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2022-06-01 | The microstructural and mechanical evaluation of 9% Ni steel with flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) was performed with two different Ni-based weld metals: Inconel 625 and Hastelloy 609. The weld metals showed microstructural changes depending on the temperature gradient and crystal growth rate for each region during the cooling after welding. A cellular/planar growth was exhibited at the bottom of the weld metal, which was rapidly cooled in contact with the cold base metal. Columnar dendrites were exhibited in the central region that cooled relatively slowly, and precipitates were observed in the interdendritic region. The weld joints between the base metal and weld metal have a compositional transition region due to dilution. The transition region comprised a martensite layer and a γ-phase cellular/planar layer, according to the compositional distribution. In the low-temperature toughness test, the absorbed impact energies were 89 and 55 J for Inconel 625 and Hastelloy 609, respectively. When Inconel 625 is used as the weld metal compared to Hastelloy 609, the high content of the γ-stabilizer and martensite start temperature decreasing elements leads to the formation of a thicker γ-phase layer and thinner martensite layer in the transition region. In addition, the high content of these elements suppresses the martensite transformation and maintains the stability of the weld joint interface even at low temperatures, resulting in the higher absorbed impact energy. The microstructure of weld joints and its influences on mechanical properties help to improve the practical application of 9% Ni steel FCAW. | Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of FCAW Joints in 9% Ni Steel Prepared with Two Types of Ni-Based Weld Metals | 10.1007/s00170-022-09173-5 |
2022-06-01 | NaNbO 3 -based antiferroelectric (AFE) ceramics have the prominent advantages of stable performance and low cost. However, its energy storage property is often remarkably limited by the hysteresis of the antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase transformation. In this work, 0.88Na(Nb 1− x Ta x )O 3 –0.12Bi 0.2 Sr 0.7 TiO 3 ( x = 0–0.075) antiferroelectric ceramics were synthesized using a conventional mixed oxide route. Ta 5+ were completely dissolved into the lattice of 0.88NaNbO 3 –0.12Bi 0.2 Sr 0.7 TiO 3 to form a pure perovskite structure. With increased Ta content, the AFE orthogonal P phase was replaced by AFE orthogonal R phase progressively. Meanwhile, the dielectric constant curve showed relaxor-like properties. As a result, slender P–E curves with reduced hysteresis loss and decreased residual polarization were achieved. Interestingly, a large recoverable energy storage density ( W rec ~ 2.16 J cm −3 ) and high energy storage efficiency ( η ~ 80.7%) were obtained simultaneously under a low driving electric field of 15 kV mm −1 at doping ratio ( x ) of 0.075. In addition, the 0.88Na(Nb 0.925 Ta 0.075 )O 3 –0.12Bi 0.2 Sr 0.7 TiO 3 sample exhibited excellent temperature stability, indicating an ideal candidate in future pulsed power capacitor. | Excellent energy storage performance in NaNbO3-based relaxor antiferroeic ceramics under a low electric field | 10.1007/s10832-022-00283-w |
2022-06-01 | Abstract The effect of polymeric modification with the use of butadiene—styrene thermoplastic elastomer (BSTPE) on the low-temperature properties of BND 90/130 bitumen has been studied on a Fraas instrument and a dynamic shear rheometer. The efficiency of BSTPE modification with respect to the dynamic rheological properties of polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) at negative temperatures has been demonstrated. It has been noted that the complex shear modulus and phase angle of PMB samples are lower than for the bitumen samples and there are no signs of dynamic vitrification. | Studying Low-Temperature Properties of Bitumen Materials | 10.1134/S199542122202023X |
2022-06-01 | The low-cycle properties of aluminum-alloy bolt-sphere joints were investigated in this study through experimental research, finite element simulations, and theoretical analyses. To obtain the fatigue performance of the material, low-cycle fatigue tests of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy were first performed as the basis for component fatigue estimation. The low-cycle fatigue tests were then used to investigate the failure mode and fatigue life of the sealing plate connection specimens. The specimens failed at the junction of the sealing plate and the aluminum-alloy tube. The fatigue life is primarily determined by the precise size of the connection part. A finite-element model for a sealing plate connection was created to investigate stress and strain distribution. The results show a high-stress concentration at the bottom thread’s root. The maximum stress variation law is consistent with the low-cycle fatigue life variation law. Finally, a prediction for low-cycle fatigue life was attempted using the finite element result and the material’s fatigue performance based on the local strain approach. The prediction results were consistent with the test results. | Low-Cycle Fatigue Performance of the Sealing Plate Connection in Aluminum-Alloy Bolt-Sphere Joints | 10.1007/s12205-022-0139-9 |
2022-06-01 | Roasting is an essential process before ammonia leaching of low-grade rhodochrosite ore. Thermal decomposition characteristics and phase transformation rules of low-grade rhodochrosite ore with a particle size of less than 74 µm in N 2 , CO 2 and air were studied. MnCO 3 , MgCO 3 and CaCO 3 in rhodochrosite are decomposed into MnO, MgO and CaO at 339 ℃, 306 ℃ and 842 ℃, respectively. MnO is oxidized to MnO 2 , Mn 2 O 3 and Mn 3 O 4 at 339 ℃, 533 ℃ and 1005 ℃, respectively. The TG/DTA and phase transformation results indicated that by thermal decomposition of rhodochrosite ore in air, N 2 and CO 2 , MnCO 3 is converted into Mn 2 O 3 , MnO and MnO, respectively. MnCO 3 is converted to MnO at a higher temperature in a carbon dioxide atmosphere (512 ℃) than in a nitrogen atmosphere (400 ℃). | Thermal decomposition characteristics of low-grade rhodochrosite ore in N2, CO2 and air atmosphere | 10.1007/s10973-021-10974-1 |
2022-06-01 | Determining the impact behavior of adhesive joints allows the designing of high-strength joints. Therefore, the dynamic behavior of adhesive joints has recently become a trending research topic. The study aims to examine the impact behavior and damage mechanism of the adhesively bonded composite joints, taking into account different impact angles. The mechanical behavior of adhesively bonded glass-fiber reinforced laminated composite single-lap joints under bending impact load was experimentally determined via a drop weight impact test machine. The effects of impact angle ( θ = 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°), fiber angle ( ϕ = 0°, 45°, 90°), and overlap length ( b = 25, 40 mm) on the impact behavior of the joints were investigated. These parameters were determined to affect the impact behavior of the joint and the damage characterization. The highest contact force occurred in the joints with 0° fiber angle having the highest bending strength, and the lowest contact force occurred in the joints with 90° fiber angle having the lowest bending strength. Due to the increase in the impact angle, the maximum contact force value in the joints decreased, while the total contact time increased. The increase in overlap length had little effect on the maximum contact force and total contact time, and the vertical displacement decreased due to the increasing bending stiffness. The unbalanced joint with 45° fiber angle was forced to rotate around its axis due to in-plane unbalanced shear stress distributions induced by the bending impact load. The unbalanced shear stress distribution caused shear damage at the fiber-matrix interface and the top composite-adhesive interfaces. In joints with 0° fiber angle, the impact energy was mostly met with adhesive damage, while the composite adherend was damaged as a result of increased shear stresses in the matrix region for the joints with 90° fiber angle. | Experimental Investigation of Oblique Impact Behavior of Adhesively Bonded Composite Single-Lap Joints | 10.1007/s10443-022-10018-3 |
2022-06-01 | Organic electronics have become an active topic of research in the area of semiconductor transistors. Organic-field effect transistors (OFET) which uses special organic compounds have excellent mechanical flexibility, light weight, low temperature deposition, low manufacturing cost and conformable large coverage area in contrast to crystalline silicon based transistors. This article highlights the OFET operation along with the influence of gate dielectric thickness, electrode and channel width on the behavior of transistors in terms of threshold voltage, current ratio and saturation mobility value. Furthermore, review the perspective use of such devices in the advance sensing application including flexible/wearable electronics, and biosensors to highlight recent progress in this area. Here, the focus is on the optimal selection of organic semiconductor material and polymers to enhance stability and selectivity. Despite much progress, low power consumption is a major parameter needed to improve. Therefore various strategies are outlined such as high dielectric constant, less contact resistance, minimizing sub threshold slope to overcome the power consumption problem. | Comparative Analysis of OFETs Materials and Devices for Sensor Applications | 10.1007/s12633-021-01163-8 |
2022-06-01 | In this paper, we have investigated the stability and power consumption of an 8 transistor (8 T) carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNTFET) based static random-access memory (SRAM) cell. The power and noise performances of the proposed 8 T CNTFET SRAM cell are observed for write, hold and read operations. The power consumption and noise margin of the proposed 8 T CNTFET SRAM cell are compared with that of conventional 6 T and 8 T CNTFET SRAM cells. From the simulation results, it is noted that during the write, hold, and read operations, the proposed structure consumes less power than the conventional CNTFET SRAM cells. The proposed 8 T CNTFET SRAM cell provides greater write and hold modes stability than conventional CNTFET SRAM cells, which is measured by calculating static noise margin (SNM). The performance of CNTFET depends on several parameters like dielectric constant (Kox), oxide thickness (Hox), supply voltage, pitch value, and temperature. The effect of these parameters on the power and stability of the conventional and proposed CNTFET SRAM cells are observed. It is noted that the proposed 8 T CNTFET SRAM cell provides good stability during PVT variation and consumes less power than conventional 6 T and 8 T CNTFET SRAM cells. The performance metrics of the proposed 8 T CNTFET SRAM are observed for both pre-layout and post-layout simulations. All the simulations are performed using the Stanford University 32 nm CNTFET model with the HSPICE simulation tool. | Effect of CNTFET Parameters on Novel High Stable and Low Power:
8T CNTFET SRAM Cell | 10.1007/s42341-021-00346-9 |
2022-06-01 | Sub-surface clay samples are difficult to characterize using conventional methods so non-invasive Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques were used to evaluate in a preserved state the pore structure, porosity, water mobility, and affinity of various clay systems. Within the CLAYWAT project launched by the NEA Clay Club, some of the most advanced NMR techniques were applied to samples from 11 clay-rich sedimentary formations (Boom Clay, Yper Clay (both Belgium); Callovo-Oxfordian shale, Upper Toarcian (both France); Opalinus Clay from two sites (Switzerland); Queenston Fm., Georgian Bay Fm., Blue Mountain Fm. (all Canada); Boda Clay (Hungary); and Wakkanai Fm. and Koetoi Fm. (Japan)). The degree of induration within this suite of samples varies substantially, resulting in a wide porosity range of 0.02–0.6. The key finding is the determination of pore-size distribution by NMR cryoporometry in the range of 2 nm–1 μm with the native fluid present in the pore space for most samples. The water volume in pore sizes of <2 nm could also be measured, thus providing a full description of the porosity system. A specific preparation by sample milling was applied to the preserved original cores minimizing disturbances to the samples in terms of water loss. The water content measured by NMR relaxation was comparable to values obtained by drying at 105°C. In general, the narrow T 2 distributions indicate that water was diffusing throughout the pore network during the magnetization lifetime, implying that T 2 distributions cannot be considered as proxies for the pore-size distributions. For the set of samples considered, the T 1 / T 2 varied between 1.7 and 4.6, implying variable surface affinity. Finally, for most samples, a pore-shape factor of ~2.4, intermediate between a sheet (1) and a cylinder (4), was deduced. | Porewater Content, Pore Structure and Water Mobility in Clays and Shales from NMR Methods | 10.1007/s42860-022-00195-4 |
2022-06-01 | Bimetallic (Zn/Al) and trimetallic (Mg,Zn/Al) layered double hydroxides (LDHs) intercalated with nitrate were synthesized by the coprecipitation method and used as precursors to obtain LDHs intercalated with the organic anions 4–4′-diamino-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonate and ortho-phthalate through anion exchange reactions. The materials were used as fillers in different ratios in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to obtain polymer nanocomposites by extrusion-injection molding. The layered materials were characterized by several instrumental techniques, and the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were evaluated. The samples were exposed to thermo-oxidative conditions at 60 and 90 °C for 1194 h, and the degradation process of the polymer nanocomposites was studied by measurements of hardness, weight loss and oxidation index. Results showed that trimetallic and bimetallic LDH had a notable effect on the LDPE nanocomposites’ degradation, depending on the intercalated anion. Both systems showed potential use as environmentally friendly stabilizers of polymeric matrices, reducing material damage induced by heat and oxidation, increasing the lifetime of the material and lowering the environmental impact. | Intercalation of anionic organic ultraviolet absorbers in bimetallic and trimetallic layered double hydroxides for low-density polyethylene protection | 10.1007/s00289-021-03640-x |
2022-06-01 | Organic–inorganic halide perovskite photodetectors, with the advantage of solution-processing fabrication, are a class of revolutionary optoelectronic devices that are promising for various practical applications. However, defects in the organic–inorganic halide perovskite layer result in their decomposition in a humid environment. Therefore, the long-term stability of perovskite layers is critical to the development of organic–inorganic perovskite photodetectors for practical applications. Here, we have reviewed the mechanisms of device decomposition in a humid environment and the strategies to improve perovskite layer stability including surface defect passivation, water pathway reduction, and perovskite structure optimization. In addition, this review also emphasizes the preparation of low-dimensional perovskites to improve the stability of photodetectors in humid environments. This review summarizes effective strategies to improve the stability of the perovskite layer in a humid environment in recent years and provides suggestions for the development of the long-term stability of organic–inorganic halide perovskite photodetectors. Graphical Abstract | Research Progress on the Stability of Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskite Photodetectors in a Humid Environment Through the Modification of Perovskite Layers | 10.1007/s11664-022-09548-0 |
2022-06-01 | Nitrogen enhanced 316LN SS is being considered as the candidate structural material for primary side components of sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs) under future SFR program of India. The structural components of Indian SFR are designed against low cycle fatigue (LCF) as per the French RCC-MR code that provides guidelines for the design and construction of fast reactors. In the present study, LCF design data for nitrogen enhanced 316LN stainless steel (SS) with 0.14 wt.% N are derived from experimental LCF data at temperature 873 K, as per the guidelines of RCC-MR design code. Based on the guidelines, the procedure is outlined for generating design data on cyclic curve, plastic strain concentration factor, Poisson’s ratio correction factor, Neuber’s hyperbola, and strain-life fatigue design curves. Furthermore, the criterion to estimate the allowable design fatigue cycles is also presented. The generated LCF design data on nitrogen enhanced 316LN SS are compared with the codified LCF data on RCC-MR 316LN SS and it must be mentioned that nitrogen enhanced 316LN SS promises better high-temperature resistance to LCF deformation in comparison to the codified 316LN SS (0.06–0.08 wt.% N). | Generation of Low Cycle Fatigue Design Data for Nitrogen Enhanced 316LN SS as per RCC-MR Code | 10.1007/s41403-021-00312-0 |
2022-06-01 | Low-rank coal (LRC) is difficult to directly utilize. It is necessary to carry out clean separation before industrial. A great amount of oxidized functional groups on the surface, results in poor hydrophobicity of LRC. Ionic liquids (ILs) are evolving important materials for designing new clean technologies. The adsorption characteristic of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride on coal surface was studied by adsorption isotherms, thermodynamics, zeta potential, and molecular dynamics simulation to effectively enhance the hydrophobicity of low-rank coal. The results show that the adsorption of ionic liquid on low-rank coal surface is an endothermic spontaneous physical adsorption, the saturated adsorption increases with the rise of temperature, and the electrostatic attraction and intermolecular forces play the leading role in the process of ionic liquid adsorption. The analysis indicates that the positively charged imidazole group forms an effective coverage of the O = C-O group on the coal surface due to the adsorption of the ionic liquid, resulting in a decrease in the content of O = C-O group and an increase the surface potential of the coal; probably, the hydrophobic alkyl chain of ionic liquid also increases the C–C/C-H bonds. Moreover, the hydrophobicity is significantly improved after the adsorption of ionic liquid, making the water droplets more difficult to wet on the coal surface. Moreover, molecular simulation studies show that the imidazole group of the ionic liquid is first adsorbed on the coal surface due to electrostatic attraction, and finally, the ionic liquid is approximately laid on the coal surface due to the intermolecular force. Graphical abstract | Theoretical calculation and experimental investigation on ionic liquid [C16mim]Cl affecting wettability of low-rank coal | 10.1007/s42114-021-00359-1 |
2022-06-01 | Caucasian clover ( Trifolium ambiguum Bieb.) is a perennial leguminous herbage with unique properties, such as resistance to cold, drought, and grazing. However, the response of Caucasian clover to freezing stress based on gene expression level and metabolite accumulation is unknown. This study performed transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to investigate the response mechanism of Caucasian clover under freezing stress. Transcriptome analysis detected 6792 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Caucasian clover under freezing stress. These DEGs were significantly enriched in carbohydrate and energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Meanwhile, 139 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified in Caucasian clover under freezing stress. These DAMs were mainly enriched in amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Furthermore, the gene-to-metabolite network was used to determine the genes and metabolites involved in polyphenol biosynthesis and osmoprotectants metabolism. Therefore, this study provides insights into the complex regulatory strategy of Caucasian clover response to freezing stress. | Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of Caucasian clover (Trifolium ambiguum Bieb.) in response to freezing stress | 10.1007/s40415-022-00786-4 |
