Search

Hydroponic systems are used as an instrument to solve a wide range of environmental concerns such as climate change, drought, and soil fertility. Effective growing media are vital to the hydroponically plant cultivation system. Plant reaction to the growing media treated by magnetic fields, as an innovative technology, should be investigated since the magnetic field can constitute a non-toxic and non-residual stimulus. In the current study, some physiological and biochemical responses (leaf fresh and dry weight, biomass, leaf area, plant height, stem diameter, photosynthesis pigments, carbohydrates, protein, and proline contents and peroxidase activity (POD)) and elemental uptake of hydroponically grown grapevines to the magnetic solutions (with 0.1 and 0.2 T intensities) were evaluated. The solutions were magnetized in two ways: 1) solutions magnetized after preparing (S 0.1 and S 0.2), and 2) salts were added to the pre-magnetized waters (W + S 0.1 and W + S 0.2). The results revealed that magnetic treatments had effect on increasing of leaf elements uptake including N+, P+, K+, Ca2+, Fe2+, and Zn2+. Magnetic treatments also stimulated chlorophyll content, leaf extension, leaf fresh and dry weight, and biomass accumulation. Carbohydrates content and POD were promoted in grapes treated by S 0.1 and W + S 0.1 than control. W + S 0.1 and S 0.2 increased the proline and protein content, respectively. The findings proposed that solution magnetization application could act as an elicitor agent to mimic the stress condition, but at the lesser level resulting in activation of grape physiological and biochemical processes and elemental state through stress-related responses.

Chitosan functionalized (CoFe2O4−CuO) composite nanoparticles were synthesized and then used in fabrication of PES-based nanofiltration membranes. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for the characterization of synthesized nanoparticles. The fabricated membranes were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy, 3D surface images, water contact angle, membrane porosity, pure water flux, salt rejection and fouling resistance consideration. Obtained results revealed that water contact angle was reduced significantly from 65° for the neat membrane to 36° for M5 with 1.0 wt% composite nanoparticles. All modified membranes also showed higher water flux and salt rejection than virgin PES membrane. The highest pure water flux measured 45.2 L/m2h and the highest salt rejection measured 88% for the modified membranes containing of composite nanoparticles. The modified membranes showed outstanding antifouling ability. The flux recovery ratio enhanced from 40% for pristine membrane to 93% for the modified ones with 0.5 wt% of Cs-functionalized (CoFe2O4/CuO) composite nanoparticles.

In this paper, we present a novel laser-induced oxidation procedure for in-situ formation of nickel oxide nanoporous structures directly onto the nickel surface as highly sensitive non-enzymatic gl...

Due to anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D3, we aimed to explore the effects of supplementation with this vitamin on headache characteristics and serum levels of pro/anti-inflammatory markers in migraineurs. This placebo-controlled, double-blind study included 80 episodic migraineurs who randomly assigned into two equal groups to receive either daily dose of vitamin D3 2000 IU (50 μg) or placebo for 12 weeks. At baseline and after the trial, headache characteristics were determined using diaries and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) were assessed via ELISA method. At the end of trial, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for baseline values, and confounders revealed that vitamin D3 supplemented group experienced significantly lower headache days per month (4.71), reduced attacks duration (12.99 h/attack), less severe headaches (5.47, visual analog scale), and lower analgesics use/month (2.85) than placebo group (6.43, 18.32, 6.38 and 4.87, respectively) (P values

Engine performance parameters, including fuel conversion efficiency (FCE), power, torque and specific fuel consumption (SFC), can be affected by variables such as ignition timing (IGT), injection timing (IT) and hydrogen volume fraction (H2%). In this paper an engine fueled with different H2/CNG blend rations from 0 to 50% volume under ignition and injection timing at different speeds were investigated. For model validation, the engine operating conditions were simulated using the AVL fire software and compared with experimental results. The statistical comparison showed that there was no significant difference between them. Also, a support vector machine (SVM) was used to study the engine's behavior according to the variables studied. The SVM model predicted the FCE, power, torque, SFC and CO with error of less than 4%. The Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used to find optimal IGT, IT and H2% values to achieve optimum engine performance. Therefore, the results showed that the optimum engine operating conditions depend on the engine speed. Also, the results showed that independent variables (IT, IGT and H2%) maximize the engine performance and minimize SFC and CO emission. So that the optimum use of hydrogen in this research at different engine speeds was between 20% and 30%.

We are introducing a wireless and passive strain sensing scheme that utilizes ultrasound imaging of a highly stretchable hydrogel embedded with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, named "ZnO-gel". The incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles into a polymer network of the hydrogel improves both its elasticity and strength. It also serves as an ideal biocompatible ultrasound contrast agent that allows remote interrogation of the changes in volume or dimensions of the hydrogel in response to mechanical strains through simple ultrasound imaging. A systematic study of various ratios of ZnO nanoparticle fillers (ranging from 0 to 40% w/w), cross-linked within the poly (DMA

The production and sustainability of grape berries with high quality and health-promoting properties is a major goal. In this regard, nano-engineered materials are being used for improving the quality and marketability of berries. In this study, we investigated the potential role of chitosan–phenylalanine nanocomposites (CS–Phe NCs) in improving the quality of Flame Seedless (Vitis vinifera L.) grape berries, such as titratable acidity (TA), pH, total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid, total phenolics, total flavonoids, anthocyanin, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity. In this context, grape berries collected in two growing seasons (2018–2019) were screened. Regarding the experimental design, the treatments included chitosan at a 0.5% concentration (CS 0.5%), phenylalanine at 5 mM and 10 mM concentrations (Phe 5 mM and Phe 10 mM), and chitosan–phenylalanine nanocomposites (CS–Phe NCs) at 5 mM and 10 mM concentrations. The lowest TA was recorded in grape berries treated with CS–Phe NCs with a 10 mM concentration. However, treatments enhanced with TSS, which reached the highest value with 10 mM of CS–Phe NCs, were reflected as the highest ratio of TSS/TA with 10 mM of CS–Phe NC treatment. Nanocomposites (NCs) also increased pH values in both study years compared to the control. Similarly, the ascorbic acid and total phenolic content increased in response to NP treatment, reaching the highest value with 5 mM and 10 mM of CS–Phe NCs in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The highest flavonoid content was observed with 5 mM of CS–Phe NCs in both study years. In addition, the anthocyanin content increased with 5 and 10 mM of CS–Phe NCs. PAL activity was found to be the highest with 5 mM of CS–Phe NCs in both study years. In addition, in accordance with the increase in PAL activity, increased total phenolics and anthocyanin, and higher DPPH radical scavenging activity of the grapes were recorded with the treatments compared to the control. As deduced from the findings, the coating substantially influenced the metabolic pathway, and the subsequent alterations induced by the treatments were notably appreciated due to there being no adverse impacts perceived.

