Monte Carlo assessment of soil moisture effect on high-energy thermal neutron capture gamma-ray by 14N.

Among many conventional techniques, nuclear techniques have shown to be faster, more reliable, and more effective in detecting explosives. In the present work, neutrons from a 5 Ci Am-Be neutron source being in water tank are captured by elements of soil and landmine (TNT), namely (14)N, H, C, and O. The prompt capture gamma-ray spectrum taken by a NaI (Tl) scintillation detector indicates the characteristic photo peaks of the elements in soil and landmine. In the high-energy region of the gamma-ray spectrum, besides 10.829 MeV of (15)N, single escape (SE) and double escape (DE) peaks are unmistakable photo peaks, which make the detection of concealed explosive possible. The soil has the property of moderating neutrons as well as diffusing the thermal neutron flux. Among many elements in soil, silicon is more abundant and (29)Si emits 10.607 MeV prompt capture gamma-ray, which makes 10.829 MeV detection difficult. The Monte Carlo simulation was used to adjust source-target-detector distances and soil moisture content to yield the best result. Therefore, we applied MCNP4C for configuration very close to reality of a hidden landmine in soil.     

A novel method in predicting immediate postoperative facial nerve function post acoustic neuroma excision.

To determine whether the percentage calculated by dividing the amplitude of postexcision direct facial nerve stimulus responses (at pontomedullary junction) by the amplitude of distal ipsilateral transcutaneous (stylomastoid region) maximal stimulus responses and response amplitude progression by increasing stimulus intensities have predictive value for determining normal or near-normal (House-Brackmann Grade 1 or 2) immediate postoperative facial nerve function. STUDY DESIGN: Intraoperative recordings of three muscle groups: 1) frontalis, 2) orbicularis oculi, and 3) orbicularis oris. Postexcision direct facial nerve stimulation at the pontomedullary junction and transcutaneous maximal facial nerve stimulation at the ipsilateral stylomastoid region and their associated response amplitudes were recorded. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent acoustic neuroma surgery from January 2004 to March 2006 with intraoperative facial nerve monitoring and an intact facial nerve after tumor excision were included. Recordings were available for 38 patients. RESULTS: With a stimulus intensity of 0.3 mA at the root exit zone, there was an 81% positive predictive value in patients that exhibited a compound action potential of greater than 20% of maximum (sensitivity, 81%). This increased to 93% when the compound action potential was greater than 50% of maximum. When the amplitude increase was greater than 5 microV, there was a 77% positive predictive value (sensitivity, 87%). CONCLUSION: The percentage of the response amplitude of direct facial nerve stimulation at the pontomedullary junction when compared with the maximum response amplitude of ipsilateral transcutaneous stimulation at the stylomastoid foramen is a good predictor of normal to near-normal immediate postoperative facial nerve function. Progression of amplitude response also seems to be a good predictor of normal to near-normal immediate postoperative facial nerve function.     

Changes in liver enzymes and association with prognosis in patients with COVID-19: a retrospective case–control study

ObjectiveCOVID-19 has recently emerged as a serious threat to global health. This study examined the laboratory investigations of patients with COVID-19, with an emphasis on liver enzymes.MethodsThis retrospective, single-center study was performed on patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to Imam Reza Hospital, Iran from March 2020 to February 2021. Laboratory tests included a complete blood cell count, white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio, and levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase. Patient survival was among the outcome measures investigated in association with laboratory findings.ResultsWe enrolled 77 patients with COVID-19 and 63 healthy controls. In comparison with the control group, patients with COVID-19 showed COVID-19 increased ALT, WBC, neutrophils, NLR, and PLR, and decreased platelet counts and lymphocytes.ConclusionAlthough elevated levels of AST, NLR, PLR, and LMR were found in patients with COVID-19, they were not linked to mortality. Given the presence of AST in other tissues, the influence of SARS-CoV-2 on the liver should be interpreted with caution.     

Prediction of early (4-week) mortality in acute myeloid leukemia with intensive chemotherapy

The progress with intensive chemotherapy and supportive care measures has improved survival in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Given the recent development of effective low intensity therapies, an optimal decision on the therapy intensity may improve survival through the avoidance of early mortality. We reviewed the outcome of 3728 patients with newly diagnosed AML who received intensive chemotherapy between August 1980 and May 2020. Intensive chemotherapy was defined as a cumulative cytarabine dose ≥ 700 mg/m² during induction therapy. We divided the whole cohort into a training and validation group at a 3:1 ratio. The population was divided into a training (2790 patients) and a validation cohort (938 patients). The median age was 55 years (range, 15-99). Among them, 442 patients (12%) had core-binding factor AML. Binary logistic regression identified older age, worse performance status, hyperbilirubinemia, elevated creatinine, hyperuricemia, cytogenetic abnormalities other than CBF and -Y, and pneumonia as adverse prognostic factors for an early 4-week mortality. This risk classification for early mortality was verified in the validation cohort of patients. In the validation cohort of more recently treated patients from 2000 to 2017, the 4-week mortality rates with intensive chemotherapy were 2%, 14%, and 50% in the low-, high-, and very high-risk group, respectively. The mortality rates with low intensity therapies were 3%, 9%, and 20%, respectively. The risk classification guides treatment intensity by the assessment of age, frailty, organ dysfunction, cytogenetic abnormality, and infection to avoid early mortality.     

Proposed model for in vitro interaction between fenitrothion and DNA,by using competitive fluorescence, 31P NMR, 1H NMR,FT-IR,CD and molecular modeling

In this work we proposed a model for in vitro interaction of fenitrothion (FEN) with calf thymus-DNA by combination of multispectroscopic and two dimensional molecular modeling (ONIOM) methods. The circular dichroism results showed that FEN changes the conformation of B-DNA and caused some changes to C-DNA form. The FT-IR results confirmed a partial intercalation between FEN and edges of all base pairs. The competitive fluorescence, using methylene blue as fluorescence probe, in the presence of increasing amounts of FEN, revealed that FEN is able to release the non-intercalated methylene blue from the DNA. The weak chemical shift and peak broadening of ¹H NMR spectrum of FEN in the presence of DNA confirmed a non-intercalation mode. The ³¹P NMR showed that FEN interacts more with DNA via its –NO₂ moiety. The ONIOM, based on the hybridization of QM/MM (DFT, 6.31++G (d,p)/UFF) methodology, was also performed by Gaussian 2003 package. The results revealed that the interaction is base sequence dependent, and FEN interacts more with AT base sequences.