Fabrication of a graphene-based sensor to detect the humidity and the temperature of a metal body with imprecise data analysis

Graphene is a 2D material with remarkable properties. The present study demonstrates the fabrication of a graphene-based sensor for measuring the temperature and humidity of a metal body. The graphene sensor was fabricated by depositing a thin film of graphene nanoparticles between silver electrodes (separated by ∼50 μm) on a glass substrate. The graphene thin film was characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy and UV-vis techniques. The capacitance and resistance for both the relative humidity (in the range of 0–100% RH) and temperature (in the range of 230–310 K) were measured using an LCR meter at 1 kHz in a controlled chamber. The graphene-based sensor expressed high sensitivity with fast response and recovery times for both humidity and temperature with long stability and low hysteresis curves. The sensor was also tested on a metal body, which expressed a good response time. Moreover, the measured data of capacitance and resistance was analyzed with classical and neutrosophic analysis as an application of modern material statistics. It was observed that neutrosophic analysis is more flexible for analyzing the capacitance and resistance of the fabricated sensor.

Graphene is a 2D material with remarkable properties.     

Assessment of Bioceramic Sealer Retreatability and Its Influence on Force and Torque Generation

This study assesses the retreatability of TotalFill bioceramic (TFBC) and AH Plus (AHP) sealers and their impact on retreatment force and torque. Twenty-six premolar teeth with single oval canals were instrumented, obturated using the matched gutta-percha cone technique with one of the tested sealers, and then temporized. After a 6-month incubation at 37 °C and 100% humidity, the canals were retreated with the XP Shaper system. During retreatment, the generated force and torque were measured. Micro-CT scanning was run before and after the retreatment procedure to analyze the remaining obturating materials in the canals. The apically directed maximum force in AHP was higher than that in TFBC. The coronally directed maximum force and the maximum torque were comparable between the groups. A higher amount of remaining obturating materials was found in the AHP compared to that in the TFBC. Based on these findings, endodontic sealer had an influence on retreatability, and the TFBC showed less remaining obturating materials and lower retreatment forces in the apical direction compared to the AHP in extracted teeth with oval canals.     

Subareolar and peritumoral injection identify similar sentinel nodes for breast cancer

Background Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping with radioisotope and blue dye is rapidly becoming the standard of care for breast cancer. The optimal location for injection of radioisotope and blue dye is still being investigated. The goal of this study was to determine whether blue dye injection into the subareolar (SA) location localized the same sentinel nodes as the peritumoral (PT) location for patients with breast cancer. Methods Three hundred thirty-two patients with biopsy-proven operable breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ at two institutions underwent SLN mapping. Eighty-three patients had PT injection of blue dye (group 1), and 249 patients had SA injection of blue dye (group 2). All patients underwent PT injection of^99mTc-labeled sulfur colloid. Results The two groups were similar in age, previous biopsy type, and tumor size, location, and histology. The mean number of SLNs identified was 2.4 (range, 0–9) in group 1 and 2.5 (range, 0–11) in group 2. The SLN identification rate was 95% for group 1 and 97% for group 2. The isotope success rate was 94% for both groups. The blue dye success rate was 84% for group 1 and 90% for group 2. The isotope/blue dye concordance rate was 87% for group 1 and 90% for group 2. At a median follow-up of 28 months (range, 14 to 40), there were no axillary recurrences in any of the 332 patients. Conclusions These data suggest that delivery of mapping reagents in the SA and PT locations identifies similar lymph nodes. Because of simplicity and the similarity in node identification between SA and PT injection, further investigation of the SA site for delivery of SLN mapping reagents for breast cancer is warranted. Presented at the 54th Annual Cancer Symposium, Society of Surgical Oncology. Washington, DC, March 15–18, 2001.     

