Stimuli-responsive injectable chitosan-based hydrogels for controlled drug delivery systems

In the last decade, injectable hydrogels have attracted a lot of attention due to their excellent functional properties in the field of drug delivery for precise, non-invasive and focused tissue locations. Therefore, designing drug delivery systems (DDS) responsive to hydrogel stimuli to release a drug to an external stimulus with various advantages, can be very challenging. Due to their biocompatibility, mucosal adhesion, and hemostatic activity, chitosan (Chitosan)-based hydrogels offer a lot of potential for tissue engineering and drug delivery. It can be difficult to manage the structure of these stimuli-responsive CS hydrogels or they may require additional crosslinking agents, such as hydrogels with dual pH and thermo-responsiveness. Therefore, it is crucial to create these hydrogels for medicinal applications

Effects of Alginate Coating Containing Zataria multiflora Essential Oil in the Form of an Emulsion Gel and Nano-emulsion on the Chemical Quality and Sensory Properties of Rainbow Trout Fillet

Fish is often more perishable than most other foodstuffs. Microbial progression, enzymatic activity, and non-enzymatic oxidation of fats reduce the quality of fish and its products. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the nano-gel emulsion and emulsion gel of an alginate coating containing Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZMEO) on the chemical and sensorial quality of rainbow trout fillet (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during 16 days of refrigerated storage (4±1°C). The fish fillets were treated with alginate coating, alginate emulsion with different ZMEO concentrations (E0.25%, E0.5%, and E1%), and nano-emulsion with different ZMEO concentrations (N0.25%, N0.5%, and N1%). Afterwards, the fillets were analyzed for chemical changes (pH, TVB-N, TBARS, PV, FFA, and fatty acid profile) and sensory properties (color, texture, flavor, odor, and overall acceptability) on days zero, four, eight, 12, and 16. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 21 using ANOVA, Bonferroni post-hoc test, and Dunnett T3 test to assess significant differences at P<0.05. The results of chemical analysis showed an increasing trend (pH, TVB-N, TBARS, PV, FFAs, MUFAs, and SFAs) during the storage period (day 16) although the rate was slower in the nano-emulsion treatments. Furthermore, the sensory properties of the samples decreased during the storage period, while using ZMEO in the alginate coating (especially in the nano-emulsion form) showed better results compared to the control. According to the results, the alginate coating containing ZMEO (especially in the nano-emulsion form) could preserve the chemical and sensorial quality of the fresh trout fillets for four days

Relationship between thyroid stimulating hormone and metabolic syndrome in overweight/obese children

Background: Background: Obesity, especially central obesity is related to many endocrine abnormalities, such as thyroid dysfunctions. Elevated levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is common in obese children, however, it is not clear if such condition is associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors. The study aimed to determine the association between levels of TSH in overweight and obese children with components of metabolic syndrome (Mets). Methods: The study sample included 197 overweight/obese 6-7 year old children in Tehran, Iran. Anthropometric (weight, waist circumference and height), metabolic (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting blood glucose) and hormonal (TSH) variables, as well as blood pressure were measured. Mets was defined according to Cook definition. Results: Totally, 20.3% and 79.7% of children were overweight and obese, respectively. Elevated levels of TSH were diagnosed in 10 subjects (5.1%), while Mets was seen in 35.4%. The most frequent component of Mets was abdominal obesity (72.5%). A weak positive correlation between BMI for age, Z scores and TSH level (r =0.11, P value= 0.123) was observed only in girls (r=0.2, P value= 0.034). TSH was not associated with components of Mets. Conclusion: Elevated TSH levels may be found in obese children; however, the association between TSH elevation and cardiovascular disease risk factors, including components of metabolic syndrome needs further investigation

Pregnancy, child bearing and prevention of giving birth to the affected children in patients with primary immunodeficiency disease;a case-series

Background: Patients with primary immunodeficiency disease (PID) who survive to adulthood and willing to have a child mostly are worried whether their disease affects their fertility and/or pregnancy and also if their child would be predisposed to PID. Case presentation: We report the outcome of conception, pregnancy and their management in 9 families with definite diagnosis of PID. A chronic granulomatous disease subject with an uneventful pregnancy developed fungal sacral osteomyelitis few weeks after delivery. A pregnant common variable immunodeficiency disease (CVID) patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenia had platelet count dropped before delivery. A sever neutropenic mother who refused to get IFN gamma. delivered two healthy children. A CVID case intolerant to Mg with eclampsia and PTE delivered a baby. Another CVID female gave birth to a baby without being on any treatment since she was not diagnosed with immunodeficiency disease at that time. A healthy girl was implanted via preimplantation gender selection in a family who owned a Wiskott Aldrich-affected son. A family who had two children with Ataxia Telangiectasia used donated oocyte for their 3rd child. Prenatal genetic diagnosis was used to screen the fetus for the impaired BTK and CVID genes detected in sibling and father respectively in 2 separate families. Conclusion: Pregnancy in PID patients is more complex than normal population. Because, not only it has the chance of being inherited by the offspring, but also there are some risks for the mother if she has any kind of immunity component defects. So consultation with a clinical geneticist is crucial to choose the best available approach. They also should be observed and followed by a clinical immunologist to take the best possible safe care

