Background:Green tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It is believed to have beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, one of which is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The present study investigated the effects of consumption of green tea in NAFLD patients.Methods:This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Ultrasonography was used to diagnose fatty liver in patients with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >31 mg/dl and 41 mg/dl and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >31 mg/dl and 47 g/dl in women and men, respectively and without other hepatic diseases. A total of 80 participants (20–50 years) with NAFLD were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either green tea extract (GTE) supplement (500 mg GTE tablet per day) or placebo for 90 days. At baseline and at the end of the intervention weight, serum ALT, AST, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured in fasting state, and dietary data were collected at baseline and end of the study.Results:Green tea group showed significant reductions in ALT and AST levels after 12 weeks period (P < 0.001). The placebo group showed a reduction in ALT and AST levels at the end of the study, but it was no significant. ALP levels showed significant reductions in both groups after 12 weeks period (P < 0.001).Conclusions:According to the findings of this study, GTE supplementation decrease liver enzymes in patients with NAFLD. It can be claimed that GTE prescribed can be considered as a treatment to improve serum levels of liver enzymes in NAFLD patients.

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Recently, the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network approved a plan to allocate kidneys within 250‐nm circles around donor hospitals. These homogeneous circles might not substantially reduce geographic differences in transplant rates because deceased donor kidney supply and demand differ across the country. Using Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data from 2016‐2019, we used an integer program to design unique, heterogeneous circles with sizes between 100 and 500 nm that reduced supply/demand ratio variation across transplant centers. We weighted demand according to wait time because candidates who have waited longer have higher priority. We compared supply/demand ratios and average travel distance of kidneys, using heterogeneous circles and 250 and 500‐nm fixed‐distance homogeneous circles. We found that 40% of circles could be 250 nm or smaller, while reducing supply/demand ratio variation more than homogeneous circles. Supply/demand ratios across centers for heterogeneous circles ranged from 0.06 to 0.13 kidneys per wait‐year, compared to 0.04 to 0.47 and 0.05 to 0.15 kidneys per wait‐year for 250‐nm and 500‐nm homogeneous circles, respectively. The average travel distance for kidneys using heterogeneous, and 250‐nm and 500‐nm fixed‐distance circles was 173 nm, 134 nm, and 269 nm, respectively. Heterogeneous circles reduce geographic disparity compared to homogeneous circles, while maintaining reasonable travel distances.

This research work is concerned with creation of ZK60 Mg sheets by various combinations of the repeated upsetting (RU) and forward extrusion (Ex) operations. The RU process was conducted with different passes and at 250 ℃, whereas the subsequent forward extrusion was performed at 220 ℃. Complementary tensile tests together with fractography, and microstructural and textural studies were carried out in order to investigate the influence of the process types and conditions on the material properties of the sheet products. It was found that combination of the RU and Ex operations could result in ductile ZK60 sheets with improved strength and strain hardening capacity. The maximum elongation was achieved after 3 passes of RU followed by Ex process. This processing route also resulted in balanced ultimate strengths in both extrusion and transverse directions with almost the highest strain hardening capacity. The effects of RU number of passes and forward extrusion process on the microstructures, textures, mechanical properties and the fracture of the ZK60 sheets were also investigated and, based on the experimental findings obtained; several important conclusions were drawn and explained in this article.