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This letter develops a symbiotic network comprising an ambient backscatter communication network and a simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) network. Specifically, passive tags leverage the primary signal from the full-duplex (FD) base station (BS) for energy harvesting (EH) and data transmission to the FD BS, while delivering more power to the downlink SWIPT users. To enhance the symbiosis benefits and suppress the harms between the two networks, we design uplink zero-forcing reception filters and downlink optimal energy and information beamforming at the FD BS, and optimal power splitting factor at users to maximize the tag sum signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, subject to the minimum rate and power requirements of the users, tags’ EH requirement and the residual self-interference constraints. Compared to random, maximum ratio transmission, and zero-forcing beamforming, our approach yields significant improvements.

This letter presents a pioneering method that employs deep learning within a probabilistic framework for the joint estimation of both direct and cascaded channels in an ambient backscatter (AmBC) network comprising multiple tags. In essence, we leverage an adversarial score-based generative model for training, enabling the acquisition of channel distributions. Subsequently, our channel estimation process involves sampling from the posterior distribution, facilitated by the annealed Langevin sampling technique. Notably, our method demonstrates substantial advancements over standard least square (LS) estimation techniques, achieving performance akin to that of the minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimator for the direct channel, and outperforming it for the cascaded channels.

Optimal beamforming designs under imperfect successive interference cancellation (SIC) decoding for a symbiotic network of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) primary users and a secondary ambient tag have been lacking. We address that issue here. The primary base station (BS) serves NOMA users and a passive tag simultaneously in this network. We develop two transmit beamforming designs to meet the user and tag requirements while mitigating the effect of imperfect SIC. Specifically, we design optimal BS transmit beamforming and power allocation to either maximize the weighted sum rate of NOMA users and the tag or minimize the BS transmit power under the minimum rate requirements while satisfying the tag's minimum energy requirement. Because both these problems are non-convex, we propose algorithms using alternative optimization, fractional programming, and semi-definite relaxation techniques. We also analyze their computational complexity. Finally, we present extensive numerical results to validate the proposed schemes and to show significant performance gains while keeping the tag design intact. For example, the proposed digital beamforming increases the harvested power and data rate by $2.16\times 10^{3}\%$ and 314.5% compared to random beamforming.

Current backscatter channel estimators employ an inefficient silent pilot transmission protocol, where tags alternate between silent and active states. To enhance performance, we propose a novel approach where tags remain active simultaneously throughout the entire training phase. This enables a one-shot estimation of both the direct and cascaded channels and accommodates various backscatter network configurations. We derive the conditions for optimal pilot sequences and also establish that the minimum variance unbiased (MVU) estimator attains the Cramér-Rao lower bound. Next, we propose new pilot designs to avoid pilot contamination. We then present several linear estimation methods, including least square (LS), scaled LS, and linear minimum mean square error (MMSE), to evaluate the performance of our proposed scheme. We also derive the analytical MMSE estimator using our proposed pilot designs. Furthermore, we adapt our method for cellular-based passive Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks with multiple tags and cellular users. Extensive numerical and simulation results are provided to validate the effectiveness of our approach. Notably, at least 10 dBm and 12 dBm power savings compared to the prior art are achieved when estimating the direct and cascaded channels. These findings underscore the practical benefits and superiority of our proposed approach.

We investigate localizing multiple tags in a cooperative ambient backscatter communication (AmBC) network. Firstly, we establish the necessary conditions for the pilots sent by the tags to enable the reader to estimate the directions of arrival (DoAs) of the tags and the radio frequency (RF) source. However, DoA estimation is challenging due to the lower power of tag signals compared to the RF source signal. To overcome this, we utilize the Root multiple signal classification (R-MUSIC) and modified subspace methods. These approaches offer significant improvements over the standard MUSIC algorithm. Specifically, we observe an approximate threefold and fivefold enhancement in estimation accuracy, respectively, using only four snapshots of the received signal and a reader with 48 antennas.

Purpose: Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder need special attention for their mental and physical health and education. This study aims to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on them. Design/methodology/approach: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on data collected from an online survey. Respondents were the parents or caregivers of autistic children aged 3–18. It measured opinions about the favorable and unfavorable behavioral changes related to their children during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Findings: In total, 131 respondents participated in the study. The mean age of their autistic children was 11.45 ± 4.26 years, of whom 78% were boys. Improved good behaviors during lockdowns included interaction with parents and siblings, eating healthy foods, quality of sleep, eye contact, pointing and asking for something, imitating sounds and phrases, sharing interests, reaction to emotions and empathy with family members, but sleep hours decreased. Originality/value: Lockdown provided opportunities for examining the behaviors of children with autism taking into account its favorable and unfavorable effects, to improve communicating and behaving with these children.

