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Computational dosimetry has become the main tool for estimating induced electric fields within brain tissues in transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) which is recently attracting the attention of researches for motor function disturbances such as Parkinson’s disease. This paper investigates the effect of including or excluding the very thin meninges in computing tDCS electric fields using CST software. For this purpose, two models of the brain with and without meninges were used to induce electric field with two DC current electrodes (2 mA) in regions of the model referring to M1 and Prefrontal Cortex (FP2) similar to tDCS. Considering meninges, the results have shown differences in the induced field showing that there might be problems with conventional models in which meninges are not taken into account.

The purpose of this article is to study the penetration of exogenous electric fields into the womb. It is postulated that the epithelial layer around the womb can act to prevent the penetration of such fields into the uterus, thereby effectively protecting the embryo from hazardous electric fields that have been shown to alter embryonic development. The very thin, low-conductivity epithelial layers are usually ignored in conventional 3D human body models used for dosimetry; i.e. to model electric field penetration in the body. However, these μm-thick layers can significantly influence the field distribution in the body due to their current blocking or barrier function. To evaluate the effect of these layers at low frequencies, the epithelial layer was manually added to the uterine tissue in a 3D human body model. Then, the field distributions across the uterus were compared with and without the epithelial layer. This preliminary study showed that considering this layer at low frequencies can cause a 60% reduction in the electric field strength within the uterus. It is anticipated that if more exact estimations of uterine epithelium resistivity become available, the model could predict yet greater reductions and higher shielding can be assumed to occur in reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, dynamic behaviour of composite tube equipped with piezoelectric actuator ring and conveying fluid flow is studied. The effects of incompressible Newtonian internal fluid flow with constant velocity are considered. The stiffened composite shell with different boundary conditions is exposed to electro-mechanical loading. The governing equations of motion are obtained based on the classical shell theory and using Hamilton's principle. Then, these equations are discretized by using differential quadrature (DQ) method in longitudinal direction and harmonic differential quadrature (HDQ) method in circumferential direction. Solving these equations results in eigenvalues and mode shapes of the smart pipe conveying fluid. After comparing results with those existing in the literature, the detailed parametric study is conducted, by concentrating on the effects of fluid flow properties, geometry, material and boundary conditions of composite pipe, temperature, and piezo-actuator ring (size and position) on the vibration behavior of the coupled system, as well as dimensionless critical fluid velocity. It is expected that stability of the coupled system strongly depends on the imposed electric load. The present study can be applied for optimum design of sensors and actuators in active control systems, MEMS and biomechanical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract State estimators such as Kalman filters compute an estimate of the instantaneous state of a dynamical system from sparse sensor measurements. For spatio-temporal systems, whose dynamics are governed by partial differential equations (PDEs), state estimators are typically designed based on a reduced-order model (ROM) that projects the original high-dimensional PDE onto a computationally tractable low-dimensional space. However, ROMs are prone to large errors, which negatively affects the performance of the estimator. Here, we introduce the reinforcement learning reduced-order estimator (RL-ROE), a ROM-based estimator in which the correction term that takes in the measurements is given by a nonlinear policy trained through reinforcement learning. The nonlinearity of the policy enables the RL-ROE to compensate efficiently for errors of the ROM, while still taking advantage of the imperfect knowledge of the dynamics. Using examples involving the Burgers and Navier-Stokes equations with parametric uncertainties, we show that in the limit of very few sensors, the trained RL-ROE outperforms a Kalman filter designed using the same ROM and yields accurate instantaneous estimates of high-dimensional states corresponding to unknown initial conditions and physical parameter values. The RL-ROE opens the door to lightweight real-time sensing of systems governed by parametric PDEs.

The selection of an optimal building façade system is a challenging process that can be facilitated by using decision-analysis methods. However, current commonly-used decision-analysis tools in civil engineering cannot deal with the interactions among multiple design criteria. The Choquet integral is the only well-known method capable of accounting for such interactions. However, the process of assigning the fuzzy measures (importance weights) for this method is complex, particularly when there is a large number of criteria be considered. This paper proposes two supervised methods to estimate these fuzzy measures. The first method estimates the relative importance weights by using a statistical approach based on Principal Component Analysis, while the second method is elicited from a machine learning algorithm using Neural Networks. These two methods are used in an illustrative example to find the fuzzy measures related to façade design with respect to four criteria; and their merits and limitations are discussed.

