Estradiol attenuates spinal cord injury-related central pain by decreasing glutamate levels in thalamic VPL nucleus in male rats

Central neuropathic pain (CNP) is a complicated medical problem that involves both the spinal and supraspinal regions of the central nervous system. Estrogen, a neuroprotective agent, has been considered a possible candidate for CNP treatment. In this study, we examined the effects of a single dose of 17β-estradiol on glutamate levels in the ventral posterolateral (VPL) nucleus of the rat thalamus. Furthermore, we determined whether there was a correlation between glutamate levels and neuropathic pain induced by unilateral electrolytic spinothalamic tract (STT) lesion. STT lesioning was performed in male Wistar rats at the T8-T9 vertebrae; rats were then administered 17β-estradiol (4 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min after injury. Glutamate samples were collected using a microdialysis probe and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. Mechanical allodynia (MA) and thermal hyperalgesia (TH) thresholds were measured pre-injury and 7, 14, and 28 days post-injury. We found that STT lesion significantly increased glutamate levels in the ipsilateral VPL nucleus 14 and 28 days post-injury; this was accompanied by allodynia and hyperalgesia in the hind paws of the rats. Administering 17β-estradiol to the rats decreased glutamate levels in the ipsilateral VPL nucleus and significantly increased MA and TH thresholds. These results suggest that glutamate in the VPL nucleus of the thalamus is involved in the pathology of neuropathic pain after STT injury; furthermore, 17β-estradiol may attenuate this neuropathic pain by decreasing glutamate levels.     

Fe3O4@BNPs@SiO2–SO3H as a highly chemoselective heterogeneous magnetic nanocatalyst for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides or sulfones

To achieve green chemistry goals and also to reduce the cost of catalysts as well as to avoid producing toxic wastes and show the importance of separation and recycling of catalysts from the reaction medium, in this work, we describe the preparation and characterization of magnetic acidic boehmite nanoparticles as a heterogeneous catalyst, which is called Fe₃O₄@BNPs@SiO₂–SO₃H. This catalyst works efficiently in the selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides or sulfones in the presence of H₂O₂ as a green oxidant. It can easily be separated from the reaction medium by using an external magnet and it was recycled 6 times without loss of magnetic catalytic properties.

To achieve the green chemistry goals and importance of separation and recycling of catalyst from the reaction medium, Fe₃O₄@BNPs@SiO₂–SO₃H is introduced as a novel heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides or sulfones.     

Clinical efficacy of inferior peripheral irido-capsulo-hyaloidotomy for pseudophakic malignant glaucoma

Purpose

The present research aimed to investigate the effects of Inferior peripheral irido-capsulo-hyaloidotomy for the management of pseudophakic malignant glaucoma.

Method

Ten pseudophakic eyes with aqueous misdirection were diagnosed between September 2017 and December 2018 (10 eyes of 8 patients), which were included in the prospective consecutive case series study. Seven eyes underwent Inferior laser peripheral irido-capsulo-hyaloidotomy, and three eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy, zonulo-capsulo-hyaloidectomy, and inferior iridectomy.

Results

Eight eyes (80%) had angle-closure glaucoma. The mean duration of the follow-up was 12.25?±?3.05 months (ranging from 10–18 months). The patients had a mean age of 69.25?±?6 years. The IOP at the onset of malignant glaucoma was found to be 33.8?±?5.5 mmHg, which was reduced to 13.9?±?2.7 mmHg at the final visit (P value?=?0.002). The reduction in the number?±?SD of anti-glaucoma medications (3.3?±?0.48 to 1.4?±?0.51) and improvement in mean?±?SD LogMAR visual acuity (1.2?±?0.06 to 0.61?±?0.26) between the onset and final visit were significant (p?=?0.004 and P?=?0.005, respectively). All the patients responded to Inferior peripheral irido-capsulo-hyaloidotomy (with YAG laser or with the surgical procedure), which led to a significant reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) and deepening of the anterior chamber.

Conclusion

The success rate of peripheral irido-capsulo-hyaloidotomy with laser or surgical procedure in the inferior quadrant was high regarding pseudophakic malignant glaucoma patients. The establishment of a patent inferior communication between the vitreous cavity and the anterior chamber was the main component in the treatment of pseudophakic malignant glaucoma patients.

