Search

Abstract Referrals for gender dysphoria (GD), characterized by a distressful incongruence between gender identity and at-birth assigned sex, are steadily increasing. The underlying neurobiology, and the mechanisms of the often-beneficial cross-sex hormone treatment are unknown. Here, we test hypothesis that own body perception networks (incorporated in the default mode network—DMN, and partly in the salience network—SN), are different in trans-compared with cis-gender persons. We also investigate whether these networks change with cross-sex hormone treatment. Forty transmen (TrM) and 25 transwomen (TrW) were scanned before and after cross-sex hormone institution. We used our own developed Body Morph test (BM), to assess the perception of own body as self. Fifteen cisgender persons were controls. Within and between-group differences in functional connectivity were calculated using independent components analysis within the DMN, SN, and motor network (a control network). Pretreatment, TrM and TrW scored lower “self” on the BM test than controls. Their functional connections were weaker in the anterior cingulate-, mesial prefrontal-cortex (mPFC), precuneus, the left angular gyrus, and superior parietal cortex of the DMN, and ACC in the SN “Self” identification and connectivity in the mPFC in both TrM and TrW increased from scan 1 to 2, and at scan 2 no group differences remained. The neurobiological underpinnings of GD seem subserved by cerebral structures composing major parts of the DMN.

Abstract Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is one of the most successful parasites in the world, because about a third of the world's population is seropositive for toxoplasmosis. Treatment regimens for toxoplasmosis have remained unchanged for the past 20 years, and no new drugs have been introduced to the market recently. This study, performed molecular docking to identify interactions of FDA-approved drugs with essential residues in the active site of proteins of T. gondii Dihydrofolate Reductase (TgDHFR), Prolyl-tRNA Synthetase (TgPRS), and Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 1 (TgCDPK1). Each protein was docked with 2100 FDA-approved drugs using AutoDock Vina. Also, the Pharmit software was used to generate pharmacophore models based on the TgDHFR complexed with TRC-2533, TgPRS in complex with halofuginone, and TgCDPK1 in complex with a bumped kinase inhibitor, RM-1–132. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was also performed for 100 ns to verify the stability of interaction in drug–protein complexes. Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MMPBSA) analysis evaluated the binding energy of selected complexes. Ezetimibe, Raloxifene, Sulfasalazine, Triamterene, and Zafirlukast drugs against the TgDHFR protein, Cromolyn, Cefexim, and Lactulose drugs against the TgPRS protein, and Pentaprazole, Betamethasone, and Bromocriptine drugs against TgCDPK1 protein showed the best results. These drugs had the lowest energy-based docking scores and also stable interactions based on MD analyses with TgDHFR, TgPRS, and TgCDPK1 drug targets that can be introduced as possible drugs for laboratory investigations to treat T. gondii parasite infection.

Abstract Occupational accidents (OA) are among the main causes of disabilities and death in developing and developed countries. The aims of this study were to identify the subgroups of OA and assess the independent role of demographic characteristics on the membership of participants in each latent class. This cross-sectional study was performed on 290 workers between 2011 and 2017. Data gathering was done using the reports of accidents recorded in filed lawsuits. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16 and LCA was done using PROC LCA in SAS9.2. For latent classes were identified; namely “critical due to distractions and lack of supervision” (40.1%), “critical due to lack of safety knowledge” (27.9%), “critical due to fatigue and lack of supervision” (13.1%), and “catastrophic” (18.8%). After adjusting for other studied covariates, being illiterate significantly increased the odds of membership in “critical due to fatigue and lack of supervision” (OR = 4.05) and “catastrophic” (OR = 18.99) classes compared to “critical due to distractions and lack of supervision” class. Results of this study showed that the majority of workers fell under the latent class of critical due to distractions and lack of supervision. In addition, it should be noted that although a relatively small percentage of the workers are in the catastrophic class, the probability of occurring death is quite high in this class. Focusing on the education of workers and enhancing manager’s supervision and employing educated workers could help in reducing severe and catastrophic OA.

Abstract A five-level atomic system is proposed in vicinity of a two-dimensional (2D) plasmonic nanostructure with application in atom-photon entanglement. The behavior of the atom-photon entanglement is discussed with and without a control laser field. The amount of atom-photon entanglement is controlled by the quantum interference created by the plasmonic nanostructure. Thus, the degree of atom-photon entanglement is affected by the atomic distance from the plasmonic nanostructure. In the presence of a control field, maximum entanglement between the atom and its spontaneous emission field is observed.

Abstract This study aims to improve polyurethane-based coating by modified zirconium oxide and aluminum oxide nanoparticles for preparing thin polymeric heat insulation coatings. In the first step, the nanoparticles were chemically modified with the silane coupling agent. Then, three different weight percent of modified nanoparticles (1, 3, and 5% w/w) were mixed with polyurethane, to prepare the nanocomposites, which were coated on metallic plate samples. Then, these plates are used to measure the radiation heat transfer coefficients, absorption coefficient in a region of short wavelengths (UV/VIS/NIR), the emissivity coefficient, and thermography of the samples in a region of long wavelengths (IR). Results showed that by adding the modified nanoparticles to the polyurethane matrix, absorption was decreased and the emissivity coefficient was increased. According to the thermography results, it was observed that the surface temperature of both samples with 3% w/w of nanoparticles had the minimum temperature compare to others. Minimum heat surface observed for 3% w/w of modified nano zirconium oxide.

