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Aldosterone is a key component of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS). The RAAS could play a substantial role in the pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Moreover, the dynamics of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis may have changed in COVID-19. Cortisol, as an important factor in assessing immune system activity, is an important part of this axis. The present study compared the serum levels of aldosterone and cortisol in COVID-19 outpatients with those of potentially non-infected participants. It was also aimed to assess the possible association between serum levels of aldosterone and cortisol with clinical symptoms progression in COVID-19 outpatients. Demographic characteristics (i.e., gender and age) and clinical data (i.e., oxygen saturation [SPO2], respiratory rate [RR], and heart rate) were collected. Serum cortisol and aldosterone measurements were conducted using the ELISA technique. Clinical symptoms of the positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) group were followed up on for 28 days in weekly intervals. SPO2 was significantly lower in the positive PCR group; however, the RR was significantly higher (P=0.03 and P=0.001, respectively). Significantly higher levels of aldosterone were found in males of the negative PCR group, compared to females (P=0.05). Cortisol (OR=0.937, P=0.033) and aldosterone (OR=1.005, P=0.020) levels had a decreasing and increasing effect on the chances of respiratory symptoms occurring over time, respectively. Furthermore, over time, women were twice as likely as men to develop neurologic symptoms (OR=0.530, P=0.015). According to the findings of this study, cortisol and aldosterone are associated with the chance of respiratory symptoms occurring over time. However, the levels of these two markers do not seem to be related to the progression of clinical symptoms of lower grades of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Phosphorus is an essential and limiting nutrient for all living organisms. Although phosphorus is a finite resource on earth, it is usually wasted today. Precipitation of struvite from waste residues is mainly carried out to recover phosphorus. This study aimed to investigate the percentage of phosphorous recovery from sewage sludge in the presence of grape-biochar via the formation of biochar/struvite precipitates. METHODS: Different amounts of grape-biochar were applied to recover nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, and magnesium) from sewage sludge via the formation of struvite by digestion of sewage sludge with H2SO4 and the molar ratio of magnesium/ammonium/phosphorus in 2:1:1 at pH=8.5. Solubility and release properties of the precipitates were determined and the equations, such as first-order, parabolic diffusion, power function, and simple Elovich models, were fitted to the kinetic data. FINDINGS: The phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge increased by application of grape biochar in the precipitation system, and the accumulation release of nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, and magnesium) from samples increased in the presence of grape biochar, especially in high amounts. Increasing the remove and recovery of phosphorus from sewage sludge by application of grape-biochar decreased the incidence of eutrophication, as an environmental dilemma, and provided the requirement for phosphorus-fertilizers by solid waste management. The solubility of the samples was 0.5 mole per liter hydrochloric acid > in 20 gram per liter citric acid > water. The results showed that the phosphorus - cumulative - release of composites in water good fitted the parabolic kinetic model (R²=0.97-0.99), whereas it followed the simple Elovich model (R²=0.86-0.92) in 0.5 mole per liter hydrochloric acid and first-order kinetics model (R²=0.76-0.92) in 20 gram per liter critic acid. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the presence of grape-biochar for recovery of phosphorus from sludge as struvite had a good potential for increasing the release of nutrients for the formation of struvite, and these precipitates had a high potential to be used as a slow-release phosphorus-fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Hemiscorpius lepturus is the main deadliest species responsible for scorpionstings in Khuzestan province, SW of Iran. Toxins vary according to species and consist of a mixture of proteins and other substances and toxicity depends on time and other factors. This study was carried out in the two regions of Khuzestan province incuding : Ahvaz with a plain area and Baghmalek as a mountainous. The results showed there were some significant betweenH.leptourus collected from two areas from point of morphometric. Therefore, it is concluded there should be at least two sub-species regarding the current specie in this province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies multi-objective no-wait flowshop scheduling problems to minimise both makespan and total tardiness. This problem is commonly denoted by . This article mathematically formulates the problem using two effective multi-objective mixed integer linear programming models. The multi-objective mathematical models are then solved by a multiple criteria decision making approach, called Fuzzy programming method. Moreover, the article proposes a novel multi-objective iterated local search algorithm incorporating three types of local search engine: greedy, moderate and curtailed fashions. The algorithm is carefully evaluated for its performance against two available algorithms by means of multi-objective performance measures and statistical tools. The results show that the proposed solution method outperforms the others. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: We present the results of a systematic pore‐scale experimental investigation of two‐phase oil/brine flow through a miniature water‐wet, fractured sandstone core sample. X‐ray microtomography is employed to generate three‐dimensional fluid occupancy maps within a rough‐walled fracture and its neighboring rock matrix during drainage and imbibition flow experiments. Several different imbibition flow conditions were created by changing brine flow rate, fracture aperture field, and interfacial tension between the fluids. These maps along with steady‐state pressure drop data are then used to shed light on the dominant flow mechanisms and preferential flow paths through the matrix and fracture domains as well as fluid transfer between them during the imbibition processes. Depending on the fracture aperture properties and the magnitude of the local capillary pressures that are established under varying flow conditions, transport of the wetting phase across the hybrid matrix‐fracture medium is governed by flow through wetting layers of brine on fracture walls (fracture layer flow), center of the fracture (fracture bulk flow), and brine‐filled pores within the matrix. The hydraulic conductivity through these conduits is regulated by the medium as it identifies a combined flow path with minimum pressure drop from the inlet to the outlet of the system. The resulting balance determines the magnitude of fluid transfer experienced by the neighboring matrix and ultimate oil recovery as a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree of salt precipitation and its impact on fluid flow in ultratight porous media are investigated in three preserved core plugs selected from two different wells in an unconventional hydrocarbon reservoir. Small specimens are cut from the core plugs and then imaged using a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) to detect any salt precipitation in the pore space. The SEM results show that salt covers the pore walls and either partially or fully blocks pore elements, making some parts of the pore space inaccessible to flow. To examine the effect of salt removal on fluid flow, one of the core plugs is subjected to a cleaning process. The plug is initially saturated with methanol, and then methanol is continuously injected into the sample while the effluent is periodically titrated using silver nitrate to monitor salt removal. The variation of the salinity of the methanol effluent with time, the decrease in the pressure drop across the core, and the increased permeability to methanol indicated the effectiveness of the cleaning process. The successful removal of salt from the sample prompts the adoption of a new workflow for preparing tight rock samples for laboratory experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of micro-scale core-flooding experiments were performed on reservoir core samples at elevated temperature and pressure conditions to develop better insights into wettability alteration and pore-scale displacement mechanisms taking place during low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF). Two individual miniature core samples were cut from a preserved reservoir whole core, saturated to establish initial reservoir fluid saturation conditions, and subsequently waterflooded with low-salinity and high-salinity brines. A third miniature sister core sample was also cut, solvent-cleaned, and subjected to a dynamic wettability restoration process (to reestablish native state wettability) and then a low-salinity waterflood. All samples were imaged during the experiments using a micro-CT scanner to obtain fluid occupancy maps and measure in situ oil-water contact angles. The results of the experiments performed on the preserved core samples show a significantly improved performance of low-salinity waterflooding compared to that of high-salinity waterflooding (HSWF). Pore-scale contact angle measurements provide direct evidence of wettability alteration from weakly oil-wet toward weakly water-wet conditions during LSWF, whereas contact angles measured during HSWF remain unchanged. We believe that the reduction in oil-water contact angles toward increased water-wetness lowers the threshold water pressure needed to displace oil from some medium-sized pore elements. Contact angles measured during the dynamic wettability restoration process show an equilibrium wettability state very similar to the initial one observed in the preserved samples. This indicates that drilling fluid contaminants had a negligible effect on the reservoir rock wettability. The experimental results also reveal similarities between saturation trends for the preserved-LSWF and restored-LSWF tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary trapping is a physical mechanism by which carbon dioxide ( CO2) is naturally immobilized in the pore spaces of aquifer rocks during geologic carbon sequestration