Solubilization of concentrated protein dispersion: Effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP).

In the present study, the functionality of H2O2 and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) on solubilization of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) and isolate (WPI), resistant to sterilization temperature at various concentrations, was investigated. The physical state of the treated WPH and WPI dispersions at the presence of various concentrations of H2O2 and SHMP was related to their colloidal structures and thermal stability. Using optimum concentration of H2O2, both dispersions stabilized against heat treatment likely because free SH groups blocked by H2O2. The solubilization range by SHMP was comparably low (up to 6 and 15% w/w for WPI and WPH, respectively). Moreover, the desirable stability was reached when H2O2 and SHMP were simultaneously used. The pH adjustment (7.2), prior to sterilization, also improved the stability range. This research highlights the potential of these substances to restrain the denaturation of whey proteins. Further investigations are still required to elucidate the accurate mechanism of solubilization.

XGBoost model as an efficient machine learning approach for PFAS removal: Effects of material characteristics and operation conditions.

Due to the implications of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on the environment and public health, great attention has been recently made to finding innovative materials and methods for PFAS removal. In this work, PFAS is considered universal contamination which can be found in many wastewater streams. Conventional materials and processes used to remove and degrade PFAS do not have enough competence to address the issue particularly when it comes to eliminating short-chain PFAS. This is mainly due to the large number of complex parameters that are involved in both material and process designs. Here, we took the advantage of artificial intelligence to introduce a model (XGBoost) in which material and process factors are considered simultaneously. This research applies a machine learning approach using data collected from reported articles to predict the PFAS removal factors. The XGBoost modeling provided accurate adsorption capacity, equilibrium, and removal estimates with the ability to predict the adsorption mechanisms. The performance comparison of adsorbents and the role of AI in one dominant are studied and reviewed for the first time, even though many studies have been carried out to develop PFAS removal through various adsorption methods such as ion exchange, nanofiltration, and activated carbon (AC). The model showed that pH is the most effective parameter to predict PFAS removal. The proposed model in this work can be extended for other micropollutants and can be used as a basic framework for future adsorbent design and process optimization.

Assessment of Admission Time Cell Blood Count (CBC) Parameters in Predicting Post-primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention TIMI Frame Count in Patients with ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to assess the value of admission time CBC parameters in predicting post-primary PCI corrected TIMI frame count. BACKGROUND: Recent years have witnessed a large series of studies evaluating different laboratory variables to predict no-reflow phenomenon following primary PCI (PPCI) in patients with STEMI. However, a general agreement about the most reliable predictor of the no-reflow phenomenon is challenging and also intriguing. METHODS: The current study concluded 208 consecutive patients who underwent primary PCI for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) from January 2014 to February 2016. Blood samples were obtained after taking ECG. Complete blood samples were collected and analyzed within 5 minutes from sampling. Post-PCI corrected Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count was determined by one interventional cardiologist blinded to patients' clinical data. The correlation between admission time blood parameters and post-primary PCI corrected TIMI frame count in patients with STEMI were assessed. RESULTS: Corrected TIMI frame count was positively correlated with WBC count (R: 0.18, P-value: <0.01), neutrophil count (R: 0.34, P-value: <0.01), and platelet count (R: 0.23, P-value: <0.01) and negatively correlated with lymphocyte count (R: -0.2, P-value: <0.01). Multiple linear regression results demonstrated that corrected TIMI frame count was positively correlated with neutrophil count (P < 0·001) and platelet count (P < 0·001) and negatively correlated with lymphocyte count (p=0.004). CONCLUSION: High counts of WBC, neutrophil, and platelet and low count of lymphocyte may be predictors of no-reflow in STEMI patients undergoing PPCI. The clinical significance of such predictive parameters becomes clear as we consider the treatment approach in STEMI patients. Appropriate risk stratification leads to better treatment planning and allocation of resources.

Optimization of low-fat meat hamburger formulation containing quince seed gum using response surface methodology.

In the present study, feasibility of low-fat hamburger production by partial replacement with quince seed gum (QSG) was investigated. The effects of different QSG levels (1.2, 2.4, 3.6, and 4.8 wt%) on cooking loss, water holding capacity, lipid oxidation, antioxidant activity, and hardness of hamburger were investigated during a period of 9 days. The optimization was carried out based on minimum cooking loss, lipid oxidation, and maximum water holding capacity, antioxidant activity, and tissue hardness. Optimum conditions were achieved as 3.26% oil, 4.73% QSG, and 8.25th day of storagability. According to the optimum conditions, values for cooking loss, water holding capacity, lipid oxidation, free radical scavenging, raw hamburger hardness, and fried hamburger hardness were as 13.80%, 55.61%, 0.59 mg MDA/Kg, 48.12%, 2.99 N, and 8.66 N, respectively. Overall acceptability of optimized hamburgers was better and more acceptable than control ones.

The association between exposure to air pollutants including PM10, PM2.5, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide concentration and the relative risk of developing STEMI: A case-crossover design.

