A nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanospheres-based aptasensor for non-invasive salivary detection of progesterone

Developing an easy-to-use and non-invasive sensor for monitoring progesterone (P4) as a multi-functional hormone is highly demanded for point-of-care testing. In this study, an ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor is fabricated for monitoring P4 in human biofluids. The sensing interface was designed based on the porous nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres (N-HCSs). The N-HCSs covalently immobilized high-dense aptamer (Apt) sequences as the bioreceptor of P4. The electron transfer of the redox probe was hindered by incubating P4 on the aptasensor surface and forming the P4-Apt complexes. Meanwhile, the signaling was decreased under two wide linear dynamic ranges (LDRs) from 10 fM to 5.6 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) value of 3.33 fM. The aptasensor presented satisfactory selectivity in the presence of different off-target species with successful feasibility for P4 detection in some human urine and saliva samples. The aptasensor with high sensitivity, as an advantage for on-site and sensitive measurement of P4, can be considered a non-invasive tool for routine analysis of real-world clinical samples method.

Copper corrosion prevention in 3.5% NaCl solution by Spartium junceum petals extract as an eco-friendly bio-inhibitor: kinetic and thermodynamic studies

During the last decades, numerous studies were performed to introduce green corrosion inhibitors. So, various materials were utilized due to their being bio-degradable, available, and inexpensive. Because of the aforementioned aspects, Spartium Junceum petals extract (SJPE) was used as a new bio-inhibitor for the prevention of copper corrosion in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. This extract was obtained in water as a non-toxic solvent. Also, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) confirmed the presence of organic molecules containing O, N, and F heteroatoms in SJPE, which are important for inhibitors. Also, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to identify the functional groups of the inhibitor molecules. Moreover, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization techniques were used which verified the great effect of this procedure to promote resistance corrosion of copper substrate. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) exhibited the surface morphology of copper substrate in the presence of SJPE which demonstrated the improvement of corrosion resistance in comparison to the absence of this bio-inhibitor. It should be noted that by increasing the amount of SJPE, the inhibition efficiency was ameliorated up to 87.8%. Furthermore, variation in temperature magnitude between 298 and 338 K implied that SPJE can improve inhibition behavior in higher temperatures. By applying temperature effect study data, the value of activation energy in the presence of the inhibitor was calculated (37.9 kJ mol-1), and the adsorption isotherm was Langmuir. Also, these data showed the inhibition mechanism is physical adsorption. The proposed inhibitor can be used as an efficient, eco-friendly, and inexpensive bio-inhibitor for the prevention of copper corrosion.

Advanced Cellulose-Nanocarbon Composite Films for High-Performance Triboelectric and Piezoelectric Nanogenerators

Natural polymers such as cellulose have interesting tribo- and piezoelectric properties for paper-based energy harvesters, but their low performance in providing sufficient output power is still an impediment to a wider deployment for IoT and other low-power applications. In this study, different types of celluloses were combined with nanosized carbon fillers to investigate their effect on the enhancement of the electrical properties in the final nanogenerator devices. Cellulose pulp (CP), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were blended with carbon black (CB), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The microstructure of the nanocomposite films was characterized by scanning electron and probe microscopies, and the electrical properties were measured macroscopically and at the local scale by piezoresponse force microscopy. The highest generated output voltage in triboelectric mode was obtained from MCC films with CNTs and CB, while the highest piezoelectric voltage was produced in CNF-CNT films. The obtained electrical responses were discussed in relation to the material properties. Analysis of the microscopic response shows that pulp has a higher local piezoelectric d₃₃ coefficient (145 pC/N) than CNF (14 pC/N), while the macroscopic response is greatly influenced by the excitation mode and the effective orientation of the crystals relative to the mechanical stress. The increased electricity produced from cellulose nanocomposites may lead to more efficient and biodegradable nanogenerators.