     

A hydrophilic carbon foam/molybdenum disulfide composite as a self-floating solar evaporator

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has gained increasing attention as an emerging and sustainable technology for wastewater treatment and desalinization. The carbon/molybdenum disulfide (C/MoS₂) composite has attracted more attention due to its outstanding light absorption capability and optoelectronic properties as a solar steam generator. However, the hydrophobic nature of carbon and MoS₂-based materials hinders their wettability, which is crucial to the effective and facile operation of a solar generator of steam. Herein, a pH-controlled hydrothermal method was utilized to deposit a promising photothermal MoS₂ coating on melamine-derived carbon foams (CFs). The hydrophilic CF/MoS₂ composite, which can easily be floatable on the water surface, is a high-efficiency solar steam evaporator with a rapid increase in temperature under photon irradiation. Due to the localized heat confinement effect, the self-floating composite foam on the surface of water has the potential to produce a significant temperature differential. The porous structure effectively facilitates fast water vapor escape, leading to an impressively high evaporation efficiency of 94.5% under a light intensity of 1000 W m⁻².

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has gained increasing attention as an emerging and sustainable technology for wastewater treatment and desalinization.     

A sandwich enzyme immunoassay for detecting and measuring Alzheimer's disease--associated proteins in human brain tissue

A simple, fast, and reliable immunoassay has been developed to detect and measure Alzheimer's disease-associated proteins (ADAPs) in human brain tissue. This assay, called ALZ-EIA (brain), was developed for Abbott's quantum system, in which 1/4-in. beads are used as solid phase. The beads were coated with polyclonal IgG purified from sera obtained from rabbits immunized with a highly enriched Alzheimer's disease brain protein fraction for ADAP. The antigen (ADAP) is effectively captured by the polyclonal IgG coated on the beads. ALZ-50 (a mouse monoclonal IgM) is used as the detection antibody, and bound ALZ-50 is subsequently quantified by a horseradish peroxidase-linked goat antimouse IgM and appropriate substrate. The assay is linear up to 0.5 absorbance units (r = 0.9), reproducible (CV less than 10%), sensitive, and specific. With preformulated reagents and standard supplies, the assay is simple and rapid; 120 data points can readily be generated in about 4 hr.     

Outcome of renal transplantation in children: a multi-center national report from Iran

The outcome of pediatric renal transplantation was previously reported by a single-center study at the year 2006. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate and report the characteristics and outcome of renal pediatric renal transplantation in a multi-center nationwide study. In this nationwide report, medical records of 907 children (≤18yr) with renal transplantation in eight major pediatric transplant centers of Iran were recorded. These 907 patients received a total of 922 transplants. All children who failed to follow-up were excluded. Rather than baseline characteristics, graft and patient outcomes were considered for survival analysis. For further analysis, they were divided into two groups: patients who had graft survival time more than 10yr (n=91) and the ones with graft survival time of equal or less than 10yr (n=831). Of 922 recipients, 515 (55.8%) were boys and 407 (44.2%) were girls with the mean age of 13.10 (s.d.=3.54) yr. DGF and AR were occurred in 10% and 39.5% of the transplanted children, respectively. Transplantation year, dialyzing status before transplantation, DGF, and AR were significant enough to predict graft survival in cox regression model (overall model: p<0.001). Nowadays, there is a successful live donor pediatric renal transplantation in Iran. Graft survival has improved in our recipients and now the graft survival rates are near to international standards.     

Biochemical activities of acetone extracts of Hyssopus angustifolius

Antioxidant and antihemolytic activities of acetone extracts of Hyssopus angustifolius flowers, leaf and stems were investigated employing different in vitro and ex vivo assay systems. IC50, for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity were 239.4 +/- 8.4 microg/mL for flowers, 357.8 +/- 11.1 microg/mL for stems and 182.5 +/- 7.5 microg/mL for leaf. All extracts showed moderate nitric oxide scavenging activity. The leaf extract exhibited better hydrogen peroxide scavenging and Fe2+ chelating activity than the others (IC50 were 261.0 +/- 6.2 microg/mL for hydrogen peroxide and 534.0 +/- 9.9 microg/mL for Fe3+ chelating activity). The extracts exhibited good antioxidant activity in linoleic acid peroxidation system and weak reducing power ability. The leaf extract showed better antihemolytic activity than the flower and stem (IC50 = 65.7 +/- 1.8 microg/mL).