Effect of whey protein supplementation on levels of endocannabinoids and some of metabolic risk factors in obese women on a weight-loss diet: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Besides the effects of dietary long chain PUFA on circulating endocannabinoids concentrations, the impact of other nutrients on these system is not known and, whether changes in plasma endocannabinoids levels correlated with changes in body composition and biochemical metabolic risk factors in obese individuals, however, still remains to be characterized.

Methods

We will conduct a 2 months’ open label, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of whey protein supplementation on levels of endocannabinoids, glycemic and lipid profile, inflammatory factors, adipocytokines and body composition in 60 premenopausal obese women on a weight-loss diet.

Conclusion

Due to strong relationship between endocannabinoids level and insulin resistance and obesity, in this trial, we will illustrate the other benefits of weight loss diet on health and metabolic risk factors. Also for the first, the effects of simultaneous weight loss diet and whey protein supplementation on these variables will be determined.

Trial registration

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT2017021410181N8.

     

Application of photonic crystal ring resonator nonlinear response for full-optical tunable add–drop filtering

In this paper, we investigate the application of Kerr-like nonlinear photonic crystal (PhC) ring resonator (PCRR) for realizing a tunable full-optical add–drop filter. We used silicon (Si) nano-crystal as the nonlinear material in pillar-based square lattice of a 2DPhC. The nonlinear section of PCRR is studied under three different scenarios: (1) first only the inner rods of PCRR are made of nonlinear materials, (2) only outer rods of PCRR have nonlinear response, and (3) both of inner and outer rods are made of nonlinear material. The simulation results indicate that optical power required to switch the state of PCRR from turn-on to turn-off, for the nonlinearity applied to inner PCRR, is at least \(2000\, \hbox {mW}{/}\upmu \hbox {m}^{2}\) and, for the nonlinearity applied to outer PCRR, is at least \(3000\, \hbox {mW}{/}\upmu \hbox {m}^{2}\) which corresponds to refractive index change of \(\Delta n_\mathrm{NL }= 0.085\) and \(\Delta n_\mathrm{NL }= 0.15\), respectively. For nonlinear tuning of add–drop filter, the minimum power required to 1 nm redshift the center operating wavelength \((\lambda _{0} = 1550\, \hbox {nm})\) for the inner PCRR scenario is \(125\, \hbox {mW}{/}\upmu \hbox {m}^{2}\) (refractive index change of \(\Delta n_\mathrm{NL}= 0.005)\). Maximum allowed refractive index change for inner and outer scenarios before switch goes to saturation is \(\Delta n_\mathrm{NL }= 0.04\) (maximum tune-ability 8 nm) and \(\Delta n_\mathrm{NL }= 0.012\) (maximum tune-ability of 24 nm), respectively. Performance of add–drop filter is replicated by means of finite-difference time-domain method, and simulations displayed an ultra-compact size device with ultra-fast tune-ability speed.     

The effects of adding nano-alumina filler on the properties of polymer-derived SiC coating

In this paper, SiC coating was prepared using the polymer-derived ceramic method; then the effect of nano-alumina as a filler material was studied. First of all, polycarbosilane(PCS) was dissolved in xylene; after that, different amounts of nano-alumina particles were added to the solution. The coating was deposited on the alumina substrate using the dip-coating method; this was followed by sintering at 1200℃. The phase content and microstructure of the samples were studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope methods, respectively. Nanohardness, Young's modulus, and coating adhesion were investigated by a nanoindentation method. The sheet resistance was evaluated using the four-point probe technique; also, the wear resistance of the coating was studied by applying the pin-on-disk method. It was found that the addition of the nano-alumina filler up to 20 wt% drastically improved the adhesion and wear resistance of the SiC coating.     

Exploring the optical properties of exposed-core-based photonic-crystal fibers

Journal of Computational Electronics - A photonic-crystal fiber (PCF) based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect with low confinement loss and high sensitivity response is designed and its...     

Time evolution of current density in conducting single-walled carbon nanotubes

In the present work, we study the trembling motion known as Zitterbewegung in a conducting single-walled carbon nanotube by using the long-wave approximation. The Heisenberg representation is used to derive an analytical expression for the current density operator along the axial and spiral direction, which describes the current induced by the motion of the electronic wave packet in the carbon nanotubes. We have considered a number of parameters to describe the Gaussian wave packet, such as: the values of the initial pseudo-spin polarization, the initial carrier wave vector and the width of the localized packet along the axial and spiral coordinates. As a result, we show that the oscillation in current density can be controlled not only by the initial parameters of the wave packet, but mainly by choosing the up and low components of the localized quantum state. The analysis of the interference between the conduction and valence bands of quantum states is emphasized as the possibility of the emergence of the transient or aperiodic temporal oscillations in the average value for the current density in the conducting single-walled carbon nanotubes.     

