Selecting iron and zinc nano-fertilizers for rice traits in drought by statistical analysis.

Optimum use of fertilizer plays an important role in increasing the performance of traits in rice and other agricultural products. The use of nano-fertilizers can be very important in the optimal use of fertilizer and in increasing the quantity and quality of agricultural products. To investigate the effect of iron and zinc nano-fertilizers on the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice plants (Tarom Hashemi variety) under drought stress conditions, a split plot experiment was carried out in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications in Mazandaran region. The results of the combined analysis indicated that the effect of iron nano-fertilizer and zinc nano-fertilizer has a significant difference at the level of 0.01 and 0.05 in terms of all the evaluated traits. In the means comparison, it was concluded that normal humidity conditions can have a positive effect on the performance of the traits, but in the S1 stress conditions (drought stress at the rate of 50% of normal irrigation), the traits showed a good performance trend. Furthermore, increasing the amount of iron nano-fertilizer at the F2 level (Iron sulphate 100 kg/ha + 1 foliar spraying of iron chelate 2%) can be very effective in the growth of yield and the desirability of traits. In examining the amount of zinc nano-fertilizer consumption on the traits, showed the most positive performance on the traits at the level of Z2 (Use of 5 mg of zinc nano-fertilizer per kg of experiment soil), but with the increase to the level of Z3 (Use 7.5 mg of zinc nano-fertilizer per kg of experiment soil), this favorability was greatly reduced. The result of the correlation coefficients between the traits and the correlation diagram also showed a positive and significant correlation between the traits. In the graphical analysis, treatments tr33, tr8, tr19, tr24, tr7, tr6, and tr2 were selected as desirable treatments from the polygon graph. Treatments tr19, tr9 and tr6 were recognized as favourable treatments in terms of the treatment ranking diagram in terms of all traits. Based on the treatment selection diagram based on ideal treatment, tr19, tr9 and tr6 treatments were identified as desirable treatments. In general, it is possible to use tr19 (S1×F1×Z2), tr6 (N×F1×Z1) and tr9 (N×F2×Z0) treatments as treatments with high efficiency and power to increase the performance of traits and optimal use of nano-fertilizers in rice cultivation.

Outcome of Heart Transplant Candidates Based on a High Volume Heart Transplant Center Experience in Iran.

Background: The waiting list for heart transplants is a valuable data registry that would offer very useful information on the characteristics of patients who have various outcomes while waiting in the list. Objective: The purpose of this study was to look at the prognosis of those waiting for heart transplants as well as the factors that increase mortality. Methods: Advanced heart failure patients' demographic, clinical, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic results, as well as their prognosis, were retrieved from the national registry for heart transplantation between 2011 and 2018. The study population was defined and compared in four groups: 1) Death while awaiting HTX, 2) Death after HTX, 3) Alive without a transplant, 4) Transplanted and alive. Results: The data of 207 patients [75% male, mean (SD) age of 34(10) years] were analyzed. The most common etiology of heart failure was idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. A total of 86 patients (41%) were successfully transplanted, with a median (IQR) time between listing and transplantation of 84 (30¬219) days, 54 patients (26.1%) were dead and 32% were still alive. The multivariate analysis showed right atrial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, cardiac index, and systolic blood pressure at the time of listing as independent predictors of death. Conclusion: The study on HTX waiting list is very useful for both allocation strategies and administrative planning for patients with advanced heart failure by development of accurate models and scoring systems using predictors of death in the waiting list.

Evaluation of Stress and Cognition Indicators in a Puzzle Game: Neuropsychological, Biochemical and Electrophysiological Approaches.

Video games have significant and diverse effects on stress and cognitive systems based on the game style. The effect of this media on the central nervous system is significant because of its repetition. Nowadays, video games have become an important part of human life at different ages, and therefore, assessing their effects (good and bad) on stress factors, cognition, and behavior can be an important help in understanding the nature of these games and managing their impact on humans. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the effect of a puzzle game on the player's stress and cognitive indicators in neuropsychological, biochemical, and electrophysiological approaches. A total of 44 participants were entered into the study and randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Our interventions were watching (control group) and playing (experimental group) the game. Salivary biomarkers (cortisol and alpha-amylase) were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Electrophysiological assessment of attention and stress was performed using electroencephalography. Neuropsychological assessments for the evaluation of mental health, mental fatigue, sustained attention, and reaction time were conducted using paced auditory serial addition test. All tests were administered before and after the interventions. The findings revealed that the salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase significantly reduced after playing the game. There were significantly higher levels of attention after playing the game. Mental health and sustained attention significantly increased after game playing. It can conclude that puzzle-style computer games can strengthen and empower the perceptual-cognitive system and suppress the stress system of players. Therefore, they can be used purposefully as a positive cognitive therapy approach.