The stability of dispersed nanoparticles in the base fluid has always been one of the most important challenges in using nanofluids as a coolant in heat transfer applications in different industries such as modern electronic equipment, heat exchangers, solar technologies, etc. In the present study, the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method is used to obtain the particle size distribution of Al2O3-ZnO dispersed in DI water. After adjusting the optical arrangement and designing the DLS setup, the correlation curves are plotted by analyzing the detected signals of the experiments. Then, a decay rate is derived by fitting an exponential function to the correlation curve to get the particle size distribution by using the Stoke-Einstein equation. In order to investigate the stability of Al2O3-ZnO water-based nanofluid, the particle size distribution profiles are studied several times. In addition, the stability of Al2O3-ZnO-CNT hybrid nanofluid is followed by absorbance measurements using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Moreover, the thermal conductivity coefficient and electrical conductivity of the Al2O3-ZnO hybrid nanofluid with and without CNT particles are determined by utilizing KD2 Pro and PCT-407 devices, respectively. The results showed that the peak in the particle size distribution curve for Al2O3-ZnO hybrid nanofluid shifted from 476 nm to 128 nm after 5 days. Furthermore, the inclusion of carbon nanotubes increased the stability of zinc oxide particles in the nanofluid. In addition, by adding carbon nanotubes in a ratio of 1:1:0.5 to Al2O3-ZnO nanofluid and forming 0.05 wt.% hybrid nanofluid, the thermal conductivity coefficient was enhanced by 30% in comparison with deionized water, while a 0.05 wt.% hybrid nanofluid without CNT particles improved the thermal conductivity by 19%. Although the electrical conductivity increased by adding nanoparticles to the base fluid, it didn’t change significantly for nanofluids containing CNTs compared to nanofluids without CNT particles.

ABSTRACTWe assessed a panel of six essential oils (EOs) including Clausena anisata, Lippia alba, Pimpinella anisum, Syzygium aromaticum, Litchi chinensisand Heracleum sphondyliumfor their chemical constituents and scolicidal activity on Echinococcus granulosus. Protoscolices were collected from fertile hydatid cysts and exposed to different concentrations of the EOs. After 10 min of exposure, S. aromaticumand C. anisataEOs at the concentration of 100 μg/ml resulted in the mortality rate of 63.33 and 51.33%, respectively. EOs of S. aromaticum, L. albaand C. anisatawere the most potent with LC50values of 16.8, 23.9 and 24.3 µg/ml, respectively. EO of L. albashowed a LC90value of 442.7 µg/ml, which was significantly higher than S. aromaticum(58.4) and C. anisata(76.7). The obtained results demonstrated that EOs of S. aromaticumand C. anisatacan be further studied for the development of new therapeutics and have the potential to be tested under in vivoconditions.

In the last decades, to improve the CAP treatment efficiency, its biological effects in combination with other physical modalities have widely investigated. However, the physical insight into most of supposed synergistic effects remained elusive. In this regard, the synergetic effect of cold plasma and magnetic field has been used for different applications, especially due to considerable synergistic in biological media reactivity. In the present paper, using a 420 mT N42 magnet, the effect of the perpendicular external static magnetic field (SMF) on the cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) characteristics, such as electron temperature and density, is investigated based on the optical emission spectroscopy, utilizing the Boltzmann plot method, Saha-Boltzmann equation, and Specair software simulation. Results showed that the rotational and electronic excitational temperatures experienced 100 K and 550 K increases in the presence of SMF, respectively. In contrast, the vibrational and translational temperatures remained constant. Moreover, electron temperature was estimated as 1.04 eV in the absence of SMF and increased up to 1.24 eV in the presence of SMF. In addition, the Saha-Boltzmann equation illustrated that the electron density increased in the presence of the additional SMF. The results of the present study indicated that the magnetic field could be an assistant to the cold plasma effect, beneficial in medical applications due to modifications in plasma temperature and electron density.

