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Fast neutron and gamma-ray attenuation characteristics of Inconel-600, -601, -625, and − 718 superalloys, stainless steel-304, and lead were studied using MCNPX Monte Carlo code, WinXCom, XMuDat, and Auto-Z eff computer programs. The µ m , HVL, MFP, σ a , σ e , Z eff and N eff , and Σ T were calculated for 192 Ir, 18 F, 137 Cs, and 60 Co gamma sources and 1 MeV fast neutrons. The difference between the MCNPX and calculated results was less than ± 2%. Above and below 511 keV photon energy, respectively, Inconel-600 and Inconel-625 have the highest mass attenuation coefficient among Inconel alloys. The thickest HVL and MFP values were achieved for the Inconel-601 superalloy. The σ a and σ e values decreased as photon energy increased. The Z eff values were approximately constant with photon energy increase. The Z eff of the Inconel-601 was the lowest, while that of Inconel-625 was the highest. In the studied gamma-ray energies, the N eff value variations were insignificant. The stainless steel-304 material was found to have the highest Σ T , while Inconel-600 had the highest value between Inconel superalloys. Calculated data indicates that Inconel-600 is the superior candidate for shielding gamma rays among Inconel superalloys.

Active food packaging that provides antioxidant and antimicrobial protection can extend product shelf life, but adding such features to polymers often affects material performance. In this study, we developed a biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) film incorporating in situ synthesized tannic acid (TA)/zinc sulfide (ZnS) hybrid nanostructures to add antioxidant, antibacterial, and UV-shielding functions. The TA/ZnS nanohybrids were created using a green in situ co-precipitation method and evenly dispersed in the PBAT matrix to form nanocomposite films. The resulting films showed strong bioactivity, achieving 90.46% DPPH free radical scavenging and inhibition zones over 3.0 cm against both E. coli and S. aureus . They also offered about 97% UV blocking and improved moisture barrier properties, with a 40.9% decrease in water vapor permeability and a 13% increase in water contact angle (surface hydrophobicity). However, these improvements came with roughly a 30% reduction in tensile strength, highlighting a trade-off between added functionality and mechanical performance. Importantly, the composite kept enough flexibility and strength for practical applications. In conclusion, the organic–inorganic synergy between tannic acid and ZnS created a bioactive, UV-protective film that can help extend food shelf life while remaining biodegradable. This green, scalable method shows potential for sustainable next-generation active packaging.

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), that can be measured through heart rate variability (HRV)-known to be decreased in T2DM. Physical exercise can improve HRV in healthy population, however results are under debate in T2DM. We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of physical exercise on HRV in T2DM patients. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases were searched for all studies reporting HRV parameters in T2DM patients before and after exercise training, until September 20th 2020, without limitation to specific years. We conducted random-effects meta-analysis stratified by type of exercise for each of the HRV parameters: RR-intervals (or Normal to Normal intervals-NN), standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN), percentage of adjacent NN intervals varying by more than 50 milliseconds (pNN50), root mean square of successive RR-intervals differences (RMSSD), total power, Low Frequency (LF), High Frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio. Sensitivity analyses were computed on studies with the highest quality. We included 21 studies (9 were randomized) for a total of 523 T2DM patients: 472 had an exercise training and 151 were controls (no exercise). Intervention was endurance (14 studies), resistance (2 studies), endurance combined with resistance (4 studies), and high intensity interval training (HIIT) (4 studies). After exercise training, all HRV parameters improved i.e. an increase in SDNN (effect size = 0.59, 95%CI 0.26 to 0.93), RMSSD (0.62, 0.28 to 0.95), pNN50 (0.62, 0.23 to 1.00), HF (0.58, -0.16 to 0.99), and a decrease in LF (-0.37, -0.69 to -0.05) and LF/HF (-0.52, -0.79 to -0.24). There were no changes in controls. Stratification by type of exercise showed an improvement in most HRV parameters (SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, LF, HF, LF/HF) after endurance training, whereas mostly LF/HF was improved after both resistance training and HIIT. Supervised training improved most HRV parameters. Duration and frequency of training did not influence the benefits on HRV. Exercise training improved HRV parameters in T2DM patients which may reflect an improvement in the activity of the autonomic nervous system. The level of proof is the highest for endurance training. Supervised training seemed beneficial.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are porous and crystalline materials which are formed based on the covalent interactions between the building monomers. These materials possess fascinating properties in terms of predesignable structure, controllable morphology, and manageable functionality which distinguished them from other polymers. COFs have also high chemical and physical stability, high surface area, and high adsorption capacity that these attributes make them excellent candidates for use in different fields. However, there are several approaches for the synthesis of COFs among which room-temperature synthesis approach is a green, versatile, and popular method which is due to its exceptional properties including simplicity, easy operation, and cost-effectiveness. In this regard, this review article presents a comprehensive view of the synthesis of COFs at room temperature as well as their applications, their limitations, and also their future perspectives.

