Characterization of Schiff base self-healing hydrogels by dynamic speckle pattern analysis.

Self-healing hydrogels are emerging materials capable of restoring functionality after damage, making them highly suitable for biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, wound healing, and drug delivery. In this study, we synthesize and characterize a novel biodegradable, conductive, and self-healing hydrogel. The synthesis is based on a Schiff base formed between gelatin and hyaluronic acid, and the dynamic reversible Schiff base bond provides the self-healing property.

Artificial intelligence-based model for automatic real-time and noninvasive estimation of blood potassium levels in pediatric patients.

Background: An abnormal variation in blood electrolytes, such as potassium, contributes to mortality in children admitted to intensive care units. Continuous and real-time monitoring of potassium serum levels can prevent fatal arrhythmias, but this is not currently practical. The study aims to use machine learning to estimate blood potassium levels with accuracy in real time noninvasively.

Facial Expression Recognition for Measuring Jurors' Attention in Acoustic Jury Tests.

The perception of sound greatly impacts users' emotional states, expectations, affective relationships with products, and purchase decisions. Consequently, assessing the perceived quality of sounds through jury testing is crucial in product design. However, the subjective nature of jurors' responses may limit the accuracy and reliability of jury test outcomes.

Digital holographic microscopy of spiropyran-based dynamic materials.

Spiropyran (SP)-based dynamic materials undergo structural changes in response to external stimuli. In this paper, we show that digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is an effective candidate for characterisation of SPs (embedded in polymer matrices) and for monitoring of their dynamical changes. The polymer matrices are polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films, which are decorated with SPs and immobilised on graphene quantum dots (GQDs).

Mitigating the economic impact of COVID-19 on wind energy: assessing the role of green finance policies and the levelized cost of energy.

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on wind and green energy, with a focus on controlling the rising cost of wind energy using the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) method. The objectives include exploring green financial policies to mitigate the pandemic's effects and analyzing the cost of wind energy in China before and after the outbreak. The findings reveal a decrease in wind energy costs and increased consumption during the COVID-19 crisis, attributed to the role of green financing.

Gut Dysbiosis and Blood-Brain Barrier Alteration in Hepatic Encephalopathy: From Gut to Brain.

A common neuropsychiatric complication of advanced liver disease, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), impacts the quality of life and length of hospital stays. There is new evidence that gut microbiota plays a significant role in brain development and cerebral homeostasis. Microbiota metabolites are providing a new avenue of therapeutic options for several neurological-related disorders.

Evaluation of pitting corrosion by dynamic speckle pattern analysis.

There is an increasing interest in non-destructive and real-time high-resolution approaches for corrosion studies in metals. In this paper, we propose the dynamic speckle pattern method as a low-cost, easy-to-implement, and quasi in-situ optical technique for the quantitative evaluation of pitting corrosion. This type of corrosion occurs in a specific area of a metallic structure and causes holes formation leading to structural failure.

The implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM) and environmental management system (EMS) practices and its impact on market competitiveness during COVID-19.

Despite great academic interest in global green supply chain management (GSCM) practices, its effectiveness for environmental management systems (EMS) and market competitiveness during COVID-19 remains untapped. Existing literature suggests that a fundamental link between GSCM, EMS, and market competitiveness is missing, as supply management is critical to maintain market competitiveness. To fill this gap in the literature, this study examines whether environmental management systems influence the link between GSCM practice and market competitiveness in China.

The Effects of Eradication on Liver Function and Metabolic Profile in Non-diabetic Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis: A 5-year Randomized Clinical Trial.

: To evaluate the effects of eradication on liver function tests (LFT) and fat content (LFC) in non-diabetic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). : This randomized clinical trial included dyspeptic HP infected non-diabetic NASH participants. The intervention arm received HP eradication treatment, while the control arm did not get any HP treatment.

Evaluation of liver injury in multiple sclerosis patients receiving pulsed steroid therapy.