operations, and thus a key aspect of estimating geologic storage potential. Here, we studied capillary trapping of supercritical carbon dioxide (sc CO2), and the effect of initial sc CO2 saturation and flow rate on the storage/trapping potential of Berea sandstone. We performed two-phase, sc CO2-brine displacements in two samples, each subject to four sequential drainage-imbibition core-flooding cycles to quantify end-point saturations of sc CO2 with the aid of micro- and macro-computed tomography imaging. From these experiments, we found that between 51% and 75% of the initial CO2 injected can be left behind after the brine injection. We also observed that the initial sc CO2 saturation influenced the residual sc CO2 saturation to a greater extent than the rate of brine injection under the experimental conditions examined. In spite of differences in the experimental conditions tested, as well as those reported in the literature, initial and residual saturations were found to follow a consistent relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effect of different saturation histories relevant to various oil displacement processes (including secondary and tertiary gas injections) on three-phase gas/oil/brine relative permeabilities of water-wet sandstone. It is found that three-phase water (wetting phase) relative permeability is primarily a function of water saturation and shows no dependency upon saturation history. Three-phase gas (nonwetting phase) relative permeability is also a function of gas saturation as well as the direction of gas saturation change. Three-phase relative permeability to oil (intermediate-wetting phase) appears to depend on all phase saturations, and saturation history have no significant impact on it. Three-phase oil relative permeability shows weak sensitivity to initial oil saturation prior to gas injection. The functional forms of oil relative permeability with saturation, particularly at low oil saturations, are also examined. It is observed that, at high oil saturations where networks of oil-filled elements govern oil flow, oil relative permeability exhibits a quartic form with oil saturation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Scopolamine-induced state-dependent learning. [•] Intra-CA1 injection of SKF38393 reversed the amnesia induced by scopolamine. [•] Intra-CA1 injection of SCH23390 inhibited scopolamine state-dependent memory. [•] Ineffective dose of scopolamine blocked improving effect of SKF38393 on memory. [•] SCH23390 prevented improving effect of SKF38393 on scopolamine amnesia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims Needs assessment is one of the most controversial concepts in the field of social services, education and training and curriculum planning. This study aimed to assess and prioritization the needs of first aid trainer's of West Azarbaijan Red Crescent Society in the viewpoint of experts, educational managers and trainers. Methods This survey- descriptive research was performed in experts, educational managers and trainers of West Azarbaijan Red Crescent Society in 2010. 189 individuals were selected by simple randomly sampling method. Data were gathered by a questionnaire with 30 questions about educational needs of first aid trainers. Friedman and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for data analyses by using SPSS 14 statistical software. Results There was a significant difference between the needs prioritization of trainers and educational managers (p=0.001). The most important need was "holding non-attendance courses by sending selftraining books and supplies" in trainers' viewpoint and "Familiarity with the methods and techniques of teaching and class managing" in managers' viewpoint. All over, the difference between two groups was high in needs prioritization. Conclusion Although the trainers and educational managers of Red Crescent Society have serious differences in needs prioritization, but both groups recognize "holding retraing courses and providing the latest cases of teaching first aid during the year" the most and "Familiarity with bone and joint injuries" the least needs in educational field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drugs of abuse such as nicotine and morphine produce their effects through the stimulation of the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of pre-test injection of nicotine on morphine state-dependent learning as well as the effect of intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) administration of D1 receptor antagonist on nicotine's effects in morphine state-dependent learning model. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed on 200 male rats. Rats were anesthetized with intra-peritoneal injection of ketamine hydrochloride plus xylazine and then placed in a stereotaxic frame. Two stainless-steel cannuale were placed in the NAc shell. The behavioral testing was started using an inhibitory avoidance task and afterwards the stepthrough latency of entering into the dark compartment was measured as a criterion for the assessment of memory. Results: Post-training injection of morphine induced amnesia. The post-training morphine-induced amnesia was restored by pre-test administration of the same doses of morphine and also nicotine. Moreover, the pre-test intra-NAc injection of SCH23390 prevented the nicotine reversal of morphine effect on memory. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the dopamine D1 receptor of the NAc may play an important role in improving the effect of nicotine on morphine-induced amnesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cannabinoids exert widespread effects on cognitive functions. An overlappeddistribution of GABA receptors and cannabinoid receptors has been reported in some brainstructures (e.g. dorsal hippocampus). Thus, the present study was undertaken to examine the possible role of the dorsal hippocampus GABAA receptors on ACPA induced amnesia and ACPA state-dependent memory. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 250 adult male NMRI mice. Muscimol and ACPA were used as agonists of GABAA and the cannabinoid CB1 receptors, respectively. Mice were anaesthetized and cannulae were implanted bilaterally into the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus. Seven days after post-surgery recovery, the behavioral testing was performed using an inhibitory avoidance task and the step-down latency of the animals was used to assess memory retention. Results: Post-training administration of ACPA (3ng/mouse) impaired the memory retrieval. The memory impairment induced by ACPA was fully reversed by pre-test administration of ACPA or muscimol. Conclusion: The results suggest that the GABAA receptors of the dorsal hippocampal may play an important role in ACPA-induced amnesia and ACPA state-dependent memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present study, the possible involvement of nitric oxide (NO) systems in the dorsal hippocampus in nicotine’s effect on ethanol-induced amnesia and ethanol state-dependent memory was investigated. Adult male mice were cannulated in the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus and trained on a passive avoidance learning task for memory assessment. We found that pre-training intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of ethanol (1g/kg) decreased inhibitory avoidance memory when tested 24h later. The response induced by pre-training ethanol was significantly reversed by pre-test administration of the drug. Similar to ethanol, pre-test administration of nicotine (0.4 and 0.8μg/mouse, intra-CA1) alone and nicotine (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8μg/mouse) plus an ineffective dose of ethanol also significantly reversed the amnesia induced by ethanol. Ethanol amnesia was also prevented by pre-test administration of l-arginine (1.2μg/mouse, intra-CA1), a NO precursor. Interestingly, an ineffective dose of nicotine (0.2μg/mouse) in combination with a low dose of l-arginine (0.8μg/mouse) synergistically improved memory performance impaired by ethanol given before training. In contrast, pre-test intra-CA1 microinjection of L-NAME (NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor (0.4 and 0.8μg/mouse), which reduced memory retrieval in inhibitory avoidance task by itself, in combination with an effective dose of nicotine (0.4μg/mouse) prevented the improving effect of nicotine on memory impaired by pre-training ethanol. Moreover, intra-CA1 microinjection of L-NAME reversed the l-arginine-induced potentiation of the nicotine response. The results suggest the importance of NO system(s) in the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus for improving the effect of nicotine on the ethanol-induced amnesia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of endurance, resistance and concurrent training on the heart structure. Thirty-nine untrained female students (mean age 24±2.58 yrs) were randomly divided into four groups: Control (C; n=9), Endurance (E; n=10), Strength (S; n=10) and Concurrent (SE; n=10).E group training consisted of running at 65% of maximum heart rate (MHR) for 16 min per training unit during the first week, reaching 80% of MHR for 30 min during the 8th week. S group training consisted of performing four leg presses, bench presses, pull down curls, and leg curls. During the first week, the training was performed at 50% of one repetition maximum (1RM) in 2 sets with 10 repetitions. The intensity of training increased to 80% 1RM in 3 sets and 6 repetitions during the 8th week. The SE training included the sum of the training performed by the E and S training groups. Left ventricular end diastolic and systolic diameters, post-wall thickness, left ventricular mass and mass index and septum wall thickness were measured by m-mode and 2-D echocardiography as the structural parameters. The end diastolic diameter in E and SE groups, the ventricular end systolic diameter, left ventricular mass and mass index of the SE group after the training increased (P≤0.05). In comparing the groups, only the increase of the end diastolic diameter in the SE group was significant (P≤0.05). The 8 weeks of concurrent training compared with endurance or resistance training alone resulted in a significant increase in left ventricular end diastolic diameter. However, no significant differences were found for any other measured variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to obtain quantitative evidence of pore-scale immiscible fluid distribution in oil-wet and water-wet porous media using X-ray computed microtomography. Temporal and spatial saturation profiles, as well as surface and interfacial areas, are thoroughly analyzed through