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Let 𝒜 be a Banach *-algebra. By 𝒮𝒜 we denote the set of all self-adjoint elements of 𝒜 and by 𝒪𝒜 we denote the set of those elements in 𝒜 which can be represented as finite real-linear combinations of mutually orthogonal projections. The main purpose of this paper is to prove the following result:

Community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia is a rare but potentially fatal infection, mainly caused by specific pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae , Staphylococcus aureus , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Escherichia coli is extremely rare as a pathogen for community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia, typically accompanied with bloodstream infection. Here, we report an unusual case of a 60-year-old man with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and no bloodstream infections, who had severe necrotizing E. coli pneumonia leading to massive hemoptysis and death. Clinicians should be aware of this pathogen in respiratory infections, as it requires immediate pathogen detection and usually aggressive antibiotic treatment., Competing Interests: None declared., (UTF‐8.)

Aims: L-carnitine plays a role related to cardiometabolic factors, but its effectiveness and safety in CVD are still unknown. We aim to assess the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on CVD risk factors., Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus until October 2022. The main outcomes were lipid profiles, anthropometric parameters, insulin resistance, serum glucose levels, leptin, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers. The pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) was calculated using a random-effects model., Results: We included the 21 RCTs (n = 2900) with 21 effect sizes in this study. L-carnitine supplementation had a significant effect on TG (WMD = - 13.50 mg/dl, p = 0.039), LDL (WMD = - 12.66 mg/dl, p < 0.001), FBG (WMD = - 6.24 mg/dl, p = 0.001), HbA1c (WMD = -0.37%, p = 0.013) HOMA-IR (WMD = -0.72, p = 0.038 (, CRP (WMD = - 0.07 mg/dl, P = 0.037), TNF-α (WMD = - 1.39 pg/ml, p = 0.033), weight (WMD = - 1.58 kg, p = 0.001 (, BMI (WMD = - 0.28 kg/m 2 , p = 0.017(, BFP (WMD = - 1.83, p < 0.001) and leptin (WMD = - 2.21 ng/ml, p = 0.003 (in intervention, compared to the placebo group, in the pooled analysis., Conclusions: This meta-analysis demonstrated that administration of L-carnitine in diabetic and glucose intolerance patients can significantly reduce TG, LDL-C, FBG, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, CRP, TNF-α, weight, BMI, BFP, and leptin levels. PROSPERO registration code: CRD42022366992., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: BK virus associated nephropathy (BKVAN) is one of the common causes of graft loss among kidney transplanted recipients (KTRs). The current treatment for BKV nephropathy is decreasing the immunosuppressive regimen in KTRs. Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a multifunctional cytokine that might be the front-runner of an important pathway in this regard. Therefore, in current study it is tried to evaluate the changes in the expression level of IL-27 and some related molecules, resulting from BKV reactivation in KTR patients., Methods: EDTA-treated blood samples were collected from all participants. Patients were divided into two groups, 31 kidney transplant recipients with active and 32 inactive BKV infection, after being monitored by Real time PCR (Taq-Man) in plasma. Total of 30 normal individuals were considered as healthy control group. Real time PCR (SYBR Green) technique is used to determine the expression level of studied genes., Results: The results of gene expression comparisons showed that the expression level of IL-27, IFN-γ, TNF-α, TNFR2 and IRF7 genes was significantly higher in inactive group in comparison to active group. The expression level of TLR4 was lower in both active and inactive groups in comparison to control group. ROC curve analysis showed that IL-27 and IRF7 are significantly different amongst other studied genes. Finally, the analyses revealed that the expression level of most of the studied genes (except for TNF-α and TLR4) have significant correlation with viral load., Conclusions: Our findings revealed that IL-27, IFN-γ, TNF-α, TNFR2 and IRF7 expression level is higher in inactive group and TLR4 expression level is lower in patients' groups in comparison to control group. Also, ROC curve analysis showed IL-27 and IRF7 can significantly differentiate studied groups (BKV active vs. inactive). Therefore, these results might help elucidating the pattern in charge of BKV reactivation in kidney transplanted patients., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease and the prevalence of it is rapidly increasing. Recently, the use of natural products in chronic diseases such as diabetes has gained more attention. Chlorella, a single-celled green alga, is one of them. There have been some studies on the effects of chlorella supplementation in chronic diseases such as NAFLD, prediabetes, and diabetic mice, but none of them examined the effects of chlorella in patients with T2DM. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of chlorella supplementation on glycemic control, lipid profile, and anthropometric indices in type 2 diabetic patients., Methods: This study is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. 84 patients with T2DM assigned into two groups, receiving 1500 mg/day C. vulgaris or placebo for 8 weeks. Anthropometric information, blood pressure, 24-h food intake recall, and blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the study to determine the changes of FBS, HbA1c, insulin concentration, insulin resistance, and lipid profile., Results: None of the variables investigated in this study showed a significant change after 8 weeks of intervention with C. vulgaris., Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, supplementation with C. vulgaris with a dosage of 1500 mg/day for 8 weeks, does not improve the anthropometric measurements, glycemic status, and lipid profile as well. Thus, it cannot be considered as a complementary therapeutic approach to common medications at this dosage and duration. However, future studies with a higher dosage of C. vulgaris and more prolonged than 8 weeks are needed to be done., (© 2021. Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Several techniques have been proposed to obtain a durable bond, and the efficacy of these techniques is assessed by measuring parameters such as bond strength. Laser has provided a bond strength as high as that of acid etching in vitro and has simpler use with shorter clinical time compared to acid etching. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG lasers for etching and bonding of composite to orthodontic brackets. No previous study has evaluated the effect of these particular types of laser. A total of 70 composite blocks were randomly divided into five groups (n = 14): group 1, etching with phosphoric acid for 20 s; group 2, Er:YAG laser irradiation with 2 W power for 10 s; group 3, Er:YAG laser with 3 W power for 10 s; group 4, Er,Cr:YSGG laser with 2 W power for 10 s; group 5, Er,Cr:YSGG laser with 3 W power for 10 s. Metal brackets were then bonded to composites, and after 5000 thermal cycles, they were subjected to shear bond strength test in a universal testing machine after 24 h of water storage. One sample of each group was evaluated under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to assess changes in composite surface after etching. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) was calculated under a stereomicroscope. Data were statistically analyzed. The mean and standard deviation of shear bond strength were 18.65 ± 3.36, 19.68 ± 5.34, 21.31 ± 4.03, 17.38 ± 6.94, and 16.45 ± 4.26 MPa in groups 1-5, respectively. The ARI scores showed that the bond failure mode in all groups was mainly mixed. The groups were not significantly different in terms of shear bond strength. Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG lasers with the mentioned parameters yield optimal shear bond strength and can be used as an alternative to acid etching for bracket bond to composite.

