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2023-12-01 | In-cylinder heat release features and nanoparticle emissions have been investigated in this study for CNG–diesel reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engine. Study aims to determine the effect of low-temperature heat release (LTHR) and high-temperature heat release (HTHR) on the particles emissions from the RCCI engine. LTHR is obtained as a small peak (curve) before the main HTHR in the heat release rate curve. The LTHR and HTHR are not separated in heat release rate curve. The low-temperature heat release rate (LTHRR) is determined by extracting the heat release between start of combustion (SOC) to the intersection point of slope between LTHR and HTHR. The high-temperature heat release rate (HTHRR) is determined by fitting the trace between the intersection point of slope between LTHR and HTHR to the end of HTHR (the crank angle where the main HTHR turns negative after attaining the peak). This study calculates the amount of LTHR and HTHR by determining the absolute area under the LTHRR and HTHRR trajectories. Experiments are performed for different port-injected CNG masses ( m c ) and engine loads at a fixed engine speed of 1500 rpm. Single- and double-fuel injection strategy is used for injecting diesel. In the double-injection strategy, two cases are investigated. In the first case, diesel mass is split in the ratio of 50:50% between the first and second injection, whereas in the second case, diesel mass is divided into the proportion of 70:30%. CNG fuel mass, diesel start of injection (SOI), and the number of injections are controlled by engine electronic control unit (ECU). Results indicates that at a lower load with single-injection strategy, the lower amount of LTHR promotes the formation of small particles for 30° bTDC diesel SOI. It is found that increase in m c per cycle results in reduced and delayed LTHR and HTHR. With an increase in m c , the amount of LTHR decreases, and the total PN increases. The reduction in LTHR with an increase in m c leads to an increase in the formation of nucleation mode particles (NMPs) and a decrease in the accumulation mode particles (AMPs). | Experimental investigation on the effect of in-cylinder heat release features on particle emissions characteristics of CNG–diesel RCCI engine | 10.1007/s13762-023-04811-1 |
2023-12-01 | Transistor miniaturization and reduction in power consumptions, are major driving factor for designing the nanoscale transistor. But the impact of process variation on device performance cannot be ignored because it results into randomness and unpredictable nature in device behavior. A small variation in the dimension during complex manufacturing of ICs mainly for drain, source, channel or oxide region dimensions may result in large variation in device characteristics. In this work, an insulated gate asymmetric double gate (IG-ADG) MOSFET has been designed for low power and low leakage currents at 11 nm physical gate length and 6 nm gate overlap region. The gate region is completely built in inside oxide region to make an insulated gate resulting in very low OFF-state current for similar ON-state current. The drain current characteristics including electrostatic behavior such as channel potential under the gate, electric field and energy bands of proposed the transistor are performed on visual TCAD tool. Also, the proposed transistor performance is evaluated for variation in dimensions of drain, oxide and gate overlap due to process variations and IC manufacturing defects. The presented transistor design is also targeted for lesser sensitivity of towards temperature and doping variations. A p-channel IG-ADG MOSFET is also implemented on TCAD with 2:1 W/L ratio compared to n-channel counterpart and drain current characteristic is evaluated to match it with similar n-channel device. The transfer and output drain current characteristics of proposed IG-ADG MOSFET shows its suitability towards the low power logic and analog applications. The process steps of proposed IG-ADG MOSFET is demonstrated in concluding section. | Design and Process Variation Analysis of High-performance n and p-channel Insulated-gate Asymmetric-DG MOSFET | 10.1007/s12633-023-02642-w |
2023-12-01 | Background While genome-resolved metagenomics has revolutionized our understanding of microbial and genetic diversity in environmental samples, assemblies of short-reads often result in incomplete and/or highly fragmented metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), hampering in-depth genomics. Although Nanopore sequencing has increasingly been used in microbial metagenomics as long reads greatly improve the assembly quality of MAGs, the recommended DNA quantity usually exceeds the recoverable amount of DNA of environmental samples. Here, we evaluated lower-than-recommended DNA quantities for Nanopore library preparation by determining sequencing quality, community composition, assembly quality and recovery of MAGs. Results We generated 27 Nanopore metagenomes using the commercially available ZYMO mock community and varied the amount of input DNA from 1000 ng (the recommended minimum) down to 1 ng in eight steps. The quality of the generated reads remained stable across all input levels. The read mapping accuracy, which reflects how well the reads match a known reference genome, was consistently high across all libraries. The relative abundance of the species in the metagenomes was stable down to input levels of 50 ng. High-quality MAGs (> 95% completeness, ≤ 5% contamination) could be recovered from metagenomes down to 35 ng of input material. When combined with publicly available Illumina reads for the mock community, Nanopore reads from input quantities as low as 1 ng improved the quality of hybrid assemblies. Conclusion Our results show that the recommended DNA amount for Nanopore library preparation can be substantially reduced without any adverse effects to genome recovery and still bolster hybrid assemblies when combined with short-read data. We posit that the results presented herein will enable studies to improve genome recovery from low-biomass environments, enhancing microbiome understanding. | Dancing the Nanopore limbo – Nanopore metagenomics from small DNA quantities for bacterial genome reconstruction | 10.1186/s12864-023-09853-w |
2023-12-01 | As a straightforward and inexpensive drying procedure for the production of aerogel, ambient pressure drying has garnered considerable interest. Herein, a new carboxymethyl cellulose/alumina composite aerogel (CMC/Al 2 O 3 composite aerogel) with low volume shrinkage was synthesized by the low-cost method of an environmentally benign ambient pressure drying method using carboxymethyl cellulose as an organic precursor and aluminum chloride as an inorganic precursor. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses confirmed that the CMC/Al 2 O 3 composite aerogel was synthesized and modified by tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) successfully. The EDS spectra indicated that the elements C, O, Al and Si are distributed uniformly on the surface of the aerogel. The resulting CMC/Al 2 O 3 composite aerogels possess polymodal pore sizes distribution with an approximate density and specific surface area of 0.21 g/cm 3 and 88.39 m 2 /g, respectively. After modification treatment of tetraethoxysilane, the volume shrinkage of CMC/Al 2 O 3 composite aerogels was much lower, as low as 9.75%, which is much smaller than alumina aerogels. Under 300 °C, the thermal stability of modified aerogel is superior to that of unmodified aerogel. Meanwhile, the CMC/Al 2 O 3 composite aerogel could be rated V-0 regarding UL-94 testing. | Synthesis of alumina aerogel enriched carboxymethyl cellulose with polymodal pore size distribution by ambient pressure drying | 10.1007/s10570-023-05576-z |
2023-12-01 | Abstract A zero-dimensional model (Senkin) in conjunction with CHEMKIN II and the implementation of a high pressure PLOG function as well as the combination of two existing and broadly validated kinetic schemes for the oxidation of mixtures of n -heptane/methyl-decanoate/methyl-9-decenoate and ethanol were used to assess the effect of ethanol addition on the unregulated emissions as well as on their formation–depletion pathways under low- to intermediate-temperature conditions. The blended fuels were formed by incrementally adding 5% of ethanol to the neat n -heptane/methyl-decanoate/methyl-9-decenoate fuel, while keeping constant pressure and equivalence ratio. The principal objective of this work was to gain a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms through which ethanol oxygenate affects amounts of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetylene and butadiene. It was found that amounts of carbonyls (CH 2 O and CH 3 CHO) were higher in ethanol blends as compared to the binary diesel-biodiesel fuel, whereas the opposite trend was observed for acetylene and butadiene. | Impact of Ethanol Blending Ratios on the Unregulated Emissions Issued from the Combustion of Diesel–Biodiesel–Ethanol Mixtures | 10.1134/S0023158423060113 |
2023-12-01 | In this study, satellited CoNiCrAlY/nano-Al 2 O 3 feedstocks with 2 wt.% of oxide nanoparticles and pure CoNiCrAlY powder were deposited by the HVOF and LPPS processes on Inconel738 superalloy substrates. Microstructure and phase composition of powders and coatings were characterized by FESEM and XRD, respectively. The early-stage oxidation test was done at 1050 °C for 10 min. The results showed that the satelliting seems to be a promising method to produce nano-particles dispersed composite powders suitable for thermal spraying. Adding α-Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles increased the porosity of the HVOF and LPPS coatings from 0.6 to 1 and from 2 to 2.45 vol.%, respectively. In the HVOF-sprayed CoNiCrAlY/nano-Al 2 O 3, coating including γ-Co,Ni,Cr, β-(Co,Ni)Al, and α-Al 2 O 3 , the growth of non-protective NiO and spinel oxides was significantly limited and a dense α-Al 2 O 3 oxide layer was promoted after the early-stage of oxidation. However, for the LPPS-deposited CoNiCrAlY/nano-Al 2 O 3 coating consisting of γ-Co,Ni,Cr and γ-Al 2 O 3 , after oxidation, the presence of Al-rich oxides like θ-Al 2 O 3 whiskers and porous transformed α-Al 2 O 3 were observed on the coating. The correlation between microstructure, phase composition, and early-stage oxidation was discussed in detail. | Characterization and Early-Stage Oxidation Behavior of CoNiCrAlY/Nano-Al2O3 Composite Coatings Using Satellited Powders Deposited by HVOF and LPPS Processes | 10.1007/s11666-023-01650-x |
2023-12-01 | It is a common technical difficulty to improve the strength of low magnetic stainless steel plates on the premise of ensuring ductility, corrosion resistance, and low magnetism. In this paper, the chemical composition of low magnetic stainless steels with excellent paramagnetic stabilities and corrosion resistances was formulated through composition design and calculation. Through the alloying of Nb, V, and N and the controlled hot rolling process, large numbers of uniformly distributed high-temperature second phase particles were formed in the steel plate, and low magnetic stainless steel 35 mm plate with yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation of 407 MPa, 739 MPa and 54% respectively were obtained. The main strengthening strategies of the steel were solid solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening. The precipitation law and types of the high-temperature second phase in the steel were explored. The microstructure of the steel plate was characterized by scanning electron microscope, electron probe microanalysis, and transmission electron microscope. The magnetic properties of the steel plate were tested by a vibrating sample magnetometer. The relative magnetic permeability of the hot rolled plate was 1.0063 which met the requirement of low magnetism. | Microstructure and properties of Nb, V and N alloyed low magnetic hot rolled stainless steel plate | 10.1007/s42864-022-00166-1 |
2023-12-01 | Low-inflow estuaries on the arid, subtropical Texas coast are often subject to oscillations between dry and wet climate cycles, interspersed with stochastic weather events such as prolonged drought, storms, or hurricanes. Sporadic river inflow influences the sources and composition of estuarine particulate organic matter (POM). Shifting proportions of “high quality” POM, consisting of fresh, reactive, labile material, relative to “low quality,” recalcitrant, less available fraction, may lead to ecosystem-wide changes. Between 2012 and 2020, the Mission-Aransas Estuary (MAE) experienced several significant climatic events: severe drought, flooding, and category 4 Hurricane Harvey, ultimately transitioning from a dry to wet climate regime. To assess changes in POM quantity and quality in response to these events, we quantified particulate organic carbon (POC), nitrogen (PN), natural stable isotope abundance (δ 13 C, δ 15 N), chlorophyll a , pheophytin, and pheophorbide, and total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAAs) from an 8-year (2012 to 2020) timeseries. Using a multivariate statistical approach, we constructed a degradation index to demonstrate that POM was more degraded during drought and less degraded during the wet period. Average POC, PN, and THAA concentrations increased 66%, 88%, and 88% during the wet period summers and with the degradation index demonstrate elevated proportions of high-quality, bioavailable POM seasonally, and over a climate regime shift. Low-inflow estuaries are useful examples of climate change impacts on systems increasingly stressed by freshwater inflow reduction. The quality shift of POM may play an important role in determining processing rate by bacteria or higher trophic levels, thus affecting ecosystem interactions and functions. | Wet and Dry Climate Regimes Impact Particulate Organic Matter Quality in a Low-Inflow Subtropical Estuary | 10.1007/s12237-023-01235-5 |
2023-12-01 | It is exhibited that failure of carbyne-graphene nanoelements and similar low-dimensional nanostructures at thermo-mechanical loading is stochastic by its nature. Lifetime of such low-dimensional nanostructures is governed by waiting time of the fluctuation-induced contact bonds breaking. It was ascertained that the lifetime distribution function is described by an exponential law, the parameter of which is the value of the probability of contact bond breaking during the period of one atomic vibration. A significant lifetime scatter is a characteristic feature of failure of this type of nanoelements under a constant loading value. This means that when using such nanoelements in practice, it is necessary to focus not on the average lifetime, but on its lower limit with a pre-specified value of failure probability 1% … 5%. | Statistic law of change in lifetime of carbyne-graphene nanoelements and similar low-dimensional nanostructures | 10.1007/s13204-023-02925-z |
2023-12-01 | The influence mechanism of pH and the externally applied stress on sulfide stress corrosion cracking behavior based on the joint analysis of the in situ electrochemical noise and microstructure was studied. The results showed that $${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$$ H + in solution changes the composition and structure of corrosion product film by affecting the concentration of $${\mathrm{S}}^{2-}$$ S 2 - and $${\mathrm{Fe}}^{2+}$$ Fe 2 + near the anode surface. When the pH increased from 2.6 to 3.6 and 4.6, the corrosion product film changed from porous Mackinawite to dense and stable FeS. The change in corrosion product type delayed the crack initiation time by 10.5 and 45.5 h, while the uniform corrosion time was prolonged by 6.1 and 46 h, respectively, delaying SSC behavior. After increasing the applied stress, the local plastic deformation on the material surface increases the porosity and crack rate of the corrosion product film and becomes a fast propagation channel for SSC cracks. When the applied stress is 110% of the actual yield strength of the material, the initiation time of stress corrosion cracking is 6 and 18.1 h earlier than that of 90% and 100%, respectively. The local corrosion time was extended by 23.5 and 8.2 h, respectively, accelerating SSC behavior. | Effect of pH and applied stress on hydrogen sulfide stress corrosion behavior of HSLA steel based on electrochemical noise analysis | 10.1007/s42243-023-00998-2 |
2023-12-01 | Wire + arc additive manufacturing has become a production technology that allows to produce large-sized parts, and components used in heavy-duty industries, spanning from marine to aerospace applications, with high mechanical performance. For additive manufacturing and repair of 316L stainless steel components, heat input control and phase structure evolution are key factors which guide further applications of this material. This can be attained by parameter optimization of the pulsed gas metal arc welding, which can provide control over the aforementioned features of depositions and also regulate metal transfer, reduce spatter generation, and offer structural stability. Through an experimental full-factorial design, this work investigates the processing effects of arc frequency, traverse speed, and wire feed speed on ferrite number and geometric characteristics of multi-layered 316LSi build-ups fabricated using wire + arc additive manufacturing via non-synergic operation of pulsed-gas metal arc welding. The fabrication process was conducted following alternating and successive depositions. It was found that increasing arc frequency negatively impacts ferrite number and height/width ratio, whereas greater values of wire feed speed and traverse speed positively affect both responses. This work also appraises that geometric integrity evaluation should be conducted not only by considering the height/width ratio but also through visualization of deposition process’ stability, as well as verifying the occurrence of spatter and of other discontinuities. The response optimization process was also carried out to manufacture a 74-layer stable wall of nearly 4.12 kg of deposited material, confirming that the optimized condition is appropriate to produce large-sized 316LSi structures. | Parametric study and response optimization for the wire + arc additive manufacturing of 316LSi via pulsed GMAW | 10.1007/s00170-023-12470-2 |
2023-12-01 | In this study, LTB + HTB (low-temperature blanching followed by high-temperature blanching) pretreatment was applied to prevent excessive softening of frozen Japanese radish. It was found that heating at 60 °C for 120 min (LTB) followed by heating for 4 min in boiling water (HTB) was a better condition than only HTB because it could maintain the firmness of the sample and inactivate the enzyme. Peroxidase (POD) activity assay showed that HTB for 4 min in boiling water (100 °C) is necessary for effective blanching with or without LTB. However, HTB treatment alone led to excessive softening after freezing. Heating at 60 °C for 15, 30, and 120 min (LTB) followed by HTB were performed, and the longer the heating time at 60 °C, the higher the breaking stress. In the LTB + HTB (60 °C120 min + 100 °C4 min) frozen-thawed sample, the degree of esterification (DE) of pectin increased compared to the fresh sample. The result suggests that LTB treatment promoted the demethylation of pectin, leading to strong cell wall adhesion, and prevented the depolymerization of pectin by subsequent HTB treatment. Although the decrease in the initial elastic modulus due to cell membrane damage and ice crystal formation is inevitable, LTB + HTB pretreatment was shown to be effective in maintaining the firmness of the sample even after freeze-thawing. | Improvement of Mechanical Properties of Frozen Japanese Radish by Combination of Low- and High-temperature Blanching Pretreatment | 10.1007/s11947-023-03098-x |
2023-12-01 | The addition of hydrocolloids to protein blends may improve the formation of structure of products formed upon heating and shearing, and thus could be valuable in developing better meat analogues. In this study, the effects of adding one particular hydrocolloid, and the use of calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) as a solidifying agent were evaluated on the macrostructure, microstructure, and the mechanical properties of pea protein isolate (PPI) and wheat gluten blends (WG) (ratio 1:1, 40 wt%), when using shearing and heating as formation process. The addition of low acyl gellan gum was shown to result in better internal structure, such as oriented fibrousness, but only when the low acyl gellan gum was added together with the WG after first allowing hydration of the PPI in a CaCl 2 solution. The material was markedly stronger and tougher both parallel and perpendicular to the shearing direction. The influence of the sequence of addition indicates that the interactions between the different components before and during heating and shearing are non-equilibrium and that therefore the preparation procedure of the initial dough is just as important as the composition and the settings of the heating and shearing process itself. | When and how should low acyl gellan gum be added to the protein blends to improve meat analogue texture? | 10.1007/s11694-023-02137-7 |