cycles of drainage and imbibition using samples with different wetting characteristics but similar pore structures. The population of individual immiscible fluid structures ('blobs') was also evaluated. The specific nonwetting phase surface areas of both porous media are found to be in close correlation with the specific solid surface area. On the other hand, the differing wetting strengths of the two porous media affect the curvature of the fluid-fluid interface and thus the specific meniscus interfacial area of the two porous media. Although the magnitude of the specific meniscus interfacial areas is different, they both trend toward a maximum at wetting phase saturations of 0.35-0.55. The differences in wetting characteristics are also apparent in the blob populations. The number of blobs in the oil-wet porous media is three times greater than that of the water-wet porous media at similar saturations; the increase in population is a result of the increase in the amount of smaller blobs inhabiting the smaller pore spaces. The surface areas of individual blobs as a function of the individual blob volumes are found to closely agree with the specific surface area of a sphere at blob volumes below the minimum individual grain volume and with the specific pore space surface area above this volume. These results show how wettability and saturation history influence the distribution of immiscible fluids within the pore space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Studies have revealed the effect of nitric oxide on different types of memory and learning and also the interaction between the nicotinic system and opioids. In the present study, the effect of pre-test injection of nicotine on morphine state dependent learning and the effect of intra-NA administration of the nitric oxide on nicotine's effects in morphine statedependent learning were investigated. Materials & Methods: This experimental study was performed on 230 Wistar rats. Rats were anesthetized and then placed in a stereotaxic apparatus. Two cannulas were placed 2 mm above nucleus accumbens hell. A one week gap was considered before beginning of behavioral test. Animals were trained in an inhibitory avoidance task. The drugs were injected after training. The step-through latency was considered as the criterion for the assessment of memory. Data was analyzed by one and two-way variance analysis and Tukey's test using SPSS17. Results: Post-training injection of morphine induced amnesia (p<0.001) and the amnesia restored with pre-test administration of same doses of morphine. Pre-test injection of nicotine had no effect on inhibitory avoidance memory retrieval, but restored the amnesia. Co-administration of ineffective dose of morphine with different doses of nicotine synergically restored morphine amnesia. Pre-test injection of L-arginine that had no effect (p>0.05) prevented the nicotine reversal effect on memory. Conclusion: Nicotinic acetylcholine and nitric oxide system may be involved in morphine state dependent learning. In addition, L-arginine can inhibit the improving effect of nicotine on morphine-induced amnesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present study, the possible involvement of nitric oxide systems in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in nicotine''s effect on morphine-induced amnesia and morphine state-dependent memory in adult male Wistar rats was investigated. Step-through type inhibitory avoidance task was used to test memory retrieval. Post-training administration of morphine (5 and 7.5 mg/kg) induced amnesia. The response induced by post-training morphine was significantly reversed by pre-test administration of the drug. Pre-test injection of nicotine (0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg s.c.) alone and nicotine (0.1, 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg s.c.) plus an ineffective dose of morphine also significantly reversed the amnesia induced by morphine. Morphine amnesia was also prevented by pre-test administration of l-arginine (1 and 3 μg/rat, intra-VTA), a nitric oxide (NO) precursor. Interestingly, an ineffective dose of nicotine (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) in combination with low dose of l-arginine (0.3 μg/rat, intra-VTA) synergistically improved memory performance impaired by morphine given after training. In contrast, pre-test administration of NG nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor (2 μg/rat, intra-VTA) prevented the nicotine reversal of morphine effect on memory. The results suggest a possible role for nitric oxide of ventral tegmental area in the improving effect of nicotine on the morphine-induced amnesia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poor seed germination is a common phenomenon at suboptimal temperatures. Several priming treatments have been reported to enhance germination percentage under low-temperature sowings in various crop seeds. In this study, seed priming was carried out with KNO3, K2HPO4, and NaCl in concentrations of 0%, 1%, 2.5%, and 5% w/v and subsequent germination at incubation temperatures of 15 and 25°C on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L., cv. Super dominos) seed using a completely randomized design with three replications. Results indicated interaction between priming solution material, priming solution concentration, and