Highly sensitive electrochemical sensor based on carbon paste electrode modified with graphene nanoribbon-CoFe2O4@NiO and ionic liquid for azithromycin antibiotic monitoring in biological and pharmaceutical samples

In this report, Azithromycin (Azi) antibiotic was measured by carbon paste electrode (CPE) improved by graphene nanoribbon-CoFe2O4@NiO nanocomposite and 1-hexyl-3 methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (HMIM PF6) as an ionic liquid binder. The electrochemical behavior of Azi on the graphene nanoribbon-CoFe2O4@NiO/HMIM PF6/CPE is investigated by voltammetric methods, and the results showed that the modifiers improve the conductivity and electrochemical activity of the CPE. According to obtained data, the electrochemical behavior of Azi is related to pH. under optimum conditions, the sensor has linear ranges from 10 µM to 2 mM with a LOD of 0.66 µM. The effect of scan rate and chronoamperometry were studied, which showed that the Azi electro-oxidation is diffusion controlled with the diffusion coefficient of 9.22 × 10-6 cm2/s. The reproducibility (3.15%), repeatability (2.5%), selectivity, and stability (for 30 days) tests were investigated, which results were acceptable. The actual sample analysis confirmed that the proposed sensor is an appropriate electrochemical tool for Azi determination in urine and Azi capsule.

A caffeic acid electrochemical sensor amplified with GNR/CoFe2O4@NiO and 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate; a new perspective for food analysis

Determining Caffeic acid is important as an antioxidant compound in food. In this study, caffeic acid (CA) was measured using a carbon paste electrode modified with GNR/CoFe₂O₄@NiO and 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIM Ac) as ion liquid. A simple sensor showed a higher current than a bare carbon paste; thus, it can be said that the modified electrode has a higher sensitivity for detecting CA. The linear range of this sensor and its detection limit was equal to 0.01-100.0 μM and 0.01 μM, respectively. Moreover, the developed electrode indicated outstanding selectivity in the presence of several interferences, high sensitivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability. The percentage recovery of CA obtained with the developed sensor affirmed its reliability for CA determination in real samples. The modified sensor's accuracy was confirmed to identify this analyte according to the results.

Simple and low-cost electrochemical sensor based on graphite sheet electrode modified by carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles for detection of Acyclovir

A low cost sensitive electrochemical sensor, based on functionalized carbon nanotubes and Au nanoparticles deposited on commercial graphite sheet for detection of an antiviral drug, acyclovir (ACV) in pharmaceutical preparations...

Simultaneous electrosynthesis of Cu–BTC and Zn–BTC metal–organic frameworks on brass

Cu–BTC/Zn–BTC was electrosynthesized simultaneously and in situ on brass at room temperature and in a short time.

Multifunctional Magnetic Nanoparticles-Labeled Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Hyperthermia and Bioimaging Applications

Magnetic nanoparticles have demonstrated considerable capacity for theranosis purposes due to their unique characteristics, including magnetic properties, comparable size to biomolecules, favorable conjugations of drugs and biomolecules, ability to labeling, and capability of sensing, separation, detection, and targeted drug delivery. They could be exploited in magnetic resonance imaging as the contrast agents and also warmed as exposed to an external magnetic AC field that could be applied in hyperthermia. Here, progresses and advances in the strategy and assembly of fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles are presented for stem cell tracing and drugs/biomolecules targeting into cells.

Electrochemical nano-genosensor for highly sensitive detection of miR-21 biomarker based on SWCNT-grafted dendritic Au nanostructure for early detection of prostate cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) appear as a novel reliable candidate in biomarkers for early diagnosis of cancer. Due to their roles in various types of cancer, their potential as a diagnostic biomarker is getting more attention. Here, a novel electrochemical biosensor for detection of miR-21 was demonstrated, through combining the advantages of electrochemical methods and nanomaterials with the selectivity of oligonucleotides, based on thiolated receptor probe-functionalized dendritic gold nanostructures (den-Au) via the self-assembly monolayer (SAM) process which grafted on the single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) platform on the surface of the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode. Cadmium ions (Cd²⁺) were used as signal units and also signal amplification substance which labeled before on miR-21 target. The oxidation signal of Cd²⁺ as a signal unit was measured by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique that had a very wide linear relationship with the concentration of miR-21 target (0.01 fmol L^-1 to 1 μmol L^-1) and low experimental detection limit of 0.01 fmol L^-1. Furthermore, fabricated biosensor showed acceptable performance in human serum samples and also good selectivity indiscriminate between the complementary target and non-complementary one, so this nano-genosensor can clinically be used for prostate cancer diagnosis through the detection of miR-21 in human serum samples.