2023-12-01 | Salinity is among the main drivers that impacts physiological and biochemical parameters of photosynthetic organisms, usually affecting the pattern of growth and biomass composition. Since managing salinity is key for optimal microalgae outdoor mass production, effects of low salinities (from 35 to 10‰) on biomass production, pigment concentration, and photosynthetic performance of Isochrysis galbana are here described. Lower salinities than 35 ‰ affected neither cell growth estimated by cell density nor the final density of cells at the final stage of growth, but were associated with a decrease in biovolume and final yield of dry biomass. In comparison with cells grown at 35 ‰ salinity, cultivation at 10 ‰ salinity resulted in a 45% reduction of biovolume and a 62% decrease in final biomass. Growth in downwards 35‰ salinities did not alter the cellular content regarding chlorophylls and total carotenoids at the late exponential growth phase, but the content of these pigments increased in the stationary growth phase irrespective of salinity. At the end of growth, the cellular quota for total lipids was essentially not modified by decreasing salinity. Moreover, there was no difference between the maximum and the effective quantum yield of Photosystem II of I. galbana during exponential growth at the tested salinity treatments. These yields were reduced to a larger extent when cells were in the stationary growth phase. Rapid light curves showed that the maximum electron transport rate (rETRm) and the photosynthetic efficiency of cells were also more affected by lower salinities at the stationary growth phase. | Physiological responses of the marine microalga Isochrysis galbana (Prymnesiophyceae) to hyposalinity | 10.1007/s10811-023-03080-2 |
2023-12-01 | Low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF) process has gained much attention in recent years as a promising enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method because of its potential for a superior performance, especially through extensive laboratory studies. This study reviews a rigorous and systematic laboratory-to-field approach involving research, discovery and validation using experimental and simulation components. The impact of various ionic compositions on LSWF is evaluated including a fundamental understanding of water geochemistry and the likely geochemical reactions that would occur during the process. Roles of crude oil/brine/rock (COBR) interactions and resulting rock surface charges are investigated as well. In so doing, authors present findings of their studies to support their analysis. Both experimental and simulation components are treated as complementary to each other. Experimental components included reservoir-condition high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) displacement tests in composite cores using brines of different salinities and specially designed ionic compositions; investigation of wettability alteration—presumably a key LSWF mechanism—in a unique and specifically designed HPHT imbibition cell; Zeta potentiometric studies using a Zeta potentiometer capable of more representative evaluation in brine-saturated whole cores rather than with pulverized samples. Simulation studies involved validation of likely geochemical reactions during LSWF; incorporating oil/brine/rock interactions, and then, linking laboratory data to data from a candidate reservoir to complement the process. Findings of the coreflooding experiments proved conclusively that LSWF with certain specific ionic composition yielded a higher oil recovery. HPHT imbibition tests yielded both visual and quantitative estimations and visual real-time monitoring of how the wettability alteration took place during LSWF and how it was impacted by the degree and magnitude of both temperature and pressure as the vivid variations in the contact angles were clearly captured. Using a whole reservoir core rather than pulverized samples, Zeta potentiometric studies enabled an investigation of the charging behavior at the rock-water interface at various salinities. A new method to estimate Zeta potential in high-salinity environment was developed and validated, and it conclusively proved that rock surface charge played a vital in the LSWF process. The simulation studies included incorporation of experimental data generated during the study, identification of a set of likely geochemical reactions during the process and complementary field data to study the LSWF performance under various conditions and constraints. A conceptual “ laboratory-to-field ” approach that can contribute to designing a more efficient LSWF process with optimized ionic chemistry has been proposed based on results and analysis from this study and characteristics of similar types of reservoir targeted. | A Review and Evaluation of Laboratory-to-Field Approach for Low-Salinity Waterflooding Process for Carbonate Reservoirs | 10.1007/s13369-023-08198-6 |
2023-12-01 | Low temperature (cold) stress is one of the major abiotic stress conditions affecting crop productivity worldwide. Nitric oxide (NO) is a dynamic signaling molecule that interacts with various stress regulators and provides abiotic stress tolerance. Stress enhanced NO contributes to S-nitrosothiol accumulation which causes oxidation of the –SH group in proteins leading to S-nitrosation, a post-translational modification. Cold stress induced in vivo S-nitrosation of > 240 proteins majorly belonging to stress/signaling/redox (myrosinase, SOD, GST, CS, DHAR), photosynthesis (RuBisCO, PRK), metabolism (FBA, GAPDH, TPI, SBPase), and cell wall modification (Beta-xylosidases, alpha-l-arabinogalactan) in different crop plants indicated role of NO in these important cellular and metabolic pathways. NO mediated regulation of a transcription factor CBF (C-repeat Binding Factor, a transcription factor) at transcriptional and post-translational level was shown in Solanum lycopersicum seedlings. NO donor priming enhances seed germination, breaks dormancy and provides tolerance to stress in crops. Its role in averting stress, promoting seed germination, and delaying senescence paved the way for use of NO and NO releasing compounds to prevent crop loss and increase the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables. An alternative to energy consuming and expensive cold storage led to development of a storage device called “shelf-life enhancer” that delays senescence and increases shelf-life at ambient temperature (25–27 °C) using NO donor. The present review summarizes NO research in plants and exploration of NO for its translational potential to improve agricultural yield and post-harvest crop loss. | Nitric oxide (NO) modulates low temperature-stress signaling via S-nitrosation, a NO PTM, inducing ethylene biosynthesis inhibition leading to enhanced post-harvest shelf-life of agricultural produce | 10.1007/s12298-023-01371-z |
2023-12-01 | The accurate measurement of low-frequency signal is the main research focus at present. Aiming at the problem that FBG accelerometer is difficult to measure vibration signal efficiently, we propose a low-frequency FBG accelerometer based on dual mass. Build the vibration model of the sensor, derive the theoretical formula of the sensitivity and resonant frequency, and use COMSOL software to optimize the design and simulation of the key parameters. According to the theoretical analysis results of finite element verification, the sensor is manufactured and its performance is tested. The experimental results show that the transverse crosstalk of the sensor is − 28.07 dB, the relative standard deviation of repeatability is 0.90%, the fitting determination coefficient R 2 is 99.98%, the sensitivity is 1194.91 pm/g, the dynamic range is 81.55 dB, the working frequency range is 1–40 Hz, and the inherent frequency is 58 Hz. In the low frequency band, the developed sensor exhibits good stability and sensitivity. This design provides a reference for the application of FBG accelerometer in low-frequency exploration. | A low-frequency FBG accelerometer based on dual mass | 10.1007/s12596-023-01139-4 |
2023-12-01 | We cultured silver pomfret for 20 days, decreasing water temperature from 18 to 8 ℃, and sampled muscle every 5 days. Muscle fiber degeneration and apoptosis began to increase at 13 ℃ detected by HE and TUNEL staining. Further analysis of transcriptome revealed that several apoptosis-related pathways were highly enriched by differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We analyzed 10 DEGs from these pathways by RT-qPCR during the temperature-decreasing process. JNK1 , PIDD , CytC , Casp 3 , and GADD45 were up-regulated after 15 and 20 days, while DUSP3 , JNK2 , and PARP genes were down-regulated after 15 and 20 days. DUSP5 was up-regulated from 10 to 20 days, and C-JUN was up-regulated after 20 days. We analyzed apoptosis in PaM cells under different temperatures (26 ℃, 23 ℃, 20 ℃, 17 ℃, and 14 ℃). The cell viability significantly declined from 14 to 20 ℃; the TUNEL and IHC results showed that the apoptosis signal increased with the temperature dropping, especially in 17 ℃ and 14 ℃; DUSP5 , JNK1 , CytC , C-JUN , Casp 3 , and GADD45 were up-regulated at 17 ℃ and 14 ℃, and PIDD was up-regulated at 20 ℃, 17 ℃, and 14 ℃. DUSP3 was up-regulated at 20 ℃ but down-regulated at 17 ℃ and 14 ℃, and PARP was down-regulated at 17 ℃ and 14 ℃. JNK2 was up-regulated at 20 ℃ but down-regulated at 17 ℃ and 14 ℃. Our results suggest that DUSP could help inhibit apoptosis in the initial stage of cold stress, but low temperature could down-regulate it and up-regulate JNK-C-JUN, inducing apoptosis in a later stage. These data provide a basis for the study of the response mechanism of fish to cold. | Cold Stress Induces Apoptosis in Silver Pomfret via DUSP-JNK Pathway | 10.1007/s10126-023-10245-0 |
2023-12-01 | In this study, using the NCAR Community Earth System Model (CESM1.2.2), we investigate the changes in the characteristics of the summer monsoon low pressure systems (LPS) over India in a twenty-first century climate change simulation corresponding to the RCP8.5 scenario. A slight weakening in monsoon circulation and an increase in mean summer monsoon precipitation over India are simulated in a warmer climate, consistent with several previous studies. The weakening of the monsoon circulation is associated with a pair of anticyclonic anomalies straddling the equator in the low level, weakening the cross-equatorial monsoonal flow from the southern hemisphere. These low-level circulation anomalies appear to be robust features in the equatorial Indian Ocean under climate change. An increase in moisture flux is also simulated over the Indian subcontinent. However, we find no significant change in the number of LPS or their spatial distribution under the RCP8.5 scenario. This is attributed to a small but non-significant decrease in the low-level meridional cyclonic shear in zonal winds. An increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation over India in a warmer world is simulated and is likely associated with an increase in moisture content. Our study shows that the fractional contribution of LPS to mean and extreme precipitation over India in a warmer world is likely unchanged, but the frequency and intensity of extreme events are larger. Because of the diversity in the results from single model studies on LPS characteristics in a warmer world, a future study that uses CMIP6 multi-model data would be valuable to assess the robustness and the uncertainty in changes in LPS activities under climate change. | How do the characteristics of monsoon low pressure systems over India change under a warming climate? A modeling study using the NCAR CESM | 10.1007/s00382-023-06837-0 |
2023-12-01 | Understanding the friction behavior of hydrogels is critical for the long-term stability of hydrogel-related bioengineering applications. Instead of maintaining a constant sliding velocity, the actual motion of bio-components (e.g., articular cartilage and cornea) often changes abruptly. Therefore, it is important to study the frictional properties of hydrogels serving under various sliding velocities. In this work, an unexpected low friction regime (friction coefficient μ < 10 −4 at 1.05×10 −3 rad/s) was observed when the polyacrylamide hydrogel was rotated against a glass substrate under alternative sliding velocity cycles. Interestingly, compared with the friction coefficients under constant sliding velocities, the measured μ decreased significantly when the sliding velocity changed abruptly from high speeds (e.g., 105 rad/s) to low speeds (e.g., 1.05×10 −3 rad/s). In addition, μ exhibited a downswing trend at low speeds after experiencing more alternative sliding velocity cycles: the measured μ at 1.05 rad/s decreased from 2×10 −2 to 3×10 −3 after 10 friction cycles. It is found that the combined effect of hydration film and polymer network deformation determines the lubrication and drag reduction of hydrogels when the sliding velocity changes abruptly. The observed extremely low friction during alternative sliding velocity cycles can be applied to reduce friction at contacted interfaces. This work provides new insights into the fundamental understanding of the lubrication behaviors and mechanisms of hydrogels, with useful implications for the hydration lubrication related engineering applications such as artificial cartilage. | Probing the intriguing frictional behavior of hydrogels during alternative sliding velocity cycles | 10.1007/s40544-023-0741-2 |
2023-12-01 | Viral infections are a constant threat to human health and economy. To understand the ways of fighting the virus, the study of the properties of these nanosized biological objects is crucial. Here, spectral-luminescent properties of double-stranded RNA from infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) and single-stranded RNA of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) were studied at low temperature (78 K). It was shown that phosphorescence spectra of both viral RNA demonstrate similar tendencies, which points to similar electronic processes in both these biological polymers. Two luminescence centers were revealed in low-temperature phosphorescence spectra of viral RNA of IPNV and IHNV. The possible nature of these centers as well as the possibility of triplet excitations migration in viral RNA were discussed. | Two luminescence centers in low-temperature phosphorescence of viral RNA of IPNV and IHNV | 10.1007/s13204-023-02953-9 |
2023-12-01 | Over-molded composites (combination of continuous and short fiber reinforced composites) are materials of choice for production of relatively complex load-bearing structures due to their excellent structural performance, lightweight and lower assembly cost. The quasi-static and low-velocity impact behavior of over-molded polypropylene composites with continuous fiber face sheets and short fiber core were explored by conducting flexural, drop-weight impact and compression tests. Quasi-static test results revealed that over-molded specimens showed 43% and 33% higher flexural strength and flexural modulus, respectively, compared with short fiber composites. The over-molded composites showed significant improvement of impact peak load and absorbed energy compared with short fiber composites. Optical analysis of failed over-molded impact specimens revealed impact energy-absorption though interface debonding, delamination between plies of the top and bottom inserts and damage of the core. Finally, the laminated composite inserts at top and bottom of short glass fiber reinforced polypropylene lowered the impact damage and produced higher specific compression strength than the short glass fiber reinforced polypropylene. | Quasi-Static and Low-Velocity Impact Behavior of Injection Over-Molded Short/Continuous Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composites | 10.1007/s10443-023-10163-3 |
2023-12-01 | Developing a non-platinum (Pt) counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) gained widespread consideration in scientific research. The counter electrode substitutes for Pt should exhibit enhanced conductivity and electrocatalytic nature. In the current work, tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) has been employed as CE in DSSC considering its wide bandgap and n-type property to replace the expensive Pt catalyst for triiodide reduction. Nano-tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) was synthesized using sodium tungstate dihydrate (Na 2 WO 4 ∙2H 2 O) and sodium chloride (NaCl) in an acidic media by a time-optimized hydrothermal route in an autoclave at 200 °C. Physical characterizations of Nano-WO 3 were investigated using FESEM, EDS, FTIR spectroscopy and XRD. The impedance and Tafel polarization curve studies suggest that WO 3 synthesized after 5 h exhibits lower interfacial charge transfer resistance ( R ct ) and higher exchange current density ( J o ) which confirms better activity of the same compared to others. The DSSC assembled with WO 3 as CE gives a short-circuit current density ( J sc ) of 17.01 mA cm −2 , open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) of 0.69 V and, a power conversion efficiency ( η ) of 5.13%. The results suggest that Nano-WO3 can be considered as a potential candidate to substitute platinum. | Time-Optimized Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nano-WO3 for Application as Counter Electrode in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell | 10.1007/s13369-021-05556-0 |
2023-12-01 | Low inflows cause predominantly hypersaline conditions in Baffin Bay, TX (USA), which are inhospitable for oysters, the dominant reef-builder in other northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries. Instead, extensive biogenic reefs contain dense aggregations of the ubiquitous tube-building serpulid worm, Hydroides dianthus . The distribution and size of these reefs have declined over the last several decades. Although serpulid reef habitats have increased in conservation importance, there is a need for ecological knowledge to inform resource management and habitat restoration planning. This study examined spatial and temporal recruitment patterns of serpulid worms and other encrusting species over an 18-month-long period, using recruitment tiles, and live serpulid reef as a reference. Recruitment of H. dianthus occurs year-round; however, the greatest recruitment occurs between September and December. No consistent differences in serpulid recruitment were detected among locations within Baffin Bay, which could be because salinity and temperature were similar among locations, and/or because sampling replication was low. H. dianthus cover was greater on the lower surface of horizontally oriented recruitment tiles (28% cover), whereas Amphibalanus eburneus (barnacle) cover dominated the upper surface of tiles (34% cover). Furthermore, there is no evidence that predation by megafauna (> 1 cm) is hindering serpulid recruitment. There is sufficient larval supply of H. dianthus to suggest that the restoration of serpulid reefs can be successful by providing additional substrate with appropriate microhabitat complexity. Study findings can be used to support planning and successful implementation of serpulid reef restoration. | Recruitment Dynamics of Serpulid Worms in Baffin Bay, Texas: Implications for Habitat Restoration in a Hypersaline Estuary | 10.1007/s12237-023-01233-7 |
2023-12-01 | Xylanase is widely used in various industries such as food processing, paper, textiles, and leather tanning. In this study, Bacillus cereus L-1 strain was isolated and identified as capable of producing low molecular weight xylanase through 16 s rRNA sequencing. Maximum xylanase yield of 15.51 ± 2.08 U/mL was achieved under optimal fermentation conditions (5% inoculum, 20 g/L xylan, pH 6.0, for 24 h). After purification via ammonium sulfate precipitation and High-S ion exchange chromatography, electrophoretic purity xylanase was obtained with a 28-fold purification and specific activity of 244.97 U/mg. Xylanase had an optimal pH of 6.5 and temperature of 60 °C and displayed thermostability at 30 °C and 40 °C with 48.56% and 45.97% remaining activity after 180 min, respectively. The xylanase retained more than 82.97% of its activity after incubation for 24 h at pH 5.0 and was sensitive to metal ions, especially Mg 2+ and Li + . Purified xylanase showed a molecular weight of 23 kDa on SDS-PAGE, and partial peptide sequencing revealed homology to the endo-1,4-beta-xylanase with a molecular weight of 23.3 kDa through LC/MS–MS (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). This study suggests that the purified xylanase is easier to purify and enriches low molecular weight xylanases from bacteria source. | Purification and characterization of the low molecular weight xylanase from Bacillus cereus L-1 | 10.1007/s42770-023-01129-5 |