incubation temperature affecting germination percentage, seedling fresh and dry weights, and seedling root volume. Priming did not benefit germination at 25°C. Priming with K2HPO4 at 15°C had little beneficial effect at higher solution concentrations and was generally less than all other materials at 15°C. When the priming material was KNO3, the control had seedling fresh weight values lower than the 1% and 5% concentrations. At 15°C, over all priming materials, seedling fresh weight, dry weight, and root volume were better than for controls. For K2HPO4 and KNO3 there were no differences in seedling dry weight between temperatures. For all priming materials seedling dry weight was lower at 15°C than at 25°C. It is recommended that KNO3 and NaCl be used as suitable priming material to enhance cucumber seed germination at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a considerable effort has been made to determine the precise displacement criteria for three-fluid configurations in pores of angular cross section. These configurations may contain thick conducting fluid layers, such as oil layers residing between gas in the center and water in the corners of the pore. For pores of uniform, but arbitrary, wettability and in the absence of contact angle hysteresis, a precise thermodynamic criterion for the existence of such layers has been established. In this paper we derive similar criteria for layers in pores of nonuniform wettability, where additional and more complicated layer configurations arise. The criteria for formation and removal of layers are consistent with the capillary entry conditions for the accompanying three-phase bulk displacements, which is essential for accurate pore-scale modeling of three-phase flow. We consider the particular case of three-phase gas invasion in a star-shaped pore with a specific choice of interfacial tensions and contact angles. For this case all possible fluid configurations arise, but only if the water-wet surface in the pore corners is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypothesis: Ethoxylated nonionic surfactants are promising candidates for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from oil-wet carbonate reservoirs due to their ability to reverse the mineral wettability. The wettability-reversal efficiency increases with the number of the ethoxy (EO) groups in the surfactant molecule., Methodology: Contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were combined to investigate the wettability reversal of an oil-wet calcite by three ethoxylated nonionic surfactants with 1, 4 and 8 EO groups, respectively, to directly probe the role of the EO groups and to uncover the molecular mechanism responsible for the wettability reversal., Findings: Both experiments and simulations consistently show a clear correlation between the number of EO groups and the wettability reversal efficiency of the surfactants, whereby the higher number of EO groups results in greater degree of wettability reversal. This is due to 1) the more hydrophilic surfactant headgroup weakening the carboxylate interactions with the surface by expanding the surface-adjacent water layer, and 2) the physically larger surfactant molecule attracting the carboxylates more strongly, thus aiding in their removal from the surface., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the influence of educational interventions on improving the quality of life (QOL) of women suffering from pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting (NVP) as a systematic review., Methods: The current systematic review followed the standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist guideline. The English electronic databases were used to identify relevant studies published 2000 until 14 August 2023. The search strategies employed were based on Mesh browser keywords and free-text words. The study risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias tools and publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and Begg and Egger tests. The heterogeneity of the studies was evaluated using I 2 and tau-squared tests. Data were analyzed using the RevMan 5 software. Results of the random-effects meta-analysis were presented using the standard mean difference, along with a 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: Out of the seven randomized clinical/control trial (RCT) studies with a total of 946 subjects included in the review, five studies reported a significant result, indicating that the interventions had a statistically significant effect on the QOL of women suffering NVP and in two studies did not have a significant result. A subgroup analysis was done based on the type of quality-of-life measurements. The pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) of four articles (Nausea and Vomiting Pregnancy Quality of Life, NVPQOL) with a total of 335 subjects was -2.91, and CI of -4.72 to -1.11, p value = .002, I 2  = 97.2%. The pooled SMD of three articles (SF36) with a total of 611 subjects was -0.05, and CI of -0.23 to -0.12, p value = .550, I 2  = 10%., Conclusions: The overall results of the analysis indicated that educational intervention had a small positive impact on the QOL of women experiencing NVP. However, to draw a better conclusion, it is recommended to conduct further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods.