2022-06-01 | The large-scale and complex-shaped sand castings of magnesium-rare earth (Mg-RE) alloys have broad application prospects in the aerospace field. Therefore, it is necessary to study the mechanical properties, especially the fracture behavior of the Mg-RE sand castings based on the reliability and safety requirements of the structural design. In this study, the mechanical behavior of Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy in the as-cast and the peak-aged states are systematically studied under the quasi-static, impact, and cyclic loads. The initiation and propagation of the cracks under different load conditions are also emphatically discussed. The research results show that the micro-cracks in the sand-cast alloy are easy to initiate in the eutectics under quasi-static and impact loads and then propagate into the grain along the twin interface. The β ' precipitates uniformly distributed in the matrix after the T6 treatment can improve the strength and deformation resistance of the matrix, thus leading to higher mechanical properties under the quasi-static and impact loads. In addition, the β ' phases in the T6-treated alloy can inhibit the formation of twins, and the dislocation slip is the only deformation mechanism. The micro-cracks are mainly formed at the slip bands and cause failure under the high cycle fatigue load. | Fracture Behavior of Low-Pressure Sand-Cast Mg–Gd–Y Magnesium Alloy Under Different Types of Loads | 10.1007/s11665-022-06583-0 |
2022-06-01 | The specific surface of coal particles is determined for 370 samples of Kuznetsk Basin coal with a wide range of metamorphic development. Low-temperature adsorption on a Sorbi N.4.1 instrument is employed, at liquid nitrogen temperature and various partial pressures. The specific surface is calculated by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. In comparison with coal of poor and high metamorphic development, the specific surface is 0.23–3.90 m 2 /g higher for Zh, KZh, and K coal with vitrinite reflection coefficient 0.93–1.39% and yield of volatiles 20–36%. | Specific Surface of Kuznetsk Basin Coal | 10.3103/S1068364X22060060 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract In this paper, we demonstrate the principle universality of obtaining in the steel and cast iron structure, along with other constituents of residual metastable austenite undergoing dynamic deformation martensitic transformation or DDMT (self-hardening effect under loading or SHL) to increase their abrasive wear resistance. It was established that to provide increased resistance to abrasive wear, it is necessary, along with tempered martensite, lower bainite, and carbides, to obtain in the structure 20–40% of metastable austenite (35–42% in cast irons and 60–100% in manganese steels), a significant part of which transformed under abrasive action into deformation martensite. The wear resistance can be increased by 1.2–1.7 times. The practical significance of the proposed principle lies in the fact that it opens new possibilities in increasing the abrasive wear resistance of many steels and cast irons by obtaining metastable austenite in their structure at its optimal amount and stability. The principle can be implemented by various harden-ing heat treatment technologies used in the industry, the modes of which must ensure obtaining the appropriate structure, and not achieving the highest hardness, as is customary in many cases. | Principle Universality of Obtaining Metastable Austenite in the Alloy and Cast Iron Structure to Increase the Abrasive Wear Resistance | 10.3103/S1068366622030102 |
2022-06-01 | Efficient biodegradation may offer a solution for the treatment of nitro-aromatic compounds (NACs) with toxicity, mutagenicity and persistence in the environment. In this study, dopamine (DA) functionalized magnetic nanoparticles with biocompatibility and hydrophilicity were synthesized and utilized for the immobilization of nitro-aromatic compounds degrading psychrophile Psychrobacter sp. ANT206 harboring the cold-adapted nitroreductase. The prepared nanocarriers were characterized using multiple methods. The highest immobilization yield of cells immobilized by Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @DA was 90.67% under the optimized conditions of 10 °C, pH 7.5, 2 h and cell/support 1.2 mg/mg, and the activity recovery was 89.41%. In addition, the obtained immobilized cells displayed excellent salinity stability and reusability. Moreover, immobilized P . sp. ANT206 strains showed remarkable biodegradation capability on nitrobenzene and p -nitrophenol. This study introduced those novel Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @DA nanoparticles could be applied as ideal and low-cost nanocarriers for the immobilization of cells and large-scale bioremediation of hazardous NACs with perspective applications under low temperature. | Immobilization of psychrophile Psychrobacter sp. ANT206 onto novel reusable magnetic nanoparticles and its application for nitro-aromatic compounds biodegradation under low temperature | 10.1007/s10532-022-09978-x |
2022-06-01 | We have employed one of the well-known many-body techniques, density functional theory plus dynamical mean-field theory (DFT + DMFT), to investigate the electronic structure of ferromagnetic monolayer CrI 3 as a function of temperature and hole-doping concentration. The computed magnetic susceptibility follows Curie’s law, indicating that the ferromagnetism of monolayer CrI 3 originates from localized magnetic moments of Cr atoms rather than Stoner-type itinerant ones. The DFT + DMFT calculations show a different coherent temperature for each spin component, demonstrating apparent strong spin-dependent electronic correlation effects in monolayer CrI 3 . Furthermore, we have explored the doping-dependent electronic structure of monolayer CrI 3 and found that its electronic and magnetic properties is easily tunable by the hole-doping. | Dynamical mean-field theory study of a ferromagnetic CrI3 monolayer | 10.1007/s40042-022-00474-2 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract The phase transitions of sulfide minerals—pentlandite and chalcopyrite—are tested in roasting with mixture with ammonium sulfate. The behavior of the mixture during roasting is assessed via the synchronous thermal and X-ray phase analyses, and by scanning electron microscopy. The basic optimal technology parameters for the efficient processing of sulfide-bearing copper–nickel ore are selected to be: the roasting temperature of 400 °C, the ore: ammonium sulfate ratio of 1:10, the particle size of –40 $$\mu$$ m and the roasting time of 240 min. An important condition is joint milling of ore and ammonium sulfate down to the specified size. Given these parameters, the later on water leaching of clinker provided extraction of 94.8% of copper, 91.5% of nickel and 82.3% of cobalt. The research findings are of essential practical interest owing to the high recovery of the target minerals. | Copper–Nickel Ore Processing by Low-Temperature Roasting in Mixture with Ammonium Sulfate | 10.1134/S1062739122030127 |
2022-06-01 | The investigation was aimed at evaluating the metallurgical and mechanical properties of high-speed fiber laser welded thick Q890 high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel with varying weld geometries instead of multi-layer multi-pass electric arc welding which led to the low machining efficiency and produced multiple sandwich structures in welding joints. 16 mm thick Q890 low alloy high strength steel plate was conducted based 2.5 and 5 mm gap size, respectively. The results showed that the size of hardening and softening zone was reduced by lower heat input laser welding with filling metal. The average width of HAZ was 1.2 mm in 2.5 gap and 1.9 mm in 5 mm gap. The maximum hardness was 485 HV and 482 HV and the minimum was 323 HV and 333 HV, respectively. The average width of softening zone was 0.8 mm and minimum hardness was 323 HV. The tensile properties could meet the standard requirement. The elongation rate was 10.4 and 7.6%, respectively, in 2.5 and 5 mm gap. The Charpy impact energy values of HAZ were 13.48 and 12.97 J, respectively. The weld seam was 21.11 and 16.09 J separately. Comparably, the profile of weld seam was better in 2.5 mm gap size. | Metallurgical and Mechanical Properties of Fibrous Laser Welded Thick Q890 High Strength Low Alloy Steel with Varying Weld Geometries | 10.1007/s11665-021-06516-3 |
2022-06-01 | Current study investigates the SO 2 leaching of low-grade ferruginous manganese ores to selectively recover manganese as MnSO 4 and subsequently produce battery grade electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) from the purified MnSO 4 . The effect of leaching process parameters such as leaching duration, temperature, and the SO 2 flow rate on the Mn recovery was studied in detail. Leaching duration and SO 2 flow rate had a significant effect on the Mn recovery. Under optimum process conditions, specific SO 2 requirement (SSR), i.e., SO 2 flow rate per gram Mn in the leach slurry was calculated to be 0.014 LPM (liter per minute), which resulted in 97.9% Mn recovery using grade 1 ore (Mn total = 17.16). Effect of ore grade on the SSR was studied using grade 2 ore (Mn total = 26.29). Using the SO 2 flow rate calculated from the SSR value, a Mn recovery of 94% was realized for grade-2 ore. MnSO 4 generated through the leaching was used in electrowinning to produce EMD with a purity of 88.01% and battery active γ structure. Graphical abstract | Selective Recovery of Manganese from Low-Grade Ferruginous Manganese Ores Through SO2 Leaching | 10.1007/s42461-022-00599-9 |
2022-06-01 | Co-doped MnCeO x /ZrO 2 catalysts were synthesized by impregnation method and their low temperature deNOx performance were evaluated. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were studied. The results showed that the doped Co could promote the deNOx performance of MnCeO x /ZrO 2 significantly, and the doped catalyst with the Co/Mn molar ratio of 1:2 possessed the best catalytic performance. Compared with pure MnCeO x /ZrO 2 catalyst, the deNOx efficiency of the optimal 1Co 2 MnCeO x /ZrO 2 was higher to 93% at 100 °C, improved nearly by 17%. The complete removal of NO was achieved at the temperature range of 120–250 °C. The promoted catalytic performance of Co-doped MnCeO x /ZrO 2 catalyst was mainly attributed to the improvement of the catalyst support structure and surface acidity by Co. The catalytic reaction of NO with NH 3 over 1Co2MnCeO x /ZrO 2 catalyst follows both Eley–Rideal mechanism and Langmiur–Hinshelwood mechanism. | Co-doped MnCeOx/ZrO2 catalysts for low temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO | 10.1007/s11164-022-04701-0 |
2022-06-01 | Ticks are important ectoparasites and vectors of pathogens that cause disease in humans and animals. The natural habitat of Ixodes ricinus ticks is forests, which are convenient habitats to search for hosts, including reservoir hosts, and therefore can be an important habitat source of tick-borne pathogens. The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of detailed forest habitat-type maps to estimate the tick-borne risk at a local scale (Lower Silesia, SW Poland). For the purposes of estimating tick abundance, we used the land cover maps available from the Forest Data Bank. For I. ricinus collection, nine sites located in three forest habitat types were chosen: broadleaf forest, mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest and coniferous forest. Ticks were collected once a month from April to June 2018 and 2019 using the standard flagging method. At each of the nine sites, ticks were collected in four plots, of 100 m 2 each. Tick abundance was analysed using general linear mixed models (GLMM). A total of 2196 (10.1/100 m 2 ) ticks were collected, including 2093 Ixodes ricinus (95.3%; 9.6/100 m 2 ), 46 Dermacentor reticulatus (2.1%; 0.2/100 m 2 ) and 57 Haemaphysalis concinna (2.6%; 0.3/100 m 2 ). Among the collected I. ricinus were 589 larvae (28.1%; 2.7/100 m 2 ), 1261 nymphs (60.3%; 5.8/100 m 2 ), 128 females (6.1%; 0.6/100 m 2 ) and 115 males (5.5%; 0.5/100 m 2 ). We found a highly significant effect of forest habitat type on the density of ticks for broadleaf forest (coefficient = 1.87267, p -value = 2.79e − 07). Additionally, a significant influence of air temperature and relative humidity on the abundance of ticks was observed. During spring, the peak activity of I. ricinus was recorded in May and June. For DNA amplification of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., a nested PCR method was used. Out of 494 I. ricinus , 83 (16.8%) were positive for Borrelia spp. The RFLP method showed the occurrence of five species including four belonging to the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex: B. afzelii (30.1%), B. garinii (38.6%), B. valaisiana (2.4%) and B. lusitaniae (18.1%). Furthermore, B. miyamotoi (9.6%), a species belonging to bacteria that cause relapsing fever as well as co-infection of B. miyamotoi / B.lusitaniae (1.2%) were found. The differences in the infection level of Borrelia spp. between broadleaf forest and mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest were statistically significant. | The influence of local environmental factors in southwestern Poland on the abundance of Ixodes ricinus and prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and B. miyamotoi | 10.1007/s00436-022-07493-9 |
2022-06-01 | A low carbohydrate and high fat (LCHF) flour was developed by combining almond flour, desiccated coconut flour, defatted soya flour, dry gluten powder, psyllium husk and skimmed milk powder. Determination of rheological, bread making, nutritional, and staling characteristics of LCHF flour in comparison with wheat flour (WF) was studied. The results showed that LCHF flour had lower amylograph pasting temperature (31.6 °C), peak viscosity (200 BU), farinograph dough stability (0.8 min), and bread volume (315 ml) compared to WF (61.0 °C; 782 BU; 8.7 min; and 525 ml) respectively. The use of additive mixes such as fungal alpha-amylase, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate and xanthan gum, improved the volume and texture of the LCHF bread. Scanning electron microscope images showed little or no presence of starch granules in LCHF dough and bread. Differential scanning calorimetry studies indicated that, during storage (1–5 days), the enthalpy for gelatinization of endotherm starch increased (0.71–3.40 j/g) in WF bread, however, in LCHF bread this increase was lesser (0.53 to 2.2 j/g) indicating slower staling rate in LCHF bread. The LCHF bread showed lower carbohydrate (13.7%), in-vitro starch digestibility (17.3%) and staling rate, higher protein (22.51%), fat (11.01%), and medium-chain fatty acids than WF bread (51.9%; 38.2%; 12.57%; 3.78%) respectively. The results showed that the developed product would be beneficial for people suffering from diabetics and obesity. | Low carbohydrate high fat flour: its rheology, bread making, physico-sensory and staling characteristics | 10.1007/s13197-021-05235-w |
2022-06-01 | This work addresses the rural-based chulha (stove) fabrication with less smoke emission. Many traditional cooking techniques used in Indian villages are inappropriate and cause environmental and health hazards like respiratory and vision problems as well as monetary loss. The main objective of this work is to design a stove that overcomes these problems. Emphasis has been made to increase the thermal efficiency of the stove and reduce smoke emission. Here, the focus is to incorporate proper supply of air to the burning chamber for clean burning and ensure primary and secondary combustion. Air is supplied for two purposes; these are primary and secondary combustion. Primary combustion is held in the fuel holder where fuel is burnt by the direct supply of preheated air. Secondary combustion takes place at the top of the burning chamber by burning the smoke that is produced during the primary combustion. This results in reduction of smoke and also ensures clean burning of the fuel. Moreover, refractory materials have also been used to reduce the heat loss. The materials utilized for building this model are locally available and these are low cost. The experiment has been carried out in three stages in terms of each prototype model where the modification is done on the predecessor. The effort has been made to maintain a proper balance between the efficiency of the stove and the low smoke production tendency of the stove. Experiments have been performed in each of the prototype for finding the thermal efficiency. | Study and Fabrication on Heat Efficient Stove of Low Smoke Emission | 10.1007/s40034-020-00197-8 |
2022-06-01 | The negative effects of low temperature can readily induce a variety of diseases. We sought to understand the reasons why cold stress induces disease by studying the mechanisms of fine-tuning in macrophages following cold exposure. We found that cold stress triggers increased macrophage activation accompanied by metabolic reprogramming of aerobic glycolysis. The discovery, by genome-wide RNA sequencing, of defective mitochondria in mice macrophages following cold exposure indicated that mitochondrial defects may contribute to this process. In addition, changes in metabolism drive the differentiation of macrophages by affecting histone modifications. Finally, we showed that histone acetylation and lactylation are modulators of macrophage differentiation following cold exposure. Collectively, metabolism-related epigenetic modifications are essential for the differentiation of macrophages in cold-stressed mice, and the regulation of metabolism may be crucial for alleviating the harm induced by cold stress. 低温对健康的负面影响容易诱发多种疾病,因此我们试图通过研究冷暴露后巨噬细胞微调的机制来了解冷应激诱发疾病的原因。在本研究中,我们发现冷应激会引发巨噬细胞活化增加,并伴随有氧糖酵解的代谢重编程,而且冷暴露后的线粒体缺陷可能有助于这一过程。全基因组RNA测序的结果进一步确定了冷暴露后小鼠巨噬细胞中的线粒体缺陷。此外,新陈代谢的变化通过影响组蛋白修饰来驱动巨噬细胞的分化。最后,我们发现组蛋白乙酰化和乳酸化是冷暴露后巨噬细胞分化的调节剂。总而言之,代谢相关的表观遗传修饰对于冷应激小鼠巨噬细胞的分化至关重要,而代谢调控可能有助于减轻冷应激的危害。 | Integrated metabolism and epigenetic modifications in the macrophages of mice in responses to cold stress | 10.1631/jzus.B2101091 |
2022-06-01 | In this study, the effect of a bio-based environment-friendly surfactant, cardanol polyoxyethylene ether (BGF), on the wettability of the surface of low-rank coal (LRC) and its mechanism were studied. The adsorption experiment showed that the adsorption of the surfactant conformed to the Langmuir adsorption model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption was mainly affected by hydrogen bonding, and the adsorption rate was affected by intraparticle diffusion and liquid film diffusion. The wettability experiment showed that the influence of BGF on the wettability of the surface of LRC followed the given order: BGF-7 > BGF-10 > BGF-15. The investigation of adhesion work showed that the adhesion work and the stability of the coal–water system decreased after adsorption. Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses showed that after adsorption, the peak strength of vinyl ether, the content of elemental carbon, and the content of C–C/C–H groups increased. Graphical abstract | Effect of bio-based surfactant on wettability of low-rank coal surface and its mechanism | 10.1007/s11356-022-18714-0 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract The XPS method was used to study the composition of the surface of carbon fibers after modification in a low-temperature plasma in an octafluorocyclobutane medium. It has been shown that ionic and semi-ionic fluorine bonds are formed on the surface of carbon fibers at the initial stages of treatment (30–60 s), and, then, a coating is formed that is similar in composition to polytetrafluoroethylene, but is characterized by a branched structure and the content of oxygen groups. The influence of the initial state of the surface of carbon fibers, namely, preliminary oxidation, on the composition of the formed fluoropolymer coating has been studied. | An X-ray Photoelectron Study of the Surface of Carbon Fibers after Treatment in a Low-Temperature Octafluorocyclobutane Plasma | 10.1134/S2070205122030194 |
