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The success of carbon nanotubes has triggered a great deal of research interest in other one-dimensional nanomaterials with the aim of designing innovative nanostructures with attractive and distinctive attributes for applications in sensing gas molecules and toxic substances. In the present study, first-principles density functional theory calculations were exploited to assess the capability of the small tin oxide cluster (SnxOy)-decorated (6,0)aluminum nitride (AlN) nanotube for detecting methane(CH4) in terms of energetic, structural, and electronic properties. We found that SnxOyclusters were chemisorbed on the surface of the AlN nanotube due to the considerable adsorption energy and the notable charge transfer from the former to the latter. Further calculations demonstrate that the energy band gap and work function of the AlN nanotube were reduced in the presence of additives. Benefiting from the higher affinity of SnxOytoward the CH4molecule, the Sn3O3-decorated AlN nanotube exhibited the greatest CH4adsorption energy. The electrical conductivity increased as the energy band gap and effective mass decreased dramatically. Additionally, the type of Sn3O3-decorated AlN nanotube changed from a p-type semiconductor to an n-type one after adsorbing the CH4molecule. Therefore, the Sn3O3-decorated AlN nanotube endows great promise as a thermopower-based, resistance-based, and Seebeck-effect-based CH4sensing material.

Introduction: Discrimination experiences may be a contributing factor to the elevated prevalence of mental health problems among adults experiencing homelessness. Methods: Using survey data (N= 552) collected from adults seeking services at an urban day shelter, the relationships between everyday and major discrimination experiences, distress tolerance, and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, poor mental health days) were characterized. Distress tolerance was examined as a moderator of the relationship between discrimination and mental health problems. Results: Participants were predominantly from racially minoritized groups (59.6%), non-Hispanic (88.7%), and male (70.9%), with an average age of 45.7 years old (SD = 11.7). Descriptive analyses indicated that the main reason for discrimination differed between racially privileged (i.e., White participants) and racially minoritized participants (i.e., participants who identified as Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multi-race), such that homelessness was most commonly endorsed among racially privileged participants while racial discrimination was most commonly reported among racially minoritized participants. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed associations between everyday discrimination, major discrimination, and distress tolerance with mental health problems. Distress tolerance did not moderate the relations between discrimination and mental health problems in most analyses. Notably, major discrimination was no longer associated with all mental health variables when both everyday and major discrimination were included in all models. Conclusion: Findings suggest that reducing everyday discrimination and addressing the adverse impact of everyday discrimination experiences may have a beneficial impact on mental health.

The present study investigates the performance of the Karun 4 reservoir power plant in Iran under the climate change impacts in the production of electric energy. The obtained results indicate an increase in temperature by 1.95°C to 2.34°C under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, respectively. The reduction of the runoff entering the reservoir by the annual average of 19% (43%) under RCP 4.5 (RCP 8.5) is one of the other results of this study. A 9% (18%) decrease in total annual electricity production under RCP 4.5 (RCP 8.5) is the result of the power plant's performance.

In the current study, plastic buckling and postbuckling behavior of aluminum alloy plates under uniaxial, biaxial and combined compressive/shear loadings using 3D standard and incompatible elements are investigated. In this study, the finite element code considering geometrically and material nonlinearities is developed based on the incremental theory of plasticity. Obtained results show that the bifurcation point and postbuckling behavior in the models with linear standard elements have significant differences in models with incompatible and quadratic elements at the same mesh size. Furthermore, the buckling and postbuckling analysis using incompatible elements have faster convergence rate compared to linear and quadratic elements.

In this article, a new short-term solar power forecasting method is proposed which has a closed-loop structure composed of point-estimating and range-classifying parts. If the forecasts generated by these parts for solar power are inconsistent, the feedback loop sends appropriate signals to them to correct their predictions. The feedback loop iterates until consistent forecasts are generated for the solar power by the point-estimating and range-classifying parts. This enables the proposed closed-loop forecasting method to enhance its solar power prediction accuracy and reliability. Furthermore, a novel sample selection approach, different from feature selection methods, is devised to mine the historical data for finding the most informative training samples for training the proposed forecasting engine. The effectiveness of the proposed solar power forecasting method is illustrated by testing it on some real-world solar farms and comparing its results with the results of several state-of-the-art solar power prediction methods.

