Recent Advances in Catalytic Systems for the Reduction of Aromatic and Aliphatic Nitrile Compounds to Amines.

Amines are important and valuable compounds widely used in the chemical industry to produce various products such as dyes, detergents, solvents, additives, pharmaceutical products, and anti-foam agents. A property that distinguishes primary amines from other compounds is their straightforward functionalization. Therefore, the synthesis of different amine compounds has been considered by many researchers in recent years.

Immune and behavioral correlates of protection against symptomatic post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Introduction: We sought to determine pre-infection correlates of protection against SARS-CoV-2 post-vaccine inzfections (PVI) acquired during the first Omicron wave in the United States.

Methods: Serum and saliva samples from 176 vaccinated adults were collected from October to December of 2021, immediately before the Omicron wave, and assessed for SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific IgG and IgA binding antibodies (bAb). Sera were also assessed for bAb using commercial assays, and for neutralization activity against several SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Humoral and cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 post-vaccination in immunocompetent and immunocompromised cancer populations.

Unlabelled: Cancer patients are at risk for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes due to impaired immune responses. However, the immunogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination is inadequately characterized in this population. We hypothesized that cancer vs non-cancer individuals would mount less robust humoral and/or cellular vaccine-induced immune SARS-CoV-2 responses.

Gαq Signaling Activates β-Catenin-Dependent Gene Transcription.

Background: The canonical Wnt signal transduction or the Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a crucial role in both carcinogenesis and development of animals. Activation of the Gαq class of Gα proteins positively regulates Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and expression of Gαq in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293T) cells or Xenopus oocytes leads to the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta and cellular accumulation of β-catenin. This study investigated whether Gαq-mediated cellular accumulation of β-catenin could affect the transcriptional activity of this protein.

Optimizing testing strategies for early detection of disease outbreaks in animal trade networks via MCMC.

The animal trades between farms and other livestock holdings form a complex livestock trade network. The movement of animals between trade actors plays an important role in the spread of infectious diseases among premises. Particularly, the outbreak of silent diseases that have no clinically obvious symptoms in the animal trade system should be diagnosed by taking special tests.

Identification of Cancer/Testis Antigens Related to Gastric Cancer Prognosis Based on Co-Expression Network and Integrated Transcriptome Analyses.

Background: Gastric cancer is a worldwide life-threatening cancer. The underlying cause of it is still unknown. We have noticed that some cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) are up-regulated in gastric cancer.

LNCAROD promotes the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer: a bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a heterogeneous disease at the molecular and clinical levels. The diffuse subtype is associated with more aggressive behavior and poor prognosis than the intestinal subtype. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may be involved in the diffuse mesenchymal phenotype.

Expert consensus for a national essential antidote list: E-Delphi method.

Antidote stocking represents a major challenge to hospitals all over the world, including Kuwait. In order to assist hospitals to reduce costs and improve patient care, an essential antidote list can be used as an initial foundation for securing sufficient antidote availability at healthcare institutions. The aim of our study is to generate a nationally relevant essential antidote list for emergency care hospitals in Kuwait using the e-Delphi method by establishing consensus through a multidisciplinary expert group of healthcare providers.

A Temporal Network Model for Livestock Trade Systems.

The movements of animals between farms and other livestock holdings for trading activities form a complex livestock trade network. These movements play an important role in the spread of infectious diseases among premises. For studying the disease spreading among animal holdings, it is of great importance to understand the structure and dynamics of the trade system.

Carbon storage assessment in soil and plant organs: the role of Prosopis spp. on mitigate soil degradation.

Carbon sequestration is a process for stable storage of carbon dioxide. In this process, excess atmospheric carbon dioxide is stored by the aerial and underground organs of rangeland plants to reduce global warming. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between some chemical properties of soil and ability of carbon storage in two plants, namely Prosopis cineraria and Prosopis juliflora in soil depth ranging between 0-15 and 15-30 cm.

Moving the epidemic tipping point through topologically targeted social distancing.

The epidemic threshold of a social system is the ratio of infection and recovery rate above which a disease spreading in it becomes an epidemic. In the absence of pharmaceutical interventions (i.e.

Astaxanthin encapsulation in multilayer emulsions stabilized by complex coacervates of whey protein isolate and Persian gum and its use as a natural colorant in a model beverage.

Crustacean byproducts are valuable sources of astaxanthin. In this study, an astaxanthin-rich lipid phase was extracted from shrimp waste and encapsulated in multilayer emulsions. Stabilized by electrostatic complexes of whey protein isolate (WPI) and Persian gum (PG), the multilayer emulsions were created by different WPI:PG mixing ratios (1:2-1:4).

Recovery of severely ill COVID-19 patients by intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment: A case series.

Introduction: During the recent months, COVID-19 has turned to a global crisis claiming high mortality and morbidity among populations. Despite the high prevalence of the disease, it has currently no definitive treatment. We here reported the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration in severely ill COVID-19 patients diagnosed based on PCR and radiology tests.

