Laboratory investigation of the swelling pressure of bentonite with quicklime and hydrated lime using ASTM-4546-96 and constant volume methods.

The swelling soils, also known as expansive soils, increase in volume due to an increase in moisture content. The settlement of expansive soils could be the main reason for considerable damage to roads, highways, structures, irrigation channel covers, and the protective shell of tunnels that use bentonite for wall stability. Therefore, it is important to determine the amount of swelling pressure in expansive soils.

Intervention-Free Graphitization of Carbon Microspheres from a Non-Graphitizing Polymer at Low Temperature: Nanopores as Dynamic Nanoreactors.

Graphitizability of organic precursors is the topic of numerous investigations due to the wide applications of graphitic materials in the industry and emerging technologies of supercapacitors, batteries, etc. Most polymers, such as polydivinyl benzene (PDVB) are classified as non-graphitizings that do not convert to Graphite even after heating to 3000℃. Here, for the first time, the development of graphitic structure in the hierarchal porous sulfonated-PDVB microspheres without employing specific equipment or additives like metal catalysts, organic ingredients, or graphite particles, at 1100°C is reported.

Well-distributed 1T/2H MoS nanocrystals in the N-doped nanoporous carbon framework by direct pyrolysis.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS) has been a promising anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high theoretical capacity and large interlayer spacing. However, its intrinsic poor electrical conductivity and large volume changes during the lithiation/delithiation reactions limit its practical application. An efficient synthesis strategy was developed to prepare the MoS nanocrystals well-anchored into the N-doped nanoporous carbon framework to deal with these challenges by a confined reaction space in an acrylonitrile-based porous polymer during the carbonization process.

A hydrophilic carbon foam/molybdenum disulfide composite as a self-floating solar evaporator.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has gained increasing attention as an emerging and sustainable technology for wastewater treatment and desalinization. The carbon/molybdenum disulfide (C/MoS) composite has attracted more attention due to its outstanding light absorption capability and optoelectronic properties as a solar steam generator. However, the hydrophobic nature of carbon and MoS-based materials hinders their wettability, which is crucial to the effective and facile operation of a solar generator of steam.

Lipid-liquid crystals for 2 months controlled risperidone release: In-vitro evaluation and pharmacokinetics in rabbits.

In this study, a drug delivery system based on lipid liquid crystal (LLC) was developed for the long-term delivery of risperidone to improve psychological treatment. Optimal LLC formulation was achieved based on maximum release after 60 days with different ratios of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to sorbitol monooleate (PC: SMO), tween grade 80 (w/w %), and tocopherol acetate (TA) (w/w %) using the Box-Behnken method. In vitro and ex vivo studies, pharmacokinetics, and histopathological examination in rabbits were conducted to compare the optimal LLC with Risperdal CONSTA®.

Design and synthesis of new carbamates as inhibitors for fatty acid amide hydrolase and cholinesterases: Molecular dynamic, in vitro and in vivo studies.

As anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine, AEA) shows neuroprotective effects, the inhibition of its degradative enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) has been considered as a hopeful avenue for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease (AD). Memory loss, cognitive impairment and diminution of the cholinergic tone, due to the dying cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain, are common hallmarks in patients with AD. By taking advantage of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), the degradation of acetylcholine (ACh) is decreased leading to enhanced cholinergic neurotransmission in the aforementioned region and ultimately improves the clinical condition of AD patients.

Influenza A (H1N1) in Hamedan Province, Western Iran in 2009: A Case-Control Study.

Background: The novel influenza A (H1N1) virus was first detected in March 2009 in Mexico and then disseminated to many other countries worldwide. In this study, we assessed the potential risk factors of swine flu as well as the most important clinical manifestations of this infectious disease among confirmed cases during early phase of pandemic H1N1.

Methods: Subjects (cases and controls) were selected from those patients with signs and symptoms of respiratory tract infection who referred to health centers of eight cities throughout Hamedan Province, western Iran form July to December 2009.