Search results for: white blood cell detection

Authors: Leila Fozouni, Anahita Mazandarani

Abstract:

Background: Maternal infections are the most common cause of infections in infants, and the level of infection and its severity highly depends on the degree of colonization of the bacteria in the mother; so, the occurrence of aggressive diseases is not unpredictable in mothers with very high colonization. Group B Streptococcus is part of the normal flora of the gastrointestinal and genital tracts in women and is the leading cause of septicemia and meningitis in newborns. Today Zinc oxide nanoparticle is regarded as one of the most commonly used and safest nanoparticles for defeating Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This study aims to determine the antibacterial effects of Zinc oxide on the growth of drug-resistant group B Streptococcus strains isolated from pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 150 pregnant women of 28–37 weeks admitted to seven hospitals and maternity wards in Golestan province, northeast of Iran. For bacterial identification, rectovaginal swabs were firstly inoculated to the Todd-Hewitt Broth and cultured in blood agar (containing 5% sheep blood). Then microbiologic and PCR methods were performed to detect group B Streptococci. Disk diffusion and broth microdilution tests were used to determine the bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics according to CLSI M100(2021) criteria. The antibacterial properties of Zinc oxide nanoparticles were evaluated using the agar well-diffusion method. Results: The prevalence of group B Streptococcus was 18% in pregnant women. Out of twenty-seven positive cultures, 62.96% were higher than thirty years old. Ninety percent and 45% of isolates were resistant to clindamycin and erythromycin, respectively, and susceptibility to cefazolin was 71%. In addition, susceptibility to ampicillin and penicillin were 74% and 55%, respectively. The results showed that 82% of erythromycin-resistant, 92% clindamycin-resistant, and 78% of cefazolin-resistant isolates were eliminated by zinc oxide nanoparticles at a concentration of 100 mg/L of the nanoparticle. Furthermore, ZnONPs could inhibit all drug-resistant isolates at a concentration of 200 mg/mL (MIC90 ≥ 200). Conclusion: Since the drug resistance of group B streptococci against various antibiotics is increasing, determining and investigating the drug-resistance pattern of this bacterium to different antibiotics in order to prevent arbitrary consumption of antibiotics by pregnant women and ultimately prevent Infant mortality seems necessary. Generally, ZnONPs showed a high antimicrobial effect, and it was revealed that the bactericide effect increases upon the increase in the concentration of the nanoparticle.

Keywords: group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus, pregnant women, zinc oxide nanoparticles, drug resistance

Procedia PDF Downloads 99

Authors: Ranjita Ghoshmoulick, Aswathi Madhavan, Subhavna Juneja, Prasenjit Sen, Jaydeep Bhattacharya

Abstract:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a very complex and multifactorial metabolic disease where the blood sugar level goes up. One of the major consequence of this elevated blood sugar is the formation of AGE (Advance Glycation Endproducts), from a series of chemical or biochemical reactions. AGE are detrimental because it leads to severe pathogenic complications. They are a group of structurally diverse chemical compounds formed from nonenzymatic reactions between the free amino groups (-NH2) of proteins and carbonyl groups (>C=O) of reducing sugars. The reaction is known as Maillard Reaction. It starts with the formation of reversible schiff’s base linkage which after sometime rearranges itself to form Amadori Product along with dicarbonyl compounds. Amadori products are very unstable hence rearrangement goes on until stable products are formed. During the course of the reaction a lot of chemically unknown intermediates and reactive byproducts are formed that can be termed as Early Glycation Products. And when the reaction completes, structurally stable chemical compounds are formed which is termed as Advanced Glycation Endproducts. Though all glycation products have not been characterized well, some fluorescence compounds e.g pentosidine, Malondialdehyde (MDA) or carboxymethyllysine (CML) etc as AGE and α-dicarbonyls or oxoaldehydes such as 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) etc as the intermediates have been identified. In this work Gold NanoParticle (GNP) was used as an optical indicator of glycation products. To achieve faster glycation kinetics and high AGE accumulation, fructose was used instead of glucose. Hemoglobin A0 (HbA0) was fructosylated by in-vitro method. AGE formation was measured fluorimetrically by recording emission at 450nm upon excitation at 350nm. Thereafter this fructosylated HbA0 was fractionated by column chromatography. Fractionation separated the proteinaceous substance from the AGEs. Presence of protein part in the fractions was confirmed by measuring the intrinsic protein fluorescence and Bradford reaction. GNPs were synthesized using the templates of chromatographically separated fractions of fructosylated HbA0. Each fractions gave rise to GNPs of varying color, indicating the presence of distinct set of glycation products differing structurally and chemically. Clear solution appeared due to settling down of particles in some vials. The reactive groups of the intermediates kept the GNP formation mechanism on and did not lead to a stable particle formation till Day 10. Whereas SPR of GNP showed monotonous colour for the fractions collected in case of non fructosylated HbA0. Our findings accentuate the use of GNPs as a simple colorimetric sensing platform for the identification of intermediates of glycation reaction which could be implicated in the prognosis of the associated health risk due to T2DM and others.

Keywords: advance glycation endproducts, glycation, gold nano particle, sensor

Procedia PDF Downloads 304

Authors: Khairy M. A. Zoheir, Nehma A. Ali, Ahmed M. Darwish, Mohamed S. Kishta, Ahmed A. Abd-Rabou, Mohamed A. Abdelhafez, Karima F. Mahrous

Abstract:

The study comprehensively investigated the multifaceted therapeutic properties of the IQGAP1shRNA plasmid, encompassing its hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, and anticancer activities. The study employed a Prednisolone-induced immunosuppressed rat model to assess the hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of IQGAP1shRNA plasmid. Using this model, IQGAP1shRNA plasmid was found to modulate haematopoiesis, improving RBC, platelet, and WBC counts, underscoring its potential in hematopoietic homeostasis. Organ atrophy, a hallmark of immunosuppression in spleen, heart, liver, ovaries, and kidneys, was reversed with IQGAP1shRNA plasmid treatment, reinforcing its hepatotrophic and organotropic capabilities. Elevated hepatic biomarkers (ALT, AST, ALP, LPO) indicative of hepatocellular injury and oxidative stress were reduced with GST, highlighting its hepatoprotective and antioxidative effects. IQGAP1shRNA plasmid also restored depleted antioxidants (GSH and SOD), emphasizing its potent antioxidative and free radical scavenging capabilities. Molecular insights into immune dysregulation revealed downregulation of IQGAP1, IQGAP3 interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) mRNA expression in the liver of immunosuppressed rats. IL-2 and IL-4 play pivotal roles in immune regulation, T-cell activation, and B-cell differentiation. Notably, treatment with IQGAP1shRNA plasmid exhibited a significant upregulation of IL-2 and IL-4 mRNA expression, thereby accentuating its immunomodulatory potential in orchestrating immune homeostasis. Additionally, immune dysregulation was associated with increased levels of TNF-α. However, treatment with IQGAP1shRNA plasmid effectively decreased the levels of TNF-α, further underscoring its role in modulating inflammatory responses and restoring immune balance in immunosuppressed rats. Additionally, pharmacokinetics, bioavailability, drug-likeness, and toxicity risk assessment prediction suggest its potential as a pharmacologically favourable agent with no serious adverse effects. In conclusion, this study confirms the therapeutic potential of the IQGAP1shRNA plasmid, showcasing its effectiveness against hepatotoxicity, oxidative stress, immunosuppression, and its notable anticancer activity.