Abstract Here we show the capability of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles formed on copper (Cu) electrodes by the electrolysis as a real time active substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). We have experimentally found that using just the ultra pure water as the electrolyte and the Cu electrodes, ions are extracted from the copper anode form copper oxide nanoparticles on the anode surface in matter of minutes. Average particle size on the anode reaches to 100 nm in ninety seconds and grows to about 300 nm in five minutes. This anode is used in Raman experiments in real time as the nanoparticles were forming and the maximum enhancement factor (EF) of Raman signals were over five orders of magnitude. Other metal electrodes made of brass, zinc (Zn), silver (Ag) and aluminum (Al) were also tried for the anode material for a possible real-time substrate for SERS applications. Experimentally obtained enhancement factors were above five orders of magnitude for brass electrodes like the copper but for the other metals no enhancement is observed. Electron microscope images show the cubic nanoparticle formation on copper and brass electrodes but none in the other metals studied.

Abstract Stealth (PEGylated) liposomes have taken a central role in drug formulation and delivery combining efficient transport with low nonspecific interactions. Controlling rapid release at a certain location and time remains a challenge dependent on environmental factors. We demonstrate a highly efficient and scalable way to produce liposomes of any lipid composition containing homogeneously dispersed monodisperse superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in the membrane interior. We investigate the effect of lipid composition, particle concentration and magnetic field actuation on colloidal stability, magneto-thermally actuated release and passive release rates. We show that the rate and amount of encapsulated hydrophilic compound released by actuation using alternating magnetic fields can be precisely controlled from stealth liposomes with high membrane melting temperature. Extraordinarily low passive release and temperature sensitivity at body temperature makes this a promising encapsulation and external-trigger-on-demand release system. The introduced feature can be used as an add-on to existing stealth liposome drug delivery technology.

Abstract The present study aimed at synthesizing chromium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (Cr:ZnO NPs) under mild hydrothermal conditions (temperature ~100 °C, p = autogenous and time ~12 hr). Chromium oxide and n-butylamine were used as dopant and surface modifier, respectively. The characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles were determined through conducting specialized experiments including powder XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, and UV-VIS spectroscopy. Then, the Cr:ZnO NPs were immobilized on a sandblasted glass through thermal method. The photocatalytic degradation of aniline was conducted in a continuous reactor with a volume of 1.5 liters. Before and after photocatalytic degradation, the immobilized Cr:ZnO NPs were characterized for SEM and EDX to determine the degree of stability of immobilized nanoparticles as well as the influence of the current applied on them. The photodegradation operational parameters investigated were aniline initial concentration (150, 200, and 250 mg/L), pH (5, 7, 6, and 12), and reaction time (2, 4, and 6 hours) under sunlight illumination. The characterization results indicated high purity of the Cr:ZnO NPs and no change in morphology or composition even after the immobilization and photo-oxidation process. Finally, it was found that the optimum conditions for 93% removal of aniline under sunlight illumination was about 6 hours retention time at pH 9.

In this study, the effects of interlayer interaction and biaxial strain on the electronic structure, phonon dispersion and optical properties of monolayer and bilayer BAs are studied, using first-principles calculations within the framework of density functional theory. The interlayer coupling in bilayer BAs causes the splitting of out-of-plane acoustic (ZA) and optical (ZO) mode. For both structures, positive phonon modes across the Brillouin zone have been observed under biaxial tensile strain from 0 to 8%, which indicate their dynamical stability under tensile strain. Also, the phonon band gap between longitudinal acoustic (LA) and longitudinal optical (LO)/transverse optical (TO) modes for monolayer and bilayer BAs decreases under tensile strain. An appreciable degree of optical anisotropy is noticeable in the materials for parallel and perpendicular polarizations, accompanied by significant absorption in the ultraviolet and visible regions. The absorption edge of bilayer BAs is at a lower energy with respect to the monolayer BAs. The results demonstrate that the phonon dispersion and optoelectronic properties of BAs sheet could as well be tuned with both interlayer interaction and biaxial strain that are promising for optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The thermoelectric properties of carbon-doped monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) are studied using a tight-binding model employing Green function approach and the Kubo formalism. Accurate tight-binding parameters are obtained to achieve excellent fitting with Density Functional Theory results for doped h-BN structures with impurity type and concentration. The influence of carbon doping on the electronic properties, electrical conductivity, and heat capacity of h-BN is studied, especially under an applied magnetic field. Electronic properties are significantly altered by doping type, concentration, and magnetic field due to subband splitting, merging of adjacent subbands, and band gap reduction. These modifications influence the number, location, and magnitude of DOS peaks, generating extra peaks inside the band gap region. Heat capacity displays pronounced dependence on both magnetic field and impurity concentration, exhibiting higher intensity at lower dopant levels. Electrical conductivity is increased by double carbon doping compared to single doping, but is reduced at high magnetic fields because of high carrier scattering. The electronic figure of merit ZT increases with lower impurity concentration and is higher for CB versus CN doping at a given field strength. The power factor can be improved by increasing magnetic field and decreasing doping concentration. In summary, controlling doping and magnetic field demonstrates the ability to effectively engineer the thermoelectric properties of monolayer h-BN., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this paper, we present a tight-binding model based on DFT calculations for investigation the electronic and optical properties of monolayer Germanene. The thermal properties are investigated using Green function method. The required tight binding parameters including the onsite energies and third nearest neighbors hopping and overlap integrals are obtained based on our DFT calculations. Germanene is a semiconductor with zero band gap and linear band dispersion around the K point. The band gap opening occurs in the presence of bias voltage. The band gap is increased linearly with increase of the bias voltage strength. The tight binding results for position of the two first peaks in the optical Infrared region is same with the DFT results. By applying and increasing bias voltage, the dielectric function shows the blue shift by reduction the peak intensity in the energy range E < 1 eV. The thermal conductivity and heat capacity increase with increasing the temperature due to the increasing of thermal energy of charge carriers and excitation them to the conduction bands. The thermal properties of Germanene in the absence of bias U = 0 is larger than that U ≠ 0 and they decrease by further bias strength increasing, due to the increasing band gap with bias.