Objectives: This study investigated whether CoQ10 supplementation enhances physical adaptations to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in muscular strength, power, and physical function in older adults. Method: In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 38 adults aged 65–75 were assigned to either a CoQ10 (Females: 8; Males: 11) or placebo (Females: 8; Males: 11) group and completed an 8-week supervised HIIT program. Lower- and upper-body strength (30s 5-repetition chair stand [5XSST], chair standing [30CST], handgrip strength [HGR/L]), balance (single-leg stand [SLS], timed up and go [TUG]), mobility (25-foot walk [25FW]), and aerobic endurance (6-minute walk [6MWT]) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results: The CoQ10 group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in 5XSST and 30CST compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). Both groups showed significant within-group improvements in right and left handgrip strength, SLS, 6MWT, and TUG (all p < 0.001), with no significant between-group differences observed for these outcomes (p > 0.05). No adverse events were reported. Conclusion: While CoQ10 supplementation enhanced improvements in lower-body strength and power, as indicated by the greater gains in 5XSST and 30CST performance compared to the placebo, no between-group differences were observed in TUG, grip strength, or other functional outcomes. This suggests that the performance-related effects of CoQ10 may be more specific to muscular power output and fatigue resistance, rather than general mobility or balance-related tasks. These findings highlight the potential of CoQ10 as a targeted adjunct in exercise for supporting lower-body function and physical performance in older adults.

Radioisotopes 152 Eu and 154 Eu are suitable options for calibrating HPGe detectors due to their long half-lives, high spectral purity, and distinct gamma lines. In this study, the production of these radioisotopes through direct irradiation of natural europium in the Tehran Research Reactor was investigated. For the optimal design of the irradiation process, the MCNPX 2.6.0 simulation code was used and then the practical production of the radioactive source was carried out under specified conditions. The sample was irradiated at a location with a neutron flux of 1.31 n/(cm²s) for 2 days, and after a 21-day cooling period, gamma spectroscopy was performed using an HPGe detector. The experimental results showed that the obtained activities were in good agreement with the simulation predictions. Additionally, a comparison of the detector efficiency using the produced source and a standard reference source confirmed the proper performance of the produced source. This study shows that the combination of simulation and experimental methods can provide an efficient and reliable approach for producing radioactive standard sources in research reactor environments. It can also be concluded that, given the natural abundance and lower cost of natural europium compared to the enriched isotopes 151Eu and 153Eu, its use as the primary target is a cost-effective and practical solution for the production of standard calibration sources.

This study compared the effects of blood flow restriction (BFR) on intensity and perceived enjoyment during an exergame. Fourteen healthy young participants engaged in a boxing exergame for 20 min, with or without BFR, across two sessions. Perceived enjoyment levels were assessed using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. Heart rate was monitored, and energy expenditure (EE) during exercise was calculated. A mixed model analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to evaluate differences in EE and enjoyment between exergame conditions (with and without BFR) as well as the interaction effects of these protocols with gender. Although not statistically significant, perceived enjoyment decreased with BFR inclusion for both genders. No significant differences were observed between men and women for both protocols. Regarding EE, there was no significant difference between the two groups (with and without BFR). However, a significant main effect of gender was found, with men exhibiting higher EE values in both protocols compared to women. In conclusion, exergames incorporating BFR impact perceptual responses, particularly perceived enjoyment. Furthermore, significant gender differences in EE were found, with men displaying higher values.