Keywords: IQGAP1, shRNA, cancer, liver, rat

Procedia PDF Downloads 8

Authors: M. Ghasemi, S.Fazelifar

Abstract:

Abstract Aim: Over-weight is not desirable and has implications for health and in the case of athletes affects performance. Exercise is a strategy used to counteract overweight owing to create a negative energy balance by increasing energy expenditure and influencing appetite regulating hormones. Interestingly, recent studies have revealed inhibitory effects of exercise on the hunger associated with these hormones in healthy subjects Neuropeptide Y(NPY) is a 36 amino acid protein that is a powerful stimulant appetite. NPY is an important central orexigenic hormone predominantly produced by the hypothalamus, and recently found to be secreted in adipose tissue. This neurotransmitter is secreted in the brain and autonomic nervous system. On the other hand, research has shown that thyme in addition to various properties, also affects the appetite. The purpose of this study was to determine Effects of eight weeks endurance training and thyme consumption on neuropeptide Y in untrained men. Methodology: 36 Healthy untrained men (mean body weight 78.25±3.2 kg, height 176±6.8 cm, age 34.32±4.54 years and BMI 29.1±4.3 kg/m2) voluntarily participated in this study . Subjects were randomly divided into four groups: 1. control, 2. Endurance training, 3. Thyme 4. Endurance training + Thyme. Amount of 10cc Blood sampling were obtained pre-test and post-test (after 8 weeks). The taken blood samples were centrifuged at 1500 × g for 15 min then plasma was stored at -20 °C until analysis. Endurance training consisted three session per week with 60% -75% of reserve heart rate for eight weeks. Exclusion criteria were history of gastrointestinal, endocrine, cardiovascular or psychological disease, and consuming any supplementation, alcohol and tobacco products. Descriptive statistics including means, standard deviations, and ranges were calculated for all measures. K-S test to determine the normality of the data and analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to analyze the data. A significant difference in the p<0/05 accepted. Results: Results showed that aerobic training significantly reduced body weight, body mass index, percent body fat, but significant increase observed in maximal oxygen consumption level (p ≤ 0/05). The neuropeptide Y levels were significantly increased after exercise. Analysis of data determined that there was no significant difference between the four groups. Conclusion: Appetite control plays a critical role in the competition between energy consumption and energy expenditure. The results of this study showed that endurance training and thyme consumption can be cause improvement in physiological parameters such as increasing aerobic capacity, reduction of fat mass and improve body composition in untrained men.

Keywords: Endurance training, neuropeptide Y, thyme, untrained men

Procedia PDF Downloads 310

Authors: Ben Otange, Wolfgang Parak, Florian Schulz, Michael Alexander Rubhausen

Abstract:

The feasibility of extending the usage of molecular imprinting technique in complex biomolecules is demonstrated in this research. This technique is promising in diverse applications in areas such as drug delivery, diagnosis of diseases, catalysts, and impurities detection as well as treatment of various complications. While molecularly imprinted polymers MIP remain robust in the synthesis of molecules with remarkable binding sites that have high affinities to specific molecules of interest, extending the usage to complex biomolecules remains futile. This work reports on the successful synthesis of MIP from complex proteins: BSA, Transferrin, and MUC1. We show in this research that despite the heterogeneous binding sites and higher conformational flexibility of the chosen proteins, relying on their respective epitopes and motifs rather than the whole template produces highly sensitive and selective MIPs for specific molecular binding. Introduction: Proteins are vital in most biological processes, ranging from cell structure and structural integrity to complex functions such as transport and immunity in biological systems. Unlike other imprinting templates, proteins have heterogeneous binding sites in their complex long-chain structure, which makes their imprinting to be marred by challenges. In addressing this challenge, our attention is inclined toward the targeted delivery, which will use molecular imprinting on the particle surface so that these particles may recognize overexpressed proteins on the target cells. Our goal is thus to make surfaces of nanoparticles that specifically bind to the target cells. Results and Discussions: Using epitopes of BSA and MUC1 proteins and motifs with conserved receptors of transferrin as the respective templates for MIPs, significant improvement in the MIP sensitivity to the binding of complex protein templates was noted. Through the Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy FCS measurements on the size of protein corona after incubation of the synthesized nanoparticles with proteins, we noted a high affinity of MIPs to the binding of their respective complex proteins. In addition, quantitative analysis of hard corona using SDS-PAGE showed that only a specific protein was strongly bound on the respective MIPs when incubated with similar concentrations of the protein mixture. Conclusion: Our findings have shown that the merits of MIPs can be extended to complex molecules of higher biomolecular mass. As such, the unique merits of the technique, including high sensitivity and selectivity, relative ease of synthesis, production of materials with higher physical robustness, and higher stability, can be extended to more templates that were previously not suitable candidates despite their abundance and usage within the body.

Keywords: molecularly imprinted polymers, specific binding, drug delivery, high biomolecular mass-templates

Procedia PDF Downloads 55

Authors: Lawrence Williams

Abstract:

As the mechanism which converts domains to internet protocol (IP) addresses, Domain Name System (DNS) is an essential part of internet usage. It was not designed securely and can be subject to attacks. DNS attacks have become more frequent and sophisticated and the need for detecting and preventing them becomes more important for the modern network. DNS tunnelling attacks are one type of attack that are primarily used for distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and data exfiltration. Discussion of different techniques to detect and prevent DNS tunneling attacks is done. The methods, models, experiments, and data for each technique are discussed. A proposal about feasibility is made. Future research on these topics is proposed.

Keywords: DNS, tunneling, exfiltration, botnet

Procedia PDF Downloads 75

Authors: Magdalena Chrabąszcz, Teresa Wolniewicz, Cezary Maciejewski, Joanna Czuwara