2023-12-01 | Thermal desalination is a widely used method for converting seawater into freshwater. Proposed an experimental study aim is to develop a dynamics model and control of thermal desalination systems. Energy consumption is a major operational cost in thermal desalination plants. Dynamic behaviour of the system is used to identify opportunities to optimize energy usage. This is also used to develop control strategies that can adapt to varying conditions and minimize energy wastage during the desalination process. It helps to evaluate and optimize various process parameters, such as feedwater flow rates, temperatures, and pressures. Thermal desalination processes often exhibit nonlinear and time-varying behaviour due to factors such as varying feedwater salinity, temperature, and flow rates. Developing an accurate dynamic model that capture these complexities is challenged. Thermal desalination plants involve multiple interconnected variables, such as temperature, pressure, flow rates, and salinity. These variables are often highly interdependent, and changes in one variable can impact others. Designing a control strategy that effectively manage these multivariable interactions is very complex. Develop accurate dynamic models of the thermal desalination process using modelling methodologies such as first principles modelling, system identification, and data-driven modelling. Validation of the models using experimental data is crucial to ensure their accuracy. In this paper, thermal desalination pilot plant is considered to develop dynamic model, which operates under low temperature around 45 °C. This type of desalination process is based on single stage flash system. The desalination process removes the large quantity of salinity level from the sea water in low maintenance cost. Requirement of control techniques is implied to enhance the quality of water. In this process, there are various parameters that have to be controlled, such as temperature of the inlet water, vacuum pressure and brine water level. Due to its complex identity, developing dynamic model of the process is very challenging. In this paper, dynamic model has been developed for controller implementation in simulation. PID controller has been implemented for inlet water temperature, vacuum pressure, and brine water level and verified in MATLAB simulation. The performance of the PID controller is tested based on its ability to regulate important process variables such as temperature, pressure, and flow rates within desired setpoints. | An Experimental Study-Based Dynamic Modelling and Control of Thermal Desalination Pilot Plant | 10.1007/s40031-023-00935-7 |
2023-12-01 | Friction stir welding (FSW) was used to prepare Q235 low-carbon steel joint, and the microstructure of different zones of the joint was characterized. The electrochemical corrosion behavior of different macroscopic zones of the joint was evaluated in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The results showed that the retreated-side heat-affected zone (HAZ RS ) and the advanced-side heat-affected zone (HAZ AS ) did not undergo phase transformation during FSW, and their microstructures were similar to those of the base material (BM), which was mainly composed of blocky ferrite and pearlite. The retreated-side thermo-mechanical affected zone (TMAZ RS ), the stirring zone (SZ), and the advanced-side thermo-mechanical affected zone (TMAZ AS ) underwent phase transformation, and the microstructure was mainly composed of proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite. The order of the corrosion resistance of different micro-zones from high to low was: HAZ RS > BM > HAZ AS > TMAZ RS > SZ > TMAZ AS . The corrosion mechanism for BM, HAZ RS , and HAZ AS was mainly the dissolution of ferrite. By contrast, the corrosion mechanism for TMAZ RS , SZ, and TMAZ AS was mainly galvanic corrosion between proeutectoid ferrite and pearlite. | Microstructure and corrosion behaviors of friction stir-welded Q235 low-carbon steel joint | 10.1007/s42243-023-00931-7 |
2023-12-01 | The Tethyan domain hosts the world’s most abundant hydrocarbon and Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Pb-Zn resources. The relations among organic matter-rich sediments, MVT Pb-Zn mineralization, and the Tethyan tectonic evolution history are an important scientific issue. The data of paleogeographic reconstruction indicate that the Proto-, Paleo-, and Neo-Tethys oceans mainly lay in low latitude areas between 30°N and 45°S. The high temperature and precipitation and the lack of sea water overturning in stagnant basins resulted in high marine biological productivity and good preservation conditions for organic matter-rich sediments. Consequently, abundant organic matter-rich sediments were developed and preserved in the Tethyan domain and thus created abundant hydrocarbon resources. Mineralization age data demonstrate that MVT deposits mainly formed during the continent-continent convergence in the late stage of the Tethyan tectonic evolution. Deposits are located in the fold-and-thrust belts and forelands of the continent-continent convergence orogen, and spatially associated with hydrocarbon basins. Organic matter-rich sediments are well developed in MVT ore districts, where hydrocarbon activity appeared earlier than or nearly simultaneous with the Pb-Zn mineralization event. Hydrocarbon activity generally began earlier than the Pb-Zn mineralization in individual deposits. Organic matter-rich sediments and hydrocarbons mainly play the role of reducing agents in the MVT Pb-Zn mineralization process. Through bacterial or thermal reduction, dissolved sulfates from sedimentary strata were reduced to generate reduced sulfur for Pb-Zn sulfide mineralization. In summary, the Tethyan oceans have long been in low latitude areas near the equator, making the Tethyan domain develop abundant organic matter-rich sediments and associated hydrocarbon resources which reduce sulfates to provide sufficient reduced sulfur for MVT Pb-Zn mineralization in the region. | Enrichment of Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits in the Tethyan domain linked to organic matter-rich sediments | 10.1007/s11430-023-1195-5 |
2023-12-01 | This study proposes a novel AC vector magnetometer developed using a low-resource magneto-impedance sensor for China’s Feng-Yun meteorological satellite (FY-3E). It was calibrated and characterized to determine its performance parameters. The total weight of the AC vector magnetometer is 51 g (the aluminum box excluded), while the total power consumption is 310 mW. The proposed AC vector magnetometer can detect magnetic field variations in the range of ±1000 nT and noise power spectral density of ⩽ 50 pT/Hz 1/2 @ 1 Hz. Furthermore, the proposed device has a maximum nonlinearity of ⩽ 0.71‰ over the entire range and a nonorthogonality error of 3.07 nT or 0.15% (root mean square). The total dose hardness of the sensor is ⩾ 30 krad (Si). Furthermore, we propose the first survey results of a magnetometer equipped aboard a Chinese FY-3E satellite in a Sun-synchronous orbit. The data revealed that the AC vector magnetometer can detect transient physical signals such as quasistatic field-aligned currents (~50 nT) and waves at the auroral latitudes. These features render the proposed AC vector magnetometer suitable for space-based applications, particularly those involving the study of geomagnetic activity. | AC vector magnetometer for space-based applications using low-resource magneto-impedance sensor | 10.1007/s11431-022-2390-2 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract We consider some new and recently modernized vacuum ion-plasma electrophysical facilities used to create dense low-temperature plasma in considerable volumes (≥0.25 m 3 ), as well as a complex unit that includes beam and plasma modules for various processes of electron-ion-plasma modification of the surface of materials and products to improve their functional properties. The paper also provides the examples of modification processes using the developed equipment, as well as the results on improving the properties of modified surfaces. | Electron-Ion-Plasma Equipment for Modification of the Surface of Materials and Products | 10.1134/S1062873823704750 |
2023-12-01 | Abundant FeS 2 with high theoretical capacity is one of the promising anode candidates in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), however, the uneven sodium deposition due to the poor interface compatibility and sluggish reaction kinetics because of the high activation barrier still plague its practical application. Herein, we synthesized the ordered porous carbon matrix wrapped FeS 2 nanoparticles (FeS 2 @OCN) with high sodium wettability and low pore tortuosity to economically enhance the interface compatibility as well as to lower the energy barrier in SIBs. The synergistic effects of low tortuosity pores and strong sodium wettability homogenize the Na + flux distribution, bring the electron dislocation via the enrichment of edge-nitrogen (Pyridinic N and Pyrrolic N), thus achieving the dendrite-free sodium deposition and dramatically enhanced reaction kinetics. Benefiting from exceptional structural/compositional/electronic merits, the resultant anode is endowed with exceptional structure stability, achieving long-term cycling stability of 451.9 mAh·g −1 after 1000 cycles at 1 A·g −1 with specific capacity retention of 92.9%. Attenuated electrode tortuosity and high sodium wettability can corporately improve the interface compatibility and attenuate the activation barrier of the FeS 2 host and beyond. 肖瑶瑶, 刘义慧, 刘兵兵, 齐振国, 张柚滨, 刘福胜, 秦国辉1.青岛科技大学化工学院生态化工国家重点实验室培育基地 2.山东省生态化工协同创新中心. 摘要 (Chinese Abstract): 储量丰富的FeS 2 具有较高的理论容量, 并被认为是很有前途的钠离子电池 (SIB) 负极材料候选者之一。然而, 较差的界面兼容性引起的钠离子不均匀沉积和较高的活化能垒导致的反应动力学缓慢仍然限制了它的实际应用。因此, 我们合成了具有高钠润湿性和低孔弯曲度的多孔碳包裹着的FeS 2 纳米颗粒 (FeS 2 @OCN), 最终提高了界面兼容性并降低了活化能垒。在低孔弯曲度和高钠润湿性的协同作用下实现了钠离子通量的均匀分布, 边缘氮 (吡啶氮和吡咯氮) 的掺杂可以促进电子的聚集, 从而抑制了枝晶钠的生长并提高了反应动力学。得益于独特的结构/组成/电子优势, 制备的FeS 2 @OCN具有优异的结构稳定性, 在1 A g −1 下循环1000次后放电容量保持在451.9 mAh g −1 , 容量保持率为92.9%。着眼于钠润湿性和孔弯曲度可以改善界面兼容性并降低FeS 2 基材料的活化能垒。 Graphical Abstract | Tuning sodium wettability and pore tortuosity for superior sodium storage | 10.1007/s12598-023-02351-8 |
2023-12-01 | Water in Earth’s mantle plays a critical role in both geodynamic and surficial habitability. Water in the upper mantle and transition zone is widely discussed, but less is known about the water in the lower mantle despite it constituting over half of Earth’s mass. Understanding the water storage in Earth’s lower mantle relies on comprehending the water solubility of bridgmanite, which is the most abundant mineral both in the lower mantle and throughout Earth. Nevertheless, due to limited access to the lower mantle, our understanding of water in bridgmanite mainly comes from laboratory experiments and theoretical calculations, and a huge controversy still exists. In this paper, we provide a review of the commonly employed research methods and current findings concerning the solubility of water in bridgmanite. Potential factors, such as pressure, temperature, compositions, etc., that influence the water solubility of bridgmanite will be discussed, along with insights into future research directions. | Solubility of water in bridgmanite | 10.1007/s11631-023-00642-6 |
2023-12-01 | Photorespiration, an essential component of plant metabolism, was upregulated under abiotic stress conditions, such as high light or drought. One of the signals for such upregulation was the rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Photorespiration was expected to mitigate oxidative stress by reducing ROS levels. However, it was unclear if ROS levels would increase when photorespiration was lowered. Our goal was to examine the redox status in leaves when photorespiratory metabolism was restricted under low O 2 (medium flushed with N 2 gas) or by adding aminooxyacetic acid (AOA), a photorespiratory inhibitor. We examined the impact of low O 2 and AOA in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana under dark, moderate, or high light. Downregulation of typical photorespiratory enzymes, including catalase (CAT), glycolate oxidase (GO), and phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGLP) under low O 2 or with AOA confirmed the lowering of photorespiratory metabolism. A marked increase in ROS levels (superoxide and H 2 O 2 ) indicated the induction of oxidative stress. Thus, our results demonstrated for the first time that restricted photorespiratory conditions increased the extent of oxidative stress. We propose that photorespiration is essential to sustain normal ROS levels and optimize metabolism in cellular compartments of Arabidopsis leaves. | Suppression of photorespiratory metabolism by low O2 and presence of aminooxyacetic acid induces oxidative stress in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves | 10.1007/s12298-023-01388-4 |
2023-12-01 | For an energy transformation project with emerging technologies to be viable and sustainable, it requires community participation, the social appropriation of the knowledge of the technology to be implemented, and the assessment of its social and environmental impact. In this context, this research carried out a diagnostic study on the energy consumption of ethnic communities belonging to National Natural Parks in the Colombian Pacific in order to provide indicators of the potential and relevance of portable photovoltaic solar energy for small-scale energy supply in these communities. For this purpose, four strategic sites in the district of Buenaventura were selected to implement questionnaires to collect technical data on demographic characterization (age, occupation, ethnicity, educational level, residence time), solar exposure, architectural infrastructure, energy sources, use of electrical elements, and energy consumption. The study focused on five sectors of interest: (i) housing, (ii) microenterprises, (iii) schools, (iv) health centers, and (v) boats. Fuelwood and diesel were found to be the main sources of energy in the region; this represents continuous pollution of gases and noise. Electricity is supplied mainly through diesel power generators with a cost per kWh higher by 86% than the average value in the interconnected area. It was identified that the most representative economic activities of these communities are fishing, and other activities associated with tourism; therefore, after diagnosing the use of low-power electrical elements in different types of boats, we propose a portable photovoltaic solar system adjusted to local environmental conditions and the needs of artisanal fishing. | Transition process from fossil energy to photovoltaic energy power of ethnic communities belonging to the natural parks in the Colombian Pacific: A diagnostic study | 10.1007/s13412-023-00840-x |
2023-12-01 | Purpose The objective of this study is to explore the neural correlates of pain sensitization in patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP). While the association between cLBP and pain sensitization has been widely reported, the underlying brain mechanism responsible for this relationship requires further investigation. Methods Our study included 56 cLBP patients and 56 healthy controls (HC). Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained, and the voxel-wise amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated to identify brain alterations in cLBP patients compared to HC groups. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed to explore the association between clinical data and brain alterations. Furthermore, mediation analyses were performed to investigate the path association between brain alterations and pain-related behaviors. Results Our findings revealed that patients with cLBP exhibited higher sensitivity, attention, and catastrophizing tendencies towards pain compared to HC. Furthermore, cLBP patients displayed significantly higher ALFF in various brain regions within the “pain matrix” and the default mode network when compared to HC. The altered precuneus ALFF was positively correlated with pain intensity ( R = 0.51, P <0.001) and was negatively correlated with pain sensitivity ( R = −0.43, P <0.001) in cLBP patients. Importantly, the effect of altered precuneus ALFF on pain intensity was mediated by pain threshold in these patients. Conclusion Our study suggests that altered neural activity in the precuneus may contribute to pain hypersensitivity, which further exacerbating pain in cLBP patients. | Neural correlates of central pain sensitization in chronic low back pain: a resting-state fMRI study | 10.1007/s00234-023-03237-3 |
2023-12-01 | The aim of the paper was to determine the metallurgical and mechanical behaviors of a high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel pad-welded specimen used in the structures of industrial and naval parts. Then to predict the metallurgical consequences (nature of the phases present) and the mechanical properties (hardness and impact strength) of the pad-welded steel obtained by underwater wet welding with different heat input values. The XRD patterns clearly reveal a ferritic alpha steel S460N for both parameters. The ferritic quantification is above 70 wt% for low-alloy steel. The welded specimens are characterized by the presence of different phases. In a specimen performed with higher heat input, the complex oxide Mn 2 TiO 4 was found to be around 7 wt%. Moreover, the solid solution formed with iron and manganese was observed. The hardness results obtained by indentation showed that the higher heat input resulted in higher hardness values (54 HRC) than for specimen performed with lower parameters (45 HRC). The impact test showed that the toughness of both pad-welded layers is greater than the toughness of the base material (40 kV for S2 and 34 kV for S1 about 27 kV for low-alloy steel). Moreover, it was observed that higher heat input results in increasing the impact strength of pad welds. | Mechanical and structural behavior of high-strength low-alloy steel pad welded by underwater wet welding conditions | 10.1007/s00170-023-12681-7 |
2023-12-01 | The Industry 4.0 has focus on connected devices and machines. It needs a number of sensors connected with each other and transfer of the information. Most of the sensors and sensor nodes require low power. In remote areas, where the power is limited, self-powered devices are more useful. Wind is available everywhere but the wind speed varies from place to place. Windmills are being used to generate electric power from the wind, however, is restricted due to large size and high cost. In this paper, it is proposed to develop a magnetic excited rotary harvester to harvest power at low wind speed. This can solve one of the major problems of frequent replacement of the battery in remote devices required for sensor and sensor nodes. To convert the rotation of the windmill to electric power, the rotation energy is converted to vibrating motion of a piezoelectric cantilever beam. The vibrations in the beam are generated with the help of interaction of magnetic field on the stator and blade mounted on the rotating shaft. The vibrations are then converted to electric charge due to the property of the piezoelectric material. An analytical model is developed and the results are compared with experiments. It is observed that at minimum wind speed of 2 m/s the estimated power is 1.06 mW while at a normal wind speed of 5 m/s power is calculated as 2.21 mW from the device. | Design and experimental analysis of low wind speed rotary piezoelectric energy harvester | 10.1007/s10999-023-09663-8 |
2023-12-01 | The composition and atomic structure of nanoalloy electrocatalysts play an important role in the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). To study this and develop an electrochemically active electrocatalyst towards ethanol electro-oxidation, a second oxophilic metal has generally been initiated as an alloy, capable of enhancing the electrocatalytic activity of platinum. Given the above, the present investigation deals with nanoparticles of PtRu with different bimetallic compositions supported on multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) (C) for their activity on the ethanol electro-oxidation. The structure, morphology, and bonding of the electrocatalysts were studied by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDXRF, and FTIR. Electrochemical methods like cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to explore the catalytic activity towards ethanol electro-oxidation. This study focused on establishing the relationship between the electrocatalysts’ composition, atomic structure, and catalytic activity for the EOR. All the results of physical and electrochemical studies revealed an intriguing composition–structure–activity relationship for the PtRu electrocatalysts under EOR experimental conditions. In particular, the alloy with a Pt/Ru ratio of ∼ 84 : 16 was found to exhibit a maximum EOR activity as a function of the bimetallic composition. Notably, the catalytic activities of the C/PtRu electrocatalysts showed a significant improvement during the EOR. The results show a new perspective in the development of C/PtRu electrocatalysts regarding ethanol oxidation reaction which is important for the rational design and synthesis of active nanoalloy electrocatalysts for direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC). | A Study on significant role of Ru on MWCNT-supported PtRu electrocatalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation | 10.1007/s11581-023-05218-1 |
2023-12-01 | This paper deals with the trade-off between conversion time and power in nW-power capacitance-to-digital converters (CDCs). The CDC used in this work operates at nW power and low voltage down to 0.3 V without the need for any additional circuitry, references, or voltage regulation. It is built on swappable oscillators and takes advantage of the delay-power flexibility of dual-mode logic. Its self-calibration corrects PVT changes and mismatches at any point in the chip lifecycle, doing away with the necessity for cutting during testing. A CDC’s test chip in 180 nm demonstrates that its power consumption can be dynamically modified from 1.37 nW down to 418 pW at a conversion time down to hundreds of ms, making it suited for harvesting systems with a very tight power budget and changing power sources. | Capacitance-to-digital converter in dual-mode logic: power consumption vs conversion time trade-off | 10.1007/s10470-023-02173-9 |