2022-06-01 | Obesity, diabetes, and other cardiovascular diseases are directly related to the high consumption of processed sugars with high caloric content. The current food industry has novel trends related to replacing highly caloric sugars with non-caloric or low-calorie sweeteners. Mannitol, a polyol, represents a suitable substitute because it has a low caloric content and does not induce a glycemic response, which is crucial for diabetic people. Consequently, this polyol has multiple applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and medicine industries. Mannitol can be produced by plant extraction, chemical or enzymatic synthesis, or microbial fermentation. Different in vitro processes have been developed regarding enzymatic synthesis to obtain mannitol from fructose, glucose, or starch-derived substrates. Various microorganisms such as yeast, fungi, and bacteria are applied for microbial fermentation. Among them, heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) represent a reliable and feasible alternative due to their metabolic characteristics. In this regard, the yield and productivity of mannitol depend on the culture system, the growing conditions, and the culture medium composition. In situ mannitol production represents a novel approach to decrease the sugar content in food and beverages. Also, genetic engineering offers an interesting option to obtain mannitol-producing strains. This review presents and discusses the most significant advances that have been made in the mannitol production through fermentation by heterofermentative LAB, including the pertinent and critical analysis of culture conditions considering broth composition, reaction systems, and their effects on productivities and yields. | Mannitol Production by Heterofermentative Lactic Acid Bacteria: a Review | 10.1007/s12010-022-03836-5 |
2022-06-01 | Purpose: Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a noninvasive spectroscopy technique for determining superficial tissue oxygenation. The HyperView™ system is a hand-held camera that enables perfusion image acquisition. The evaluation of superficial tissue oxygenation is warranted in the evaluation of patients with peripheral arterial disease. The aim was to determine the reliability of repeated HSI measurements. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, HSI was performed on 50 healthy volunteers with a mean age of 26.4 ± 2.5 years, at the lower extremity. Two independent observers performed HSI during two subsequent measurement sessions. Short term test–retest reliability and intra- and inter-observer reliability were determined, and generalizability and decision studies were performed. Transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcP o 2 ) measurements were also performed. Results: The short term test–retest reliability was good for the HSI values determined at the lower extremity, ranging from 0.72 to 0.90. Intra- and inter-observer reliability determined at different days were poor to moderate for both HSI (0.24 to 0.71 and 0.30 to 0.58, respectively) and TcP o 2 (0.54 and 0.56, and 0.51 and 0.31, respectively). Reliability can be increased to >0.75 by averaging two measurements on different days. Conclusion: This study showed good short term test–retest reliability for HSI measurements, however low intra- and inter-observer reliability was observed for tissue oxygenation measurements with both HSI and TcP o 2 performed at separate days in young healthy volunteers. Reliability of HSI can be improved when determined as a mean of two measurements taken on different days. | Reliability assessment of hyperspectral imaging with the HyperView™ system for lower extremity superficial tissue oxygenation in young healthy volunteers | 10.1007/s10877-021-00698-w |
2022-06-01 | Abstract Gamma irradiation leads to a change in the crystallite size and crystallinity of low-density polyethylene. Under irradiation with a dose of 100 kGy, the crystallinity and crystallite size of the polymer increase by 41.83% and 0.64 nm, respectively. At a dose of 900 kGy, the crystallinity is 46.7% and the crystallite size decreases by 0.26 nm. The unit cell parameters of the orthorhombic phase of the polymer remain almost unchanged in this case. The results obtained show the degree of crystallinity of the polymer linearly depends on the absorbed γ-radiation dose. | X-ray Diffraction Study of the Structure of Gamma-Irradiated Low-Density Polyethylene | 10.1134/S0018143922030109 |
2022-06-01 | To improve the poor Gondwana paleomagnetic database for Devonian times, detailed paleomagnetic analyses were performed on red chert-like rocks and partly silicified paleosols within the Lower Devonian Ikniouen level (fine-grained sandstones including red ironstone) in conformity within the sub-horizontal Tadrart coarse white formations of the Murzuq basin. Silicification, limited to this level that is only a few meters thick, was probably due to tropical warm climatic conditions during and shortly after the rock deposition. In two sections 40 km away each other, paleomagnetic data point out a high-temperature Characteristic Remanent Magnetization (ChRM) with very well-defined mean direction, positive reversal test and relatively high (5) Q and R scores. Rock magnetic data indicate minerals of the hematite family, but the presence of a minor amount of other mineral phases remains possible. At least part of the ChRMs are Chemical Remanent Magnetizations, likely acquired during or shortly after deposition. The corresponding paleomagnetic results (paleomagnetic pole at 28.6° E and 71.1° S, with K = 1004, A 95 = 1.5°) could have major geodynamical implications for the Gondwana supercontinent. In fact, ChRM acquired in this level during or shortly after deposition should imply a much-unexpected fast latitudinal continental drift of the Gondwana during the Lower Devonian or a significant and fast true polar wander. Though much more difficult to match with the ChRM and geological characteristics, the only possible alternative interpretation for the Ikniouen data should be a chemical remagnetization acquired during the Late Cretaceous–Early Paleocene times. | Enigmatic well-characterized remanent magnetization of silicified Lower Devonian rocks from the Tadrart area (Murzuq basin, SE Algeria) | 10.1007/s00531-022-02173-6 |
2022-06-01 | To study the damage evolution laws and damage constitutive model of low-strength molybdenum ores, uniaxial compression tests on low-strength molybdenum ores were conducted in combination with acoustic emission technology. The damage variables were defined based on the accumulative ringing counts, and the pre-peak correction factor was introduced to derive a modified damage constitutive model for low-strength molybdenum ores under uniaxial compression, and analyze their acoustic emission characteristics and damage evolution laws. The results showed that the accumulative ringing count and accumulative energy had a sharp increase before the stress peak of low-strength molybdenum ores, which can be used as basis for judging that low-strength molybdenum ores are about to enter the failure stage. The damage evolution process of low-strength molybdenum ores can reasonably reflect their deformation and failure characteristics in different fracture evolution stages. The stress–strain curve was up-concave, and the pre-peak correction factor in the form of logarithmic function is proposed to establish a more reasonable modified damage constitutive model based on accumulative ringing counts under uniaxial compression. The theoretical curve can well simulate the deformation process of low-strength molybdenum ores before the peak stress, and the obtained theoretical curve is basically consistent with the text curve. The results can provide a reference for the stability evaluation and control of the surrounding rock of low-strength molybdenum mines. | Damage Evolution Laws of Low-Strength Molybdenum Ore Under Uniaxial Compression | 10.1007/s11053-022-10057-4 |
2022-06-01 | A major issue of the pharmaceutical industry is the poor solubility, permeability, and bioavailability of most active ingredients. These properties also induce the accumulation of pharmaceuticals in groundwater, surface water, wastewater, soils and biota. Therefore, enhancing the solubility and bioavailability of pharmaceuticals could allow the prescription of lower doses, and could reduce environmental impact. Pharmaceutical solubility can be increased by pH modification, salt formation, ionization, complexation, and co-solvency. Here we report for the first time the use of cyclodextrin-based low-melting mixtures for the solubilization of four steroids: beclomethasone dipropionate, budesonide, fluticasone propionate and mometasone furoate. First, a low-melting mixture was prepared from sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin and levulinic acid, and characterized. Then, the shake flask method was used to determine the solubility of the drugs in this low-melting mixture. Results show a 4000-fold increase of the solubility of fluticasone propionate using the low-melting, cyclodextrin-based mixture versus water. This huge solubility enhancement could be explained by the formation of an inclusion complex with the cyclodextrin within the low-melting mixture. | Huge solubility increase of poorly water-soluble pharmaceuticals by sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin complexation in a low-melting mixture | 10.1007/s10311-022-01415-y |
2022-06-01 | Faults in the Roer Valley Rift System (Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany) act as barriers to lateral groundwater flow in unconsolidated sedimentary aquifers. This causes a cross-fault groundwater-level step of up to several metres. Using a dataset obtained through 5 years of high-frequency monitoring, the effect of fault-zone permeability, precipitation and evapotranspiration on cross-fault groundwater-level steps is studied at two sites situated across the Peel Boundary Fault. Hydraulic conductivity values at the fault are 1–3 orders of magnitude lower than that of similar lithologies away from the fault, indicating that fault displacement has a significant impact on groundwater flow. The influence of precipitation and evapotranspiration on fault-zone hydrology is inferred from water-table fluctuations over short distances across the fault. On the foot wall, the water table is nearer to the surface and displays a shorter level range with a spiky temporal variability. On the hanging wall, a deeper water table is sloping away from the fault and shows a wider level range with a smoother temporal variability. The observed groundwater level fluctuations are attributed mainly to precipitation and evapotranspiration dynamics. At a larger spatial scale, the 5-year-average cross-fault groundwater-level steps at the two sites are 1.59 and 1.39 m. At a smaller scale, the cross-fault groundwater-level step is much less because of the rising water table towards the fault on the hanging wall. At the smallest scale, just across the fault zone, the groundwater level step is around 0.2 m, indicating that the fault is semi-impermeable. Les failles du système de rift de la vallée de la Roer (Pays-Bas, Belgique et Allemagne) agissent comme des barrières à l’écoulement latéral des eaux souterraines dans les aquifères sédimentaires non consolidés. Cela entraîne un décalage du niveau des eaux souterraines de part et d’autre de la faille de plusieurs mètres. À l’aide d’un ensemble de données obtenues grâce à cinq années de surveillance à haute fréquence, l’effet de la perméabilité de la zone de faille, des précipitations et de l’évapotranspiration sur les niveaux des eaux souterraines de part et d’autre de la faille est étudié sur deux sites situés dans le secteur de la faille de Peel Boundary. Les valeurs de conductivité hydraulique au niveau de la faille sont inférieures d’un à trois ordres de grandeur à celles de lithologies similaires éloignées de la faille, ce qui indique que le déplacement de la faille a un impact significatif sur l’écoulement des eaux souterraines. L’influence des précipitations et de l’évapotranspiration sur l’hydrologie de la zone de faille est déduite des fluctuations de la nappe phréatique sur de courtes distances de le long de la faille. A la base du mur de la faille, la nappe phréatique est plus proche de la surface et présente une gamme de niveaux plus courte avec une variabilité temporelle en dents de scie. Au niveau du toit de la faille, une nappe d’eau plus profonde s’éloigne de la faille et montre une gamme de niveaux plus large avec une variabilité temporelle plus lissée. Les fluctuations observées du niveau des eaux souterraines sont attribuées principalement à la dynamique des précipitations et de l’évapotranspiration. À une échelle spatiale plus grande, les marches moyennes sur cinq ans du niveau de la nappe phréatique sur les deux sites sont de 1.59 et 1.39 m. À une échelle plus petite, le saut de niveau de la nappe phréatique de part et d’autre de la faille est beaucoup moins important en raison de la montée de la nappe phréatique vers le toit de la faille. À l’échelle la plus petite, juste de l’autre côté de la zone de faille, la différence de niveau des eaux souterraines est d’environ 0.2 m, ce qui indique que la faille est semi-imperméable. Las fallas del sistema del valle del Roer (Países Bajos, Bélgica y Alemania) actúan como barreras para el flujo lateral de aguas subterráneas en acuíferos sedimentarios no consolidados. Esto provoca un salto de nivel de las aguas subterráneas a través de las fallas de hasta varios metros. Utilizando un conjunto de datos obtenidos a lo largo de cinco años de monitoreo de alta frecuencia, se estudia el efecto de la permeabilidad de la zona de falla, la precipitación y la evapotranspiración en los saltos de nivel de aguas subterráneas a través de la falla Peel Boundary. Los valores de conductividad hidráulica en la falla son de uno a tres órdenes de magnitud inferiores a los de litologías similares alejadas de la falla, lo que indica que el desplazamiento de la falla tiene un impacto significativo en el flujo de agua subterránea. La influencia de las precipitaciones y la evapotranspiración en la hidrología de la zona de falla se deduce de las fluctuaciones del nivel freático en distancias cortas a lo largo de la falla. En la pared del piso, el nivel freático está más cerca de la superficie y muestra un rango de nivel más reducido, con una variabilidad temporal muy marcada. En la capa superior, el nivel freático más profundo se aleja de la falla y muestra un rango de nivel más amplio con una variabilidad temporal más uniforme. Las fluctuaciones observadas en el nivel de las aguas subterráneas se atribuyen principalmente a la dinámica de las precipitaciones y la evapotranspiración. A una escala espacial mayor, el promedio de cinco años de los saltos de nivel de las aguas subterráneas a través de la falla en los dos lugares es de 1.59 y 1.39 m. A una escala menor, el salto de nivel de las aguas subterráneas a través de la falla es mucho menor debido al aumento del nivel freático hacia la falla en la pared superior. En la escala más pequeña, justo al otro lado de la zona de la falla, el salto de nivel del agua subterránea es de unos 0.2 m, lo que indica que la falla es semiimpermeable. Roer流域裂谷系统(荷兰、比利时和德国)中的断层阻碍了松散沉积含水层中地下水侧向流动。这导致高达数米的跨断层地下水位台阶。使用通过五年高频监测获得的数据, 在位于Peel边界断层的两个场地研究了断层带渗透率、降水和蒸散发对跨断层地下水位台阶的影响。断层处的渗透系数比远离断层的类似岩性低一到三个数量级, 表明断层位移对地下水流有显著影响。降水和蒸散发对断层带水文的影响是从断层短距离的地下水位波动推断出来的。在下盘上, 地下水位更接近地表, 并显示出较短的水位范围和尖峰的时间变化。在上盘, 较深的地下水位远离断层倾斜, 显示出更宽的水位范围和更平滑的时间变化。观测到的地下水位波动主要受降水和蒸散发动态影响。在更大的空间尺度上, 两个场地的五年平均跨断层地下水位台阶分别为1.59和1.39 m。在较小的尺度上, 由于地下水位向上盘断层上升, 跨断层地下水位阶跃要小得多。在最小的尺度上, 就在断裂带的对面, 地下水位台阶约为 0.2 m, 表明该断层是半不透水的。 Falhas no Sistema do Vale Rift Roer (Holanda, Bélgica e Alemanha) atuam como barreiras ao fluxo lateral de águas subterrâneas em aquíferos sedimentares não consolidados. Isso provoca um pico de nível de água subterrânea de até vários metros de profundidade. Por meio de um conjunto de dados obtido ao longo de cinco anos de monitoramento de alta frequência, o efeito da permeabilidade da zona de falha, da precipitação e da evapotranspiração nos picos de nível de água subterrânea com falhas cruzadas é estudado em dois locais situados ao longo da Falha da Barreira de Peel. Os valores de condutividade hidráulica na falha são de uma a três ordens de magnitude inferiores aos de litologias similares, indicando que o deslocamento da falha tem um impacto significativo no fluxo de águas subterrâneas. A influência da precipitação e da evapotranspiração na hidrologia da zona de falha é inferida a partir das flutuações do nível freático em pequenas distâncias através da falha. No pé da barreira, o lençol freático está mais próximo da superfície e exibe uma variação de nível mais curta com uma variabilidade temporal acentuada. Na barreira, um lençol freático mais profundo está em declive e mostra uma variação de nível mais ampla, com uma variabilidade temporal mais suave. As flutuações do nível freático observadas são atribuídas principalmente à dinâmica de precipitação e evapotranspiração. Em uma escala espacial maior, os picos de nível de água subterrânea com falhas cruzadas de cinco anos nos dois locais são de 1.59 e 1.39 m. Em uma escala menor, os picos de nível de água subterrânea com falhas cruzadas são muito menores por causa da elevação do lençol freático em direção à falha na barreira suspensa. Em uma escala menor, logo abaixo da zona da falha, o degrau do nível freático está em torno de 0.2 m indicando que a falha é semi-impermeável. | Temporal and spatial variability of cross-fault groundwater-level differences: the impact of fault-induced permeability reduction, precipitation and evapotranspiration | 10.1007/s10040-022-02465-w |
2022-06-01 | Little information is available about biochar’s role in kinetics of ammonia (NH 3 ) volatilization and growth of pearl millet ( Pennisetum glacum L.) cultivated on a saline sandy soil under different levels of soil moisture. A field experiment was carried out for two years to explore biochar impacts in reducing the hazards of salts and NH 3 volatilization from saline sandy soils. Biochar was added in three doses (0, 5 (BC 5 ), and 10 (BC 10 ) ton ha −1 ) and the soil was irrigated to 100% (I 100 ), 80% (I 80 ), and 60% (I 60 ) of plant-available soil water. The experiment was factorial (3 × 3) and was laid out in a split plot design. results: Biochar enhanced the soil quality, availability and concentrations of nutrients in plant, and chlorophyll synthesis, on the other hand it reduced Na, Cl, and proline in the leaf tissue. Increasing the soil moisture from I 60 to I 100 elevated nutrients availability in soil and concentrations of nutrients in plant and caused remarkable increases in the quality of forage material. I 100 enhanced the forage yield by 21.2 and 36.6%, respectively, in the first and second year compared with I 60 . BC 5 and BC 10 enhanced the forage yield by 18.4 and 31.8% and caused 19.1 and 34.7% increases in the water use efficiency (overall the irrigation treatments). Increasing the soil moisture and the application of biochar reduced NH 3 -volatilization. Biochar and soil moisture status affected significantly on the kinetics of NH 3 loss and the half-life time. I 100 increased the half-life time by 78.7% in comparison with I 60 . Addition of BC 5 and BC 10 to the soil elevated the half-life time by 13.5 and 35.8% compared to the control. BC 10 and I 100 reduced the NH 3 volatilization and enhanced the forage yield of pearl millet. Controlling soil moisture and adding biochar are important strategies to minimize the negative impacts of salinity and reduce the emission of NH 3 in addition to improving the performance of saline sandy soils. | Irrigation and biochar effects on pearl millet and kinetics of ammonia volatilization from saline sandy soils | 10.1007/s42729-021-00753-0 |