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Dermoscopy is a clinical tool known to improve the early detection of melanoma and other malignancies of the skin. Over the past few years melanoma has grown into a disease of socio-economic importance due to the increasing incidence and persistently high mortality rates. Early diagnosis remains the best method to reduce melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer– related mortality and morbidity. Dermoscopy is a noninvasive technique that consists of viewing pigmented skin lesions through a hand-held lens. This simple procedure increases melanoma diagnostic accuracy by up to 35%. Dermoscopy is currently the standard for clinical differential diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma and for qualifying lesion for the excision biopsy. Like any clinical tool, training is required for effective use. The introduction of small and handy dermoscopes contributed significantly to the switch of dermatoscopy toward a first-level useful tool. Non-dermatologist physicians are well positioned for opportunistic melanoma detection; however, education in the skin cancer examination is limited during medical school and traditionally lecture-based. AIM: The aim of this randomized study was to determine whether the adjunct of dermoscopy to the standard fourth year medical curriculum improves the ability of medical students to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions and assess acceptability and satisfaction with the intervention. METHODS: We performed a prospective study in 2 cohorts of fourth-year medical students at Medical University of Warsaw. Groups having dermatology course, were randomly assigned to:  cohort A: with limited access to dermatoscopy from their teacher only – 1 dermatoscope for 15 people  Cohort B: with a full access to use dermatoscopy during their clinical classes:1 dermatoscope for 4 people available constantly plus 15-minute dermoscopy tutorial. Students in both study arms got an image-based test of 10 lesions to assess ability to differentiate benign from malignant lesions and postintervention survey collecting minimal background information, attitudes about the skin cancer examination and course satisfaction. RESULTS: The cohort B had higher scores than the cohort A in recognition of nonmelanocytic (P < 0.05) and melanocytic (P <0.05) lesions. Medical students who have a possibility to use dermatoscope by themselves have also a higher satisfaction rates after the dermatology course than the group with limited access to this diagnostic tool. Moreover according to our results they were more motivated to learn dermatoscopy and use it in their future everyday clinical practice. LIMITATIONS: There were limited participants. Further study of the application on clinical practice is still needed. CONCLUSION: Although the use of dermatoscope in dermatology as a specialty is widely accepted, sufficiently validated clinical tools for the examination of potentially malignant skin lesions are lacking in general practice. Introducing medical students to dermoscopy in their fourth year curricula of medical school may improve their ability to differentiate benign from malignant lesions. It can can also encourage students to use dermatoscopy in their future practice which can significantly improve early recognition of malignant lesions and thus decrease melanoma mortality.

Keywords: dermatoscopy, early detection of melanoma, medical education, skin cancer

Procedia PDF Downloads 114

Authors: Jozef Jurcik, Miroslav Gutten, Milan Sebok, Daniel Korenciak, Jerzy Roj

Abstract:

The paper presents the research results of electronic fuel injection system, which can be used for diagnostics of automotive systems. In the paper is described the construction and operation of a typical fuel injection system and analyzed its electronic part. It has also been proposed method for the detection of the injector malfunction, based on the analysis of differential current or voltage characteristics. In order to detect the fault state, it is needed to use self-learning process, by the use of an appropriate self-learning algorithm.

Keywords: electronic fuel injector, diagnostics, measurement, testing device

Procedia PDF Downloads 552

Authors: K. K. Balavenkatraman, B. Bertschi, K. Bigot, A. Grevot, A. Doelemeyer, S. D. Chibout, A. Wolf, F. Pognan, N. Manevski, O. Kretz, P. Swart, K. Litherland, J. Ashton-Chess, B. Ling, R. Wettstein, D. J. Schaefer

Abstract:

Skin toxicity is poorly detected during preclinical studies, and drug-induced side effects in humans such as rashes, hyperplasia or more serious events like bullous pemphigus or toxic epidermal necrolysis represent an important hurdle for clinical development. In vitro keratinocyte-based epidermal skin models are suitable for the detection of chemical-induced irritancy, but do not recapitulate the biological complexity of full skin and fail to detect potential serious side-effects. Normal healthy skin explants may represent a valuable complementary tool, having the advantage of retaining the full skin architecture and the resident immune cell diversity. This study investigated several conditions for the maintenance of good morphological structure after several days of culture and the retention of phase II metabolism for 24 hours in skin explants in vitro. Human skin samples were collected with informed consent from patients undergoing plastic surgery and immediately transferred and processed in our laboratory by removing the underlying dermal fat. Punch biopsies of 4 mm diameter were cultured in an air-liquid interface using transwell filters. Different cultural conditions such as the effect of calcium, temperature and cultivation media were tested for a period of 14 days and explants were histologically examined after Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. Our results demonstrated that the use of Williams E Medium at 32°C maintained the physiological integrity of the skin for approximately one week. Upon prolonged incubation, the upper layers of the epidermis become thickened and some dead cells are present. Interestingly, these effects were prevented by addition of EGFR inhibitors such as Afatinib or Erlotinib. Phase II metabolism of the skin such as glucuronidation (4-methyl umbeliferone), sulfation (minoxidil), N-acetyltransferase (p-toluidene), catechol methylation (2,3-dehydroxy naphthalene), and glutathione conjugation (chlorodinitro benzene) were analyzed by using LCMS. Our results demonstrated that the human skin explants possess metabolic activity for a period of at least 24 hours for all the substrates tested. A time course for glucuronidation with 4-methyl umbeliferone was performed and a linear correlation was obtained over a period of 24 hours. Longer-term culture studies will indicate the possible evolution of such metabolic activities. In summary, these results demonstrate that human skin explants maintain a normal structure for several days in vitro and are metabolically active for at least the first 24 hours. Hence, with further characterisation, this model may be suitable for the study of drug-induced toxicity.

Keywords: human skin explant, phase II metabolism, epidermal growth factor receptor, toxicity

Procedia PDF Downloads 281

Authors: Alexander A. Karabutov, Natalia B. Podymova, Elena B. Cherepetskaya

Abstract:

The theoretical analysis is carried out to get the relation between the ultrasonic wave velocity and the value of residual stresses. The laser-ultrasonic method is developed to evaluate the residual stresses and subsurface defects in metals. The method is based on the laser thermooptical excitation of longitudinal ultrasonic wave sand their detection by a broadband piezoelectric detector. A laser pulse with the time duration of 8 ns of the full width at half of maximum and with the energy of 300 µJ is absorbed in a thin layer of the special generator that is inclined relative to the object under study. The non-uniform heating of the generator causes the formation of a broadband powerful pulse of longitudinal ultrasonic waves. It is shown that the temporal profile of this pulse is the convolution of the temporal envelope of the laser pulse and the profile of the in-depth distribution of the heat sources. The ultrasonic waves reach the surface of the object through the prism that serves as an acoustic duct. At the interface ‚laser-ultrasonic transducer-object‘ the conversion of the most part of the longitudinal wave energy takes place into the shear, subsurface longitudinal and Rayleigh waves. They spread within the subsurface layer of the studied object and are detected by the piezoelectric detector. The electrical signal that corresponds to the detected acoustic signal is acquired by an analog-to-digital converter and when is mathematically processed and visualized with a personal computer. The distance between the generator and the piezodetector as well as the spread times of acoustic waves in the acoustic ducts are the characteristic parameters of the laser-ultrasonic transducer and are determined using the calibration samples. There lative precision of the measurement of the velocity of longitudinal ultrasonic waves is 0.05% that corresponds to approximately ±3 m/s for the steels of conventional quality. This precision allows one to determine the mechanical stress in the steel samples with the minimal detection threshold of approximately 22.7 MPa. The results are presented for the measured dependencies of the velocity of longitudinal ultrasonic waves in the samples on the values of the applied compression stress in the range of 20-100 MPa.

