenoles totales y pigmentos de aceites de almendras y pistachos silvestres prensados en frío. Triglicéridos (TAG), tocoferoles y pigmentos se analizaron mediante HPLC, los ácidos grasos y esteroles mediante cromatografía de gases, y los fenoles totales espectrofotométricamente. Los principales ácidos grasos de ambas especies fueron los ácidos oleico, linoleico y palmítico. Las especies de TAG predominantes son SLL + OLP (21,83%) en el pistacho silvestre y OOO (47,27%) en almendras silvestre. Feofitina a es un pigmento importante en los aceites de pistacho silvestre. No se detectó pigmentos en los aceites de almendras silvestres. Los fenoles totales fueron 57,6 mg kg-1 y 45,3 mg kg-1 en los aceites de pistacho silvestre y de almendra silvestre respectivamente

Wharton's jelly derived-mesenchymal stem cells: Isolation and characterization

Wharton`s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), have a high proliferation valency and they do not produce teratogen or carcinogen after subsequent transplantation. They are known as regenerative medicine. Thus more research is needed on the isolation and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells. In this experimental study, we obtained Wharton's jelly tissues from mothers during normal vaginal delivery, after obtaining their informed consent. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from cultured Wharton`s jelly, cultured, and were then examined for their proliferation, immunophenotypes, and differentiation capacities. The immunophenotypes of WJ-MSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Differentiation was performed resulting in osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic cells. WJ-MSCs formed a homogenous monolayer of adherent spindle-shaped cells. Our results showed the high capacity of the proliferation of WJ-MSCs. Immunophenotyping further confirmed the purity of the isolated cells; their surface antigen expression showed the phenotypical properties like those of WJ-MSCs. The expanded cells were positive for CD 90, CD105, and CD44; they were negative for CD34 and HLA-DR surface markers. The cells had the adipocytic, osteocytic and chondrogenic differentiation capacity. The isolation and characterization of WJ-MSCs with high purity had been conducted, and the results were obtained in a short span. The present study has revealed the feasibility of the culture medium with high glucose and 15 FBS in isolation and proliferation of WJ-MSCs. When Wharton`s jelly pieces were put in the dry bottom of the flask, very effective separation of the MSCs was achieved. © 2018 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Wharton's jelly derived-mesenchymal stem cells: Isolation and characterization

Wharton`s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), have a high proliferation valency and they do not produce teratogen or carcinogen after subsequent transplantation. They are known as regenerative medicine. Thus more research is needed on the isolation and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells. In this experimental study, we obtained Wharton's jelly tissues from mothers during normal vaginal delivery, after obtaining their informed consent. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from cultured Wharton`s jelly, cultured, and were then examined for their proliferation, immunophenotypes, and differentiation capacities. The immunophenotypes of WJ-MSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Differentiation was performed resulting in osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic cells. WJ-MSCs formed a homogenous monolayer of adherent spindle-shaped cells. Our results showed the high capacity of the proliferation of WJ-MSCs. Immunophenotyping further confirmed the purity of the isolated cells; their surface antigen expression showed the phenotypical properties like those of WJ-MSCs. The expanded cells were positive for CD 90, CD105, and CD44; they were negative for CD34 and HLA-DR surface markers. The cells had the adipocytic, osteocytic and chondrogenic differentiation capacity. The isolation and characterization of WJ-MSCs with high purity had been conducted, and the results were obtained in a short span. The present study has revealed the feasibility of the culture medium with high glucose and 15 FBS in isolation and proliferation of WJ-MSCs. When Wharton`s jelly pieces were put in the dry bottom of the flask, very effective separation of the MSCs was achieved. © 2018 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 and comparison with control patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