AbstractIn this article, we consider an iterated functions system (IFS) whose functions are homeomorphisms on an annulus. We define rotational spanning and separating sets for the IFS and then provide two definitions for the rotational entropy of the IFS. We show that in the IFSs, the rotational entropy is a topological invariant. We prove that the rotational entropy of an annular IFS is equal to the rotational entropy on its non-wandering set for sequences of functions with a specific condition.

ABSTRACTCompanies recently have increased the focus on performing social responsibilities. Charitable aids are one dimension of corporate social responsibility. In this regard, following the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran, private sectors (PSs) offer some assistance in wider and coherent cooperation. Therefore, PSs’ association created a campaign, where donations were allocated based on the need priorities. The campaign revived the missing link between the public and the private sectors and the NGOs (non-Governmental Organisations), and forward to achieving the goals of sustainable development.

The wide spectrum of COVID-19 symptoms, ranging from mild manifestations to severe pulmonary damage and mortality, prompted this study to investigate the relationship between clinical symptoms and complement system (CS) activation in COVID-19 patients.

Nanotechnology has a vital role in vaccine development. Nano-adjuvants, as robust delivery systems, could stimulate immune responses. Using nanoparticles (NPs) in vaccine formulations enhances the target delivery, immunogenicity, and stability of the antigens. Herein, silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNPs) were used as a nano-adjuvant for delivering recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). HBsAg was loaded physically and chemically on the surface of SFNPs. The HBsAg-loaded SFNPs had a spherical morphology. The in vitrorelease studies showed that HBsAg had a continuous and slow release from SFNPs during 56 days. During this time, ∼45.6% and 34.1% HBsAg was released from physical-SFNPs and chemical-SFNPs, respectively. HBsAg-loaded SFNPs were also stable for six months with slight changes in the size, surface charge, and morphology. The results of circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that the released HBsAg preserved the native secondary and tertiary structures. The quantitative cellular uptake study also showed that physical-SFNPs were taken up more into J774A.1 macrophage cells than chemical-SFNPs. After 28 and 56 days post-injection, the immunogenicity studies showed that the specific total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a levels against HBsAg were significantly higher in the physically loaded group than in the chemically loaded group and commercial hepatitis B vaccine. IgG2a levels were detected only in mice immunized with physical-SFNPs. However, the low levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ were produced in all vaccinated groups and differences in mean values were not significant compared with control groups. Results indicated an improvement in the levels of anti-HBsAg IgG in mice immunized with the physical-SFNPs group compared to other groups.

In this study, the silk fibroin nanoparticle (SFNP) was used as a nanoadjuvant in combination with a multiepitope-based vaccine for urinary tract infection (UTI). Nanoparticles containing the fusion protein were analyzed for physicochemical properties, toxicity, release profile, and in vivo potency. The synthesized nanovaccine showed a spherical shape with a mean particle size of 180 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 88%. Antigen release from SFNPs was 18% after 42 days. The SFNPs showed a zeta potential of −29 mV and had no toxic effect on the L929 cells in vitro. SFNPs in the vaccine formulations promoted humoral and cellular (IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17) immune responses in comparison to controls. Immunization of mice with antigen-encapsulated SFNPs significantly increased the total IgG as well as IgG2a/IgG1 ratio. In addition, this formulation triggered concurrently type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) immune responses, with a Th1-polarized response. Furthermore, highly effective protection of the bladder and kidney against experimental UTI was obtained by using the nanoadjuvant containing the antigen for 6 months. The results demonstrated that SFNPs can be proposed as potent adjuvants or vaccine carriers to develop new and more effective nanovaccine formulations in the future.

In this paper, the characteristics of laser-induced plasmas are studied by investigation of the spectral line features in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) experiments. The plasma is produced by focusing of a Nd:YAG laser on standard Al-alloy samples at 30 mJ energy. Here, with the assumption of having a homogenous plasma and by using a semiemperical technical method, the plasma temperature is calculated by the proposal of a new two-lines method. Moreover, by utilizing some theoretical equations, the plasma parameters and the self-absorption magnitude are evaluated according to the radiative transfer equations in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions. The main advantages of this method are that without discrimination between thin plasmas and thick ones, and as well as without straight quantification of the degree of self-absorption, the plasma temperature can be calculated. The results showed that determination of the intensities of the spectral lines, transition parameters, and Stark broadening parameter is adequate for plasma characterization in a typical LIBS experiment.