Keywords: laser-ultrasonic method, longitudinal ultrasonic waves, metals, residual stresses

Procedia PDF Downloads 325

Authors: Jin Koo

Abstract:

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the comparability of student scores obtained from Test Center (TC) vs. Online-Proctored (OP) Delivery in the three subject areas of Verbal, Reading, and Mathematics for each level (Middle and Upper). Also, this study examines whether there is an interaction effect between test deliveries (TC vs. OP) and gender/ethnicity/ability level in each subject area. The test used in this study is a multiple-choice standardized test for students in grades 5-11. For this study, data were collected during the 2022-23 test administration. This research used a one-factor between-subjects ANOVA and Cohen’s d to compare the TC and OP groups’ test means for each level and each subject area. Also, 2-factor between-subjects ANOVAs were conducted to investigate examinee characteristics: gender (male and female), ethnicity (African-American, Asian, Hispanic, Multi-racial, and White), and ability level (low, average, and high-ability groups). The author found that students’ test scores in some subject areas varied between TC and OP test deliveries by gender, ethnicity, and ability level, meaning that gender, ethnicity, and ability level were related to the score difference. These results will be discussed according to the current testing systems.

Keywords: ability level, ethnicity, gender, online-proctored delivery, standardized test, test center

Procedia PDF Downloads 55

Authors: Moustafa Osman Mohammed

Abstract:

This paper introduces topological order in descried social systems starting with the original concept of autopoiesis by biologists and scientists, including the modification of general systems based on socialized medicine. Topological order is important in describing the physical systems for exploiting optical systems and improving photonic devices. The stats of topological order have some interesting properties of topological degeneracy and fractional statistics that reveal the entanglement origin of topological order, etc. Topological ideas in photonics form exciting developments in solid-state materials, that being; insulating in the bulk, conducting electricity on their surface without dissipation or back-scattering, even in the presence of large impurities. A specific type of autopoiesis system is interrelated to the main categories amongst existing groups of the ecological phenomena interaction social and medical sciences. The hypothesis, nevertheless, has a nonlinear interaction with its natural environment 'interactional cycle' for exchange photon energy with molecules without changes in topology. The engineering topology of a biosensor is based on the excitation boundary of surface electromagnetic waves in photonic band gap multilayer films. The device operation is similar to surface Plasmonic biosensors in which a photonic band gap film replaces metal film as the medium when surface electromagnetic waves are excited. The use of photonic band gap film offers sharper surface wave resonance leading to the potential of greatly enhanced sensitivity. So, the properties of the photonic band gap material are engineered to operate a sensor at any wavelength and conduct a surface wave resonance that ranges up to 470 nm. The wavelength is not generally accessible with surface Plasmon sensing. Lastly, the photonic band gap films have robust mechanical functions that offer new substrates for surface chemistry to understand the molecular design structure and create sensing chips surface with different concentrations of DNA sequences in the solution to observe and track the surface mode resonance under the influences of processes that take place in the spectroscopic environment. These processes led to the development of several advanced analytical technologies: which are; automated, real-time, reliable, reproducible, and cost-effective. This results in faster and more accurate monitoring and detection of biomolecules on refractive index sensing, antibody-antigen reactions with a DNA or protein binding. Ultimately, the controversial aspect of molecular frictional properties is adjusted to each other in order to form unique spatial structure and dynamics of biological molecules for providing the environment mutual contribution in investigation of changes due to the pathogenic archival architecture of cell clusters.

Keywords: autopoiesis, photonics systems, quantum topology, molecular structure, biosensing

Procedia PDF Downloads 94

Authors: Naor Cohen

Abstract:

In recent years, business schools made teaching ethical leadership a higher priority. Greater attention to moral and ethical concepts and reasoning processes may prove beneficial to future business leaders. But with a shift in focus, there is a need for a shift in pedagogy. This paper explores an imaginative literature-based pedagogy in the teaching of ethical leadership. An imaginative literature-based pedagogy uses works of fiction to help students build moral analysis and moral judgment capabilities through a rigorous assessment of the moral soundness of actions, motivations, rationales, and consequences portrayed in works of fiction. Business students enrolled in 4 leadership senior-level courses were assigned the White Tiger: A Novel by Aravind Adiga as their main course reading. Students' engagement was measured as a three-factor construct exploring cognitive engagement, behavioural engagement and emotional engagement. In addition, students' final papers were analyzed using thematic content analysis. This paper will present the results of this analysis and argue that incorporating fiction into the leadership curriculum allows students to explore the dire consequences of avoiding countervailing interests, engaging in dishonesty and engaging in moral puffery-based leadership.

Keywords: ethical leadership, empathetic imagination, business education, pedagogy, fiction

Procedia PDF Downloads 204

Authors: Kossigan Bernard Dedey, David Grenier, Tiphaine Lucas

Abstract:

Bread dough is often described as a dispersion of gas cells in a continuous gluten/starch matrix. The final bread crumb structure is strongly related to gas cell walls (GCWs) rupture during baking. At the end of proofing and during baking, part of the thinnest GCWs between expanding gas cells is reduced to a gluten film of about the size of a starch granule. When such size is reached gluten and starch granules must be considered as interacting phases in order to account for heterogeneities and appropriately describe GCW rupture. Among experimental investigations carried out to assess GCW rupture, no experimental work was performed to observe the GCW rupture in the baking conditions at GCW scale. In addition, attempts to numerically understand GCW rupture are usually not performed at the GCW scale and often considered GCWs as continuous. The most relevant paper that accounted for heterogeneities dealt with the gluten/starch interactions and their impact on the mechanical behavior of dough film. However, stress concentration in GCW was not discussed. In this study, both experimental and numerical approaches were used to better understand GCW rupture in bread dough during baking. Experimentally, a macro-scope placed in front of a two-chamber device was used to observe the rupture of a real GCW of 200 micrometers in thickness. Special attention was paid in order to mimic baking conditions as far as possible (temperature, gas pressure and moisture). Various differences in pressure between both sides of GCW were applied and different modes of fracture initiation and propagation in GCWs were observed. Numerically, the impact of gluten/starch interactions (cohesion or non-cohesion) and rheological moduli ratio on the mechanical behavior of GCW under unidirectional extension was assessed in 2D/3D. A non-linear viscoelastic and hyperelastic approach was performed to match the finite strain involved in GCW during baking. Stress concentration within GCW was identified. Simulated stresses concentration was discussed at the light of GCW failure observed in the device. The gluten/starch granule interactions and rheological modulus ratio were found to have a great effect on the amount of stress possibly reached in the GCW.

Keywords: dough, experimental, numerical, rupture

Procedia PDF Downloads 122

Authors: Hamid Abbasi, Neda Jourabchi, Ranasadat Abedi, Kiarash Tajernarenj, Mehdi Farhoudi, Sarvin Sanaie

Abstract:

Background: Alpha lipoic acid (ALA), fat- and water-soluble, coenzyme with sulfuret content, has received considerable attention for its potential therapeutic role in diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and central nervous disease. This investigation aims to evaluate the probable protective effects of ALA in stroke patients. Methods: Based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, This meta-analysis was performed. The PICO criteria for this meta-analysis were as follows: Population/Patients (P: stroke patients); Intervention (I: ALA); Comparison (C: control); Outcome (O: blood glucose, lipid profile, oxidative stress, inflammatory factors).In addition, Studies that were excluded from the analysis consisted of in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo studies, case reports, quasi-experimental studies. Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE databases were searched until August 2023. Results: Of 496 records that were screened in the title/abstract stage, 9 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The sample sizes in the included studies vary between 28 and 90. The result of risk of bias was performed via risk of bias (RoB) in randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) based on the second version of the Cochrane RoB assessment tool. 8 studies had a definitely high risk of bias. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, The present meta-analysis is the first study addressing the effectiveness of ALA supplementation in enhancing post-stroke metabolic markers, including lipid profile, oxidative stress, and inflammatory indices. It is imperative to acknowledge certain potential limitations inherent in this study. First of all, type of treatment (oral or intravenous infusion) could alter the bioavailability of ALA. Our study had restricted evidence regarding the impact of ALA supplementation on included outcomes. Therefore, further research is warranted to develop into the effects of ALA specifically on inflammation and oxidative stress. Funding: The research protocol was approved and supported by the Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (grant number: 72825). Registration: This study was registered in the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO ID: CR42023461612).