Introduction: The influence of culture on body mass index (BMI) and obesity within the African American population is an underexplored area in the literature. Therefore, this study explored the extent to which cultural identity was associated with BMI and obesity among African Americans and whether the association of cultural identity with obesity differed between males and females. Methods: Participants were African Americans (n = 304) who responded to an online survey. BMI was calculated using self-reported weight and height; a BMI ≥ 30 indicated obesity. Sex assigned at birth was measured by self-report, and identification with African American culture was assessed using scores from six Black Identity Classification Scale (BICS) subscales. Primary analyses were conducted using a series of linear and logistic regression analyses. Results: In almost all cases, BICS was not associated with BMI and obesity among all African Americans, but moderation analyses revealed that stronger identification with certain subscales of BICS, such as Afrocentrism, Black Americanism, and Racial Salience, was associated with an increase in the odds of obesity for males and not for females. Conclusions: Study findings suggest that culture may influence obesity differently among males and females. Uncovering mechanisms linking cultural identification to obesity will provide novel contributions to behavioral interventions designed to reduce obesity within the African American population.

Infection and pathological disorders, such as cellular disorders, ischaemia, neuropathy and angiogenesis, are considered the most critical factors which cause a delay in the wound healing process in patients with diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of an ointment based on ostrich oil containing honey, beeswax, and ethanolic extracts of Nigella sativa, propolis and Cassia angustifoliaon the wound healing process of diabetic rats. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis showed caffeic acid and pinostrobin chalcone molecules present in propolis, giving antibacterial and antifungal properties to the compound. The antibacterial assessment showed the ointment had remarkable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus(8.6±0.28mm), Escherichia coli(9.4±0.31mm), Acinetobacter baumannii(7.2±0.23mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(13.9±0.42mm). In vivo results showed the ointment significantly accelerated wound healing and increased collagen deposition compared with the control (p<0.05). Histopathology evaluation also showed hair follicles, sebaceous glands and vessels in the group that used the ointment. These results proved successful and diabetic wound healing was rapid. Therefore, it could be concluded that the fabricated ointment could be a suitable candidate for wound healing.

Tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) are promising alternatives to existing prosthetic grafts. The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical feasibility of a novel multi-layered small-diameter vascular graft that has a hierarchical structure. Vascular grafts with elaborately designed composition and architecture were prepared by 3D printing and electrospinning and were implanted into the femoral artery of 5 dogs. The patency of the grafts was assessed using Doppler ultrasonography. After 6 months, the grafts were retrieved and histological and SEM examinations were conducted. During implantation, the grafts exhibited resistance to kinking and no blood seepage thanks to the helical structure of the innermost and outermost layers. The grafts showed a high patency rate and remodelling ability. At 6 months post-implantation, the lumen was endothelialized and middle layers were regenerated by infiltration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). These results suggest that the multi-layered vascular graft may be a promising candidate for small-diameter blood vessel tissue engineering in clinical practice.

It is necessary to develop methods to improve soil moisture capacity and agricultural productions in arid and semiarid areas. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of optimal water allocation to improve the yield production in Gotvand Plain, Khuzestan Province, south-western Iran. A field-scale experiment with three scenarios of sugarcane bagasse compost application (0, 15 and 30 ton/ha) and four levels of water supply (50%, 75%, 100% and 125% of total allowable water) was performed in three replications (March–July 2019). Porous media texture, infiltration rate and irrigation demand were simulated at daily time steps to provide the root zone moisture content using real-time analysis of soil water balance. Furthermore, the maximization of readily available water based on the agricultural demand were considered using grey wolf optimization algorithm under deep percolation and runoff constraints. The results showed that the water allocation strategies and compost scenarios can improve water use efficiency and soil moisture.

Hydrological uncertainties are considered as the major components of agricultural water management. Determining the drought effects as a meteorological phenomenon should be evaluated to investigate the groundwater exploitation strategies for irrigation. The main objective of this study was to show how copula functions are used in the bivariate analysis of drought and increase the water use efficiency in the Khanmirza plain, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, Iran. Moreover, the water amounts estimated by probabilistic analysis in different return periods were allocated to the cropping pattern using particle swarm optimization algorithm. Therefore, the drought characteristics including severity and duration were extracted using normalized rainfall index. Then, the frequency distributions were fitted to the mentioned drought characteristics, and the best fitted marginal distribution was specified for every drought characteristics. The results showed that the gamma and generalized extreme values distributions had the best fitness on the drought severity and duration, respectively. Furthermore, the goodness-of-fit tests were considered for Clayton, Ali-Mikhail-Haq, Frank, Gamble, Gamble-Hougaard, and Joe using Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion. Frank copula is the best function for constructing the multivariate distribution in the study area. Results showed that the developed plans increased the probabilistic values of soil moisture content in root zone for the cultivated crops in the study area. Groundwater resource index was deceased to negative amounts related to existing conditions in the five recent years. Furthermore, optimal irrigation scheduling increased the soil moisture content by the average of 60% at the peak point of water requirement curve.