Objectives: There is a paucity of literature about the methylprednisolone induced liver injury in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In this study, we intended to investigate the incidence, severity, and risk factors for liver injury in MS patients treated with pulsed methylprednisolone therapy.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study on MS patients treated with methylprednisolone pulses.

Fabrication and optimization of electrospun polymeric nanofibers loaded with 5-fluorouracil and rosemary extract.

Background: Topical 5-fluorouracil [5FU] is one of the mostly prescribed medications for different types of skin cancer; however, it is associated with drug resistance and adverse effects. Rosemary extract has promising dose-dependent antitumor effects, as well as a synergistic effect in combination with 5-fluorouracil besides sensitizing the 5-FU-resistant cells.

Objective: Polymeric nanofibers loaded with 5FU and rosemary extract were optimized to combine both ingredients in one controlled release drug delivery system, aiming to enhance the efficacy while retaining the adverse effects.

Detection of intralayer alignment in multicomponent lipids by dynamic speckle pattern analysis.

Multicomponent mixtures of bilayer lipids, thanks to the coexistence of liquid-crystalline phases in their structures, may be used in the development of functional membranes. In such membranes interlayer ordering distributes across membrane lamellae, resulting in long-range alignment of phase-separated domains. In this paper, we explore the dynamics of this phenomenon by laser speckle pattern analysis.

The Antioxidant Properties of Alfalfa ( L.) and Its Biochemical, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Pathological Effects on Nicotine-Induced Oxidative Stress in the Rat Liver.

Linn or alfalfa is a tonic plant rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals that is used to treat many diseases due to its pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of alfalfa methanolic extract (AME) on the prevention of liver damage caused by nicotine. The total phenols, flavonoids levels, and the free radical scavenging activity of its extract (IC50) were measured.

Impact of financial inclusion and green bond financing for renewable energy mix: implications for financial development in OECD economies.

The study aims to empirically estimate the nexus of green bond financing with renewable energy index OECD countries. Using the OECD countries data over the period of the 2011-2019, the study estimated the nexus between constructs. To justify the study findings and present widespread policy implications on recent topicality Padroni unit root test, FMOLS and DOLS technique is applied.

Gray Matter Changes in Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. A Voxel-Wise Meta-Analysis.

. Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is an idiopathic generalized epileptic syndrome, with a genetic basis clinically identified by myoclonic jerks of the upper limbs upon awaking, generalized tonic-clonic seizures and less frequent absences. Although the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is by definition normal, computer-based Voxel-Based morphometry studies have shown a number of volumetric changes in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Impact of standard treatment on the quality of life of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients.

Objective: Given that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major concern in public health, this study evaluates the impact of a standard treatment for NAFLD on the quality of life of affected patients.

Method: We conducted this study on patients suffering from NAFLD at the gastroenterology clinic of Sina Hospital, Tehran. All patients underwent a standard treatment protocol.

Seroepidemiological study on Coxiella burnetii and associated risk factors in ruminants at Kurdistan Province, west of Iran.

Q fever is zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. Ruminants are the main reservoir of this pathogen, which is often asymptomatic but lead to abortion. This study aims to survey the seroprevalence and risk factors of this zoonose among ruminants in Kurdistan province, the west of Iran.

3D monitoring of the surface slippage effect on micro-particle sedimentation by digital holographic microscopy.

In several phenomena in biology and industry, it is required to understand the comprehensive behavior of sedimenting micro-particles in fluids. Here, we use the numerical refocusing feature of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) to investigate the slippage effect on micro-particle sedimentation near a flat wall. DHM provides quantitative phase contrast and three-dimensional (3D) imaging in arbitrary time scales, which suggests it as an elegant approach to investigate various phenomena, including dynamic behavior of colloids.

Digital holographic microscopy for real-time investigation of 3D microstructural dynamics of starch-kefiran-based nanocomposite.

Investigating real-time phenomena in bio-polymers has received much attention because of their increasing demands in polymer substitution. The 3D morphometry of polymer surfaces may be very impactful in such studies. Here, digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is applied for quantitative measurement of the rare morphological changes of UV-A and UV-C exposed nanocomposites during their incubation with excess water.