2023-12-01 | Objective To develop two spiral-based bSSFP pulse sequences combined with L + S reconstruction for accelerated ungated, free-breathing dynamic cardiac imaging at 1.5 T. Materials and methods Tiny golden angle rotated spiral-out and spiral-in/out bSSFP sequences combined with view-sharing (VS), compressed sensing (CS), and low-rank plus sparse (L + S) reconstruction were evaluated and compared via simulation and in vivo dynamic cardiac imaging studies. The proposed methods were then validated against the standard cine, in terms of quantitative image assessment and qualitative quality rating. Results The L + S method yielded the least residual artifacts and the best image sharpness among the three methods. Both spiral cine techniques showed clinically diagnostic images (score > 3). Compared to standard cine, there were significant differences in global image quality and edge sharpness for spiral cine techniques, while there was significant difference in image contrast for the spiral-out cine but no significant difference for the spiral-in/out cine. There was good agreement in left ventricular ejection fraction for both the spiral-out cine (− 1.6 $$\pm$$ ± 3.1%) and spiral-in/out cine (− 1.5 $$\pm$$ ± 2.8%) against standard cine. Discussion Compared to the time-consuming standard cine (~ 5 min) which requires ECG-gating and breath-holds, the proposed spiral bSSFP sequences achieved ungated, free-breathing cardiac movies at a similar spatial (1.5 × 1.5 × 8 mm 3 ) and temporal resolution (36 ms) per slice for whole heart coverage (10–15 slices) within 45 s, suggesting the clinical potential for improved patient comfort or for imaging patients with arrhythmias or who cannot hold their breath. | Dynamic cardiac MRI with high spatiotemporal resolution using accelerated spiral-out and spiral-in/out bSSFP pulse sequences at 1.5 T | 10.1007/s10334-023-01116-9 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract Plasma pyrolysis of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane was carried out in a liquid phase at a dc source voltage of 100–300 V and a process time of 1–5 h. An increase in the dc voltage from 100 to 300 V led to an increase in the conversion of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane from 21.6 to 71.7 wt % for 1 h with an increase in energy consumption for the transformation of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane from 0.20 to 0.28 kW h/mol. As the process time was increased from 1 to 5 h, the conversion of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane increased from 21.6 to 68.9 wt %, and energy consumption increased from 0.20 to 0.33 kW h/mol. Regardless of the conditions of pyrolysis, an increase in the conversion of tetrachloroethane led to a decrease in the yield of tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene by a factor of 2–3 due to their conversion into perchlorinated hydrocarbons. | Influence of Voltage and Duration of Plasma Pyrolysis of 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane in the Liquid Phase by the Action of Low-Voltage Discharges | 10.1134/S0018143923060036 |
2023-12-01 | Machine learning (ML) is increasingly used to enhance production systems and meet the requirements of a rapidly evolving manufacturing environment. Compared to larger companies, however, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lack in terms of resources, available data and skills, which impedes the potential adoption of analytics solutions. This paper proposes a preliminary yet general approach to identify low-cost analytics solutions for manufacturing SMEs, with particular emphasis on ML. The initial studies seem to suggest that, contrarily to what is usually thought at first glance, SMEs seldom need digital solutions that use advanced ML algorithms which require extensive data preparation, laborious parameter tuning and a comprehensive understanding of the underlying problem . If an analytics solution does require learning capabilities, a ‘simple solution’, which we will characterise in this paper, should be sufficient. | Towards low-cost machine learning solutions for manufacturing SMEs | 10.1007/s00146-021-01332-8 |
2023-12-01 | Utilizing waste plastic to produce carbon catalysts is one way to recycle waste plastic. Carbon catalysts derived from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (LDPE-C catalyst) and polyurethane (PUK-C catalyst) can help to improve the performance of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). Especially, for forming the PUK-C catalyst that has abundant surface nitrogen functional groups and large surface area, carbonization process is needed. Electrochemical analysis discloses that when this PUK-C catalyst is doped onto graphite felt (GF), the reactivity for redox reactions of vanadium ions is significantly enhanced. Specifically, peak current density and peak potential separation for the redox reactions are more improved than those observed with bare GF. Additionally, charge transfer resistance for the redox reactions is reduced when using PUK-C catalyst doped GF. When the performance of VRFBs utilizing PUK-C catalyst doped GF is measured, they exhibit better energy efficiency than VRFBs operated without the catalyst by 8.1%. Furthermore, maximum power density of VRFBs utilizing PUK-C catalyst doped GF can generate 14.9% higher power at 30 mA cm −2 than that of VRFBs utilizing bare felt. These findings demonstrate that the PUK-C catalyst is highly effective in enhancing the performance of VRFBs. | Vanadium redox flow batteries including carbon catalysts derived from low-density polyethylene and polyurethane | 10.1007/s11814-023-1576-y |
2023-12-01 | Multiple studies highlight the role of effector and regulatory CD4 + T cells in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, and foster low-dose IL-2 treatment which induces regulatory CD4 + T (Treg) cells expansion and activation as a promising strategy for its treatment. However, studies demonstrating discrepant Treg functions in AD have been reported. In addition, a compromised immune system associated with aging may substantially impact on these processes. Here, we report that there is an altered balance of activity between Treg cells and IL-17-producing helper T (Th17) cells in periphery and brain of APP/PS1 mice along the disease progression. A dramatic loss of the healthy balance of activity between Treg and Th17 cells was found at the middle disease stage. While peripheral low-dose recombinant human IL-2 administration could selectively modulate the abundance of Treg cells and repair the imbalance between Treg and Th17 subsets at the middle disease stage. We further show that modulation of peripheral immune balance through low-dose IL-2 treatment reduces the neuro-inflammation and increases numbers of plaque-associated microglia, accompanied by marked reduction of Aβ plaque deposition and slower cognitive declines in APP/PS1 mice at the middle disease stage. Our study highlights the therapeutic potential of repurposed IL-2 for innovative immunotherapy based on modulation of the homeostasis of CD4 + T cell subsets in Alzheimer’s disease at the middle disease stage. Graphical Abstract | Low-dose IL-2 Treatment Rescues Cognitive Deficits by Repairing the Imbalance Between Treg and Th17 Cells at the Middle Alzheimer’s Disease Stage | 10.1007/s11481-023-10090-x |
2023-12-01 | Salinity is often considered one of the most influential environmental factors affecting estuarine communities. This is particularly true for low-inflow estuaries, which typically experience limited freshwater input for long periods of time. Disturbance events related to hypersalinity (> 35) occur commonly in Baffin Bay, TX, and have been linked to changes in fish and macrofauna abundance. Here, we use a long-term fishery-independent dataset collected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (1983–2019) to determine the extent to which salinity affects the fish and invertebrate communities (i.e., species richness, spatial distribution, and community composition) in the Baffin Bay complex. Increased salinity had a negative effect on species richness of communities captured in two gear types (gill net and bag seine) and across seasons (fall and spring) based on generalized linear models. Species richness was also explored spatially using optimized hot spot analyses. The location of hot and cold spots of species richness varied within each salinity bin (< 35, 35–50, > 50) for both bag seine and gill net samples. However, more well-defined hot spots were apparent where salinity was > 50. Multivariate analyses used to explore changes in community composition across salinity bins revealed differences between salinity regimes for both gear types. SIMPROF tests also yielded groups of species with similar responses in abundance across salinity bins, which could be used to identify indicator species. These results could aid resource managers as they incorporate environmental factors such as salinity into ecosystem-based fisheries management strategies. In addition, understanding drivers of community composition and species distribution will be needed when responding to extreme hypersalinity events. | Effects of Salinity on Species Richness and Community Composition in a Hypersaline Estuary | 10.1007/s12237-022-01117-2 |
2023-12-01 | Purpose Although pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG) are the most common pediatric brain tumors, patient-derived cell lines reflecting pLGG biology in culture are scarce. This also applies to the most common pLGG subtype pilocytic astrocytoma (PA). Conventional cell culture approaches adapted from higher-grade tumors fail in PA due to oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) driving tumor cells into arrest. Here, we describe a PA modeling workflow using the Simian Virus large T antigen (SV40-TAg) to circumvent OIS. Methods 18 pLGG tissue samples (17 (94%) histological and/or molecular diagnosis PA) were mechanically dissociated. Tumor cell positive-selection using A2B5 was perfomed in 8/18 (44%) cases. All primary cell suspensions were seeded in Neural Stem Cell Medium (NSM) and Astrocyte Basal Medium (ABM). Resulting short-term cultures were infected with SV40-TAg lentivirus. Detection of tumor specific alterations ( BRAF -duplication and BRAF V600E -mutation) by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) at defined time points allowed for determination of tumor cell fraction (TCF) and evaluation of the workflow. DNA-methylation profiling and gene-panel sequencing were used for molecular profiling of primary samples. Results Primary cell suspensions had a mean TCF of 55% (+/− 23% (SD)). No sample in NSM (0/18) and ten samples in ABM (10/18) were successfully transduced. Three of these ten (30%) converted into long-term pLGG cell lines (TCF 100%), while TCF declined to 0% (outgrowth of microenvironmental cells) in 7/10 (70%) cultures. Young patient age was associated with successful model establishment. Conclusion A subset of primary PA cultures can be converted into long-term cell lines using SV40-TAg depending on sample intrinsic (patient age) and extrinsic workflow-related (e.g. type of medium, successful transduction) parameters. Careful monitoring of sample-intrinsic and extrinsic factors optimizes the process. | Generation of patient-derived pediatric pilocytic astrocytoma in-vitro models using SV40 large T: evaluation of a modeling workflow | 10.1007/s11060-023-04500-6 |
2023-12-01 | The development of the digital economy is an effective way to mitigate the carbon emission problem in the broader setting of the significant data era and green development. Based on the panel data of 271 cities in China from 2011 to 2019, this paper constructs a bidirectional fixed model to analyze the nonlinear effect of the digital economy (DE) on carbon intensity (CI) and the moderating role of low-carbon regulation from theoretical and empirical perspectives. The results show that (1) DE has an enormous inverted U-shaped impact on CI. The findings remain after introducing instrumental variables to mitigate endogeneity and robustness tests. (2) Low-carbon regulation (CP) can strengthen the inverted U-shaped impact between the two and shift the inflection point to the left. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows that the inverted U-shaped effect of DE on CI is more significant in the central and western regions, high human capital (HC) regions, and high urbanization regions. (4) The mediating effect of energy mix (EM) and green technology innovation (GTI) still hold after introducing instrumental variables to alleviate the endogenous effect of the intermediary effect. This study suggests that the adoption of carbon emission reduction strategies, which will more effectively lower carbon intensity CI, should go hand in hand with the development of DE. | Nonlinear impact of digital economy on carbon intensity: the moderating role of low-carbon regulation | 10.1007/s11356-023-30770-8 |
2023-12-01 | Collision-induced dissociation (CID) is the most wildly used fragmentation technique for qualitative and quantitative determination of low molecular weight compounds (LMWC). Ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) has been mainly investigated for the analysis of peptides and lipids while only in a limited way for LMWC. A triple quadrupole linear ion trap instrument has been modified to allow ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) in the end of the q2 region enabling various workflows with and without data-dependent acquisition (DDA) combining CID and UVPD in the same LC–MS analysis. The performance of UVPD, with a 266-nm laser, is compared to CID for a mix of 90 molecules from different classes of LMWC including peptides, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, metabolites, and drugs of abuse. These two activation methods offer complementary fragments as well as common fragments with similar sensitivities for most analytes investigated. The versatility of UVPD and CID is also demonstrated for quantitative analysis in human plasma of bosentan and its desmethyl metabolite, used as model analytes. Different background signals are observed for both fragmentation methods as well as unique fragments which opens the possibility of developing a selective quantitative assay with improved sample throughput, in particular for analytes present in different matrices. Graphical Abstract | Ultraviolet photodissociation and collision-induced dissociation for qualitative/quantitative analysis of low molecular weight compounds by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry | 10.1007/s00216-023-04977-0 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract The properties and efficiency of a solid–liquid suspension based on ground blast furnace slag, which is used to deactivate the processes of oxidation and spontaneous combustion of coals, have been studied. It has been established that sequential impregnation of coal with water-soluble and thickened components of the slag suspension promotes uniform passivation and a decrease in the oxidative activity of the external contacting surface. The results obtained justify the effectiveness of using slag waste as a constituent of technological suspensions for the insulation plugging of a coal seam. | Influence of Coal Processing with a Suspension of Blast Furnace Slag on Changes in the Physicochemical Properties of the Surface | 10.3103/S0361521923060058 |
2023-12-01 | Weed competition seriously threatens the yield of alfalfa, the most important forage legume worldwide, thus generating herbicide-resistant alfalfa varieties is becoming a necessary cost-effective strategy to assist farmers for weed control. Here, we report the co-expression of plant codon-optimized forms of GR79 EPSPS ( pGR79 EPSPS ) and N-acetyltransferase ( pGAT ) genes, in alfalfa, via Agrobacterium -mediated transformation. We established that the pGR79 EPSPS - pGAT co-expression alfalfa lines were able to tolerate up to tenfold higher commercial usage of glyphosate and produced approximately ten times lower glyphosate residues than the conventional cultivar. Our findings generate an elite herbicide-resistant germplasm for alfalfa breeding and provide a promising strategy for developing high-glyphosate-resistant and low-glyphosate-residue forages. | Co-expression of GR79 EPSPS and GAT generates high glyphosate-resistant alfalfa with low glyphosate residues | 10.1007/s42994-023-00119-3 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract Bacteria perform important and diverse functions in the ecosystems of large rivers. The abundance, biomass and spatial distribution of heterotrophic bacterioplankton and its size–morphological groups have been studied in the middle and lower reaches of the Ob River in areas impacted by cities. The river water is characterized by a high content of suspended particles (on average (2.22 ± 0.21) × 10 6 mL –1 ), to which a significant part of bacteria is attached: on average, 41.5% of their total number and 35.7% of their biomass. The concentration of suspended particles and water conductivity are found to be among the main factors influencing the abundance and structure of bacterioplankton. A significant increase in bacterial abundance, mainly due to small free-living bacteria, is recorded below the mouth of the largest tributary, the Irtysh River, and the city of Khanty-Mansiysk. On this section of the Ob River, the average values of bacterioplankton abundance and biomass are (6.87 ± 4.99) × 10 6 cells/mL and 142 ± 13 mg C/m 3 , respectively, which are 1.6–1.7 times higher than in the other transects. The spatial distribution of heterotrophic bacterioplankton in the Ob River is mainly determined by the dynamics of water masses and the influence of tributaries and cities. | Abundance and Distribution of Bacterioplankton in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Ob River in Areas Impacted by Cities | 10.1134/S1995425523060203 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract Complex preparations based on heparins of animal and vegetable origin with the inclusion of glutamic acid in a weight ratio of 1 : 4 were obtained. High molecular weight (HMН) and low molecular weight (LMH) commercial preparations of heparins were used as heparins of animal origin; heparinoid was used as heparin of plant origin, isolated from the roots of the peony Akademik Sadovnichiy (heparinoid). Their influence on the state of plasma hemostasis under in vitro conditions was studied in a comparative aspect. It has been established that all complex compounds have anticoagulant activity, which, according to the results of our studies, is realized by a different mechanism of their action on blood coagulation—on the internal, external, or general pathways of blood coagulation. HMН complexes with glutamic acid had an antithrombin effect, affecting the internal and general coagulation pathways, while LMH complexes with glutamic acid, exerting anti-Xa activity, affected the internal pathway of coagulation activation, and the combination of heparinoid with glutamic acid inhibited factors of not only internal but also external ways of blood coagulation. In addition, the latter compound exhibited weak antithrombin activity. It was also shown that all heparin complexes prevented fibrin polymerization, increasing the fibrin depolymerization activity of plasma, and in the heparinoid compound, this activity was higher by 10–17% compared to other commercial agents. Thus, the best anticoagulant in terms of efficacy and safety is the heparinoid complex with glutamic acid. | Comparative Studies of Complex Products Based on Heparins of Animal and Plant Origin | 10.1134/S2079086423060166 |