This study explored the role of social activism in the association of exposure to media coverage of police brutality and protests with perceptions of mental health. Data for this study came from a sample of African Americans (N= 304) who responded to an online survey. Perceptions of mental health were assessed using a single item developed by the research team. Exposure to police brutality and protests was measured by asking how often they had seen or heard about African Americans being victims of police brutality and seen or heard about protests on television, social media, or other outlets. Participants were also asked about the extent to which these events caused them emotional distress. Social activism was assessed by asking participants if they had ever participated in political activities, such as calling their representative. Moderation and mediation analyses were conducted using linear regression. Moderation analyses showed that greater emotional distress from watching media coverage of police brutality and protests was associated with worse perceptions of mental health only when engagement in social activism was low. In contrast, mediation analyses indicated that greater frequency of and emotional distress from exposure to media coverage was indirectly associated with worse perceptions of mental health through increased engagement in social activism. Social activism may be an important method for coping with emotional distress from watching media coverage of police brutality and protests, but more research is needed to understand how African Americans might engage in social activism without adversely impacting mental health.

In the present research, sheet nano poly(4,4′-methylenedianiline)/graphene oxide (nPMDA/GO) adsorbent has been used to remove diazinon and imidacloprid, as high consumption pesticides, from aqueous solutions. nPMDA/GO has been synthesized by in situ electropolymerization method. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy techniques, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction analyses have been employed to analyze physicochemical characteristics of produced adsorbent. The concentration of diazinon and imidacloprid in water was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. In order to obtain an efficient adsorbent for sorption of diazinon and imidacloprid, various parameters related to the adsorption process such as deposition time, temperature, ionic strength, pH, concentration of the nPMDA/GO, and concentration of diazinon and imidacloprid were optimized. The maximum removal efficiencies of diazinon (72.17%) and imidacloprid (66.7%) by nPMDA/GO were obtained at pollutants concentrations of 25 mg L–1, a low absorbent concentration of 0.12 g L–1and, contact time of 120 min and alkali pH. The results indicate that the adsorption of studied pesticides was dependent on ionic strength. By increasing the ionic strength (adjusted by CaCl2concentration), the adsorption of herbicides can be significantly decreased. Equilibrium empirical data have been fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Correlation coefficients showed that equilibrium data were better matched with the Freundlich model for imidacloprid and Langmuir model for diazinon. Kinetic data have been fitted with pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models; according to the obtained correlation coefficients. It can be stated that the pseudo-second-order model is more suited to the kinetic data related to pesticide adsorption on nPMDA/GO adsorbent.

Given the importance of assessing water quality in arid and semi-arid regions, the purpose of this study is to investigate water quality in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Iran, using fuzzy-analytic hierarchical procedure (FAHP) and the geographic information system. To this end, various parameters counting on potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and sulfate content as well as PH levels, total dissolved solids in water, sodium absorption ratio, and alkalinity levels were extracted for 35 wells in the study region. These parameters were fed as input data for assessing the quality of water in regards to different usages. Through geostatistic methods (inverse distance weighted), water quality zoning maps were procured for each respective parameter affecting water quality. Upon generation of the respective zoning maps, fuzzy membership functions were used to homogenize each layer so as to obtain fuzzy maps for different parameters. The AHP technique was ultimately employed to overlay the fuzzy maps and generate the final water quality zoning map of the study area. The Langelier saturation index (LSI), the metal index (MI), and the Ryznar stability index (RSI) were also incidentally used as the prime indicators for assessing water quality for both industrial and agricultural purposes. The results of the LSI index showed that most of the studied areas are in the sedimentation class that indicates high pollution. RSI values were obtained between 6 and 8 where the eastern regions had an RSI of less than 6, the southern regions had an RSI of 6 to 7 and the northern regions had an RSI of more than 7. The results also showed that LSI in the northern regions is greater than zero, which indicates a corrosive state, and in the eastern part it is equal to zero which is indicative of the neutral state. The MI zonation map showed that the areas in the south have values greater than 1 which shows the low quality of water in these areas in terms of drinking. Residual sodium carbonate levels in the southern regions with values higher than 2 meq/L indicate low water quality in these regions. Finally, the results of the fuzzy method showed that the areas located in the eastern parts of the region have a better quality than the northern and western regions. According to the results, it is clear that in areas where there is agriculture or urban lands, pollution is high.