A novel approach has been introduced to remedy the computational complexities of the recently introduced time domain periodic Green's functions in the ID and 2D periodic case. Specifically, it has been shown that for a certain class of temporal basis functions, the computational cost of convolutions with temporal basis functions, which results in the band-limited GFs needed by most time domain integral equations solvers, can be considerably reduced, as compared to conventional methods that are currently in practice. It is also well known that the computational complexity of the Floquet-wave based Green's functions increases when the point of observation approaches a source. Robust forms have been obtained for both 1D and 2D periodic TDGFs for any source-observation distance, which are then further improved for high-efficiency numerical implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the degree of spread of osteoporosis in men and women has increased considerably. According to the existing statistics 20 percent of women above the age 50 are suffering from osteoporosis and the degree of its growth has been more among men rather than women. In the following research, a three-dimensional electrical computer model of cancellous bone tissue has been presented which consists of a unit cell made of cortical bone where we adjust the amount of bone density as desired. Using a commercial electromagnetics simulation software, we put the intended piece under the effect of electric field and calculate the electric current and extract the impedance of the tissue. Considering the fact that the electrical properties of the components of the intended piece is different for each frequency, the obtained impedance would be variable with frequency. Changes of the impedance caused by alteration of the bone density, can thus be computationaly estimated and leads to a model-based estimation of impedance sensitivity to changes in bone density. Consequently, it would be advantageous to find a frequency range that causes the highest relative change in the amount of the impedance as bone density is varied. The obtained results in a wide frequency range of 1 kHz – 1 GHz indicated that by the alteration of the bone density from 10 to 30 percent, the highest sensitivity in the electrical properties of cancellous bone occurres at frequencies less than 100 kilohertz.

In this paper we show why the poorly conducting cytoplasmic membranes have little effect on the overall impedance of the tissue above a certain frequency, and derive an estimate of this upper frequency. It is further shown that the induced transmembrane potentials at different sites over the membrane can be found through a simple formula for frequencies above the threshold, without the need to analytically or theoretically model the membranes directly. The findings are validated for an irregular cell shape through rigorous numerical modeling.

Organizational maturity is the ability of retain or development of performance during the long-term and it is the result of the continued satisfaction of organization’s stakeholders during the time. Organizational maturity will occur through identification of environmental changes and upgrading of organization’s strategic plans and visions. Organizations shall be able to predict the environment and adapt their planning to it. Therefore, for achieving maturity, organizations shall monitor its environmental factors changes continuously. On the other hand, today knowledge is the only confidential source for creating the sustainable competitive advantage in organizations. In addition, knowledge is a tool for capture and retain of sustainable competitive advantage for organizations and they find the importance of knowledge as a strategic source, more and more. In this research, organization’s maturity and knowledge management models have been introduced and a model for measurement of maturity level of organizations has been presented. This research approach was to use knowledge management activities for managing of environmental changes knowledge to creating of organizational maturity .To proving of the presented model, maturity level of 112 automotive part producers has evaluated. Finally, the results showed that the researchers' hypotheses were true and knowledge management activities and organization’s maturity were correlated. For hypotheses test and measuring the questionnaires validity Pearson correlation coefficient has used.

This study attempted to use data mining as a powerful analytical tool to find patterns for occurrence of accidents from 1845 recorded events in safety data warehouse in one of the largest project-based organizations active in construction industry in Iran between the years 2002 and 2008. High-risk nature of construction industry, Geographic expansion of the projects sites and large number of accidents are the characteristics of this organization. Predicting and preventing models for occurrence of accidents have been proposed in this study by extracting 31 traceable Association rules from recorded events. Extracting the rules, the minimum amount of confidence, support and lift indicators have been set respectively in 73%, 5% and 1 levels.

or develop its performance in the long-term period and it is the resultof stakeholder’s satisfaction during the time. Sustainability is relatedto the ability of organizations to monitor the opportunities, changes,trends and risks in their external environments and to make a balancebetween financial, economic, social and environmental goals of theorganization in the long term. In this article, initially, the last model oforganizational sustainability management proposed by InternationalOrganization for Standardization (ISO) has been introduced, thenusing a problem solving algorithm, and through a knowledgemanagement approach, a model for assessment and improvement ofthe organizational sustainability is suggested. This model is based onthe knowledge management of organizations’ environmental changes.To validate and prove the proposed model, the degree of sustainabilityin 52 governmental companies along with their holding structure andproduction nature were evaluated. The results revealed a highcorrelation between the ability of an organization to manageknowledge of its environmental changes and its degree ofsustainability.

