In novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), the increased frequency and overactivation of T helper (Th) 17 cells and subsequent production of large amounts of proinflammatory cytokines result in hyperinflammation and disease progression. The current study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of nanocurcumin on the frequency and responses of Th17 cells in mild and severe COVID‐19 patients. In this study, 40 severe COVID‐19 intensive care unit‐admitted patients and 40 patients in mild condition were included. The frequency of Th17 cells, the messenger RNA expression of Th17 cell‐related factors (RAR‐related orphan receptor γt, interleukin [IL]‐17, IL‐21, IL‐23, and granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor), and the serum levels of cytokines were measured in both nanocurcumin and placebo‐treated groups before and after treatment. A significant decrease in the number of Th17 cells, downregulation of Th17 cell‐related factors, and decreased levels of Th17 cell‐related cytokines were found in mild and severe COVID‐19 patients treated by nanocurcumin compared to the placebo group. Moreover, the abovementioned parameters were significantly decreased in the nanocurcumin‐treated group after treatment versus before treatment. Curcumin could reduce the frequency of Th17 cells and their related inflammatory factors in both mild and severe COVID‐19 patients. Hence, it could be considered as a potential modulatory compound in improving the patient's inflammatory condition.
Gold doped TiO2 has been successfully synthesized via photolysis method and is characterized by different techniques. Nanoparticles of gold doped TiO2 were utilized for the degradation of methylene blue as a material pigmentation pollutant. The substitution of Au on TiO2 surface was confirmed by XRD, EDX, TEM and FTIR techniques. The TEM and SEM results showed that the particles are in nano range and its size is below 15 nm. Without a catalyst, the degradation of the dye under visible light in acid and natural medium gives a modest result, but a better results at pH 11 while it gives an excellent result at all conditions when using a catalyst.
In vehicles that require a lot of electricity, such as electric vehicles, it is necessary to use high-energy batteries. Among the developed batteries, the lithium-ion battery has shown better performance. This battery has an energy density of 10 equal to that of a lithium-ion battery and uses air oxygen as the active material of the cathode and anode like a lithium-ion battery made of lithium metal. The cathode used in these batteries must have special properties such as strong catalytic activity and high conductivity, and nanotechnology has greatly helped to improve the materials used in the cathode of lithium-air batteries. The importance of proper catalyst distribution and the relationship between the oxide product and the catalyst and the indirect effect of the ORR catalyst on the OER reaction is not present in the fuel cell. The maximum capacity of lithium-air battery theory using graphene under optimal electron conduction conditions and the experimental maximum obtained for graphene by optimizing the structure geometry, examples of structural engineering using carbon fiber and carbon nanotubes in cathode fabrication with the ability to perform the reaction properly while providing space for lithium oxide placement, are examined. This article describes the mechanism of this battery, and its components are examined. The challenges of using this battery and the application of nanotechnology to solve these challenges are also discussed.
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