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Piezoelectric polymer nanofibers are promising for wearable electronics due to their mechanical compliance and electromechanical responsiveness. Poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐trifluoroethylene (PVDF‐TrFE) is widely used for its ferroelectric β ‐phase and favorable piezoelectric properties, yet its limited elasticity hinders applications in soft bioelectronics. Electrospun PVDF‐TrFE mats can stretch through fiber rearrangement but lack true elastic recovery unless molecular interactions and junctions are modified. Achieving nanofiber networks that are both stretchable and piezoelectrically stable under cyclic strain remains a challenge. Here, we report a strategy combining PVDF‐TrFE with a small fraction of poly(ethylene glycol) bis(amine) (PEG‐diamine) and thermal annealing to form fused nanofibrous mats with enhanced elasticity and stable piezoelectric output. The blended mats doubled the strain‐to‐failure (~30%) compared to pure PVDF‐TrFE (~14%) and showed Mullins‐like elastic recovery up to approximately 9% with reduced hysteresis. Piezoelectric response improved by approximately 25% in peak voltage (~150 mV), with greater signal stability. Structural analyses (Fourier‐transform infrared [FTIR], differential scanning calorimetry [DSC], and X‐ray diffraction [XRD]) confirmed increased β ‐phase content and selective cross‐linking in amorphous domains without compromising ferroelectric order. This work demonstrates a scalable material‐based approach to improve elasticity and durability in electrospun piezoelectric fibers, enabling stretchable and skin‐conformable sensors for smart fabrics, wearable health monitors, and energy harvesting.

The underlying mechanisms through which silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiNPs) can confer salinity resistance to plants are poorly understood. This study explored the efficacy of supplementing nutrient solution with SiNPs (20–30 nm; 10 mg kg −1 soil) to stimulate metabolism and alleviate the risks associated with salinity (0.73 g kg −1 soil) in basil seedlings. For this purpose, variations in photosynthetic indices, proline osmoprotectant, antioxidant markers, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and transcriptional behaviors of genes were investigated. SiNPs increased shoot fresh weight (38%) and mitigated the risk associated with the salinity stress by 14%. SiNPs alleviated the inhibitory effects of salinity on the total chlorophyll concentration by 15%. The highest increase (twofold) in proline content was recorded in the SiNP-treated seedlings grown under salinity. The nano-supplement enhanced the activity of enzymatic antioxidants, including peroxidase (2.5-fold) and catalase (4.7-fold). SiNPs induced the expression of gamma-cadinene synthase ( CDS ) and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase ( COMT ) genes by 6.5- and 18.3-fold, respectively. SiNPs upregulated the eugenol synthase ( EGS1 ) and fenchol synthase ( FES ) genes by six- and nine-fold, respectively. Salinity transcriptionally downregulated the geraniol synthase ( GES ) gene, while this gene displayed an upward trend in response to SiNPs by eight-fold. The nano-supplement transcriptionally stimulated the R-linalool synthase ( LIS ) gene by 3.3-fold. The terpinolene synthase ( TES ) gene displayed a similar trend to that of the GES gene. The highest expression (25-fold) of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase ( PAL ) gene was recorded in seedlings supplemented with SiNPs. The physiological and molecular assessments demonstrated that employing SiNPs is a sustainable strategy for improving plant primary/secondary metabolism and crop protection.

Introduction: Blood-brain barrier with strictly controlled activity participates in a coordinated transfer of bioactive molecules from the blood to the brain. Among different delivery approaches, gene delivery is touted as a promising strategy for the treatment of several nervous system disorders. The transfer of exogenous genetic elements is limited by the paucity of suitable carriers. As a correlate, designing high-efficiency biocarriers for gene delivery is challenging. This study aimed to deliver pEGFP-N1 plasmid into the brain parenchyma using CDX-modified chitosan (CS) nanoparticles (NPs). Methods: Herein, we attached CDX, a 16 amino acids peptide, to the CS polymer using bifunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG) formulated with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP), by ionic gelation method. Developed NPs and their nanocomplexes with pEGFP-N1 (CS-PEG-CDX/pEGFP) were characterized using DLS, NMR, FTIR, and TEM analyses. For in vitro assays, a rat C6 glioma cell line was used for cell internalization efficiency. The biodistribution and brain localization of nanocomplexes were studied in a mouse model after intraperitoneal injection using in vivo imaging and fluorescent microscopy. Results: Our results showed that CS-PEG-CDX/pEGFP NPs were uptaken by glioma cells in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo imaging revealed successful entry into the brain parenchyma indicated with the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter protein. However, the biodistribution of developed NPs was also evident in other organs especially the spleen, liver, heart, and kidneys. Conclusion: Based on our results, CS-PEG-CDX NPs can provide a safe and effective nanocarrier for brain gene delivery into the central nervous system (CNS).

In recent years, the importance of branding has dramatically increased on the ground that brands have the potential to be a source of long-term competitive advantages for any businesses. Although it seems that brand value, theoretically, has a significant impact on corporate profits, evaluating the brand value's influence level on corporate profits can give clear signals to both managers and investors to adopt the most accurate and probable decisions. Furthermore, another significant concern of this study is whether considering different types of business matters in such analyses. As a case study, this paper investigates the impact of brand value on corporate profit in two significant industries that operate in the Tehran Stock Exchange, i.e., petrochemical and banking industries which stand for B2B and B2C businesses respectively. To do so, the monthly data from June 2008 to June 2018 in a Panel GMM framework is applied. The results show that the effect of brand value on the profit of both the banking and petrochemical industries are positive and significant. These results also confirm that the effect of brand value on profitability in the B2C businesses (banking industry) is significantly higher, almost double, compared to the B2B (petrochemical industries) business group.

Research in motor learning has always been looking forward to find out the best way to help the acquisition and the retention of different motor skill teaching (Fialho et al, 2006). An effective factor on measures of learning is scheduling of practice session (Zeto et al, 2007). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of low and high contextual interference on acquisition, transfer and retention of volleyball service skill of the first grade female high school students, aged 15-17 years. 30 students were assigned by random method in two groups: low interference (blocked practice) and high interference (random practice). In order to make sure that the two groups are the same, both groups participated in a pre- test. AAHPERD volleyball test (1969) was used to measure volleyball service. Both groups performed practical programs for six week, two sessions per week. The blocked group performed 20 services which consisted of 10 simple services and 10 tennis services successively. And random group performed 20 services, one simple service and one tennis services consecutively. The transfer test was performed 24 hours after the completion of the last acquisition practice, and the retention test was performed 48 hours after transfer test. The results of repeated measures showed that both groups (random and blocked) improved significantly their volleyball skills in acquisition, transfer, and retention phases. When the blocked and random groups were compared together across the acquisition, transfer, and retention phases, the result of analyses of variance indicated that there were no significant effects between the two groups in acquisition and transfer phases. However, a significant effect was found between the two groups in retention phase. It means that the random group only showed better performance than the random group in retention phase. Base on the findings of this study, it is therefore recommended that the coaches can mostly rely on random practice to improve the acquisition and retention of basic volleyball skills.