The impact of wettability on the confined phase behavior of fluids is paramount for various applications, such as gas storage, carbon dioxide sequestration, and water purification. However, the understanding of the fluid-solid intermolecular interactions in confined systems is still limited and requires further investigation. This work investigates the effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanoporous materials on the adsorption and desorption isotherms of n -butane. The hydrophilic samples in this research are MCM-41 silica powder with two different pore sizes (80 and 100 Å). MCM-41 samples were successfully treated with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) to create hydrophobic adsorbents. Isotherms of n -butane in materials with different wetting states were generated at various temperatures using an upgraded gravimetric apparatus. The results demonstrated that n -butane was adsorbed more onto the hydrophilic MCM-41 materials during the initial adsorption process. The lower affinity between n -butane and the modified MCM-41 samples slightly increased the capillary condensation and evaporation pressures in these materials compared to those in the original ones. However, it is noted that wettability's influence on the confined phase transitions of n -butane was not significant in this study. Interestingly, the hysteresis behavior of the vapor-liquid and liquid-vapor phase transitions due to confinement was independent of the surface's wetting properties. Kelvin's equation for a hemispherical meniscus was adopted to evaluate the capillary evaporation pressures of n -butane in nanopores. The calculated pressures showed agreement with experimental data when appropriate pore size and surface tension values were applied. These findings provide valuable insights into the impacts of surface chemistry and wettability on the phase behavior of hydrocarbon gas in nanoporous media. Furthermore, this study enriches the experimental database on confined fluids, which is essential for developing accurate theoretical and modeling tools for numerous industrial and scientific applications.

The wettability of subsurface minerals is a critical factor influencing the pore-scale displacement of fluids in underground reservoirs. As such, it plays a key role in hydrocarbon production and greenhouse gas geo-sequestration. We present a comprehensive and critical review of the current state of knowledge on the intermolecular forces governing wettability of rock minerals most relevant to subsurface fluid storage and recovery. In this review we first provide a detailed summary of the available data, both experimental and theoretical, from the perspective of the fundamental intermolecular and surface forces, specifically considering the roles played by the surface chemistry, fluid properties, as well as other significant factors. We subsequently offer an analysis of the effects of chemical additives such as surfactants and nanoparticles that have emerged as viable means for manipulating wettability. In each example, we highlight the practical implications for hydrocarbon production and CO 2 geo-storage as two of the most important current applications. As the physico-chemical mechanisms governing the wetting phenomena are the main focus, special emphasis is placed on nano-scale experimental approaches along with atomic-scale modeling that specifically probe the underlying intermolecular and surface forces. Lastly, we discuss the gaps in the current state of knowledge and outline future research directions to further our fundamental understanding of the interactions and their impact on the wetting characteristics of Earth's minerals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

After cryopreservation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) can damage sperm. Antioxidants are the primary defense against oxidative damage. Berberine is a bioactive alkaloid found in Berberis vulgaris, Curcuma longa, and Ergon grape, and is a potent antioxidant. Due to the negative effects of free radicals in oxidative stress processes, antioxidant chemicals are required to protect sperm. However, berberine has low bioavailability, making it less effective. Loading techniques on nanoparticles and nanotechnology can help overcome this limitation. Selenium nanoparticles were synthesized with barberry extract, and berberine was loaded on them. Berberine nanoparticles were then synthesized using anti-solvent precipitation with a syringe pump technique. The synthesis of nanoparticles was confirmed by EDX, UV-visible, FE-SEM, Zeta-Potential, and FTIR tests. In this experiment, we aim to investigate the impact of nano-berberine and berberine loaded on Se-NPs on goat sperm parameters after freeze-thawing. We assessed the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), in vitro fertility, and the subsequent embryo development of zygote with treated sperm after determining the optimal concentration of various chemicals on sperm parameters. The study found that all treatments had significant differences from the control group in terms of motility, viability, DNA and membrane integrity, ROS level, lipid peroxidation, in vitro fertility ability, and the capacity to develop inseminated oocytes (p < 0.05). The most significant outcomes were observed with berberine loaded on Se-NPs and the combination of selenium nanoparticles with berberine nanoparticles., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We investigated the effect of confinement on the phase behavior of hexane in nanopores of mesoporous silica at varying pore diameters and temperatures using a patented gravimetric apparatus. The adsorption and desorption isotherms were experimentally measured, and the capillary condensation and evaporation pressures were calculated from the isotherms. The results show that, for all pore sizes and temperatures utilized here, the confinement of fluids significantly lowers the vapor-liquid phase transition pressures. However, its evaporation, i.e. , liquid-vapor phase transition, occurs at a lower pressure than its capillary condensation counterpart. The experimental findings demonstrate that the confinement effect becomes weaker in wider nanopores due to the reduced solid-fluid interactions in larger spaces. Furthermore, it is evident from isotherms that hexane rapidly approaches a supercritical-like state at high temperatures when confined in smaller pores, resulting in an ambiguous vapor-liquid phase transition. In contrast, this behavior disappears in larger pores at similar temperatures. Moreover, the present study compares the fully gravimetric adsorption method against the thermogravimetric approach. The results show that the fully gravimetric method, which directly measures the mass of the adsorbed or condensed fluids, provides significant advantages over the thermogravimetric counterpart. The findings of this study are expected to be of fundamental interest to a wide range of science and engineering communities concerned about the behavior of heavier hydrocarbons in various industrial applications, and modeling the confined phase behavior of fluids and developing robust equations of state (EOS).