Sensitivity analysis for justification of utilising special purpose machine tools in the presence of uncertain parameters

Decision-makers in manufacturing area frequently face machine tool selection problem under uncertainty due to competitive market changes. Special purpose machines (SPMs), a relatively new class of reconfigurable machine tools, are used to react quickly to changes. Justification of utilising these machines vs. other machine tools requires a technique to investigate the sources of uncertainties. In this work, sensitivity analysis is utilised to investigate the sources of these uncertainties and errors which may reveal new insights for evaluating a machine tool. An illustrative example is provided to show the sensitivity of parameters on the economic performance of SPMs compared to the other alternatives. The results show that this analysis provides additional information and moves the decision closer to the optimum alternative.     

An insight into mode II fracture toughness testing using SCB specimen

The effect of friction forces between the test specimen and its bottom supports on the mode II fracture toughness values obtained using the semicircular bend (SCB) specimen is investigated. First, a number of experiments were conducted on SCB specimen in order to determine the mode II fracture toughness of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) according to the conventional approaches available in the literature. Three different types of supports that have been frequently employed by researchers in recent years were used to evaluate the effect of support type on the fracture loads. It was found that the friction forces between the supports and the SCB specimen have a significant effect on the value of mode II fracture toughness measured using the SCB samples. Then, the specimen was simulated using finite element method for more detailed investigation on the near crack tip stress field evolution when friction forces increase between the supports and the SCB specimen. The finite element results confirmed that the type of support affects not only the stress intensity factors K_I and K_II but also the T‐stress. The experimental and numerical results showed that the use of the crack tip parameters available in literature for frictionless contact between the supports and the SCB specimen can result in significant errors when the mode II experiments are performed by using the fixed or roller‐in‐grove types of supports.     

Fracture analysis of V‐notched rubbers: An experimental and theoretical study

In this study, the rupture load in rubbers weakened by sharp V‐notch is investigated under mode I loading. To this end, first, mode I fracture tests are performed on V‐notched samples made of styrene‐butadiene rubbers and the corresponding rupture loads are obtained. Then, the effective stretch (ES) criterion, which was recently developed by the present authors for rupture assessment of cracked rubber parts, is extended and used for the V‐notched rubbers. It is shown that similar to cracked rubbers, the state of stress near the notch tip is also nearly uniaxial. By employing the ES criterion, the critical displacements corresponding to the rupture in the tested samples are calculated. Finally, the predictions of the criterion are compared with the corresponding experimental values, and good consistency is shown to exist.     

Alkaline treatment effect on the properties of in‐situ synthesised ZnO nanoparticles on cotton fabric

In this study, an in‐situ approach was used to synthesise zinc oxide nanoparticles on the surface of cotton fabric. The effect of alkaline pre‐ and after‐treatment and Zn²⁺ concentration was studied on the morphological, structural, thermal, photocatalytic, and antibacterial properties of loaded cotton fabrics. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray diffractometer, thermogravimetric analysis, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectrometer were used to characterise the properties of loaded cotton fabrics. Alkaline after‐treatment of cotton fabric presented more dispersed zinc oxide nanoparticles, and an increase in Zn²⁺ concentration led to form agglomerated nanoparticles on the surface of cotton fibres. The loaded cotton fabrics with zinc oxide nanoparticles presented an inhibition zone against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In addition, the stain of methylene blue on the surface of loaded samples was degraded after irradiated under visible light.Inspec keywords: nanofabrication, zinc compounds, II‐VI semiconductors, nanoparticles, nanomedicine, antibacterial activity, catalysis, photochemistry, cotton fabrics, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray chemical analysis, X‐ray diffraction, thermal analysis, attenuated total reflection, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, microorganisms, materials preparationOther keywords: alkaline treatment effect, in‐situ synthesised ZnO nanoparticles, alkaline pretreatment, alkaline after‐treatment, Zn²⁺ concentration, morphological property, structural property, thermal property, photocatalytic property, antibacterial property, loaded cotton fabrics, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray diffractometer, thermogravimetric analysis, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, agglomerated nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles, inhibition zone, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, methylene blue, visible light, ZnO