2022-06-01 | Laser-photobiomodulation (L-PBM) has been widely studied and its biomodulatory effects have been established on irradiated cells, increasing viability and proliferation and on damaged tissues. In addition, L-PBM may reduce and modulate the inflammatory process. The effect of 660-nm and 808-nm laser-photobiomodulation on bone repair around titanium dental implants placed in rat’s femur was evaluated by histomorphometry. Twenty-seven Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups of nine animals: group C — non-irradiated control; group R — λ =660nm irradiated; and group IR — λ =808nm irradiated. Each group was further divided in 3 subgroups of three animals each, according to histomorphometry analysis in 3 days, 7 days, and 14 days after irradiation. Histological H.E.-stained slides were photographed, and bone matrix measured in new-formed bone area. Bone matrix histomorphometry analysis indicates that at 7 days in the irradiated groups (R and IR), a bigger area matrix was observed in relation to control group (C) ( p =0.04 and p =0.048 respectively). On the other hand, at 14 days, control group (C) presented a bigger area than infrared irradiated (IR) ( p =0.001) and red irradiated group (R) also showed a bigger area than infrared irradiated group (IR) ( p =0.019). Histological analysis indicates that irradiated groups (R and IR) exhibited a faster bone tissue matrix production than control group Graphical abstract | Laser-photobiomodulation on titanium implant bone healing in rat model: comparison between 660- and 808-nm wavelength | 10.1007/s10103-021-03481-0 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract The presence of notable quantities of oil in water is one of the prime causes of water pollution worldwide. The increased water pollution is creating nuisance to human and animal lives. To put an end to this threat, the treatment of oily wastewater is attracting everyone’s attention. The high efficacy of membrane filtration in separation operations makes researchers consider this technology for use in oily wastewater treatment. Hence, keeping this perspective in mind, tubular configuration membranes were fabricated using kaolin (30 wt %), quartz (30 wt %), calcium carbonate (28 wt %), boric acid (4 wt %) and feldspar (8 wt %). Membrane fabricated with this composition is found to possess a porosity value of 59.27 ± 1.002% and mechanical strength of 14.708 ± 2.603 MPa along with an average pore size of 0.092 μm. The surface of the membrane is smooth and free of any defects as observed under field emission scanning electron microscope. The membrane, due to its satisfactory physical and mechanical properties, is further used for the treatment of oily wastewater with three various concentrations and complete rejection of oil is achieved for all the concentrations. The successful separation of oil from the oily wastewater signifies size exclusion to be the dominant phenomenon for the rejection performance of the membrane. The droplet size distribution of the oil-in-water emulsion using laser particle size analyzer also reveals the same, with an average droplet size of oil lying between 2.884–3.802 μm for all three concentrations. The size of the droplets is far bigger than the average pore diameter of the membrane, which ultimately helps the membrane in retaining the oil content of wastewater. Therefore, looking at the outstanding oil removal efficiency of the membrane, it can be concluded that the membrane can be used industrially for the treatment of oily wastewater. | Fabrication and Characterization of Low-Cost Tubular Ceramic Membrane for Microfiltration of Oily Wastewater | 10.3103/S1063455X2203002X |
2022-06-01 | Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterium capable of forming persistent biofilms that are extremely difficult to eradicate. The species is most infamously known due to complications in cystic fibrosis patients. The high mortality of cystic fibrosis is caused by P. aeruginosa biofilms occurring in pathologically overly mucous lungs, which are the major cause facilitating the organ failure. Due to Pseudomonas biofilm-associated infections, remarkably high doses of antibiotics must be administered, eventually contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance. Nowadays, multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa is one of the most terrible threats in medicine, and the search for novel antimicrobial drugs is of the utmost importance. We have studied the effect of low molecular weight chitosan (LMWCH) on various stages of P. aeruginosa ATCC 10145 biofilm formation and eradication, as well as on production of other virulence factors. LMWCH is a well-known naturally occurring agent with a vast antimicrobial spectrum, which has already found application in various fields of medicine and industry. LMWCH at a concentration of 40 mg/L was able to completely prevent biofilm formation. At a concentration of 60 mg/L, this agent was capable to eradicate already formed biofilm in most studied times of addition (2–12 h of cultivation). LMWCH (50 mg/L) was also able to suppress pyocyanin production when added 2 and 4 h after cultivation. The treatment resulted in reduced formation of cell clusters. LMWCH was proved to be an effective antibiofilm agent worth further clinical research with the potential to become a novel drug for the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. Graphical abstract | Addition time plays a major role in the inhibitory effect of chitosan on the production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factors | 10.1007/s42770-022-00707-3 |
2022-06-01 | Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) is a non-charge-based two-terminal non-volatile memory device. It is a promising candidate for usage in high radiation applications such as medical devices, aircraft, and space. The impact of radiation affects the resistance of RRAM. The resistance depends on the dimensions of the conductive filament. In this work, we have analyzed the impact of radiation on RRAM resistance with respect to the length and width of the conductive filament (CF). For our simulations, radiation is modeled as a double exponential current pulse (DECP). Different values of DECP are injected to mimic different radiation doses. Our simulations on the RRAM device demonstrate that high radiation dose affects the device performance in terms of low resistance state (LRS) and high resistance state (HRS). There is no distinction between LRS and HRS due to high radiation dose. | Conductive Filament Variation of RRAM and Its Impact on Single Event Upset | 10.1007/s42341-021-00343-y |
2022-06-01 | From 2016 to 2017, we conducted 1-year mooring current observation at the widest, deepest gap, widely known as the Main Gap, and a narrower, shallower gap just south of the Main Gap, called the Small Gap in this study, in the Emperor Seamount Chain, which divides the Northwest Pacific Basin (NWPB) from the Northeast Pacific Basin. We also conducted two hydrographic sections with a conductivity–temperature–depth sensor and a lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler around the two gaps in 2012 and 2016. At the Main Gap, the abyssal current flowed east–northeastward at a statistically significant mean velocity of 1.3–2.4 cm s −1, while the current was dominated by tidal and inertial variability with a magnitude of 3–4 cm s −1 . At the Small Gap, the abyssal current had an eastward mean velocity of 9.4 cm s −1 , accompanied by mesoscale variability with a magnitude of 7 cm s −1 . These eastward currents carried abyssal water below a depth of 5000 m, which came from the northern part of the NWPB, with a volume transport of 1.6 × 10 6 m 3 s −1 through the Main Gap and 0.5 × 10 6 m 3 s −1 through the Small Gap. Cold, saline, oxygen-rich Lower Circumpolar Deep Water, which occupied the south of the zonal seamount range at 37°N, called the S–E Seamounts in this study, was found near the seafloor north of the S–E Seamounts to the west of the Small Gap; however, it did not extend to the Main Gap or to the east of the Small Gap. | Abyssal current and water mass in the Main Gap and an adjacent Small Gap of the Emperor Seamount Chain | 10.1007/s10872-022-00639-4 |
2022-06-01 | Objective The goal of this study was to develop a decellularized tendon scaffold (DTS) and repopulate it with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) assisted by low air pressure (LP). Methods The porcine superficial flexor tendons were processed into the DTSs using a combination of physical, chemical, and enzymatic treatments. The effectiveness of decellularization was verified by histological analysis and DNA quantification. The properties of the DTSs were evaluated by quantitative analysis of biochemical characterization, porosimetry, in vitro biocompatibility assessment, and biomechanical testing. Subsequently, the ADSCs-DTS complexes were constructed via cell injection assisted by LP or under atmospheric pressure. The differences in cell distribution, biomechanical properties, and the total DNA content were compared by histological analysis, biomechanical testing, and DNA quantification, respectively. Results Histological analysis confirmed that no cells or condensed nuclear materials were retained within the DTSs with widened interfibrillar space. The decellularization treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the content of DNA and glycosaminoglycans, and a significant increase in the porosity. The DTSs were cytocompatible in vitro and did not show reduced collagen content and inferior biomechanical properties compared with the fresh-frozen tendons. The assistance of LP promoted the broader distribution of cells into the adjacent interfibrillar space and cell proliferation in DTSs. The biomechanical properties of the scaffolds were not significantly affected by the recellularization treatments. Conclusion A novel LP-assisted approach for the construction of cells-DTS complex was established, which could be a methodological foundation for further bioreactor and in vitro studies. | A Novel Low Air Pressure-Assisted Approach for the Construction of Cells-Decellularized Tendon Scaffold Complex | 10.1007/s11596-022-2603-7 |
2022-06-01 | Purpose River impoundments disrupt natural water flow patterns and sediment distribution throughout the impacted reach, which often results in a damaging effect on aquatic ecosystems. Dam removal can release sediments that may contain fugitive agricultural nutrients and organochlorine pesticide residues (OCPRs). Methods Sediment samples from an impoundment on the Oostanaula Creek (HUC 03,565,432) in Athens, Tennessee, were obtained, as were surface soil samples from the agricultural watershed. A subset of cores were used for simulated weathering, and all samples were extracted and analyzed for nutrients and OCPRs. Results The impoundment sediments tested low in P and K, but sediment pore water contained elevated concentrations of NO 3 , NH 4 , and SO 4 relative to reservoir water. Endrin aldehyde and p , p ’-DDD were commonly detected in sediment and soil, while aldrin, dieldrin, and p , p ’-DDE occurred in a smaller number of samples. When detected, dieldrin and endrin aldehyde frequently exceeded the threshold effect concentration (TEC), but never exceeded the probable effect concentration (PEC) in the sediment samples; p , p ’-DDD always exceeded TEC and exceeded PEC in 49% of the sediment samples. The concentrations of NO 3 and NH 4 in the weathered sediment leachates were similar to those in the reservoir water, and NH 4 became the dominant cation in leachates at the conclusion of simulated weathering. Weathering decreased sediment p , p ’-DDD concentrations to less than the PEC; however, the concentrations of other OCPRs were not influenced. Conclusion The dam sediments may have harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms and a long-term impact on stream reclamation following low-head dam removal. | Persistence of organochlorine pesticide residues in sediments derived from an agricultural watershed in Tennessee, USA | 10.1007/s11368-022-03220-0 |
2022-06-01 | Both the mass and centrifugal force can be reduced by the hollow structure in blade. Also, the working efficiency of the engine can be improved by this hollow structure, but this structure is complicated and difficult to be formed. A pressing process of hollow blade with low melting point alloy as mandrel is proposed. The results show that the shape of the hollow blade can be controlled better by filling the low melting point alloy. The supporting structure has a great influence on the forming effect of unfilled low melting point alloy blade. The more supporting structures, the better the forming effect. The interface between the blade and the low melting point alloy cannot be bonded, so this processing method can be applied to practical production. Graphical abstract | Research on shape and position control during the forming of the different hollow blades with low melting point alloy mandrel | 10.1007/s00170-022-09258-1 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract The influence of the dose of γ-irradiation on the surface roughness and Raman spectra of low-density polyethylene has been studied. After irradiation with a dose of 900 kGy, the average surface roughness of the polymer increases by 62%. The Raman spectrum of the irradiated polymer coincides with that of the pristine polymer, except for a slight increase in the intensity of the 1419-cm −1 peak in the irradiated sample. | Surface Roughness and Raman Spectra of Gamma-Irradiated Low-Density Polyethylene | 10.1134/S0018143922030110 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract The results of modeling sound pressure in the calibration system of measurement microphones of the LS type based on the reciprocity method and using the quasi-gas dynamic (QGD) approach in the frequency range from 1 Hz to 10 kHz are presented. A numerical method based on QGD equations for a compressible viscous heat-conducting gas is constructed using an explicit scheme, the finite difference method for a uniform grid with the approximation of spatial derivatives through central differences, and the fictitious node method to approximate the boundary conditions. The Mach numbers ranging from 7.3 × 10 –10 to 7.3 × 10 –6 are a feature of the computational problem in the studied frequency range. The close agreement of the modeling results with the known analytical solution points to the applicability of the QGD approach for modeling gas flows with extremely small Mach numbers and acoustic problems in particular. | Numerical Simulation of Sound Pressure for an LS-Type Calibration System of Measurement Microphones | 10.1134/S2070048222030061 |
2022-06-01 | Solubility limited bioavailability is one of the crucial parameters that affect the formulation development of the new chemical entities. Thus the major constraint in the pharmaceutical product development is the suitable solubility enhancement technique for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient. Solid dispersion (SD) is an established and preferred method for improving the solubility which ultimately may be helpful to enhance bioavailability. For long period of time Amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) have been preferred for improving solubility, but since last two decades, ASD approach have been combined with different modified release approaches to improvise the stability and site specificity of SD to grasp a hold over the specific advantages associated with such dosage forms. It is an established fact now that the SD technique not only improves solubility limited bioavailability, but it may be combined with other approaches to modify the drug release profile from the formulation as per the requirement based on the apt selection of SD carriers and suitable technology. This review covers the comprehensive overview of all such formulations where SD technology is used to serve dual purpose rather than only the sole purpose of solubility enhancement. The SD approach has been successfully implemented for some of the poorly soluble herbal drugs and still there is a vast scope of advancement in that area. The current review will provide a broad outcome in the area of SD technology for modified release formulations along with the description of current status and future prospective of SD. Graphical abstract The SD formed by dispersing drug within the conventional carrier to form ASD increases solubility, dissolution rate and bioavailability; whereas fourth generation hydrophobic carriers provide added advantage of controlled release (CR) or sustained release (SR) profile along with enhanced stability of SD. On the other frontier, pH dependant carriers enable the SD to achieve site specificity or delayed release (DR) profile. | Solid dispersion technology as a formulation strategy for the fabrication of modified release dosage forms: A comprehensive review | 10.1007/s40199-022-00440-0 |
2022-06-01 | The Early Cretaceous aluminous A-type granites in the Lower Yangtze River belt (LYRB) can provide important insights into the Mesozoic magmatism in eastern China, but their origin remains highly controversial. In this study, radiogenic Ca-Nd isotopic analysis was performed for syenite porphyry and alkali-feldspar granite porphyry of the Yangshan pluton, a typical aluminous A-type granitic intrusion in the LYRB, to constrain its source and geodynamic setting. The results show that ε Ca (126 Ma), ε Nd (126 Ma) and K/Ca source of the syenite porphyry range from −0.24 to +0.96, −7.2 to −6.0, and 0.31 to 1.26, respectively. The corresponding values for the alkali-feldspar granite porphyry range from 0.26 to 0.84, −8.0 to −6.1, and 0.79 to 1.08, respectively. Binary mixing modeling indicates that they were originated from the same sources with different proportion, namely, a mixing of 50% to 75% Neoproterozoic crust and 50% to 25% asthenospheric mantle. Together with previous works, we propose that the Early Cretaceous subduction of the ridge between the Pacific and Izanagi plates was responsible for the formation of the aluminous A-type granites in the LYRB. | Yangshan A-Type Granites in the Lower Yangtze River Belt Formed by Ridge Subduction: Radiogenic Ca and Nd Isotopic Constraints | 10.1007/s12583-021-1588-7 |
2022-06-01 | The corrosion evolution of steel disposal container largely depends on the evolution of surrounding bentonite environment in the long-term geological disposal of high-level radioactive wastes. This study focused on the influence of the deteriorated bentonite sediments on the corrosion behavior of NiCu low alloy steel in the top supernatant and bottom slurry formed by Gaomiaozi bentonite and 0.05 M NaHCO 3 + 0.1 M NaCl + 0.1 M Na 2 SO 4 solution. In the top supernatant, the cathodic process of the steel corrosion was transformed from the reduction in oxygen to the reduction in ferric corrosion products with time as same as that in the blank solution. While in the bottom bentonite slurry, the cathodic process always maintained as the hydrogen evolution reaction due to the coverage of more bentonite sediments. Meanwhile, the corrosion rate of NiCu steel was obviously decreased. In addition, the localized corrosion tendency of the steel could also be reduced by the large amount of deteriorated bentonite sediments. | Influence of Deteriorated Bentonite Sediments on the Corrosion Behavior of NiCu Low Alloy Steel | 10.1007/s40195-021-01278-2 |
2022-06-01 | Objectives/Introduction Superior cluneal neuralgia (SCN) is a distinct cause of lower back and/or leg pain related to pathology of the superior cluneal nerve (SCn). SCN has been termed pseudo-sciatica and is an overlooked differential diagnosis when patients are otherwise presenting with low back and/or radicular pain. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is commonly used for denervation of the medial branches of the dorsal root for facet joint syndrome for sacroiliac joint; however, RFA has not been described to ablate the SCn for SCN. Herein, we present a novel interventional minimally invasive approach using RFA of the SCn for SCN in a series of 46 patients. Methods Institutional review board approved retrospective chart review was used to collect data for all SCn RFA cases from January 1, 2018, to February 8, 2021. Fluoroscopically guided SCn ablations were performed for patients with a positive “iliac crest point sign,” reproductive of their back and leg pain during physical examination. Sensory stimulation was utilized to confirm RF cannula-probe placement adjacent to the SCn, and motor testing was used to confirm no distal motor response prior to monopolar RF ablation with a Halyard RF Generator (100 mm curved 22G 10 mm active tip RF cannulae). Charts were reviewed for time of analgesia follow-up, duration and degree of analgesia, improvements in patients’ functional capacity, and changes in medication. Results Data were reviewed for 51 patients who underwent Scn RFA, 5 of which were lost to follow-up. The remaining 46 patients consisted of 29 women and 17 men with a mean age of 59.4 years; 78.3% ( n = 36) had ongoing relief at a mean of 92.1 days follow-up, ranging from 13 to 308 days, with a mean of 92.3% analgesia (SD 15.0%). At a mean of 111.2 days of follow-up, ranging from 42–201 days, 21.7% ( n = 10) of patients reported that their pain had returned and had 95% analgesia during that time period (SD 6.7%); 41.3% ( n = 19) reported improved activity/gait, 17.4% reported improved mood ( n = 8), and 8.7% reported decreased medication use ( n = 4). Five patients had minor complications including bruising (1), 2–3 days of soreness on site (2), myofascial pain (1), and quadratus lumborus muscle spasm relieved with trigger point injection (1). Conclusions This is the first report of both technique and outcomes for radiofrequency ablation of superior cluneal neuralgia. This series suggests that RFA of the SCn is a suitable intervention for the treatment of SCN; 21.7% of patients reported a mean of 95% analgesia for a mean duration of 111.2 days, and the remaining 78.3% of patients reported ongoing relief with a mean of 92.3% analgesia at last follow-up (mean 92.1 days). There were no serious adverse events. | Radiofrequency Ablation of the Superior Cluneal Nerve: A Novel Minimally Invasive Approach Adopting Recent Anatomic and Neurosurgical Data | 10.1007/s40122-022-00385-x |
