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Bacterial biofilm formation is regarded as the major cause of infection development, therapeutic failure, and antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to assess the synergistic antibiofilm potential of an atmospheric-pressure non-thermal argon plasma and ciprofloxacin (Cip) against multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bacterial biofilms were pre-treated with the non-thermal Ar-plasma and subsequently treated with Cip antibiotic. Then, the bacterial biofilm formation level and cell viability were investigated using crystal violet staining, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide, SEM, and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. It was found that a short-time (a few seconds) pretreating with Ar-plasma not only reduced bacterial biofilm formation but also significantly decreased the viability of the cells within the biofilm matrix. According to the results, treating with Cip alone reduced bacterial biofilms by 32%, while pretreatment with Ar-plasma for 5, 10, 30, 60, and 90 s and subsequent treatment with Cip reduced bacterial biofilms by 76%, 79%, 81%, 75%, and 88%, respectively. In addition, the viability of bacterial cells within the biofilm matrix reduced to 66% in Cip treated cells, while pretreating with Ar-plasma for 5, 10, 30, 60, and 90 s and then treating with Cip significantly decreased cell viability to 28%, 25%, 21%, 23%, and 15%, respectively. This concept opens a promising approach for the treatment of drug-resistant bacteria for decontamination of heat-sensitive materials and human tissues based on the combination of atmospheric-pressure non-thermal Ar-plasma and antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of replacement of fish meal with AquPro on growth and enzymes activity on juvenile rainbow trout (weight: 2.38 ± 0.3 g) were evaluated. The fish were fed with five isoproteic and isocaloric diet for six weeks. The diets contained different level of replaced fish meal with Aqupro included 5 treatments (A= 0%), (B=25%), (C = 50%), (D=75%) and (E=100%). Based on the results ,weight gain, relative growth rate, protein and lipid efficiency ratio in diet 50% were significantly higher than other treatments (p< 0.05), while food efficiency ratio and feed conversion ratio were shown the highest and the lowest values in diet 50%, respectively , without a significant difference than those from other treatments (p> 0.05). The highest survival rate was revealed in the diet 75%, which was not affected by the level of AquPro in the diet. The highest activity of lipase, amylase and acid protease enzymes, respectively, from pyloric caeca, intestine and stomach were observed in diet 50%, which showed a significant difference compared to other diets (p< 0.05). The findings of growth performance and lipase, amylase and acid protease activity were revealed the diet containing 50% AquPro could be appropriate for rainbow trout growth

Nanocrystalline TiO2 coatings were produced on titanium substrates using the plasma electrolytic oxidation technique. The effects of frequency, duty cycle, and type of applied current (pulse and direct) were evaluated on the microstructure of the coatings and the tribological behavior of the samples. Morphological evaluations demonstrated that the pancake structure was developed from coatings created with a unipolar pulsed current. However, a volcano-like surface morphology resulted from a constant current. The XRD analysis results showed that the coatings were composed mainly of the rutile phase by 77.80-96.34 wt. %. In comparison, 22.20 wt. % of the anatase phase was identified in samples produced with direct current. These phases were determined to be nanocrystalline (29.5-48.3 nm), which led to significant improvements in the tribological properties. The sample produced with direct current had larger pores, greater roughness, and a four-times higher thickness than samples created with unipolar current. Furthermore, the tribological study results showed that wear resistance was significantly higher in the unipolar pulsed current coatings than in those obtained with direct current. Moreover, samples made at a higher frequency and lower duty cycle showed better tribological behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beetroot juice (BRJ) has become increasingly popular amongst athletes aiming to improve sport performances. BRJ contains high concentrations of nitrate, which can be converted into nitric oxide (NO) after consumption. NO has various functions in the human body, including a vasodilatory effect, which reduces blood pressure and increases oxygen- and nutrient delivery to various organs. These effects indicate that BRJ may have relevant applications in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the consumption of BRJ also has an impact on oxygen delivery to skeletal muscles, muscle efficiency, tolerance and endurance and may thus have a positive impact on sports performances. Aside from the beneficial aspects of BRJ consumption, there may also be potential health risks. Drinking BRJ may easily increase nitrate intake above the acceptable daily intake, which is known to stimulate the endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds (NOC's), a class of compounds that is known to be carcinogenic and that may also induce several other adverse effects. Compared to studies on the beneficial effects, the amount of data and literature on the negative effects of BRJ is rather limited, and should be increased in order to perform a balanced risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on fetal cardiac function, assessed with two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) in fetuses of mothers with diabetes in comparison to those of mothers without diabetes. RV-GLS values were increased (6 studies), decreased (1 study) or not different (1 study). In fetuses of mothers with diabetes versus mothers without diabetes, LV-GLS values were significantly increased (6 studies), decreased (1 study) or not significantly different (6 studies). [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, vibration suppression of shear deformable beams with hybrid material-foundation viscoelastic damping is studied. The precise behavior of viscoelastic polymeric