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In this research, CuCo2O4nanorods (CuCo2O4NRs) were prepared using a simple hydrothermal technique and characterized by using various techniques. Subsequently, a highly sensitive and simple electrochemical sensor was prepared by modifying a screen-printed graphite electrode with CuCo2O4NRs (CuCo2O4NRs/SPGE) and applied for the detection of sudan I. The electrocatalytic oxidation of sudan I was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), chronoamperometry, and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The modification of the electrode surface with CuCo2O4NRs exhibited the highest electro-catalytic activity towards sudan I oxidation, resulting in an improved sensitivity compared to the unmodified electrode. Based on these findings, we analyzed a screen-printed sensor (CuCo2O4NRs/SPGE) using DPV for sudan I determination. The sensor demonstrated a linear response ranging from 0.04 µM to 560.0 µM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 µM and a sensitivity of 0.097 µM/µA. The suitability of the proposed sensor for sudan I determination in real samples was also demonstrated, with good recovery results ranging from 97.6 to 104.0% and a maximum relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.5%.

A randomized controlled trial has been carried out to investigate use of exercise to improve outcomes of acute hospitalization in the elderly. Lack of exercise or physical activity during an acute illness/recovery may contribute to loss of functional ability in the elderly. An exercise program started during hospitalization and continued for a month was found not to shorten length of stay. It did, however, improve functional outcome at one month.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of cancer among children. In this study, we investigated the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-35 and IL-18 in children with ALL to compare with healthy subjects and find their relationship with prognostic factors and response to therapy. IL-35 and IL-18 serum concentrations in 40 children diagnosed with ALL and 35 age-matched and sex-matched healthy children were measured using ELISA. The association between cytokine levels and patients’ clinical and laboratory data were determined. A significant difference was found in IL-35 serum levels between the patients (3.6±1.5 ng/mL) and controls (2.5±1.8 ng/mL) (P=0.007). No significant difference in IL-18 serum levels between these groups was observed. A positive correlation between IL-35 and IL-18 levels was detected (P=0.001). The authors found that patients with lower platelet count had higher IL-35 concentration (P=0.003). By considering a cut-off value of 6.21 ng/mL (mean±2SD of controls) for IL-35, it was found that white blood cell (WBC) count was higher in patients with IL-35 >6.21 ng/mL (P=0.016), and the majority of these patients had T-ALL (P=0.01). Although the mean overall survival in patients with IL-35 >6.21 ng/mL was shorter (937±381 d) than in those with IL-35 ≤6.21 ng/mL (1567±103 d), but the result was not significant (P=0.1, log-rank test). The IL-18 level was associated with a lower hemoglobin level (P=0.027). These data suggested a role for IL-35 in ALL development. The significant relation of IL-35 to white blood cells and platelet counts may imply a possible influence of IL-35 on ALL prognosis.

Although new therapeutic approaches have been developed, and efforts have been made to understand cancer signaling pathways, drug resistance remains the most common cause of tumor recurrence and therapy. microRNAs degrade mRNAs or target their specific sequences as translation repressors. miRNA disruption may alter the drug sensitivity of cancer cells and influence tumor cell resistance to chemotherapy. Modulation of miRNAs through antagomiRs or mimics inhibit tumor cell proliferation and enhance drug sensitivity by regulating critical gene networks and signaling pathways. miRNAs that simultaneously involve the 3′-UTR of genes responsible for various drug resistance pathways in lung cancer were identified with the miRvestigator algorithm. Its validity was confirmed with TargetScan and the expression level of introduced genes was investigated under the influence of its mimic. Finally, the percentage of viable cells was determined using the apoptosis assay. Hsa-miR-548k was identified as a potential gene regulator of multiple drug resistance signaling in lung cancer using miRvestigator bioinformatics algorithms. Hsa-miR-548k mimics were transiently transfected into A549 cells to investigate the effect of hsa-miR-548k on the expression of ATP-binding cassette super-family G member 2 (ABCG2),epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR),signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3),Yes1 Associated Transcriptional Regulator (YAP), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Quantitative analyses confirmed significant downregulation of the gene expression levels involved in lung cancer drug resistance pathways by hsa-miR-548k. Furthermore, hsa-miR-548k overexpression increased the apoptosis of A549 cells. This study not only confirmed the significance of hsa-miR-548k in regulating drug resistance pathways but also identified it as a new target for the treatment of lung cancer.

