From Unregulated Networks to Designed Microstructures: Introducing Heterogeneity at Different Length Scales in Photopolymers for Additive Manufacturing.

Photopolymers have been optimized as protective and decorative coating materials for decades. However, with the rise of additive manufacturing technologies, vat photopolymerization has unlocked the use of photopolymers for three-dimensional objects with new material requirements. Thus, the originally highly cross-linked, amorphous architecture of photopolymers cannot match the expectations for modern materials anymore, revealing the largely unanswered question of how diverse properties can be achieved in photopolymers.

Mechanical upcycling of single-use face mask waste into high-performance composites: An ecofriendly approach with cost-benefit analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented demand for PPE, with single-use face masks emerging as a critical tool in containing virus transmission. However, the extensive use and improper disposal of these single-use face masks, predominantly composed of non-biodegradable plastics, has exacerbated environmental challenges. This research presents an innovative method for mechanically upcycling PPEs used in medical sectors i.

Advancing structural batteries: cost-efficient high-performance carbon fiber-coated LiFePO cathodes.

Structural batteries (SBs) have gained attention due to their ability to provide energy storage and structural support in vehicles and airplanes, using carbon fibers (CFs) as their main component. However, the development of high-performance carbon fiber-based cathode materials for structural batteries is currently limited. To address this issue, this study proposes a cost-efficient and straightforward method for creating a high-performance structural lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO) positive electrode by coating carbon fibers at mild temperatures and pressures.

RT-qPCR Analysis of LAMP3 (CD208) Gene Expression in Oral Lichen Planus and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Many new studies have been conducted on cellular proteins to use them as prognostic markers or in target therapy through determining the increase or decrease in their expression in the lichen planus and OSCC. LAMP3 protein is one of these proteins which has been recently considered. Thus, considering the unknown etiology of lichen planus, significance of their early diagnosis and treatment and lack of a suitable and final treatment for this disease and oral cancers, and preventing the progression of lichen planus, which can turn into OSCC, we decided to investigate the level of expression of this gene and its effect on the progression, study the connection between these two conditions and the probable factors contributing to their etiopathogenesis.

Circumferential wrinkling of polymer nanofibers.

Surface wrinkles are commonly observed in soft polymer nanofibers produced in electrospinning. This paper studies the conditions of circumferential wrinkling in polymer nanofibers under axial stretching. A nonlinear continuum mechanics model is formulated to take into account the combined effects of surface energy and nonlinear elasticity of the nanofibers on wrinkling initiation, in which the soft nanofibers are treated as incompressible, isotropically hyperelastic neo-Hookean solid.

The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for social anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Acceptance and commitment therapy has been used to treat anxiety disorders recently. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for psychological symptoms in students with social anxiety disorder, including difficulty in emotion regulation, psychological flexibility based on experiential avoidance, self-compassion, and external shame.

Methods: This study was a semi-experimental clinical trial.

Comprehensibility of pharmaceutical pictograms: Effect of prospective-user factors and cognitive sign design features.

Background: The people's comprehensibility regarding the meaning of internationally recommended pictograms is an important factor in the correct usage of medications.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the guessability of the pharmaceutical pictograms, the cognitive sign features, and prospective-user factors.

Methods: A total of 351 Iranian people participated in this study.

A Hydrothermal-Assisted Ball Milling Approach for Scalable Production of High-Quality Functionalized MoS Nanosheets for Polymer Nanocomposites.

The most known analogue of graphene, molybdenum disulfide (MoS) nanosheet, has recently captured great interest because it can present properties beyond graphene in several high technological applications. Nonetheless, the lack of a feasible, sustainable, and scalable approach, in which synthesizing and functionalization of 2H-MoS nanosheets occur simultaneously, is still a challenge. Herein, a hydrothermal treatment has been utilised to reduce the effect of breaking mechanisms on the lateral size of produced nanosheets during the ball milling process.

BDNF Val66Met genetic variation and its plasma level in patients with morbid obesity: A case-control study.

Obesity is a major public health concern worldwide. Genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors contribute to the multifactorial etiology of obesity. Evidence suggests an association between human Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and obesity.

Low-Cost Carbon Fibre Derived from Sustainable Coal Tar Pitch and Polyacrylonitrile: Fabrication and Characterisation.

Preparation of high-value pitch-based carbon fibres (CFs) from mesophase pitch precursor is of great importance towards low-cost CFs. Herein, we developed a method to reduce the cost of CFs precursor through incorporating high loading of coal tar pitch (CTP) into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer solution. The CTP with a loading of 25% and 50% was blended with PAN and their spinnability was examined by electrospinning process.

Two Different Endotracheal Tube Securing Techniques: Fixing Bandage vs. Adhesive Tape.

Introduction: Emergency physicians should secure Endotracheal tubes (ETT) properly in order to prevent unplanned extubation (UE) and its complications. Despite various available endotracheal tube holders, using bandages or tape are still the most common methods used in this regards.