An electrochemical paper based nano-genosensor modified with reduced graphene oxide-gold nanostructure for determination of glycated hemoglobin in blood

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a standard biomarker to measure long-term average glucose concentration for diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes. Various methods have been reported for measuring HbA1c, however, portable and precise determination is still challenging. Herein, a new highly sensitive electrochemical nanobiosensor is developed for the specific determination of HbA1c. A nanocomposite of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and gold with hierarchical architecture structure was electrochemically deposited on a cheap and flexible graphite sheet (GS) electrode. The nanocomposite increased the surface area, improved the electron transfer on the electrode surface and augmented the signal. It also provided a suitable substrate for linkage of thiolated DNA aptamer as a bioreceptor on the electrode surface by strong covalent bonding. The quantitative label free detection was carried out by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution containing redox probe Fe(CN)₆^3-/4-. The detection is based on insulating the surface in presence of HbA1c and decreasing the current, which is directly related to the HbA1c concentration. The nanobiosensor demonstrated high sensitivity of 269.2 μA. cm^-2, wide linear range of 1 nM-13.83 μM with a low detection limit of 1 nM. The biosensor was successfully used for measuring HbA1c in blood real sample. Furthermore, it is promising to use it as a part of a point of care device for low-invasive screening and management of diabetes.

Low loaded palladium nanoparticles on ethylenediamine-functionalized cellulose as an efficient catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen production

In this study, for the first time, a carbon paste electrode was modified with palladium nanoparticles supported on ethylenediamine-functionalized cellulose, and its performance for electrocatalytic hydrogen production was examined.

Application of electrodeposited cobalt hexacyanoferrate film to extract energy from water salinity gradients

Cobalt hexacyanoferrate film as a cheap and efficient electrode material for extracting energy from water salinity gradients.

Synthesis, characterization, and photocurrent generation of a new nanocomposite based Cu–TCPP MOF and ZnO nanorod

Schematic representation of the Cu–TCPP MOF/ZnO (15%) nanocomposite on an FTO substrate in the photoelectrochemical cell and the mechanism of the photocurrent generation (the chemical potentials were calculated by cyclic voltammetry measurement).

P01-209-The comparison between manic and mixed episodes

This study was designed for comparing between manic and mixed episodes and the relationship between these episodes and special scores were evaluated.

This analytical - observational study was performed in Kerman Beheshti hospital / Kerman / Iran : one hundred and eighty six bipolar inpatients with diagnosis of manic and mixed episodes were included in study. They were assessed with the Young mania and Beck Depression Inventory.

Frequency of pure mania was 22.6%. The mean of age of onsent was lower in mixed type (P = 0.02). Young score was higher in pure mania (p = 0.026).

Spearman's correlation coefficient show strong relationship between duration of hospitalization and young score (p = 0.0001).

These is significant relationship between Beck score and family history of bipolar disorder (p < 0.05). and there was significant relationship between Beck score and patient’s insight overlay,comorbidity of personality disorder was 26.3 was similar in both groups.There were significant relationships between age of onset of illness and positive familial history of bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder,and between suicidal attept and panic disorder and social phobia,however rapid cycling was higher in mixed patients significantly (p = 0.009).

As far as we know This is the first study regarding relationship between bipolar subtypes and severity of mood disorders in Iran. This study is a part of a larger study including several provinces in Iran.We believed the prevalence of mixed state is not well known and in many cases it could be underdiagnosed.

Evaluating dream contents in patients with migraine

Introduction

Migraine is a common headache and sometimes it's nocturnal attack awake patients while dreaming. Some dream contents accelerate migraine attacks. In this study the relationship between dream contents and migrainous headaches was evaluated.

