The copper-coated iron oxide nanoparticles with core-shell were produced by deposition of a Cu shell on Fe3O4 NPs through reduction of Cu2+ ions in solution using NaBH4. Subsequently, the organosulfur compound, bis-(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)-dithiophosphinic acid (b-TMP-DTPA), was used to form self-assembled monolayer in order to modify sorbent's surface via covalent bonding between Cu and thiol (-SH) terminal groups. The prepared magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). Then, the application of this new sorbent was investigated to extract the steroid drugs in ointment samples with the aid of ultrasound.An external magnetic field was applied to collect the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The extracted analytes were desorbed using acetonitrile. The obtained extraction solution was analyzed by HPLC-UV. The main affecting factors on the extraction efficiency including pH, sonication time, amount of sorbent, salt concentration, and desorption conditions were optimized in detail. Under the optimum conditions, good linearity was obtained in the range of 2.5-250.0 μg/ L with reasonable linearity (R2 > 0.99) and the limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 0.5 and 1.0 μg/L (based on S/N = 3). Repeatability (intra-day precision) based on five replicates and preconcentration factors were calculated to be 3.6％-4.7％ and 87116,respectively.Relative recoveries in ointment samples at two spiked levels of the target analytes were obtained in the range of 90.0％-103.2％. The results illustrated that the Fe3O4@Cu@ b-TMP-DTPA NPs have the capability of extraction of steroid drugs from ointment samples.

Background: Neuro-Behcet’s disease (NBD) is similar to multiple sclerosis (MS) in multiple aspects. This study was conducted to investigate the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values for the 2005 revised McDonald MRI criteria for the diagnosis of MS and NBD. Methods: This study enrolled 28 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of NBD and 48 patients with a diagnosis of clinically definite MS, who were referred to the Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, between March 2009 and March 2010. Brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained. Two Radiologists, blinded to clinical diagnosis, reviewed the MRI. We investigated the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of the 2005 revision of the McDonald criteria for dissemination in space for the diagnosis of MS and NBD. Results: There were a total of 10 men and 38 women with a mean age of 32.76±7.5 years, with a diagnosis of MS, and 18 men and 10 women with a mean age of 26.8±5.9 years with a diagnosis of parenchymal NBD. The interobserver agreement for the diagnosis of MS using the 2005 revision of the McDonald criteria for dissemination in space with the use of the Cohen kappa scores was 0.82. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values were 80%, 61%, 71.5%, 77% and 64%, respectively. Conclusion: The accuracy and specificity of the McDonald criteria for dissemination in space for the differentiation of MS and NBD are not optimal.