•The differentiation and the therapeutic potential of the stem cells lie on exosomes.•Vital reproductive and pregnancy processes highly depend on exosomes.•Exosomes accelerate healing process with the least side effects in genital system.•Exosomes could be used to cure reproductive diseases in the future.

This article investigates the elastoplastic response of buckling and postbuckling behavior of plates under uniaxial and biaxial end-shortening considering incremental theory and deformation theory of plasticity. According to elastoplastic buckling and postbuckling behavior of plates, the finite element code considering geometrically and material nonlinearities is developed based on incremental theory and deformation theory of plasticity. The results show that boundary conditions, loading ratios, and aspect ratios of a plate have a significant effect on the discrepancy between incremental theory and deformation theory. Moreover, differences in estimating the buckling point using incremental theory and deformation theory are less than 10%, while in a number of plates at the last loading steps, postbuckling paths determined by incremental theory and deformation theory are diverted from each other. Also the difference between these two theories in the postbuckling region is more noticeable by increasing the thickness of plates.

Background: Ameloblastoma is a common locally invasive but slow-growing neoplasm of the jaws with an odontogenic origin. Association between BRAF V600E mutation and clinicopathologic features and behavior of ameloblastoma remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate BRAF V600E gene mutation and expression of its related proteins with clinicopathologic parameters in conventional ameloblastoma. Material and Methods: 50 Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry was done using rabbit monoclonal BRAF V600E mutation-specific antibody VE1. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was used for evaluating of BRAF V600E mutation. Results: Expression of BRAF V600E antibody was Positive in 42 out of 50 cases (84%). 46 (92%) out of 50 specimens showed BRAF V600E mutation. There were 13 cases of recurrence (26%). 3 out of 4 cases with negative mutations did not show recurrence. Conclusions: We report the highest frequency (92%) of BRAF V600E mutation in ameloblastomas in the Iranian population. Although there was not a significant association between BRAF V600E-positive immunoexpression and recurrence and clinicopathologic parameters, its high frequency could emphasize its role as a therapeutic marker in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic matter is one of the largest stores of carbon and nitrogen in various ecosystems that can crucially improve plant nutrition. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of organic matter sources on carbon and nitrogen mineralization and also the contemporary comparison of carbon and nitrogen mineralization and nitrogen immobilization in soils amended with different organic treatments. Accordingly, six types of organic amendments were applied to three types of soils, under a constant temperature and moisture at the laboratory scale. The treated soils were incubated 60 and 120 days for nitrogen and carbon mineralization study, respectively. Results showed two decomposition stages, an initial rapid increase in decomposition in the first 20 days followed by a slower stage reaching a steady state condition. The amount of mineralized carbon ranged from 980 to 6860 mg/kg of dry soil for soils incorporating with different types of organic matters. The carbon mineralization kinetic data was well fitted to a second-order kinetic model showing the differences in microbial decomposition resistance of residues contents. The kinetic of carbon and nitrogen mineralization fluctuated similarly but in different scales. Net ammonification of fertilizer group, sheep manure, cow manure, and vermicompost was decreased, whereas in plant residue group, plane tree leaves, corn leaves, and wheat straw was increased. Two nitrification periods (first 10 days and 35 to 60 days) and an immobilization period (10 to 35 days) were observed. After 60 days of incubation of amended clayey soil, the nitrification values in plane tree leaves, corn leaves, wheat straw, municipal waste vermicompost, cow manure, and sheep manure were − 13.98, 14.06, 13.22, 34.88, − 12.25, and − 12.15 mg kg−1, respectively. The carbon and nitrogen mineralization trends fluctuated due to probably different resistance of substance components to microbial decomposition. Since the nitrate is the main part of inorganic N, therefore, net N mineralization had a similar trend as nitrification in different soils. Those organic residues with high ratios of C/N immobilized the mineral nitrogen, due to the presence of more carbon and a higher nitrogen decomposition rate, resulting in suppressed levels of nitrogen in the amended soil.