We performed a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of observational studies assessing the association between UPF consumption and adult mortality risk. A systematic search was conducted using ISI Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Scopus electronic databases from inception to August 2021. Data were extracted from seven cohort studies (totaling 207,291 adults from four countries). Using a random-effects model, hazard ratios (HR) of pooled outcomes were estimated. Our results showed that UPF consumption was related to an enhanced risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.30; I2 = 21.9%; p < 0.001), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)-cause mortality (HR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.37, 1.63; I2 = 0.0%; p < 0.001), and heart-cause mortality (HR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.50, 1.85; I2 = 0.0%; p = 0.022), but not cancer-cause mortality. Furthermore, our findings revealed that each 10% increase in UPF consumption in daily calorie intake was associated with a 15% higher risk of all-cause mortality (OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.21; I2 = 0.0%; p < 0.001). The dose–response analysis revealed a positive linear association between UPF consumption and all-cause mortality (Pnonlinearity = 0.879, Pdose–response = p < 0.001), CVDs-cause mortality (Pnonlinearity = 0.868, Pdose–response = p < 0.001), and heart-cause mortality (Pnonlinearity = 0.774, Pdose–response = p < 0.001). It seems that higher consumption of UPF is significantly associated with an enhanced risk of adult mortality. Despite this, further experimental studies are necessary to draw a more definite conclusion.

Stress whitening is a milky-white appearance occurring in a variety of polymers during the mechanical loading and plastic deformation. The current research examines the pattern of stress whitening occurrence including the onset and the progress in polypropylene by conducting gray scale, blush measurements and microscopic studies during tensile tests. Histograms of digital image processing in deformed zone showed that the distribution of the gray-level data points changed from a (a) narrow to (b) an extended with tail distribution, followed by (c) growth of a second peak with time which indicates that stress whitening intensification occurs gradually and generally through the deformation region. It means that whitening consists of whitening intensity enhancement and spread of whitened zone. Microscopic evaluations also showed that at regions close to the neck, the spherulitic structures are ruined and changed to fibrillar structures by deformation development. As a result, the origin of stress whitening from two distinct resources, (a) defects including micro-voids and voids such as craze, semi-craze or crack structures (occurring close to and far from the neck areas) and (b) orientations of fibrillar structures (occurring in the neck area), were considered completely. Moreover, it was shown that increasing the strain rate in tensile test leads to formation of more visible whitened area within the plastically deformed zone. This is the consequence of further growth of micro-voids at higher strain rates. At last, the agreement between these observations and the Mie scattering concept is discussed.

Briefly, the radiolabeled hydroxyapatite particles with carrier-added holmium-166 radionuclide were produced by irradiation of natural Ho2O3 (100% 165Ho) at a thermal neutron flux of 3×1013 n cm-2 s for a period of 7 d. HA particles within the 20–60 µm range were carried out by repetitive grinding and sieving, using ASTM standard sieves of suitable mesh size. Based on this method, in relative organ mass scaling, the percent of injected activity (%IA) in human organ is assumed to be equal to the ratio of the fraction of the total body mass of the organ in human to the fraction of the total body mass of the organ in animal multiplied by the percent of injected activity (%IA) in animal organ: IA Human organ = %IA Animal organ × Organ masshumanBody masshumanOrgan massanimalBody massanimal (1) Because the 166Ho-HA radiopharmaceutical is directly injected into the liver organ through the hepatic artery, so %IA of humans for this organ was considered equal to the rat’s value. The time-activity curves after 48 h were considered mono-exponential functions due to this rational assumption that organs’ activities decrease with radioactive decay and biological elimination of the radionuclide in that organ (i.e. with the effective half-life of each organ). [...]the exponent of any mono-exponential function represents the effective half-life of each organ. [...]the effective dose was calculated according to the latest recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publication 103 (22), and was calculated from the following equation: E = ∑TwTH(rT) (5) Where wT is the weighting factor for tissue or organ T and HT, is the equivalent dose in tissue T, given in Sievert. Since the gamma rays and beta particles are involved in this research, the equivalent dose of tissues is directly calculated from the radiation absorbed dose of tissues (the radiation weighting factor of gamma and beta radiations is equal to 1).