BACKGROUND: Unfavorable associations between air pollution and myocardial infarction are broadly investigated in recent studies and some of them revealed considerable associations; however, controversies exists between these investigations with regard to culprit components of air pollution and significance of correlation between myocardial infarction risk and air pollution. METHODS: The association between exposure to PM10, PM2.5, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide concentration of background air that residents of Tehran, the capital city of Iran, which is ranked as the most air polluted city of Iran and the relative risk of developing ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) were investigated by a case-crossover design. Our study included 208 patients admitted with a diagnosis of STEMI and undergone primary percutaneous intervention. Air pollutant concentration was averaged in 24-h windows preceding the time of onset of myocardial infarction for the case period. Besides, the mean level of each element of air pollution of the corresponding time in one week, two weeks and three weeks before onset of myocardial infarction, was averaged separately for each day as one control periods. Thus, 624 control periods were included in our investigation such that. Each patient is matched and compared with him/herself. RESULTS: The mean level of PM10 in case periods (61.47µg/m3) was significantly higher than its level in control periods (57.86µg/m3) (P-value = 0.019, 95% CI: 1.002-1.018, RR = 1.010). Also, the mean level of PM2.5 in case periods (95.40µg/m3) was significantly higher than that in control days (90.88µg/m3) (P-value = 0.044, 95% CI: 1.001-1.011, RR = 1.006). The level of other components including NO2, SO2, CO and O3 showed no significant differences between case and control periods. A 10µg/m3 increase in PM10 and PM2.5 would result in 10.10% and 10.06% increase in STEMI event, respectively. Furthermore, the results of sub-group analysis showed that older patients (equal or more than 60 year-old), diabetic patients, non-hypertensive ones and patients with more than one diseased vessel may be more vulnerable to the harmful effect of particular matters including PM10 and PM2.5 on development of STEMI. CONCLUSION: Air pollution is a worldwide pandemic with great potential to cause terrible events especially cardiovascular ones. PM2.5 and PM10 are amongst ambient air pollutant with a high risk of developing STEMI. Thus, more restrictive legislations should be applied to define a safe level of indoor and outdoor air pollutant production.

Selective adsorption of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions using Cr6+-imprinted Pebax/chitosan/GO/APTES nanofibrous adsorbent.

In the present study, a novel Cr6+-imprinted Pebax/chitosan/GO/APTES nanofibrous adsorbent (Cr6+-PCGA) was prepared and its performance was compared with PCGA nanofibers for selective sorption of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions. The prepared nanofibers were characterized using FTIR, SEM and EDAX analysis. The influence of batch sorption experiments including GO/APTES content, pH, contact time, Cr(VI) initial concentration and temperature on the Cr(VI) sorption efficiency using synthesized nanofibers was investigated. The Cr(VI) sorption data were well described using pseudo-second-order kinetic and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models. The maximum sorption capacities of Cr6+-PCGA and PCGA nanofibers for Cr(VI) ions sorption were found to be 204.5 and 550.5mgg-1, respectively. Thermodynamic studies indicated an endothermic and spontaneous nature of Cr(VI) ions sorption using both Cr6+-PCGA and PCGA nanofibers. The selectivity coefficient values of Cr(VI)/Pb(II), Cr(VI)/Cu(II) and Cr(VI)/Ni(II) indicated the higher selectivity of Cr6+-PCGA nanofibrous adsorbent for Cr(VI) ions separation compared to PCGA nanofibers. The good stability and reusability of Cr6+-PCGA nanofibrous adsorbent for five sorption/desorption cycles promised a higher potential of ion-imprinted nanofibers for separation of metal ions from aqueous systems in a large scale.

Speech Intelligibility of Cochlear-Implanted and Normal-Hearing Children.

INTRODUCTION: Speech intelligibility, the ability to be understood verbally by listeners, is the gold standard for assessing the effectiveness of cochlear implantation. Thus, the goal of this study was to compare the speech intelligibility between normal-hearing and cochlear-implanted children using the Persian intelligibility test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six cochlear-implanted children aged 48-95 months, who had been exposed to 95-100 speech therapy sessions, were compared with 40 normal-hearing children aged 48-84 months. The average post-implanted time was 14.53 months. Speech intelligibility was assessed using the Persian sentence speech intelligibility test. RESULTS: The mean score of the speech intelligibility test among cochlear-implanted children was 63.71% (standard deviation [SD], 1.06) compared with 100% intelligible among all normal-hearing children (P<0.000). No effects of age or gender on speech intelligibility were observed in these two groups at this range of ages (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Speech intelligibility in the Persian language was poorer in cochlear-implanted children in comparison with normal-hearing children. The differences in speech intelligibility between cochlear-implanted and normal-hearing children can be shown through the Persian sentence speech intelligibility test.

The Validity and Reliability of Autism Behavior Checklist in Iran.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric features of the Persian version of the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). METHOD: The International Quality of Life Assessment (IQOLA) approach was used to translate the English ABC into Persian. A total sample of 184 parents of children including 114 children with autism disorder (mean age =7.21, SD =1.65) and 70 typically developing children (mean age = 6.82, SD =1.75) completed the ABC. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent and discriminant validity, and cut-off score were assessed. RESULTS: The results of this study revealed that the Persian version of the ABC has an acceptable degree of internal consistency (.73). Test-retest comparisons using interclass correlation confirmed the instrument's time stability (.83). The instrument's concurrent validity with Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) was verified; the correlation between total scores was .94. In the discriminant validity, the autism group had significantly higher scores compared to the normal group. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that individuals with total scores below 25 are less likely to be in the autism group. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of the ABC can be used as an initial screening tool in clinical contexts.