2022-06-01 | Sense amplifier has taken the center stage in the memories and peripheral circuits. Due to the raising demand of portable devices, the longer battery life has become the prominent issue for high-speed memories. Sense amplifiers, sensing the stored data in the memory. This work emphasizes a modified Double-Voltage, Double-Switch Level Restoration Voltage Latch Sense Amplifier (DVDS-LRVLSA). The cell has been investigated using LT Spice tool for 180 nm CMOS technology and its operative at 1.8 V. The performance of proposed SA is compared with other sense amplifier topologies. The proposed design maintains power at 2.2 uW which is reduced to half as compared to current latched sense amplifier (CLSA) and shows a significant reduction by a factor of 1/10 than that of Dual Voltage Cross Coupled Voltage Mode Sense Amplifier (DVCVMSA). Also, the current for proposed SA is obtained as 4.878 uA, which is improved by near to twice than that of Transmission Gate Cross-coupled Voltage latch Sense Amplifier (TGCVLSA). The Proposed SA design has least power and energy as well as improved current that may be proven more suitable for low power SRAM cells. | A low-power high-performance voltage sense amplifier for static RAM and comparison with existing current/voltage sense amplifiers | 10.1007/s41870-022-00916-x |
2022-06-01 | Wheat, barley or wheat + barley and herbs ( Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica and Emblica officinalis ) based low-glycemic-index (low-GI) foods were developed and studied α-amylase, α-glucosidase and DPP-IV inhibition property in vitro and in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The GI of products ranged from 47 to 53 than control white bread (GI = 95). Total phenolic (20.1 ± 1 mg gallic acid/g dry wt.) and flavonoids (15.2 ± 1 mg quercetin/g dry wt.) were higher in wheat + barley than barley (17.2 ± 1; 13.6 ± 2) and wheat (16.9 ± 1; 14.9 ± 2) products. The in vitro α-amylase (4–10%), α-glucosidase (5–17%) and DPP-IV (3–26%) inhibition (IC 50 ) of methanol extracts were higher than the aqueous extracts. The fasting blood glucose (50.85, 33.22 and 24.52%) and oral glucose tolerance (AUC = 32.1, 36.04, and 27.73%) was lower in barley, wheat, and wheat + barley fed diabetic groups than diabetic control group (1571.5 ± 13.5 mg/dL/120 min). Feeding wheat, barley, and W + B foods for 60 days inhibited the intestinal α-amylase (1.2, 1.1 and 1.5-folds), α-glucosidase (1.3, 1.2 and 1.7-folds) and DPP-IV (1.6, 1.5 and 2.1-folds) activity compared to diabetic control. Low-GI foods lower the systemic glucose level, inhibit the glycolytic enzymes and DPP-IV activity and hence desirable for diabetes management. | Low-glycemic foods with wheat, barley and herbs (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica and Emblica officinalis) inhibit α-amylase, α-glucosidase and DPP-IV activity in high fat and low dose streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat | 10.1007/s13197-021-05231-0 |
2022-06-01 | Excessive N-NO 3 − water pollution has become a widespread and serious problem that threatens human and ecosystem health. Here, a TiO 2 /SiO 2 composite photocatalyst was prepared via the sol–gel/hydrothermal method. TiO 2 and TiO 2 /SiO 2 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Fourier infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Afterward, the photocatalytic performance of TiO 2 and TiO 2 /SiO 2 to reduce low nitrate concentrations (30 mgN L −1 ) under UV light was evaluated and the effects of different factors on this process were investigated, after which the reaction conditions were optimized. Removal rates of up to 99.93% were achieved at a hole scavenger (formic acid) concentration of 0.6 mL L −1 , a CO 2 flow rate of 0.1 m 3 h −1 , and a TiO 2 concentration of 0.9 g L −1 . In contrast, TiO 2 /SiO 2 at a 1.4 g L −1 concentration and a TiO 2 load rate of 40% achieved a removal rate of 83.48%, but with more than 98% of nitrogen generation rate. NO 2 − and NH 4 + were the minor products, whereas N 2 was the main product. | Characterization of TiO2 and an as-prepared TiO2/SiO2 composite and their photocatalytic performance for the reduction of low-concentration N-NO3− in water | 10.1007/s11356-022-18793-z |
2022-06-01 | Soil salinity represents one of the major threats of land degradation and desertification under arid and semi-arid environments. It has an adverse influence on soil-water-plant relationships, posing serious challenges to agricultural productivity. The main objective of this work was to monitor the effect of farmyard manure (FYM) application and irrigation with low-quality water on the dynamics of dissolved salts and yield of rice crop ( Oryza sativa L. ) under flooded conditions. Accordingly, field and column experiments were carried out with three treatments of irrigation water, namely, tap, saline-sodic, and saline, as well as three rates of FYM application (0, 12, and 24 Mg ha -1 ). The obtained data indicated that the highest grain yields were found under the treatment with tap water followed by saline water amended with FYM at 24 Mg ha -1 . The loss of ions (Na + , HCO 3 - , Cl - , NO 3 - , SO 4 2- ) from the soil irrigated with saline water was greater than that from irrigated with saline-sodic water. The addition of FYM led to an increase in the leaching of most ions (Na + , HCO 3 - , and Cl - in particular) and decreased their accumulation in soils irrigated with saline and saline-sodic waters. The regression studies revealed that FYM application may be attributed to the increase in soil resistance against secondary salinization through improving water and salt flux out of the rhizosphere. Under flooded conditions, these findings support the hypothesis that using FYM in conjunction with saline irrigation water has a beneficial effect, while saline-sodic irrigation water should be used with a calcium source. | Dynamics of Dissolved Ions in the Rhizosphere Under Flooded Conditions | 10.1007/s42729-021-00738-z |
2022-06-01 | Space-born missions designed to search for exo-planets are providing us with high-precision photometric time series very well suited to measure the rotation period of solar- and lower-mass stars. Considering the large number of stars monitored during the mission life, the possibility to inspect each periodogram is out of question and, therefore, each method to search for rotation periods applied either individually or in combination is designed to automatically select the best rotation period estimate. In the case of unresolved binary stars it is possible to measure the rotation period of both components, when these are both variable and have comparable magnitude. On the other hand, the detection of two different rotation periods from the same photometric timeseries can represents a tool to unveil the binary nature of the star. In this paper, we present the case of the star TWA 23, a member of the young TWA association, as just one example of numerous cases. These may occur when the star is an unresolved binary and the variability of the secondary component is present in the time series. However, the frequency of the primary and dominant power peak in the periodogram, originating from the primary component, needs to be pre-whitened to allow the frequency of the secondary component to be detected. Considering the possible presence of undiscovered close binaries in the input catalogs of various ongoing or future missions aimed at exoplanet search, it becomes advisable to follow routinely this filtering approach to prevent to miss relevant information on the true binary nature of stars. | Unveiling unresolved stellar components from photometry | 10.1007/s10686-022-09834-z |
2022-06-01 | Purpose In clinical use of low-level laser therapy for bone regeneration (LLLT), application protocol (dose, duration, and repetitions) has not been established. This study aimed to depict a reliable dosage of LLLT by evaluating the efficacy of different dosing of LLLT (diode) on the healing of rabbit cranial defects. Methods Critical size defects were prepared in calvarias of 26 New Zealand White Rabbits in such each animal containing both test and control groups. Test groups were irradiated with 4 Joule/cm 2 (j/cm 2 ), 6 j/cm 2 , and 8 j/cm 2 . The rabbits were subjected to six times of laser treatments in 10 days. At the end of the second week, 5 rabbits were sacrificed for histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. At the 4th and 8th weeks, 20 rabbits (10 each) were sacrificed for micro-CT and histopathological analyses. Results Micro-CT evaluation revealed improved new bone formation in all test groups compared to the control group. 6 j/cm 2 group demonstrated the highest bone formation. The highest bone morphogenic protein -2 levels were found in the 4 j/cm 2 group. Osteocalcin expression was significantly higher in 4 j/cm 2 group. Conclusions Our findings indicate that LLLT have a positive effect on new bone formation. The high efficacy of doses of 4 j/cm 2 and 6 j/cm 2 is promising to promote early bone healing. | In vivo efficacy of low-level laser therapy on bone regeneration | 10.1007/s10103-021-03487-8 |
2022-06-01 | With the integration of circuits, number of gates and transistors are increasing per chip area. However with integration in every digital circuit, the energy due to switching of gate doesn’t decrease at same rate as gates are increased per chip area. Due to this, power dissipation becomes significant and also reduction of heat becomes more complicated and expensive. The CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) Logic family is preferred for digital circuits due to its performance and impeccable noise margins over other families. However, in CMOS based circuits dynamic power requirement is becoming major concern in digital circuits. The aim ofthis paper is to carry out work that is focused on reducing the power dissipation in circuits, which increases with down scaling of circuits. The experimental work is carried out on 2:1 multiplexer and full adder circuit. Adiabatic logic with positive feedback (PFAL) is applied to redesign the circuit with input power taken as sinusoidal source of 3.3 V and analysis is done for power dissipation between conventional based CMOS circuit and PFAL based CMOS circuit. In comparison with the conventional CMOS based 2:1 multiplexer circuit, the designed PFAL based CMOS 2:1 multiplexer circuit has lesser power dissipation which is measured as 80.871 picoWatts as compared to conventional CMOS circuit which has 6.9090 nanoWatts with the same behavior of circuit. Also for full adder conventional CMOS circuit has 48.0452 picoWatts while PFAL based full adder has 3.9089 picoWatts. | Design and Power Dissipation Consideration of PFAL CMOS V/S Conventional CMOS Based 2:1 Multiplexer and Full Adder | 10.1007/s12633-021-01221-1 |
2022-06-01 | The fracture can be a good channel for oil and gas migration, which has a great influence on the permeability of the reservoir. Therefore, it is of major significance to identify fractures and determine the characterization parameters and physical properties of fractured reservoirs. In this study, homogeneous sandstone was used to simulate different artificially fractured rocks. The fractured rock samples had different fracture widths, fracture numbers, and fracture dip angles. In addition, the complex impedance and weights of the rock samples were measured during the process of natural evaporation, and the relationships between the water saturation and the complex resistivity values at different frequencies were examined. The frequency range is 100 Hz–10 kHz. It was found that the influence effects of frequency on the resistivity, dielectric constant, and loss factor had differed among the homogeneous samples and the fractured rock sample. The fracturing had led to the resistivity index and the water saturation curves separating under the different frequencies, and the degree of the dielectric constant index and water saturation curve separation became larger. Furthermore, the influencing effects of the fracture widths, fracture numbers, and fracture dip angles mainly occurred in terms of three aspects. The first was the slope of the resistivity index and water saturation curves ( I R – S w ). The second was the slope of the dielectric constant index and water saturation curves ( I ε – S w ), and the third was the loss tangent D and water saturation S w curves. | An experimental study on the complex resistivity of fractured rock under different saturation conditions | 10.1007/s11600-022-00762-2 |
2022-06-01 | High-level arsenic exposure is widely considered to be associated with hypertension. However, the relationship between arsenic metabolism and hypertension under high-level exposure remains controversial. In addition, the evidence at low-to-moderate levels remains unelucidated. This research aims to evaluate the relationship between arsenic metabolism and the risk of hypertension in a Chinese population under different levels of arsenic exposure. A cross-sectional survey of 1932 participants exposed to different arsenic concentrations through contaminated drinking water was conducted in epidemic areas in southwest and northwest China. Based on the World Health Organization’s drinking-water standards, the study population was stratified into two subgroups: high-exposure (water As concentration (wAs) ≥ 50 μg/L) and low-to-moderate (10 ≤ wAs < 50 μg/L) exposure. Arsenic metabolism capacity was evaluated by the relative fractions of inorganic arsenic (iAs), monomethylarsenate (MMA) and dimethylarsenate (DMA) in urine (denoted by iAs%, MMA%, DMA%, primary methylation index and the secondary methylation index). The relationship between arsenic metabolism and hypertension was evaluated by the leave-one-out approach, which modeled the dynamics of arsenic metabolism. There were significant differences and associations between individual factors and the distribution of urinary arsenic metabolites at different arsenic exposure levels. Increased MMA% was associated with higher risk of hypertension when either iAs% or DMA% decreased at different arsenic exposures. iAs% was associated with lower risk of hypertension only when MMA% decreased in both subgroups. In addition, higher DMA% was both associated with lower hypertension prevalence when either iAs% or MMA% decreased only at low-to-moderate arsenic exposure. In summary, arsenic metabolism, particularly higher MMA%, was associated with increased risk of hypertension in the Chinese arsenic-exposed population with both high and low-to-moderate levels, which provides additional evidence for the assessment of arsenic-induced hypertension incident. | The Association Between Arsenic Metabolism and Hypertension Among Population with Varying Arsenic Exposure Levels in China | 10.1007/s12403-022-00462-8 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract Hydrophilicity of the aluminium thin film’s surface is one of the imperative surface characteristics needed for metal pad bonding process in microelectronic circuitries. In this paper, we present a study on the influence of argon plasma exposure on the surface properties of sputter-deposited aluminium thin film layer. The exposure of aluminium thin film layer in argon plasma at atmospheric pressure and low pressure are carried out and compared. The water contact angle and surface topology of the aluminium’s surface are inspected. The aluminium–gold metal–metal ohmic contact resistance and the aluminium thin film sheet resistivity are measured. Argon plasma has modified the originally hydrophobic aluminium’s surface into hydrophilic profile, which may be related to its increase of surface energy. Higher/smaller thin film surface roughness has been measured from the low-pressure/atmospheric-pressure argon plasma exposure that produces thin film with higher (9.64 Ω)/smaller (6.78 Ω) contact resistivity compared to the unexposed aluminium thin film layer (7.85 Ω). The argon plasma exposure treatment on the aluminium thin film has generally improved its surface properties, inducing hydrophilicity surface profile for the aluminium metal pad. The conducted treatment at the atmospheric pressure level specifically helps to reduce the surface roughness and increase the thin film layer conductivity. | Aluminium Thin Film Surface Modification via Low-Pressure and Atmospheric-Pressure Argon Plasma Exposure | 10.1134/S1027451022030387 |
2022-06-01 | Background Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a severe complication of rectal cancer low anterior resection (LAR). Ileostomy, the most common method to reduce the severity of AL, is associated with the risk of permanent stoma and an additional operation for stoma reversal. This purpose of this study is to develop a novel protective technique called the stent-based diverting technique (SDT) to protect the anastomosis following LAR. Methods From March 2020 to December 2020, thirty-four patients treated with LAR followed by SDT were enrolled prospectively at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital. Demographic characteristics, laboratory test results, surgical outcomes, and oncological features were recorded. Results Overall, the median period of stent degradation was 21 (18–24) days. One patient (2.9%) had anastomotic leakage, and another patient (2.9%) had intestinal obstruction, while no other complications (e.g., intestinal volvulus, perforation, fistula) were observed in this study. Conclusions The unique SDT may be a novel approach to prevent anastomotic leakage following low anterior resection of rectal cancer. | A stent-based diverting technique after low anterior resection of rectal cancer: our preliminary experience | 10.1007/s00423-022-02433-8 |
2022-06-01 | Trinidad and Tobago (TT) have been producing crude oil commercially since 1908. For the past few decades, TT’s crude oil production has been in steady decline because most of the oil reservoirs are beyond the primary phase of their production. This situation coupled with lower energy prices have resulted in a shortfall in TT’s energy revenues and presents TT with major economic challenges. The objective of this study was to optimize a field simulation model of a combined Low Salinity Polymer Gel flood to highlight the possibility that Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) can boost crude oil production especially from heavy oil reserves and mature fields. A field simulation model of the EOR 26 Upper Forest Sands was built using the CMG Builder software. The EOR 26 Upper Forest Sand reservoirs of the Forest Reserve field are delineated by shale-outs, faults and water–oil contacts. The entire Forest Reserve is bordered by the Fyzabad anticline to its north-west and the Los Bajos fault to its south-west. A dynamic field simulation model of the combined Low Salinity Polymer Gel flooding of EOR 26 Upper Forest Sands was created using CMG STARS software and the optimum parameters of polymer gel concentration, salinity concentration and injection rates and pressure for the highest oil recovery were investigated. The highest oil recovery was obtained using a polymer gel concentration of 500 ppm with a salinity of 1000 ppm and an injection rate of 900 bbls/day during continuous polymer gel injection for a period of 545 days. The polymer gel injection was preceded by pre flush water injection for 180 days and followed by water injection for the duration of the ten (10) year period. The predicted oil recovery for the project is an additional 14.52% of OOIP and is considered economically feasible at a crude oil price of US$50 per barrel with a payback period of two years and an IRR of 63.53%. | The optimization and economic evaluation of oil production using low salinity polymer flood: a case study for EOR 26 | 10.1007/s13202-021-01406-9 |