A numerical study of arsenic contamination at the Bagnoli bay seabed by a semi-anthropogenic source. Analysis of current regime.

Bagnoli Coroglio is an urban district of the City of Naples (South Italy), which fronts the Tyrrhenian Sea for nearly 3 km. It is part of the Campi Flegrei caldera, one of the most explosive volcanic areas in Europe. The need for redeveloping the site after the intense industrial activities of the twentieth century has prompted a remarkable research effort to investigate the pollution's degree, nature, and extent at both the land and seafloor. This article focuses on releasing thermal waters from a natural channel as a source of arsenic contamination in the Bagnoli marine sediments; the thermal waters originate from the nearby Agnano hot-springs and have been conveying artificially to the track since the mid-XIX century. As a first part of the outcomes, the work describes the flow regime that characterizes the marine area. The analysis has been conducted via numerical simulations carried out with the software package Delft3D, developed by Deltares, which employs dynamically interfacing modules to account for wave propagation, generation of currents, and presence of coastal structures. Climatic inputs to the software (waves, winds, and tide) have specifically been gathered and analyzed within this research. The numerical study has permitted to furnish, for the first time, a clear and systematic view of the hydrodynamic forcings that characterize the area under investigation. In particular, a leading role in the transport of pollutants could be played by rip current systems, whose characteristics vary with climate intensity (waves and wind) and coastal structures characteristics. Due to its inherently dynamic nature, the proposed approach seems especially desirable in situations where different contamination sources are compared. As such, it could be successfully applied to other sites also.

The effect of chitosan-based gel on second degree burn wounds.

OBJECTIVE: Chitosan has been widely used in wound healing, including burn wounds. ChitoHeal gel, a novel chitosan-based gel, is studied to assess the effectiveness and rate of wound healing in second degree burns compared with traditional wound dressings. METHOD: New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups, control and treatment. Second degree burn wounds were created using a hot round aluminium stamp. It was heated up to 80°C and applied 14 seconds without additional pressure. Morphological, histological, and molecular parameters were used to evaluate the effects of the chitosan-based gel on burn healing. RESULTS: The study exhibited that in the control group with an increase in the number of keratinocytes due to the papillary growth of the epidermis, melanocyte pigmentation increased, and some melanin was observed in the dermis. In the treatment group, however, there was no hyper pigmentation nor overgrowth of the epidermis. Transmission electron microscopy micrographs of healed epidermis in treatment group showed melanocyte with normal morphology. CONCLUSION: The result of the present study is likely to be important for the development of novel strategies for wound healing using chitosan gel.

Cell sheet engineering: solvent effect on nanometric grafting of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide onto polystyrene substrate under ultraviolet radiation.

BACKGROUND: The best solvent type and ratio for grafting of poly-n-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAm) on the surface of polystyrene is obtained under ultraviolet radiation. In this study, the effects of solvents, such as water, methanol, and their combinations, under ultraviolet radiation were investigated successfully. METHOD AND RESULTS: Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared analysis showed the existence of the graft PNIPAAm on the substrate for all samples resolved in solvents. The best solvent ratio and NIPAAm concentration for grafting was obtained with 40% NIPAAm concentrations resolved in a solvent of 9:1 (v/v) water/methanol (120%). Scanning electron microscopic and atomic force microscopic images clearly showed that a 10% increase of methanol to water would increase the amount of grafting. Surface topography and graft thickness in atomic force microscopic images of the grafted samples showed that the thickness of these grafts was about 600 nm. The drop water contact angles of the best grafted sample at 37°C and 4°C were 43.3° and 60.4°, respectively, which demonstrated the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the grafted surfaces. Differential scanning calorimetric analysis also revealed the low critical solution temperature of the grafted sample to be 32°C. Thermoresponsive polymers were grafted to dishes covalently, which allowed epithelial cells to attach and proliferate at 37°C. The cells were also detached spontaneously without using enzymes when the temperature dropped below 4°C. CONCLUSION: MTT analysis also showed good viability of cells on the grafted samples, suggesting that this type of grafted material had potential as a biomaterial for cell sheet engineering.