2023-12-01 | The Tethyan evolution depicts the continuous process of landmasses separating from the Gondwana continent in the south, drifting northwards, and subsequently colliding with the continents in the north over the past 500 million years. In this process, the Tethyan oceans that formed between the landmass and the southern or northern continents underwent growth, evolution, and eventual closure with the early Cenozoic India-Eurasia collision. However, the Tethyan lithosphere did not disappear but rather continued to evolve after entering into the deep Earth. The current position, morphology, and volume of the subducted Tethyan oceanic slabs in the deep mantle record the latest moment of this continuous evolution, providing critical constraints for Tethyan studies. This paper summarizes and analyzes the results of global-scale whole-mantle seismic tomography in the past nearly two decades, revealing a northwest-southeast seismically high-velocity anomaly, which is linearly distributed at depths of 1000–2000 km beneath the Tethyan realm and referred to as the Tethyan anomaly. By searching for an optimal linear combination of previous global seismic tomographic models to best match the known subducted slabs in the upper mantle, we observe that the Tethyan anomaly extends approximately 8700 km in length and 2600 km in width, exhibiting a parallel structure with northern and southern branches. Combining geological records of oceanic subduction initiation and previous geodynamic studies, this study suggests that the main body of the Tethyan anomaly represents the remnants of the subducted Neo-Tethyan oceanic slabs, which subducted from the Late Jurassic to the early Cenozoic. The northern branch consists of subducted slabs from the Neo-Tethys beneath the southern margin of Eurasia, while the southern branch likely reflects the intra-oceanic subducted slabs of Neo-Tethys during the Cretaceous. The western portion of the Tethyan anomaly may reflect remnants of Paleo-Tethys, while the eastern portion, towards India and the Bay of Bengal, shows signs of subduction towards the core-mantle boundary. Finally, this study discusses the future prospects of whole-mantle seismic tomographic studies focusing on the Tethyan realm. | Global seismic tomography reveals remnants of subducted Tethyan oceanic slabs in the deep mantle | 10.1007/s11430-023-1166-2 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract —Low molecular-weight thiols as glutathione and cysteine are an important part of the cell’s redox regulation system. Previously, we have shown that inactivation of ADP-heptose synthesis in Escherichia coli with a gmhA deletion induces the oxidative stress. It is accompanied by rearrangement of thiol homeostasis and increased sensitivity to antibiotics. In our study, we found that restriction of cysteine metabolism (∆ cysB and ∆ cysE ) and inhibition of glutathione synthesis (∆ gshAB ) lead to a decrease in the sensitivity of the ∆ gmhA mutant to antibiotics but not to its expected increase. At the same time, blocking of the export of cysteine (∆ eamA ) or increasing import (P tet-tcyP ) into cells of the oxidized form of cysteine–cystine leads to an even greater increase in the sensitivity of gmhA -deleted cells to antibiotics. In addition, there is no correlation between the cytotoxic effect of antibiotics and the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the total pool of thiols, or the viability of the initial cell population. However, a correlation between the sensitivity to antibiotics and the level of oxidized glutathione in cells was found in our study. Apparently, a decrease in the content of low-molecular-weight thiols saves NADPH equivalents and limits the processes of protein redox modification. This leads to increasing of resistance of the ∆ gmhA strain to antibiotics. An increase in low-molecular-weight thiols levels requires a greater expenditure of cell resources, leads to an increase in oxidized glutathione and induces to greater increase in sensitivity of the ∆ gmhA strain to antibiotics. | Low-Molecular Thiols as a Factor Improving the Sensitivity of Escherichia coli Mutants with Impaired ADP–Heptose Synthesis to Antibiotics | 10.1134/S0026893323060146 |
2023-12-01 | The creation of blockchain-based software applications requires today considerable technical knowledge, particularly in software design and programming. This is regarded as a major barrier in adopting this technology in business and making it accessible to a wider audience. As a solution, low-code and no-code approaches have been proposed that require only little or no programming knowledge for creating full-fledged software applications. In this paper we extend a review of academic approaches from the discipline of model-driven engineering as well as industrial low-code and no-code development platforms for blockchains. This includes a content-based, computational analysis of relevant academic papers and the derivation of major topics. In addition, the topics were manually evaluated and refined. Based on these analyses we discuss the spectrum of approaches in this field and derive opportunities for further research. | Design of blockchain-based applications using model-driven engineering and low-code/no-code platforms: a structured literature review | 10.1007/s10270-023-01109-1 |
2023-12-01 | There are inequable force-induced deformation, obvious cutting vibration problems during side milling of low-rigidity frame and beam parts, resulting in unsatisfactory dimensional accuracy and surface quality. Most of these parts are side-milled by end mill, which currently in use do not take into account the workpiece stiffness imparity. Therefore, the concept of gradient helix edge (GHE) is proposed in this research, and its advantages are analyzed. The general mathematical model is given. Furthermore, the parabola is taken as an example for the GHE space equation derived, of which accuracy is verified by numerical simulation. Finally, the comparison experiment with the invariant helix edge end mill was completed. The results showed that the milling force perpendicular to the milling surface of the GHE end mill was smaller and with less fluctuation, which could obtain less force-induced deformation theoretically. The milling process was smoother, and better surface quality was obtained. The excellent performance of the GHE end mill was further verified by milling different features. | Research on design and cutting performance of gradient helix edge end mill | 10.1007/s00170-023-12603-7 |
2023-12-01 | Managing chronic non-healing wounds (CNW) is a time-consuming process accompanied by economic loss. The combination of drug-resistant microflora that is able to organize in a biofilm is the main factor of wound chronicity that requires novel treatment strategies. The current study presents the results of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) application accompanied by low-frequency ultrasound (US) in the rat model of a purulent CNW. As a result, using AgNPs and low-frequency US demonstrated positive dynamics of wound healing and a reduction in all phases of the wound process. The combined use of AgNPs and low-frequency US made it possible to reduce the time of necrosis rejection by 6.5 days ( p < 0.05), and the appearance of granulations and epithelial tissue by 3.7 and 4.7 days ( p < 0.05), respectively. Simultaneous treatment by the AgNPs with low-frequency US of the purulent CNW showed accelerative tissue regeneration processes, compared to separate AgNPs or US and chlorhexidine treatment methods. A synchronous application of AgNPs with US treatment significantly improves chronic purulent wound healing and reduces the treatment period. The effectiveness of the treatment method is achieved mainly due to the bactericidal properties of AgNPs and the cleansing effect of ultrasonic cavitation. | Low-Frequency Ultrasound Reinforces Silver Nanoparticles Effect in Experimental Chronic Non-healing Purulent Wounds Treatment | 10.1007/s12668-023-01195-x |
2023-12-01 | The aim of this paper is to propose a compact device to design a multiplexer and demultiplexer which can reduce the circuit area while maintaining competitive performance. A novel device, the dielectric-separated independent-gate junctionless transistor (DSIG-JLT), is used to implement functional logic of a multiplexer and demultiplexer. The DSIG-JLT has four gates that can be electrically controlled in multiple ways to realize different digital logics. The DSIG-JLT is used to realize a 2 × 1 multiplexer and 1 × 2 demultiplexer by two different logic styles. The 2 × 1 multiplexer is implemented using four transistors, and the 1 × 2 demultiplexer is implemented using five transistors by NAND logic (logic style-1). Further, by using mixed logic, the 2 × 1 multiplexer is designed using three transistors, and the 1 × 2 demultiplexer using four transistors (logic style-2). A 4 × 1 multiplexer is also implemented using eight transistors. The propagation delay, rise time, and fall time of the 2 × 1 multiplexer (logic style-1) are calculated and are found to be 24.45 ps, 31 ps, and 8.2 ps, respectively, at a supply voltage ( V DD ) of 1 V. It is found that with a change in supply voltage from 0.7 to 1.0 V, the delay, rise time, and fall time decrease by 17.2%, 11.4%, and 65.69%, respectively. Simulations are carried using the ATLAS 3D device simulator in mixed mode. Graphical abstract | Efficient implementation of a DSIG-JLT-based multiplexer and demultiplexer using different logic styles at 20-nm technology | 10.1007/s10825-023-02099-5 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract Kungurian radiolarians from the Lower Permian sections Alegazovo on the Ai River and Mechetlino on the Yuryuzan River on the western slope of the South Urals were studied. The distribution of 23 radiolarian species in the studied sections was analyzed, enabling the recognition of two new radiolarian ecozones: Astroentactinia mirifica of the Saraninian Regional Substage in the Neostreptognathodus pnevi conodont Zone and Alexialeks uralicus–Octatormentum permicum of the Irenian Regional Substage, corresponding to the Neostreptognathodus imperfectus conodont Zone. The ecozones are based on the quantitative ratio of high-ranking taxa (classes). The use of the method of correlation of taxa of higher rank at the class level as an indicator of changes in paleoenvironments shows the inversion of the taxonomic composition of radiolarian associations of new ecozones of the Saraninian and Irenian regional substages indicating a change in the radiolarian habitats due to the shallowing of the basin. The taxonomic compositions of the radiolarian associations of the basinal and shelf environment are shown to be different. Three new radiolarian species from the Kungurian Stage of the South Urals are described: Astroentactinia mirifica Afanasieva, sp. nov., Helioentactinia parvispina Afanasieva, sp. nov., and H. venusta Afanasieva, sp. nov. | Radiolarians of the Kungurian Stage of the Lower Permian in the South Urals of Russia | 10.1134/S0031030123070018 |
2023-12-01 | Histone lactylation on its lysine (K) residues has been reported to have indispensable roles in lung fibrosis, embryogenesis, neural development, inflammation, and tumors. However, little is known about the lactylation activity towards histone lysine residue during tooth development. We investigated the dynamic patterns of lactate-derived histone lysine lactylation (Kla) using a pan-Kla antibody during murine tooth development, including lower first molar and lower incisor. The results showed that pan-Kla exhibited temporo-spatial patterns in both dental epithelium and mesenchyme cells during development. Notably, pan-Kla was identified in primary enamel knot (PEK), stratum intermedium (SI), stellate reticulum (SR), dental follicle cells, odontoblasts, ameloblasts, proliferating cells in dental mesenchyme, as well as osteoblasts around the tooth germ. More importantly, pan-Kla was also identified to be co-localized with neurofilament during tooth development, suggesting histone lysine lactylation may be involved in neural invasion during tooth development. These findings suggest that histone lysine lactylation may play important roles in regulating tooth development. | Dynamic patterns of histone lactylation during early tooth development in mice | 10.1007/s10735-023-10154-5 |
2023-12-01 | The promulgation and execution of green credit (GC) policies have had a significant influence on the development of the economy and society, and their impact on low-carbon development (LCD) needs to be taken seriously. On the basis of elaborating the mechanism of the role of GC on LCD, this study constructs a panel fixed effects (FE) model to test the direct impact of GC on LCD by using Chinese provincial-level data from 2007 to 2020. An intermediary effect model is constructed to investigate its indirect effects. A dynamic SDM is further constructed to examine the spatial effects of GC on LCD in neighbouring regions. The results show that GC is helping China to achieve LCD. GC can promote LCD through promoting green innovation, optimizing energy structure and upgrading industrial structure. It is crucial to acknowledge that all three pathways are essential channels of influence and should not be disregarded. GC not only fosters LCD in the local areas, but also has a positive spatial spillover effect in adjacent regions. Based on the above conclusions, this study proposes policy recommendations such as increasing support for GC, smoothing the transmission channel from GC to LCD, and establishing a synergistic linkage mechanism between interregional credit and environmental governance. This study provides valuable insights for China to realize LCD, as well as for other countries to actively engage in energy conservation and emission reduction efforts. | Green credit and low-carbon development in China: Fresh evidence on spatial spillover insights | 10.1007/s11356-023-30514-8 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract Environmental conditions can influence the individual development of organisms and their morphological variability at the population level. The dimensions and proportions of the skull and lower jaw of immature shrews ( Sorex araneus , S. caecutiens , and S. minutus ), which were captured in August in regenerating clearings in the middle taiga of northeastern Europe, depended on the stage of abundance dynamics (“peaks” or “depressions”). For all three species from the same taxocenosis, a statistically significant reduction in the skull and jaw was observed against the background of the high abundance in captures and the multidimensional morphological niches corresponding to different abundance stages were significantly separated. The parameters of morphological diversity (entropy and self-organization index) depended on the amplitude of fluctuations in species occurrence; however, they varied within the limits characteristic of mammals. Along with Dehnel’s phenomenon, natural population fluctuations may be one of the main factors determining the pattern of dynamics of the individual development and spatiotemporal variability of the morphological diversity of shrews. | Morphological Diversity of the Skull and Lower Jaw of Three Shrew Species (Eulipotyphla, Sorex) during Depressions and Abundance Peaks | 10.1134/S1062359023605086 |
2023-12-01 | Waterflooding is renowned improved oil recovery method worldwide to recover medium to light crude oil. LSWF is an emergent IOR method which reduces the quantity of residual oil saturation by implementing waterfloods of low salt concentration. LSWF can increment the oil recovery up to 10–20% compared to simple waterflooding. A synthetic 3D simulation model is generated in this study using commercial black oil simulator (Eclipse 100). Two base cases of low and high salinity water flooding are simulated, and impact of low salinity water flooding on FOE, FOPR, FOPT, FPR, FSPR, FSPT is analyzed. Sensitivity analyses of injection water salinity, relative permeability curves, grid refinement, Low salinity slug size and end point saturation effects are also conducted (LASLTFNC). LSWF enhances the oil recovery efficiency by 17% compared to HSWF. Sensitivity of wettability (relative permeability curves) exhibits maximum recovery of 75.96% in presence of strongly water wet system. Similarly, sensitivity of grid refinement exhibits variation in ultimate recovery of 5.24% between LSWF base case and refined grid case. Sensitivity of injection water salinity from 1000 to 35,000 PPM (sea water) results in ultimate recovery between 60.88 and 75.96%, respectively. The continuous injection of LS water is not economical for whole production life therefore the injection of slug can help in the withdrawal of almost similar volume of oil with better cost. Economic analysis of five different LSWF cases and one HSWF case is carried out to evaluate the most economically viable injection scenario. From case-1 to case-6, injection of low salinity water for 450 days followed by high saline water turns out to be the most optimum case with NPV of 20.422 million dollars. | Technical and economic feasibility assessment of low and high salinity water flooding: a simulation-based approach | 10.1007/s40095-022-00556-8 |
2023-12-01 | Our study investigates prospects for a fuel-grade canola oil supply chain that prioritizes the use of non-No. 1 Canola as a biofuel feedstock. Using low-grade canola oil to produce biofuels can reduce feedstock costs and offer the opportunity to utilize existing petroleum infrastructure to transport and store canola oil, thereby reducing capital costs for biorefinery investments. We conducted a township-level GIS analysis to assess the availability of canola seed in Alberta and identify potential fuel-grade crushing sites based on the amount of annually accessible non-No. 1 Canola. Using an improved service-area approach, we identify three potential sites for fuel-grade crushers, all of which had sufficient seed to produce, on average, over 65 thousand tonnes of oil per year (from 2016 to 2019). Northwestern Alberta appears to be especially suitable for a fuel-grade canola crushing plant, since it has the highest average amounts of non-No. 1 seed, and there are no existing food-grade crushers to compete with. Results further show that spatial and temporal variation in canola harvests impacts how much non-No.1 seed is available and could therefore influence investment decisions on where to locate fuel-grade canola crushing plants. New fuel-grade crushing plants could also stimulate regional development and boost incomes for local canola producers. Our analysis is relevant to policy and business decisions related to fuel-grade canola oil supply chain investments. | Potential Supplies of Fuel-Grade Canola Oil for Low-Carbon Fuel Production in Alberta, Canada: GIS Analysis Using an Improved Service-Area Approach | 10.1007/s12155-023-10589-4 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract The rapid development of industrial activity leads steadily to an increase in the influence of various factors that have a negative impact on the environment. One of them is a high level of technogenic low-frequency seismoacoustic pollution of settlements. This paper presents the results of in situ measurements of microseismic and acoustic noise in various frequency ranges in conditions of dense urban development using the example of the settlement of Mosrentgen. As a result of processing the primary data, we have obtained averaged values normalized to the reference station, compared the values of microseismic and acoustic noise, and localized areas of increased noise pollution. The features of the spatiotemporal distribution of microseismic and acoustic noise in the area of Mosrentgen are given. It is shown that the Moscow Ring Road and the metro station under construction are sources of low-frequency noise pollution. At the same time, it is recorded that the maximum permissible values of vibration and acoustic background up to 28 dB are exceeded. | Low-Frequency Noise Pollution in the Northeastern Part of Mosrentgen (Moscow) | 10.1134/S0001433823080030 |
2023-12-01 | Abstract — The article discusses the key problems and conditions for the successful development of the industry of nature-based offset projects (NBOP) in Russia. Taking into account the state and prospects for development of external markets for carbon units from NBOP (voluntary carbon markets, national carbon markets, implementation of projects under Articles 6.2 and 6.4 of the Paris Agreement), the conditions for successful entry of carbon units from Russian NBOP to the global market are determined. The key limitations for the domestic market of carbon units from Russian NBOP are presented: the lack of internal economic incentives for companies to acquire carbon credits and invest in Russian NBOP, the lack of national methodologies for implementation of NBOP, legal restrictions, the lack of available tools for assessing the potential of territories for implementing NBOP, and the lack of carbon market regulations based on a case study of the Sakhalin experiment. The limitations of the departmental approach to developing the NBOP sector are shown, which leads to uncoordinated and inconsistent decisions that do not correspond to real conditions in global markets. To remove these restrictions, it is necessary to create a center of competences for the entire range of issues related to implementing NBOP: from specific methodologies for individual projects to scientifically based assessments of their potential at the Russian level. Two scenarios for using NBOP for decarbonization of the Russian economy are considered: (1) predominantly the sale of Russian NBOP carbon units in foreign markets with maximized export earnings in the medium term; (2) development of the NBOP sector primarily for the domestic market to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. A realistic and balanced strategy presupposes that export-oriented Russian companies should become the key buyers of carbon units from Russian NBOP at the first stage, which can then use these units to reduce the carbon footprint of their output and implement corporate climate strategies. | Nature-Based Offsets in Russia: Key Challenges and Conditions for Success | 10.1134/S2079970523701009 |
2023-11-30 | It is proverbial that the rheological properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) are disparate because of their different molecular microstructures due to the unlike methods of polymerization. In this work, multiple characterizations including Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) coupled with low-angle light scattering and viscosmeter, 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Crystallization Elution Fractionation (CEF) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were conducted to get detailed information of branching on different LDPEs and LLDPEs. It was found that, in our case, LDPEs possessed higher molecular weight and greater amounts of long-chain branching (LCB) in comparison with LLDPEs. The Chemical Composition Distribution (CCD) of each LLDPE sample depends strongly on the catalyst used. LLDPE produced by Z-N catalyst exhibited broad short-chain branching (SCB) distribution (less uniform composition distribution), whereas LLDPE obtained by metallocene catalyst showed more uniform microstructure. Unlikely, the two LDPEs displayed wider but unimodal distribution corresponding to the free-radical polymerization mechanism. Both linear and nonlinear rheological results were strongly influenced by the presence of LCB. LDPEs in this work exhibited higher zero shear-viscosity, higher values of storage modulus, longer relaxation times, and higher activation energy comparing to LLDPEs. The presence of LCB leads to more pronounced strain hardening behavior in the elongational flow which is neglected in LLDPE. The molecular structures of linear and branched PEs were consistent with the rheological properties. | Structure-rheology properties of polyethylenes with varying macromolecular architectures | 10.1007/s10965-023-03838-9 |