ABSTRACTHealth professionals respond to biohazards according to international guidelines. However, concerns over the applicability of guidelines do exist since local conditions, as well as cultural traits of communities, tend to differ. Community-Based Health Organisations (CBHOs) are gatekeepers of communities whose roles and responsibilities have been assessed in this study to learn how they can assist health systems in times of biohazards. We conducted a content analysis among directors of CBHOs and disaster authorities. The participants read a hypothetical scenario, followed by a semi-structured interview. The results showed that more investments should be made to improve the functional roles of CBHOs during biological hazards by filling capacity gaps and take advantage of existing capabilities. Therefore, communities need to direct their efforts in the context of social capitals and leading strategies. As long as the state’ policies and strategies limit the power of communities, the CBHOs will experience social exclusion and equality.

In this paper, the three different motions of a helicopter blade are studied by the laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) technique. Consequently, a calculation is performed by utilizing the Simulink simulation of Matlab software. All noises, including optical, electrical circuit, and experimental environment noises, are considered. Furthermore, the temporal and frequency behavior of the final signal are illustrated for uniform rotation of the helicopter blade. The results demonstrate that there is acceptable agreement between the frequencies calculated by the theoretical, simulation, and experimental analyses, which shows the capability of LDV in measurement of helicopter main rotor angular velocity.

Hospitals play a critical role in providing communities with essential medical care during disasters. In this article, the key components and recommended actions of WHO (World Health Organization) Hospital emergency response checklist have been considered to identify current practices in disaster/emergency hospital preparedness in actual or potential incidents. Articles were obtained through bibliographic databases, including ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SID: Scientific information database. Keywords were “Disaster,” “Preparedness,” “Emergency Preparedness,” “Disaster Planning,” “Mass Casualty Incidents,” “Hospital Emergency Preparedness,” “Health Emergency Preparedness,” “Preparedness Response,” and “Emergency Readiness.” Independent reviewers (F.R. and M.H.Y.) screened abstracts and titles for eligibility. STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) checklist was used to qualifying the studies for this review. Of 1545 identified studies, 26 articles were implied inclusion criteria. They accounted for nine key components and 92 recommended actions. The majority of principles that had been rigorously recommended at any level of the hospital emergency preparedness were command and control and post-disaster recovery. Surge capacity was considered less frequently. We recommend considering the proposed disaster categories by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). In this framework, different weights for nine components can be considered based on disaster categories. Thus, a more valid and reliable preparedness checklist could be developed.

Background: Hospitals play a critical role in providing communities with essential medical care during disasters.Objectives: In this article, the key components and recommended actions of WHO (World Health Organization) Hospital emergency response checklist have been considered to identify current practices in disaster/emergency hospital preparedness in actual or potential incidents.Methods: Articles were obtained through bibliographic databases, including ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SID: Scientific information database. Keywords were “Disaster,” “Preparedness,” “Emergency Preparedness,” “Disaster Planning,” “Mass Casualty Incidents,” “Hospital Emergency Preparedness,” “Health Emergency Preparedness,” “Preparedness Response,” and “Emergency Readiness.” Independent reviewers (F.R. and M.H.Y.) screened abstracts and titles for eligibility. STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) checklist was used to qualifying the studies for this review.Results: Of 1545 identified studies, 26 articles were implied inclusion criteria. They accounted for nine key components and 92 recommended actions. The majority of principles that had been rigorously recommended at any level of the hospital emergency preparedness were command and control and post-disaster recovery. Surge capacity was considered less frequently.Conclusion: We recommend considering the proposed disaster categories by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). In this framework, different weights for nine components can be considered based on disaster categories. Thus, a more valid and reliable preparedness checklist could be developed.

One of the main challenges of using biomaterials for inducing bone regeneration is the bacterial resistance before complete bone repair. Biomaterials with both antibacterial and bone regeneration properties are more promising for bone repair. In the present study, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was loaded on silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNPs) and then embedded in silk scaffold containing vancomycin to form a dual drug release system. The chemical and physical properties of the fabricated structure were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, and ζ-potential analysis. The size of spherical SFNPs was ∼92 nm. The release kinetics of vancomycin and VEGF showed that ∼99.56% of vancomycin and ∼14% of VEGF were released during 21 and 28 days, respectively. The bioactivity of VEGF was ∼75%. Disk diffusion test confirmed the ability of this drug delivery system against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA). Moreover, expression of the endothelial markers (FLK-1, vWF, and VE-cadherin), alkaline phosphatase, and matrix mineral production were higher in VEGF loaded groups. Taken together, the results indicated that the fabricated codelivery system was able to simultaneously deliver antibiotic and angiogenic factor, which can be considered as a potential candidate for the treatment of contaminated bone injuries.

