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.
Viruses have not previously been reported to act as chemotactic/chemoattractive agents. Rather, viruses as extracellular entities are generally viewed as non-metabolically active spore-like agents that await further infection events upon collision with appropriate host cells. That a virus might actively contribute to its fate via chemotaxis and change the behavior of an organism independent of infection is unprecedented.
Lignin has emerged as a promising asphalt binder modifier due to its sustainable and renewable nature, with the potential to improve flexible pavement performance. This study investigates the use of Soda Lignin Powder (SLP), derived from Pinus wood sawdust via alkaline treatment, as an asphalt modifier to enhance mixture durability. SLP was characterized using Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (SEM/EDX), revealing significant changes in its chemical structure post-extraction. These analyses showed the presence of phenolic units, including hydroxyphenyl propane, syringyl, and guaiacyl units. The morphology of SLP was identified
... Show MoreThe outbreak of a current public health coronavirus 2019 disease is a causative agent of a serious acute respiratory syndrome and even death. COVID-19 has exposed to multi-suggested pharmaceutical agents to control this global disease. Baricitinib, a well-known antirheumatic agent, was one of them. This article reviews the likely pros and cons of baricitinib in attenuation of COVID-19 based on the mechanism of drug action as well as its pharmacokinetics. The inhibitory effect of baricitinib on receptor mediated endocytosis promoter, AKK1, and on JAK-STAT signaling pathway is benefacial in inhibition of both viral assembling and inflammation. Also, its pharmacokinetic has encouraged the physicians toward the drug
... Show MoreThe present study introduces description of a new species of class Ostracoda genus Hemicypris Sars, 1903. External morphological characters particularly shape, size and structure of left and right valves of carapace and body appendages were discussed and illustrated. Locality and date of collection were given.
Biomedical signal such as ECG is extremely important in the diagnosis of patients and is commonly recorded with a noise. Many different kinds of noise exist in biomedical environment such as Power Line Interference Noise (PLIN). Adaptive filtering is selected to contend with these defects, the adaptive filters can adjust the filter coefficient with the given filter order. The objectives of this paper are: first an application of the Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm, Second is an application of the Recursive Least Square (RLS) algorithm to remove the PLIN. The LMS and RLS algorithms of the adaptive filter were proposed to adapt the filter order and the filter coefficients simultaneously, the performance of existing LMS
... Show MoreToday’s modern medical imaging research faces the challenge of detecting brain tumor through Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI). Normally, to produce images of soft tissue of human body, MRI images are used by experts. It is used for analysis of human organs to replace surgery. For brain tumor detection, image segmentation is required. For this purpose, the brain is partitioned into two distinct regions. This is considered to be one of the most important but difficult part of the process of detecting brain tumor. Hence, it is highly necessary that segmentation of the MRI images must be done accurately before asking the computer to do the exact diagnosis. Earlier, a variety of algorithms were developed for segmentation of MRI images by usin
... Show MoreIn the mist of developments in the course of scientific research in general and humanities in particular and the accompanying changes in the visions and policies inspired by the need for these sciences to follow the qualitative methods in dealing with many of the topics or problems that require for their solution to obtain qualitative information which can be provided by resorting to quantitative research. Therefore, a new trend has emerged in many public relations› researchers who believe that qualitative research methods should be used by establishing scientific foundations and methodological classification based on the use of these methods and determining the nature of the subjects applied in them to reach results that are character
... Show MorePortable and stationary electrical generators became quite popular in Iraq soon after the shortage in national electrical
energy after 2003. Multi step risk assessment process is used in this study in the assessment of risks caused by
contamination of indoor air by lead particles emitted from domestic electrical generators. Two portable electrical
generators are tested under controlled indoor conditions (Radial LG (0.9 keV) fueled with benzene and oil and TigMax
(3 keV), fueled with benzene only). Lead particles in air were sampled by using portable dust sampler (Sniffer, L-30).
The atmospheric particulate sampling process is carried out in a flat located in the first floor of a three stories building
located in Baghdad