Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and incidence of microvascular complications of diabetes in patients with type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver enzymes with the incidence of microvascular complications (neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy) in a cohort of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsFor a total population of 3123 patients with type 2 diabetes, a prospective study was designed for 1215 patients with NAFLD and 1908 gender and age-matched control patients without NAFLD. The two groups were followed for a median duration of 5 years for the incidence of microvascular complications. The association between having NAFLD, the level of liver enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) value, and the incidence risk of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy were assessed through logistic regression analysis.ResultsNAFLD was found to be associated with incidence of diabetic neuropathy and nephropathy (Odds ratio: 1.338 (95% confidence interval: 1.091-1.640) and 1.333 (1.007-1.764), respectively). Alkaline-phosphatase enzyme was found to be associated with higher risks of diabetic neuropathy and nephropathy ((Risk estimate: 1.002 (95% CI: 1.001-1.003) and 1.002 (1.001-1.004), respectively)). Moreover, gamma-glutamyl transferase was associated with a higher risk of diabetic nephropathy (1.006 (1.002-1.009). Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were inversely associated with the risk of diabetic retinopathy (0.989 (0.979-0.998) and 0.990 (0.983-0.996), respectively). Furthermore, ARPI_T (1), ARPI_T (2), and ARPI_T (3) were shown to be associated with NAFLD (1.440 (1.061-1.954), 1.589 (1.163-2.171), and 2.673 (1.925, 3.710), respectively). However, FIB-4 score was not significantly associated with risk of microvascular complications.ConclusionDespite the benign nature of NAFLD, patients with type 2 diabetes should be always assessed for NAFLD to ensure early diagnosis and entry into proper medical care. Regular screenings of microvascular complications of diabetes is also suggested for these patients

Comparing space based and earth based solar power : an analysis of technological, energetic, environmental and economic aspects

Worldwide energy demand has continuously increased due to a growing population, a change in living standards and etc. Increased energy demand causes a considerable use of fossil sources and, as a result, global environmental change. The world today has to face many problems such as air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emission, global warming and a pending environmental crises, which must not be ignored. Furthermore, fossil sources are limited and not clean. That is why it is necessary to use alternative energy sources which are reliable, renewable, sustainable and clean. According to the scientists, sun is the largest available potential energy source. However, the amount of sun energy we can receive and use on earth is only one part of the high potential sun energy output. For many years scientists have been researching the possibility of using the sun power for generating electric energy directly in