In a large-scale study, 128176 non-pregnant patients (228 studies) and 10000 pregnant patients (121 studies) confirmed COVID-19 cases included in this Meta-Analysis. The mean (confidence interval CI) of age and gestational age of admission (GA) in pregnant women was 33 (28�37) years old and 36 (34�37) weeks, respectively. Pregnant women show the same manifestations of COVID-19 as non-pregnant adult patients. Fever (pregnant: 75.5%; non-pregnant: 74%) and cough (pregnant: 48.5%; non-pregnant: 53.5%) are the most common symptoms in both groups followed by myalgia (26.5%) and chill (25%) in pregnant and dysgeusia (27%) and fatigue (26.5%) in non-pregnant patients. Pregnant women are less probable to show cough (odds ratio OR 0.7; 95% CI 0.67�0.75), fatigue (OR: 0.58; CI: 0.54�0.61), sore throat (OR: 0.66; CI: 0.61�0.7), headache (OR: 0.55; CI: 0.55�0.58) and diarrhea (OR: 0.46; CI: 0.4�0.51) than non-pregnant adult patients. The most common imaging found in pregnant women is ground-glass opacity (57%) and in non-pregnant patients is consolidation (76%). Pregnant women have higher proportion of leukocytosis (27% vs. 14%), thrombocytopenia (18% vs. 12.5%) and have lower proportion of raised C-reactive protein (52% vs. 81%) compared with non-pregnant patients. Leucopenia and lymphopenia are almost the same in both groups. The most common comorbidity in pregnant patients is diabetes (18%) and in non-pregnant patients is hypertension (21%). Case fatality rate (CFR) of non-pregnant hospitalized patients is 6.4% (4.4�8.5), and mortality due to all-cause for pregnant patients is 11.3% (9.6�13.3). Regarding the complications of pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage (54.5% 7�94), caesarean delivery (48% 42�54), preterm labor (25% 4�74) and preterm birth (21% 12�34) are in turn the most prevalent complications. Comparing the pregnancy outcomes show that caesarean delivery (OR: 3; CI: 2�5), low birth weight (LBW) (OR: 9; CI: 2.4�30) and preterm birth (OR: 2.5; CI: 1.5�3.5) are more probable in pregnant woman with COVID-19 than pregnant women without COVID-19. The most prevalent neonatal complications are neonatal intensive care unit admission (43% 2�96), fetal distress (30% 12�58) and LBW (25% 16�37). The rate of vertical transmission is 5.3% (1.3�16), and the rate of positive SARS-CoV-2 test for neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 is 8% (4�16). Overall, pregnant patients present with the similar clinical characteristics of COVID-19 when compared with the general population, but they may be more asymptomatic. Higher odds of caesarean delivery, LBW and preterm birth among pregnant patients with COVID-19 suggest a possible association between COVID-19 infection and pregnancy complications. Low risk of vertical transmission is present, and SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in all conception products, particularly placenta and breast milk. Interpretations of these results should be done cautiously due to the heterogeneity between studies; however, we believe our findings can guide the prenatal and postnatal considerations for COVID-19 pregnant patients. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Measurements of branching fraction ratios and CP-asymmetries in suppressed B^- -> D(-> K^+ pi^-)K^- and B^- -> D(-> K^+ pi^-)pi^- decays

We report the first reconstruction in hadron collisions of the suppressed decays B^- -> D(-> K^+ pi^-)K^- and B^- -> D(-> K^+ pi^-)pi^-, sensitive to the CKM phase gamma, using data from 7 fb^-1 of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron collider. We reconstruct a signal for the B^- -> D(-> K^+ pi^-)K^- suppressed mode with a significance of 3.2 standard deviations, and measure the ratios of the suppressed to favored branching fractions R(K) = [22.0 \pm 8.6(stat)\pm 2.6(syst)]\times 10^-3, R^+(K) = [42.6\pm 13.7(stat)\pm 2.8(syst)]\times 10^-3, R^-(K)= [3.8\pm 10.3(stat)\pm 2.7(syst]\times 10^-3, as well as the direct CP-violating asymmetry A(K) = -0.82\pm 0.44(stat)\pm 0.09(syst) of this mode. Corresponding quantities for B^- -> D(-> K^+ pi^-)pi^- decay are also reported.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, accepted by Phys.Rev.D Rapid Communications for Publicatio

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu channel in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu decay channel, where l = e or mu, in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The data were collected at the LHC, with the CMS detector, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 inverse femtobarns. No significant excess is observed above the background expectation, and upper limits are set on the Higgs boson production cross section. The presence of the standard model Higgs boson with a mass in the 270-440 GeV range is excluded at 95% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to JHE

Search for anomalous t t-bar production in the highly-boosted all-hadronic final state

A search is presented for a massive particle, generically referred to as a Z', decaying into a t t-bar pair. The search focuses on Z' resonances that are sufficiently massive to produce highly Lorentz-boosted top quarks, which yield collimated decay products that are partially or fully merged into single jets. The analysis uses new methods to analyze jet substructure, providing suppression of the non-top multijet backgrounds. The analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 inverse femtobarns. Upper limits in the range of 1 pb are set on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction for a topcolor Z' modeled for several widths, as well as for a Randall--Sundrum Kaluza--Klein gluon. In addition, the results constrain any enhancement in t t-bar production beyond expectations of the standard model for t t-bar invariant masses larger than 1 TeV.Comment: Submitted to the Journal of High Energy Physics; this version includes a minor typo correction that will be submitted as an erratu