There are a few studies evaluating the predictive value of Framingham risk score (FRS) for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment in patients with metabolic syndrome in Iran. Because of the emerging high prevalence of CVD among Iranian population, it is important to predict its risk among populations with potential predictive tools. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to evaluate the FRS and its determinants in patients with metabolic syndrome. In the current cross-sectional study, 160 patients with metabolic syndrome diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria were enrolled. The FRS was calculated using a computer program by a previously suggested algorithm. Totally, 77.5, 16.3, and 6.3% of patients with metabolic syndrome were at low, intermediate, and high risk of CVD according to FRS categorization. The highest prevalence of all of metabolic syndrome components were in low CVD risk according to the FRS grouping (P< 0.05), while the lowest prevalence of these components was in high CVD risk group (P< 0.05). According to multiple logistic regression analysis, high systolic blood pressure (SBP) and fasting serum glucose (FSG) were potent determinants of intermediate and high risk CVD risk of FRS scoring compared with low risk group (P< 0.05). In the current study, significant associations between components of metabolic syndrome and different FRS categorization among patients with metabolic syndrome were identified. High SBP and FSG were associated with meaningfully increased risk of CVD compared with other parameters. The study is not a trial; the registration number is not applicable.

AbstractObjectiveSurge capacity is one of the most important components of hospital preparedness for responding to emergencies and disasters. The ability to provide health and medical care during a sudden increase in the number of patients or victims of disasters is a main concern of hospitals. We aimed to perform a systematic review of hospital surge capacity in emergencies and disasters with a preparedness approach.MethodsA systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The key words “surge,” “surge capacity,” “preparedness,” “hospital emergency department,” “hospital,” “surge capability,” “emergency,” “hazard,” “disaster,” “catastrophe,” “crisis,” and “tragedy” were used in combination with the Boolean operators OR and AND. The Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, Pro Quest, and Wiley databases were searched.ResultsA total of 1008 articles were extracted and 17 articles were selected for final review of surge capacity based on the objective of the study. Seventeen studies (1 randomized controlled trial, 2 qualitative studies, and 14 cross-sectional studies) investigated the surge capacity of hospitals in emergencies and disasters to evaluate the best evidence to date. The results of selected articles indicated that there are various ways to increase the capacity of hospitals in 4 domains: staff, stuff, structure, and system.ConclusionSurge capacity is a basic element of disaster preparedness programs. Results of the current study could help health field managers in hospitals to prepare for capacity-building based on surge capacity components to improve and promote hospital preparedness programs. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:612–620)

Responding to numerous requests of mobile users and maintaining the quality of service is one of the important challenges in designing and implementing future vehicular networks. One of the solutions to reduce network traffic is caching on the radio access network and close to users. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the mobility of users on caching performance and propose novel mobility-aware schemes to turn the mobility challenge into an opportunity to reduce latency. We study vehicular networks with Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G deployment in which a mobile user (MU) can access the 5G Next Generation NodeB (gNB) stations with caching capability in addition to accessing the 4G Evolved NodeB (eNB) stations. We provide an analytical framework and present a closed-form expression of the average end-to-end data transfer time in cache-enabled vehicular networks with NSA 5G deployment, considering users' mobility and the stochastic arrival of user requests. We study various caching schemes and propose novel mobility-aware caching schemes. Using the map-based mobility patterns of various vehicles including cars and buses and also pedestrians, it is shown that the proposed mobility-aware schemes improve the performance of mobile networks in terms of latency.

The present inquiry set to assess the relationship between snack consumption and meal skipping in Iranian children and adolescents. Overall, 14,880 students, aged 6–18 years, were selected via multistage cluster sampling method from rural and urban areas of 30 provinces of Iran. A validated questionnaire of food behaviors including questions on snacks consumption and taking/skipping meals was completed. Consuming and skipping meals and their related factors were reported in both crude and adjusted models. Overall, 13,486 students with a mean age of 12.47 ± 3.36 years completed the study (90.6% participation rate). Among them, 32.08, 8.89, and 10.90% skipped breakfast, lunch, and dinner, respectively. Compared to their counterpart groups, the frequency of meal skipping was higher in girls, urban inhabitants, and students in higher school grades (P< 0.05). Snack consumption was associated with an increased odds ratio of meal skipping in many types of snack groups. Meal skipping and snack consumption were frequent among Iranian children and adolescents. Evidence based interventions are proposed to improve the students’ eating habits.