High levels of soil salinity can cause substantial decline in growth and productivity of crops worldwide, thus representing a major threat to global agriculture. In recent years, engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have been deemed as a promising alternative in combating abiotic stress factors, such as salinity. In this context, the present study was designed to explore the potential of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) in alleviating salt stress in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Flame Seedless) cuttings. Specifically, the interaction between CeO2 NPs (25, 50 and 100 mg L−1) and salinity (25 and 75 mM NaCl) was evaluated by assaying an array of agronomic, physiological, analytical and biochemical parameters. Treatments with CeO2 NPs, in general, alleviated the adverse impacts of salt stress (75 mM NaCl) significantly improving relevant agronomic traits of grapevine. CeO2 NPs significantly ameliorated chlorophyll damage under high levels of salinity. Furthermore, the presence of CeO2 NPs attenuated salinity-induced damages in grapevine as indicated by lower levels of proline, MDA and EL; however, H2O2 content was not ameliorated by the presence of CeO2 NPs under salt stress. Additionally, salinity caused substantial increases in enzymatic activities of GP, APX and SOD, compared with control plants. Similar to stress conditions, all concentrations of CeO2 NPs triggered APX activity, while the highest concentration of CeO2 NPs significantly increased GP activity. However, CeO2 NPs did not significantly modify SOD activity. Considering mineral nutrient profile, salinity increased Na and Cl content as well as Na/K ratio, while it decreased K, P and Ca contents. Nevertheless, the presence of CeO2 NPs did not lead to significant alterations in Na, K and P content of salt-stressed plants. Taken together, current findings suggest that CeO2 NPs could be employed as promising salt-stress alleviating agents in grapevine.

Flow and retention of polymer in porous media result in an unexpected reduction in medium permeability. Our experiment and simulation of polymer retention show that these changes are a direct consequence of pore blockage and diversion of flow through the medium. Despite the complex changes in flow after polymer retention, we introduce a simple scaling for the distribution of pore-level velocities based on the bulk permeability of the medium.

BackgroundOnychomycosis is one of the most common and recurrent dermatological diseases worldwide. The antimycotic activity of prescribed medications varies according to the causative agents, and treatment failure rates exceeding 30%. This study aimed to assess the epidemiological profile of onychomycosis in Iran. Also, the susceptibilities to conventional and new antifungals were investigated.MethodsIn this descriptive cross-sectional study, during the period of 18 months starting from September 2019 until March 2020, 594 nail specimens were obtained from patients who presented nail changes compatible with a clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis. The patients were referred from different cities, including Tehran, Kermanshah, Arak, Kashan, Rasht, Qom, Urmia, Zahedan, Hamadan, Zanjan, Borujerd, Bushehr, and Yazd. All the samples were subjected to microscopic examination and fungal culture. Fungi identified were confirmed through the PCR-sequencing method. The susceptibility to itraconazole, fluconazole, terbinafine, griseofulvin, posaconazole, ravuconazole, efinaconazole, luliconazole, and tavaborole was evaluated according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines, document M38-A2 for filamentous fungi, and document M27-A3 for yeasts.Results594 patients were included. Of these, in 179 cases (30.1%) (95% CI:0.3 ± 0.037) onychomycosis was confirmed. The majority of patients were ≥ 60 years of age (n=58, 32.6%) and female (n=113, 63.1%). Saprophytic fungi accounted for the vast majority of the nail isolates (n=92, 51.4%) (95% CI:0.051 ± 0.0.073), followed by dermatophytes (n=45, 25.1%) (95% CI:0.25 ± 0.063), and yeasts (n=42, 23.5%) (95% CI:0.23 ± 0.061). Diabetes mellitus (77.3%), hypothyroidism (18.2%), and solid tumors (4.5%) were documented as the most prevalent underlying conditions. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed against 60 fungal isolates (20 each of Candida species, saprophytic fungi, and dermatophytes). Efinaconazole, ravuconazole, and luliconazole were the most active agents against Candida species. Also, luliconazole, posaconazole, and efinaconazole were most potent against dermatophytes. Luliconazole had the greatest antifungal activity against saprophytic fungi.ConclusionsThe prevalence of onychomycosis in Iranian patients was relatively high. LUL exhibited potent antifungal activity against the three groups of fungi tested, determining its broad-spectrum antimycotic activity and its probable use as the first-line therapy for onychomycosis.