The green synthesis of nano-sized particles with specific functions is of great significance in the present bio-nanotechnology. In this study, the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the aqueous extract of stem, root and leaf of Rhizophora mucronata, one of the two native mangrove plants in southern Iran, and its activity against some bacterial pathogens are reported for the first time. A green procedure for the synthesis of AgNPs using the mangrove extract as reducing agent was used. Synthesized AgNPs were investigated using UV–visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Antibacterial effect of the biosynthesized AgNPs was investigated by agar well diffusion assay against pathogenic bacteria. The leaf extract yielded the highest production of biosynthesized AgNPs among the plant parts. UV–visible spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 420 nm confirmed the synthesis of AgNPs. The results from the XRD analysis approved the formation of crystalline AgNPs with crystallinity percentage of 88.54. As shown by TEM evaluation, AgNPs had the same spherical morphology. The size of the biosynthesized AgNPs was between 1 and 80 nm with average size of 32.44 nm. According to the size distribution histogram, nanoparticles in the size range of 20–25 nm were more than other size groups. SEM images identified silver nanoparticles ranging in size from 10 to 19 nm. Results of EDS showed the existence of carbon, silver, oxygen and chlorine in the nanoparticles synthesized from the leaf extract of R. mucronata. Silver was the major constituent element, 73.5%. FTIR analysis distinguished different functional groups such as aromatic loops, alcohol, phenol group, alkanes and alkyl halides in the biosynthesis process. The biosynthesized AgNPs had potential antibacterial activity against the bacterial pathogens. Out of the selected bacterial strains, the Gram-positive bacteria of Bacillus cereuswith the maximum inhibition zone and the Gram-negative bacteria of Pseudomonas aeruginosawith the minimum inhibition zone were the most sensitive and resistant bacteria, respectively. The mangrove Rhizophora mucronataextract was found to be a suitable reducing agent for biosynthesis of AgNPs with approved antibacterial activity.

Indentation is a simple and one of the oldest small-scale test methods for characterizing the mechanical response of materials. Recently, there has been a growing interest in dynamic indentation due to its potential to characterize the mechanical response of small volume of materials at high strain-rates. Herein, we focus on understanding the synergistic effects of materials' inherent strain-rate sensitivity and inertia on the scaling of dynamic hardness with indentation strain-rate. Specifically, we analyze the dynamic indentation response of ductile materials over a wide range of indentation velocities, utilizing both finite element calculations and an analytical cavity expansion model. The materials are assumed to follow isotropic elastic–viscoplastic constitutive relations, with the viscoplastic part described by either an overstress or a simple power-law model. Our results show that below a critical indentation strain-rate, the scaling of dynamic hardness with indentation strain-rate is the same as the viscoplastic constitutive description. Therefore, at these strain-rates, dynamic hardness can effectively characterize a material's strain-rate sensitivity, provided its viscoplastic constitutive description is known beforehand. However, above the critical indentation strain-rate, the dynamic hardness increases rapidly with indentation strain-rate. This phenomenon indicates an apparent strain-rate sensitivity that exceeds the expected response of the viscoplastic constitutive description. Moreover, above the critical indentation strain-rate, the indentation depth acts as a natural length-scale, with higher hardness observed at greater depths due to increased inertial effects. In other words, above the critical indentation strain-rate, dynamic hardness cannot be taken as an intrinsic material property. • Dynamic indentation of elasto-viscoplastic solids using conical indenter is analyzed. • Synergistic effects of strain-rate sensitivity and inertia on hardness are elucidated. • Below a critical loading-rate, hardness is proportional to the strain-rate hardening. • Above a critical loading-rate, indentation depth emerges as a natural length-scale. • Hardness is not proportional to the strain-rate hardening when inertia dominates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper survey importance of urban open spaces and effective parameters on people attendance. In the recent years, low-quality environments have caused a low level of people attendance in that places and subsequently, lots of different problems in human life. One of the determining factors affecting the quality of the environment is providing human comfort. This paper discusses human comfort features. We focus on thermal and wind comfort among various parameters. The aim of this article is presentation guidelines based on the creation of the wind and thermal comfort in urban open spaces. According to the fact, by the presence of comfort we can return people to urban open spaces. We derived some conceptual frameworks and categorized them on a chart. The table is divided into four climatic regions based on Iran climatology, to lead architects, urban planners for designing desirable spaces.

A simple method for the rapid extraction and determination of ultra-trace amounts of Ag+ions using octadecyl-bonded silica membrane disks modified with a recently synthesized fulvalen (tetramethyltetrathiafulvalen) (TMTTF) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is presented. The extraction efficiency and influence of the flow rate, pH, nature of the counter ion and type and the least amount of eluent for the stripping of Ag+from disks and breakthrough volume were evaluated. The maximum capacity of the membrane disks modified by 5 mg of TMTTF used was found to be 482 ± 6 µg Ag+. The detection limit of the proposed method is 1.0 ng/dm3. The method was applied to the recovery of Ag+ions from different synthetic and water samples.

A simple and reliable method for the rapid and selective separation of Cu(II) ion from water, waste water and black tea by using octadecyl silica membrane disks modified with an H2Salphen (L) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry is presented. Extraction efficiency and the influence of flow rate, pH and minimum amount of stripping acid were investigated. Maximum capacity of the membrane disks modified by 2 mg of (L) was found to be 487.5 ± 7.5 μ of copper. The limit of detection of proposed method is 0.07 ng/cm3.