A four-electrode system and high-voltage amplitude stimulation (with a voltage of more than 1 V) are always used for nonlinear spectroscopy of biological solutions like yeast suspension. Multiple studies indicate that yeast membrane activities are the primary source of the harmonics detected from yeast suspensions. However, other investigations have demonstrated that at least part of the harmonics are mainly due to the nonlinear impedance of the electrode-electrolyte interface. Here, we want to find a mathematical model to analyze the odd harmonics generated by the interface. The KCl solution is the basis of the essential medium used in yeast culture. No study models the nonlinear behavior of the KCl solution using four-electrode. We used a sinusoidal voltage with a low frequency and a high amplitude to test an ionic solution with 1, 30, and 130 mM of potassium chloride. The voltage had no direct current component. Here, we show that the relationship between the amplitude of the excitation voltage and the third harmonic of the current can be accurately represented using the Butler-Volmer equation. Additionally, we analyze the impact of potassium chloride (KCl) concentration on the behavior of the third harmonic. This paper presents a method and model that can be used for nonlinear spectroscopy studies of biological solutions using a four-electrode system with the aim of deriving information from cells without considering the interface effect.

Cardiovascular involvement in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a potential consequence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is common. Conventional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) provides primary data on the function of the left and right ventricles, while Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE) is more sensitive. This study aims to assess longitudinal cardiac function using STE in these patients. This longitudinal study was conducted from late 2021 to early 2022 at Imam Hossein Children's Hospital, Isfahan. Cardiac function was assessed by STE at the time of diagnosis and again two months later. Demographics, clinical characteristics, ECG interpretations, imaging studies, and serum cardiac marker levels were collected. Thirty-five pediatric patients with a mean age of 5.1 years (range: 4 months to 17 years) were included and prospectively followed. Twenty-nine of them, comprising 14 males (48.3%) and 15 females (51.7%), underwent STE and were compared with 29 healthy age- and sex-matched children. Factors related to adverse events included reduced myocardial function, enlarged left atrium or ventricle, and mitral regurgitation (MR). Patients with comorbidities affecting strain measurements were excluded from the strain analyses. A significant difference was observed between the groups in regional strains in the basal and apical septal and middle lateral regions. Global strain rate (GLS) and strain rates were not significantly different but were still lower than the control group. Twenty percent of patients had abnormal GLS but normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). All patients exhibited reduced segmental myocardial strain in at least one segment. Four out of 26 recovered patients without comorbidities had abnormal GLS at follow-up, despite normal LVEF. STE proves more useful than conventional echocardiography in patients with MIS-C, revealing subclinical cardiac injury in the acute and post-acute phases., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

As human beings, we have always sought to expand on our abilities, including our cognitive and motor skills. One of the still-underrated tools employed to this end is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Until recently, rTMS was almost exclusively used in studies with rehabilitation purposes. Only a small strand of literature has focused on the application of rTMS on healthy people with the aim of enhancing cognitive abilities such as decision-making, working memory, attention, source memory, cognitive control, learning, computational speed, risk-taking, and impulsive behaviors. It, therefore, seems that the findings in this particular field are the indirect results of rehabilitation research. In this review paper, we have set to investigate such studies and evaluate the rTMS effectuality in terms of how it improves the cognitive skills in healthy subjects. Furthermore, since the most common brain site used for rTMS protocols is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), we have added theta burst stimulation (TBS) wave patterns that are similar to brain patterns to increase the effectiveness of this method. The results of this study can help people who have high-risk jobs including firefighters, surgeons, and military officers with their job performance., (© 2023. International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering.)

In recent years, microscopy has revolutionized the study of dynamic living cells. However, performing long-term live cell imaging requires stable environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, and humidity. While standard incubators have traditionally provided these conditions, other solutions, like stagetop incubators are available. To further enhance the accessibility of stable cell culture environments for live cell imaging, we developed a portable CO 2 cell culture mini-incubator that can be easily adapted to any x-y inverted microscope stage, enabling long-term live cell imaging. This mini-incubator provides and maintains stable environmental conditions and supports cell viability comparable to standard incubators. Moreover, it allows for parallel experiments in the same environment, saving both time and resources. To demonstrate its functionality, different cell lines (VERO and MDA-MB-231) were cultured and evaluated using various assays, including crystal violet staining, MTT, and flow cytometry tests to assess cell adhesion, viability, and apoptosis, respectively. Time-lapse imaging was performed over an 85-h period with MDA-MB-231 cells cultured in the mini-incubator. The results indicate that this device is a viable solution for long-term imaging and can be applied in developmental biology, cell biology, and cancer biology research where long-term time-lapse recording is required., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Uninterrupted microscopic observation and real-time imaging of cell behavior during exposure to the stimulus, for example, electric and/or magnetic fields, especially for periods of several days, has been a challenge in experimental bioelectromagnetics due to a lack of proper gas/temperature conditions outside the incubator. Conventional mini-incubators might suffer from stray fields produced by heating elements. We report an in vitro electric and magnetic fields (EMF) exposure system embedded inside a novel under-the-microscope mini-CO 2 -incubator with a unique design to avoid electromagnetic interference from the heating and circulation functions while ensuring the requisite temperature. A unique, reconfigurable array of electrodes and/or coils excited by calculated current distributions among array elements is designed to provide excellent field uniformity and controllable linear or circular polarization (even at very low frequencies) of the EMF within the cell culture. Using standard biochemical assays, long-term cell viability has been verified and compared with a conventional incubator. Cell orientation/migration in three-dimensional culture made of collagen-hydrogels has been successfully observed in vitro, in long-term, and in real-time under the influence of DC electric fields with the device., (© 2023 Bioelectromagnetics Society.)