Cryotop no desenvolvimento de oócitos bovinos imaturos vitrificados / Cryotop and development of vitrified immature bovine oocytes

The effectiveness of different cryodevices (open-pulled straw (OPS), electron microscopy grid (EMG), and Cryotop was evaluated for vitrification of immature bovine oocytes. Polar body, metaphase II stage (MII), survivability, and subsequent developmental rates were determined. Only oocytes with four or five layers of cumulus cells were used. Oocytes were equilibrated in two vitrification solutions - 1: 10 percent DMSO + 10 percent ethylene glycol (EG) for 30-45sec and 2: 20 percent DMSO + 20 percent EG +0.5M sucrose for 25sec -, mounted on one of the cryodevices and directly plunged into liquid nitrogen for 10 days. Immature vitrified oocytes using Cryotop showed the highest rates of polar body extrusion (PB) and nuclear maturity (MII); 41 and 58 percent respectively. Vitrified oocytes using OPS and EMG showed 26 and 32 percent; and 35 and 46 percent of PB and MII rates, respectively. The highest survivability resulted from Cryotop and EMG groups and no significant difference was found between them. Vitrified oocytes using Cryotop had the highest cleavage and blastocyst rates. All of the mean rates for vitrified immature oocytes were significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.05). The results of this study showed the superiority of Cryotop device for vitrification of immature bovine oocytes.

Avaliou-se a eficácia de diferentes dispositivos de congelamento (envasamento em palhetas (EP), microscopia eletrônica de grade (MEG) e Cryotop) para vitrificação de ovócitos imaturos de bovinos. Para tal, foram determinados o corpo polar, a metáfase II (MII), a viabilidade e as subsequentes taxas de desenvolvimento. Foram utilizados somente ovócitos com quatro ou cinco camadas de células do cumulus. Os ovócitos foram equilibrados em duas soluções de vitrificação - 1: DMSO (10 por cento) + etilenoglicol (EG; 10 por cento) por 30 a 45 segundos e 2: DMSO (20 por cento) + EG (20 por cento) + sacarose (0,5M) por 25 segundos -, transferidos para os dispositivos de congelamento e mantidos, por 10 dias, em nitrogênio líquido. Imediatamente após serem retirados do nitrogênio, os ovócitos foram removidos dos dispositivos e processados para maturação, fertilização e cultivo in vitro. Os ovócitos vitrificados com o Cryotop apresentaram as maiores taxas de extrusão do corpo polar (CP) e de maturidade nuclear (MII), 41 e 58 por cento, respectivamente. Para os ovócitos vitrificados com EP e MEG, as taxas de CP e as de MII foram, respectivamente, de 26 e 32 por cento e de 35 e 46 por cento. As taxas de viabilidade não diferiram entre os grupos Cryotop e EMG. Os ovócitos vitrificados com Cryotop apresentaram as maiores taxas de clivagem e de blastocisto. Para todas as variáveis estudadas, as taxas para os ovócitos vitrificados foram significativamente menores do que as do grupo-controle (P<0,05). Os resultados deste estudo mostraram a superioridade do dispositivo Cryotop para vitrificação de ovócitos imaturos de bovinos.

Skull segmentation in 3D neonatal MRI using hybrid Hopfield Neural Network.

A fully automated method for segmentation of neonatal skull in Magnetic Resonance (MR) images for source localization of electrical/magnetic encephalography (EEG/MEG) signals is proposed. Finding the source of these signals shows the origin of an abnormality. We propose a hybrid algorithm in which a Bayesian classifying framework is combined with a Hopfield Neural Network (HNN) for neonatal skull segmentation. Due to the non-homogeneity of skull intensities in MR images, local statistical parameters are used for adaptive training of Hopfield neural network based on Bayesian classifier error. The experimental results, which are obtained on high resolution T1-weighted MR images of nine neonates with gestational ages between 39 and 42 weeks, show 65% accuracy which consistently exhibits our scheme's superiority in comparison with previous neonatal skull segmentation methods.

Adenosine deaminase activity, trypsin inhibitory capacity and total antioxidant capacity in psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by pathological skin lesions because of various exogenous and endogenous factors and associated with a number of biochemical and immunological disturbances. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the level of adenosine deaminase activity, serum trypsin inhibitory capacity and total antioxidant capacity of plasma in psoriatic patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study was performed in controls (n = 46) and in psoriatic patients (n = 40). The patients were scored with PASI (psoriasis area and severity index). The serum ADA activity was determined using Aguisti and Galanti method and serum trypsin inhibitory capacity (sTIC) were measured by enzymatic assay. Besides, serum total antioxidant capacity was measured using ferric reducing ability of plasma. RESULTS: The serum ADA activity of the psoriatic patients was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that of the healthy control. We also found that the trypsin inhibitory capacity was significantly higher in patients than in control group (P < 0.001). Total antioxidant capacity of plasma was significantly lower in psoriatic patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.025). There were no significant correlations among ADA, TAC and TIC. CONCLUSION: Serum ADA activity and sTIC were increased in psoriatic patients. In parallel, serum total anti-oxidant activity was decreased in these patients.

Isocyanate-terminated urethane prepolymer as bioadhesive material: evaluation of bioadhesion and biocompatibility, in vitro and in vivo assays.