Objective: This study aimed to compare adhesive tape (AT) versus fixing bandage (FB) method in terms of properly securing ETT.

The Effects of UV Light on the Chemical and Mechanical Properties of a Transparent Epoxy-Diamine System in the Presence of an Organic UV Absorber.

Despite several excellent properties including low shrinkage, good chemical resistance, curable at low temperatures and the absence of byproducts or volatiles, epoxy resins are susceptible to ultra violet (UV) damage and their durability is reduced substantially when exposed to outdoor environments. To overcome this drawback, UV absorbers have been usually used to decrease the rate of UV degradation. In this present study, the effects of UV light on the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of cured epoxy structure, as well as the effect of an organic UV absorber, Tinuvin 1130, on the epoxy properties were investigated.

Catalyzed Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Lignin-Based Curing Agent for the Curing of High-Performance Epoxy Resin.

In this study, lignin, an aromatic compound from the forestry industry, was used as a renewable material to synthesize a new aromatic amine curing agent for epoxy resin. Firstly, lignin was separated from black liquor and hydroxyl groups were converted to tosyl groups as leaving groups. Then, primary amination was conducted using an ammonia solution at high pressure and temperature, in the presence of a nano-alumina-based catalyst.

Collision-induced activation: Towards industrially scalable approach to graphite nanoplatelets functionalization for superior polymer nanocomposites.

Scale-up manufacturing of engineered graphene-like nanomaterials to deliver the industry needs for development of high-performance polymer nanocomposites still remains a challenge. Herein, we introduce a quick and cost-effective approach to scalable production of functionalized graphite nanoplatelets using "kitchen blender" approach and Diels-Alder chemistry. We have shown that, in a solvent-free process and through a cycloaddition mechanism, maleic anhydride can be grafted onto the edge-localized electron rich active sites of graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) resulting from high collision force, called "graphite collision-induced activation".

Fish DNA-modified clays: Towards highly flame retardant polymer nanocomposite with improved interfacial and mechanical performance.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) has been recently found to be an efficient renewable and environmentally-friendly flame retardant. In this work, for the first time, we have used waste DNA from fishing industry to modify clay structure in order to increase the clay interactions with epoxy resin and take benefit of its additional thermal property effect on thermo-physical properties of epoxy-clay nanocomposites. Intercalation of DNA within the clay layers was accomplished in a one-step approach confirmed by FT-IR, XPS, TGA, and XRD analyses, indicating that d-space of clay layers was expanded from ~1.

Molecular Epidemiology Analysis of TB in Five Regional States of Iran.

Background: The increasing prevalence of TB drug resistant strains in absence of recent transmission evidence, highlights the need for an improved control program, coupled with a need to improve detection rate and early diagnosis. IS6110-RFLP is a means of genotyping TB clinical samples. In this study IS6110- RFLP was used for specification and quick tracking of TB infection source, transmission and reactivation of infection, in Iran.

Rapid Detection of Isoniazid Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by a Single Multiplex Allele-specific Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay.

Objective: Global surveillance has shown that drug resistant (DR) tuberculosis (TB) is widespread. Prompt detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance is essential for effective control of TB. The most frequent mutations associated with Isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium are substitutions at codons 315 in the katG gene and the mabA-inhA promoter region (-15).

Synchronous Comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Epidemiology Strains by "MIRU-VNTR" and "MIRU-VNTR and Spoligotyping" Technique.

Molecular epidemiology analyses are frequently used in determining epidemiology of tuberculosis. Recently, Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit Variable Number Tandem Repeat (MIRU-VNTR) and Spoligotyping has become an important method, as it allows high-through put, discriminatory and reproducible analysis of clinical isolate. The purpose of this study is to compare techniques of "MIRU-VNTR" versus "MIRU-VNTR and Spoligotyping" together for study of genetic pattern of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.

The recent-transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains among Iranian and Afghan relapse cases: a DNA-fingerprinting using RFLP and spoligotyping.

Background: Relapse of tuberculosis (TB) may develop as the result of reactivation of the endogenous primary infection, or as a result of a exogenous reinfection. This survey evaluated the rate of reactivation versus recent transmission among Iranian and Afghan relapse cases.

Methods: The sputum specimens were digested, examined microscopically for acid-fast bacilli, and inoculated into Löwenstein-Jensen slants by standard procedures.

Twenty-four week maintenance treatment of cigarette smoking with nicotine gum, clonidine and naltrexone.

This research study investigated the effect of nicotine gum, clonidine, and naltrexone, in the maintenance treatment of cigarette smoking. In a double blind study, 171 nicotine-dependent male subjects who met DSM-IV criteria for nicotine dependence and smoking 10 cigarettes or more per day, were allocated randomly to three equal groups of 57. Subjects received nicotine gum, clonidine, or naltrexone over a 24-week treatment period.