Chemoselective reduction of nitro and nitrile compounds using an FeO-MWCNTs@PEI-Ag nanocomposite as a reusable catalyst.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were modified with carboxylic acid functional groups (MWCNTs-(COOH) ) prior to decoration with FeO nanoparticles. A further modification step by polyethyleneimine (PEI) resulted in FeO-MWCNTs@PEI which provided a suitable platform for coordination and reduction of silver ions to obtain an FeO-MWCNTs@PEI-Ag nanocomposite with highly dispersed Ag nanoparticles. The FeO-MWCNTs@PEI-Ag hybrid material was characterized by various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and was used as an efficient catalyst for chemoselective reduction of nitroaromatic and nitrile compounds to their corresponding amines in aqueous solution at ambient temperature.

Jujube mucilage as a potential stabilizer in stirred yogurt: Improvements in the physiochemical, rheological, and sensorial properties.

Here, the mucilage of jujube was extracted and used as a natural stabilizer in the production of stirred yogurt. Yogurts were enriched with different concentrations of jujube mucilage (i.e.

Effect of modified tapioca starch on the physicochemical and sensory properties of liquid kashk.

Three forms of modified tapioca starch, i.e. phosphorylated cross-linked tapioca starch (CLTS), octenyl succinic anhydride substituted tapioca starch (OSTS) and hydroxypropylated tapioca starch (HPTS) were studied and used as stabilizers (0.

Diversity of respiratory viruses detected among hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infections at Hospital Serdang, Malaysia.

Background: The role of respiratory viruses as the major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs) in children is becoming increasingly evident due to the use of sensitive molecular detection methods. The aim of this study was to use conventional and molecular detection methods to assess the epidemiology of respiratory viral infections in children less than five years of age that were hospitalized with ALRTIs.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the occurrence of respiratory viruses including respiratory syncytisl virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), influenza virus A and B (IFV-A and B), parainfluenzavirus 1, 2, 3 and 4 (PIV 1, 2, 3 and 4), human rhinoviruses (HRV), human enterovirus (HEV), human coronaviruses (HCoV) 229E and OC43, human bocavirus (HBoV) and human adenovirus (HAdV) in hospitalized children with ALRTIs, at Hospital Serdang, Malaysia, from June 16 to December 21, 2009.

Effect of packaging method, temperature and storage period on physicochemical and sensory properties of wild almond kernel.

This research was performed to monitor the effect of different temperatures (4, 25 and 35 °C) and atmospheres (vacuum, CO and normal air) on physicochemical and sensory properties of wild almond kernel during several weeks' storage. The color, moisture content and sensory analysis of the kernels, peroxide value (PV), 2-thiobarbiotic acid (TBA), conjugated dienes and trienes (CD, CT) and acid value (AV) of the oils were determined in defined time intervals. The results showed that the influence of temperature, time and type of atmosphere on the following parameters were significantly different.

Serum ghrelin levels and gender-related indices of body composition in prepubertal children: a cross-sectional study.

Background: A wide variety of functions has been attributed to ghrelin, a peptide hormone secreted in the stomach. The objective of the study was to assess the association of ghrelin concentrations with body composition among Iranian children.

Methods: In this study, blood samples of 57 boys and 54 girls aged 6-10 were collected to measure ghrelin levels.

Synthesis, Characterization and Crystal Structure Studies of Nickel(II) Complexes With NO Donor Schiff Base Ligands.

Four complexes of the type [Ni(N-substituted-salicydenaminato)2], with bidentate Schiff base ligands (L1-L4), have been synthesized. The complexes were characterized by IR and elemental analysis methods. The solid state structures of three complexes (1-3) were determined by X-ray crystallography.

Empathy and its correlates in Iranian physicians: A preliminary psychometric study of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy.

Background: Empathy is one of the fundamental factors in patient care that is beneficial to both patient and physician.

Aims: To assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) in a sample of Iranian physicians and examine its correlates.

Method: Two hundred and seven general physicians completed the JSPE.

Regulation of GSK-3beta and beta-Catenin by Galphaq in HEK293T cells.

Recent studies have shown that heterotrimeric G proteins are involved in the regulation of the canonical Wnt/beta-Catenin pathway. However, the mechanism(s) behind this involvement is (are) poorly understood. Our previous results have shown that activation of Galphaq in Xenopus oocytes leads to inhibition of GSK-3beta and stabilization of the beta-Catenin protein, suggesting that Galphaq might stabilize beta-Catenin via inhibition of GSK-3beta.

Green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin gallate blocks epithelial barrier dysfunction provoked by IFN-gamma but not by IL-4.

A characteristic of many enteropathies is increased epithelial permeability, a potentially pathophysiological event that can be evoked by T helper (Th)-1 (i.e., IFN-gamma) and Th2 (i.

Colonic bacterial superantigens evoke an inflammatory response and exaggerate disease in mice recovering from colitis.

Background & Aims: There is renewed interest in commensal bacteria as triggers of idiopathic disease, a concept that is prominent in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here the effect of intracolonic instillation of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB), a model superantigen (SAgs: potent T-cell stimuli), into mice was examined.

Methods: Mice (Balb/c, severe combined immunodeficient [SCID], V beta 8(+) ovalbumin transgenic [OVA-Tg], interleukin 10 [IL-10] knockout [KO]) received a single intrarectal (IR) dose of SAg and colonic form (histology, myeloperoxidase [MPO] activity) and function (ion transport) were assessed 12-72 hours later.