structures is taken into consideration by Boltzmann superposition integral and utilizing dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results while foundation viscoelasticity is adapted by Kelvin-Voigt model. The integro-partial differential equations of motion are derived based on the Timoshenko theory via Hamilton principle. Assessment of the solution procedure is carried out by comparison with elastic Timoshenko and viscoelastic Euler-Bernoulli cases. Transient response, natural frequency and modal loss factor are attained by Fourier transform, weighted residual method and numerical iterative algorithm. Influences of hybrid viscoelastic damping, foundation properties, geometrical parameters and boundary conditions on vibration characteristics and dynamic response are investigated via comprehensive parametric study. Due to the absence of similar results in the literature, this paper is likely to fill a gap in the state of the art of this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnSbO (0 ≤ x ≤0.1) nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical solution method using organic solvent. Antibacterial and photocatalytic activities of the prepared nanoparticles were discussed based on structural, compositional and optical properties. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the Sb doping decreased the crystallite size and lattice parameters of SnO nanoparticles while the compressive strain and dislocation density of cassiterite phase increased. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra of SnSbO confirmed that Sb ions substituted at Sn sites with +5 valance state. Field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that the nanoparticles possess spherical shape and Sb doping decreased the grain size. UV-Vis absorption spectra revealed that the substitution of Sb in SnO lattice leads to band gap narrowing from 4.06 to 3.85 eV. Photoluminscence spectra of SnSbO nanoparticles disclosed a green emission due to the presence of oxygen vacancies and SnSbO had highest emission intensity among all samples. The SnSbO nanoparticles exhibited enhanced photodegradation of rhodamine B and methylen blue dyes under UV illumination compared to the undoped SnO. The bactericidal activity of SnSbO nanoparticles was investigated against bacterial pathogens including E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus. The results revealed that antibacterial and photocatalytic activities of nanoparticles strongly depend on reactive oxygen species and structural parameter of the nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study the fuel spray of a gasoline direct injected engine with multi-hole injector is simulated. Simulation inputs data, injection flow rate and spray cone angle are obtained from previous experimental studies. Log-normal distribution with different standard deviation is used for initial droplet size as the primary break-up model in order to reach the agreement between experimental and calculated spray tip penetration. As the first step, only one plume of spray injected into a quiescent air environment is simulated and validated by varying break-up model and standard deviation. Then, with coefficient obtained from the single jet simulation all six spray jets are simulated based on the injector nozzles geometry. The comparison between single-jet simulation and multi-jet simulation shows that validated model coefficients for the single-jet spray cannot be used for multi-jet spray simulation without significant modifications due to adjacent jet interaction and pressure drag. A set of new coefficients for the multi-jet spray is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate study for dynamic behavior of viscoelastic thin laminated composite beams and plates resting on viscoelastic foundations is presented. Boltzmann superposition integral based on the dynamic mechanical analysis results is adapted to accurately predict viscoelastic behavior of polymeric fiber-reinforced composite structures. Also, foundation viscoelasticity is described based on the Kelvin–Voigt model. Integro-differential governing equations of motion are derived based on classical lamination theory via Hamilton principle. Galerkin weighted residual method, iterative QZ algorithm, and Fourier transform are applied to obtain natural frequency, loss factor, and transient response of structures resting on suppressive foundations. Influence of foundation and geometrical parameters and also boundary conditions on the dynamic behavior is put into evidence via a parametric study, and pertinent conclusions are outlined. Due to the absence of similar results in the literature, this paper is likely to fill a gap in the state of the art of this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods: A 17-week-old female neonate with a history of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart anomaly was admitted to Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan, Iran. For the diagnosis of thoracic ectopia, cordis fetal echocardiography and ultrasonography were performed. Moreover, the noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) genetic test performed in the 10th week of pregnancy was evaluated., Results: The neonate was diagnosed with thoracic ectopia cordis, with the heart located outside the thoracic cavity and covered by a thin membrane. The Z scores of the analyzed maternal venous blood chromosomes were between +6 and -6, and all chromosomes had a low risk in terms of the risk of birth defects. The results of this study revealed that genetic test analysis is not enough to diagnose and predict congenital anomalies and defects. Furthermore, the findings showed that the fetus's mother continued to take folic acid after the first 3 months of pregnancy. This can be one of the risk factors involved in causing this heart defect., Conclusion: One of the important results of this study was that the diagnostic findings of ultrasound were normal, but the findings of echocardiography were reported as abnormal. This shows that fetal echocardiography is better than ultrasound imaging in diagnosing ectopia cordis. In addition, it is recommended that pregnant women should avoid taking folic acid after the first trimester of pregnancy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Mehdi Hosseini et al.)