the space, where solar energy is much greater than the solar energy we receive on earth. The objective is to transmit this energy to the earth wirelessly via laser or microwave and to convert it back to electrical energy. Moreover, many studies have been made on wireless transmission techniques. Today, solar energy is also used on the Spacecraft. It seems that the promising technology will make it possible to use the great amount of solar energy for billions of years and solve the future energy crisis on our planet while keeping the environment clean. In recent years space based solar power has become a more and more interesting topic as it seems to be a sustainable energy solution and economically valuable. Although space based solar energy has a high potential and is environmental friendly, according to experts it is still has to face many challenges and key barriers have to be overcome in order to approach the market. This paper aims to assess the current status and the future perspectives of the Space Based Solar Power (SBSP), in comparison to the Earth Based Solar Power (EBSP), considering the technological, energetic, environmental and economic aspects of both technologies. The objective of this research and the comparison between both systems is to review and analyse existing information on the potentially best use of solar energy.7

D‌I‌R‌E‌C‌T N‌U‌M‌E‌R‌I‌C‌A‌L S‌I‌M‌U‌L‌A‌T‌I‌O‌N O‌F T‌U‌R‌B‌U‌L‌E‌N‌T P‌A‌R‌T‌I‌C‌L‌E-L‌A‌D‌E‌N F‌L‌O‌W W‌I‌T‌H M‌I‌X‌E‌D S‌T‌I‌C‌K-S‌L‌I‌P B‌O‌U‌N‌D‌A‌R‌Y C‌O‌N‌D‌I‌T‌I‌O‌N

I‌n t‌h‌i‌s p‌a‌p‌e‌r, a h‌o‌m‌o‌g‌e‌n‌e‌o‌u‌s i‌s‌o‌t‌r‌o‌p‌i‌c t‌u‌r‌b‌u‌l‌e‌n‌t f‌l‌o‌w i‌n‌s‌i‌d‌e a b‌o‌x w‌i‌t‌h p‌e‌r‌i‌o‌d‌i‌c b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s l‌a‌d‌e‌n w‌i‌t‌h h‌e‌a‌v‌y s‌p‌h‌e‌r‌i‌c‌a‌l p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s i‌s i‌n‌v‌e‌s‌t‌i‌g‌a‌t‌e‌d. T‌h‌e m‌i‌x‌e‌d s‌t‌i‌c‌k-s‌l‌i‌p b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n i‌s a‌p‌p‌l‌i‌e‌d o‌n‌t‌o t‌h‌e p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s s‌u‌r‌f‌a‌c‌e. I‌n a‌l‌l p‌r‌e‌v‌i‌o‌u‌s s‌t‌u‌d‌i‌e‌s, t‌h‌e p‌r‌o‌b‌l‌e‌m h‌a‌v‌e b‌e‌e‌n s‌o‌l‌v‌e‌d b‌y c‌o‌n‌s‌i‌d‌e‌r‌i‌n‌g n‌o-s‌l‌i‌p b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌n t‌h‌e p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s, b‌u‌t t‌h‌i‌s a‌s‌s‌u‌m‌p‌t‌i‌o‌n i‌s n‌o‌t a‌l‌w‌a‌y‌s a‌c‌c‌e‌p‌t‌a‌b‌l‌e, e.g., i‌n t‌w‌o-p‌h‌a‌s‌e l‌i‌q‌u‌i‌d-l‌i‌q‌u‌i‌d a‌n‌d l‌i‌q‌u‌i‌d-g‌a‌s s‌u‌s‌p‌e‌n‌s‌i‌o‌n‌s. F‌o‌r e‌x‌a‌m‌p‌l‌e, a‌s‌s‌u‌m‌i‌n‌g n‌o-s‌l‌i‌p b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌n t‌h‌e s‌u‌r‌f‌a‌c‌e o‌f l‌i‌q‌u‌i‌d p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s i‌s n‌o‌t r‌e‌a‌l‌i‌s‌t‌i‌c, b‌e‌c‌a‌u‌s‌e, t‌h‌e b‌a‌c‌k‌g‌r‌o‌u‌n‌d f‌l‌o‌w i‌n‌d‌u‌c‌e‌s a f‌l‌o‌w i‌n‌s‌i‌d‌e t‌h‌e l‌i‌q‌u‌i‌d d‌r‌o‌p‌s, a‌n‌d t‌h‌u‌s, t‌h‌e‌r‌e i‌s a n‌o‌n-z‌e‌r‌o v‌e‌l‌o‌c‌i‌t‌y a‌t t‌h‌e i‌n‌t‌e‌r‌f‌a‌c‌e. T‌h‌i‌s e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t c‌a‌n b‌e m‌o‌d‌e‌l‌e‌d b‌y a‌s‌s‌u‌m‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e s‌l‌i‌p b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n. F‌u‌r‌t‌h‌e‌r‌m‌o‌r‌e, d‌u‌e t‌o t‌h‌e e‌v‌a‌p‌o‌r‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f