Understanding the impact: an investigation into the National Brain Injury Awareness Week and public interest regarding concussion in Australia

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of the National Brain Injury Awareness Week and public interest in the concussion topic in Australia through an analysis of Internet search activity data from Google Trends.

STUDY DESIGN

Online retrospective observational study.

METHODS

For the keyword "concussion", the search interest rate over a period of 10 years between August 2012 and August 2022 within Australia has been analyzed using the Google Trends tool. The rising related topics that contributed to the months with the highest search interest were extracted for each year and a trendline analysis was performed to capture temporal patterns.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the average search interest between the month of August, when the Brain Injury Awareness Week is annually held, and the rest of the year (d = 0.09, p = 0.017). Also, May and August were the two months with the overall highest search interests (mean ± SD: 73.3 ± 5.16 and mean ± SD: 70.1 ± 5.49, respectively). Trendline analysis showed a positive slope of 0.3081 with R2 = 0.4462 for search interests of concussion over the 10-year period.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggest that there is a growing interest and potential awareness of concussion in Australia that seems highly limited to the context of sports such as football, rugby, and soccer. Major sports events, news coverage, and media exposure appear to be associated with this trend. The study highlights the importance of more investment in producing engaging media content to educate the public on concussion of different causes and improving strategies for National Brain Injury Awareness Week.

Screening of Cyclodextrins in the Processing of Buserelin Dry Powders for Inhalation Prepared by Spray Freeze-Drying

Purpose

In this study, we prepared inhalable buserelin microparticles using the spray freeze-drying (SFD) method for pulmonary drug delivery. Raffinose as a cryoprotectant carrier was combined with two levels of five different cyclodextrins (CDs) and then processed by SFD.

Methods

Dry powder diameters were evaluated by laser light scattering and morphology was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were utilized for the determination of crystalline structures. The aerodynamic properties of the spray freeze-dried powders were evaluated by twin stage impinger (TSI) and the stability of prepared samples was assessed under normal and accelerated conditions.

Results

The prepared powders were mostly porous spheres and the size of microparticles ranged from 9.08 to 13.53 μm, which are suitable as spray-freeze dried particles. All formulations showed amorphous structure confirmed by DSC and XRD. The aerosolization performance of the formulation containing buserelin, raffinose and 5% beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD), was the highest and its fine particle fraction (FPF) was 69.38%. The more circular and separated structures were observed in higher concentrations of CDs, which were compatible with FPFs. The highest stability was obtained in the formulation containing hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HP-β-16. CD) 5%. On the contrary, sulfobutylether beta-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) 5% bearing particles showed the least stability.

Conclusion

By adjusting the type and ratio of CDs in the presence of raffinose, the prepared formulations could effectively enhance the aerosolization and stability of buserelin. Therefore, they can be proposed as a suitable career for lung drug delivery.

Evaluating the viral clearance ability of continuous monoclonal antibody purification steps, in order to inactivate and/or remove four model viruses

Background and Objectives

Viral clearance studies are an essential part of a manufacturer's plan to ensure the safety of an injectable biologic product. In this way, viral safety is a critical quality attribute for biologics such as monoclonal antibodies (Mabs). Evaluation of virus purification by downstream processes is a key component of risk mitigation. In this study, the capability of continuous monoclonal antibody purification steps was evaluated in the process of instant monoclonal antibody purification in different stages of purification, and the amount of reduction or inactivation of each step was determined.

Materials and Methods

Four enveloped and non-enveloped viral models VSV, Reovirus, EMCV, and HSV1 were used for spiking in selected samples in the designated tests, to have a comprehensive examination of the ability to clear the virus such as the type of genetic material, chemical resistance, and particle size. A TCID50 and qPCR methods were used to measure viral reduction. Two cell lines, Vero (African green monkey kidney) and L929 (Mouse fibroblast) were used for 4 model viruses propagation. The steps that were evaluated included 4 steps monoclonal antibody purification; cation exchange chromatography, acidic pH treatment, affinity chromatography, and nanofiltration.

Results

The nano-filter stage showed the highest viral reduction and cation exchange chromatography showed the lowest reduction. The cumulative decrease using TCID50 is equal to 19.27 [log10] for all steps and for the qPCR method is equal to 12.47 [log10] in three steps of nano-filter, affinity chromatography, and ion exchange chromatography.

Conclusion

The overall average reduction coefficient for all four model viruses is significantly high, which indicates the high capacity of the monoclonal antibody production process in inactivating and removing viruses leads to reducing the load of all four model viruses.

The cross-sectional morphology of median nerve in carpal tunnel of healthy, adult population: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The cross-section area is a crucial parameter to assess peripheral neuropathy. The ultrasonographic evaluation of cross-section area of median nerve is a low-cost and readily available tool for diagnosis and assessment. However, the intra-nerve dimensional variability and its normative reference value in a healthy subject are missing. The current meta-analysis aims to capture the median nerve cross-section area for healthy subjects and generate a comprehensive ultrasonographic reference data set for each population.

METHODS

The full text of manuscripts were collected after short-listing the abstracts collected from search strategy. A quality assurance tool was used to capture the risk of bias of each study after reviewing the included manuscripts. The pooled estimate of cross-section area was stratified according to anatomical landmarks, sex, and ancestry.

RESULTS

A total of 97 observational studies dealt with 6679 wrists of healthy subjects were included. The pooled estimate of the cross-section area of median nerve at carpal tunnel inlet was 8.54mm² [95% CI: 8.34-8.74mm²]. The same pooled estimate at carpal tunnel outlet was 8.03mm² [95% CI: 7.46-8.60mm²]. Both these pooled estimates have significant correlation with mean age of population. Age and sex were two primary predictors of the cross-section of median nerve. The flattening ratio, circularity, and wrist-forearm ratio of median nerve were also computed.

CONCLUSION

These normative data could serve as a reference for assessing median nerve pathologies, including carpal tunnel syndrome. The ethnic variation of pooled estimate and heterogeneity will guide clinician set up the reference value for diagnostic criteria.

An Exceedingly Rare Case of Nodular Fasciitis of Tongue in an Infant

Introduction/Objective

Nodular fasciitis is a rapidly growing but benign self-limited myofibroblastic/fibroblastic tumor of unknown etiology. It was first described in the literature by Konwaler in 1955 and can occur in any location. Nodular fasciitis of the tongue is a rare entity in infancy with only one case reported so far. Accurate diagnosis of this entity is crucial to avoid a possible misdiagnosis of malignancy leading to radical resections.

Methods/Case Report

A 6-month old, previously heathy full term male presented to pediatric otolaryngology clinic with a rapidly growing painless mass on the right tongue. The mass was associated with feeding difficulty. There was no history of trauma to the area, no personal and family history of cancer was noted. Computed tomography scan demonstrated a 1.5 x 1.4 x 1.5 cm mass confined to the right anterior undersurface of tongue. Biopsy of the mass showed ulcerated mucosa with an underlying spindle cell lesion composed of reactive-appearing myofibroblasts arranged in a variably fascicular to "tissue-culture" pattern, intermixed with inflammatory cells and scattered extravasated erythrocytes. These morphologic features in conjunction with immunohistochemistry and demonstration of fusion of SRSF3 [serine and arginine rich splicing factor 3] and USP6 [ubiquitin specific peptidase 6] by Targeted next-generation RNA sequencing confirmed the diagnosis of nodular fasciitis. On follow up, spontaneous regression of the mass occurred in 3 months.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

NA.

Conclusion

Nodular fasciitis of tongue in infancy is an exceedingly rare entity and this case demonstrates the importance of including this unique entity in the differential diagnosis of a rapidly-growing tongue lesion. Because it can simulate malignancy both clinically and histologically, awareness and familiarity with this benign proliferative lesion is crucial in effective management.

Extracting of Trace Quantities of Copper Using Novel Modified Magnetite Nanoparticles for Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Analysis

Background:

Copper is one of several heavy metals. A low concentration of copper is vital for animals and plants, whereas it is highly toxic to aquatic plants and bacteria in a high concentration. Therefore, copper ions in water and food must be controlled, and as a result, the development of novel methods for the determination of copper in water samples is of interest.

Objective:

Different techniques have been proposed for copper ions extraction and determination. The magnetic solid -phase extraction method is considered superior to the other method for simplicity, its higher enrichment, and the need for lower quantities of solvents. The novel modified magnetite nanoparticles as the sorbent, along with the atomic absorption spectrometry analysis, can be a low‐cost, simple and rapid method for this propose.

Methods:

Traces of Cu(II) in environmental samples were preconcentrated using a novel magnetic adsorbent developed based on 2,2´-((1E,1´E)-hydrazine-1,2-diylidenebis(methanylylidene)) diphenol coated magnetite nanoparticles. The influence of ligand concentration, amount of adsorbent, pH, type of eluent, sample volume, and effects of interfering ions was optimized. The adsorbed species were eluted for analysis through atomic absorption spectrometry.

Results:

A linear calibration curve was recorded from 2 to 40 µg ml-1 (r2= 0.999) under optimal conditions, and the detection limit of the method was as low as 1.6 µg ml-1. Also, good recoveries were obtained for the real sample analysis.

Conclusion:

The developed procedure constituted a rapid extraction, a low-cost and efficient method, and was used for the analysis of copper ions in the tap, river, and lake water.

AB1456 CLINICAL IMPACT OF THE INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE MULTIDISCIPLINARY SERVICE

Background

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a diverse group of pulmonary diseases for which accurate diagnosis is critical for optimal management and outcomes. Diagnosing ILD, both idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and connective-tissue-disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), has become critically important, as the disease has a devastating prognosis with poor survival.There are also management implications, as patients with ILD can now potentially be treated with new antifibrotic therapies such as pirfenidone and nintedanib, both of which have been approved. Certain types of CTD – ILD may benefit from systemic immunomodulatory therapies. Diagnosis of ILD can be challenging and a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is recommended in current guidelines. Several studies have reported that MDT diagnosis is associated with higher levels of diagnostic confidence and better interobserver agreement (1-3).

Objectives

We describe the benefits of an ILD multidisciplinary service on the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected ILD.

Methods

We performed a single-centre retrospective review of consecutive patients referred to the ILD clinic with subsequent discussions in ILD MDTs over a 36-month period from 2016 to 2019. We compared changes in ILD diagnosis and management at referral to those following the ILD-MDT. We collected data on the demographics, occupation, age at ILD onset, smoking status, imaging, blood tests including autoimmune serology, MDT recommendations, change in diagnosis after MDT, tertiary referral, serial PFTs, medications and outcomes. Cases of suspected ILD that were not fully characterised and those with complex management issues were presented at our monthly ILD MDT.

Results

A total of 208 patients were referred to the ILD clinic over a 36-month period. Of these, 106 cases were discussed at the ILD MDT and the remaining 102 cases did not require discussion at the MDT as these deemed to be clear cut, which included RA and CTD ILD. The mean age of the total cohort was 74 (min age 32, max age 97) and 120 (58 %) were males. Overall, evaluation by the ILD service (i.e. ILD clinic and MDT) resulted in a change in diagnosis in 106(51%) patients. Of those, 49(46%) didn’t have ILD. In the remaining 57 patients with suspected ILD, the majority of the diagnoses were ILD with an uncertain classification (24, 23%). The other diagnoses included CTD-ILD (4, 3.7%), ILD with autoimmune serology 11(10.4%), IPF 10(9.4%), Drug-induced-ILD 3(2.8%), Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis 5(4.7%), Eosinophilic pneumonitis 1 (0.94%), Cryptogenic Pneumonitis 1(0.94%), PPFE with IPF 1 (0.94%), PPFE 1 (0.94%), CPFE 4 (0.94%), EAA 2 (0.94%), RB-ILD 2 (1.88%), Langerhans Histiocytosis 2 (1.88%).16/57(28%) were referred to a tertiary centre for further management. Serology was positive in 11 patients (ANA 6, CCP 3, and ANCA 2). Of the 57 patients with other diagnoses, the main recommendations included steroids (28), anti-fibrotic therapy (4), immunomodulatory therapy (6) and ambulatory Oxygen (1). Further analysis will be carried out on survival and treatment outcomes of the cohort.

Conclusion

Dedicated ILD-MDT service has an important clinical impact on the care of the ILD patient, with frequent changes in ILD diagnosis and subsequent management and outcomes. Multidisciplinary approach to the management of these patients should be standard of care for these patients.

References

[1]Flaherty KR, King TE Jr, Raghu G, et al. Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia: what is the effect of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis? Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004; 170:904-10.

[2]Lynch DA, Sverzellati N, Travis WD, et al. Diagnostic criteria for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a Fleischner Society White Paper. Lancet Respir Med 2018; 6:138-53.

[3]Ryerson CJ, Corte TJ, Lee JS, et al. A standardized diagnostic ontology for fibrotic interstitial lung disease. An international working group perspective. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2017; 196:1249-54.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Transfer learning application of a novel frequency shift convolutional neural network method for atrial fibrillation classification

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

There has been a proliferation of machine learning (ML) electrocardiogram (ECG) classification algorithms reaching >85% accuracy for various cardiac pathologies. Despite the high accuracy at individual institutions, challenges remain with cross-institutional algorithm evaluation. Transfer learning (TL) is a technique in which a model trained for a specific task is repurposed for another related task, in this case ECG ML model trained at one institution used to classify ECGs at another institution. Models trained at one institution, however, might not be generalizable for accurate classification when deployed broadly due to differences in type, time, and sampling rate of traditional ECG acquisition. TL would thus require additional ECG signal processing which inherently introduces noise and has high computational costs. Our previous work has shown that frequency domain (FD) convolutional neural networks (CNN) outperform traditional time domain (TD) CNN methods in detecting atrial fibrillation (Afib) and are more robust against noise and sampling variations.

Purpose

In this study, we explore ECG transfer learning by comparing performance of TD and FD CNN ECG classification models. Examine the hypothesis that FD signal analysis can overcome limitations inherent to TD and demonstrate application for Afib classification in three different publicly available datasets.

Methods

PTB-XL ECG dataset was used to train TD and FD CNN models for Afib classification. TL on the two data sets, Lobachevsky University Electrocardiography Database (LUDB) and KURIAS-ECG database (KURIAS), was performed with portions of each dataset added to PTB-XL training data before test runs on the remaining ECGs. The models were also tested directly on the two datasets (cross-testing) for comparison.

Results

Results of TL are summarized in Fig. 1. Panels (a) and (b) show TD and FD performance on PTB-XL dataset, with FD outperforming TD. Panels (c) and (d) show TL of PTB-XL trained TD and FD models applied on LUDB Afib data with FD outperforming TD. Panels (e) and (f) show TL of PTB-XL trained models applied to KURIAS Afib ECGs, with FD again outperforming TD. Table 1 summarizes results of TL and direct cross-testing with TL outperforming cross-testing.

Conclusions

FD models were superior to TD models in Afib classification, both in cross-testing and TL. TL technique, in which a pre-trained model is used as starting point for novel dataset training, outperformed direct cross-testing. TL with FD CNN has the capacity to leverage models trained on a particular set of ECGs to classify ECGs with varying signal acquisition properties. FD CNN may be robust to inter-institutional variability and has potential for widespread application with no compromise to ECG classification power. A potential application of these findings is deployment of ECG classification CNN models trained at institutions with large ECG databases to hospitals with smaller datasets.

Assessing the ergonomic status of commonly used chairs in Iran’s universities based on combinational equations and anthropometric indices

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate design of chairs and disproportion with students’ body dimensions can influence their physical and mental health as well as their educational efficiency and concentration. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the ergonomic status of commonly used chairs in Iran’s universities using combinational equations and anthropometric indices. METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional study were 166 students in Iran. Eleven anthropometric parameters of the students and nine dimensions in seven types of commonly used chairs in Iran’s universities were measured. Combinational equations were used to determine the fitness of the chairs. RESULTS: There was a major mismatch between most students’ anthropometric measurements and the dimensions of the chairs. Backrest height and seat height were the best and the worst features, respectively, according to ergonomic recommendations for chairs. The recommended measurements of seat height, seat depth, seat width, desk height, desk width, desk length, backrest width, backrest height, and desk distance were 332, 420, 436, 245, 95, 511, 426, 550, and 281 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: None of the commonly used chairs in Iran’s universities were found to be a good fit to the students’ anthropometric dimensions. Therefore, in order to prevent inappropriate body postures, chair designs have to reviewed, and made to fit with Iranian students’ anthropometric data. The recommended measurements obtained in this study can be used to design a suitable ergonomic chair to match with a high percentage of Iranian students.

Design, Synthesis, In Vitro, and In silico Evaluation of N-phenylacetamide-oxindole-thiosemicarbazide hybrids as New Potential Tyrosinase Inhibitors

A novel series of N-phenylacetamide-oxindole-thiosemicarbazide hybrids were synthesized and evaluated for their tyrosinase inhibitory activity. According to tyrosinase inhibition results, all the synthesized compounds showed high tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 0.8 to 3.88 µM in comparison to positive control kojic acid with IC50 value of 36.32 µM. Among tested compounds, analog 7o, containing the 2-methyl-4-nitrophenyl on N-phenylacetamide moiety displayed superior tyrosinase inhibition. This compound was around 45-fold more potent than kojic acid. The kinetic analysis of compound 7o demonstrated that this compound is a competitive inhibitor against tyrosinase. Docking study of this compound demonstrated that compound 7o interacted with critical histidine residues within tyrosinase active site.

Prophylactic effects of dietary ascorbic acid on oxidative stress indices, physiological and behavioural responses of domestic pigeons exposed to road transport stress

Transport disturbs birds' welfare and health status which lead to oxidative stress and dietary ascorbic acid mitigates the adverse effects of transport stress. The present study was aimed to evaluate the impacts of ascorbic acid administration on oxidative stress indices, cortisol, H/L ratio, tonic immobility reaction and rectal temperature of pigeons exposed to road transport. A total of 80 clinically healthy pigeons were selected and randomly divided to eight equal groups as follow: (1) Ctrl- : fed by basal diet and no subjected to transport stress; (2) Ctrl+: fed by the basal diet and subjected to transport stress; (3, 4) 1DBS10 and 1DBS16: received ascorbic acid from 1 day before transport stress at doses of 10 g/100 L and 16 g/100 L of drinking water, respectively; (5, 6) 3DBS10 and 3DBS16: treated with ascorbic acid from 3 consecutive days before transport stress at doses of 10 g/100 L and 16 g/100 L, respectively and (7, 8) 7DBS10 and 7DBS16: received ascorbic acid from 7 consecutive days before the transport at doses 10 g/100 L and 16 g/100 L, respectively. Birds were transported for 3 h over a distance of about 200 km. The total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde and cortisol were measured before transport and at 6, 24 and 72 h post-transportation. The rectal temperature and tunic immobility reactions were recorded. Dietary ascorbic acid led to a decrease in tonic immobility response, hetrophil to lymphocyte ratio, circulating cortisol and total antioxidant capacity, and an increase in circulating malondialdehyde in pigeons exposed to transport stress compare to Ctrl+ group. In conclusion, ascorbic acid administration at dose 16 g/100 L of drinking water from 3 and 7 days before exposure to stress helps attenuate undesirable effects of oxidative stress in pigeons.

Antibacterial and Osteoinductive Implant Surface Using Layer-by-Layer Assembly

Osseointegration of dental, craniofacial, and orthopedic implants is critical for their long-term success. Multifunctional surface treatment of implants was found to significantly improve cell adhesion and induce osteogenic differentiation of dental-derived stem cells in vitro. Moreover, local and sustained release of antibiotics via nanolayers from the surface of implants can present unparalleled therapeutic benefits in implant dentistry. Here, we present a layer-by-layer surface treatment of titanium implants capable of incorporating BMP-2-mimicking short peptides and gentamicin to improve their osseointegration and antibacterial features. Additionally, instead of conventional surface treatments, we employed polydopamine coating before layer-by-layer assembly to initiate the formation of the nanolayers on rough titanium surfaces. Cytocompatibility analysis demonstrated that modifying the titanium implant surface with layer-by-layer assembly did not have adverse effects on cellular viability. The implemented nanoscale coating provided sustained release of osteoinductive peptides with an antibacterial drug. The surface-functionalized implants showed successful osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells and antimicrobial activity in vitro and increased osseointegration in a rodent animal model 4 wk postsurgery as compared with untreated implants. Altogether, our in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that this approach can be extended to other dental and orthopedic implants since this surface functionalization showed improved osseointegration and an enhanced success rate.

Design, synthesis, and α-glucosidase-inhibitory activity of phenoxy-biscoumarin-N-phenylacetamide hybrids

Thirteen new phenoxy-biscoumarin-N-phenylacetamide derivatives (7a-m) were designed based on a molecular hybridization approach as new α-glucosidase inhibitors. These compounds were synthesized with high yields and evaluated in vitro for their inhibitory activity against yeast α-glucosidase. The obtained results revealed that a significant proportion of the synthesized compounds showed considerable α-glucosidase-inhibitory activity in comparison to acarbose as a positive control. Representatively, 2-(4-(bis(4-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)methyl)phenoxy)-N-(4-bromophenyl)acetamide (7f), with IC₅₀  = 41.73 ± 0.38 µM against α-glucosidase, was around 18 times more potent than acarbose (IC₅₀  = 750.0 ± 10.0 µM). This compound was a competitive α-glucosidase inhibitor. Molecular modeling and dynamic simulation of these compounds confirmed the obtained results through in vitro experiments. Prediction of the druglikeness/ADME/toxicity of the compound 7f and comparison with the standard drug acarbose showed that the new compound 7f was probably better than the standard drug in terms of toxicity.

Recent Opportunities and Challenges in Selective C-H Functionalization of Methyl Azaarenes: a Highlight from 2010 to 2020 Literatures

Azaarenes are unique scaffolds frequently found in pharmaceuticals. Herein, we have summarized the recent synthetic available methods in C-H functionalization of methylazaarenes from 2010 to 2020. Multiple approaches involving halogenation and alkylation via different methods, such as alkenylation, oxidative functionalization, and cyclization of the methylazaarenes will be discussed in this review.

An Integrated Strategy Reveals Complex Glycosylation of Erythropoietin Using Mass Spectrometry

The characterization of therapeutic glycoproteins is challenging due to the structural heterogeneity of the therapeutic protein glycosylation. This study presents an in-depth analytical strategy for glycosylation of first-generation erythropoietin (epoetin beta), including a developed mass spectrometric workflow for N-glycan analysis, bottom-up mass spectrometric methods for site-specific N-glycosylation, and a LC-MS approach for O-glycan identification. Permethylated N-glycans, peptides, and enriched glycopeptides of erythropoietin were analyzed by nanoLC-MS/MS, and de-N-glycosylated erythropoietin was measured by LC-MS, enabling the qualitative and quantitative analysis of glycosylation and different glycan modifications (e.g., phosphorylation and O-acetylation). The newly developed Python scripts enabled the identification of 140 N-glycan compositions (237 N-glycan structures) from erythropoietin, especially including 8 phosphorylated N-glycan species. The site-specificity of N-glycans was revealed at the glycopeptide level by pGlyco software using different proteases. In total, 114 N-glycan compositions were identified from glycopeptide analysis. Moreover, LC-MS analysis of de-N-glycosylated erythropoietin species identified two O-glycan compositions based on the mass shifts between non-O-glycosylated and O-glycosylated species. Finally, this integrated strategy was proved to realize the in-depth glycosylation analysis of a therapeutic glycoprotein to understand its pharmacological properties and improving the manufacturing processes.

Harnessing Dental Stem Cell Immunoregulation Using Cell-Laden Biomaterials

Successful tissue engineering therapies rely on the appropriate selection of the cell source, biomaterial, and regulatory factors. To be applied in a wide range of clinical applications, the ideal cell source needs to be easily accessible and abundant. Human orofacial tissues and teeth harbor several populations of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capabilities. The ease of access, relative abundance, and minimally invasive isolation procedures needed to harvest most types of the dental-derived MSCs render them a promising cell source for tissue engineering applications. A growing body of evidence has reported the profound immunoregulatory potential of dental-derived MSCs as compared with their bone marrow counterparts. Biomaterials can act as a physical barrier protecting the MSCs from the invasion of the immune system by hindering penetration of proinflammatory cells/cytokines, leading to higher viability of the encapsulated MSCs and improved tissue regeneration. Besides their protective capabilities, biomaterials can actively contribute to the immunoregulatory potential of the MSCs through their physical and chemical properties, including porosity and elasticity. However, despite recent advancement, the therapeutic capability of biomaterials to regulate the MSC-host immune system crosstalk and the mechanism underlying this immunoregulation has been poorly understood. It has been reported that biomaterials can regulate the viability and determine the fate of the encapsulated MSCs through modulation of the NF-kB pathway and the caspase-3 and caspase-8 proapoptotic cascades. Additionally, the physiomechanical properties of the encapsulating biomaterial have been shown to modulate clustering of TNF-α receptors on the encapsulated MSCs while regulating the production of anti-inflammatory factors such as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) through activation of the P38 MAPK pathway. In the current review, we sought to provide a thorough overview of the immunomodulatory functions of dental-derived MSCs and the role of biomaterials in their interplay with the host immune system.

Competition between Allowed and First-Forbidden β Decay: The Case of ^{208}Hg→^{208}Tl

The β decay of ^{208}Hg into the one-proton hole, one neutron-particle _{81}^{208}Tl_{127} nucleus was investigated at CERN-ISOLDE. Shell-model calculations describe well the level scheme deduced, validating the proton-neutron interactions used, with implications for the whole of the N>126, Z<82 quadrant of neutron-rich nuclei. While both negative and positive parity states with spin 0 and 1 are expected within the Q_{β} window, only three negative parity states are populated directly in the β decay. The data provide a unique test of the competition between allowed Gamow-Teller and Fermi, and first-forbidden β decays, essential for the understanding of the nucleosynthesis of heavy nuclei in the rapid neutron capture process. Furthermore, the observation of the parity changing 0^{+}→0^{-}β decay where the daughter state is core excited is unique, and can provide information on mesonic corrections of effective operators.

A mathematical model for the evaluation of iron transport across the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier in neurodegenerative diseases

Iron plays important roles in healthy brain but altered homeostasis and concentration have been correlated to aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Iron enters the central nervous system by crossing the brain barrier systems: the Blood- Brain Barrier separating blood and brain and the Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier (BCSFB) between blood and CSF, which is in contact with the brain by far less selective barriers. Herein, we develop a two-compartmental model for the BCSFB, based on first-order ordinary differential equations, performing numerical simulations and sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, as input parameters of the model, experimental data from patients affected by Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, mild cognitive impairment and matched neurological controls were used, with the aim of investigating the differences between physiological and pathological conditions in the regulation of iron passage between blood and CSF which can be possibly targeted by therapy.

84 Folate-methionine cycle and folate transport in developing buffalo embryos

Periconceptional folic acid is known to have a major role in the prevention of neural tube defects, leading to global recommendations for folic acid supplementation before and in early pregnancy. Maternal folate throughout pregnancy may have other roles in offspring health, including neurodevelopment and cognitive performance in childhood. Folate and folic acid (vitamin B9) act as a co-enzyme essential for single carbon metabolism, a network of pathways involved in several biological processes including nucleotide synthesis, DNA repair, and methylation reactions. In general, rapidly growing and multiplying cells require an adequate supply of folate. A primary deficiency of natural folate resulting in an increase of the total homocysteine concentration may be detrimental to the quality of the oocyte, subsequent fertilisation, embryogenesis, implantation, and fetal development. However, to date, folate-methionine metabolism and folate transport have not been studied in developing buffalo embryos. The present study details transcript expression for genes encoding key enzymes in the linked folate-methionine cycles in the ovary tissue, cumulus cells, immature oocytes, IVM oocytes, and pre-implantation embryos and also estimates the folate concentration in follicular fluid (FF) of buffalo. The FF was pooled and collected by aspiration of different sizes of surface follicles (2-8mm diameter). The total number of analysed samples was three, with different dilutions and estimation of folate in FF of buffalo done by chemiluminescence assay. Total RNA was extracted from oocytes, cumulus cells, ovarian tissue, and embryos produced from IVF. RT-PCR was performed to analyse the expression of folate-methionine cycle enzymes and folate transporters. Transcripts for all the enzymes of the folate-methionine cycle (i.e. SHMT, MTR, MTRR, MAT1A, MAT2B, GNMT, AHCY, CBS, and DHFR) and folate transporters (FOLR1, FOLR2) and reduced folate carrier (SLC19A1) were expressed in ovarian tissue, cumulus cells, oocytes, and pre-implantation embryos. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed FOLR2 and SLC19A1 protein expression on the plasma membrane and/or cytoplasm of the oocytes and embryos, and FOLR1 in the nucleus of pre-implantation embryos. The folate concentration in FF was 24ngmL−1. This is the first report to examine the concentration of folate in FF and revealed the identification of transcripts in different samples of buffalo species. The presence of these enzymes could have a profound effect on single-carbon metabolism within the ovary and pre-implantation embryo, therefore indicating that folate from FF is being disseminated through folate receptors within oocytes and embryos to participate in the folate pathway. This study advocates the necessity for examination of the result of folate supplementation throughout invitro embryo production for improving the quality and quantity of transferable blastocysts and subsequently live calf births in buffalo.

220 Exploring the use of mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of mastitis and metritis in cattle

The present study was carried out to isolate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from adipose tissue of cattle (Bos indicus), characterise them, and apply them for the treatment of mastitis and metritis in the cow. Cattle MSCs were isolated from adipose tissue near the loin region of cow. Isolated adipose tissue was subjected to enzymatic digestion using 2% collagenase with agitation at regular intervals. The cells obtained after digestion were resuspended in cell culture flasks containing growth enriched medium and cultured under standard culture conditions. Alkaline phosphatase staining was used as one of the parameters to confirm cultured putative MSCs. Bovine Ad-MSCs were further characterised using real time-PCR by amplification of MSC-specific markers: CD73, CD90, and CD105 as positive markers and CD34, CD45, and CD79a as negative markers. Immunocytochemistry showed the presence of CD73, CD90, and CD105 on the cell surface. Three groups-control (C), local (L), and intravenous (IV)-with 6 cows suffering from mastitis were taken in each group and subjected to MSC transplantation through local and intravenous routes. Control group animals were subjected to antibiotic treatment only. Similarly, another three groups were taken with 6 cows in each group suffering from metritis. Post-transplantation wound healing, tissue repair, and reduction in inflammation were monitored for 26 days, at different time intervals; that is, after Days 1, 3, 7, and 15. Blood samples were also collected from animals at the same time intervals for real time-PCR. A similar examination was also done in metritis groups along with the analysis of the reduction in turbidity of cervical fluid at the abovementioned time intervals. Real time-PCR was performed to determine relative expression of genes for proliferative factors, anti-inflammatory cytokines, and antimicrobial peptides on cells isolated from blood collected at different time intervals. Gene expression in the local group of mastitis subjected to MSC injection was significantly higher than that of the IV and control group. The somatic cell count declined in both local and IV groups compared with the control group. Whereas the expression of the same genes in the IV group of metritis was significantly higher than that of the local and control groups of cows. The turbidity of cervical fluid and mucus was reduced in the IV group compared with the local group. In conclusion, we demonstrated the healing potential of MSCs in a cow model via MSC injection. Promising results were obtained in curing mastitis in both local and IV groups, whereas healing in the case of metritis was significantly higher in the IV group compared with both the control and local groups of cows. The study indicates the potential use of MSc for treatment of mastitis and metritis in cattle through wound healing and decreasing microbial infection.

The first case of fingernail onychomycosis due to Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, molecular identification and antifungal susceptibility

Onychomycosis is considered a fungal nail infection caused mainly by dermatophytes, yeasts and non-dermatophyte molds including dematiaceous fungi. Onychomycosis caused by non-dermatophyte molds is a health problem in the medical environment as the patients frequently return to outpatient clinics seeking new therapeutic modalities. Here, we report the first case of onychomycosis caused by a black fungus, Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, in the right hand finger nail of a 52-year-old Iranian female with no history of immunodeficiency and underlying disease. The pattern of nail involvement was recognized as total dystrophic onychomycosis. Examination of nail scrapings with potassium hydroxide revealed brown, septate and branching sub-hyaline to dark-colored hyphae. The black fungus isolated in culture was identified as Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae by molecular analysis. The patient received oral terbinafine plus ciclopirox nail lacquer twice a week and began responding to the treatment three months after initial antifungal therapy. Additional four weeks' use of terbinafine plus ciclopirox nail lacquer completely resolved the clinical manifestations of onychomycosis. After four months, both microscopy and culture were negative.

The use of magnetic starch as a support for an ionic liquid-β-cyclodextrin based catalyst for the synthesis of imidazothiadiazolamine derivatives

In this paper, a novel catalyst is introduced based on the introduction of an ionic liquid onto the β-cyclodextrin. The ionic liquid-β-cyclodextrin was anchored to magnetic starch (denoted βCD-IL@M-Starch) and fully characterized by several methods including TEM, TGA, VSM and FT-IR. The catalyst was used for the synthesis of imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-5-amine and imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-amine derivatives. βCD-IL@M-Starch catalyst showed very good activity in the synthesis of diphenylimidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-5-amine derivatives from the corresponding benzaldehyde, semicarbazide, benzaldehydes and isocyanides. The products were obtained in a mild reaction conditions in good isolated yields in the presence of βCD-IL@M-Starch as catalyst. The catalyst showed to be magnetically reusable, and gave very good results in 10 sequential reactions.

A Regioselective Approach to C3-Aroylcoumarins via Cobalt-Catalyzed­ C(sp2)–H Activation Carbonylation of Coumarins

A new cobalt-catalyzed C–H bond activation of coumarins with aryl halides or pseudohalides and carbon monoxide insertion to give various 3-aroylcoumarin derivatives is described. It is the first time that CO as C1 feedstock is used as the coupling partners in cobalt-catalyzed regioselective coumarin C–H functionalization reactions. Upon activation with manganese powder, the Co catalyzes the C–H bond activation carbonylation reactions of aryl iodides, bromides, and even triflates under mild conditions, providing the regioselective aroylated products in moderate to good yields.

Synthesis and characterization of γ-Fe2O3@SiO2–(CH2)3–PDTC–Pd magnetic nanoparticles: a new and highly active catalyst for the Heck/Sonogashira coupling reactions

A novel catalyst is synthesized based on the immobilization of palladium on γ-Fe₂O₃@SiO₂–(CH₂)₃–PDTC nanoparticles and is used as a highly active catalyst for the Heck/Sonogashira coupling reactions.

Molecular identification of non-Cryptococcus yeasts associated with pigeon droppings in Shiraz, Southern Iran

BACKGROUND

Birds are considered as a reservoir for pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi. Pigeon droppings have the potential for spreading these fungi to the environment. Cryptococcus species are important fungi associated with pigeon droppings. In this regard, there are many types of yeast associated with guano that is important for human and animal health.

AIMS

The main objective of this study is the identification of non-Cryptococcus yeasts isolated from pigeon dropping in Shiraz, Southern Iran.

METHODS

A total of 100 unknown yeasts, which were previously screened and identified as non-Cryptococcus from pigeon guano through the conventional methods, were used in this study. Identification of the isolates was performed based on conventional methods and DNA sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA gene region. The sequence results were deposited in NCBI database using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST).

RESULTS

A total of 16 species belonging to 7 genera were identified as Candida spp. 51% (8 species), Rhodotorula sp. 24%, Trichosporon spp. 21% (3 species), Rhodosporidium 2%, Saccharomyces 1%, Rhizoctonia 1%, and Meyerozyma 1%. The predominant isolates were Rhodotorula rubra (24%), Candida famata (20%), and Trichosporon asahii (13%). The other species were Rhodosporidium kratochvilovae 2 (2%), Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1 (1%), Rhizoctonia solani 1 (1%), and Meyerozyma caribbica 1 (1%).

CONCLUSION

Pigeon excreta examined in this study were associated with several kinds of opportunistic yeasts which could cause diseases in prone human and animals.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Coumarin C(sp2)–H Bonds: A New Entry to Arylcoumarin Ketones

A facile and efficient palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of coumarins involving two C–C bond formations has been developed. The C–H bond oxidative functionalization proceeds through aroylation with insertion of carbon monoxide to give arylcoumarin ketones. The reaction conditions, employing ambient pressures of CO gas as C1 feedstock, dramatically improve the generality of the carbonylation of aryl halides.

Molecular epidemiology of environmental Cryptococcus species isolates based on amplified fragment length polymorphism

OBJECTIVE

Cryptococcosis is a major opportunistic fungal infection caused by members of the genus Cryptococcus, mainly those belonging to the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complexes. Here, we report a comprehensive molecular epidemiological study of the environmental distribution of Cryptococcus isolates in Shiraz, Iran with review of litreature.

METHOD

A total of 406 samples were obtained from Eucalyptus trees and 139 samples from pigeon droppings. Cryptococcus species identification and genotyping were performed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting sequencing and sequencing of the ITS rDNA region.

RESULTS

Majority of the isolates belonged to the Naganishia taxon (n=69) including N. albida (formerly C. albidus, n=62), N. globosa (formerly C. saitoi, n=4), N. adeliensis (formerly C. adeliensis, n=2), N. diffluens (formerly C. diffluens, n=1), and the identified C. neoformans isolates (n=25) belonged to genotype AFLP1/VNI (n=22) and AFLP1B/VNII (n=3).

CONCLUSION

More research efforts should be employed to isolate C. gattii species complex from environmental niches in Iran and provide additional evidence related to novel molecular types.

Metal-free, air-promoted, radical-mediated arylation of benzoquinone with phenylhydrazines

An efficient, economic, and air-promoted metal-free method for direct arylation of benzoquinone with phenylhydrazines was developed. This approach leads to the formation of corresponding [1,1′-biphenyl]-2,5-dione derivatives as biological and pharmaceutical materials of interest in good yields, under mild reaction conditions, and at ambient temperature.

Lifetime measurement in neutron-rich A~100 nuclei

Lifetimes of excited states of the 98;100;102Zr nuclei were measured by using the Generalized Centroid Difference Method. The nuclei of interest were populated via neutron-induced fission of 241Pu and 235U during the EXILL-FATIMA campaign. The obtained lifetimes were used to calculate the B(E2) transition strengths and β deformation parameters which were then compared with the recent theoretical predictions obtained with Monte Carlo Shell Model.