BIOSENSORS DERIVED FROM COPOLYMERS OF VINYLFERROCENE WITH VARIOUS PARA SUBSTITUTED PHENYLMALEIMIDES

Five copolymers were synthesized from vinylferrocene with N-(4- methoxyphenyl)maleimide, N-(4-methylphenyl)maleimide, N-phenylmaleimide, N- (4-acetylphenyl)maleimide, and N-(4-cyanophenyl)maleimide. The resulting copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, IR spectroscopy and NMR spectroscopy. Thermal characterization of the copolymers included DSC and TGA. The copolymers were also characterized electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry in methylene chloride solutions and as a thin film in aqueous electrolytes. As a thin film, each copolymer showed changes in oxidation potential with different electrolytes (NaCl, NaNO3, NaClO4, and Na2SO4). These materials were also tested as biosensors for hydrogen peroxide and dopamine, and compared to polyvinyl ferrocene. Each material exhibited similar sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. However, differences were observed when sensing dopamine with the methoxy and nitrile derivatives being the most sensitive

A genetic algorithm for shortest path with real constraints in computer networks

The shortest path problem has many different versions. In this manuscript, we proposed a muti-constrained optimization method to find the shortest path in a computer network. In general, a genetic algorithm is one of the common heuristic algorithms. In this paper, we employed the genetic algorithm to find the solution of the shortest path multi-constrained problem. The proposed algorithm finds the best route for network packets with minimum total cost, delay, and hop count constrained with limited bandwidth. The new algorithm was implemented on four different capacity networks with random network parameters, the results showed that the shortest path under constraints can be found in a reasonable time. The experimental results showed that the algorithm always found the shortest path with minimal constraints

A case of atypical systemic primary carnitine deficiency in Saudi Arabia

Systemic primary carnitine deficiency (SPCD) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of fatty acid metabolism caused by a defect in the transporter responsible for moving carnitine across plasma membrane. The clinical features of SPCD vary widely based on the age of onset and organs involved. During infancy, patients might show episodes of hypoketotic hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, elevated transaminases, and hyperammonemia. Skeletal myopathy, elevated creatine kinase, and cardiomyopathy are the main manifestations in children with SPCD, while in adults, the disorder is usually manifested as cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, or fatigability. Here, we report a 5-year-old boy with SPCD that presented as dilated cardiomyopathy with atypical features, such as anemia, respiratory distress, and proximal muscle weakness. This report supports considering carnitine deficiency treatment in the work-up of unexplained pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy