Explore the vast range of titles available.

Sol–gel method was employed to prepare Ni–Co/Al 2 O 3 –MgO–ZrO 2 nanocatalyst with various loadings of MgO (5, 10 and 25 wt%) for dry reforming of methane. The physiochemical properties of nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), BET and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Evaluation of catalytic performance was conducted in atmospheric pressure, stoichiometric feed ratio, GHSV of 24 l/g cat  h and temperature range from 550 to 850 °C. XRD patterns represented that as MgO content increases, the amorphous behavior slightly intensifies and also dispersion of active phase improves which probably caused by strong metal–support interaction. Furthermore, FESEM analysis confirmed that all of prepared samples are nano scale. EDX results besides verifying the declared claim about the dispersion of samples proved the presence and detected the position of the various elements. In addition, based on the FESEM analysis, narrow particle size distribution, uniform morphology and dispersion without agglomeration were found for Ni–Co/Al 2 O 3 –MgO–ZrO 2 with 25 wt% MgO. Moreover, smallest average particle size 11.6 nm (close to the critical size for Ni–Co catalyst to avoid carbon formation) was obtained for this nanocatalyst. Also, according to the BET analysis, MgO rich nanocatalyst represented the higher surface area than the other ones. Based on the excellent characterizations, Ni–Co/Al 2 O 3 –MgO–ZrO 2 with 25 wt% MgO exhibited the best products yield through all of the investigated temperature e.g. H 2  = 96.9 % and CO = 97.1 % at 850 °C. Furthermore, this nanocatalyst demonstrated the stable yield with H 2 /CO close to unit during 1,440 min stability test.

Menopause is a natural biological aging process characterized by the loss of ovarian follicular function and decrease estrogen levels. These hormonal fluctuations are associated with increased iron levels, which ultimately lead to iron accumulation. This study aims to investigate the effects of Deferasirox on iron homeostasis and hematopoiesis in ovariectomized rats with iron accumulation. Sixty-four female Wistar rats were divided into eight groups and underwent ovariectomy surgery to simulate menopause. Iron accumulation was induced through the injection of ammonium ferric citrate. Deferasirox was administered at doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg. Hematological parameters, iron profile, antioxidant markers, oxidative stress indicators, histopathological evaluation of uterine, bone, bone marrow, liver, and spleen tissues, flow cytometric analysis of hematopoietic CD markers, and relative expression of Hamp, Pu.1, Gata1, and Gdf11 genes were analyzed. Deferasirox treatment improved histopathological changes in the uterine tissue of ovariectomized rats with iron accumulation, increased the number of white blood cells, and reduced serum iron levels, TIBC, ferritin, and transferrin saturation percentage. It also increased serum antioxidant capacity and reduced oxidative stress markers. Deferasirox had a positive effect on femur bone, hematopoietic cell count, volume of hematopoietic and adipose tissues in bone marrow, extramedullary hematopoiesis in the liver and spleen, and influenced the relative expression of Hamp, Pu.1, Gata1, and Gdf11 genes related to hematopoiesis and iron metabolism. In conclusion, Deferasirox effectively manages iron homeostasis and hematopoiesis in ovariectomized rats with iron accumulation and suppresses oxidative stress.

In this study, Cu and Co doped Ni/Al 2 O 3 nanocatalyst was synthesized via impregnation and sol–gel methods. The physiochemical properties of nanocatalyst were characterized by XRD, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), particle size distribution, BET, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), TG–DTA and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The samples were employed for CO 2 -reforming of methane in atmospheric pressure, temperature range from 550 to 850 °C, under various mixture of CH 4 /CO 2 and different gas hourly space velocity. XRD patterns besides indicating the decline of the peaks intensity in sol–gel method, proved the potential of this procedure in diminishing the crystal size and preventing the NiAl 2 O 4 spinel formation. Moreover, high surface area might derive of smaller particle size and uniform morphology of sol–gel prepared ones, confirmed by FESEM and BET analysis. TG–DTG analysis as well supported the higher surface area for sol–gel made ones, represented the proper calcination temperature (approximately 600 °C). Also, presence of the active phases and elemental composition of nanocatalysts determine via EDX analysis. Promoting the basicity and the adsorption rate of CO 2 , is attributed to the higher amount of OH groups for sol–gel prepared samples, proved by FTIR. Ni–Co/Al 2 O 3 due to the synergetic effect of sol–gel method and cobalt addition depicted excellent characterization such as higher surface area, smaller particle size, supplying more stable support and enhanced morphology. Therefore, this nanocatalyst represented the best products yield (H 2  = 98.21 and CO = 95.64), H 2 /CO close to unit (0.92–1.05) and stable conversion during 1,440 min stability test. So, Ni–Co/Al 2 O 3 among all of the prepared nanocatalysts demonstrated the best catalytic performance and presented it as a highly efficient catalyst for dry reforming of methane. Despite of the stable yield of Ni–Cu/Al 2 O 3 , it depicted the lower catalytic activity and H 2 /CO ratio than the unprompted nanocatalysts.