Attempts have been made to evaluate the degree of bioadhesion and biocompatibility of a synthesized urethane prepolymer with specially tailored microstructure. Wetting behaviour and extent of interfacial adhesion of the prepared prepolymer towards biological substrates were examined by in vitro methods. The former was carried out by measuring the contact angle between drops of the prepolymer liquid and a biological surface, while the latter was determined from the force between the prepolymer and tissue model or mucus. The obtained results exhibited good tissue wettability and bioadhesion by the prepolymer. Preliminary evaluation of biocompatibility for the uncatalytically cured prepolymer films was performed by cytotoxicity and histotoxicity experiments. Results showed a significant growth for the adhered L929 fibroblast cells within a period of 5 days incubation. Also, no severe inflammatory tissue response towards the samples implanted in rabbit for 16 weeks was seen. These observations can support the potentiality of the designed urethane prepolymer to be applied as hemostatic agent.

Cell behavior on laser surface-modified polyethylene terephthalate in vitro.

This work has been undertaken to study the cell behavior of L929 fibroblasts on the laser irradiated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) surface. To modify the surface properties of the PET, CO2 pulsed laser at the wavelength of 9.25 microm and KrF excimer laser at 248 nm with various number of pulses were used. Laser irradiation caused some changes in the chemical and physical properties of the laser-treated film surfaces, which were evaluated using different techniques. These changes may affect the cell adhesion and growth on the laser-treated PET. Therefore, cell attachment and spreading were investigated on the laser-treated PET in vitro. The data from in vitro assays showed the fibroblast cells were attached and proliferated extensively on the CO2 and KrF laser-treated films in comparison with the unmodified PET. The results obtained from the cell behavior studies revealed that surface morphology and wettability affected cell adhesion and spreading on the laser-treated PET.

Expression of growth factor ligand and receptor genes in preimplantation stage water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos and oviduct epithelial cells.

The temporal pattern of expression of genes for several growth factor ligands and receptors was examined in preimplantation water buffalo embryos and oviduct epithelial cells using RT-PCR. The identity of the resulting PCR products was confirmed by their expected size, restriction analysis, Southern blot hybridization and nucleotide sequence analysis. Preimplantation stage embryos from the one-cell to the blastocyst stage were derived after maturation, fertilization and culture of oocytes in vitro. Expression of members of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) family was observed predominantly in preimplantation stage embryos and oviduct epithelial cells. Similarly, transcripts encoding insulin and IGF-I receptors were detected at each stage of embryonic development. The mRNA transcript of the IGF-I receptor was not detected in oviduct epithelial cells, but a prominent band corresponding to the insulin receptor was observed. Insulin and IGF-II mRNA were expressed as maternal transcripts that were not detected at the two- to four-cell stage but were present as zygotic transcripts at the eight-cell stage. Transcripts encoding IGF-I were detected in oviduct epithelial cells, but were not observed in any of the preimplantation stage embryos. Transforming growth factor (TGF) alpha and beta and epidermal growth factor mRNA transcripts were not detected in any of the preimplantation stage embryos. These results indicate that IGF-I acts via a paracrine mechanism to promote growth and development of preimplantation water buffalo embryos. Similarly, IGF-II appears to act through a heterologous autocrine mechanism via the IGF-I or the insulin receptor. Furthermore, the presence of TGF-alpha in oviduct epithelial cells indicates that it may have a critical role during development.

Differential cleavage and developmental rates and their correlation with cell numbers and sex ratios in buffalo embryos generated in vitro.

In vitro matured and fertilized buffalo oocytes were co-cultured with buffalo oviductal epithelial cells (BOEC) in CRlaa medium. Cleaved embryos were separated according to the time of completion of first cleavage (i.e., before 30 h and after 30 h post insemination) and cultured for 5 to 10 d and allowed to develop to the blastocyst stage. Zygotes cleaving before 30 h were termed fast-cleaving while those cleaving after 30 h were termed slow-cleaving. The results indicated that fast-cleaving embryos are more likely to develop into blastocysts (25%) than slow-cleaving embryos (7.8%). The quality and viability of fast-cleaving and fast-developing blastocysts was found to be better than that of slow-cleaving, slow-developing blastocysts as judged by cell numbers (67.7 +/- 3.7 vs 35.2 +/- 2.1). However, the mitotic index was not different between the 2 groups. The sex of fast-developing and slow-developing blastocysts was determined via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to correlate the rate of embryonic development with the sex ratio of the embryos. Embryos produced by Bull 293 and Bull M-82, irrespective of their being fast or slow-developing, gave rise to more females and males, respectively. From these results, we suggest that there may be a sire effect on sex ratio of in vitro produced buffalo embryos.