Background Salinity is an important global problem with destructive impacts on plants leading to different biochemical and metabolic changes in plants through induced oxidative stress that disturbs metabolism, growth, performance and productivity of plants. Given that putrescine (Put) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs), individually, have promising effects in different plant processes, the idea of their combination in a nano-structure “Put-CQD” lead to its synthesis to evaluate the potential exertion of synergistic effects. The current study aimed to investigate the application of newly-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) consisting of CQDs and Put in grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Sultana’) under salinity stress conditions. For this purpose, Put, CQDs and Put-CQD NPs at 5 and 10 mg L− 1 concentrations were applied as chemical priming agents in ‘Sultana’ grapevine 48 h prior salinity stress imposition (0 and 100 mM NaCl). Results Salinity significantly decreased (P ≤ 0.05) morphological parameters, photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and membrane stability index. In addition, salinity enhanced MDA, H2O2, proline content and antioxidant enzyme activity. Results revealed that Put-CQD NPs, particularly at 10 mg L− 1 concentration, alleviated the destructive impacts of salinity stress by improving leaf fresh and dry weights, K+ content, photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence and SPAD parameters, proline content, total phenolics and antioxidant enzymatic activities (CAT, APX, GP and SOD), while decreasing Na+ content, EL, MDA and H2O2 levels. Conclusion To conclude, Put-CQD NPs represent an innovative priming treatment that could be effectively applied on grapevine to improve plant performance under salinity stress conditions.

Magnetic water and solution are produced by passing liquids through a magnetic field with specific strength and flow rate. During this process, water undergoes various changes of physicochemical and electrochemical properties. Phenolic compounds as secondary metabolites are responsible for the quality of plant, antioxidant properties and their potentially beneficial. In this study, we evaluated the effect of magnetic water and solutions on some biochemical parameters of two grapevines cultivars include ‘Rasha’ and ‘Sultana’. Results showed magnetized solutions significantly increased the carbohydrate content and proline accumulation of the grapevine leaves. Concentration of phenolic compounds such as total phenol, anthocyanin and flavonoid was increased by magnetic solution which indicated a significant effect of magnetic treatments on this parameter. DPPH radical scavenging activity was affected by magnetic solutions, and we found a positive correlation between total antioxidant activity and different phenolic compounds. Also, the PAL activity was increased in the grapevines treated with magnetic solution compared to that of control. Based on HPLC results and subsequent MS/MS measurement, trans-resveratrol production had a significant increase with the magnetic solution. Magnetic treatments seem to cause conditions similar to stress for grapevine, and as a result, it produces more secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds to withstand this condition. Magnetic water and solutions in grapes by stimulating the biosynthesis of the phenolic compound can fortify the plant with these valuable metabolites.

In this work, the effect of different stacking sequences of hybrid jute (J) and basalt (B) fibers-epoxy composites laminated by aluminum (Al) 2024-T3 on the bending and impact properties of them was investigated. To do so, firstly, the jute fibers and aluminum surfaces were modified by the chemical methods. Then, four hybrid composites laminated by aluminum sheets were fabricated; these were Al/J/J/B/B/J/J/Al, Al/B/B/J/J/B/B/Al, Al/J/B/J/B/J/B/Al and Al/B/J/B/J/B/J/Al. The obtained results showed that the Al/B/B/J/J/B/B/Al composite had the maximum flexural modulus, strength and impact energy, which were 520 MPa, 41.2 GPa and 9.55 J, respectively. In contrast, the Al/J/J/B/B/J/J/Al composite had the minimum flexural modulus and strength, which were 252 MPa and 31.1 GPa, respectively. Also, Al/J/B/J/B/J/B/Al had the minimum impact energy of 4.75 J. As the most important finding obtained in the microstructure investigations, it was realized that the adhesion between the basalt fibers and the aluminum sheet was the important factor improving the mechanical properties.

The mechanical properties of environmentally-friendly fiber metal laminates (EFFMLs) with jute (J)- basalt (B) fibers as a hybrid reinforcement and aluminum (Al) 2024-T6 as a skin, as well as an epoxy serving as a matrix, were investigated by employing tensile and interlaminar shear tests. Four hybrid structures including Al/J/J/B/B/J/J/Al and Al/B/B/J/J/B/B/Al as the sandwiched structures and Al/J/B/J/B/J/B/Al and Al/B/J/B/J/B/J/Al as the intercalated structures were fabricated. The results showed that the jute fibers sandwiched by the basalt fibers had the highest tensile strength, elastic modulus and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) values; these were 213 MPa, 39.5 GPa, and 16.67 MPa, respectively. In contrast, these values were 139 MPa, 29.6 GPa and 10.3 MPa for the tensile strength, elastic modulus, and ILSS of the basalt fibers sandwiched by the jute fibers, respectively. Microstructural investigations also revealed that the jute fibers had some weak bonding with the aluminum layers, whereas the basalt fibers had the strong one with them. It was also found that the lack of diffusion caused the presence of empty spaces between the jute fibrils, and these defects were the main cause of the decrease in the mechanical properties.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of ignition timing and hydrogen fraction on the performance and exhaust emissions of an engine. The engine was converted from port injection system to direct injection with enrichment hydrogen to natural gas at WOT condition and engine operation at 4000 rpm. The results showed that when hydrogen volume fraction was raised from 0 up to 50% at 20 bar injection pressure and at the ignition timing from 19 to 28 °CA BTDC, a good stratified effect was achieved. Also, performance results demonstrated that fuel conversion efficiency, power output, and torque were increased up to 3.7% and the brake thermal efficiency first rose and then fell with an increment of hydrogen enrichment to CNG. The peak cylinder pressure and temperature with the advance of ignition timing increased. In addition, the advance of the ignition timing caused NOx, HC, and CO emissions to decrease but with the increase in hydrogen fraction in the blend of fuel, HC, and CO dropped and NOx emission rose. This study concluded that the 30% blends of hydrogen and 21° BTDC ignition timing can optimize engine performance and emission without any engine modification.

Oil–water separation is an important concept because of the growing effluents of industrial oily wastewater and frequent oil spills. Recently, oil–water separation routes have been developed by changing the wettability of membranes via surface modifications. Herein, a facile, handmade and rapid chemical vapor deposition method to make a PVC-top-coated textile for separating oil from oil–water mixtures is reported by using DMDCS as the coating. The tuning of the CVD process parameters (efficient reaction time and DMDCS concentration) enables the textile surface to have superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity properties. These properties were evaluated by the contact angle measurement and practical tests. The FESEM, EDAX, ATR, TGA, and AFM analyses were also presented to characterize the coated textile. The successful separation of a 20 mL oil–water solution, without any external force, in 4 min was achieved. Results from the study also reveal that the coated textile has self-cleaning, high reusability, and an average intrusion pressure of 1.36 kPa features. The fabrication of silicone layer on the surface of the textile with silanes proved to be a simple route for the preparation of the superhydrophobic membranes.