Skin treatment complexity and expense in accidents such as burns, lacerations, and illnesses represent a significant concern. The demand for nanofibers possessing a high biocompatible matrix and the ability to carry drugs to improve wound healing is highly regarded. In this investigation, electrospun nanofibers were fabricated utilizing a 17 % (w/v) polycaprolactone (PCL) core and a 2 % (w/v) chitosan (CS) shell, encompassing varying concentrations of curcumin (CUR, 10 μM, 25 μM, and 50 μM), and their structural, physicochemical, mechanical, and in vitrocharacteristics of the prepared samples were thoroughly examined. A TEM image indicated the mean thickness of the core and shell in the drug-loaded sample to be approximately 60 nm and 170 nm, respectively. Smooth nanofibers with a bead-free shape structure were also discernible through SEM evaluation, with a porosity of 84.27 ± 5.32 % for the PCL/CS/CUR25μM sample. Moreover, the addition of CUR exhibited tensile properties within the range of the skin's mechanical characteristics, along with suitable wettability (40.80 ± 2.99°), water absorption (858.82 ± 79.06 %), and degradation rate (25.76 ± 4.90 %). The drug release profile of CUR exhibited a consistent release rate of 57.0 ± 3.9 % during the initial phase over a 24-h period. The seeded L929 cells' behavior on the scaffolds was assessed using the MTT assay and FESEM microimages. The PCL/CS/CUR25μM showed no cytotoxic effect on the seeded cells, and they exhibited appropriate adherence to the scaffolds. Therefore, the electrospun core-shell PCL/CS/CUR25μM nanofibrous composite has the potential to function as an appropriate membrane for wound healing applications.

Smoking prevalence among U.S. adults experiencing homelessness is ≥70%. Interventions are needed to address persisting tobacco disparities.

A Bochdalek hernia is the most common congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). It can rarely evade prenatal detection and persist into adulthood with minimal symptoms. Large CDH repair has often required an open approach in the past. In this article, we present a case of a patient with large CDH who was asymptomatic until later in her adult life who subsequently developed symptoms and sought a surgical evaluation. A minimally invasive transabdominal approach was used to effectively reduce and repair this rare giant hernia. The patient has remained free of recurrence and has had resolution of her symptoms after 18 months of follow-up. This case illustrates that even the largest of these can be handled in a minimally invasive fashion and achieve durable results.

AbstractThis study is focused on the fabrication and characterization of titanium oxide (TiO2) NPs. Afterwards; the interaction of TiO2NPs with human hemoglobin (Hb) was investigated by FTIR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and molecular docking studies. Also, the cytotoxic effect of fabricated TiO2NPs against human white blood cells (WBCs) was considered by MTT assay. The antibacterial effect of synthesized NPs was examined on Pseudomonas aeruginosa(ATCC 27853); Escherichia coli(ATCC 25922) and Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC 25923). TEM and DLS investigations showed that the synthesized TiO2NPs have a narrow nano-sized distribution. XRD pattern of the fabricated NPs exhibited that the TiO2NPs contain anatase phase. Similarity in amide I and II signal intensities showed that secondary structure of the adsorbed Hb is preserved. The intrinsic fluorescence study revealed that the fluorescence quenching of Hb was done by complex formation between Hb and TiO2NPs trough the hydrogen bond and van der Waals interactions. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy determined that interaction of TiO2NPs with Hb did not unfold the Hb structure in the vicinity of the Tyr and Trp residues. Molecular docking study depicted that Glu-95, Thr-134 and Tyr-140 are involved in the formation of hydrophilic bonds. MTT data and antibacterial assays indicated that TiO2NPs endow distinguished antibacterial activities against Gram-negative and Gram positive strains at safe concentrations. This study may reveal that fabricated TiO2NP can be used as a safe and potent antibacterial agent.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Gemini ionic liquids (ILs) are usually known to have significant surfactant behavior. Nanomaterials, on the other hand, are capable of improving interface properties. The current study explores the use of a novel nano gemini imidazolium IL with a molecular structure of a four methylene group spacer for reducing crude oil/water interfacial tension (IFT). The gemini IL was prepared purely by a two-step synthesis method and characterized in different ways. Results revealed that IFT was drastically decreased to 97.8% in the presence of the IL and more decrease was achieved with temperature and pH variations. The high performance of the IL can be attributed to the strong IL amphiphilic nature. The salt effects in the presence of the IL were evaluated with NaCl, MgCl2, and their mixture. Results revealed more IFT reduction under salinity conditions because of a remarkable found synergism effect, unlike conventional surfactants. The findings encourage the use of seawater IL solutions in chemical enhanced oil recovery. The obtained salt-free IFT data were precisely reproduced with the well-known Frumkin adsorption isotherm, and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters were obtained at different temperatures. From thermodynamic results, a spontaneous IL adsorption was deduced.