2022-06-01 | Studies have shown intriguing associations between gestational PM 2.5 exposure and preeclampsia (PE), as well as fetal growth restriction (FGR). This study investigated the impact of PM 2.5 exposure on gestational hypertension and fetal outcome in a preeclampsia-like rat model. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to either filtered (FA) or PM 2.5 -contaminated air during the whole pregnancy period. A PE-like rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of L-NAME (300 mg/kg) from gestational day (GD) 12 to until GD20. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), weight gain, pup weight and placental weight were measured. The percentages of rat Treg/Th17 cells and Th17-related cytokines were examined by flow cytometry. Gene expression profiles were analyzed by microarray, and the expression of differentially expressed genes was validated by qRT-PCR. The results showed that maternal PM 2.5 exposure had no effect on SBP but was associated with low birth weight (LBW) and a higher labyrinth/basal zone ratio. The percentages of splenic Th17 cells from the PM 2.5 group of PE-like rats were higher than those from the FA or PM 2.5 groups of healthy controls. A significantly decreased Treg/Th17 cell ratio was found in the PM 2.5 group of PE-like rats. The mRNA expression of Foxp3 was downregulated, while the mRNA expression of RORα and RORγτ was upregulated after PM 2.5 exposure. Furthermore, we observed that both the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-a, CCL2, CCL3 and CCR1 increased in the PM 2.5 groups. Our study suggested that systemic inflammation may contribute to the development of FGR associated with PM 2.5 exposure throughout pregnancy. | Effect of PM2.5 exposure on gestational hypertension, fetal size in preeclampsia-like rats | 10.1007/s11356-021-18233-4 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract — The results of studying the patterns of destruction and their influence on the wear resistance of 65G steel, hardened by high-speed electrothermal treatment (HSETT) during wear by sliding friction on a non-rigidly fixed abrasive are presented. It has been established that in the strength base of the wear mechanism of steel hardened by HSETT in conditions under consideration, the leading role is played by the resistance to the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks at the boundary of the region of nonlinear effects in the vicinity of the crack tip, and the mechanical component of the contact interaction is determining. This indicates a high sensitivity of the wear resistance of steel ε to its rheological-fatigue parameter R f . Therefore, it is advisable to rank low-alloy steels in terms of wear resistance using the rheological-fatigue parameter. It is shown that in the process of wear, residual tensile stresses of a plastic-destructive nature are formed on the working surface. Among the studied modes of thermal treatment, the lowest rate of crack propagation in steel was observed after HSETT, which ensured its wear resistance with steel hardened by surface hardening without tempering. It is proven that rheological-fatigue parameter R f is more adequate than hardness HV and rheological parameter R reflects the specifics of the contact interaction during sliding friction of steel on a non-rigidly fixed abrasive, which manifests itself in the simultaneous implementation of two cyclic processes in the contact zone, penetration and scratching abrasive. It has been stated that the hardening of 65G steel, used for the manufacturing of working tools of tillage machines in agriculture, by HSETT can serve as an effective means of increasing their wear resistance during sliding friction on a non-rigidly fixed abrasive. | Destruction of Steel Hardened by High-Speed Electrothermal Treatment during Sliding Friction on a Non-Rigidly Fixed Abrasive | 10.3103/S1068366622030047 |
2022-06-01 | The most serious threat which humans face is rapid global climate change, as the Earth shifts rapidly into a regime less hospitable to humans. To address the crisis caused by severe global climate change, it will be necessary to modify humankind’s way of life. Because livestock production accounts for more than 14.5% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is critical to reduce the dependence of humans on protein nutrients and calories obtained from livestock. One way to do so is to use insects as food. Compared with typical livestock, farming edible insects (or “mini-livestock”) produce fewer GHG emissions, require less space and water, involve shorter life cycles, and have higher feed conversion rates. It has been recently reported that consumption of certain insects can prevent or treat human diseases. This review goes beyond entomophagy to entomotherapy and their application to the food industry. | Sericulture and the edible-insect industry can help humanity survive: insects are more than just bugs, food, or feed | 10.1007/s10068-022-01090-3 |
2022-06-01 | Adipocyte accumulation in the bone marrow is a severe complication leading to bone defects and reduced regenerative capacity. Application of external mechanical signals to bone marrow cellular niche is a non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical methodology to improve osteogenesis and suppress adipogenesis. However, in the literature, the specific parameters related to the nature of low-intensity vibratory (LIV) signals appear to be arbitrarily selected for amplitude, bouts, and applied frequency. In this study, we performed a LIV frequency sweep ranging from 30 to 120 Hz with increments of 15 Hz applied onto preadipocytes during adipogenesis for 10 d. We addressed the effect of LIV with different frequencies on single-cell density, adipogenic gene expression, lipid morphology, and triglycerides content. Results showed that LIV signals with 75-Hz frequency had the most significant suppressive effect during adipogenesis. Our results support the premise that mechanical-based interventions for suppressing adipogenesis may benefit from optimizing input parameters. | Frequency-specific sensitivity of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to low-intensity vibratory stimulus during adipogenesis | 10.1007/s11626-022-00696-5 |
2022-06-01 | Phosphorus (P) fertilizers are produced from high-grade rock phosphates (HGRPs). The reserve of HGRP is finite and non-renewable. We are rapidly shrinking this reserve, by producing P fertilizers. This fact establishes the need of utilizing low-grade rock phosphates (LGRPs) for growing crops. In this experiment, LGRP was treated with 0.5 M oxalic acid solution. The oxalic-acid-treated LGRP was used to supplement chemical P fertilizer in incubation as well as pot experiments in Alfisol. During incubation experiment, oxalic-acid-treated LGRP treatment (T 3 ) significantly increased soil available P as compared to control (T 1 ) and untreated LGRP (T 2 ) treatments. Pot study revealed that under DAP+ oxalic-acid-treated LGRP treatment (T 4 ), oxalic-acid-treated LGRP (@60 mg P 2 O 5 kg -1 ) supplemented 50% DAP without hampering wheat yield and P uptake, at the same time maintained significantly higher total P, inorganic P, organic-P, Ca-P, saloid P and statistically at par available P, dehydrogenase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities as compared to DAP treatment (T 3 ) at all the growth stages of wheat. So, it can be inferred that 0.5 M oxalic acid solution treatment can be useful to utilize LGRP as supplemental P source to grow wheat. Oxalic-acid-treated LGRP (@60 mg P 2 O 5 kg -1 ) can successfully supplement 50% of the chemical P fertilizer for growing wheat. It also improves soil P fertility and sustains dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities in Alfisol. | Oxalic-acid-treated low-grade rock phosphate can supplement conventional phosphorus fertilizer to grow wheat in Alfisol | 10.1007/s42729-022-00779-y |
2022-06-01 | Evaluate the effects of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and photobiomodulation (PBM) as alternatives in the treatment of mastitis in sheep. A total of 100 sheep were evaluated, and four teats with clinical mastitis and 16 teats with subclinical mastitis were selected. Milk was collected for isolation and identification of microorganisms. They were grown on TSA, EMB, and MacConkey agar for 24 h, and the microorganisms were identified by Gram stain and biochemical tests. The ceilings were subdivided into four groups: G1, treatment with photosensitizer; G2, treatment with PBM (diode laser λ = 660 nm); G3, aPDT with methylene blue, and G4, control group. Milk samples were collected before, 24 and 48 h after treatments. Cases of subclinical mastitis presented coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Streptococcus spp, and clinical mastitis had Escherichia coli grow from the samples. The treatments decrease the total bacterial count of negative coagulase Staphylococcus , Streptococcus spp, and Escherichia coli . Comparing the treatments, aPDT stood out, as it was able to photoinactivate all bacteria. Treatment with methylene blue photosensitizer, PBM, and aPDT induced the initial microbial reduction, but aPDT was more effective 48 h after treatment. | Use of photodynamic therapy and photobiomodulation as alternatives for microbial control on clinical and subclinical mastitis in sheep | 10.1007/s10103-022-03506-2 |
2022-06-01 | Abstract A set of monolithic integrated circuits (MICs) in the 22–25 GHz range based on gallium nitride nanoheterostructures on sapphire substrates is designed, produced, and studied at Mokerov Institute of Ultra High Frequency Semiconductor Electronics (IUHFSE), Russian Academy of Sciences. Models of transceiver paths (TPs)of short-range radar stations (up to 10 m) and communication channels are assembled based on the manufactured MICs. The results of measuring the microwave characteristics of models of the receiving-transmitting paths are presented. The possibility of using the developed MICs in communication channels with digital and analog modulation is established. | Monolithic Integrated Circuits Based on Gallium Nitride for Short-Range Radar and Communications in the 22–25 GHz Frequency Range | 10.1134/S1063739722030088 |
2022-06-01 | Purpose Gustilo–Anderson type IIIB and IIIC open fractures of the lower extremities require reconstruction of extensively injured soft tissues using a free flap; however, impaired blood flow through the flap is an early postoperative complication. To detect flap congestion due to venous thrombosis, blood glucose and lactate level measurements within the flap are taken to determine variations in these levels. We aimed to detect early-stage venous congestion and to perform salvage operations. Methods We included 22 limbs with lower leg and foot open fractures, with fracture sites covered using a free flap. A pinprick test was used to measure blood glucose and lactate levels. Results Of 7 and 15 congested and non-congested limbs, respectively, the 7 congested limbs had a mean flap blood glucose level immediately before salvage surgery of 3.8 ± 2.0 (7.4–1.8) mmol/L. The ratio to blood glucose levels in healthy fingertips was 0.6 ± 0.2 (0.8–0.3). Lactate levels increased to 13.3 ± 5.1 (9.4–22.8) mmol/L. The ratio of blood glucose levels in congested flaps and in healthy fingertips was significantly lower than that in non-congested flaps and in healthy fingertips ( p = 0.0016). Lactate levels were significantly higher in patients with congestion ( p = 0.0013). Salvage surgery was performed, thrombi were removed, and six limb flaps were viable. Conclusion Flap blood glucose and lactate levels provide a quantitative method of evaluating blood flow and detecting flow abnormalities postoperatively, and are useful in detecting early congestion due to venous thrombosis. | Using blood glucose and lactate levels for early detection of venous congestion following a free flap procedure for lower extremity open fractures | 10.1007/s00068-021-01831-9 |
2022-06-01 | We aimed to compare low-level light therapy with oral contraceptive pills for pain relief and serum levels of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E 2 in patients with primary dysmenorrhoea. This was a randomised, active comparator-controlled, multicentre study. In total, 156 patients were randomised to receive either low-level light therapy with light-emitting diodes (LED) applying on two acupoints, namely, conception vessel 4 (CV4) and CV6 or conventional treatment with oral Marvelon, 30 µg of ethinyl estradiol and 150 µg of desogestrel (DSG/EE), for three consecutive menstrual cycles. The main outcome was the proportion of patients who achieved 33% or more decrease in pain scores measured using the visual analogue scale, which was deemed as efficient rate. Absolute changes in visual analogue scale scores, serum levels of nitric oxide (assessed by nitrites and nitrates reflecting nitric oxide metabolism) and prostaglandin E 2 (measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were the secondary outcomes. A total of 135 patients completed the study (73 in the light therapy group and 62 in the DSG/EE group). The efficient rate at the end of treatment was comparable between the groups (73.6% vs. 85.7%, χ 2 = 2.994, p = 0.084). A more significant reduction in pain scores was observed in the DSG/EE group (39.25% vs. 59.52%, p < 0.001). Serum levels of prostaglandin E 2 significantly decreased from baseline but did not differ between groups (− 109.57 ± 3.99 pg/mL vs. − 118.11 ± 12.93 pg/mL, p = 0.51). Nitric oxide concentration remained stable in both groups. Low-level light therapy with LED-based device applied on acupuncture points CV4 and CV6 demonstrated a similar level of dysmenorrhoea pain reduction to DSG/EE combined contraceptive. Both treatment modalities achieved clinically meaningful levels of pain reduction. Registration on ClinicalTrials.gov: TRN: NCT03953716, Date: April 04, 2019. | Comparative evaluation of low-level light therapy and ethinyl estradiol and desogestrel combined oral contraceptive for clinical efficacy and regulation of serum biochemical parameters in primary dysmenorrhoea: a prospective randomised multicentre trial | 10.1007/s10103-021-03490-z |
2022-06-01 | Abstract Three-dimensional numerical simulations were used to study the dependence of maximum energy of ions (protons) accelerated from low-density targets on the duration of the accelerating femtosecond laser pulse at its given total energy which, in particular, is important due to the latest achievements in the so-called postcompression of laser pulses to very short durations. It was shown that an optimum pulse length exists, which leads to maximum proton energy acquired in the regime of their maximum efficient synchronized acceleration by the “slow light” (A. V. Brantov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 116 , 085004 (2016) [1]) and that the ultra shortening of the laser pulse does not lead to the increase in the maximum ion energy despite the increased intensity of laser light. | Dependence on Laser Pulse Duration of the Maximum Energy of Protons Accelerated by Intense “Slow Light” | 10.1134/S1063780X22700192 |
2022-06-01 | Purpose Root-derived low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) can impact the decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) after being released into soils. However, the influence of individual LMWOA (e.g., oxalic acid) inputs on the destabilization of physicochemically protected SOM remains largely unknown. Methods Using artificial roots in a firmly controlled rhizosphere system, we daily added oxalic acid solutions to soils collected from two subalpine coniferous forests (a 70‐year‐old spruce plantation and a 200‐year‐old spruce‐fir dominated forest) and incubated the soils for over 25 days. Results The addition of oxalic acid significantly decreased the concentrations of iron bound in metal–organic complexes (Fe-MOCs), aluminum bound in metal–organic complexes (Al-MOCs), iron bound in short-range order phases (Fe-SROs), and iron bound in short-range order phases (Al-SROs) by 35%, 13%, 16%, and 30%, respectively, across the two forest soils. This result indicated that the oxalic acid addition promoted the destabilization of physicochemical-protected SOM. This destabilization of protected SOM was mainly caused by breaking crosslinking between carboxylic groups and multivalent cations and the release of aromatic carbon (C) from mineral-organic associations, as indicated by the concurrently decreased zeta potential and the prominently featured resonances assigned to aromatic functional groups in the corresponding spectra of the near edge X-ray absorption fine structure after the addition of oxalic acid. In addition, compared to that of the spruce plantation, the addition of oxalic acid induced greater changes in the metal pools (Fe and Al) bound in MOCs and SROs in the spruce-fir forest, which indicated that the oxalic acid-induced destabilization of physicochemical-protected SOM might also be regulated by native soil properties. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that the input of LMWOAs to soils could stimulate the destabilization of physicochemical-protected SOM, which is presumably involved in the disruption of mineral-organic associations by breaking the crosslinking bonds and releasing aromatic C. The destabilization of physicochemically protected SOM may accelerate SOM decomposition, and thus, the input of LMWOAs to soils has important ecological implications for the biogeochemical cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. | Facilitated destabilization of physicochemically protected soil organic matter by root-derived low-molecular-weight organic acids | 10.1007/s11368-022-03188-x |
2022-06-01 | Photobiomodulation therapy (PBM) is often used to treat musculoskeletal disorders such as chronic non-specific low back pain (NSCLBP) as it can have positive effects on biomarkers—creatine kinase (CK) and serum cortisol levels—related to stress caused by physical exercise, such as deep water running (DWR) or by pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the combination of PBM and aquatic exercise (DWR) on the intensity of pain, disability, 6-min walk test adapted (6WTA), and on cortisol and creatine kinase (CK) levels in a population with NSCLBP. The participants were allocated into three groups: TG PBM (Photobiomodulation and Training Group), TG PLA (Placebo Photobiomodulation and Training Group), and the G PBM (Photobiomodulation Group). Information regarding anthropometric data, blood pressure, and heart rate were collected, and the questionnaires were applied: IPAQ-Short Form, Oswestry Disability Index, and the Visual Analog Scale for Pain. The submaximal exercise test (6WTA) was performed. Blood was collected for analysis of cortisol and CK levels. The training sessions were performed twice a week, for 4 weeks. In the intragroup comparisons, there were statistically significant changes in the TG PBM and G PBM groups in the outcomes pain intensity, disability (reductions in both groups), and in cortisol (increased in the TG PBM and reduced in the G PBM ); in the TG PLA group, there was a statistically significant reduction only in the outcome of pain intensity. In the intergroup comparison, in the comparison between TG PBM and TG PLA , there was a statistically significant difference in the level of cortisol, as well as in the comparison between TG PBM and G PBM , in which there was a statistically significant difference for this same outcome (cortisol) and for the 6WTA outcome. The effects of the combination of PBM and aquatic exercise have positive effects on reducing pain intensity, disability, and cortisol levels, but its effects on other variables (6WTA and CK) are too small to be considered significant. Trial registration number: NCT03465228—April 3, 2019; retrospectively registered (ClinicalTrials.gov). | Effects of photobiomodulation and deep water running in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial | 10.1007/s10103-021-03443-6 |