Introduction: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been studied as an adjunctive treatment option for substance use disorders (SUDs). Alterations in brain structure following SUD may change tDCS-induced electric field (EF) and subsequent responses; however, group-level differences between healthy controls (HC) and participants with SUDs in terms of EF and its association with cortical architecture have not yet been modeled quantitatively. This study provides a methodology for group-level analysis of computational head models to investigate the influence of cortical morphology metrics on EFs., Methods: Whole-brain surface-based morphology was conducted, and cortical thickness, volume, and surface area were compared between participants with cannabis use disorders (CUD) (n=20) and age-matched HC (n=22). Meanwhile, EFs were simulated for bilateral tDCS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The effects of structural alterations on EF distribution were investigated based on individualized computational head models., Results: Regarding EF, no significant difference was found within the prefrontal cortex; however, EFs were significantly different in left-postcentral and right-superior temporal gyrus (P<0.05) with higher levels of variance in CUD compared to HC [F (39, 43) =5.31, P<0.0001, C=0.95]. Significant differences were observed in cortical area (caudal anterior cingulate and rostral middle frontal), thickness (lateral orbitofrontal), and volume (paracentral and fusiform) between the two groups., Conclusion: Brain morphology and tDCS-induced EFs may be changed following CUD; however, differences between CUD and HCs in EFs do not always overlap with brain areas that show structural alterations. To sufficiently modulate stimulation targets, whether individuals with CUD need different stimulation doses based on tDCS target location should be checked., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright© 2023 Iranian Neuroscience Society.)

Electrical stimulation of peripheral nerve fibers has always been an attractive field of research. Due to the higher activation threshold, the stimulation of small fibers is accompanied by the stimulation of larger ones. It is therefore necessary to design a specific stimulation theme in order to only activate narrow fibers. There is evidence that stimulating Aδ fibers can activate endogenous pain-relieving mechanisms. However, both selective stimulation and reducing pain by activating small nociceptive fibers are still poorly investigated. In this study, using high-frequency stimulation waveforms (5-20 kHz), computational modeling provides a simple framework for activating narrow nociceptive fibers. Additionally, a model of myelinated nerve fibers is modified by including sodium-potassium pump and investigating its effects on neuronal stimulation. Besides, a modified mathematical model of pain processing circuits in the dorsal horn is presented that consists of supraspinal pain control mechanisms. Hence, by employing this pain-modulating model, the mechanism of the reduction of pain by activating nociceptive fibers is explored. In the case of two fibers with the same distance from the point source electrode, a single stimulation waveform is capable of blocking one large fiber and stimulating another small fiber. Noteworthy, the Na/K pump model demonstrated that it does not have a significant effect on the activation threshold and firing frequency of fiber. Ultimately, results suggest that the descending pathways of Locus coeruleus may effectively contribute to pain relief through stimulation of nociceptive fibers, which will be beneficial for clinical interventions., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The coronavirus disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has affected people worldwide for more than two years. Here we present a new diagnostic method based on nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in swab samples. A known current is injected into the virus sample suspension, and the biomarker is the third harmonic detected in the power spectrum of the recorded signal. Computational modeling of harmonic production supports the hypothesis of ion channels (the E-protein) with nonlinear current-voltage characteristics being present on the virus envelope as a possible origin of harmonics. The developed system is able to distinguish between positive and negative samples with 5-10 dBc (decibels relative to the carrier) higher third harmonic ratios in positive samples, in agreement with the computational estimation. Our early results demonstrate that this method can detect the virus in solution. This is the first time harmonic signatures are used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in swab samples., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Two challenges to optimizing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are selecting between, often similar, electrode montages and accounting for inter-individual differences in response. These two factors are related by how tDCS montage determines current flow through the brain considered across or within individuals. MRI-based computational head models (CHMs) predict how brain anatomy determines electric field (EF) patterns for a given tDCS montage. Because conventional tDCS produces diffuse brain current flow, stimulation outcomes may be understood as modulation of global networks. Therefore, we developed a network-led, rather than region-led, approach. We specifically considered two common "frontal" tDCS montages that nominally target the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; asymmetric "unilateral" (anode/cathode: F4/Fp1) and symmetric "bilateral" (F4/F3) electrode montages. CHMs of 66 participants were constructed. We showed that cathode location significantly affects EFs in the limbic network. Furthermore, using a finer parcellation of large-scale networks, we found significant differences in some of the main nodes within a network, even if there is no difference at the network level. This study generally demonstrates a methodology for considering the components of large-scale networks in CHMs instead of targeting a single region and specifically provides insight into how symmetric vs asymmetric frontal tDCS may differentially modulate networks across a population.

