A new adaptive image steganography scheme based on DCT and chaotic map

Multimedia Tools and Applications - In this paper, a novel steganographic scheme is proposed based on chaotic map in the DCT domain. The proposed method apply the DCT on the cover image, scan the...     

Hybrid Sine Cosine and Stochastic Fractal Search for Hemoglobin Estimation

The sample's hemoglobin and glucose levels can be determined by obtaining a blood sample from the human body using a needle and analyzing it. Hemoglobin (HGB) is a critical component of the human body because it transports oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. Calculating the HGB level is a critical step in any blood analysis job. The HGB levels often indicate whether a person is anemic or polycythemia vera. Constructing ensemble models by combining two or more base machine learning (ML) models can help create a more improved model. The purpose of this work is to present a weighted average ensemble model for predicting hemoglobin levels. An optimization method is utilized to get the ensemble's optimum weights. The optimum weight for this work is determined using a sine cosine algorithm based on stochastic fractal search (SCSFS). The proposed SCSFS ensemble is compared to Decision Tree, Multilayer perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Random Forest Regressors as model-based approaches and the average ensemble model. The SCSFS results indicate that the proposed model outperforms existing models and provides an almost accurate hemoglobin estimate.     

Induction of Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction by Juglone Affects the Development of Bovine Oocytes

Juglone, a major naphthalenedione component of walnut trees, has long been used in traditional medicine as an antimicrobial and antitumor agent. Nonetheless, its impact on oocyte and preimplantation embryo development has not been entirely clarified. Using the bovine model, we sought to elucidate the impact of juglone treatment during the in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes on their maturation and development of embryos. Results showed a severe reduction in oocyte nuclear maturation and cumulus expansion and a significant increase in mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) treated with juglone (12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 µM). In addition, RT–qPCR showed downregulation of the expansion-related (HAS2, TNFAIP6, PTX3, and PTGS2) and mitochondrial (ATPase6 and ATP5F1E) genes in juglone-treated COCs. Moreover, the development rates of day 4 total cleavage and 8–16 cell stage embryos, as well as day 8 blastocysts, were significantly reduced following exposure to juglone. Using immunofluorescence, the apoptotic marker caspase-9 was overexpressed in oocytes exposed to juglone (25.0 µM) compared to the untreated control. In conclusion, our study reports that exposing bovine oocytes to 12.5–50.0 µM of juglone can reduce their development through the direct induction of ROS accumulation, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction.     

Application of fractional factorial design for green synthesis of cyano-modified silica nanoparticles: Chemometrics and multifarious response optimization

Cyano-functionalized spherical silica nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized via Stöber method. A 2?^k-p_IV–fractional factorial design (2^k-p_IV–FFD) was used to smartly prepare monodispersed evenly distributed SNPs. Six factors were considered; concentrations of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), 3-Cyanopropyltriethoxysilane (CPTS), water, and ammonia, reaction time (RT) and stirring time (ST). Two responses; particle size (PS, measured by SEM) and particle-size distribution (PSD, calculated as standard deviation, ±SD) were measured. Control charts were used to decide on impacts of linear and two-way interactions on both responses. Derringer’s function was used to consolidate these multifarious responses into a uniform execution characteristic. Both screening and optimization were always accompanied by ANOVA testing at a 95.0% confidence interval (CI). The ideal synthetic conditions were obtained from the composite desirability plots. Cyano-functionalized SNPs with an average PS of 474.04?±?86.71?nm were produced. Raman spectroscopy and FTIR were used to confirm the functionalization process. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to evaluate the thermal behavior of synthesized particles.     

Acoustic estimation of thermal distribution in the vicinity of femtosecond laser-induced optical breakdown

Laser-induced optical breakdown (LIOB), or photo-disruption, can generate individual microbubbles in tissues for biomedical applications. We have previously developed a co-localized high-frequency ultrasound system to detect and characterize these laser-induced microbubbles. Because ultrasound speed varies with temperature, this system can also be used to directly estimate thermal effects in the vicinity of photodisruption. In this study, individual bubbles (sizes 60-100 microm) were created at the bottom of a water tank using a 793-nm, 100-fs Ti:Sapphire laser pulsed at 250 kHz. During and after breakdown, pulse-echoes from the tank bottom in the region surrounding a bubble were recorded with a single-element 85-MHz ultrasonic transducer, and temperature-dependent pulse-echo displacements were calculated using phase-sensitive correlation tracking. These displacements were then fit to a finite-element heat transfer model to estimate the effective thermal distribution. Estimates were calculated for laser exposure times ranging from 6.25 to 312.5 ms (1600 to 78 000 laser pulses), at 1.5 and 4 J/cm2 fluences. Results suggest a minimal temperature increase (<1 degrees C) within 100 microm of a bubble created with <1600 laser pulses at 1.5 J/cm2 fluence. This implies that LIOB can be controlled to be thermally noninvasive in the bubble vicinity.     