Introduction: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate fetal cardiac function in fetuses of mothers with diabetes compared to those of mothers without diabetes using 2D-STE., Methods: Embase, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL were searched for observational studies on 2D-STE fetal left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain and strain rate that included singleton, non-anomalous pregnancies complicated by pregestational or gestational diabetes mellitus compared to uncomplicated pregnancies. The strain values were pooled per 4 weeks of gestation for meta-analysis using random-effects models., Results: Fifteen studies met the criteria, including 990 fetuses of diabetic mothers and 1,645 control fetuses. The study design was cross-sectional in fourteen studies and longitudinal in one study. Gestational age, type of diabetes, ultrasound device, and 2D-STE software varied between the studies. Glycemic control and type of treatment were often lacking. In fetuses of diabetic mothers versus healthy mothers, left ventricular strain was significantly decreased (7 studies), increased (1 study), or not significantly different (7 studies). Right ventricular strain was decreased (7 studies), increased (1 study), or not different (2 studies). Left ventricular strain rate was decreased (3 studies), increased (1 study), or not different (2 studies). Right ventricular strain rate was increased (1 study) or not different (2 studies)., Conclusion: Fetuses of mothers with diabetes show evidence of systolic dysfunction, which is more visible in the right ventricle. Contradictory results are probably due to suboptimal study designs and variation in gestational age, diabetes severity, image acquisition, and software. Large prospective longitudinal studies are needed to assess fetal myocardial function with 2D-STE in pregestational diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2 and gestational diabetes mellitus pregnancies. The influence of glycemic control, BMI, and treatment should be evaluated., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1), a newly discovered long noncoding RNA, is expressed in various tissues and organs and has been introduced an oncogenic gene in human malignancies. In various cancers, ZFAS1 regulates apoptosis, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, migration, translation, rRNA processing, and spliceosomal snRNP assembly; targets signaling cascades; and interacts with transcription factors via binding to key proteins and miRNAs, with conflicting findings on its effect on these processes. ZFAS1 is elevated in different types of cancer, like colorectal, colon, osteosarcoma, and gastric cancer. Considering the ZFAS1 expression pattern, it also has the potential to be a diagnostic or prognostic marker in various cancers. The current review discusses the mode of action of ZFAS1 in various human cancers and its regulation function related to chemoresistance comprehensively, as well as the potential role of ZFAS1 as an effective and noninvasive cancer-specific biomarker in tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We expected that the current review could fill the current scientific gaps in the ZFAS1-related cancer causative mechanisms and improve available biomarkers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aims to estimate organ dose and cancer risks, establish region-specific diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), and determine achievable doses (ADs) for common CT procedures in adults in the northwest of Iran. Effective and organ doses were estimated using VirtualDoseCT software in a sample of 480 adult patients who underwent head, sinus, chest, and abdomen-pelvis (AP) CT scans. The guidelines provided by the BEIR VII report were utilized to estimate cancer risks. Effective and organ doses for specific procedures were determined, with the highest mean organ dose being observed in the brain during head CT examinations, with a value of 54.02 mGy. It was observed that the lungs in chest examinations and the colon in AP examinations had the highest risk of cancer, with rates of 30.72 and 21.37 per 100,000 persons, respectively. Higher cancer risk values were generally exhibited by females compared to males. The DRLs for common CT examinations were established as follows: Head CT (CTDIvol 41 mGy, DLP 760 mGy cm), Sinus CT (CTDIvol 16 mGy, DLP 261 mGy cm), Chest CT (CTDIvol 8 mGy, DLP 287 mGy cm), and AP CT (CTDIvol 9 mGy, DLP 508 mGy cm). Significant variations in dose distribution among facilities were identified, indicating the need for optimization. The study highlights the importance of minimizing radiation exposure to critical organs and promoting patient safety in CT examinations. The establishment of region-specific DRLs and ADs can help optimize radiation doses and reduce cancer risks for patients., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)