Immunotherapy is changing the Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) landscape and improving outcomes for patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. A deeper understanding of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is required in light of the limitations of patients’ responses to immunotherapy. Here, we aimed to examine how Nivolumab affects infiltrating T regs in the HNSCC TME. We used single-cell RNA sequencing data from eight tissues isolated from four HNSCC donors before and after Nivolumab treatment. Interestingly, the study found that T reg counts and suppressive activity increased following Nivolumab therapy. We also discovered that changes in the CD44-SSP1 axis, NKG2C/D-HLA-E axis, and KRAS signaling may have contributed to the increase in T reg numbers. Furthermore, our study suggests that decreasing the activity of the KRAS and Notch signaling pathways, and increasing FOXP3 , CTLA-4 , LAG-3 , and GZMA expression, may be mechanisms that enhance the killing and suppressive capacity of T regs . Additionally, the result of pseudo-temporal analysis of the HNSCC TME indicated that after Nivolumab therapy, the expression of certain inhibitory immune checkpoints including TIGIT , ENTPD1 , and CD276 and LY9 , were decreased in T regs , while LAG-3 showed an increased expression level. The study also found that T regs had a dense communication network with cluster two, and that certain ligand-receptor pairs, including SPP1/CD44, HLA-E/KLRC2, HLA-E/KLRK1, ANXA1/FPR3, and CXCL9/FCGR2A, had notable changes after the therapy. These changes in gene expression and cell interactions may have implications for the role of T regs in the TME and in response to Nivolumab therapy.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer. Despite advances in the treatment of ALL, high disease recurrence and the impact of chemical toxicity on patients’ quality of life persist. Drug repositioning has been proven to have antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties in leukemia. This study investigated the effects of metformin and chloroquine on the efficacy of cytarabine in NALM-6 cells. The growth inhibitory effects of metformin (Met) and chloroquine (CQ) on the response of NALM-6 cells to cytarabine (AraC) were determined via the MTT assay. To test the regeneration potential, a colony formation assay was performed. Apoptosis and cell cycle analyses were executed via flow cytometry. Oxidative stress markers and antioxidant activity were measured. Gene expression analysis and protein measurement of apoptotic and signaling pathways were performed. The administration of metformin and chloroquine increased the efficacy of cytarabine in suppressing NALM-6 cells, leading to decreased colony formation, increased apoptosis, and G1 phase cell cycle arrest. These effects are mediated by the upregulation of TP53, CASP3 and CASP8 genes and the reduction in BCL-2, NRAS and KRAS genes. Our data suggest that the combination of AraC with Met and CQ may be an effective approach for the treatment of B-ALL.