2023-11-30 | Background Zostera marina L., or eelgrass, is the most widespread seagrass species throughout the temperate northern hemisphere. Unlike the dry seeds of terrestrial plants, eelgrass seeds must survive in water, and salinity is the key factor influencing eelgrass seed germination. In the present study, transcriptome and proteome analysis were combined to investigate the mechanisms via which eelgrass seed germination was stimulated by low salinity, in addition to the dynamics of key metabolic pathways under germination. Results According to the results, low salinity stimulated the activation of Ca 2+ signaling and phosphatidylinositol signaling, and further initiated various germination-related physiological processes through the MAPK transduction cascade. Starch, lipids, and storage proteins were mobilized actively to provide the energy and material basis for germination; abscisic acid synthesis and signal transduction were inhibited whereas gibberellin synthesis and signal transduction were activated, weakening seed dormancy and preparing for germination; cell wall weakening and remodeling processes were activated to provide protection for cotyledon protrusion; in addition, multiple antioxidant systems were activated to alleviate oxidative stress generated during the germination process; ERF transcription factor has the highest number in both stages suggested an active role in eelgrass seed germination. Conclusion In summary, for the first time, the present study investigated the mechanisms by which eelgrass seed germination was stimulated by low salinity and analyzed the transcriptomic and proteomic features during eelgrass seed germination comprehensively. The results of the present study enhanced our understanding of seagrass seed germination, especially the molecular ecology of seagrass seeds. | Combined transcriptome and proteome analysis reveal the key physiological processes in seed germination stimulated by decreased salinity in the seagrass Zostera marina L. | 10.1186/s12870-023-04616-x |
2023-11-30 | Harnessing energy from low wind velocity requires the design of small-scale wind turbines using airfoils that can operate at a low Reynolds number $$(Re < 500,000)$$ ( R e < 500 , 000 ) . However, at low Re, the aerodynamic performance of the blade is reduced due to bubble drag along with viscous friction and pressure drag. The objective of present work is to design and analyze the horizontal axis wind turbine blade to meet the power coefficient at optimized tip speed ratio. Based on the annual average wind speed at the location of installation, the design wind speed was calculated to be $$ \sim 7.25$$ ∼ 7.25 m/s at a hub height of 10 m according to the IEC standard. A 1.1 m long blade consisting of Wortmann FX 63-137 airfoil was designed using blade element momentum (BEM) theory. The blade design was optimized to achieve better performance for a wide range of tip speed ratios ( $$\lambda $$ λ ) by the combination method. The performance curves for the optimized blade design were obtained analytically using MATLAB® programs based on BEM theory. Using multiple reference frame Moving Reference Frame approach, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was performed in ANSYS Fluent® to determine the performance of the turbine in terms of power coefficient ( $$C_p$$ C p ) under complex three-dimensional fluid flow. The CFD simulation methodology was validated using the experimental data available in the literature. | Design of a low velocity wind turbine blades for power generation: part I‐aerodynamic performance | 10.1007/s12046-023-02339-1 |
2023-11-30 | Background Prolonged hemodialysis (HD) is performed from 6 to 12 h and can last up to 24 h. To prevent system clotting some studies suggest that Regional Citrate Anticoagulation (RCA) use reduces bleeding rates relative to systemic heparin. However, there may be difficulties in the patient’s clinical management and completing the prescribed HD with Genius system using RCA. Objective To analyze safety Quality Indicators (IQs) and follow up on prolonged HD with 4% sodium citrate solution in a Genius® hybrid system. Methods This is a retrospective cohort conducted in an intensive care unit. Results 53 random sessions of prolonged HD with 4% sodium citrate solution of critically ill patients with AKI assessed. Evaluated safety indicators were dysnatremia and metabolic alkalosis, observed in 15% and 9.4% of the sessions, respectively. Indicators of effectiveness were system clotting which occurred in 17.3%, and the minimum completion of the prescribed HD time, which was 75.5%. Conclusion The assessment of the indicators showed that the use of RCA with a 4% sodium citrate solution in prolonged HD with the Genius system in critically ill patients with AKI can be performed in a simple, safe, and effective way. What is already known about the subject? Studies on RCA or systemic heparin usage do not demonstrate differences in the mortality of critically ill patients with AKI undergoing acute RRT. However, they suggest lower bleeding rates and greater longevity of the dialysis filter. Nonetheless, hemodynamic stability and hydroelectrolytic and acid-base disorders of patients is the controversial point. What this study adds? Quality Indicators show that this simplified prescription and RCA in prolonged HD, using the Genius® hybrid system, in critically ill patients with AKI is safe and effective. What impact this may have on practice or policy? The proposed prescription is easy to implement, has low demands on the care team, and enables the use of hypertonic citrate for prolonged hemodialysis using the Genius® system, even with dialysate containing calcium. Monitoring the IQs may help improve the safety and effectiveness of the care routine. | Quality indicators in prolonged hemodialysis with regional citrate anticoagulation with the genius system: retrospective cohort of critical patients with acute kidney injury | 10.1186/s12882-023-03342-8 |
2023-11-29 | A critical assessment of electrolytes’ limiting factors, which affect the low-temperature performance of Li-metal batteries. Summary of emerging strategies to improve low-temperature performance from the aspects of electrolyte design and electrolyte/electrode interphase engineering. Perspectives and challenges on how to develop creative solutions in electrolytes and correlative materials for low-temperature operation. Electrolyte design holds the greatest opportunity for the development of batteries that are capable of sub-zero temperature operation. To get the most energy storage out of the battery at low temperatures, improvements in electrolyte chemistry need to be coupled with optimized electrode materials and tailored electrolyte/electrode interphases. Herein, this review critically outlines electrolytes’ limiting factors, including reduced ionic conductivity, large de-solvation energy, sluggish charge transfer, and slow Li-ion transportation across the electrolyte/electrode interphases, which affect the low-temperature performance of Li-metal batteries. Detailed theoretical derivations that explain the explicit influence of temperature on battery performance are presented to deepen understanding. Emerging improvement strategies from the aspects of electrolyte design and electrolyte/electrode interphase engineering are summarized and rigorously compared. Perspectives on future research are proposed to guide the ongoing exploration for better low-temperature Li-metal batteries. | Electrolyte Design for Low-Temperature Li-Metal Batteries: Challenges and Prospects | 10.1007/s40820-023-01245-9 |
2023-11-29 | In this paper, a low-temperature SiO 2 interfacial layer preparation using rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) process for gate-all-around (GAA) nanosheet (NS) based input-output (I/O) transistor is explored in detail. After preparing high-quality thick SiO 2 IL at 600℃, its MOS capacitor with W/TiN/HfO 2 /SiO 2 /Si substrate structure achieves well behaved multi-frequency capacitance-voltage characteristics, low leakage current, low interfacial trap density (D it ), and excellent time-dependent dielectric breakdown. For instance, its gate leakage under flatband voltage (V fb ) -1 V is only 2.48 × 10 –9 A/cm 2 , its minimum D it reaches 5.1 × 10 10 eV −1 cm −2 , and its ten-year lifetime effective voltage can reach 3.62 V at a failure rate of 0.01%. Moreover, a GAA NS based I/O device with a healthy gate stack is successfully prepared using this low-temperature SiO 2 interfacial layer and its gate leakage is below 1 × 10 –13 A, approaching the detection limit. These above results indicate that this low-temperature RTO-grown SiO 2 IL has excellent quality and can meet the requirements of GAA NSs I/O transistors. | A Low-Temperature SiO2 Interfacial Layer Preparation using Rapid Thermal Oxidation Process for GAA Nanosheet Based I/O Transistor | 10.1007/s12633-023-02789-6 |
2023-11-29 | The corrosion behaviors of molten salt (67.2 wt.%KNO 3 -13.5wt.%LiNO 3 -19.3wt.%Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ) to stainless steels 304 and 316L are unclear. In this study, both the static and electrochemical tests were carried out at 300 and 500 °C. After the static corrosion tests for 1440 h, the static corrosion rates of 304 and 316L were about 0.031 and 0.014 mm/a at 500 °C. The predicted electrochemical corrosion rates were about 0.027 mm/a for 304 sample and 0.015 mm/a for 316L sample at 500 °C. Furthermore, the temperature has a key effect on the corrosion behavior based on XRD, SEM and EDS testing results. | Investigation on Corrosion Behaviors of Ternary Nitrate Molten Salt on 304 and 316L at High Temperatures | 10.1007/s11665-023-08981-4 |
2023-11-28 | Among various rechargeable batteries, the lithium-ion battery (LIB) stands out due to its high energy density, long cycling life, in addition to other outstanding properties. However, the capacity of LIB drops dramatically at low temperatures (LTs) below 0 °C, thus restricting its applications as a reliable power source for electric vehicles in cold climates and equipment used in the aerospace. The electrolyte engineering has proved to be one of the most effective approaches to mitigate LIB performance degradation at LTs. In this review, we summarize the important factors contributing to the deterioration in Li + transport and capacity utilization at LTs while systematically categorize the solvents, salts and additives reported in the literature. Strategies to improve the Li + transport kinetics, in the bulk electrolyte and across the interphases, are discussed. In particular, the formation mechanism of solid electrolyte interphase and its functionality for LT electrolytes are analyzed. Perspectives on the future evolution of this area are also provided. Graphical abstract | Review on Low-Temperature Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion and Lithium Metal Batteries | 10.1007/s41918-023-00199-1 |
2023-11-28 | In recent years, the efficient and clean utilization of coal has been widely concerned by scholars at home and abroad. Despite the abundance of global coal resources, the deep utilization rate of coal is still insufficient. To address this challenge, it has been explored the development and preparation of coal-based high value-added carbonaceous materials. In the present study, a novel process was developed for the preparation of graphene using biphenyl sourced from low-rank coal. Using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technology, it was successfully implemented for us to grow high-quality graphene on copper foils. The prepared graphene products were observed and characterized using Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The results of this research provide a new perspective for the utilization of low-rank coal resources. | Controlled CVD preparation and quality characterization of graphene based on biphenyl refined from low-rank coal | 10.1007/s42823-023-00641-w |
2023-11-28 | Due to the poor aqueous solubility of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), encapsulating it in egg yolk results in a reduction in the hydration properties of egg yolk powder (EYP), subsequently affecting its functional properties. In this study, the effects of vacuum low-temperature spray drying (VLTSD), high-temperature spray drying (HTSD), and freeze-drying (FD) on the hydration properties of DHA-enriched EYP were investigated. Firstly, we optimized the inlet temperature and feed rate for VLTSD (60 °C, 300 mL/h) and HTSD (170 °C, 800 mL/h), while FD was conducted under − 70 °C conditions. The most striking finding of this study was the DHA-enriched EYP prepared by VLTSD exhibited desirable solubility (54.86 g/100 g), water dispersibility (48.63%), and coefficient of stability (24.88%) during rehydration, which was well predicted by low-field NMR. Compared to HTSD and FD, the solubility increased by 16.18% and 45.17%, respectively. Furthermore, at the microscopic level, SEM images and FTIR spectra revealed that VLTSD enhanced the hydration properties by protecting the structural integrity and increasing the hydrogen bonding of the DHA-enriched EYP. The encapsulation efficiency of DHA-enriched EYP prepared by VLTSD, HTSD, and FD were 97.15%, 96.51%, and 81.31%, respectively. According to the quality analysis, VLTSD had the best protection for DHA-enriched EYP in terms of chromaticity, bulk density, storage stability, and sensory evaluation. Therefore, this study confirmed the applicability of VLTSD technology for microencapsulation of bioactive substances such as DHA to enhance the hydration properties of powders. | Optimizing the Encapsulation Behavior of Egg Yolk on DHA by Vacuum Low-Temperature Spray Drying to Improve the Hydration Properties of the Powder | 10.1007/s11947-023-03271-2 |
2023-11-28 | The application of negative permittivity materials in new principle electronic devices has put forward strict requirements on the value and dispersion of negative permittivity, and the flexibility of negative permittivity materials is also needed in the new generation of wearable electronic devices. In this work, the flexible cementite (Fe 3 C)/ferroferric oxide (Fe 3 O 4 )/silicon dioxide (SiO 2 )/carbon nanofibers composite membrane with weakly and low-frequency dispersion negative permittivity was prepared by electrospinning and high temperature carbonization. Carbon nanofibers were connected to each other to form a flexible conductive network with negative permittivity response, which can be regulated by adding Fe 3 C and Fe 3 O 4 conductive particles to carbon nanofibers to adjust the carrier concentration. The addition of SiO 2 not only improves the flexibility of the material, but also the contact of SiO 2 with isolated Fe 3 C and Fe 3 O 4 particles produces a positive permittivity response due to interfacial polarization. By controlling the content of Fe 3 C and Fe 3 O 4 , the intensity of positive and negative permittivity responses can be regulated, and through the synergistic effect of positive and negative permittivity responses (described by Drude-Debye model), the weakly (about − 80) and low-frequency dispersion negative permittivity was realized in the material. Our study not only offers valuable guidance for the fabrication of flexible materials with negative permittivity, but also addresses the issue of high-frequency dispersion associated with negative permittivity, thereby broadening the potential applications of such materials. | Flexible cementite/ferroferric oxide/silicon dioxide/carbon nanofibers composite membrane with low-frequency dispersion weakly negative permittivity | 10.1007/s42114-023-00799-x |
2023-11-28 | A new screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with carbon black and ternary oxide (SiO 2 /TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 ), denominated SPE/CB/SiTiNb and was developed for the direct detection of triclosan in tap water and mouthwash samples. The morphological characterization and electrochemical behavior of the sensors were performed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to evaluate the proposed sensor in Britton–Robinson buffer 0.1 mol L −1 and showed a limit detection of 1.23 nmol L −1 in a linear range from 0.025 to 57.01 µmol L −1 . Studies with possible interferents were performed demonstrating a significant selectivity of the sensor to the triclosan oxidation reaction. The sensor was applied in tap water and mouthwash real sample analyses, whose recoveries ranged from 93.4 to 98.8%, demonstrating that the sensor shows promise in the detection of triclosan in different matrices allied to high sensitivity, selectivity, low-cost, portability, disposability, and low sample volume, without pre-treatment, per analysis. Graphical Abstract | Disposable electrochemical sensor based on carbon black and ternary oxide (SiO2/TiO2/Nb2O5) for determination of triclosan in mouthwash and water samples | 10.1007/s10008-023-05749-7 |
2023-11-27 | The dynamic mechanical properties of the TC4 titanium alloy were investigated within a temperature range of − 40 °C to 20 °C and strain rates that range from 500 s −1 to 3000 s −1 . Based on the obtained experimental data, modifications were made to the Johnson–Cook (J–C) constitutive model, tailored explicitly for low temperatures. This modified model was further developed within the ABAQUS software. Findings reveal a distinct behavior of the TC4 titanium alloy: under low-temperature conditions, its stress initially rises and subsequently decreases with increasing strain. Moreover, the yield stress of the alloy demonstrates an upward trend as temperature decreases. Strain rate sensitivity is observed in the TC4 titanium alloy, particularly concerning maximum stress, maximum strain, and yield strength ratio at low temperatures. Notably, the temperature range of 0 °C to − 10 °C proves to be the most conducive for processing the alloy. The adapted J–C model exhibits enhanced accuracy when fitting data associated with low temperatures. Bullet penetration simulations underscore the alloy's pronounced hardening effect and improved resistance to deformation at lower temperatures. | Mechanical Properties and Constitutive Model of TC4 Titanium Alloy at Cryogenic | 10.1007/s11665-023-08955-6 |
2023-11-27 | Characterising spatial patterns in water temperature is important for monitoring aquatic habitats and understanding physical and biogeochemical processes to support environmental management decisions. As freshwater bodies exhibit high spatial and temporal variability, high-resolution 3D temperature data are essential to understand local anomalies. The acquisition of simultaneously high spatial and temporal datasets in the field has so far been limited by costs and/or workload associated with commonly used monitoring systems. We present a new, low-cost, spatially and temporally flexible 3D water temperature monitoring system, Surface Measures to Depth (SMeTD). SMeTD can be used to provide information on the relation of water surface temperature to changes with depth, characterise water temperature in 3D and ground truth remotely sensed thermal infrared data. The systems performance was tested under laboratory conditions and under controlled conditions in the field. This revealed an accuracy comparable to established but more expensive monitoring systems. Field testing of SMeTD involved 1-min data collection of 3D water temperature for a full diurnal cycle in a lake. The 3D temperature patterns were supported by a thermal infrared image of the lakes surface. The field dataset demonstrated higher water temperatures and higher water temperature variation at the surface compared to deeper layers. SMeTD can be used to observe a broad range of hydrological processes in natural and artificial aquatic environments and help to understand processes involved with energy budgets, infiltration, limnology, or groundwater surface water exchange. | Surface Measure to Depth (SMeTD): a new low-budget system for 3D water temperature measurements for combining with UAV-based thermal infrared imagery | 10.1007/s10661-023-12127-3 |