Keywords: alpha-lipoic acid, lipid profile, blood glucose, inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, meta-analysis, post-stroke

Procedia PDF Downloads 63

Authors: Lu-Chen Yeh‚ Jui-Ming Yeh

Abstract:

In this manuscript, we produced neat electrospun poly(o-methoxyaniline) (POMA) fibers and utilized it for applying the growth of neural stem cells. The transparency and morphology of as-prepared POMA fibers were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. It was found to have no adverse effects on the long-term proliferation of the neural stem cells (NSCs), retained the ability to self-renew, and exhibit multi-potentiality. Results of immunofluorescence staining studies confirmed that POMA electrospun fibers could provide a great environment for NSCs and enhance its differentiation.

Keywords: electrospun, polyaniline, neural stem cell, differentiation

Procedia PDF Downloads 410

Authors: M. Kislu Noman, Syed Mohammed Shamsul Islam, Shahriar Hassan, Raihana Pervin

Abstract:

With the increasing rate of wireless devices and high bandwidth operations, wireless networking and communications are becoming over crowded. To cope with such crowdy and messy situation, massive MIMO is designed to work with hundreds of low costs serving antennas at a time as well as improve the spectral efficiency at the same time. TDD has been used for gaining beamforming which is a major part of massive MIMO, to gain its best improvement to transmit and receive pilot sequences. All the benefits are only possible if the channel state information or channel estimation is gained properly. The common methods to estimate channel matrix used so far is LS, MMSE and a linear version of MMSE also proposed in many research works. We have optimized these methods using genetic algorithm to minimize the mean squared error and finding the best channel matrix from existing algorithms with less computational complexity. Our simulation result has shown that the use of GA worked beautifully on existing algorithms in a Rayleigh slow fading channel and existence of Additive White Gaussian Noise. We found that the GA optimized LS is better than existing algorithms as GA provides optimal result in some few iterations in terms of MSE with respect to SNR and computational complexity.

Keywords: channel estimation, LMMSE, LS, MIMO, MMSE

Procedia PDF Downloads 192

Authors: G. Magalhães-Mota, C. Magro, S. Sério, E. Mateus, P. A. Ribeiro, A. B. Ribeiro, M. Raposo

Abstract:

Triclosan [5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol], belonging to the class of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs), is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent and bactericide. Because of its antimicrobial efficacy, it is widely used in personal health and skin care products, such as soaps, detergents, hand cleansers, cosmetics, toothpastes, etc. However, it has been considered to disrupt the endocrine system, for instance, thyroid hormone homeostasis and possibly the reproductive system. Considering the widespread use of triclosan, it is expected that environmental and food safety problems regarding triclosan will increase dramatically. Triclosan has been found in river water samples in both North America and Europe and is likely widely distributed wherever triclosan-containing products are used. Although significant amounts are removed in sewage plants, considerable quantities remain in the sewage effluent, initiating widespread environmental contamination. Triclosan undergoes bioconversion to methyl-triclosan, which has been demonstrated to bio accumulate in fish. In addition, triclosan has been found in human urine samples from persons with no known industrial exposure and in significant amounts in samples of mother's milk, demonstrating its presence in humans. The action of sunlight in river water is known to turn triclosan into dioxin derivatives and raises the possibility of pharmacological dangers not envisioned when the compound was originally utilized. The aim of this work is to detect low concentrations of triclosan in an aqueous complex matrix through the use of a sensor array system, following the electronic tongue concept based on impedance spectroscopy. To achieve this goal, we selected the appropriate molecules to the sensor so that there is a high affinity for triclosan and whose sensitivity ensures the detection of concentrations of at least nano-molar. Thin films of organic molecules and oxides have been produced by the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique and sputtered onto glass solid supports already covered by gold interdigitated electrodes. By submerging the films in complex aqueous solutions with different concentrations of triclosan, resistance and capacitance values were obtained at different frequencies. The preliminary results showed that an array of interdigitated electrodes sensor coated or uncoated with different LbL and films, can be used to detect TCS traces in aqueous solutions in a wide range concentration, from 10⁻¹² to 10⁻⁶ M. The PCA method was applied to the measured data, in order to differentiate the solutions with different concentrations of TCS. Moreover, was also possible to trace a curve, the plot of the logarithm of resistance versus the logarithm of concentration, which allowed us to fit the plotted data points with a decreasing straight line with a slope of 0.022 ± 0.006 which corresponds to the best sensitivity of our sensor. To find the sensor resolution near of the smallest concentration (Cs) used, 1pM, the minimum measured value which can be measured with resolution is 0.006, so the ∆logC =0.006/0.022=0.273, and, therefore, C-Cs~0.9 pM. This leads to a sensor resolution of 0.9 pM for the smallest concentration used, 1pM. This attained detection limit is lower than the values obtained in the literature.

Keywords: triclosan, layer-by-layer, impedance spectroscopy, electronic tongue

Procedia PDF Downloads 252

Authors: Mohadeseh Seyednezhad, Armin Rajabi, Andanastui Muchtar, Mahendra Rao Somalu

Abstract:

This work investigates the electrical properties of NiO-SDC/SDC anode sintered at about 1200 ○C for 1h through a relatively new approach, namely the microwave method. Nano powders Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (SDC) and NiO were mixed by using a high-energy ball-mill and subsequent co-pressed at three different compaction pressures 200, 300 and 400 MPa. The novelty of this study consists in the effect of compaction pressure on the electrochemical performance of Ni-SDC/SDC anode, with no binder used between layers. The electrical behavior of the prepared anode has been studied by electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) in controlled atmospheres, operating at high temperatures (600-800 °C).