Dietary supplement use among Iranian adults: a study in northern Iran

This study aimed to investigate dietary supplement use among Iranian adults in northern Iran. A cross-sectional study was undertaken on randomly selected men and women in Guilan province, northern Iran. The study population was parents of children and adolescents studying in schools. Totally, 1,425 women and 676 men were studied and data on age, body weight, height, educational level, and supplement use was gathered using a self-administrated questionnaire. These data showed that supplement use was related to sex, body mass index, and educational levels in both sexes. Most common supplements used in this population were Iron, calcium, multivitamin/multiminerals and fish oils. These results showed that 13.3, 3.4, 2.2, and 1.1 % of the study men used iron, calcium, multivitamin/multimineral, and fish oil, respectively. In women, 27.1, 10.7, 5.1, and 5.5 % used Iron, calcium, multivitamin/multimineral, and fish oil, respectively. More educated men and women and those with more healthy weight were more likely to use any dietary supplement than the less educated and overweight/obese men and women. This study showed that iron was the most common dietary supplement in this study middle aged Iranians. Using the other supplements was mostly related to age, educational level, and body weight status in this population. These data indicated that dietary supplement use was inversely related to some health-related behaviors and socioeconomic factors.     

Letaler Verlauf eines Hitzeschocks nach körperlicher Anstrengung bei starker Sonneneinstrahlung

Heat stroke is a lifethreatening disease with high mortality, characterized by a body temperature of over 40°C and clinical symptoms of central nervous system dysfunction. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood. A new interesting explanation for the clinical symptoms could be a systemic inflammatory response due to barrier dysfunction in the intestine leading to endothelial damage and a syndrome of multiorgan dysfunction. We describe a 37-year-old male patient who collapsed while working in a vineyard in an environmental temperature of 32°C with a body temperature of 42.5°C. Despite intensive care treatment, he died with symptoms of shock and multiorgan dysfunction. Autopsy was performed followed by the histological evaluation of paraffin-embedded tissue. As correlates for clinical shock symptoms, shock kidneys and shock liver could be demonstrated. Furthermore, multiple microthrombi were found, together with clinically undetectable fibrinogen values. Finally, the patient died due to massive diffuse gastrointestinal bleeding and bleeding in pleural and pericardial cavities. No signs of severe edema of the central nervous system were detectable. This case supports the hypothesis that in heat stroke endothelial damage occurs with consecutive cascade of inflammatory and coagulatory reactions, which may play a critical pathophysiological role.     

Protection by beta-Hydroxybutyric acid against insulin glycation,lipid peroxidation and microglial cell apoptosis

Background

Diabetes mellitus is characterized jointly by hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia that make insulin more prone to be glycated and evolve insulin advanced glycation end products (Insulin- AGE). Here, we report the effect of beta-hydroxy butyrate (BHB) (the predominant ketone body) on the formation of insulin-AGE, insulin glycation derived liposomal lipid peroxidation and insulin-AGE toxicity in microglial cells.

Methods

The inhibitory effect of BHB was monitored as a result of insulin incubation in the presence of glucose or fructose using AGE-dependent fluorescence, Tyr fluorescence as well as anilinonaphthalenesulfonate (ANS) andthioflavin T (ThT) binding, and circular dichroism (CD) investigations. To study lipid peroxidation induced by insulin glycation, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) monitoring were used. The effect of insulin–AGE on microglial viability was investigated by 3-(4, 5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)—2, 5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) cell assay and Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining.

Results

Here we are reporting the inhibitory effect of BHB on insulin glycation and generation of insulin-AGE as a possible explanation for insulin resistance. Moreover, the protective effect of BHB on consequential glycation derived liposomal lipid peroxidation as a causative event in microglial apoptosis is reported.

Conclusion

The reduced insulin fibril formation, structural inertia to glycation involved conformational changes, anti-lipid peroxidation effect, and increasing microglia viability indicated the protective effect of BHB that disclose insight on the possible preventive effect of BHB on Alzheimer’s disease.     

Cytotoxic and apoptogenic properties of Nigella sativa and thymoquinone,its constituent,in human renal cell carcinoma are comparable with cisplatin

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common renal malignancy in adults and exhibits highly intrinsic and acquired resistance to standard therapeutic strategies. We sought to determine the anti-cancer activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella sativa seeds (NSE) and thymoquinone (TQ). Human renal cell carcinoma (ACHN) and fibroblast L929 cell lines were treated with NSE and TQ, and cytotoxicity was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell death pattern was determined by annexin V and propidium iodine (PI)-staining methods. Exposure to NSE, TQ and cisplatin significantly inhibited the growth of ACHN cells and showed significant increase of early apoptotic cells. Normal cells were more resistant to NSE and TQ-induced effects. The present study demonstrates that N. sativa and TQ exert anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on ACHN cells in a concentration and time-dependent manner, which suggests their potential to be used as a new therapeutic strategy for renal cancers.