Analysis and design of networked control systems

In Networked Control Systems (NCSs), the communication between different components, is established through a shared digital network. This kind of communication, results in problems such as network induced transmission delays, packet losses, bandwidth limitations, multiple packet transmission, etc., which may affect the performance of the system or even lead to instability. Therefore, in designing controller for such systems these unfavorable effects should be taken into consideration. In this thesis, the focus is on control over networked systems with time delays or packet dropouts. Our goal is to first model NCSs with delays and packet dropouts, develop tools for stability analysis and control synthesis, and then validate the results through numerical examples and simulations and/or practical systems implementation. First, NCSs with two separate uncertain time varying delays in sensor and controller channels are investigated. Uncertainties of the networked control system will be characterized by polytopic uncertain parameters using Jordan canonical form. Markov jump linear systems are then applied to model the time delay of the sensor channel. Control synthesis of the system is considered by using a Lyapunov-Krasovskii approach, and a mode-dependent static output feedback controller is designed which changes for each different subinterval of delays. The results are given in the form of Nanyang Technological University vii Bilinear Matrix Inequalities (BMIs) which can be solved using methods and algorithms available in the literature. Subsequently, through some condition on output matrix, Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) are derived for static output feedback controller. Further extensions for state feedback and dynamic output feedback controllers design are presented as well.MASTER OF ENGINEERING (EEE

Motivations Behind Negative Reviews

Online reviews play a strategic role in the decision-making of individuals and accordingly, the sales and reputation management of businesses. Despite the significant role of reviews, the subject of motivations for posting reviews has been relatively less investigated. This is specifically important since when the online review is negative, it can immediately and negatively affect a company financially by deteriorating its image. Therefore, further investigation regarding negative online reviewing motivation with the accompany of theory building and empirical study is needed. To address this gap, this study adopted the two motivational theories of self-determination and expectancy to investigate the relationship of motivation quality and motivation force with the intention to write negative reviews. In order to empirically test the proposed model, a pilot study was first conducted to ensure the quality of the questionnaire. After the necessary refinement of the pilot questionnaire, the final questionnaire was developed, and a two-step PLS-SEM along with a CMB analysis was conducted on the collected data. The study responded to recent calls on developing a more comprehensive understanding of negative review writing motivations. The study offered a new perspective with regards to the quality of motivations for engaging in such actions by empirically indicating that individuals\u27 behavioral intention to write a negative review is a result of intrinsic motivation and a variety of extrinsic motivations. Furthermore, this study allowed for the examination of the dynamic, inter-related impact of motivations on one another in addition to taking into consideration the aspects of each motivation that an individual considers to carry out an action. While providing important theoretical contributions in the context of negative review writing motivations, the findings of the study also offer valuable practical implications for practitioners of the hospitality industry

The Complex System of Destination Image: Attack, Failure, and Control

Destination image is among the most investigated subjects in tourism literature. Previous studies have predominantly adopted a reductionist approach in investigating components of destination image. Reductionist approach, however, does not provide any knowledge on a complex system behavior (i.e., destination image). By using complex system approach and network science, the current study investigates the structure of Curaçao tourism destination image as a scale-free network of businesses and their related attitudinal constructs from TripAdvisor. Results showed that Curaçao’s destination image is categorized as a complex system with the least controllability. Furthermore, the major hubs of Curaçao Island’s image that are susceptible to deliberate attacks of nearby competitors were identified. Our findings call for a need of more unique hubs in Curaçao image network to consolidate the system in handling deliberate attack

Negative Reviews: Formation, Spread, And Halt Of Opportunistic Behavior

Studies have shown that companies conduct compensation strategies in times of service failure to enhance recovery satisfaction and purchase intention. The role of compensation strategy in individuals’ propensity to leave fake negative reviews, however, has not been well studied. Accordingly, the present conceptual study addresses this gap. First, we present how customers’ deviant behavior is the result of companies’ service recovery strategies (i.e., compensation strategy) themselves. Next, we present how deviant behavior spreads out in a network and then comes to a halt. The paper concludes with a presentation of the conceptual model of the manifestation of individuals’ online deviant behavior. The research is important from both theoretical and managerial perspectives. From a theoretical outlook, this study adds to the literature on the dark side of guest services by investigating deviant behavior of customers and their strong ties. The research provides practitioners with a new perspective on how their service recovery strategy of compensation can lead to individuals displaying online deviant behavior and how they should address the issue