2023-11-27 | Thermochemical conversion of sewage sludge was proven as a useful method for waste management. Moderate temperatures in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) and hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) performed in the presence of water, under autogenous pressures, were selected to treat the same sample of anaerobic-digested sewage sludge (SS). Two hydrochars were prepared by HTC in one high-pressure reactor using SS at 80% humidity content and heating it at 180 and 240 °C for 4 h, leading to H180-4 and H240-4, respectively. Two pyrochars were prepared from a pre-oven-dried SS at 105 °C for 48 h, followed by slow pyrolysis at 300 °C for 1 h, and 400 °C for 1 h leading to P300-1 and P400-1, respectively. HTC and slow pyrolysis significantly increased thermal stability of chars with higher temperatures, only reducing organic matter content (from 68.4 to 46.7–59.2%). Based on the characterisation results, the treatments could be a suitable choice to pre-treat sludge as soil amendment. Higher temperatures of pyrolysis would be attractive to store stable carbon in soil and construction materials, whilst lower temperatures of pyrolysis and HTC would produce a material that could be used as a source of organic matter providing a pool of labile carbon and fixed carbon. Thermochemical conversions generated mesopores (10–50 nm, >40%) and slightly increased surface area from 2 m 2 /g (SS) to 5–17 m 2 /g (pyrochars) and to 20 m 2 /g (hydrochars). Hence, HTC showed the greatest potential to produce a material with higher adsorption capacity (100 cm 3 /g for H180-4) but all chars should be subjected to an activation process to be able to compete with other kinds of feedstocks. The reduction of the H:C and O:C from the original SS after the treatments indicated a greater carbonisation degree, but a general reduction of the high heating value ( HHV ) from 17.94 MJ kg −1 in SS to (14.93 MJ kg −1 ). The torrefied char and hydrochars could be an attractive option to reduce energy of the process and drying stage in the case of HTC. | Pyrolysis or hydrothermal carbonisation for anaerobic-digested sewage sludge? A comparison of pyrochar and hydrochar structure and stability | 10.1007/s13399-023-05019-6 |
2023-11-25 | Background Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment on the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) has been proposed as a good option for the treatment of persistent radicular pain based on its effect of neuromodulation on neuropathic pain. Autologous conditioned serum (ACS) therapy is a conservative treatment based on the patient’s own blood. The aim of this manuscript is to develop a study protocol using ACS on the DRG as a target for its molecular modulation. Methods We plan to conduct a randomized controlled study to compare the efficacy of PRF therapy plus ACS versus PRF therapy plus physiological saline 0.9% (PhS) on the DRG to reduce neuropathic pain in patients with persistent lower limb radiculalgia (LLR) and to contribute to the functional improvement and quality of life of these patients. Study participants will include patients who meet study the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Eligible patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of treatment with PRF plus ACS (experimental group) or PRF plus PhS (placebo group). The study group will consist of 70 patients (35 per group) who have experienced radicular pain symptoms for ≥ 6 months’ duration who have failed to respond to any therapy. Both groups will receive PRF on the DRG treatment before the injection of the sample (control or placebo). Patient assessments will occur at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after therapy. The primary efficacy outcome measure is Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) responders from baseline to 12 months of follow-up using validated minimal important change (MIC) thresholds. A reduction of ≥ 2 points in NPRS is considered a clinically significant pain relief. The secondary efficacy outcome measure is the proportion of Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Scale (ODS) responders from baseline to 12 months of follow-up in the experimental group (PRF plus ACS) versus the placebo group (PRF plus PhS). ODS responders are defined as those patients achieving the validated MIC of ≥ 10-point improvement in ODS from baseline to 12 months of follow-up as a clinically significant efficacy threshold. Discussion This prospective, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study will provide level I evidence of the safety and effectiveness of ACS on neuropathic symptoms in LLR patients. Trial registration {2a}{2b} EUDRACT number: 2021–005124-38. Validation date: 13 November 2021. Protocol version {3}: This manuscript presents the 2nd protocol version. | Efficacy of conditioned autologous serum therapy (Orthokine®) on the dorsal root ganglion in patients with chronic radiculalgia: study protocol for a prospective randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial (RADISAC trial) | 10.1186/s13063-023-07787-y |
2023-11-24 | The study sought to investigate the impact of a holistic high-power microwave technology during all stages of the extraction on the quality, time of extraction, and degree of deacetylation (DD) of shrimp chitosan (SC) and crab chitosan (KC). The demineralization and deproteinization stages took 7 and 8 min, at 750 and 875 W, respectively. The deacetylation process was conducted at two powers, 875 W and 1250 W, for 10, 15, and 20 min. It only took 25 min at 875 W to successfully prepare chitosan with a high DD and 30 min to reach the maximum DD. The highest DDs by the potentiometric titration method, FTIR, and 1 H NMR of SC were 86.6%, 86.7%, and 83%, compared to 83.8%, 82.7%, and 80% for KC, respectively. Extracted SC had 79% solubility, 14.125 kDa, a 46.57% crystallinity index, 705.40% WBC, and 434.60% FBC, against 74.5%, 16.982 kDa, 74.14%, 689.82%, and 413.20% for KC, respectively. The study proved that 30 min of holistic high-power microwave at 875 W produced low-molecular-weight chitosan with relatively high deacetylation and low content of viscosity, crystallinity, and protein residue. The technique can provide a feasible alternative to the commercial production of low-molecular-weight chitosan in less time and energy. High-power (875 W) microwave irradiation at 15 min-deacetylation produced Chitosan’s maximum deacetylation degree (DD). Holistic microwave irradiation (MW) can successfully produce high DD chitosan, and low molecular weight in 30 min. The chemical structure of MW-extracted chitosan was confirmed by FTIR and 1 H NMR and low crystallinity by X-ray. | High quality, low molecular weight shrimp and crab chitosans obtained by short-time holistic high-power microwave technology | 10.1007/s42452-023-05602-6 |
2023-11-23 | Natural gas is the main energy source and carbon emission source of integrated energy systems (IES). In existing studies, the price of natural gas is generally fixed, and the impact of price fluctuation which may be brought by future liberalization of the terminal side of the natural gas market on the IES is rarely considered. This paper constructs a natural gas price fluctuation model based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) and Dynamic Bayesian networks (DBN) algorithms. It uses the improved epsilon constraint method and fuzzy multi-weight technology to solve the Pareto frontier set considering the system operation cost and carbon emission. The system operation cost is described using Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) to predict the stochastic output of the renewable energy source, and a penalty function based on the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model to describe the thermal comfort of the user. This is analyzed using the Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm. Carbon emissions are calculated using the carbon accounting method, and a ladder penalty mechanism is introduced to define the carbon trading price. Results of the comparison illustrate that the Pareto optimal solution tends to choose less carbon emission, electricity is more economical, and gas is less carbon-intensive in a small IES for end-users when the price of natural gas fluctuates. The impacts of various extents of natural gas price fluctuation for the same load are also discussed. | Low-carbon economic multi-objective dispatch of integrated energy system considering the price fluctuation of natural gas and carbon emission accounting | 10.1186/s41601-023-00331-9 |
2023-11-23 | The evident nocturnal peak dominates the summer rainfall over the Sichuan Basin (SCB), which is closely related to the nocturnal intensification of low-level winds. Based on 21-year IMERG rainfall product and reanalysis data during summertime (June–August) from 2000 to 2020, the low-level winds are classified into four groups, with strong or weak daily mean wind accompanied by a large or small diurnal amplitude, to clarify their influences on rainfall over the SCB. The results show that under strong daily mean wind conditions, the westward extension of the Western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH) determines the southwesterly monsoon airflow to be tuned to the southerly over the eastern Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, which provides abundant warm and moist air resources for rainfall within the basin through the southeastern side of the SCB. Strong mean winds, coupled with a large diurnal amplitude due to the acceleration of easterly, strengthen the moisture convergence at night, and contribute to the rainfall increasing remarkable over the SCB with a peak at midnight. Meanwhile, there is an apparent anomalous low-level warming over the SCB, creating more unstable atmospheric conditions. In addition, the weak upward motion associated with the afternoon heating over the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) enhances the easterly and facilitates the development of upward motion over the western SCB in the early night, which is responsible for the larger diurnal amplitude of rainfall. On the contrary, rainfall is suppressed and the diurnal amplitude of rainfall is gentle under the condition of weak daily wind with small diurnal amplitude, due to the weak moisture transport and cooling planetary boundary layer related to the deepened midlatitude trough, as well as more active convection over the eastern slope of TP during the day. The results imply that atmospheric conditions associated with diurnal variation of low-level winds should be considered as a key component in regulating the rainfall and moisture budget over the SCB, the strength of low-level winds in the early evening may provide a predictive signal for the development of nocturnal rainfall over the SCB. | Diurnal variations of summer rainfall response to large-scale circulations and low-level winds over the Sichuan Basin | 10.1007/s00382-023-07009-w |
2023-11-23 | Background Microbiome analysis is becoming a standard component in many scientific studies, but also requires extensive quality control of the 16S rRNA gene sequencing data prior to analysis. In particular, when investigating low-biomass microbial environments such as human skin, contaminants distort the true microbiome sample composition and need to be removed bioinformatically. We introduce MicrobIEM, a novel tool to bioinformatically remove contaminants using negative controls. Results We benchmarked MicrobIEM against five established decontamination approaches in four 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing datasets: three serially diluted mock communities (10 8 –10 3 cells, 0.4–80% contamination) with even or staggered taxon compositions and a skin microbiome dataset. Results depended strongly on user-selected algorithm parameters. Overall, sample-based algorithms separated mock and contaminant sequences best in the even mock, whereas control-based algorithms performed better in the two staggered mocks, particularly in low-biomass samples (≤ 10 6 cells). We show that a correct decontamination benchmarking requires realistic staggered mock communities and unbiased evaluation measures such as Youden’s index. In the skin dataset, the Decontam prevalence filter and MicrobIEM’s ratio filter effectively reduced common contaminants while keeping skin-associated genera. Conclusions MicrobIEM’s ratio filter for decontamination performs better or as good as established bioinformatic decontamination tools. In contrast to established tools, MicrobIEM additionally provides interactive plots and supports selecting appropriate filtering parameters via a user-friendly graphical user interface. Therefore, MicrobIEM is the first quality control tool for microbiome experts without coding experience. | Benchmarking MicrobIEM – a user-friendly tool for decontamination of microbiome sequencing data | 10.1186/s12915-023-01737-5 |
2023-11-23 | The key role of oxide inclusions on the microstructure and mechanical property of a high-strength low-alloy steel was investigated. The field emission scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive spectrometry was used to characterize MnS precipitates. Oxide inclusions play an important role in the shape control of MnS precipitates. More oxides fovored to decrease the size and the aspect ratio of MnS precipitates. With less oxide inclusions in the steel, approximately over 16.7% MnS precipitates were with aspect ratio a > 5 and pure MnS precipitates accounted for 75.9% in number. However, with more oxide inclusions in the steel, only 7.4% MnS precipitates were with a > 5 and pure MnS precipitates accounted for 60.1% in number. Refinement of MnS by oxide inclusions improved the strength and inhibited the anisotropy. More oxide inclusions in the steel increased the yield strength and tensile strength of the steel in both longitudinal and transverse directions, and lowered the anisotropy of the mechanical property. | Effect of oxide inclusions on MnS precipitates and tensile mechanical property of high-strength low-alloy steel | 10.1007/s42243-023-01131-z |
2023-11-23 | Background Snags, standing dead trees, are becoming more abundant in forests as tree mortality rates continue to increase due to fire, drought, and bark beetles. Snags provide habitat for birds and small mammals, and when they fall to the ground, the resulting logs provide additional wildlife habitat and affect nutrient cycling, fuel loads, and fire behavior. Predicting how long snags will remain standing after fire is essential for managing habitat, understanding chemical cycling in forests, and modeling forest succession and fuels. Few studies, however, have quantified how fire changes snag fall dynamics. Results We compared post-fire fall rates of snags that existed pre-fire ( n = 2013) and snags created during or after the fire ( n = 8222), using 3 years of pre-fire and 5 years of post-fire data from an annually monitored, 25.6-ha spatially explicit plot in an old-growth Abies concolor–Pinus lambertiana forest in the Sierra Nevada, CA, USA. The plot burned at low to moderate severity in the Rim Fire of 2013. We used random forest models to (1) identify predictors of post-fire snag fall for pre-existing and new snags and (2) assess the influence of spatial neighborhood and local fire severity on snag fall after fire. Fall rates of pre-existing snags increased 3 years after fire. Five years after fire, pre-existing snags were twice as likely to fall as new snags. Pre-existing snags were most likely to persist 5 years after fire if they were > 50 cm in diameter, > 20 m tall, and charred on the bole to heights above 3.7 m. New snags were also more likely to persist 5 years after fire if they were > 20 m tall. Spatial neighborhood (e.g., tree density) and local fire severity (e.g., fire-caused crown injury) within 15 m of each snag barely improved predictions of snag fall after fire. Conclusions Land managers should expect fall rates of pre-existing snags to exceed fall rates of new snags within 5 years after fire, an important habitat consideration because pre-existing snags represent a wider range of size and decay classes. Antecedentes Los árboles muertos en pie ( snags en idioma inglés), están siendo cada vez más abundantes en bosques a medida que la tasa de mortalidad se incrementa debido a incendios frecuentes, sequías, y a los escarabajos de la corteza. Los árboles muertos en pie ( snags de ahora en más), proveen de hábitat para aves y pequeños mamíferos, y cuando caen sobre el suelo, los troncos resultantes proveen de hábitat adicional para la fauna, y afectan el ciclo de nutrientes, la carga de combustible y el comportamiento del fuego. Predecir cuanto tiempo los grandes troncos permanecerán en pie luego de un incendio es esencial para manejar el hábitat, entender el ciclo químico en los bosques, y modelar la sucesión y los combustibles en los bosques. Pocos estudios, por supuesto, han cuantificado cómo el fuego cambia la dinámica de la caída de los snags . Resultados Comparamos la tasa de caída post fuego de los snags que existían previo a un fuego en particular ( n = 2.013) con aquellos creados durante o posterior a ese fuego ( n = 8.222), usando datos de tres años previos al fuego y cinco años luego del fuego, monitoreados anualmente en una parcela espacialmente explícita de 26,5 ha en un bosque maduro mixto de Abies concolor y Pinus lambertiana en la Sierra Nevada de California, EEUU. La parcela se quemó a una severidad baja a moderada en el incendio de Rim de 2013. Usamos modelos forestales al azar para: 1) identificar predictores de caída de snags para aquellos snags preexistentes al fuego y para nuevos, y 2) determinar la influencia espacial de árboles vecinos y la severidad local, en la caída de snags luego del incendio. La tasa de caída de los snags preexistentes se incrementó tres años luego del incendio. Cinco años después del incendio, los snags preexistentes tenían el doble de chances de caer que los snags recientes debido al incendio. Los snags preexistentes tuvieron la posibilidad de permanecer en pie cinco años luego del evento de fuego si tenían > 50 cm de diámetro, > 20 m de altura, y estaban chamuscados en el tronco a alturas superiores a los 3,7 m. Los snags recientes post incendio pudieron persistir mejor si su altura era > 20 m. La vecindad de otros árboles (i.e. su densidad) y la severidad local (i.e. daños a la corona causados por el incendio) dentro de los 15 m de cada snag , mejoraron levemente las predicciones de las caídas de los snags después del fuego. Conclusiones Los manejadores de tierras deberían esperar tasas de caída más altas de los snags preexistentes dentro de los cinco años luego del incendio, que de los nuevos snags causados por el incendio. Esto debe tenerse en cuenta en la consideración del hábitat, ya que los snags preexistentes representan un rango más amplio de tamaños y clases de descomposición. | Predicting snag fall in an old-growth forest after fire | 10.1186/s42408-023-00225-z |
2023-11-23 | The management of skin burns is still challenging. Among the therapeutic methods used, there are topical treatments with pharmacological and herbal agents, low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound, use of biomaterials, reconstructive techniques and photobiomodulation therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of photobiomodulation with blue Light Emitting Diode (LED) on burn healing. Fifty Wistar rats were divided into control (CTRL) ( n = 25) and blue LED (LED) ( n = 25), with subgroups ( n = 5) for each time of euthanasia (7, 14, 21, 28 and 32 days). Treated animals were daily irradiated (470 nm, 1W, 0.44 W/cm 2 , 50 J/cm 2 ). Clinical evaluations were performed and the Wound Retraction Index (WRI) was determined. Histological sections were submitted to hematoxylin–eosin, toluidine blue and the immunohistochemical technique, with anti-α-SMA and anti-TGF-β1 antibodies. All data were directly collected by previously calibrated evaluators in a blind manner. The values were included in a statistical program. For all statistical tests used, 5% significance level ( p < 0.05) was considered. No statistically significant differences in WRI between groups were observed ( p > 0.05). Re-epithelialization was higher using LED at 7 and 14 days ( p < 0.05) and greater amount of inflammatory cells was observed at 7 days ( p = 0.01). With LED at 21 and 32 days, greater number of mast cells were observed ( p < 0.05), as well as smaller number of myofibroblasts at 14, 21, 28 and 32 days ( p < 0.05) and lower percentage of TGF-β1 positive cells in the conjunctiva at 7, 14 and 21 days ( p < 0.05). Negative correlations were observed in LED between the percentage of TGF-β1 in the epithelium and the mean number of inflammatory cells and number of myofibroblasts ( p < 0.05). The results suggest that, depending on the period, blue LED can modulate the healing processes of third-degree skin burns, such as re-epithelialization, inflammatory response, mast cell concentration, myofibroblast differentiation and TGF-β1 immunoexpression. Despite these effects, this therapy does not seem to have significant influence on the retraction of these wounds. Future studies, using different protocols, should be carried out to expand the knowledge about the photobiomodulatory mechanisms of this type of light in the healing process. | Effects of photobiomodulation with blue Light Emitting Diode (LED) on the healing of skin burns | 10.1007/s10103-023-03929-5 |
2023-11-22 | Abstract The results of investigations of the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites modified with a structure-forming agent based on aluminum hydroxide and a high- and low-density polyethylene blend are reported. The properties of the polymer composites, including the fracture stress, relative elongation, melt flow index, heat resistance, thermal stability, and thermomechanics, have been studied. All the composite materials have been based on a titanium dioxide-modified (1 wt %) high- and low-density polyethylene blend (50/50). The aluminum hydroxide content has been varied within 1‒30 wt %. Using the data obtained on the Kanavets device, the temperature dependences of the deformation have been built and the regularities of changes in the thermomechanical curves have been established. It has been shown that, in all the investigated samples, a transition from the solid to viscous-flow state occurs with increasing temperature. The thermal stability has been estimated by the thermogravimetric analysis. | Mechanical and Thermal Properties of the Titanium Dioxide-Modified Composites Based on Aluminum Hydroxide and a Polyethylene Mixture | 10.1134/S106378342370004X |
