Nontoxic silver nanocluster-induced folding, fibrillation, and aggregation of blood plasma proteins.

In recent years, concerns have been raised considering the potential risks of nanocluster (NC) for the environment and human health. Since the blood circulation system is probably the first entry route of NC into the human body, adsorption of blood proteins on NC may change cellular responses, including cellular uptake efficiency, bio distribution patterns, and nanotoxicity profiles, besides other biological effects. Therefore, the interaction of NCs with proteins and the cellular implications can be therapeutically of great importance.

Nano-porous SAPO-34 enhanced thin-film nanocomposite polymeric membrane: Simultaneously high water permeation and complete removal of cationic/anionic dyes from water.

Thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes were prepared by embedding nano-porous SAPO-34 nanoparticles in a polypyrrole thin-film layer polymerized on PES substrate. SEM, EDX, AFM, hydrophilicity, zeta potential and MWCO measurements were applied to verify characteristics of membranes. TFN membranes presented considerably higher pure water permeability (by more than 300%) due to high hydrophilicity and also nano-channels created in thin-film.

Optimization of radioactive sources to achieve the highest precision in three-phase flow meters using Jaya algorithm.

Gamma ray source has very important role in precision of multi-phase flow metering. In this study, different combination of gamma ray sources ((Ba-Cs), (Ba-Co), (Am-Cs), (Am-Co), (Ba-Am) and (Co-Cs)) were investigated in order to optimize the three-phase flow meter. Three phases were water, oil and gas and the regime was considered annular.

Application of edible paraffin oil for cationic dye removal from water using emulsion liquid membrane.

Using an emulsion liquid membrane based on edible oils is investigated for removing cationic dyes from aqueous solutions. There is a great potential for using edible oils in food industry extraction processes. The parameters affecting the stability of the emulsion and the extraction rate were studied.

Polyethersulfone nanofiltration membrane embedded by chitosan nanoparticles: Fabrication, characterization and performance in nitrate removal from water.

In this research, chitosan nanobiopolymers (CS-NPs) were synthesized using tripoly phosphate and transferred into the organic solvent via solvent exchange method. Different amounts of chitosan nanopolymers were embedded into the polyethersulfone (PES) membrane prepared by phase inversion precipitation method. The membranes were employed for nitrate removal from water under various solution pHs (4.

The capability of radial basis function to forecast the volume fractions of the annular three-phase flow of gas-oil-water.

The problem of how to precisely measure the volume fractions of oil-gas-water mixtures in a pipeline remains as one of the main challenges in the petroleum industry. This paper reports the capability of Radial Basis Function (RBF) in forecasting the volume fractions in a gas-oil-water multiphase system. Indeed, in the present research, the volume fractions in the annular three-phase flow are measured based on a dual energy metering system including the Eu and Cs and one NaI detector, and then modeled by a RBF model.

Imperfection Sensitivity of Nonlinear Vibration of Curved Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Based on Nonlocal Timoshenko Beam Theory.

Imperfection sensitivity of large amplitude vibration of curved single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is considered in this study. The SWCNT is modeled as a Timoshenko nano-beam and its curved shape is included as an initial geometric imperfection term in the displacement field. Geometric nonlinearities of von Kármán type and nonlocal elasticity theory of Eringen are employed to derive governing equations of motion.

Simultaneous Delivery of Multiple Antibacterial Agents from Additively Manufactured Porous Biomaterials to Fully Eradicate Planktonic and Adherent Staphylococcus aureus.

Implant-associated infections are notoriously difficult to treat and may even result in amputation and death. The first few days after surgery are the most critical time to prevent those infections, preferably through full eradication of the micro-organisms entering the body perioperatively. That is particularly important for patients with a compromised immune system such as orthopedic oncology patients, as they are at higher risk for infection and complications.

Effects of plasma electrolytic oxidation process on the mechanical properties of additively manufactured porous biomaterials.

