Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) causes up to 40% mortality in humans and is difficult to treat. ARDS is also one of the major triggers of mortality associated with coronavirus-induced disease (COVID-19). We used a mouse model of ARDS induced by Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which triggers 100% mortality, to investigate the mechanisms through which Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) attenuates ARDS. SEB was used to trigger ARDS in C3H mice. These mice were treated with THC and analyzed for survival, ARDS, cytokine storm, and metabolome. Additionally, cells isolated from the lungs were used to perform single-cell RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis. A database analysis of human COVID-19 patients was also performed to compare the signaling pathways with SEB-mediated ARDS. The treatment of SEB-mediated ARDS mice with THC led to a 100% survival, decreased lung inflammation, and the suppression of cytokine storm. This was associated with immune cell apoptosis involving the mitochondrial pathway, as suggested by single-cell RNA sequencing. A transcriptomic analysis of immune cells from the lungs revealed an increase in mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes following THC treatment. In addition, metabolomic analysis revealed elevated serum concentrations of amino acids, lysine, n-acetyl methionine, carnitine, and propionyl L-carnitine in THC-treated mice. THC caused the downregulation of miR-185, which correlated with an increase in the pro-apoptotic gene targets. Interestingly, the gene expression datasets from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of human COVID-19 patients showed some similarities between cytokine and apoptotic genes with SEB-induced ARDS. Collectively, this study suggests that the activation of cannabinoid receptors may serve as a therapeutic modality to treat ARDS associated with COVID-19.
Time-domain spectral matching commonly used to define seismic inputs to dynamic analysis in terms of acceleration time history compatible with a specific target response spectrum is used in this study to investigate the second-order geometric effect of P-delta on the seismic response of base-isolated high-rise buildings. A synthetic time series is generated by adjusting reference time series that consist of available readings from a past earthquake of the 1940 El Centro earthquake adopted as an initial time series. The superstructure of a 20-story base isolated building is represented by a 3-D finite element model using ETABS software. The results of the base isolated building show that base isolation technique significantly reduces inter-s
... Show MoreThe aim of this work is to shed light on the importance of medicinal plants, especially those that have extracts that have a direct effect on human health. The study and identification of botany is necessary because human life has become closely linked to the life of plants as food. In addition to using plants as food, primitive man did not stop at this point, but rather developed their use to hunt prey and also used toxic plant materials in wars. With the passage of time, the ancient man was able to link the wild plants that cover the surface of the earth and the diseases that afflict him, so he used these plants or Parts of it are for treatment. A medicinal plant is defined as one or more of its parts that contain one or more chemicals in
... Show MoreRecently, there has been an increasing advancement in the communications technology, and due to the increment in using the cellphone applications in the diverse aspects of life, it became possible to automate home appliances, which is the desired goal from residences worldwide, since that provides lots of comfort by knowing that their appliances are working in their highest effi ciency whenever it is required without their knowledge, and it also allows them to control the devices when they are away from home, including turning them on or off whenever required. The design and implementation of this system is carried out by using the Global System of Mobile communications (GSM) technique to control the home appliances – In this work, an ele
... Show MoreIn this study, Bis(4,4’-diaminophenoxy)ethane (compound C1) was synthesized via the reaction of p-hydroxyaniline with 1,2-dibromoethane. Schiff bases (compounds C2–C4) were subsequently obtained by condensing compound C1 with various aromatic aldehydes. These intermediates were further reacted with different anhydrides – namely phthalic anhydride and maleic anhydride – in order to yield the final derivatives (compounds C5–C10). All obtained compounds were characterized by using infrared spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance, as well as through an assessment of their physical properties. Antimicrobial evaluation was conducted on some of the generated compounds using two bacterial strains (Escherichia coli and Staphyloc
... Show MoreThis research examines the issue of Internet banking services and their impact on customer's perceived value to know the potential of Iraqi commercial Banks to provide Internet banking services as well as determine the customer's level of perception of the value of such services. The research aims to demonstrate the effect that Internet banking services have on the customer's perceived value and to find how online banking services can be used to add value that the customer perceive. The main findings were that research sample banks don't have a sophisticated network of electronic Windows through which banking services are provided to allow customers to manage their accounts, and perform various operational operations through the
... Show MoreUndoped and Co-doped zinc oxide (CZO) thin films have been prepared by spray pyrolysis technique using solution of zinc acetate and cobalt chloride. The effect of Co dopants on structural and optical properties has been investigated. The films were found to exhibit maximum transmittance (~90%) and low absorbance. The structural properties of the deposited films were examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD). These films, deposited on glass substrates at (400? C), have a polycrystalline texture with a wurtzite hexagonal structure, and the grain size was decreased with increasing Co concentration, and no change was observed in lattice constants while the optical band gap decreased from (3.18-3.02) eV for direct allowed transition. Other parameters
... Show MoreA new ligand (H4L) and its complexes with (CoII, NiII, CuII and PdII). This ligand was prepared in two steps, in the first step a solution of terephthaldehyde in methanol reacted under refluxe with 1,2-phenylenediamine to give precursore compound which reacted in the second step with 2,4- dihydroxybenzaldehyde to give the ligand. The complexes were synthesized by direct reaction of the corresponding metal chloride with the ligand. The ligand and complexes were characterized by spectroscopic methods [FT-IR, UV-vis, 1HNMR, HPLC and atomic absorption], chloride contant in addition to conductivity measurement. The stability constant K and Gibbs free energy ∆G were calculated for [[Ni2(H2L)Cl2], [Cu2(H2L)Cl2] complexes using spectrophoto
... Show MoreToxoplasma gondii has a worldwide distribution and it is one of the most prevalent infectious agents in Iraq. The study was conducted on 200 serum samples of unmarried female university of students age ranged between 18 to 26 years to detect Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. The aim of this study was to detect T. gondii antibodies among unmarried female students in Iraqi universities using different serological tests. Seventy six (38%) serum samples out of 200 subjects were positive for toxoplasma antibodies by Latex agglutination test (LAT). Among 76 LAT sera positive ,only 58 (29%) serum samples were positive with toxoplasma IgG ELISA test , however , the results of IgM ELISA assay were positive only for 3 (1.5%) unmarried
... Show MoreSome azo compounds were prepared by coupling the diazonium salts of amines with 2,4-dimethylphenol The structure of azo compounds were determined on the basis of elemental analyses, 1HNMR, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques. Complexes of nickel(II) and copper(II) have been synthesized and characterized. The composition of complexes has been established by using flame atomic absorption, (C.H.N) Analysis, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic methods as well as conductivity magnetic susceptibility measurements. The nature of the complexes formed were studied following the mole ratio and continuous variation methods, Beer's law obeyed over a concentration range (1×10-4 - 3×10-4 M). High molar absorbtivity of the complex solutions were observ
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