Keywords: sintering, fuel cell, electrical conductivity, nanostructures, impedance spectroscopy, ceramics

Procedia PDF Downloads 471

Authors: Rahaf Mandura, Fatmah Abusharkh, Layan Kurdi, Rahaf Shigdar, Khadijah Alattas

Abstract:

Introduction: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in older individuals are serious health issues that severely impact the quality of life of millions globally. In 2020, the fourth leading cause of blindness worldwide was AMD. The global prevalence of AMD is estimated to be around 8.7%. AMD is a progressive disease involving the macular region of the retina, and it has a complex pathophysiology. RPE cell dysfunction plays a crucial step in the pathway leading to irreversible degeneration of photoreceptors with yellowish lipid-rich, protein-containing drusen deposits accumulating between Bruch's membrane and the RPE. Furthermore, lipofuscinogenesis, drusogenesis, inflammation, and neovascularization are four main processes responsible for the formation of the two types of AMD: the wet (exudative, neovascular) and dry (non-exudative, geographic atrophy) types. We retrospectively evaluated the prevalence of AMD among patients visiting the retina clinic at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (Jeddah, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia) to identify the commonly associated risk factors of AMD. Methods: The records of 3,067 individuals from 2017 to 2021 were reviewed. Of these, 1,935 satisfied the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. We excluded all patient below 18 years, and those who did not undergo fundus imaging or attend their booked appointments, follow-ups, treatments, and referrals were excluded. Results: The prevalence of AMD among the patients was 4%. The age of patients with AMD was significantly greater than those without AMD (72.4 ± 9.8 years vs. 57.2 ± 15.5 years; p < 0.001). Participants with a family history of AMD tended to have the disease more than those without such a history (85.7% vs. 45%; p = 0.043). Ex- and current smokers were more likely to have AMD than non-smokers (34% and 18.6% vs. 7.2%; p < 0.001). Patients with hypertension and those without type 1 diabetes were at a higher risk of developing AMD than those without hypertension (5.5% vs. 2.8%; p = 0.002) and those with type 1 diabetes (4.2% vs. 0.8%; p = 0.040). In contrast, sex, nationality, type 2 diabetes, and abnormal lipid profile were not significantly associated with AMD. Regarding the clinical characteristics of AMD cases, most cases (70.4%) were of the dry type and affected both eyes (77.2%). The disease duration was ≥5 years in 43.1% of the patients. The most frequent chronic diseases associated with AMD were type 2 diabetes (69.1%), hypertension (61.7%), and dyslipidemia (18.5%). Conclusion: In summary, our single tertiary center study showed that AMD is widely prevalent in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (4%) and linked to a wide range of risk factors. Some of these are modifiable risk factors that can be adjusted to help reduce AMD occurrence. Furthermore, this study has shown the importance of screening and follow-up of family members of patients with AMD to promote early detection and intervention of AMD. We recommend conducting further research on AMD in Saudi Arabia. Concerning the study design, a community-based cross-sectional study would be more helpful for assessing the disease's prevalence. Finally, recruiting a larger sample size is required for more accurate estimation.

Keywords: age related macular degeneration, prevelence, risk factor, dry AMD

Procedia PDF Downloads 42

Authors: V. Jaime Contreras, S. Iliana Nunez, S. Mario Sanchez

Abstract:

Inside a manufacturing facility, we can find innumerable automatic and manual operations, all of which are relevant to the production process. Some of these processes add more value to the products more than others. Manual operations tend to add value to the product since they can be found in the final assembly area o final operations of the process. In this areas, where a mistake or accident can increase the cost of waste exponentially. To reduce or mitigate these costly mistakes, one approach is to rely on automation to eliminate the operator from the production line - requires a hefty investment and development of specialized machinery. In our approach, the center of the solution is the operator through sufficient and adequate instrumentation, real-time reporting and ergonomics. Efficiency and reduced cycle time can be achieved thorough the integration of Internet-of-Things (IoT) ready technologies into assembly operations to enhance the ergonomics of the workstations. Augmented reality visual aids, RFID triggered personalized workstation dimensions and real-time data transfer and reporting can help achieve these goals. In this case study, a standard work cell will be used for real-life data acquisition and a simulation software to extend the data points beyond the test cycle. Three comparison scenarios will run in the work cell. Each scenario will introduce a dimension of the ergonomics to measure its impact independently. Furthermore, the separate test will determine the limitations of the technology and provide a reference for operating costs and investment required. With the ability, to monitor costs, productivity, cycle time and scrap/waste in real-time the ROI (return on investment) can be determined at the different levels to integration. This case study will help to show that ergonomics in the assembly lines can make significant impact when IoT technologies are introduced. Ergonomics can effectively reduce waste and increase productivity with minimal investment if compared with setting up to custom machine.

Keywords: augmented reality visual aids, ergonomics, real-time data acquisition and reporting, RFID triggered workstation dimensions

Procedia PDF Downloads 214

Authors: Nura Brimo, Dilek Cokeliler Serdaroglu, Tansel Uyar, Busra Uysal, Elif Bahar Cakici, Miris Dikmen, Zerrin Canturk

Abstract:

Background: A combination of antibiotics, including metronidazole (MET), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and minocycline (MINO), has been demonstrated to disinfect bacteria in necrotic teeth before regenerative processes. It has been presented clinically that antibiotic pastes may drive to possible stem cell death and difficulties in removing from the canal system, which can limit the regenerative procedure. This study was designed to (1) synthesize nanofibrous webs containing various concentrations of different medicaments (triple, double, and calcium hydroxide,Ca(OH)2), and (2) coat thiselectrospun fibrous gutta-percha (GP) cones. Methods: Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP)-based electrospun fibrous webs were processed with low medicaments concentrations. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were carried out to investigate fiber morphology, antibiotic incorporation, and characterized GP-coated fibrous webs, respectively. The chemical and physical properties of dentine were carried out via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Nano-SEM, respectively. The antimicrobial properties of the different fibrous webs were assessed against various bacteria by direct nanofiber/bacteria contact. Cytocompatibility was measured by applying the MTT method. Results: The mean fiber diameter of the experiment groups of medicament-containing fibers ranged in the nm scale and was significantly smaller than PVP fibers. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of medicaments in the nanofibers. XPS analysis presented a complete coating of the fibers with GPs; FTIR and Nano-SEM showed no chemical and physical configuration of intracanal medicaments on the dentine surface. Meanwhile, nanofibrous webs led to a significant reduction in the percentage of viable bacteria compared with the negative control and PVP. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that TA-NFs, DA-NFs, and Cₐ(OH)₂)-NFs coated GP cones have significant potential in eliminating intracanal bacteria, cell-friendly behavior, and clinical usage features.

Keywords: drug delivery, drug carrier, electrospinning, nano/microfibers, regenerative endodontic, morphology

Procedia PDF Downloads 112

Authors: Aaron Samuels, Ahmad Badeghiesh, Haitham Baghlaf, Michael H. Dahan

Abstract:

Importance: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally and a significant cause of cancer-related deaths. Understanding the impact of cervical cancer diagnosed during pregnancy on maternal, delivery, and neonatal outcomes is crucial for improving clinical management and outcomes for affected women and their children. Objective: The goal is to determine the effects of cervical cancer diagnosed during pregnancy on maternal, delivery, and neonatal outcomes using a population-based American database. Design: This study is a retrospective analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) database. The study period spans between 2004-2014, and the analysis was conducted in 2023. Setting: The study used the HCUP-NIS database, which includes data from hospital stays across the United States, covering 48 states and the District of Columbia. Participants: The study included all women who delivered a child or had a maternal death from 2004-2014, with pregnancies at 24 weeks or above. The population was comprised of 9,096,788 pregnant women, including 222 diagnosed with cervical cancer prior to delivery. Exposures: The exposure was a diagnosis of cervical cancer during pregnancy, identified using International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision codes 180.0, 180.1, 180.8, and 180.9. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes included maternal, delivery, and neonatal complications including preterm delivery, cesarean section, hysterectomy, blood transfusion, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, congenital anomalies, intrauterine fetal demise, and small-for-gestational-age neonates. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between cervical cancer diagnosis and these outcomes, adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results: Women with cervical cancer were older (25.2% ≥35 years vs. 14.7%, p=0.001, respectively); more likely to have Medicare insurance (1.4% vs. 0.6%, p=0.005, respectively); use illicit drugs (4.1% vs. 1.4%, p=0.001, respectively); smoke tobacco during pregnancy (14.9% vs. 4.9%, p=0.001, respectively); and have chronic hypertension (3.6% vs. 1.8%, p=0.046, respectively). These women also had higher rates of preterm delivery (OR = 4.73, 95% CI (3.53-6.36), p=0.001); cesarean section (OR = 5.40, 95% CI (4.00-7.30), p=0.001); hysterectomy (OR = 390.23, 95% CI (286.43-531.65), p=0.001); blood transfusions (OR = 19.23, 95% CI (13.57-27.25), p=0.001); deep venous thrombosis (OR = 9.42, 95% CI (1.32-67.20), p=0.025); and pulmonary embolism (OR = 20.22, 95% CI (2.83-144.48), p=0.003). Neonatal outcomes, including congenital anomalies, intrauterine fetal demise, and small-for-gestational-age neonates, were comparable between groups. Conclusions and Relevance: Cervical cancer during pregnancy is associated with significant maternal and delivery risks; however, neonatal outcomes are largely unaffected. These findings highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach to managing pregnant cervical cancer patients involving oncological, obstetrical, and neonatal care specialists.

Keywords: cervical cancer, maternal outcomes, neonatal outcomes, delivery outcomes

Procedia PDF Downloads 2

Authors: Y. Landkocz, C. Lepers, P.J. Martin, B. Fougère, F. Roy Saint-Georges. A. Verdin, F. Cazier, F. Ledoux, D. Courcot, F. Sichel, P. Gosset, P. Shirali, S. Billet

Abstract:

In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified air pollution and fine particles as carcinogenic to humans. Causal relationships exist between elevated ambient levels of airborne particles and increase of mortality and morbidity including pulmonary diseases, like lung cancer. However, due to a double complexity of both physicochemical Particulate Matter (PM) properties and tumor mechanistic processes, mechanisms of action remain not fully elucidated. Furthermore, because of several common properties between air pollution PM and tobacco smoke, like the same route of exposure and chemical composition, potential mechanisms of synergy could exist. Therefore, smoking could be an aggravating factor of the particles toxicity. In order to identify some mechanisms of action of particles according to their size, two samples of PM were collected: PM0.03 2.5 and PM0.33 2.5 in the urban-industrial area of Dunkerque. The overall cytotoxicity of the fine particles was determined on human bronchial cells (BEAS-2B). Toxicological study focused then on the metabolic activation of the organic compounds coated onto PM and some genetic and epigenetic changes induced on a co-culture model of BEAS-2B and alveolar macrophages isolated from bronchoalveolar lavages performed in smokers and non-smokers. The results showed (i) the contribution of the ultrafine fraction of atmospheric particles to genotoxic (eg. DNA double-strand breaks) and epigenetic mechanisms (eg. promoter methylation) involved in tumor processes, and (ii) the influence of smoking on the cellular response. Three main conclusions can be discussed. First, our results showed the ability of the particles to induce deleterious effects potentially involved in the stages of initiation and promotion of carcinogenesis. The second conclusion is that smoking affects the nature of the induced genotoxic effects. Finally, the in vitro developed cell model, using bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages can take into account quite realistically, some of the existing cell interactions existing in the lung.

Keywords: air pollution, fine and ultrafine particles, genotoxic and epigenetic alterations, smoking

Procedia PDF Downloads 347

Authors: Uliana N. Tumanova, Viacheslav M. Lyapin, Vladimir G. Bychenko, Alexandr I. Shchegolev, Gennady T. Sukhikh

Abstract:

It is well known that the gas formed as a result of postmortem decomposition of tissues can be detected already 24-48 hours after death. In addition, the conditions of keeping and storage of the corpse (temperature and humidity of the environment) significantly determine the rate of occurrence and development of posthumous changes. The presence of sepsis is accompanied by faster postmortem decomposition and decay of the organs and tissues of the body. The presence of gas in the vessels and cavities can be revealed fully at postmortem CT. Radiologists must certainly report on the detection of intraorganic or intravascular gas, wich was detected at postmortem CT, to forensic experts or pathologists before the autopsy. This gas can not be detected during autopsy, but it can be very important for establishing a diagnosis. To explore the possibility of postmortem CT for the evaluation of gas accumulations in the newborns' vessels, who died from congenital sepsis. Researched of 44 newborns bodies (25 male and 19 female sex, at the age from 6 hours to 27 days) after 6 - 12 hours of death. The bodies were stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of +4°C in the supine position. Grouped 12 bodies of newborns that died from congenital sepsis. The control group consisted of 32 bodies of newborns that died without signs of sepsis. Postmortem CT examination was performed at the GEMINI TF TOF16 device, before the autopsy. The localizations of gas accumulations in the vessels were determined on the CT tomograms. The sepsis diagnosis was on the basis of clinical and laboratory data and autopsy results. Gases in the vessels were detected in 33.3% of cases in the group with sepsis, and in the control group - in 34.4%. A group with sepsis most often the gas localized in the heart and liver vessels - 50% each, of observations number with the detected gas in the vessels. In the heart cavities, aorta and mesenteric vessels - 25% each. In control most often gas was detected in the liver (63.6%) and abdominal cavity (54.5%) vessels. In 45.5% the gas localized in the cavities, and in 36.4% in the vessels of the heart. In the cerebral vessels and in the aorta gas was detected in 27.3% and 9.1%, respectively. Postmortem CT has high diagnostic capabilities to detect free gas in vessels. Postmortem changes in newborns that died from sepsis do not affect intravascular gas production within 6-12 hours. Radiation methods should be used as a supplement to the autopsy, including as a kind of ‘guide’, with the indication to the forensic medical expert of certain changes identified during CT studies, for better definition of pathological processes during the autopsy. Postmortem CT can be recommend as a first stage of autopsy.

Keywords: congenital sepsis, gas, newborn, postmortem CT

Procedia PDF Downloads 146

Authors: Nadjiba Mezıou-Cheboutı, Amel Merabet, Yahia Cheboutı, Nassima Behidj, Fatima-Zohra Bıssaad et Salahedine Doumandjı

Abstract:

Among the Anacardiaceae, the fruit (Pistacia vera L.) is the only species that produces edible fruits. The introduction of real pistachio was made in the early sixties by an FAO program in Algeria in several regions in the northern part of Algeria: Tlemcen, Sidi Bel Abbes, Batna, Bouira M'sila . Chemical analyzes of seeds pistachios were made on seeds from an orchard that localizes to Bechloul (Bouira) located in bioclimatic sub-humid temperate winter floor. Analyzes reveal dry matter content of 3.60 ± 0.45%, the water rate is 7.21 ± 0.36%. However, the fat content is 46.00 ± 0.90%, in average blood sugar, it is 4.02 ± 0.47%, the protein reached 29.88 ± 0.76%. Given the very interesting that high-fat food nutritional values, culture pistachio must be considered for its extension in Algeria.