Phosphate is one of the main nutrients playing many key roles in the human body and plant growth. Because of this essential demand, phosphate is often used as a micronutrient additive in both fertilizers and dietary supplements. However, its excessive amount could result in severe health issues in the human body and the ecosystem of aquatic life. Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive rapid measurement approach that could assess the optimum level of phosphate by using simple low-cost sensors. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate the use of a nickel oxide modified screen printed carbon (PrC) electrode as a low-cost electrochemical potentiometric phosphate detection sensor. The nickel oxide/oxyhydroxide (NiO/NiOOH)-PrC electrode has been prepared by a facile anodic electrodeposition process onto a screen printed carbon electrode. The characterization performed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy diffractive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques confirmed the formation of NiO/NiOOH by significant changes in surface morphology and elemental composition of PrC after electrodeposition. The results exhibited a porous deposited layer containing nickel and an increased oxygen value of the modified electrode as compared to pristine PrC. Potentiometric phosphate detection on the NiO/NiOOH-PrC electrode showed a linear response in the concentration range of 10−6–10−1 M, yielding a slope of −78.48 mV per decade with a fast response time. The electrode demonstrated a stable response with less than 0.8% variability of the recorded potential over 2000 seconds. High durability and reusability of the electrode were confirmed by repeated potentiometric phosphate determination tests over a course of 21 days. Interference tests with chloride, nitrate, sulfate, bromide, acetate, and carbonate solutions revealed very low selectivity coefficients within the range of 10−11–10−2, which indicated a high phosphate-selectivity of the developed sensor. This novel technology provides great potential for future scalable production and applications in portable real-time monitoring of phosphate ions in different precision agricultural and point-of-care diagnostic applications.

BackgroundSalinity is an important global problem with destructive impacts on plants leading to different biochemical and metabolic changes in plants through induced oxidative stress that disturbs metabolism, growth, performance and productivity of plants. Given that putrescine (Put) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs), individually, have promising effects on different plants processes, the idea of their combination in a nano-structure “Put-CQD” caused to its synthesizing for doubled positive effects. The current study aimed to investigate the application of newly-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) consisting of CQDs and Put on grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv. Sultana) under salinity stress conditions. For this purpose, Put, CQDs and Put-CQD NPs at 5 and 10 mg L-1 concentrations were applied as chemical priming agents on ‘Sultana’ grapes 48 h prior salinity imposition (0 and 100 mM NaCl). ResultsSalinity significantly decreased (P≤0.05) morphological parameters, photosynthesis pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and membrane stability index. In addition, salinity enhanced MDA, H2O2, proline and antioxidant enzymes activity. The results revealed that Put-CQD NPs, particularly at 10 mg L-1 concentration, alleviated the destructive impacts of salinity stress by improving leaf fresh and dry weights, K+ content, photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence and SPAD parameters, free proline content, total phenolics and antioxidant enzymatic activities (CAT, APX, GP and SOD), while decreasing Na+ content, EL, MDA and H2O2 levels. ConclusionTo conclude, Put-CQD NPs represent an innovative priming treatment that could be effectively applied on grapevine to improve plant performance under salinity stress conditions.

Background Emerging evidence showed promising effects of vitamin D on headaches characteristics. Thus, it seems there is still a need for more researches to clarify the mechanisms by which this vitamin exerts anti-migraine effects. Methods The present study was conducted as a 16-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial on 80 episodic migraine patients allocated in 2 parallel groups each consisted of 40 patients who received vitamin D 2000 IU/d or placebo. At baseline and after the intervention completion, headache diaries and migraine disability assessment questionnaire (MIDAS) were used to assess migraine related variables in patients. Also, interictal serum concentration of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) (as the dominant mediator of migraine pain pathogenesis) was evaluated using ELISA method. Results The mean (SD) of age in the vitamin D and placebo groups was 37 (8) and 38 (12) years, respectively. ANCOVA test adjusted for baseline values, and confounders showed vitamin D supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in MIDAS score after 12 weeks in the intervention group (21.49 (16.22–26.77)) compared to placebo (31.16 (25.51–36.82) P value: 0.016). Moreover, after controlling for baseline levels, and other variables using ANCOVA, CGRP level was appeared to be significantly lower following vitamin D supplementation (153.26 (133.03–173.49) ng/L) than the patients in the placebo arm (188.35 (167.15–209.54) ng/L) (P value = 0.022). Conclusion According to the current findings, vitamin D supplementation in episodic migraineurs, particularly in those with migraine with aura, may potentially improve migraine headache characteristics and disability probably through attenuating CGRP levels. Therefore, these results could provide a new insight into anti-nociceptive effects of vitamin D; however, more studies are required to confirm our findings. Trial registration The trial is registered in the Iranian registry of clinical trials (IRCT) at 11 July 2018, with IRCT code: IRCT20151128025267N6.