Metallic porous biomaterials are recently attracting more attention thanks to the additive manufacturing techniques which help produce more complex structures as compared to conventional techniques. On the other hand, bio-functional surfaces on metallic biomaterials such as titanium and its alloys are necessary to enhance the biological interactions with the host tissue. This study discusses the effect of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), as a surface modification technique to produce bio-functional layers, on the mechanical properties of additively manufactured Ti6Al4V scaffolds based on the cubic unit cell.

A novel method for flow pattern identification in unstable operational conditions using gamma ray and radial basis function.

Changes of fluid properties (especially density) strongly affect the performance of radiation-based multiphase flow meter and could cause error in recognizing the flow pattern and determining void fraction. In this work, we proposed a methodology based on combination of multi-beam gamma ray attenuation and dual modality densitometry techniques using RBF neural network in order to recognize the flow regime and determine the void fraction in gas-liquid two phase flows independent of the liquid phase changes. The proposed system is consisted of one Cs source, two transmission detectors and one scattering detector.

Additively Manufactured and Surface Biofunctionalized Porous Nitinol.

Enhanced bone tissue regeneration and improved osseointegration are among the most important goals in design of multifunctional orthopedic biomaterials. In this study, we used additive manufacturing (selective laser melting) to develop multifunctional porous nitinol that combines superelasticity with a rationally designed microarchitecture and biofunctionalized surface. The rational design based on triply periodic minimal surfaces aimed to properly adjust the pore size, increase the surface area (thereby amplifying the effects of surface biofunctionalization), and resemble the curvature characteristics of trabecular bone.

A review of combinations of electrokinetic applications.

Anthropogenic activities contaminate many lands and underground waters with dangerous materials. Although polluted soils occupy small parts of the land, the risk they pose to plants, animals, humans, and groundwater is too high. Remediation technologies have been used for many years in order to mitigate pollution or remove pollutants from soils.

Investigating the Effect of Line Dipole Magnetic Field on Hydrothermal Characteristics of a Temperature-Sensitive Magnetic Nanofluid Using Two-Phase Simulation.

Hydrothermal characteristics of a temperature-sensitive magnetic nanofluid between two parallel plates are investigated in the presence of magnetic field produced by one or multiple line dipole(s) using the two-phase mixture model. As the nanofluid reaches the region where the magnetic field is applied, a rotation is developed due to the dependency of magnetization on temperature. This can lead to mixing in the flow and more uniform distribution of temperature due to the disturbance caused in the boundary layer, and consequently, enhancement in convective heat transfer.

Novel antifouling nano-enhanced thin-film composite membrane containing cross-linkable acrylate-alumoxane nanoparticles for water softening.

A novel thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration membrane was prepared using polymerization of pyrrole monomers on the PES ultrafiltration membrane. To improve the characteristics of hydrophobic polypyrrole (PPy) thin-film layer, cross-linkable acrylate-functionalized alumoxane nanoparticles with different concentrations were embedded into the thin-film during polymerization process, and thin-film nanocomposite (TFNC) membranes were prepared. The characteristics and performance of TFC and TFNC membranes were assessed through the morphological analyses (SEM, AFM), measurement of hydrophilicity and solid-liquid interfacial free energy, water permeability and Mg removal tests.

A review on chitosan-based adsorptive membranes.

Membrane adsorbents have emerged as powerful and attractive tools for the removal of hazardous materials such as dyes and heavy metal ions, mainly in trace amounts, from water resources. Among membrane adsorbents, those prepared from or modified with chitosan biopolymer and its derivatives are cases of interest because of chitosan advantages including biocompatibility, biodegradability, nontoxicity, reactivity, film and fiber forming capacity and favorable hydrophilicity. This review is oriented to provide a framework for better insight into fabrication methods and applications of chitosan-based adsorptive membranes.

Short-term bulk energy storage system scheduling for load leveling in unit commitment: modeling, optimization, and sensitivity analysis.

Energy storage systems (ESSs) have experienced a very rapid growth in recent years and are expected to be a promising tool in order to improving power system reliability and being economically efficient. The ESSs possess many potential benefits in various areas in the electric power systems. One of the main benefits of an ESS, especially a bulk unit, relies on smoothing the load pattern by decreasing on-peak and increasing off-peak loads, known as load leveling.