2022-06-01 | The Nanling-Xuancheng ore region of Anhui Province is located in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt. Insufficient exploration and research have been carried out in this newly defined ore district, although the Chating large porphyry Cu-Au deposit and a few middle-sized skarn-type Cu polymetallic deposits have been discovered. In this study, we carried out high-resolution seismic reflection, magnetotelluric, gravity, and magnetic investigations, and constructed the 3D geological structure of the uppermost crust in a depth range of 0–5 km using a comprehensive inversion of the new data constrained by previous deep-drilling data. We hence proposed some new insights to understand the mineralization processes of this district. A system of alternating ridges and valleys is suggested as the major structure pattern, composed of “two-layer structure” of the basins and “three-layer structure” of anticlines. Moreover, a conjugated fault system and its distribution features are revealed in our models, including the Jiangnan fault, Zhouwang fault, and Kunshan thrust nappe. The Jiangnan and Kunshan faults are suggested to have controlled the diagenesis and metallogenesis. Two deep concealed plutons located in Chating and Magushan are found, forming the Mesozoic diorite-felsic intrusions. These intrusions are believed to be the causes of hydrothermal deposits such as the Chating deposit and the Magushan deposit. | A 3D Investigation of Geological Structure and Its Relationship to Mineralization in the Nanling-Xuancheng Ore District, Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt, China | 10.1007/s12583-021-1577-x |
2022-05-31 | Biosorbents are an alternative pollutant adsorbent, usually sourced from waste biomass and requiring little to no treatment. This makes them cheaper than conventional adsorbents. In this paper, green pea ( Pisum sativum) haulm was used as a biosorbent for the adsorption of methylene blue dye. The potential application of pea haulm as a biosorbent has not been investigated before. Characterisation using scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and thermal gravitational analysis showed the surface to be coarse, detected functional groups important for adsorption and identified the composition of key biomass components. The effects of particle size, contact time, agitation, dosage, solution pH, temperature and initial dye concentration on the removal of MB by pea haulm were investigated. Using the data from these studies, the best fitting kinetic and isotherm models were found and the thermodynamic properties were identified. The maximum theoretical adsorption capacity was 167 mg/g, which was relatively high compared to other recent biosorbent studies. The pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models were the best fitting models. The biosorption process was exothermic and spontaneous at low temperatures. It was concluded that pea haulm was an effective adsorbent of methylene blue and could perhaps find application in wastewater treatment. | Agricultural Pea Waste as a Low-Cost Pollutant Biosorbent for Methylene Blue Removal: Adsorption Kinetics, Isotherm And Thermodynamic Studies | 10.1007/s13399-022-02865-8 |
2022-05-27 | Background Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder affecting neuromuscular junctions. Cytokines play important roles in facilitating the immune response and augmenting the pathogenic antibody production. The current study aims to sensitively characterize the serum levels of cytokines with very low concentration in generalized MG (gMG). Methods Using ultrasensitive single-molecule arrays (SIMOA), we measured serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-12p70 in 228 participants including 152 immunotherapy-naïve anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) subtype gMG from Huashan MG registry and 76 age-matched healthy controls. Subgroup analysis was then performed by stratifying patients according to the onset ages, MGFA classification, disease duration at baseline. Results Serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-12p70 levels were significantly elevated in gMG compared to controls (0.179 pg/mL versus 0.011 pg/mL, P < 0.0001; 0.029 pg/mL versus 0.018 pg/mL, P = 0.0259; 0.215 pg/mL versus 0.143 pg/mL, P = 0.0007; 0.132 pg/mL versus 0.118 pg/mL, P = 0.0401). Subgroup analysis revealed that IL-2 levels were slightly elevated in gMG with MGFA II compared to MGFA III/IV (0.195 pg/mL versus 0.160 pg/mL, P = 0.022), as well as elevated levels of IL-2 (0.220 pg/mL versus 0.159 pg/mL, P = 0.0002) and IL-5 (0.251 pg/mL versus 0.181 pg/mL, P = 0.004) in late-onset gMG compared with the early-onset gMG. gMG patients with a long duration had a significant increased serum IL-12p70 than those with a short duration (0.163 pg/mL versus 0.120 pg/mL, P = 0.011). Conclusion Serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-12p70 levels were increased in AChR subtype gMG using ultrasensitive measurement. Serum cytokines with very low concentrations may provide as potential biomarkers in stratifying gMG patients in future prospective cohort studies. | Increased serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-12p70 levels in AChR subtype generalized myasthenia gravis | 10.1186/s12865-022-00501-8 |
2022-05-24 | Tin selenide (SnSe) with an orthorhombic system has recently become a hot spot in the thermoelectric field owing to its low thermal conductivity and high melting point. In this work, P-type SnSe nanoparticles with a mean diameter ca.20–25 nm have been synthesized first by a facile liquid-phase method. Interestingly, the synthesized SnSe nanoparticles have transformed from an intrinsic P-type to an N-type semiconductor after being annealed due to the generation of SnSe 2 secondary phase. The SnSe samples have been characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, TEM, laser flash, and BET, and the results show that the nanostructure and the presence of SnSe 2 secondary phase enhance phonon scattering effect leading to freshly formed N-type SnSe that has an ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity and a low total thermal conductivity (0.368 Wm −1 K −1 , 0.393 Wm −1 K −1 ) at 723 K. Obviously, this work provides a new way to obtain an N-type SnSe nanomaterial with ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity. Graphical abstract The nano-scale P-type SnSe semiconductor material has been synthesized by a liquid phase method, then has been transformed into an N-type semiconductor after being annealed. The obtained N-type SnSe nanopaticles had an ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity with good stability and repeatability, 0.368 Wm −1 K −1 at 723 K. | SnSe nanoparticles with the ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity: synthesis and characterization | 10.1007/s11051-022-05490-8 |
2022-05-24 | Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) on wound healing, pain, and discomfort at free gingival graft (FGG) donor sites. Methods Sixteen patients in need of bilateral FGG were selected for this randomized, controlled, triple-blinded, and split mouth clinical trial. The FGG donor sites in test group were treated with LLLT GaAlAs 940 nm, 5 J/cm 2 immediately after surgery and every other day within the following ten days. The control group received sham irradiation. Remaining Wound Area (RWA), Epithelialization and color match were evaluated on the day of surgery and 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60 days after surgery. A questionnaire was administered to measure pain and bleeding in the first ten days after surgery. Results RWA was significantly smaller in the test than control group on the days 7 ( p < 0.001) and 14 ( p = 0.048) after the surgery. Bleeding was higher in the test group than in the control group on the day of surgery ( p = 0.046). Pain and discomfort at the palatal donor site, however, had no significant difference between laser and control group during 11 days after the surgery ( p > 0.05), nor did the Color match scores on the 28th and 60th days after the surgery ( p > 0.05). Conclusions It can be concluded that PBM enhances FGG donor site wound healing one and two weeks after the surgery. Trial registration IRCT2017092036203N2, registered 01.11.2017. | Effect of GaAlAs 940 nm Photobiomodulation on palatal wound healing after free gingival graft surgery: a split mouth randomized controlled clinical trial | 10.1186/s12903-022-02229-8 |
2022-05-23 | Background Transcriptome sequencing is an effective tool to reveal the essential genes and pathways underlying countless biotic and abiotic stress adaptation mechanisms. Although severely challenged by diverse environmental conditions, the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai remains a high-value aquaculture mollusk and a Chinese predominantly cultured abalone species. Salinity is one of such environmental factors whose fluctuation could significantly affect the abalone’s cellular and molecular immune responses and result in high mortality and reduced growth rate during prolonged exposure. Meanwhile, hybrids have shown superiority in tolerating diverse environmental stresses over their purebred counterparts and have gained admiration in the Chinese abalone aquaculture industry. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of low salinity adaptation in abalone. Therefore, this study used transcriptome analysis of the gill tissues and flow cytometric analysis of hemolymph of H. discus hannai (DD) and interspecific hybrid H. discus hannai ♀ x H. fulgens ♂ (DF) during low salinity exposure. Also, the survival and growth rate of the species under various salinities were assessed. Results The transcriptome data revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched on the fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis (FSS) pathway. Meanwhile, the expression profiles of some essential genes involved in this pathway suggest that abalone significantly up-regulated calmodulin-4 (CaM-4) and heat-shock protein90 (HSP90), and significantly down-regulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF), bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB). Also, the hybrid DF showed significantly higher and sustained expression of CaM and HSP90, significantly higher phagocytosis, significantly lower hemocyte mortality, and significantly higher survival at low salinity, suggesting a more active molecular and hemocyte-mediated immune response and a more efficient capacity to tolerate low salinity than DD. Conclusions Our study argues that the abalone CaM gene might be necessary to maintain ion equilibrium while HSP90 can offset the adverse changes caused by low salinity, thereby preventing damage to gill epithelial cells (ECs). The data reveal a potential molecular mechanism by which abalone responds to low salinity and confirms that hybridization could be a method for breeding more stress-resilient aquatic species. | Transcriptome analysis reveals fluid shear stress (FSS) and atherosclerosis pathway as a candidate molecular mechanism of short-term low salinity stress tolerance in abalone | 10.1186/s12864-022-08611-8 |
2022-05-23 | Background Early-onset sepsis is an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the preterm population. Infants perceived to be at increased risk for early-onset sepsis are often treated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics while awaiting confirmatory blood cultures, despite an overall incidence of early-onset sepsis of 2–3% among extremely-low-birthweight (ELBW) infants. Recent observational studies associate perinatal antibiotic use with an increased incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, and mortality among ELBW infants. Given currently available data and variability in clinical practice, we designed a prospective multi-institutional randomized controlled trial to determine the safety of early antibiotic use in ELBW infants. Methods The NICU Antibiotics and Outcomes (NANO) trial is a multicenter, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial. A sample of 802 ELBW preterm infants will undergo web-based stratified block randomization to receive empiric antibiotics (EA; ampicillin and gentamicin) or placebo during routine evaluation for early-onset sepsis. Participating sites will use preexisting institutional protocols for antibiotic dosage and duration. Infants born at participating sites with a gestational age of 29 weeks or less are eligible for enrollment. Exclusion criteria include maternal intrauterine infection, hemodynamic or respiratory instability, delivery by caesarean section for maternal indications without labor or prolonged rupture of membranes, and prior administration of antibiotics. The primary outcome is the composite incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, or death during participants’ index hospitalization. Maternal and infant samples will be collected longitudinally and assessed for differences in microbiome composition and diversity. Discussion The NANO trial is designed to compare the rate of adverse outcomes of EA use at birth versus placebo in ELBW preterm infants. If EA at birth worsens clinical outcomes, then the results of the trial may help providers decrease antibiotic utilization in the NICU and subsequently decrease the incidence of complications associated with early antibiotic use in ELBW infants. If we instead find that EA improve outcomes, then the trial will validate a longstanding clinical practice that has not previously been supported by high-quality data. Future studies will assess long-term clinical and microbial outcomes in infants who received empiric antibiotics following delivery. Trial registration Trial registration data: June 25, 2019 NCT03997266 . | The NICU Antibiotics and Outcomes (NANO) trial: a randomized multicenter clinical trial assessing empiric antibiotics and clinical outcomes in newborn preterm infants | 10.1186/s13063-022-06352-3 |
2022-05-23 | We introduce and study generalized Rényi entropies defined through the traces of products of Tr B (| Ψ i ⟩⟨Ψ j | ) where ∣Ψ i ⟩ are eigenstates of a two-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT). When ∣Ψ i ⟩ = ∣Ψ j ⟩ these objects reduce to the standard Rényi entropies of the eigenstates of the CFT. Exploiting the path integral formalism, we show that the second generalized Rényi entropies are equivalent to four point correlators. We then focus on a free bosonic theory for which the mode expansion of the fields allows us to develop an efficient strategy to compute the second generalized Rényi entropy for all eigenstates. As a byproduct, our approach also leads to new results for the standard Rényi and relative entropies involving arbitrary descendent states of the bosonic CFT. | Generalized entanglement entropies in two-dimensional conformal field theory | 10.1007/JHEP05(2022)152 |
2022-05-21 | Composite materials are widely used in aerospace, naval and automotive applications due to their high strength and stiffness to weight ratio. Nevertheless, damages related to low-velocity impacts can compromise composite materials’ performances. The paper investigates the low-velocity impact behaviour of glass fibre-reinforced plastic laminates with various thicknesses and under different working conditions. In detail, composite laminates were subject to low-velocity impact tests by changing the temperature and the impact energy. The goal of these tests is to investigate some key features such as absorbed energy, maximum impact force, indentation depth, and delamination area. In addition, the experimental data allowed the training of artificial neural network-based models. The increase in the impact strength and the decrease in the specimens’ deflection confirmed greater rigid impact performance at low temperatures. This behaviour translates into a different onset and growth of damage, detecting lower indentation and delamination at the decrease in the temperature. Finally, the intelligent models can provide outstanding predictions, estimate complex nonlinear relationships between inputs and outputs, as well as signal the presence of anomalous data because of possible human error. | Neural network predictions of the impact behaviour of GFRP laminates | 10.1007/s40430-022-03554-3 |
2022-05-19 | The increasing prevalence of integrated on-chip optoelectronic devices has identified serious issues regarding inter-device transmission and coupling losses, highlighting an urgent need for on-chip waveguide amplifiers to compensate for these losses. Compared with other Er-based optical materials, erbium silicate is ideally suited to high-efficiency on-chip amplifiers and lasers because of its extremely high Er 3+ concentration (10 22 cm −3 ). Nevertheless, erbium silicate must be annealed above 1000°C to crystallize and activate the Er 3+ , which damages other on-chip optoelectronic components and is not conducive to device integration. Here, we report a low-fabrication-temperature, high-luminescence-efficiency gain material by adding Bi 2 O 3 to an erbium-ytterbium silicate mixed film. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed film crystallizes at 600° C while the activation of Er 3+ is also achieved, which is the lowest activation temperature of on-chip waveguide amplifier to our knowledge. This material forms the basis for a new chip-scale waveguide amplifier design, with a theoretical multi-energy-level model of Bi-Er-Yb in the mixed thin films used to analyze its signal enhancement properties. We achieve a peak on-chip gain of 23 dB in a 3.3-mm-long waveguide under the pump and signal powers of 300 mW and 1 µW, respectively. These results highlight the potential of the proposed material for realizing on-chip amplifiers and lasers for large-scale nanophotonic integrated circuits. | A low-fabrication-temperature, high-gain chip-scale waveguide amplifier | 10.1007/s11432-021-3360-0 |
2022-05-19 | Background Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Anura: Dicroglossidae) is distributed in China and Thailand and the former can survive substantially lower temperatures than the latter. The mitochondrial genomes of the two subspecies also differ: Chinese tiger frogs (CT frogs) display two identical ND5 genes whereas Thai tiger frogs (TT frogs) have two different ND5 genes. Metabolism of ectotherms is very sensitive to temperature change and different organs have different demands on energy metabolism at low temperatures. Therefore, we conducted studies to understand: (1) the differences in mitochondrial gene expression of tiger frogs from China (CT frogs) versus Thailand (TT frogs); (2) the differences in mitochondrial gene expression of tiger frogs (CT and TT frogs) under short term 24 h hypothermia exposure at 25 °C and 8 °C; (3) the differences in mitochondrial gene expression in three organs (brain, liver and kidney) of CT and TT frogs. Results Utilizing RT -qPCR and comparing control groups at 25 °C with low temperature groups at 8 °C, we came to the following results. (1) At the same temperature, mitochondrial gene expression was significantly different in two subspecies. The transcript levels of two identical ND5 of CT frogs were observed to decrease significantly at low temperatures ( P < 0.05) whereas the two different copies of ND5 in TT frogs were not. (2) Under low temperature stress, most of the genes in the brain, liver and kidney were down-regulated (except for COI and ATP6 measured in brain and COI measured in liver of CT frogs). (3) For both CT and TT frogs, the changes in overall pattern of mitochondrial gene expression in different organs under low temperature and normal temperature was brain > liver > kidney. Conclusions We mainly drew the following conclusions: (1) The differences in the structure and expression of the ND5 gene between CT and TT frogs could result in the different tolerances to low temperature stress. (2) At low temperatures, the transcript levels of most of mitochondrial protein-encoding genes were down-regulated, which could have a significant effect in reducing metabolic rate and supporting long term survival at low temperatures. (3) The expression pattern of mitochondrial genes in different organs was related to mitochondrial activity and mtDNA replication in different organs. | Mitochondrial gene expression in different organs of Hoplobatrachus rugulosus from China and Thailand under low-temperature stress | 10.1186/s40850-022-00128-7 |
2022-05-19 | The prospects for expanding the market of smokeless fuels require them both to have high thermal and mechanical characteristics and to minimize harmful emissions during combustion, regardless of the feedstock type. The aim of this work is to experimentally study the production of bio-coal pellets from pine nut shells with the addition of potato dextrin considered as a binder. As a result of the studies performed, a method for producing the high-strength smokeless solid biofuel in the form of pellets from char of pine nut shells and a solution of potato dextrin was proposed. The technological parameters of pellet molding were experimentally established using laboratory stands and include the following points: the proportion of potato dextrin in the binder composition is 10–12 wt. %, the proportion of the binder in the molding mixture is 30–40 wt. %, molding pressure is 150 MPa, allowed drying temperature is up to 160 °C. The possibility of implementing the proposed method on industrial equipment is also shown. The developed method makes it possible to obtain smokeless biofuel from pine nut processing wastes, thereby contributing to the reduction of the negative impact of energy sector on the environment. | Pine nut shells of Siberian cedar as a resource for the high-strength smokeless fuel | 10.1007/s13399-022-02820-7 |