Methods

The study was done in 185 patients with migraine in a period of 2 years. Diagnosis of migraine had done according to IHS criteria. Dreams had been analyzed by Hall Van de castle test. Data were analyzed by Spss V.17 software.

Results

One hundred and thirty three patients out of 185 patients were female. The average number of attacks per month was higher in group with nocturnal migraine (P = 0.006). 231 dreams were noted from 130 patients. Patients with nocturnal migraine remember and noted more dreams (P = 0.02). Aggression in dreams contents have no significant relationship with nocturnal migraine and post dreaming headaches. Dreams with contents of friendliness, Sexual and misfortune was more prevalent in patients with nocturnal migraine (P = 0.001). Contents of sadness, misfortune, confusion and sexual materials (P = 0.001) and failure (P = 0.039) accelerated the migraine attacks.

Discussion

Positive and negative Emotions lead to increasing the headache attacks. Studying dream contents in different migrenous patients with different cultures is a matter of concern and may help to understand patient's psychopathology.

Persian talismans and psychology

Talisman is writing on metal, paper or animals skin which is a collection of diagrams, words, numbers and amazing patterns. Talismans usually are an illegible writings and not comprehensible for everyone.

Talismans have had an important role in ordinary life and interpersonal relations of Iranians since the years.

These talismans have used for making kindness, removing the evil eye effect, marriage, birth and…

Despite, these are not studied scientifically and this question that talismans actually are archetype has no answer yet.

Archetypes are a collection of perception and over perception which a group inherits. They are simple pictures and have dynamic process of collective unconscious.

In this view, the talismans are a type of archetypes; they are natural process frequently repeat and have relation with inner and outer events of human's life.

Major archetypes are Self, Shadow, Anima and Animus. In this article we try finding some of these archetypes in texts and pictures of ancient Iranian talismans base on Carl Gustav Jung psychology by using images and explain them.

Treasure paranoia and met - Amphetamine abuse

Using met

Amphetamine is going to be speared among young people in recent decade in our region.

Cases of met

Amphetamine induced psychosis are frequently admitted in our psychiatric hospital in Kerman city (Located in south - east of Iran). Hallucinations and paranoid delusions are well - known symptoms of met - psychosis.

In this report we presented a 35 years old man with history of regular usage of drug in the past one year. He had persecutory delusions.

His paranoid symptoms were interesting from a point of view. He bought a second - hand car, one year prior to his illness’ and at the same time, he started using met - amphetamines, gradually he found small pieces of gold and diamonds in the car. He could find them anywhere in the car, so he had searched the car completely several times during nights. He collected a small box filled with severed small stones, glasses and other garbage and called them treasure, and claimed former owners of the car were following him and want to recapture the car, take the treasure and harm him. Paranoid symptoms are common in met - abuse but this type could be considered as a variant In this type patient had painful sensation of paranoid delusion, and in the same time he enjoied the feeling of being reach.

Factitious bereavement with psychotic features in a patient with borderline personality disorder and opium dependence

Factitious disorder, whilst uncommon, is not rare in patients referring to clinics and psychiatric hospital.

Concerning high rate of grief reactions in this province after the Bam earthquake in the year 2004, we believe that this condition is Under diagnosed, mainly because of diagnostic difficulties. In current article an unusual case who came with psychotic symptoms accompanied by symptoms of complicated grief is reported. The final diagnosis is supposed to be factitious bereavement.

Reported case is a 27 years old man with approved diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and opium dependence. At the last session of hospitalizing in 2010, his symptoms include : irritability, aggression and emphasis on visiting his relatives and some strange people who died in the Bam earthquake about six years ago, in which the patient took part in finding their corpses in collaboration with safety guards.

From onset of disturbance, patient claimed that those deceased people are continuously present around him, talk to him and blame him because of his insufficient effort to save them. He also believes that the experiences are real and those people are alive at present. Relationship between factitious disorder with bereavement symptoms is not well-described in literatures, so this patient and influences of personality structure and opium dependence on forming patient's symptoms are discussed in this article.

The relation between charles bonnet syndrome and brain tumors (case report)

Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is an under-diagnosed and under-reported disorder that involves formal, persistent, vivid and complex visual hallucinations in visually impaired individuals.