The physiological and metabolic processes involved with grapevine growth and production are influenced by key macro- and micronutrients. Potassium is an essential plant nutrient that affects growth and fruit quality. In this study, the impact of foliar spraying of potassium sulfate (K2 SO4 ) on qualitative characteristics of grape berries was evaluated in the cultivar 'Rasha', a commonly cultivated cultivar in Kurdistan province of Iran. Leaves of the fully grown vines were sprayed with each of the 1.5 and 3 g L-1 K2 SO4 solutions once (1 month after petal senescence) and twice (15 days after first spraying). The control plants were sprayed with distilled water. Various biochemical contents and enzyme activities on the ripe berries were analyzed.; Results: Significant increases in anthocyanin, total protein content, and antioxidant enzyme activities were observed in the berries treated twice with 3 g L-1 K2 SO4 . Concentrations of total carbohydrate, phenol, and antioxidant activity in berries sprayed with K2 SO4 were higher than in the controls. We observed a strong correlation between antioxidant activity and different phenolic compounds.; Conclusion: These findings suggest that K2 SO4 treatment influences biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and antioxidant enzymes. Thus, treatment by K2 SO4 could improve nutritional and qualitative attributes of grape. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

In the current study, Fe3O4/NaA nanocomposites with various amounts of Fe3O4 (3.4, 6.8 & 10.2 wt%) were synthesized and characterized to study the effect of nano iron oxide content on the magnetic resonance (MR) image contrast. The cell viability of the nanocomposites was investigated by MTT assay method. T2 values as well as r2 relaxivities were determined with a 1.5 T MRI scanner. The results of the MTT assay confirmed the nanocomposites cytocompatibility up to 6.8% of the iron oxide content. Although the magnetization saturations and susceptibility values of the nanocomposites were increased as a function of the iron oxide content, their relaxivity was decreased from 921.78 mM−1 s−1 for the nanocomposite with the lowest iron oxide content to 380.16 mM−1 s−1 for the highest one. Therefore, Fe3O4/NaA nanocomposite with 3.4% iron oxide content led to the best MR image contrast. Nano iron oxide content and dispersion in the nanocomposites structure have important role in the nanocomposite r2 relaxivity and the MR image contrast. Aggregation of the iron oxide nanoparticles is a limiting factor in using of the high iron oxide content nanocomposites.

Aims This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of two natural flavonoids, hesperetin (HT) and hesperidin (HD), on two gluconeogenesis enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and their possible mechanisms of action. Main methods Rat liver incubated with different concentrations of HT and HD was used to measure enzyme activities spectrophotometrically, based on monitoring the oxidation of NADH to NAD+ at 340 nm. Molecular docking simulation was also applied to reveal the molecular mechanism of the inhibition caused by HT and HD. Key findings Both flavonoids demonstrated inhibitory effects against the enzyme activities, with IC50 values of 153.9 and 68.88 μM for HT-ALT and HD-ALT treatment respectively. Likewise, the IC50 values of 85.29 μM for HT-AST and 110.3 μM for HD-AST were obtained from spectrophotometric results. Conclusion The docking simulation revealed that HT and HD block the enzyme entrance channel and prevent the substrates from accessing the enzyme active sites. Having prevented production of pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, and the oxaloacetate, these two compounds inhibit hepatic gluconeogenesis and consequently, hinder the progression of diabetes. Significance This study suggests that HT and HD may be considered as leading compounds for designing safe and effective drugs in management of increased ALT and AST-related disorders specially diabetes.

The current survey aimed to study the effect of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) application on salinity stress of grapevine cv. ’Sultana’. The leaves of hydroponically cultivated grapes that were under 0, 75 and 150 mM salinity conditions treated with 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mM SA and after two weeks, the factors such as Na+, K+, proline and MDA contents, leaf electrolyte leakage and enzymatic activities were measured. The results showed that all SA treatments were significantly effective at tolerance enhancement by reduction in Na+/K+ ratio, leaf electrolyte leakage, MDA and H2O2 values and promotion in proline content and the enzymatic activities (POD, APX, CAT and SOD) of grapes. These results indicated that SA application at salinity condition could be applied as a promising method for increasing the salinity tolerance of ‘Sultana’ grapes.

Background : Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents have an important role to differentiate healthy and diseased tissues. Access and design new contrast agents for the optimal use of MRI are necessary. This study aims to evaluate iron oxide–4A nanocomposite ability to act as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent. Materials and Methods: Iron oxide–4A nanocomposite (F4A) was synthesized. MTT assay was used to consider the nanocomposite safety for cell culture. The T1 and T2 relaxation times were measured using a 1.5 Tesla clinical MRI scanner. Then the corresponding relaxivities were determined. Results : The average particle diameter of the nanocomposite was 50 to 100 nm based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) image. A linear relationship between relaxation rates and the Fe concentration of the nanocomposite was obtained. The T1 and T2 relaxivities of the nanocomposite were calculated 5.413 and 1092.1 mM -1 .s -1 , respectively which led to the T2/T1 relaxivity ratioof 201.75. Conclusion : The high T2/T1 relaxivity ratio of the iron oxide–4A nanocomposite confirms it’s potential to act as a T2 contrast agent.

Vitamin A derivatives such as retinoic acid may improve the impaired balance of CD4+ T cells in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This study is a double-blind randomized trial to evaluate the effect of vitamin A (as form of retinyl palmitate) supplementation on multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups were followed for 6 months. The experimental group received 25,000 IU of retinyl palmitate daily, while the control group received a placebo. Before and after the study, the expression of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and T-bet genes was evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients by RT-PCR. The results showed that after 6 months of supplementation, expression of IFN-γ and T-bet was significantly decreased. These data suggest that retinyl palmitate supplementation can modulate the impaired balance of Th1 and Th2 cells and vitamin A products that may be involved in the therapeutic mechanism of vitamin A in MS patients. This study provides information regarding the decreased gene expression of IFN-γ and T-bet in MS by retinyl palmitate supplementation.