AbstractDimethyl amino ethyl azide (DMAZ) is a non-carcinogenic liquid fuel in space programs. Low concentrations of DMAZ should be separated from dilute aqueous solution to prevent the environmental pollution. Activated carbon, prepared from walnut shell through zinc chloride activation, was characterized and assessed to remove DMAZ from dilute aqueous solutions. At initial concentration of 500 ppm of DMAZ, the optimum conditions were obtained as pH 10, agitation speed of 100 rpm, and adsorbent dosage of 0.29 g. Under the optimized conditions, the removal percentage was obtained as 85.95%. Adsorption data for DMAZ uptake by the activated carbon was analyzed according to Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) adsorption models. The results indicated that the Freundlich model agreed well with the isotherm data. Among the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and intraparticle diffusion kinetic models, the kinetic process can be described by a pseudo-second-order rate equation very well. It was found that the activated carbon prepared from walnut shell could be considered as an appropriate adsorbent for DMAZ in dilute aqueous solution.

Dimethyl amino ethyl azide (DMAZ) is a non-carcinogenic liquid fuel in space programs. Low concentrations of DMAZ should be separated from dilute aqueous solution to prevent the environmental pollution. Activated carbon, prepared from walnut shell through zinc chloride activation, was characterized and assessed to remove DMAZ from dilute aqueous solutions. At initial concentration of 500 ppm of DMAZ, the optimum conditions were obtained as pH 10, agitation speed of 100 rpm, and adsorbent dosage of 0.29 g. Under the optimized conditions, the removal percentage was obtained as 85.95%. Adsorption data for DMAZ uptake by the activated carbon was analyzed according to Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) adsorption models. The results indicated that the Freundlich model agreed well with the isotherm data. Among the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and intraparticle diffusion kinetic models, the kinetic process can be described by a pseudo-second-order rate equation very well. It was found that the activated carbon prepared from walnut shell could be considered as an appropriate adsorbent for DMAZ in dilute aqueous solution.

In this study drug (paclitaxel)-loaded nanoparticles of poly hydroxybutyrate-polyethylene glycol-folic acid (PHB-PEG-FOL) were prepared by using an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion-solvent evaporation method. The functionalization and conjugation steps in the chemical synthesis were confirmed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance tests (1H NMR). Morphology of nanoparticles was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nanoparticles were characterized by particle size analyzer. Between two samples containing drug, the lower doses showed more homogeneous distribution, and the lowest aggregation. The drug release profiles showed a two-phase release including initial rapid release and a continuous release. MG63 cells were used to evaluate cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity of PHB-PEG-FOL nanoparticles with drug against cancer cells was much higher and longer than free drug sample. These nanoparticles were successfully synthesized as a novel system for targeted drug delivery against cancer cells.

Supramolecular solvent microextraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography based on a new strategy for phase separation was developed for determination of ethinyl estradiol in water samples. Ethinyl estradiol was extracted from 10 mL of a water sample into a supramolecular solvent, a nanostructured solvent, which was formed in situfrom reverse micelles of a biosurfactant in a THF–water solution. After extraction, the supramolecular solvent was retained in an inline filter and was separated from the aqueous solution and then, it was eluted and transferred to an HPLC column. Experimental design and response surface methodology (RSM) were used for optimization of different parameters that influence the extraction efficiency of the method. Under optimal conditions, ethinyl estradiol was effectively extracted and a preconcentration factor of 237 was obtained. The calibration curve was investigated in the concentration range of 0.1–200 μg L−1and good linearity was achieved with a coefficient of determination better than 0.995. A detection limit of 0.1 μg L−1and suitable precision with RSD = 5.1% (n= 3) were obtained. Finally, the proposed method was applied to determine the concentrations of ethinyl estradiol in different water samples and provided acceptable recoveries.

A 46-year-old male patient referred to Department of Oral Medicine, with the primary chief complaint of a painless swelling in the right side of mandibular. A panoramic radiograph revealed a well-defined, multilocular radiolucent bony lesion with thin and straight septa in the right side of mandible extending from distal of canine to mesial of third molar. Histological examination showed a solid proliferation of atypical plasmacytoid cells, which was indicative of plasmacytoma. A systemic workup for the final diagnosis was performed to rule out multiple myeloma.