RESUMO
Different types of commercial titania (P25, P90, PC500, and C-TiO2) were immobilized as single or mixed photocatalyst onto the surface of a natural support material made of cement, clay, and wood fibers. The successful immobilization was studied by different techniques showing a composite material with the mechanical properties of the support material and the photocatalytic behavior of the immobilized titania. The supported photocatalyst showed high mechanical stability and was applied to the photocatalytic degradation of phenol as a model pollutant under UV light irradiation. As the most active photocatalytic material, a mixture PC500 and P90 (comp-PC500/P90) was identified with an apparent pseudo first-order kinetic rate constant (kapp) of 0.010 min-1 at a degradation efficiency of 100%. The catalyst was used several times and showed minor loss in activity during four runs due to degradation intermediates adsorbed to the surface, shown by a color change from white to yellow.
Assuntos
Argila , Madeira , Catálise , TitânioRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Neuroblastoma is the third most common malignancy in children with a very heterogeneous feature. In this study, the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children with neuroblastoma treated in a referral oncology hospital in Shiraz, Southern Iran, were investigated. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In this historical cohort study, the medical files of 36 children under 18 years old with neuroblastoma were reviewed, who were admitted to Amir Oncology Hospital in Shiraz, Iran from 2006 to 2013. Overall survival and event free survival (EFS) curves were demonstrated by Kaplan Meier methods. Also the effects of demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients on survival were evaluated by Cox regression model. RESULTS: The median age of diagnosis was 30 months (age range: from 4 to144 months), with M/F ratio of 63.9%. Over 70% of the patients had stage 4 of neuroblastoma at their initial presentations. Adrenal gland comprised 72.2% of the primary tumor site. The most common presenting symptoms were gastrointestinal and constitutional symptoms. The mean overall survival and EFS were 30.75 and 20.56 months, respectively. Among the different variables analyzed, only liver metastasis had an adverse effect on EFS (p=0.025 Hazard ratios 2.83, CI: 1.14-7.02). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the majority of children suffering from neuroblastoma in our center are high stage with disseminated disease at the time of detection. It also warns us about an urgent necessity for holding a re-educational program for general practitioners and pediatricians to review the warning signs of common pediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Historically, leishmanization is the most effective protective measure against Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL), CL lesion induced by leishmanization sometimes takes a long time to heal. Manipulation of leishmanization inoculums needed to induce a mild and acceptable CL lesion. The aim of this study was to explore if liposomal form of CpG ODN (Cytosin phosphate Guanin Oligodeoxynucleotides) mixed with Leishmania major would induce a milder lesion size in Balb/c mice. METHODS: This study was performed in Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad, and Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran, Iran during 2008-2009. Different groups of BALB/c mice were subcutaneously (SC) inoculated with L. major mixed with liposomal form of CpG ODN, or L. major plus free CpG ODN, or L. major mixed with empty liposomes or L. major in PBS. The lesion onset and the size of lesion were recorded; the death rate was also monitored. RESULT: Footpad thickness was significantly (P<0.01) smaller, death rate was also significantly (P<0.05) lower in the mice received L. major mixed with liposomal CpG ODN or free CpG ODN than control groups received L. major in PBS or L. major plus liposomes, also mice which received L. major mixed with CpG ODN in soluble form showed a significantly (P<0.001) smaller lesion size than control groups. CONCLUSION: CpG ODN seems to be an appropriate immunopotentiator mixed with Leishmania stabilate in leishmanization.