Fundamental understanding of the phase behavior and properties of fluids under confinement is of great significance for multiple fields of engineering and science, as well as for many practical industrial applications. In particular, unconventional geological systems, such as shale reservoirs, possess nanometer-scale pores, which impose nanoconfinement on the fluid molecules. In large pores, the bulk phase behavior of fluids can be modeled by the well-established methods, such as equation of state (EOS) approaches. However, under confinement the thermodynamic properties of fluids deviate significantly from those in the bulk, thus rendering the traditional EOS methods ineffective in predicting the phase behavior of confined fluids. Recently, the PC-SAFT/Laplace EOS has been developed to better represent the fluid phase equilibria in nanopores, which incorporates a new parameter that needs to be determined from experimental data. In this study, a new dataset is presented to reflect the phase properties of propane confined within the MCM-41 pores, with the aim to improve both the general understanding of the phase behavior of hydrocarbons under confinement and to parameterize the PC-SAFT/Laplace EOS for the nanoconfined propane. For this purpose, propane adsorption and desorption isotherms are determined experimentally for a wide range of temperatures (-27 to 20 °C) in MCM-41 of three different pore sizes (nominal pore diameters of 60, 80, and 100 Å). The effects of temperature and pore diameter on the capillary condensation and evaporation pressures are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the adsorption-desorption hysteresis behavior and its progression for different pore sizes were discussed. The experimental data are modeled using the parameterized PC-SAFT/Laplace EOS, which accurately captured the effects of confinement on the capillary condensation of propane in MCM-41. In addition, this study enriches the field of nanoconfinement research by providing a new dataset exemplifying the thermodynamic characteristics of hydrocarbons in nanopores.

Diabetes, a leading cause of death globally, has different types, with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) being the most prevalent one. It has been established that variations in the SLC11A1 gene impact risk of developing infectious, inflammatory, and endocrine disorders. This study is aimed to investigate the association between the SLC11A1 gene polymorphisms (rs3731864 G/A, rs3731865 C/G, and rs17235416 + TGTG/- TGTG) and anthropometric and biochemical parameters describing T2DM. Eight hundred participants (400 in each case and control group) were genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and amplification-refractory mutation system-PCR (ARMS-PCR) methods. Lipid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin A1c level, and anthropometric indices were also recorded for each subject. Findings revealed that SLC11A1-rs3731864 G/A, -rs17235416 (+ TGTG/- TGTG) were associated with T2DM susceptibility, providing protection against the disease. In contrast, SLC11A1-rs3731865 G/C conferred an increased risk of T2DM. We also noticed a significant association between SLC11A1-rs3731864 G/A and triglyceride levels in patients with T2DM. In silico evaluations demonstrated that the SLC11A2 and ATP7A proteins also interact directly with the SLC11A1 protein in Homo sapiens. In addition, allelic substitutions for both intronic variants disrupt or create binding sites for splicing factors and serve a functional effect. Overall, our findings highlighted the role of SLC11A1 gene variations might have positive (rs3731865 G/C) or negative (rs3731864 G/A and rs17235416 + TGTG/- TGTG) associations with a predisposition to T2DM., (© 2023. The Author(s).)