Synthesis of CuxCo3-xO4 nanoparticles by a sonochemical method and characterization of structural and optical properties and photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue.

In the present investigation, CuxCo3-xO4 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.1) nanoparticles have been synthesized by the sonochemical method and subsequent calcination at high temperature. The synthesized nanoparticles were further characterized using X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The analysis results showed that nanoparticle size, band gap and photocatalytic activity of CuxCo3-xO4 compounds change by altering the Cu doping content. According to the XRD study, no impurity peaks associated with copper or copper oxide phases were observed in the diffractograms of doped samples. The highest degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light was observed in the presence of Cu0.02Co2.98O4 nanoparticles and found to be 87.51% after 330 minutes. This value increased with increasing the amount of photocatalyst and with decreasing dye concentration.

INVESTIGATION OF ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE (ADH3) GENE POLYMOPHISM IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ALCOHOLIC PANCRATITIS IN AZERBAIJAN POPULATION.

The aim of the study is to determine the single nucleotide polymorphism of the ADH3 gene, which is involved in the development of chronic alcoholic pancreatitis in the Azerbaijani population. Seventy patients (51 with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, 19 with chronic non-alcoholic pancreatitis) and 90 healthy individuals (55 smokers and 35 non- drinkers) were included in the study. Genomic DNA was isolated from venous blood based on the kit protocol. Genotypes were determined on agarose gel using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) methods. To study the specificity of the ADH3 gene polymorphism in alcohol-dependent people, genotypes and alleles were compared in patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis (CAP) and "practically healthy " alcohol abusers. It was found that in both groups, the ADH3*1/ADH3*2 genotype predominates. It was also found that in the Azerbaijani population the frequency of ADH3*1 and ADH3*2 alleles is equally divided. From the data obtained, it can be clearly stated that the correlation of the ADH3*1 allele of the ADH3 gene polymorphism with an increased risk of the disease is not detected (p=0.876). When comparing genotypes and alleles in patients with chronic pancreatitis of non-alcoholic origin and non-drinkers, the predominance of the heterozygous ADH3*1 gene in both groups was also revealed without statistical significance (p=0.777). In the Azerbaijani population, the association between the polymorphism of the ADH3 gene genotypes and the development of CAP was not revealed. The predominance of the ADH3*1/ADH3*2 genotype explains the low incidence of both CAP and alcohol-dependent people in the Azerbaijani population.

[THE PHENOTYPIC MANIFESTATIONS OF THALASSEMIC MUTATIONS IN AZERBAIJAN].

The aim of this study was to investigate the phenotypic expression of the most common ß-globin gene mutations - Codon 8 (-AA), IVS 1.6 and IVS 2.1 in heterozygous, homozygous and compound with HbS in Azerbaijan. In total, 137 homozygous and heterozygous ß-thalassemia and S/ß-thalassemia individuals were included to the study. Red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit and erythrocyte indices were studied. Furthermore, hemoglobin fractions were analyzed by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate films and high performance liquid chromatography. Thalassemic mutation were detected using reverse hybridization method via commercial kits. Increased red blood cell count, decreased erythrocyte indices and high HbA2 was observed in heterozygous individuals causing thalassemia minor. The results obtained during the screening of mutations and analysis of hematological parameters clearly showed that the phenotypic expression of homozygous mutations, on the other hand, varies between different mutations.

[The spirometry figures of bronchoobstructive syndrome in concomitant intestinal parasitosis].

The aim of research is to study of the spirometry figures of bronchoobstructive syndrome in concomitant intestinal parasitosis. There are 81 patients aged from 5 to 61 years (male 43, female 38) were examined. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 1 group - patients treated only with bronchodilator therapy (14 patients with protozoa, 14 - with helminth, 12 - with combination of parasitosis); 2 group - patients treated with bronchodilator therapy in common with anti-parasitic therapy (14 patients with protozoa, 17 - with helminth, 10 - with combination of parasitosis). There are 22 patients with bronchoobstructive syndrome without parasites were included in control group. Functional disorders at the initial examination are not significantly distinguished between patients with protozoa, helminth, with combined parasitosis and patients without parasites. Considerable differences manifested in dynamics after treatment: only bronchodilator therapy of patients infected with parasites is not lead to sufficient increase of the indices of external respiration function, even the decreasing of the most parameters were observed in patients with helminth. The least growth of spirometric indices were observed in patients from group 1 - 2,17/ 5,09% predicted volumes (-6,81min; 10,54max), the highest growth were observed in patients from group 2 - 20,26/ 12,45% p.v. (2,77min; 43,85max). The spirographic indicators increase after treatment in the control group was more moderate in comparison with 1 and 2 groups - 5,96/ 2,97% p.v. (0,39min; 9,59max). Thus, using antiparasitic therapy in common with bronchodilator therapy in treatment of patients with intestinal parasitosis (group 2) is lead to the reliably significant positive dynamic of spirometry parameters in comparison not only to 1 group (<0,05 for many parameters) but also to control group (<0,01 for many parameters).