Thermal transport characteristics of combined electroosmotic and pressure driven flow in soft nanofluidics.

The present study deals with thermal transport characteristics of an electrolyte solution flowing through a slit nanochannel with polyelectrolyte walls, known as soft nanochannel. The sources of the fluid flow are the pressure gradient along the channel axis and the electrokinetic effects that trigger an electroosmotic flow under the impact of a uniformly applied electric field. The polyelectrolyte layer (PEL) is denoted as a fixed charge layer (FCL) and the electrolyte ions can be present both inside and outside the PEL.

Combined electroosmotically and pressure driven flow in soft nanofluidics.

The present study is devoted to the analysis of mixed electroosmotic and pressure driven flows through a soft charged nanochannel considering boundary slip and constant charge density on the walls of the slit channel. The sources of the fluid flow are the pressure gradient along the channel axis and the electrokinetic effects that trigger an electroosmotic flow under the influence of a uniformly applied electric field. The polyelectrolyte layer (PEL) is denoted as a fixed charge layer (FCL) and the electrolyte ions can be present both inside and outside the PEL i.

PES mixed matrix nanofiltration membrane embedded with polymer wrapped MWCNT: Fabrication and performance optimization in dye removal by RSM.

MWCNTs were wrapped by poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), and different amounts of raw and polymer wrapped MWCNTs were implemented to fabricate PES mixed matrix membranes by phase inversion method. Success of wrapping was probed by FTIR spectroscopy, and prepared membranes were characterized by SEM, AFM, porosity, and water contact angle measurements. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the permeate flux and dye removal efficiency of membranes with three variables of concentration, pH of dye solution, and membrane composition.

Prediction of the thickness of the compensator filter in radiation therapy using computational intelligence.

In this study, artificial neural networks (ANNs) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) are investigated to predict the thickness of the compensator filter in radiation therapy. In the proposed models, the input parameters are field size (S), off-axis distance, and relative dose (D/D0), and the output is the thickness of the compensator. The obtained results show that the proposed ANN and ANFIS models are useful, reliable, and cheap tools to predict the thickness of the compensator filter in intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Surface plasmon modes of a nanoegg above a substrate.

An analytical approach describing the surface plasmon modes of a nanoegg (a nanoshell with a nonconcentric core) above a substrate is presented. The bispherical coordinate system is used for mathematical convenience. A general dispersion relation for the coupled modes as function of geometrical characteristics of the system is obtained.

Effect of central muscarinic receptors on passive-avoidance learning deficits induced by prenatal pentylenetetrazol kindling in male offspring.

Occurrence of the epileptic seizures during gestation might affect the neurodevelopment of the fetus resulting in cognitive problems for the child later in life. We have previously reported that prenatal pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-kindling induces learning and memory deficits in the children born to kindled mothers, later in life but the mechanisms involved in this processes are unknown. The cholinergic system plays a major role in learning and memory.

Multipole plasmon excitations of C60 dimers.

We study the multipole plasmon mode frequencies of a pair of C60 molecules by means of the linearized hydrodynamic theory for electronic excitations on the each C60 surface. We apply the two-center spherical coordinate system for mathematical convenience and find an explicit form of the surface plasmon energies. Numerical result shows when approaching the two C60 molecules, the coupling between the bare plasmon modes leads to the appearance of additional modes having energies that are different from those of the isolated C60 molecules.

The convergence study of the homotopy analysis method for solving nonlinear Volterra-Fredholm integrodifferential equations.

We aim to study the convergence of the homotopy analysis method (HAM in short) for solving special nonlinear Volterra-Fredholm integrodifferential equations. The sufficient condition for the convergence of the method is briefly addressed. Some illustrative examples are also presented to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the technique.

An analytical study for (2 + 1)-dimensional Schrödinger equation.

In this paper, the homotopy analysis method has been applied to solve (2 + 1)-dimensional Schrödinger equations. The validity of this method has successfully been accomplished by applying it to find the solution of some of its variety forms. The results obtained by homotopy analysis method have been compared with those of exact solutions.