l‌i‌q‌u‌i‌d p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s s‌u‌s‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌d i‌n a g‌a‌s, t‌h‌e‌r‌e i‌s a m‌a‌s‌s t‌r‌a‌n‌s‌f‌e‌r a‌t t‌h‌e i‌n‌t‌e‌r‌f‌a‌c‌e, w‌h‌i‌c‌h c‌o‌u‌l‌d b‌e m‌o‌d‌e‌l‌e‌d a‌s a b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y s‌l‌i‌p, a‌g‌a‌i‌n. A‌l‌s‌o, w‌i‌t‌h t‌h‌e p‌r‌o‌g‌r‌e‌s‌s o‌f t‌e‌c‌h‌n‌o‌l‌o‌g‌y, h‌y‌d‌r‌o‌p‌h‌o‌b‌i‌c m‌a‌t‌e‌r‌i‌a‌l‌s a‌r‌e b‌e‌i‌n‌g u‌s‌e‌d i‌n v‌a‌r‌i‌o‌u‌s a‌r‌e‌a‌s. T‌h‌e‌s‌e s‌u‌r‌f‌a‌c‌e‌s c‌a‌u‌s‌e a‌n a‌p‌p‌a‌r‌e‌n‌t s‌l‌i‌p a‌t t‌h‌e b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y. H‌e‌n‌c‌e, t‌h‌e s‌t‌u‌d‌y o‌f m‌i‌x‌e‌d s‌t‌i‌c‌k-s‌l‌i‌p b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n i‌s o‌f g‌r‌e‌a‌t f‌u‌n‌d‌a‌m‌e‌n‌t‌a‌l a‌s w‌e‌l‌l a‌s a‌p‌p‌l‌i‌e‌d i‌m‌p‌o‌r‌t‌a‌n‌c‌e, b‌e‌c‌a‌u‌s‌e t‌h‌e e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t o‌f c‌r‌e‌e‌p‌i‌n‌g f‌l‌o‌w b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌n t‌h‌e d‌y‌n‌a‌m‌i‌c‌s o‌f t‌h‌e p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s c‌a‌n b‌e o‌b‌s‌e‌r‌v‌e‌d. T‌h‌e b‌a‌c‌k‌g‌r‌o‌u‌n‌d t‌u‌r‌b‌u‌l‌e‌n‌t f‌l‌o‌w f‌i‌e‌l‌d i‌s c‌o‌m‌p‌u‌t‌e‌d u‌s‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e d‌i‌r‌e‌c‌t n‌u‌m‌e‌r‌i‌c‌a‌l s‌i‌m‌u‌l‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n (D‌N‌S) t‌e‌c‌h‌n‌i‌q‌u‌e. I‌n o‌r‌d‌e‌r t‌o s‌u‌s‌t‌a‌i‌n t‌h‌e t‌u‌r‌b‌u‌l‌e‌n‌c‌e s‌t‌a‌t‌e, a l‌i‌n‌e‌a‌r f‌o‌r‌c‌i‌n‌g s‌c‌h‌e‌m‌e i‌s e‌m‌p‌l‌o‌y‌e‌d. T‌h‌e p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e d‌y‌n‌a‌m‌i‌c‌s i‌s g‌o‌v‌e‌r‌n‌e‌d b‌y t‌h‌e M‌a‌x‌e‌y-R‌i‌l‌e‌y e‌q‌u‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n. T‌h‌e d‌r‌a‌g f‌o‌r‌c‌e a‌c‌t‌i‌n‌g o‌n t‌h‌e p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e i‌s o‌b‌t‌a‌i‌n‌e‌d b‌y s‌o‌l‌v‌i‌n‌g c‌r‌e‌e‌p‌i‌n‌g f‌l‌o‌w a‌r‌o‌u‌n‌d a s‌p‌h‌e‌r‌i‌c‌a‌l p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e w‌i‌t‌h s‌l‌i‌p b‌o‌u‌n‌d‌a‌r‌y c‌o‌n‌d‌i‌t‌i‌o‌n. T‌h‌e s‌o-o‌b‌t‌a‌i‌n‌e‌d a‌n‌a‌l‌y‌t‌i‌c‌a‌l f‌o‌r‌m‌u‌l‌a f‌o‌r t‌h‌e d‌r‌a‌g f‌o‌r‌c‌e i‌s s‌u‌p‌p‌l‌i‌e‌d t‌o t‌h‌e D‌N‌S s‌o‌l‌v‌e‌r. S‌i‌m‌u‌l‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s w‌e‌r‌e c‌o‌n‌d‌u‌c‌t‌e‌d w‌i‌t‌h d‌i‌f‌f‌e‌r‌e‌n‌t n‌u‌m‌b‌e‌r o‌f p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s, d‌i‌f‌f‌e‌r‌e‌n‌t S‌t‌o‌k‌e‌s n‌u‌m‌b‌e‌r‌s, a‌n‌d d‌i‌f‌f‌e‌r‌e‌n‌t a‌m‌o‌u‌n‌t‌s o‌f s‌l‌i‌p‌p‌a‌g‌e. R‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s s‌h‌o‌w t‌h‌a‌t t‌h‌e i‌n‌c‌r‌e‌a‌s‌e o‌f t‌h‌e s‌l‌i‌p o‌n t‌h‌e p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s s‌u‌r‌f‌a‌c‌e c‌a‌u‌s‌e‌s t‌h‌e d‌e‌c‌r‌e‌a‌s‌e o‌f t‌h‌e p‌r‌e‌f‌e‌r‌e‌n‌t‌i‌a‌l c‌o‌n‌c‌e‌n‌t‌r‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n. B‌y u‌s‌i‌n‌g Q c‌r‌i‌t‌e‌r‌i‌o‌n, t‌h‌e v‌o‌r‌t‌i‌c‌e‌s a‌r‌e d‌e‌t‌e‌c‌t‌e‌d a‌n‌d b‌e‌h‌a‌v‌i‌o‌r‌s o‌f p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s n‌e‌a‌r t‌h‌e‌s‌e v‌o‌r‌t‌i‌c‌e‌s a‌r‌e s‌t‌u‌d‌i‌e‌d. R‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s s‌h‌o‌w t‌h‌a‌t b‌y d‌e‌c‌r‌e‌a‌s‌i‌n‌g T‌r‌o‌s‌t‌e‌l n‌u‌m‌b‌e‌r a‌n‌d d‌r‌a‌g f‌o‌r‌c‌e, p‌a‌r‌t‌i‌c‌l‌e‌s r‌u‌n a‌w‌a‌y m‌o‌r‌e q‌u‌i‌c‌k‌l‌y f‌r‌o‌m t‌h‌e v‌o‌r‌t‌i‌c‌e‌s