Diabetic retinopathy is a common microangiopathy observed in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study investigated the potential correlation between Factor V Leiden mutation, MTHFR C677T polymorphism, and the ratios of circulating lymphocytes, myeloid cells, and platelets in patients with diabetic retinopathy. A total of 200, including 100 subjects with diabetic retinopathies and 100 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) participated in the study. Tetra-primer ARMS-PCR was used to analyze the FVL mutation and MTHFR C677T SNPs. The ratios of neutrophils to lymphocytes, platelets to lymphocytes, and monocytes to lymphocytes have been calculated to determine the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), respectively. The FVL variations and the wild type demonstrated significant differences in the NLR (1.78 ± 1.55 vs. 3.35 ± 1.51, P = 0.02) and MLR (0.20 ± 0.007 vs. 0.32 ± 0.17, P = 0.02). The univariate analysis revealed significant statistical differences in fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels between individuals with FVL variants (GA and AA) compared to those with the wild type (P = 0.03). Statistically significant differences were found in the NLR (1.78 ± 1.55 vs. 3.35 ± 1.51, P = 0.02) and MLR (0.20 ± 0.007 vs. 0.32 ± 0.17, P = 0.02) between the FVL variants and the wild type. Evaluating inflammatory markers may be beneficial as part of follow-up assessments for patients with type 2 diabetes. This study suggests that identifying these genetic factors and their association with inflammation could enhance diabetic retinopathy screening techniques and contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Extracellular vehicles (EVs) are small membrane-bound particles that are released by both cancer and stromal cells. These vesicles have emerged as key mediators of intercellular communication within the tumor microenvironment. In particular, EVs have been shown to play a critical role in facilitating the interactions between cancer cells and the surrounding stroma. Through the transfer of various bioactive molecules, including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, EVs are able to modulate the behavior of recipient cells and promote tumorigenesis. Additionally, EVs can also contribute to the development of drug resistance and immune evasion, further highlighting their importance in cancer progression. This review will summarize the current knowledge regarding EV-mediated interactions between cancer and stromal cells, and discuss their implications for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of death and morbidity around the world. Although the association between thrombophilia and AMI is well-established, controversial data are present on the association between thrombophilic polymorphisms and AMI. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of three thrombophilic polymorphisms including factor V Leiden (FVL), MTHFRC677T (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase), and Coagulation factor XIIIVal34Leu with AMI in East of Iran. There were no statistically significant differences between the patients and control groups in terms of the distributions of allelic and genotypic frequencies of FVL and FXIIIVal34Leu polymorphisms (P-value > 0.05). Subjects who carried CT genotype of MTHFR C677T polymorphism were at a 2.03-fold higher risk for AMI (P-value: 0.02, OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.07-2.75). Furthermore, patients with MTHFR 677CT (P-value < 0.001, [beta] = - 0.90, 95% CI - 1.33, - 047) or 677CC (P-value < 0.001, [beta] = - 1.04, 95% CI - 1.47, - 0.61) genotypes showed significantly Lower creatinine levels compared with patients having the MTHFR 677TT. No association was observed between the other remaining polymorphisms and AMI (P-value > 0.05). Our findings showed that MTHFRC677T polymorphism could contribute to AMI susceptibility and increase creatinine levels in east Iran population. This was the first study to examine the association of these three polymorphisms with AMI in east Iran.

Background: Confidential unit exclusion (CUE) was recommended by the Food and Drug Administration to permit blood donors confidentially exclude their donation for transfusion. However, its effectiveness as a safety measure to the blood supply is debated. Aims: We, therefore, evaluated its benefit in identifying donors at risk of transmitting transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) and increasing blood safety in our population. Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional and retrospective study. The study was performed at the South Khorasan Blood Transfusion Center. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive and retrospective study, data of CUE use and data of confirmed positive TTI markers were analyzed for the study period 2006-2016. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16. Results: Out of 165,267 donations, the CUE option was selected by 493 (0.3%) donors, most frequently by first-time blood donors, by men, by donors with <12 years schooling, and by 18-24-year-old donors. The data revealed that donations from CUE donors had no higher infection rates. Moreover, CUE showed low sensitivity (0.6%) and low positive predictive value (0.6%) in detecting TTI markers. Conclusion: The data do not provide any indication of a safety advantage from CUE; thus, we recommend that the procedure of CUE can be discontinued.

Transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) are a common complication of blood transfusion. Evaluation and monitoring the prevalence rate of TTIs in blood donors is a valuable indicator of donor selection and blood safety. We analyzed the trends of these infections among blood donors at Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad transfusion service (KBTC) during 10 years. Viral screening and confirmatory tests were carried out on 180304 voluntary donations from 2005-2014. The annual prevalence rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV infections per 100000 donations and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Chi-square test was applied to obtain the -value. The overall prevalence was 0.13% for HBV and 0.06% for HCV while there were only three positive cases for HIV. The annual trend fluctuated during the time period studied. Compared to first-time donors, regular and repeat donors were significantly less likely to be positive for these infections. Outstandingly, this study provides first data in TTIs seropositivity rates among blood donors in our region; surprisingly were lower compared to other reports of Iran. The trends of TTIs prevalence in this study provide additional evidence that safety measures employed by the KBTC have been effective in maintaining a safe blood supply. The lower prevalence of TTIs in our study compared with other Iranian studies and also the general population reflects the efficacy of donor selection and education procedures in KBTC.