Electrospinning of porous polylactic acid fibers during nonsolvent induced phase separation

In this study, porous micron‐sized fibers of polylactic acid (PLA) are fabricated via electrospinning of PLA‐dichloromethane (DCM)‐hexane systems with no post treatment involved. Several compositions from the liquid‐liquid phase separated region of the phase diagram of this ternary system are selected and their electrospinnability are investigated throughout their phase separation process before gelation. We show that under constant processing and ambient parameters, there is a phase separation shelf time for each composition wherein the viscoelasticity of the systems is optimum to produce long, uniform porous fibers. For the first time, we investigate the effect of aging time during phase separation on the morphology of the electrospun fibers using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Based on our results, certain phase separated systems provide a range of viscosity allowing for the production of porous spherical micro beads or fibers via electrospraying and electrospinning, respectively. It is also shown that obtaining long, uniform fibers from electrospinning of highly phase separated systems, e.g., a gel, is not feasible due to the high degree of crystallinity of their polymer‐rich domains and the solid‐like yielding behavior. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44862.     

Flurbiprofen-loaded niosomes-in-gel system improves the ocular bioavailability of flurbiprofen in the aqueous humor

The present work aimed to prolong the contact time of flurbiprofen (FBP) in the ocular tissue to improve the drug anti-inflammatory activity. Different niosome systems were fabricated adopting thin-film hydration technique and using the nonionic surfactant Span 60. The morphology of the prepared niosomes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Physical characterization by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were conducted for the optimized formula (F5) that was selected on the basis of percent entrapment efficiency, vesicular size and total lipid content. F5 was formulated as 1% w/w Carpobol 934 gel. Pharmacokinetic parameters of FBP were investigated following ocular administration of F5-loaded gel system, F5 niosome dispersion or the corresponding FBP ocular drops to albino rabbits dispersion. Anti-inflamatory effect of F5-loaded carbopol gel was investigated by histopathological examination of the corneal tissue before and after the treatment of inflamed rabbit eye with the system. Results showed that cholesterol content, surfactant type. and total lipid contents had an apparent impact on the vesicle size of the formulated niosomes. Physical characterization revealed reduced drug crystallinity and incidence of interaction with other niosome contents. F5-loaded gel showed higher C_max, area under the curve (AUC_0–12), and thus higher ocular bioavailability than those of the corresponding FBP ocular solution. F5-loaded gel showed a promising rapid anti-inflammatory effect in the inflamed rabbit eye. These findings will eradicate the necessity for frequent ocular drug instillation and thus, improve patient compliance.     

Improved hepatoprotective activity of silymarin via encapsulation in the novel vesicular nanosystem bilosomes

The main objective of the present work was to formulate, characterize, and evaluate silymarin (SM)-loaded bilosomes, compared to conventional liposomes, aiming at increasing the hepatoprotective activity of the drug. SM-loaded bilosomes were prepared by thin film hydration technique employing soybean phosphatidyl choline (SPC) and different bile salts. After being subjected to different methods of characterization, SM-loaded bilosomes were investigated for their hepatoprotective activity, in CCl₄ hepatointoxicated rat model. The developed SM dispersions exhibited an entrapment efficiency ranging from 21.80?±?2.01 to 84.54?±?2.51% and a particle size diameter in the nanometric dimensions (413?±?96.9 to 686.9?±?62.38?nm), with a negative zeta potential values (<–45?mV). In vitro release study revealed a lower cumulative amount of drug released from the developed formulae, compared to free drug. Ex vivo intestinal uptake study, performed using confocal laser scanning calorimetry, revealed the superiority of bilosomal uptake compared to that of liposomes. In vivo studies revealed an enhanced hepatoprotective effect of SM-loaded bilosomes/liposomes compared to free drug. These results were in good correlation with histopathological examination. These findings support the potential use of bilosomes for improving the hepatoprotective activity of SM via oral administration.