Some neurological, psychiatric and internal disorders such as major depressive disorder, panic disorder, multiple sclerosis, temporal arthritis, delirium and type II diabetes mellitus have been reported which occur concurrently with CBS.

A 72-year-old woman with a slowly progressive tumor (probably astrocytoma) in her right parietal lobe which evaluated with MRI will be described. She presents new symptoms after 2 years. These symptoms were complex, well-formed and vivid visual hallucinations. These visions were dead acquaintances. Patient was seeing them with open eyes. Visions lasted for minutes to hours. She mentioned visions she saw when she was awake. She had recognized these hallucinatory experiences were not real.

The etiology of CBS is not described well and it is not recognized where the pathologic site in the brain is. Cases with CBS and concurrent brain pathologies can help us finding these relations. This is the first report of concurrent CBS and astrocytoma in parietal lobe.

Stiff person syndrome and pschiatric disorders

Stiff person syndrome is a rare neurological disorder associated with episodic muscle spasms, which could resulting in falling down and restriction of movements. They are especially sensitive to sudden sounds, stimulation, stressful events, which all of them result in muscle spasm.

We described a 40 year old educated man who was diagnosed as stiff person syndrome since 3 years ago when had fell down during an important meeting. He receives IVIG and 60 mg diazepam as a treatment regimen. He referred to psychiatric clinic due to his nocturnal panic episodes.

Regarding the case we want to investigate psychological problems in this rare syndrome. Rarity of disease make discussion and researches difficult, its prevalence is one individual among one million, so the analysis of patients’ history may be the best way of study. Phobias may be the most important disorders in these patients, as any noxious stimuli could provoke sever spasms, so patient may consciously automatically avoid specific situations such as steps, street, toilet etc.

Avoidance could make patient phobic of being alone and being dependent on others. Patient may also experience degree of frustration and then often aggression toward others especially relatives. Depression anxiety and panic are other problems could be raised. The patient may think, the do not understand the situation.

Rare syndromes potentially are accompanied by variety of psychological problems which should be tried to be understood and solved.

Seborrheic dermatitis: Could be a rare side effect of nortriptyline?

In Iran, although new antidepressants are available, nortriptyline is widely used because of being economical and accessible.

Physicians prescribe it for psychiatric disorders, especially in hospitalized or outpatients with depression.

Clinicians know its common side effects, for example anticholinergic effects, but such as other drugs it has rare adverse effects.

Here, we present a 27 years old woman with major depression disorder who has been treated with nortriptyline/75 mg/day. After a week she came back with seborrheic dermatitis, the diagnosis was confirmed by a dermatologist. Lesions disappear when she discontinued the drug. In her past psychiatric history we found similar lesions in previous depressive episode and using same drug 5 years ago Which are treated only after stop using nortriptylin. She has no lesions in episode intervals.

Although, uncommon skin effects such as uriticaria and angioedema had been reported but this is the first patient with confirmed seborrehic dermatitis.

Addiction obsession

Obsessions include intrusive thoughts, phobias, images and impulses. In this presentation we are going to present an obsessive patient who was obsessed regarding using addictive substances.

Represented case is a 27 year's old married man with no previous history of cigarette and any substance abuse or dependence. He referred to our OPD clinic in Kerman psychiatric hospital / Iran. He had recurrent and intrusive thoughts which made him anxious and reported social function problems due to his thoughts. His obsessive thoughts began when he was eighteen at that time he continuously obsessed about smoking cigarette, but when was offered one by one of his friends, he scared and destroyed it. A few years later he had recurrent obsessive thoughts a bout using and marijuana and opium and the pleasure which could be occurred then after. Since a year before his referral he had the same thought about heroin. Other than this obsessive thought, he believed in magic and referred to faith healers several times. He also thought, he should sell his properties and spend the income for buying opium and heroin. This thought decreased obviously after taking 200 mg fluvoxamine during four weeks. He never used any substance even for one time. He was not smoking at all. We concluded that addiction obsession could bea separate type of obsession. It could be a variant of obsessive impulses. Availability of substances may play a role in forming his symptom.