Although previous studies suggested that the expression of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3) initiates downstream of mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), FLT3 internal tandem duplications (FLT3 ITDs) have recently been suggested to intrinsically suppress HSCs. Herein, single-cell interrogation found Flt3 mRNA expression to be absent in the large majority of phenotypic HSCs, with a strong negative correlation between Flt3 and HSC-associated gene expression. Flt3-ITD knock-in mice showed reduced numbers of phenotypic HSCs, with an even more severe loss of long-term repopulating HSCs, likely reflecting the presence of non-HSCs within the phenotypic HSC compartment. Competitive transplantation experiments established that Flt3-ITD compromises HSCs through an extrinsically mediated mechanism of disrupting HSC-supporting bone marrow stromal cells, with reduced numbers of endothelial and mesenchymal stromal cells showing increased inflammation-associated gene expression. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a cell-extrinsic potent negative regulator of HSCs, was overexpressed in bone marrow niche cells from FLT3-ITD mice, and anti-TNF treatment partially rescued the HSC phenotype. These findings, which establish that Flt3-ITD–driven myeloproliferation results in cell-extrinsic suppression of the normal HSC reservoir, are of relevance for several aspects of acute myeloid leukemia biology.

Objective: Fixed appliances used in orthodontic treatment are accompanied by some drawbacks, including the development of white spots or enamel demineralization in the vicinity of the brackets and bonding failures. This study aims to evaluate the effect of combining different wt.% of Emodin nanoparticles (ENPs) with orthodontic adhesives to attain adhesives with improved antimicrobial and mechanical properties.

This study aimed at examining and comparing the fabrication process, electrical conductivity, and biological properties of Chitosan/Graphene membranes and poly(D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)/Graphene membranes. Nano-composite membranes were made using chitosan or PLGA matrix, and 0.5–1.5 wt.% graphene nano-sheets as the reinforcement material; all the membranes were fabricated through solution casting method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction results indicated that the graphene had been uniformly dispersed in polymeric matrix. The membranes with 1.5 wt.% graphene appeared to have the highest value of electrical conductivity among all the examined the membranes and this growth was about 106in comparison with neat polymers. Since the Chitosan 1.5% graphene membrane was found to have the highest proliferation after 72 hours by MTT [3-(4, 5-di-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay of PC12 cell line (p<0.05), it is promising to consider nano-composite membrane for nerve tissue engineering applications.

Central venous catheters are routinely used for resuscitation, chemotherapy and nutrition but are not without risk. Central lines are the most common extrinsic cause of venous thrombosis in neonates and infants. We present an ex-36 week 1800g infant baby girl recovering after a staged repair of gastroschisis with ileostomy and mucous fistula formation. The patient was receiving parenteral nutrition through an indwelling saphenous vein tunneled catheter, with its tip in the inferior vena cava. The patient developed polyuria, with a characteristic odor of the parenteral nutrition and a urine analysis showed glucose and triglyceride levels consistent with the composition of the parenteral nutrition fluid. A fluoroscopic cysto-urogram and an inferior vena-cavogram showed a catheter-associated inferior vena cava thrombosis leading to backpressure changes, diverting all intravenous contrast into the right renal vein and to renal collecting system, thus elucidating the route of the parenteral nutrition fluid reaching the bladder. Our case represents an extreme case of complicated central venous thrombosis. We emphasize the importance of practicing a high index of suspicion for thrombotic complications in severely ill neonates with central venous access. An early diagnosis and aggressive management may prevent progression of the disease towards an overwhelming complication.

•Most participants (57%) reported some motivation to quit smoking.•Fewer participants (15%) were ready to quit in the next 1–3 months.•Participants reported interest in both standard and novel cessation strategies.•Higher MTQS was associated with higher socioeconomic status.•Higher MTQS was associated with lower smoking intensity.

Bone plates are subjected to multi-axial stresses. Braided textile composites are suitable structures under severe load conditions. In this study, a bone plate was assumed to be made up of Bioactive Glass/Poly L-Lactic Acid (BG/PLLA) and analysed using the finite element method. Material properties obtained from our previous work were introduced into the model assuming an orthotropic mechanical behaviour. Combined loading, including tension/bending, torsion/bending and tension/bending/torsion, was effected into the model. The maximum principal stress theory was used to predict damage onset. Results from linear static analysis showed that the composite was able to properly fix the fractured site under physiological loading conditions. The plate was able to withstand a tension load of about 40 N together with a bending load of about 12 N and torsion of 0.5 N m. Therefore, under multiple loading conditions (real-life situation), it is necessary to control the level of the applied loads until healing.