The incidence of invasive aspergillosis (IA) has dramatically increased during the last decade. This infection is associated with high morbidity and mortality, ranging from 30% to 70%, especially in immunocompromised patients. Delay in diagnosis and treatment is usually associated with high mortality rates. This study was aimed to assess the diagnostic value of Galactomannan EIA (GM) for early diagnosis of aspergillosis in hospitalized patients with underlying conditions. Also, the antifungal drug susceptibility profiles of causative agents were investigated. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, during the period of 18 months starting from September 2017 until February 2019, 22 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and 13 biopsies from infected sinuses were obtained from a total of 150 patients suffering from different types of hematologic malignancies. All the samples were subjected to microscopic examination and fungal culture. Also, serum specimens were obtained from all patients (n = 135). 22 serum and 17 BAL specimens were tested for the GM level. Fungal identified were confirmed through the PCR-sequencing of the β-tubulin gene. The susceptibility to amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, ravuconazole, and caspofungin was evaluated according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute document M38-A2 (CLSI M38-A2) broth microdilution protocol. The results showed that the incident rate of IA was 23.33% and 35 patients with IA (12 proven cases and 23 probable cases) were diagnosed according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Mycoses Study Group criteria. The 35 patients with IA in the current study comprised 19 men (54.29%) and 16 women (45.71%) with the median age of 42 years. AML (31.5%) was documented as the most prevalent risk factor among our subjects with IA and Aspergillus flavus (65.7%) was the most prevailing causal agent in this study. Among patients with IA, ague (71%) and cough (60%) were the most common symptoms. In the present study, a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 98% was reported for GM ELISA in BAL specimens. Also, a sensitivity of 58% and a specificity of 98% was reported for GM ELISA in serum samples. Among 6 tested antifungal drugs, the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were observed for posaconazole and ravuconazole which showed the range of 0.008–0.0062 μ g m l and 0.031–0.125 μ g m l , respectively. The current study has demonstrated that determining the value of GM investigation in BAL and serum specimens can be promising in early diagnosis of IA, also molecular identification of the agents causing IA and their antifungal susceptibility patterns are essential issues for the targeted antifungal therapy and outcome improvement of patients with this life-threatening disease.

This study investigated the optimum bacterial concentration and calcium lactate content in mortars containing recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as full replacement of natural fine aggregate (NFA) for the first time. For this purpose, bacterial mortars with cells concentration of 103, 105 and 107 cells/ml were prepared. Calcium lactate was used as the organic precursor at dosages of 1%, 3%, and 5% of cement weight. The mechanical, durability, crack healing, and microstructural characteristics of the bacterial mixes were examined and compared to those of the control mix. The results indicated that incorporating bacterial cells with concentration of 105 cells/ml treated with 1% calcium lactate led to the optimal mix. The 28-day compressive strength of the optimal mix increased by 21% over that of the control mix. The lowest water absorption was also recorded for this mix, which was about 7% lower than that of the control mix. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the optimal mix showed a dense and compact microstructure as a result of calcite precipitation, which filled the air voids and reduced the pore size. Increasing the calcium lactate content lowered the quality of the pore system due to overproduction of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) crystals. This was confirmed by the results of porosimetry test using mercury injection method where the sample prepared with 5% calcium lactate and bacterial concentration of 103 cells/ml showed 450% higher total porosity as compared to the control sample. On the other hand, crack healing analysis revealed that the maximum healing in surface cracks occurred at the maximum bacterial concentration and calcium lactate content.

In this paper, the optimum alkali activator solution properties in alkali-activated pastes based on ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and micro-silica (MS) were investigated. For this purpose, sodium hydroxide (NH) solutions with molarities of 8 M, 12 M, and 16 M were prepared and mixed with sodium silicate (NS) solutions at NS:NH ratios of 1.0, 2.5, and 4.0 to produce the final activator solution. Two sets of pastes were manufactured: (1) pastes based on GGBFS, and (2) pastes in which 10% by weight of GGBFS was replaced with MS. The fresh density increased with increasing NH molarity and NS:NH ratio; whereas, the final setting time reduced with an increase in the aforementioned properties. With regard to the hardened paste, the tests of compression strength, porosity, and electrical resistivity were performed. According to the results, pastes activated with a 12 M NH solution and NS:NH ratio of 2.5 showed the highest compressive strength and electrical resistivity and the lowest porosity. Furthermore, the use of MS increased the compressive strength and electrical resistivity of the optimum paste by 27% and 64%, respectively, over those of the same paste with 100% GGBFS. In the final part, linear regression models were developed to predict the properties of GGBFS and GGBFS/MS pastes. Based on the findings of this study, it is possible to produce a zero-cement paste based on GGBFS and MS, with final setting time of 25–35 min and 1-day compressive strength of 60–70 MPa by using the optimal alkali activator solution, which can be used for repair purposes due its proper setting and strength properties.

Purpose Production of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species is a natural biological event in metabolism. However, the presence of antioxidants can highly reduce the negative effect of free radicals. Thus, the efficiency of antioxidant system in the physiology of exercise is very important. Design Considering the known antioxidant capacity of garlic, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect on combining 14 days aerobic exercise till exhaustion with garlic extract supplementation on the antioxidant capacity of saliva. Methods Sixteen young men volunteered to participate in this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study and were randomly placed into two groups, placebo (Group I) and garlic extract (Group II). The participants performed exhaustive aerobic exercise on a treadmill before and after supplementation. Their unstimulated salivary samples were collected before, immediately after, and 1 h after the activity. The antioxidant activity in terms of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) was then measured in the collected samples using their specific substrates. Results A significant increase in salivary antioxidant activity of SOD, POD, and CAT was observed in saliva of the supplement group compared to the placebo group (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusion The findings from this study suggest that increased activity of antioxidant enzymes could possibly decrease exercise-induced oxidative damage in male athletes.

Empirical expressions are developed for predicting ultimate compressive strength of welded aluminium stiffened plates used in marine applications under combined transverse in-plane compression and different levels of lateral pressure. A database of the ultimate transverse strengths for aluminium stiffened plates numerically obtained by the authors is used for deriving formulations as functions of two parameters, namely the plate slenderness ratio and the column (stiffener) slenderness ratio. Regression analysis is used in order to derive the empirical formulations. The formulae implicitly include the effects of the weld on the initial imperfections and the heat-affected zone.

Allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, reduces both plasma uric acid and oxidative stress and shows useful effects on some complications of diabetes. However, it is not defined which of the above mentioned properties are involved. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge no study has been done on the effects of allopurinol on diabetic retinopathy. In the present study, the effect of allopurinol on experimental diabetic retinopathy and its possible mechanism has been investigated. Thirty two rats were divided into four groups of eight rats each; (1) normal, (2) diabetic control, (3) diabetic + allopurinol (50 mg/kg.day), (4) diabetic + benzbromarone (10 mg/kg.day). Drugs were administered daily and orally from the day after diabetes induction for eight weeks. Thereafter retinal function and structure were evaluated by electroretinography and microscopic studies. Uric acid and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured biochemically. Diabetes significantly increased plasma uric acid and oxidative stress markers and reduced body weight and amplitude of electroretinogram (ERG) b-wave and oscillatory potentials. Treatment of diabetic rats with allopurinol caused a significant increase in the amplitude of ERG b-wave (87%) and decrease in blood sugar (20%), uric acid (49%), and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2a (56%), but had no effect on the number of retinal ganglionic cells and oscillatory potentials. Benzbromarone showed no significant effects on the considered parameters except the reduction of uric acid. Allopurinol improved the b-wave amplitude of diabetic rats. It seems that this beneficial effect is due to the reduction of oxidative stress rather than its effect on plasma uric acid.

This study presents the results of an experimental evaluation of the performance of high strength concrete (HSC) with basic oxygen steel-making (BOS) slag and nano-silica respectively used as a partial replacement of sand and cement. The properties of fresh and hardened concrete specimens containing 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% BOS as partial replacement of sand and 2% of cement replaced with nano-silica were evaluated. According to the results, concrete samples containing nano-silica with higher BOS percentages, demonstrated improvements in strength and durability properties, while workability was reduced. For example, at 50% BOS content, about 18% increase in compressive strength and 50% reduction in water absorption was observed, while slump was reduced by 40%.

A series of elastoplastic large-deflection finite element analyses is performed on stiffened aluminium plates with flat-bar stiffeners under in-plane longitudinal compression loads. Then, the closed-form ultimate compressive strength formula is derived for stiffened aluminium plates by regression analysis. Finally, artificial neural network methodology is applied to predict the ultimate strength of uniaxially compressed stiffened aluminium plates. It is found that artificial neural network models can produce a more accurate prediction of the ultimate strength of the stiffened aluminium plates than can the existing empirical formula.

Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive, highly metastatic cancer with an overall 5-year survival rate of Citation Format: Allison A. Mootz, Michael Peyton, Paul Yenerall, Kimberley Avila, Kenneth Huffman, Tomohiro Haruki, Mahboubeh Papari-Zareei, Victor Stastny, Luc Girard, Elizabeth McMillan, Michael Roth, John MacMillan, Bruce Posner, Michael White, Gazdar Adi, John Minna. Identification of two small molecules with small cell lung cancer growth inhibition response profiles different from etoposide/topotecan [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2664.

The present research was undertaken based on the results obtained by the same authors in a sensitivity study on the buckling and ultimate strength of continuous stiffened aluminium plates. Empirical expressions are developed for predicting ultimate compressive strength of welded stiffened aluminium plates used in marine applications under combined in-plane axial compression and different levels of lateral pressure. Existing data of the ultimate compressive strength for stiffened aluminium plates numerically obtained by the authors through the previously performed sensitivity analysis are used for deriving formulations that are expressed as functions of two parameters, namely the plate slenderness ratio and the column (stiffener) slenderness ratio. Regression analysis is used in order to derive the empirical formulations. The formulae implicitly include effects of the weld on initial imperfections, and the heat-affected zone.

In this paper, the results of an investigation into the post-buckling behaviour of high-strength aluminium alloy stiffened plates subjected to combined axial compression load and different magnitudes of lateral pressure using non-linear finite element approach is presented. Both material and geometric non-linearities have been taken into account. The principal variables studied are the plate thickness, boundary conditions and the stiffener geometries beside the geometrical imperfection, the width of the welding heat-affected zone (HAZ) and welding residual stresses. The influence of these variables on the post-buckling behaviour and ultimate strength of such stiffened plates has been investigated in details.

Ultimate compressive strength of welded stiffened aluminium plates under combined biaxial in-plane compression and different levels of lateral pressure is assessed herein. A numerical database of the ultimate strengths for stiffened aluminium plates is generated at first. Then, regression analysis is applied in order to derive the empirical formulations as functions of two parameters, namely the plate slenderness ratio and the column (stiffener) slenderness ratio. The formulae implicitly include the effects of initial imperfections and heat affected zone.

Rat liver AKR1C9 is the best-studied 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3alphaHSD) of the aldo-keto reductase superfamily. The physiologic function of AKR1C9 is to catalyze the reduction of 5alpha-androstane-17beta-ol-3-one (dihydrotestosterone) to 5alpha-androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol (androstanediol) rather than the reverse reaction, and all of the known AKR1C enzymes with 3alphaHSD activity also preferentially catalyze dihydrotestosterone reduction in intact cells. Because the utilization of pyridine-nucleotide cofactors NAD(P)(H) primarily governs the directional preference of HSD enzymes in intact cells, and because R276 participates in NADP(H) binding, we hypothesized that mutation of R276 would alter directional preference in intact cells. To test this model, we constructed stable lines of human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing wild-type AKR1C9 and mutations R276M, R276G, and R276E. Mutations R276M and R276G retained reductive preference with slightly reduced magnitude compared with wild-type AKR1C9. NADPH depletion by glucose deprivation minimally altered the equilibrium steroid distribution for wild-type AKR1C9 but further reduced the reductive preference of mutations R276M and R276G. Mutation R276E, in contrast, showed an oxidative preference under all conditions. The intrinsic rates of the reductive and oxidative reactions for all four enzymes were similar at the functional equilibrium states. We conclude the R276 maximizes the reductive preference of AKR1C9 in intact cells and maintains this strong preference despite NADPH depletion; mutation R276E reverses the directional preference.

