Acquired Generalized Lipodystrophy Associated with Autoimmune Hepatitis and Low Serum C4 Level

Lipodystrophies are a group of diseases characterized by loss of fat tissue and are associated with insulin resistance. A six-year- old girl followed with the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis showed a severe loss of fat tissue, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertriglyceridemia and low serum complement 4 (C4) levels. She had coarse facial features with generalized loss of subcutaneous fat and prominent muscularity. Remarkable acanthosis nigricans was present over the neck, axilla, and umbilicus. Two hours after glucose loading, the glucose tolerance test revealed a glucose level of 258 mg/dL, a HbA1c value of 6.8%, and an insulin level of 642.9 mIU/mL, documenting a state of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Acquired generalized lipodystrophy was diagnosed and metformin with dietary intervention was initiated. Low serum complement levels proved the autoimmune nature of the process. We conclude that the serum complement levels must be investigated in patients with acquired lipodystrophy, particularly when it is associated with autoimmune hepatitis

Platinum nanoparticles involved on nitrogen and sulfur-doped nanomaterial as fuel cell electrode

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts a source fuel into an electrical current. It generates electricity inside a cell through reactions between a fuel and an oxidant, triggered in the presence of an electrolyte. Fuel cells have been attracting more and more attention in recent decades due to high-energy demands, fossil fuel depletions, and environmental pollution throughout world. In this study, a facile and cost-effective catalysts have been developed on platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) supported on nitrogen and sulfur-doped nanomaterial (PtNPs-NS). The successful synthesis of nanomaterials and the prepared glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surfaces were confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. According to TEM images, the average particle sizes of PtNPs were found to be approximately 20–25 nm. The effective surface areas of NS/GCE and PtNPs-NS/GCE were calculated to be 105 and 518 cm2/mg, respectively. The PtNPs-NS/GCE also exhibited a higher peak current for methanol oxidation than those of comparable GCE and NS/GCE, providing evidence for its higher electro-catalytic activity. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York

A sensitive molecularly imprinted polymer based quartz crystal microbalance nanosensor for selective determination of lovastatin in red yeast rice

Lovastatin (LOV) is a statin, used to lower cholesterol which has been found as a hypolipidemic agent in commercial red yeast rice. In present study, a sensitive molecular imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor was prepared by fabricating a self-assembling monolayer formation of allylmercaptane on QCM chip surface for selective determination of lovastatin (LOV) in red yeast rice. To prepare molecular imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) nanosensor, LOV imprinted poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methacryloylamidoaspartic acid) [p(HEMA-MAAsp)] nanofilm was attached on the modified gold surface of QCM chip. The non-modified and improved surfaces were characterized by using contact angle, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The imprinted QCM sensor was validated according to the ICH guideline (International Conference on Harmonisation). The linearity range was obtained as 0.10-1.25 nM. The detection limit of the prepared material was calculated as 0.030 nM. The developed QCM nanosensor was successfully used to examine red yeast rice. Furthermore, the stability and repeatability of the prepared QCM nanosensor were studied. The spectacular long-term stability and repeatability of the prepared LOV-imprinted QCM nanosensor make them intriguing for use in QCM sensors. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Highly selective and sensitive voltammetric sensor based on ruthenium nanoparticle anchored calix[4]amidocrown-5 functionalized reduced graphene oxide: Simultaneous determination of quercetin, morin and rutin in grape wine

In this report, ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) and calix[4]amidocrown-5 (C4A5) were synthesized and grafted onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposite (RuNPs/C4A5/RGO). The morphologies of the nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical experiments were performed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and square wave voltammetry. The simultaneous determination of quercetin, rutin and morin was performed on glassy carbon electrode modified with RuNPs/C4A5/RGO (RuNPs/C4A5/RGO/GCE). The linearity ranges and the detection limits of QR, RT and MR were 1.0×10-10-1.0×10-8M and 2.0×10-11M respectively. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

MODELING THE PERFORMANCE OF PERSONALIZED VENTILATION UNDER DIFFERENT ROOM AIRFLOWS

Personalized ventilation (PV) has the ability to improve inhaled air quality and accommodate the individual thermal preference. In this paper one kind of personalized ventilation system which supplies fresh air at the microphone position is investigated numerically. A numerical thermal manikin with the real geometry of human body is used to study the airflows around the occupant equipped with PV. The performance of one RNG k-ε model and the standard k-ε model is compared. The benefits of PV under different uniform room ambient flow are analyzed. The results indicate that the orientation of the human body to the uniform flow plays a key role

Liver Involvement in Congenital Hypopituitarism

ObjectiveCholestatic jaundice in early infancy is a complex diagnostic challenge. Cholestasis caused by endocrine disease is rare and poorly recognized. The aim of this paper is to report patients with liver dysfunctions resulting from hypopituitarism.MethodsSix patients with liver dysfunction diagnosed as hypopituitarism were studied and followed up atUludag University Faculty of Medicine.ResultsThe median age of the patients at first presentation was 2.5 mo. Three patients were diagnosed with congenital hypopituitarism at the first visit, and the other three were diagnosed during follow-up. Serum aminotransferase levels were very high in two patients and only moderately elevated in the others. Combined adrenal, thyroid, and growth hormone deficiencies were diagnosed in two patients, while remaining 4 patients had various combinations of adrenal, thyroid, and growth hormone deficiencies. Liver function abnormalities resolved between 10 d and 2 mo follow-up after hormone replacement therapy.ConclusionsAbnormal liver biochemical test results due to hormonal deficiencies in infants should be considered in the differential diagnosis by pediatricians. Hormone replacement therapy is the basis of treatment

Platinum nanoparticles supported on nitrogen and sulfur-doped reduced graphene oxide nanomaterial as highly active electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts a source fuel into an electrical current. It generates electricity inside a cell through reactions between a fuel and an oxidant, triggered in the presence of an electrolyte. Fuel cells have been attracting more and more attention in recent decades due to high-energy demands, fossil fuel depletions and environmental pollution throughout world. In this study, a facile and cost-effective catalysts have been developed on platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) supported on nitrogen and sulfur-doped reduced graphene oxide (NSrGO). The successful synthesis of nanomaterials and the prepared glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surfaces were confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). According to TEM images, the average particle sizes of PtNPs were found to be approximately 15–20 nm. The effective surface areas (ESA) of NSrGO/GCE and PtNPs/NSrGO/GCE were calculated to be 148 and 469 cm2/mg, respectively. The PtNPs/NSrGO/GCE also exhibited a higher peak current for methanol oxidation than those of comparable GCE and NSrGO/GCE, providing evidence for its higher electro-catalytic activity. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York