In this paper, morphological effects of electric fields on avian erythrocytes (nucleated red blood cells) have been studied in detail. Morphological changes include rounding and cytoplasm transparency. It has been shown that the effect is non-thermal. Careful imaging and image analyses have been carried out to show that the degree of this effect is frequency-dependent, and has a higher conversion rate at higher temperatures. Furthermore, to better understand the mechanisms behind the morphological changes, we investigated the dedifferentiation hypothesis and performed a series of tests on avian erythrocytes including fluorescence spectroscopy for hemoglobin, and tests on human umbilical cord blood, mesenchymal stem cells, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells including flow-cytometry analysis for expression of certain markers and calcium staining. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019;40:375-390. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society., (© 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.)

A highly sensitive impedimetric bio-chip based on vertically aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes (VAMWCNTs), was applied in direct interaction with lung cancer cells. Our tool provided both inducing and monitoring the bioelectrical changes in the cells initiated by electromagnetic (EM) wave stimulation. EM wave of 940MHz frequency with different intensities was used. Here, wave ablation might accumulate electrical charge on the tips of nanotubes penetrated into cell's membrane. The charge might induce ionic exchanges into the cell and cause alterations in electrical states of the membrane. Transmembrane electrostatic/dynamic states would be strongly affected due to such exchanges. Our novel modality was that, the cells' vitality changes caused by charge inductions were electrically detected with the same nanotubes in the architecture of electrodes for impedance measurement. The responses of the sensor were confirmed by electron and florescent microscopy images as well as biological assays. In summation, our method provided an effective biochip for enhancing and detecting external EM stimulation on the cells useful for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications, such as wave-guided drug-resistance breakage., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Epidemiologic studies of atopic dermatitis (AD) in desert areas are still lacking., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of AD in children in Kerman city, a desert area in Iran., Methods: We evaluated preschool children (age, 2 to 7 years) and primary school students (age, greater than 7 up to 12 years) in Kerman. We selected 865 students to estimate the prevalence and assess other features of AD such as distribution of lesions, personal history, family history of atopy, aggravating factors, associated symptoms, and morphological variants., Results: The prevalence of AD was 9.1% in our study population. The prevalence of AD was 9.17% and 9.09% in males and females, respectively. The prevalence of AD in the age range of 2 to 7 years was 13.53% and 8.33% among children aged greater than 7 up to 12 years. In total, 82.27% of the patients were in chronic stage of the disease, and 31.6% had a personal history of other atopic diseases. At least one first-degree family member with atopy was seen in 46.83% of the patients. The most common sites of involvement were the head and neck. The most involved areas in the limbs were extensor surfaces. The most frequent morphological variant of AD was the common type., Conclusion: The prevalence of AD in Kerman was higher than in other Iranian cities but lower than that in developed countries. Diversity in the clinical features of AD has been observed among different studies, and the diagnostic criteria of AD should be adapted in proportion to the studied area.

We designed a rectangular waveguide exposure system to study the effects of mobile phone frequency (940 MHz) electromagnetic fields (EMF) on luciferase structure and activity. The luciferase activity of exposed samples was significantly higher than that of unexposed samples. Dynamic light scattering of the exposed samples showed smaller hydrodynamic radii compared to unexposed samples (20 nm vs. 47 nm ± 5%). The exposed samples also showed less tendency to form aggregates, monitored by turbidity measurements at l = 360 nm. A microwave dielectric measurement was performed to study the hydration properties of luciferase solutions with a precision network analyzer over frequency ranges from 0.2 to 20 GHz before and after exposure. The change in the dielectric properties of the exposed luciferase solution was related to the disaggregation potency of the applied field. Together, our results suggested that direct interactions with luciferase molecules and its dipole moment were responsible for the reduced aggregation and enhanced luciferase activity upon exposure to the EMF., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)