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Samira Sadat Abolmaali,1 Ali Tamaddon,1,2 Gholamhossein Yousefi,1,2 Katayoun Javidnia,3 Rasoul Dinarvand41Department of Pharmaceutics, Shiraz School of Pharmacy, 2Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, 3Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 4Nanotechnology Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranAbstract: A functional polycation nanonetwork was developed for delivery of water soluble chemotherapeutic agents. The complexes of polyethyleneimine grafted methoxy polyethylene glycol (PEI-g-mPEG) and Zn2+ were utilized as the micellar template for cross-linking with dithiodipropionic acid, followed by an acidic pH dialysis to remove the metal ion from the micellar template. The synthesis method was optimized according to pH, the molar ratio of Zn2+, and the cross-link ratio. The atomic force microscopy showed soft, discrete, and uniform nano-networks. They were sensitive to the simulated reductive environment as determined by Ellman's assay. They showed few positive ζ potential and an average hydrodynamic diameter of 162±10 nm, which decreased to 49±11 nm upon dehydration. The ionic character of the nano-networks allowed the achievement of a higher-loading capacity of methotrexate (MTX), approximately 57% weight per weight, depending on the cross-link and the drug feed ratios. The nano-networks actively loaded with MTX presented some suitable properties, such as the hydrodynamic size of 117±16 nm, polydispersity index of 0.22, and a prolonged swelling-controlled release profile over 24 hours that boosted following reductive activation of the nanonetwork biodegradation. Unlike the PEI ionomer, the nano-networks provided an acceptable cytotoxicity profile. The drug-loaded nano-networks exhibited more specific cytotoxicity against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells if compared to free MTX at concentrations above 1 µM. The enhanced antitumor activity in vitro might be attributed to endocytic entry of MTX-loaded nano-networks that was found in the epifluorescence microscopy experiment for the fluorophore-labeled nano-networks.Keywords: nanonetwork, polyethyleneimine, ionomer complex, template assisted synthesis, methotrexate, cytotoxicity

Polysulfide treatment decreased the density of interface defect states proximal to the conduction-band edge in InP metal/insulator/semiconductor diodes that were. Capacitance-voltage measurements and deep-level transient spectroscopy facilitated the study of deep-level bulk and interface defect states in these semiconductor diodes.

The main target of this research is drying raspberries in a Microwave assisted fluidized bed dryer. In order to evaluate and predict the quality properties of this fruit, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used. In this research, the effects of five variables: power of microwave (0, 300 and 600 W), temperature (55, 70 and 85 C), air flow rate (15, 20 and 25 m/s), starting time of microwave input (from the moment when the moisture content decreased until 334, 400 and 466 g water per 100 g dry matter) and amount of material (50, 100 and 150 g) on the rehydration capacity and loss of anthocyanins content were studied. Experiments were designed according to Central Composite Rotatable Design with these five factors each at three different levels, including central and axial points. With respect to the dependent variables, both linear and quadratic effects of all of the five independent variables on Rehydration Capacity and loss of anthocyanins content were found to be significant. For each response, second order polynomial models were developed using multiple linear regression analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to check the adequacy and accuracy of the fitted models. According to our results, the optimal point for both characteristics were as follows: microwave power 600 W, temperature 74 , the air flow rate 3/22 meters per second and 53 grams of the substance, starting from the moment the microwave 466 percent moisture content was reduced. Model to predict the dependent variables with empirical results obtained were very close. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a serious complication of solid organ transplantation that occurs due to immunosuppression and other risk factors. PTLD may present with involvement of other organs and with unusual presentation. The presentation is often extranodal (e.g., in the gastrointestinal tract, lung, or the central nervous system). Herein, we report on a 1.5-year-old girl who underwent liver transplantation almost 5 months prior to admission. She was on medications such as tacrolimus and prednisolone. Her presentation was started with symptoms of the upper respiratory infection followed by croupy cough and respiratory distress with no response to usual treatments. She had respiratory arrest during broncoscopy. Therefore, emergency tracheostomy was done. Biopsy from the paratracheal mass revealed large B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (PTLD, monomorphic and high grade). This case presentation shows that persistent upper airway symptoms, particularly stridor and croupy cough, in children who underwent liver transplant should be further evaluated; the physician needs to have a high degree of clinical suspicion for the diagnosis of PTLD in this situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a Mixed Integer Non Linear Programming (MINLP) for solving Security Constrained Optimal Power Flow (SCOPF) that has been simulated in Generalized Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS). The objective function of SCOPF is minimize total generation cost considering transmission security, reduces transmission loss and improves the bus voltage profile under two cases that are normal and contingent states. In this paper we have used 26-bus and the IEEE 30-bus test systems, and have compared results with the Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm with Reconstruction Operators (PSO-RO) and Mixed-Integer Bacterial Foraging Algorithm (MIBFA) in terms of solution quality and evolutionary computing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explains the most efficient PMUs (Phasor Measurement Unit) placement for full supervision and observation of the power system in light of minimum number of PMUs. This paper compares Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) in GAMS with heuristically algorithms in MATLAB to certify proposed method. On the other hand, IEEE 30-57 bus and Tehran 41bus regional electric power network are used as test systems and consequences exhibit valid effective of purpose programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of transmission systems impacts many entities in the market environment. Each entity may fare better or worse as a result of congestion relief in the presence of new facilities. Negatively affected firms apply their authority to prevent the expansion from taking place. The opposition of these firms and the lack of appropriate incentives results in insufficient investments in transmission assets. The network is being frequently used at its maximum limits, leading to economic inadequacies and reduced reliability. Hence, there is a necessity for effective encourage schemes for system expansion. The objective of this paper is to introduce a simple transmission expansion pricing scheme using economic benefit and use of system method, to allocate and price the transmission expansion among the participants. The proposed method can utilize clearly, intelligible and the fairer for transmission expansion cost allocation between the participants at the different uncertainty such as adding the new line, augmenting the new generator and adding the new load to the system. Numerical example using a test power system is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the studied method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network expansion planning (NEP), as a major module of power system planning modules, is addressed here. For long-term transmission NEP, a new approach based on forward–backward strategy is proposed in which by defining appropriate steps and observing various technical and reliability considerations, new network reinforcements are determined. Besides assessing the capabilities of the proposed approach on a small typical system, the algorithm is successfully tested for Iranian Power Grid in 2011, as a large-scale system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]