Process optimization and technoeconomic environmental assessment of biofuel produced by solar powered microwave pyrolysis.

Microwave pyrolysis of corn stover has been optimized by Response surface methodology under different microwave power (500, 700, and 900 W) and three ratios of activated carbon additive (10, 15, and 20%) for obtaining maximum bio-oil yield followed by biochar. The optimal result has been evaluated and the environmental and techno-economic impacts of using solar-powered microwave heating have been tested. The optimal pyrolysis condition found to be 700 W microwave power and 10% of activated carbon. The yields of both bio-oil and biochar were about 74 wt% under optimal condition. The higher heat values of 26 MJ/kg and 16 MJ/kg were respectively achieved for biochar and bio-oil. The major components of bio-oil were hydrocarbons (36%) and phenols (28%) with low oxygen-containing compounds (2%) and acids (2%). Using the solar-powered system, 20,549 tonnes of CO2 can be mitigated over the lifetime of the set-up, resulting in USD 51,373 in carbon credit earnings, compared to 16,875 tonnes of CO2 mitigation and USD 42,167 in carbon credit earnings from a grid electricity system. The payback periods for solar-powered and grid-connected electrical systems are estimated to be 1.6 and 0.5 years, respectively, based on biochar and bio-oil income of USD 39,700 and USD 45,400.

Evaluation of Different Doses of the Aromatase Inhibitor Letrozole for the Treatment of Ectopic Pregnancy and Its Effect on Villous Trophoblastic Tissue.

Letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, has recently been introduced as a favorable medical treatment for ectopic pregnancy. We aimed at evaluating the effects of different doses of letrozole for termination of ectopic pregnancy and study their effects on villous trophoblastic tissue. Sixty patients with undisturbed ectopic pregnancy were classified into three equal groups. Group I: the control group that contained women who underwent laparoscopic salpingectomy, Group II: patients who received letrozole (5 mg day-1) for 10 days, and Group III: patients who received letrozole (10 mg day-1) for 10 days. Subsequently, the ß-hCG levels were determined on the first day and after 11 days of treatment. Group IV consisted of patients of GII and GIII; their ß-hCG did not drop below 100 mIU/ml within 11 days, and underwent salpingectomy. Placental tissues from patients undergoing salpingectomy either from the control group or GIV were processed for the evaluation of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and cleaved caspase 3 (CC-3) expression. Cases exposed to high dose letrozole 10 mg day-1 resulted in a higher ectopic pregnancy resolution rate of 85% (17/20), while the resolution rate of the low dose letrozole-treated group (5 mg day-1) was 65% (13/20), and also showed a significant reduction in ß-hCG levels on the 11th day, 25.63 ± 4.29 compared to the low dose letrozole group 37.91 ± 7.18 (P < 0.001), Meanwhile, the letrozole-treated group GIV showed markedly reduced expression of ER, PR, and VEGF and a significant increase in the apoptotic index cleaved caspase-3 compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The utilization of letrozole at a dose of 10 mg day-1 for medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy results in a high-successful rate without any severe side effects. Letrozole depriving the placenta of estrogen that had vascular supporting signals resulted in destroying the vascular network with marked apoptosis.

The potential use of ABO blood group system for risk stratification of COVID-19.

ABO blood groups is a cheap and affordable test that can be immediately retrieved from COVID-19 patients at the diagnosis. There is increasing evidence that non-O blood groups have both higher susceptibility and higher severity of COVID-19 infections. The reason behind such relationship seems elusive. Regarding susceptibility, Non-O individuals have Anti-A antibodies which can prevent viral entry across ACE-2 receptors, moreover, Non-O individuals are at higher risk of autoimmunity, hypercoagulable state, and dysbiosis resulting in an augmented tendency for vascular inflammatory sequelae of COVID-19. We can conclude, on the diagnostic level, that ABO blood groups can be potentially used for risk stratification of affected COVID-19 patients, to anticipate the deterioration of patients at higher risk for complications. On a therapeutic level, plasma from normal O blood group individuals might potentially replace the use of convalescent serum for the treatment of COVID-19.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and serum levels as markers of pre-clinical atherosclerosis in polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disorder characterized by obesity, hyperandrogenism, and insulin resistance. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a proinflammatory and proatherogenic cytokine which is associated with atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The pathogenesis of PCOS is not precisely known. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the potential role of ICAM-1 expression and serum ICAM-1 concentrations in pathogenesis of PCOS. Moreover, we aimed to evaluate the possible relationship between ICAM-1 gene expression with carotid intima-media thickness as well as clinic-morphological features of PCOS. METHODS: This case control study enrolled 180 patients with PCOS and 120 controls groups and they were stratified according to their fasting plasma glucose (FPG) into three subgroups; normal glucose tolerance (NGT) [n = 75], those with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) [n = 65], and 40 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Circulating ICAM-1 expression levels were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Serum ICAM-1 concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Our results revealed that PCOS patients had higher values of ICAM-1expression and serum levels. Among PCOS patients, T2DM patients had the highest values of ICAM-1 expression and serum levels compared to IGT and NGT subgroups. The ICAM-1 expression and serum levels were significantly positive correlated with cardiovascular risk and PCOS phenotypes. Linear regression test showed that HOMA-IR was the main predictors of serum ICAM-1 levels in PCOS. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis revealed that, the power of ICAM-1 expression levels was higher than serum ICAM-1 in diagnosis of PCOS and in differentiating T2DM from IGT and NGT subgroups. Interestingly, combination of both ICAM-1 expression and serum levels improved the diagnostic role of serum ICAM-1. CONCLUSION: ICAM-1 expression and serum levels were higher in women with PCOS compared to control group also, there was a strong independent association between higher ICAM-1 expression and serum levels with cardiovascular risks in PCOS group.