Keywords: pistachio, dry matter, fat, sugar, protein

Procedia PDF Downloads 355

Authors: Hosam Abdelhady

Abstract:

Filming the behaviors of individual DNA molecules in their environment when they interact with individual medicinal nano-polymers in a molecular scale has opened the door to understand the effect of the molecular shape, size, and incubation time with nanocarriers on optimizing the design of robust genetic Nano molecules able to resist the enzymatic degradation, enter the cell, reach to the nucleus and kill individual cancer cells in their environment. To this end, we will show how we applied the 4D AFM as a guide to finetune the design of genetic nanoparticles and to film the effects of these nanoparticles on the nanomechanical and morphological profiles of individual cancer cells.

Keywords: AFM, dendrimers, nanoparticles, DNA, gene therapy, imaging

Procedia PDF Downloads 73

Authors: Ammar Boudaka, Maryam Al-Suleimani, Hajar BaOmar, Intisar Al-Lawati, Fahad Zadjali

Abstract:

Background: Hypertension is increasingly becoming a matter of medical and public health importance. The maintenance of normal blood pressure requires a balance between cardiac output and total peripheral resistance. The endothelium, through the release of vasodilating factors, plays an important role in the control of total peripheral resistance and hence blood pressure homeostasis. Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid type 4 (TRPV4) is a mechanosensitive non-selective cation channel that is expressed on the endothelium and contributes to endothelium-mediated vasodilation. So far, no data are available about the morphological and functional status of this channel in hypertensive cases. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether there is any difference in the morphological and functional features of TRPV4 in the mesenteric artery of normotensive and hypertensive rats. Methods: Functional feature of TRPV4 in four experimental animal groups: young and adult Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY-Y and WKY-A), young and adult spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-Y and SHR-A), was studied by adding 5 µM 4αPDD (TRPV4 agonist) to mesenteric arteries mounted in a four-chamber wire myograph and pre-contracted with 4 µM phenylephrine. The 4αPDD-induced response was investigated in the presence and absence of 1 µM HC067047 (TRPV4 antagonist), 100 µM L-NAME (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), and endothelium. The morphological distribution of TRPV4 in the wall of rat mesenteric arteries was investigated by immunostaining. Real-time PCR was used in order to investigate mRNA expression level of TRPV4 in the mesenteric arteries of the four groups. The collected data were expressed as mean ± S.E.M. with n equal to the number of animals used (one vessel was taken from each rat). To determine the level of significance, statistical comparisons were performed using the student’s t-test and considered to be significantly different at p<0.05. Results: 4αPDD induced a relaxation response in the mesenteric arterial preparations (WKY-Y: 85.98% ± 4.18; n = 5) that was markedly inhibited by HC067047 (18.30% ± 2.86; n= 5; p<0.05), endothelium removal (19.93% ± 1.50; n = 5; p<0.05) and L-NAME (28.18% ± 3.09; n = 5; p<0.05). The 4αPDD-induced relaxation was significantly lower in SHR-Y compared to WKY-Y (SHR-Y: 70.96% ± 3.65; n = 6, WKY-Y: 85.98% ± 4.18; n = 5-6, p<0.05. Moreover, the 4αPDD-induced response was significantly lower in WKY-A than WKY-Y (WKY-A: 75.58 ± 1.30; n = 5, WKY-Y: 85.98% ± 4.18; n = 5, p<0.05). Immunostaining study showed immunofluorescent signal confined to the endothelial layer of the mesenteric arteries. The expression of TRPV4 mRNA in SHR-Y was significantly lower than in WKY-Y (SHR-Y; 0.67RU ± 0.34; n = 4, WKY-Y: 2.34RU ± 0.15; n = 4, p<0.05). Furthermore, TRPV4 mRNA expression in WKY-A was lower than its expression in WKY-Y (WKY-A: 0.62RU ± 0.37; n = 4, WKY-Y: 2.34RU ± 0.15; n = 4, p<0.05). Conclusion: Stimulation of TRPV4, which is expressed on the endothelium of rat mesenteric artery, triggers an endothelium-mediated relaxation response that markedly decreases with hypertension and growing up changes due to downregulation of TRPV4 expression.

Keywords: hypertension, endothelium, mesenteric artery, TRPV4

Procedia PDF Downloads 313

Authors: S. Fröhlich, M. Herold, M. Allmer

Abstract:

Early stage quantitative analysis of host cell protein (HCP) variations is challenging yet necessary for comprehensive bioprocess development. High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) provides a high-end technology for accurate identification alongside with quantitative information. Hereby we describe a flexible HRMS assay platform to quantify HCPs relevant in microbial expression systems such as E. Coli in both up and downstream development by means of MVDA tools. Cell pellets were lysed and proteins extracted, purified samples not further treated before applying the SMART tryptic digest kit. Peptides separation was optimized using an RP-UHPLC separation platform. HRMS-MSMS analysis was conducted on an Orbitrap Velos Elite applying CID. Quantification was performed label-free taking into account ionization properties and physicochemical peptide similarities. Results were analyzed using SIEVE 2.0 (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and SIMCA (Umetrics AG). The developed HRMS platform was applied to an E. Coli expression set with varying productivity and the corresponding downstream process. Selected HCPs were successfully quantified within the fmol range. Analysing HCP networks based on pattern analysis facilitated low level quantification and enhanced validity. This approach is of high relevance for high-throughput screening experiments during upstream development, e.g. for titer determination, dynamic HCP network analysis or product characterization. Considering the downstream purification process, physicochemical clustering of identified HCPs is of relevance to adjust buffer conditions accordingly. However, the technology provides an innovative approach for label-free MS based quantification relying on statistical pattern analysis and comparison. Absolute quantification based on physicochemical properties and peptide similarity score provides a technological approach without the need of sophisticated sample preparation strategies and is therefore proven to be straightforward, sensitive and highly reproducible in terms of product characterization.

Keywords: process analytical technology, mass spectrometry, process characterization, MVDA, pattern recognition

Procedia PDF Downloads 251

Authors: A. Sopharak, B. Uyyanonvara, S. Barman

Abstract:

Diabetic retinopathy is characterized by the development of retinal microaneurysms. The damage can be prevented if disease is treated in its early stages. In this paper, we are comparing Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Naïve Bayes (NB) classifiers for automatic microaneurysm detection in images acquired through non-dilated pupils. The Nearest Neighbor classifier is used as a baseline for comparison. Detected microaneurysms are validated with expert ophthalmologists’ hand-drawn ground-truths. The sensitivity, specificity, precision and accuracy of each method are also compared.

Keywords: diabetic retinopathy, microaneurysm, naive Bayes classifier, SVM classifier

Procedia PDF Downloads 329