Introduction: Cytokine gene therapy is one of the cancer treatment strategies. Recently, granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), as an important cytokine in activating dendritic cells and boosting the anti-tumor immune responses, has been utilized as an immunotherapeutic agent in cancer gene therapy. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the GM-CSF gene therapy effects in regression of tumor masses in fibrosarcoma mouse model., Materials and Methods: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of GM-CSF, WEHI-164 tumor cells were transfected with murine GM-CSF plasmid. For cytokine production by transfected cells, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test was used. Fibrosarcoma mouse model established with transfected cells which were injected subcutaneously into Balb/c mice. Tumor sizes were measured by caliper. Mice were sacrificed and the tumors were extracted. The expression of GM-CSF was studied by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunoblotting. The expression of Ki-67 (a tumor proliferative marker) in tumor masses was studied by immunohistochemical staining., Results: The group treated with GM-CSF indicated a decrease in tumor mass volume (P = 0.001). The results of western blotting and real-time PCR showed that GM-CSF expression increased in the group treated with GM-CSF (with a relative expression of 1.36). Immunohistochemical staining showed that Ki-67 expression has reduced in the group treated with GM-CSF., Conclusion: Monotherapy with GM-CSF has therapeutic effects on the regression of tumor masses in the fibrosarcoma mouse model.

Objectives: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) as a cytokine has been proved to have a critical role in stimulating the immune system and has been used as immunotherapeutic agents in cancer gene therapy. Chitosan as a polymer, with high ability of binding to nucleic acids is a good candidate for gene delivery since it is biodegradable, biocompatible and non-allergenic polysaccharide. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of cells transfected with IL-12 loaded chitosan nanoparticles on the regression of fibrosarcoma tumor cells (WEHI-164) in vivo., Materials and Methods: WEHI-164 tumor cells were transfected with IL-12 loaded chitosan nanoparticles and then were injected subcutaneously to inoculate tumor in BALB/c mice. Tumor volumes were determined and subsequently extracted after mice sacrifice. The immunohistochemistry staining was performed for analysis of Ki-67 expression (a tumor proliferation marker) in tumor masses. The expression of IL-12 and IFN-γ were studied using real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting., Results: The group treated with IL-12 loaded chitosan nanoparticles indicated decreasing of tumor mass[r1] volume (P<0.001). The results of western blotting and real-time PCR showed that the IL-12 expression was increased in the group. Immunohistochemistry staining indicated that the Ki-67expression was reduced in the group treated with IL-12 loaded chitosan nanoparticles., Conclusion: IL-12 gene therapy using chitosan nanoparticles has therapeutic effects on the regression of tumor masses in fibrosarcoma mouse model.

This systematic review evaluates the prevalence of long-term complications of serogroup B meningococcal disease (MD) in light of the recent licensure of a vaccine against meningococcal B disease. Twelve appropriate studies were identified by searching available databases from 1946 to July 2014. The average prevalence of hearing impairment was 4.2% among serogroup B MD survivors; 2.3% suffered amputation and 2.3% developed seizures. When compared with complications due to non-meningococcal B bacterial meningitis, physical impairment and seizures were more common in survivors of meningococcal B disease but hearing impairment had similar prevalence. Few studies quantified less frequent complications such as visual impairment and cognitive dysfunction. Better comprehensive reporting of the complications and costs of serogroup B MD in survivors and their families is needed to inform vaccination policy.

Study Design: Prospective observational study of acute spinal cord-injured (SCI) patients., Objectives: To determine how effectively mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and spinal cord perfusion pressure (SCPP) are maintained at target levels in acute SCI patients., Setting: Single-institution study at a Canadian level-one trauma center., Methods: Twenty-one individuals with cervical or thoracic SCI were enrolled within 48 h of injury. A lumbar intrathecal drain was inserted for monitoring intrathecal cerebrospinal fluid pressure (ITP). The MAP was monitored concurrently with ITP, and the SCPP was calculated. Data was recorded hourly from the time of first assessment until at least the end of the 5th day post injury., Results: All subjects had at least one recorded episode with a MAP below 80 mm Hg, and 81% had at least one episode with a MAP below 70 mm Hg. On average, subjects with cervical injuries had 18.4% of their pressure recordings below 80 mm Hg. Subjects with thoracic cord injuries had on average 35.9% of their MAP recordings <80 mm Hg., Conclusion: It is common practice to establish MAP targets for optimizing cord perfusion in acute SCI. This study suggests that even in an acute SCI referral center, when prospectively scrutinized, the actual MAP may frequently fall below the intended targets. Such results raise awareness of the vigilance that must be kept in the hemodynamic management of these patients, and the potential discrepancy between routinely setting target MAP according to 'practice guidelines' and actually achieving them.