INTRODUCTION Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder in humans, and its incidence is increasing rapidly worldwide. Although polyunsaturated fatty acids have beneficial effects on diabetes mellitus, previous data regarding the possible positive effects of n-3 fatty acids on glycaemic indices were inconclusive. We conducted a double-blind randomised clinical trial to determine the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on overweight patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial was conducted on a total of 67 overweight patients with T2DM for a duration of three months. Of these 67 patients, 32 received 2 g purified EPA daily, while 35 received a placebo of 2 g corn oil daily. The patients' fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum insulin, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin sensitivity indices were assessed. RESULTS After three months of EPA supplementation, the group that received EPA showed significant decreases in FPG (p < 0.001), HbA1c (p = 0.01) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.032), when compared to the placebo group. EPA supplementation resulted in decreased serum insulin levels, with the levels between the EPA and placebo groups showing a significant difference (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION The results of our study indicate that EPA supplementation could improve insulin sensitivity. It was able to decrease serum insulin, FPG, HbA1c and HOMA-IR. EPA could have beneficial effects on glycaemic indices in patients with T2DM.

In the majority of cases, advanced prostate cancer responds initially to androgen deprivation therapy by depletion of gonadal testosterone. The response is usually transient, and metastatic tumors almost invariably eventually progress as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The development of CRPC is dependent upon the intratumoral generation of the potent androgen, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), from adrenal precursor steroids. Progression to CRPC is accompanied by increased expression of steroid-5α-reductase isoenzyme-1 (SRD5A1) over SRD5A2, which is otherwise the dominant isoenzyme expressed in the prostate. DHT synthesis in CRPC is widely assumed to require 5α-reduction of testosterone as the obligate precursor, and the increased expression of SRD5A1 is thought to reflect its role in converting testosterone to DHT. Here, we show that the dominant route of DHT synthesis in CRPC bypasses testosterone, and instead requires 5α-reduction of androstenedione by SRD5A1 to 5α-androstanedione, which is then converted to DHT. This alternative pathway is operational and dominant in both human CRPC cell lines and fresh tissue obtained from human tumor metastases. Moreover, CRPC growth in mouse xenograft models is dependent upon this pathway, as well as expression of SRD5A1. These findings reframe the fundamental metabolic pathway that drives CRPC progression, and shed light on the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Prostate cancer usually responds to androgen deprivation therapy, although the response in metastatic disease is almost always transient and tumors eventually progress as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). CRPC continues to be driven by testosterone or dihydrotestosterone from intratumoral metabolism of 19-carbon adrenal steroids from circulation, and/or de novo intratumoral steroidogenesis. Both mechanisms require 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD) metabolism of Delta(5)-steroids, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and Delta(5)-androstenediol (A5diol), to testosterone. In contrast, reports that DHEA and A5diol directly activate the androgen receptor (AR) suggest that 3betaHSD metabolism is not required and that 3betaHSD inhibitors would be ineffective in the treatment of CRPC. We hypothesized that activation of AR in prostate cancer by DHEA and A5diol requires their conversion via 3betaHSD to androstenedione and testosterone, respectively. Here, we show that DHEA and A5diol induce AR chromatin occupancy and AR-regulated genes. Furthermore, we show that Delta(5)-androgens undergo 3beta-dehydrogenation in prostate cancer and that induction of AR nuclear translocation, AR chromatin occupancy, transcription of PSA, TMPRSS2, and FKBP5, as well as cell proliferation by DHEA and A5diol, are all blocked by inhibitors of 3betaHSD. These findings demonstrate that DHEA and A5diol must be metabolized by 3betaHSD to activate AR in these models of CRPC. Furthermore, this work suggests that 3betaHSD may be exploited as a pharmacologic target in the treatment of CRPC.

Human 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types 1 and 2 (17βHSD1 and 17βHSD2) regulate estrogen potency by catalyzing the interconversion of estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2) using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) cofactors NAD(P)(H). In intact cells, 17βHSD1 and 17βHSD2 establish pseudo-equilibria favoring E1 reduction or E2 oxidation, respectively. The vulnerability of these equilibrium steroid distributions to mutations and to altered intracellular cofactor abundance and redox state, however, is not known. We demonstrate that the equilibrium E2/E1 ratio achieved by 17βHSD1 in intact HEK-293 cell lines is progressively reduced from 94:6 to 10:90 after mutagenesis of R38, which interacts with the 2′-phosphate of NADP(H), and by glucose deprivation, which lowers the NADPH/NADP+ ratio. The shift to E2 oxidation parallels changes in apparent Km values for purified 17βHSD1 proteins to favor NAD(H) over NADP(H). In contrast, mutagenesis of E116 (corresponding to R38 in 17βHSD1) and changes in intracellular cofactor ratios do not alter the greater than 90:10 E1/E2 ratio catalyzed by 17βHSD2, and these mutations lower the apparent Km of recombinant 17βHSD2 for NADP(H) only less than 3-fold. We conclude that the equilibrium E1/E2 ratio maintained by human 17βHSD1 in intact cells is governed by NADPH saturation, which is strongly dependent on both R38 and high intracellular NADPH/NADP+ ratios. In contrast, the preference of 17βHSD2 for E2 oxidation strongly resists alteration by genetic and metabolic manipulations. These findings suggest that additional structural features, beyond the lack of a specific arginine residue, disfavor NADPH binding and thus support E2 oxidation by 17βHSD2 in intact cells.

Aluminum structures for marine applications have normally been built by welding. It is well recognised that welding significantly affects the behaviour of aluminum alloys. In particular, heat affected zone (HAZ) is softened by welding, and this reduces the ultimate strength of welded aluminum structures. It is of vital importance for structural designers to better understand how fabrication by welding affects the aluminum panel ultimate strength characteristics.