2023-11-22 | Background The Affibody molecule, ABY-025, has demonstrated utility to detect human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in vivo, either radiolabelled with indium-111 ( 111 In) or gallium-68 ( 68 Ga). Using the latter, 68 Ga, is preferred due to its use in positron emission tomography with superior resolution and quantifying capabilities in the clinical setting compared to 111 In. For an ongoing phase II study (NCT05619016) evaluating ABY-025 for detecting HER2-low lesions and selection of patients for HER2-targeted treatment, the aim was to optimize an automated and cGMP-compliant radiosynthesis of [ 68 Ga]Ga-ABY-025. [ 68 Ga]Ga-ABY-025 was produced on a synthesis module, Modular-Lab PharmTracer (Eckert & Ziegler), commonly used for 68 Ga-labelings. The radiotracer has previously been radiolabeled on this module, but to streamline the production, the method was optimized. Steps requiring manual interactions to the radiolabeling procedure were minimized including a convenient and automated pre-concentration of the 68 Ga-eluate and a simplified automated final formulation procedure. Every part of the radiopharmaceutical production was carefully developed to gain robustness and to avoid any operator bound variations to the manufacturing. The optimized production method was successfully applied for 68 Ga-labeling of another radiotracer, verifying its versatility as a universal and robust method for radiosynthesis of Affibody-based peptides. Results A simplified and optimized automated cGMP-compliant radiosynthesis method of [ 68 Ga]Ga-ABY-025 was developed. With a decay corrected radiochemical yield of 44 ± 2%, a radiochemical purity (RCP) of 98 ± 1%, and with an RCP stability of 98 ± 1% at 2 h after production, the method was found highly reproducible. The production method also showed comparable results when implemented for radiolabeling another similar peptide. Conclusion The improvements made for the radiosynthesis of [ 68 Ga]Ga-ABY-025, including introducing a pre-concentration of the 68 Ga-eluate, aimed to utilize the full potential of the 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generator radioactivity output, thereby reducing radioactivity wastage. Furthermore, reducing the number of manually performed preparative steps prior to the radiosynthesis, not only minimized the risk of potential human/operator errors but also enhanced the process’ robustness. The successful application of this optimized radiosynthesis method to another similar peptide underscores its versatility, suggesting that our method can be adopted for 68 Ga-labeling radiotracers based on Affibody molecules in general. Trial registration : NCT, NCT05619016, Registered 7 November 2022, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05619016?term=HER2&cond=ABY025&rank=1 | Optimized, automated and cGMP-compliant synthesis of the HER2 targeting [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025 tracer | 10.1186/s41181-023-00226-y |
2023-11-22 | Aim The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy of distal flap heparinisation and intravenous bolus of low molecular weight heparin for the prevention of vascular congestion in microvascular free flaps. Introduction Microvascular free flap surgeries are prone to various complications that can lead to flap failure. Among the various complications, thrombus formation is one of the most common complications leading to flap failure. Various methods can be used to prevent vascular congestion which include preoperative multiagent regimen, intraoperative distal heparinisation, systemic heparin bolus and postoperative use of drugs such as aspirin, dextran, low molecular weight heparin, etc. In this study, we compare three groups, i.e. systemic bolus of heparin, distal heparinisation and local irrigation using heparinised saline. Materials and Methods The present study included 30 patients who underwent free flap surgeries which were divided into three groups of 10 each. Group 1 included patients who underwent free flap surgery and were given intravenous bolus of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), Group 2 included patients who underwent free flap surgery without intravenous bolus of LMWH but distal flap heparinisation was done where heparin was injected in the harvested artery and Group 3 included patients who underwent free flap surgery with only local irrigation of heparinised saline during microvascular anastomosis. Results It was found that the percentage of patients who tested positive was 10% and 20% for intraoperative and postoperative for Group 1 which is the highest while Group 2 has no patients who tested positive for the formation of thrombus. Group 3—only local irrigation has only 20% positive in the postoperative tests while no positive milking or expansile test intraoperatively, we can observe that distal heparinisation is the best method as it has literally no patients with both intra- and postoperative formations of vascular congestion when compared to systemic administration of heparin and local irrigation using heparinised saline. Conclusion It was concluded that distal heparinisation during microvascular anastomosis is better than systemic heparin and local irrigation in preventing the formation of thrombus. | Distal Flap Heparinisation Versus Systemic Bolus of Low Molecular Weight Heparin for the Prevention of Vascular Congestion in Microvascular Free Flaps: A Randomised Clinical Trial | 10.1007/s12663-023-01999-0 |
2023-11-21 | Background Arbuscular mycorrhizal and Trichoderma fungi alter the synthesis of secondary metabolites of plants and confer tolerance from pathogens attacks. However, there is less supportive evidence from on-field studies confirming the above-mentioned hypothesis, particularly for the humid forest zone of Cameroon where pathogens are important sources of yield losses for legumes such as soybean and common bean. Materials and methods We evaluated the impacts of mycorrhiza isolates of Rhizophagus intraradices (Ri) and Trichoderma asperellum (Ta) fungi and their co-inoculations (Ta x Ri) in the synthetizing of leaves secondary metabolites, foliar disease symptoms, growth, N and P uptake, and yields of three genotypes of soybean (TGx 1485-1D, TGx 1990-93 F, and TGx 1990-97 F) and common beans (NUA-99, DOR-701, and PNN) under field conditions of Cameroon. Results We found that common bean plants showed a lower foliar infection rate but a higher increase in root colonization intensity, shoot dry weight, and N and P uptakes than soybeans when inoculated with Ri and Ta treatment. However, the grain yield of soybean soybean was higher (2000 kg ha 1 ) than the common bean plants for the Ri × Ta treatment. The soybean genotype TGx 1990-93F had increased root colonization intensity and the lowest foliar infection rate, making it stronger and tolerant to pathogen attacks when co-inoculated with Ri × Ta fungi (F). Bean plants inoculated with Ri and the co-inoculated with Ri × Ta demonstrated lower symptoms of foliar attack, and increased root colonization, particularly the PNN variety. The total amino acid and proline accumulations were higher for soybean than common bean plants due to fungi inoculations, and soybean genotypes accumulated more excellent contents of amino acid and proline in the control (10.1 mg g − 1 fwt) that significantly increased under the Ri × Ta inoculation (13.4 mg g − 1 fwt). Conclusions Common bean plants inoculated with Ta and Ri fungi accumulated higher phenolic compounds in their leaves that aided them in overcoming the pathogen attacks than soybean plants. | Mycorrhizas and Trichoderma fungi increase the accumulation of secondary metabolites in grain legume leaves and suppress foliar diseases in field-grown conditions of the humid forest of Cameroon | 10.1186/s12870-023-04587-z |
2023-11-21 | Background Numerous conditions are grouped under the generic term exercise-induced leg pain (EILP), yet clear diagnostic guidelines are lacking. This scoping review was conducted to clarify the definition and diagnostic criteria of nine commonly occurring EILP conditions. Methods Three online databases were searched from inception to April 2022 for any English language original manuscripts identifying, describing, or assessing the clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria of the nine most common conditions that cause EILP. We included manuscripts considering all adults with any reported diagnostic criteria for EILP in any setting. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal tool. Condition definitions were identified and categorised during data charting. Twenty-five potential elements of the history, 24 symptoms, 41 physical signs, 21 investigative tools, and 26 overarching diagnostic criteria, were identified and coded as counts of recommendation per condition, alongside qualitative analysis of the clinical reasoning. Condition definitions were constructed with 11 standardised elements based on recent consensus exercises for other conditions. Results One hundred nineteen retained manuscripts, of which 18 studied multiple conditions, had a median quality of 2/5. A combination of the history, pain location, symptoms, physical findings, and investigative modalities were fundamental to identify each sub-diagnosis alongside excluding differentials. The details differed markedly for each sub-diagnosis. Fifty-nine manuscripts included data on chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) revealing exertional pain (83% history), dull aching pain (76% symptoms), absence of physical signs (78% physical findings) and elevated intercompartment pressure (93% investigative modality). Twenty-one manuscripts included data on medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), revealing persistent pain upon discontinuation of activity (81% history), diffuse medial tibial pain (100% pain location), dull ache (86% symptoms), diffuse tenderness (95% physical findings) and MRI for exclusion of differentials (62% investigative modality). Similar analyses were performed for stress fractures (SF, n = 31), popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES, n = 22), superficial peroneal nerve entrapment syndrome (SPNES, n = 15), lumbar radiculopathy ( n = 7), accessory/low-lying soleus muscle syndrome (ALLSMS, n = 5), myofascial tears ( n = 3), and McArdle’s syndrome ( n = 2). Conclusion Initial diagnostic frameworks and definitions have been developed for each condition of the nine most common conditions that cause EILP, suitable for clinical consideration and consensus confirmation. | Developing a diagnostic framework for patients presenting with Exercise Induced Leg Pain (EILP): a scoping review | 10.1186/s13047-023-00680-6 |
2023-11-20 | A class of hydrogel electrolytes that couple high adhesion and anti-freezing properties is developed. Zn/Li hybrid capacitors based on the hydrogel electrolyte can tolerate low temperatures and accommodate dynamic deformations across a temperature range of 25 to − 60 °C. This work highlights an advancement for promoting next-generation energy storage system with low-temperature capability and mechanical durability. Solid-state zinc-ion capacitors are emerging as promising candidates for large-scale energy storage owing to improved safety, mechanical and thermal stability and easy-to-direct stacking. Hydrogel electrolytes are appealing solid-state electrolytes because of eco-friendliness, high conductivity and intrinsic flexibility. However, the electrolyte/electrode interfacial contact and anti-freezing properties of current hydrogel electrolytes are still challenging for practical applications of zinc-ion capacitors. Here, we report a class of hydrogel electrolytes that couple high interfacial adhesion and anti-freezing performance. The synergy of tough hydrogel matrix and chemical anchorage enables a well-adhered interface between hydrogel electrolyte and electrode. Meanwhile, the cooperative solvation of ZnCl 2 and LiCl hybrid salts renders the hydrogel electrolyte high ionic conductivity and mechanical elasticity simultaneously at low temperatures. More significantly, the Zn||carbon nanotubes hybrid capacitor based on this hydrogel electrolyte exhibits low-temperature capacitive performance, delivering high-energy density of 39 Wh kg −1 at −60 °C with capacity retention of 98.7% over 10,000 cycles. With the benefits of the well-adhered electrolyte/electrode interface and the anti-freezing hydrogel electrolyte, the Zn/Li hybrid capacitor is able to accommodate dynamic deformations and function well under 1000 tension cycles even at −60 °C. This work provides a powerful strategy for enabling stable operation of low-temperature zinc-ion capacitors. | Coupling of Adhesion and Anti-Freezing Properties in Hydrogel Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Aqueous-Based Hybrid Capacitors | 10.1007/s40820-023-01229-9 |
2023-11-20 | Due to high-density farming methods and poor farming environments, freshwater fish often have poor muscle texture and a fishy odor before marketing, which impacts consumer acceptance. Short-term low-salinity seawater treatment of freshwater fish before marketing has been found to improve the quality of the fish, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not yet been revealed. In this study, metabolomics technique was used based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) to screen different metabolites and predict potential metabolic pathways after treatment with low-salinity seawater. The results showed that 3838 metabolites were presented in all of the carp samples, while 62 and 64 differential metabolites were found in the comparative groups (FW, SW, and CK represented freshwater, seawater and non-transient group, respectively). Additionally, 25 and 26 metabolic pathways were enriched from these groups. Glutaric acid, PC, and creatinine might be potential biomarkers. Seawater aquaculture significantly altered the lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and amino acid metabolism of carp, enhancing its freshness and having a significant impact on its quality. This study provided insights into the metabolic changes in carp under different rearing conditions and also served as a theoretical basis for salinity treatment before freshwater fish are brought to the market. | Mechanisms for improving the quality of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) by short-term low-salinity treatment revealed by UPLC-MS and GC–MS | 10.1007/s10499-023-01335-w |
2023-11-20 | Background Lumbar disk herniation (LDH) is a cause of chronic low back pain (CLBP) treated using physical therapy (PT), including exercise and physical modalities such as ultrasound (US) and short wave diathermy (SWD). Despite the use of US and SWD, there is inconclusive evidence on their efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of US and SWD in the treatment of CLBP in patients with LDH. Methods A prospective randomized control clinical study. Individuals with radicular CLBP and LDH on magnetic resonance imaging, presenting to the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department were randomized into 3 treatment groups. All participants received 10 sessions of hotpack, transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) and therapeutic exercises. In addition, Group 1 received 10 sessions of therapeutic US (1 MHz, 1.5W/cm2, 10 min), Group 2 SWD (27.12 MHz, wavelength 11.06 m, induction technique, 20 min) to the lower back. Group 3 (control group) received hotpack, TENS and therapeutic exercises alone. Visual analogue scale (VAS) for LBP, Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MODI) and Short Form 36 (SF-36) were evaluated pre and post treatment and at one and three months follow up. Results In all groups, VAS for LBP and MODI improved with treatment and at the one and three month follow up ( p < 0.001). In Groups 1 and 2, MODI scores continued to reduce at 1 and 3 months ( p < 0.001 and p = 0.012 respectively). SF-36 physical, social function and pain parameters reduced in all groups ( p < 0.05). Role limitation due to physical and emotional problems, emotional well-being, vitality and mental health improved in Groups 1 and 2 ( p < 0.05). Conclusions Deep heating agents can be used as part of the physical therapy for CLBP in those with LDH with positive mid-term effects. Trial registration NCT03835182, 02/04/2019. | Efficacy of ultrasound versus short wave diathermy in the treatment of chronic low back pain in patients with lumbar disk herniation: a prospective randomized control study | 10.1186/s13102-023-00769-2 |
2023-11-19 | The effect of high-intensity ultrasonic treatment (which can generate cavitation) on the microstructure of aluminum (Al) ingots has been widely studied. In this work, a stainless steel thin-walled sleeve was placed in a crucible to separate the 2219 Al melt into two parts: inside and outside the sleeve. By applying the ultrasound in the melt inside the sleeve, a low-intensity ultrasonic field (where the acoustic pressure is lower than the cavitation threshold) was introduced into the melt outside the sleeve. The influence of low-intensity ultrasound on the temperature gradient of the pasty melt as well as the refinement efficiency was explored. The result shows that low-intensity ultrasonic can induce high-frequency forced vibration to the grains and reduce the solid–liquid interfacial thermal resistance. In addition, by comparing the microstructure inside and outside the sleeve, it was found that there was no significant difference in the size and morphology of the grains and eutectic phase. This indicates that the cavitation effect is not necessary for grain refinement, and low-intensity ultrasonic can also produce a significant microstructure improvement on Al alloys. | Effect of Low-Intensity Ultrasound on the Temperature Field and Microstructure of 2219 Aluminum Alloy | 10.1007/s40962-023-01205-4 |
2023-11-18 | Two stratigraphic sections are investigated, and a diverse larger benthic foraminiferal assemblage is recorded from the upper Paleocene–lower Eocene Southern Galala Formation at the Galala Plateaus, north Eastern Desert, Egypt. Twenty-eight larger foraminiferal species, belonging to thirteen genera, are identified and their comparative stratigraphic range with the Tethyan zonations of Hottinger (1960) and Serra-Kiel et al. (1998) is documented. Nine shallow benthic zones (SBZ3-6 and SBZ8-12) are designated in the studied interval, involving index zonal markers, e.g., Glomalveolina primaeva (Reichel), G. levis Hottinger, Nummulites atacicus (Leymerie), Alveolina vredenburgi Davies, and A. ellipsoidalis Schwager. Fifty-four thin sections are prepared and analyzed, yielding seven microfacies types in the present study, with larger benthic foraminifera as the dominant biotic components. These microfacies types indicate a deposition in restricted tidal flat inner ramp to open-marine middle ramp environments. The inner ramp environments are dominated by alveolinids, orbitolitids, and in part by miliolids and orthophragminids, reflecting euphotic to mesophotic, meso-oligotrophic, and normal to hyper salinity conditions. The middle ramp environment is characterized by nummulitids, implying meso-oligophotic, oligotrophic, and normal salinity conditions. The studied successions at the Galala Plateaus are devoid of corals in platform stages II and III, similar to the Pyrenean strata from middle latitudes at the northern Tethys, except for small coral patches in both stages in the latter due to the cooler temperature. The Early Eocene (Cuisian) Nummulites accumulations suggest a development on paleohighs in a distal inner ramp environment, and then a transportation by wave and current actions into the surrounding proximal middle ramp environment. | Late Paleocene–Early Eocene larger foraminifera from the Galala Plateaus, North Eastern Desert, Egypt: biostratigraphic, paleoenvironmental and paleoecological implications | 10.1007/s13146-023-00909-2 |
2023-11-18 | Cellulose acetate (CA) is a sustainable alternative to low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is a major source of plastic waste. However, the barrier properties and mechanical strength of CA may limit its application as single-use food plastic packaging. This study aims to overcome these limitations by incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1450 ranging from 10 to 50% w/w. PEG 1450 improved water vapor barrier but increased moisture content, though both values remained similar up to 50% w/w PEG 1450. CA bioplastic films showed significantly higher ( p < 0.05) UV–Vis absorbances at 40% w/w PEG 1450, suggesting that a high concentration of PEG 1450 can prevent lipid oxidation but also increase opacity as reflected on the physical appearance. The reduced transparency was caused by aggregation and physical exclusion of PEG 1450 from the CA matrix which was observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Meanwhile, PEG 1450 was miscible and compatible with CA at low concentration. In terms of mechanical properties, inclusion of PEG 1450 at 10 and 20% w/w improved the tearability of CA bioplastic films. In short, the incorporation of PEG 1450 improved barriers against UV and water vapor and tearability, making it superior to commercial LDPE plastic in some respects but lacking in others. Nonetheless, its advantages make it suitable for producing single-use food packaging, hence potentially replacing LDPE. | Enhancing the Tearability and Barrier Properties of Cellulose Acetate Bioplastic Film with Polyethylene Glycol 1450 as an LDPE Replacement for Food Packaging | 10.1007/s11947-023-03255-2 |
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