2022-05-19 | Background Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a metabolic disease in which patients are prone to develop premature atherosclerosis (AS). Sorbin and SH3 Domain Containing 2 (SORBS2) is known to play a role in coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the mechanism underlying SORBS2 involvement in the development of hypercholesterolemia remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of SORBS2 on inflammation and foam cell formation and its underlying mechanisms. Methods Using Bioinformatics analysis, we established that SORBS2 is upregulated in patients with FH. Circulating concentrations of SORBS2 were measured using ELISA kit (n = 30). The association between circulating SORBS2 levels and inflammatory factors or lipid indexes were conducted using Spearman correlation analysis. We further conducted in vitro experiments that the expression of SORBS2 were analyzed, and SORBS2 siRNA were transfected into oxidized LDL (OxLDL)-induced macrophages, followed by western blot and immunofluorescence. Results Circulating SORBS2 levels were positively associated with inflammatory factors and lipid indexes. We also observed that high in vitro expression of SORBS2 in OxLDL-induced macrophages. After SORBS2 silencing, Nod like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 protein(NLRP3)-Caspase1 activation and NF-κB activation were attenuated, and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-18) was decreased. Moreover, SORBS2 silencing blocked reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid accumulation, and promoted cholesterol efflux through ABCG1-PPARγ pathway. Conclusions SORBS2 regulates lipid-induced inflammation and foam cell formation, and is a potential therapeutic target for hypercholesterolemia. | SORBS2 as a molecular target for atherosclerosis in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia | 10.1186/s12967-022-03381-z |
2022-05-19 | Background The study describes the application of the multiplex high-resolution melting curve (MHRM) assay for the simultaneous detection of five common bacterial pathogens ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli ) directly from bronchoalveolar lavage samples. Results Our MHRM assay successfully identified all five respiratory pathogens in less than 5 h, with five separate melting curves with specific melt peak temperatures (Tm). The different Tm were characterized by peaks of 78.1 ± 0.4 °C for S. aureus , 83.3 ± 0.1 °C for A. baumannii , 86.7 ± 0.2 °C for E. coli , 90.5 ± 0.1 °C for K. pneumoniae , 94.5 ± 0.2 °C for P. aeruginosa . The overall sensitivity and specificity of MHRM were 100% and 88.8–100%, respectively. Conclusions Our MHRM assay offers a simple and fast alternative to culture approach for simultaneous detection of five major bacterial lower respiratory tract infection pathogens. Utilization of this assay can help clinicians initiate prompt and appropriate antimicrobial treatment, towards reducing the morbidity and mortality of severe respiratory infections. | Multiplex detection of five common respiratory pathogens from bronchoalveolar lavages using high resolution melting curve analysis | 10.1186/s12866-022-02558-2 |
2022-05-14 | Low temperature is an important environmental factor that restricts the growth of Stropharia rugosoannulata ; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying S. rugosoannulata responses to low-temperature stress are largely unknown. In this study, we performed a transcriptome analysis of a high-sensitivity strain (DQ-1) and low-sensitivity strain (DQ-3) under low-temperature stress. The liquid hyphae of S. rugosoannulata treated at 25 °C and 10 °C were analyzed by RNA-Seq, and a total of 9499 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that these genes were enriched in “xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism”, “carbohydrate metabolism”, “lipid metabolism” and “oxidoreductase activity”. Further research found that carbohydrate enzyme (AA, GH, CE, and GT) genes were downregulated more significantly in DQ-1 than DQ-3 and several cellulase activities were also reduced to a greater extent. Moreover, the CAT1 , CAT2 , GR , and POD genes and more heat shock protein genes ( HSP20 , HSP78 and sHSP ) were upregulated in the two strains after low-temperature stress, and the GPX gene and more heat shock protein genes were upregulated in DQ-3. In addition, the enzyme activity and qRT–PCR results showed trends similar to those of the RNA-Seq results. This result indicates that low-temperature stress reduces the expression of different AA, GH, CE, and GT enzyme genes and reduces the secretion of cellulase, thereby reducing the carbohydrate metabolism process and mycelial growth of S. rugosoannulata . Moreover, the expression levels of different types of antioxidant enzymes and heat shock proteins are also crucial for S. rugosoannulata to resist low-temperature stress. In short, this study will provide a basis for further research on important signaling pathways, gene functions and variety breeding of S. rugosoannulata related to low-temperature stress. | Transcriptomic analysis of Stropharia rugosoannulata reveals carbohydrate metabolism and cold resistance mechanisms under low-temperature stress | 10.1186/s13568-022-01400-2 |
2022-05-14 | Background Admission hypothermia (AH, < 36.5℃) remains a major challenge for global neonatal survival, especially in developing countries. Baseline research shows nearly 89.3% of very low birth weight (VLBW, < 1500 g) infants suffer from AH in China. Therefore, a prospective multicentric quality improvement (QI) initiative to reduce regional AH and improve outcomes among VLBW neonates was implemented. Methods The study used a sequential Plan—Do—Study—Act (PDSA) approach. Clinical data were collected prospectively from 5 NICUs within the Sino-Northern Neonatal Network (SNN) in China. The hypothermia prevention bundle came into practice on January 1, 2019. The clinical characteristics and outcomes data in the pre-QI phase (January 1, 2018– December 31, 2018) were compared with that from the post-QI phase (January 1, 2019–December 31, 2020). Clinical characteristics and outcomes data were analyzed. Results A total of 750 in-born VLBW infants were enrolled in the study, 270 in the pre-QI period and 480 in the post- QI period, respectively. There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics of infants between these two phases. Compared with pre-QI period, the incidence of AH was decreased significantly after the QI initiative implementation in the post-QI period (95.9% vs. 71.3%, P < 0.01). Incidence of admission moderate-to-severe hypothermia (AMSH, < 36℃) also decreased significantly, manifesting a reduction to 38.5% in the post-QI (68.5% vs 30%, P < 0.01). Average admission temperature improved from after QI (35.5 $$\pm$$ ± 0.7℃ vs. 36.0 $$\pm$$ ± 0.6℃, P < 0.01). There was no increase in proportion the number of infants with a temperature of > 37.5 °C or thermal burns between the two groups. The risk ratio of mortality in infants during the post-QI period was significantly lower in the post-QI period as compared to the pre-QI period [adjusted risk ratio (aRR): 0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.13–0.50]. The risk ratio of late-onset neonatal sepsis (LOS) also significantly lowered in the post-QI period (aRR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50–0.87). Conclusion Implementation of multicentric thermoregulatory QI resulted in a significant reduction in AH and AMSH in VLBW neonates with associated reduction in mortality. We gained a lot from the QI, and successfully aroused the attention of perinatal medical staff to neonatal AH. This provided a premise for continuous quality improvement of AH in the future, and might provide a reference for implementation of similar interventions in developing countries. Trial registration Trial registration number: ChiCTR1900020861 . Date of registration: 21 January 2019(21/01/2019). Prospectively registered. | A standardized implementation of multicenter quality improvement program of very low birth weight newborns could significantly reduce admission hypothermia and improve outcomes | 10.1186/s12887-022-03310-5 |
2022-05-13 | Wood waste has the potential to be used in making a variety of goods, including engineered wood products, energy generation (heat and electricity), mulching, and animal bedding. These inexpensive and underutilized feedstocks have the potential to increase the added value of wood wastes. This paper aims to review the different possibilities on wood waste utilization and their prospects in Nepal. This information helps to find the proper way for future development of wood waste to deliver the best outcomes for the environment and economy. The review is based on an in-depth examination of credible literature and official statistical data. The study showed Nepal has not utilized wood waste except for firewood and a few engineered wood products. The problem with wood waste is the lack of adaptation of advanced technologies and the lack of institutions concerned with the benefits of utilization of those waste. This review concludes that wood waste can be a potential source for the production of different materials but the government should develop effective waste management rules to maximize the value of wood waste resources. Graphical abstract Wood waste could be used as a potential renewable energy source. Wood waste utilization can play an increasing role in the production of a variety of wood-based products that can become a viable alternative raw material. The use of recovered wood waste in secondary products might be a valuable outlet. | Wood waste utilization and associated product development from under-utilized low-quality wood and its prospects in Nepal | 10.1007/s42452-022-05061-5 |
2022-05-13 | Novel machine learning models (MLMs) using the seasonal indexing approach that captures the variation in air quality caused due to meteorological changes have been used to provide short-term, real-time forecasts of PM 2.5 concentration for one of the most polluted air quality control regions (AQCR) in the capital city of Delhi. Two MLMs—multi-linear regression and random forest—have been developed for using time series data for 1-h and 24-h average PM 2.5 concentration. Short-term, real-time forecasts have been made using the developed models. Various model performance evaluation indices indicate satisfactory model performance. R 2 values for the hourly and daily models varied between 0.95 and 0.72 and between 0.76 and 0.68 for the 1st to 5th h/day, respectively. The lagged values of PM 2.5 concentration (persistence) and the hourly and daily indices are the most influential variables for the forecasts for immediate time steps. In contrast, seasonal indices become more important with the forecasting time horizon. The developed models can be used for making short-term, real-time air quality forecasts and issuing a warning when the pollution levels go beyond acceptable limits. | A novel seasonal index–based machine learning approach for air pollution forecasting | 10.1007/s10661-022-10092-x |
2022-05-11 | In recent years, multistatic specular meteor radars (SMRs) have been introduced to study the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) dynamics with increasing spatial and temporal resolution. SMRs, compared to other ground-based observations, have the advantage of continuously measuring the region between 80 and 100 km independent of weather, season, or time of day. In this paper, frequency spectra of MLT horizontal winds are explored through observations from a campaign using the SIMONe (Spread-spectrum Interferometric Multistatic meteor radar Observing Network) approach conducted in northern Germany in 2018 (hereafter SIMONe 2018). The 7-day SIMONe 2018 comprised of fourteen multistatic SMR links and allows us to build a substantial database of specular meteor trail events, collecting more than one hundred thousand detections per day within a geographic area of $$\sim$$ ∼ 500 km $$\times$$ × 500 km. We have implemented two methods to obtain the frequency spectra of the horizontal wind components: (1) Mean Wind Estimation (MWE) and (2) Wind field Correlation Function Inversion (WCFI), which utilizes the mean and the covariances of the line of sight velocities, respectively. Monte Carlo simulations of a gravity wave spectral model were implemented to validate and compare both methods. The simulation analyses suggest that the WCFI helps us to capture the energy of smaller scale wind fluctuations than those capture with MWE. Characterization of the spectral slope of the horizontal wind at different MLT altitudes has been conducted on the SIMONe 2018, and it provides evidence that gravity waves with periods smaller than 7 h and greater than 2 h dominate with horizontal structures significantly larger than 500 km. In the future, these analyses can be extended to understand the significance of small-scale fluctuations in the MLT, which were not possible with conventional MWE methods. Graphical Abstract | Frequency spectra of horizontal winds in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region from multistatic specular meteor radar observations during the SIMONe 2018 campaign | 10.1186/s40623-022-01620-7 |
2022-05-11 | This study evaluated the effect of amino acids balanced at a specific lysine ratio with exogenous protease supplementation and reduced CP levels in the broiler diet. In total, 480 straight-run broiler chicks (Ross-308) were used for the study. A completely randomized design in the factorial arrangement was applied, with 4 treatments of 6 replicates with 20 birds each. Treatments consisted of 2 lysine ratios (100% and 110%; factor 1) without or with exogenous protease supplementation (200 g/ton; factor 2). Twenty percent reduction of CP from standard requirements of Ross-308 (18.4% vs 23% in starter and 17.2% vs 21.5% in grower phase) was made in all the treatment diets. Growth performance (feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, livability), carcass traits (live and carcass weight, carcass yield, heart, liver, gizzard, leg quarter, breast weight, and abdominal fat percentage), gut morphology (villus height, crypt depth, and villus height and crypt depth ratio), and serum metabolites (total protein, albumin, and uric acid) were evaluated. A significant interaction ( p ≤ 0.05) for lysine ratio and protease was noted in body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass traits, and gut morphology throughout the experimental period yet a non-significant ( p > 0.05) influence was observed on serum metabolites. It was concluded that the broiler diet with a net reduction of 20% CP from Ross-308 standards, balanced for amino acids at lysine ratio 110% and supplemented with exogenous protease, could be used to improve growth performance, intestinal health, and carcass traits. | Interactive effect of amino acids balanced at ideal lysine ratio and exogenous protease supplemented to low CP diet on growth performance, carcass traits, gut morphology, and serum metabolites in broiler chicken | 10.1007/s11250-022-03184-w |
2022-05-11 | A proper understanding of large-diameter mechanical caving drilling technology is essential, because this technology can effectively improve the efficiency of gas extraction. Therefore, this paper firstly introduces a novelty equipment of large-diameter mechanical caving drilling and then analyzes the permeability improvement mechanism through theoretical and numerical simulation. Finally, the field test on large-diameter mechanical caving drilling technology was conducted in Xinjing Coal Mine of Yangquan Mining Area, Shanxi Province, China. The results show that the evolution of stress, damage, and permeability around the caving borehole has obvious zoning characteristics. The increase of caving intensity increases the permeability improvement range and reduces the impact of stress concentration on permeability and then reduces the barrier effect of the permeability reduction area. Besides, the coal mass between caving boreholes has larger range and higher amplitude of unloading and damage compared to normal boreholes, changing the permeability distribution significantly. And under the condition of multi-stage caving drilling, the existence of high permeability area around the caving drilling section can promote gas drainage of the adjacent section as well. The radial influence range of the caving section to the normal section is about 2 m. The underground test showed that the drainage concentration of mechanical caving boreholes increased by 2 times and the methane drainage rate increased by 57% compared with normal boreholes, and the construction period of pre-drainage boreholes was reduced from 15 to 5 days. Therefore, the results of this study could provide theoretical basis for the field application of large-diameter mechanical caving drilling technology. | Permeability improvement mechanism and application of large-diameter mechanical caving drilling technology for promoting coal gas drainage | 10.1007/s12517-022-10201-7 |
2022-05-10 | Purpose To determine the efficacy of decreasing spinal curvature – when sleeping laterally – in reducing low-back pain (LBP) and improving sleep quality in people with chronic LBP. Secondly, to investigate whether sleeping positions, nocturnal movements, and skin temperature are related to pain in people with chronic LBP. Methods Sixteen subjects with chronic LBP (50% female, mean age 45.6 ± 13.1 years) slept for one night on their own mattress, followed by three nights on an experimental mattress – designed to reduce spinal curvature in lateral sleeping positions – and then a final night again on their own mattress. Sleep positions, nocturnal movements, skin temperature, and room temperature were measured throughout the five nights. Numerical pain ratings for pain while lying, pain on rising, stiffness on rising, sleep quality, and mattress comfort were recorded for both mattresses. Results The experimental mattress was associated with 18% ( p<.05) lower pain scores while lying and a 25% ( p<.01) higher comfort rating . Pain on rising, stiffness on rising, and sleep quality were not different between own and experimental mattress. The relationship between sleep positions and pain scores was non-significant, but pain when rising was positively correlated with nocturnal movement ( p<.05) and skin temperature was negatively correlated with pain while lying (p<0.05). Conclusion Pain while lying in bed decreased and comfort was higher for the experimental mattress compared to the participants’ own mattresses. | Effects of mattress support on sleeping position and low-back pain | 10.1186/s41606-022-00073-x |
2022-05-10 | Background Plants worldwide are often stressed by low Fe availability around the world, especially in aerobic soils. Therefore, the plant growth, seed yield, and quality of crop species are severely inhibited under Fe deficiency. Fe metabolism in plants is controlled by a series of complex transport, storage, and regulatory mechanisms in cells. Allohexaploid wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple upland crop species that is highly sensitive to low Fe stresses. Although some studies have been previously conducted on the responses of wheat plants to Fe deficiency, the key mechanisms underlying adaptive responses are still unclear in wheat due to its large and complex genome. Results Transmission electron microscopy showed that the chloroplast structure was severely damaged under Fe deficiency. Paraffin sectioning revealed that the division rates of meristematic cells were reduced, and the sizes of elongated cells were diminished. ICP-MS-assisted ionmics analysis showed that low-Fe stress significantly limited the absorption of nutrients, including N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and B nutrients. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing identified 378 and 2,619 genome-wide differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the shoots and roots between high-Fe and low-Fe conditions, respectively. These DEGs were mainly involved in the Fe chelator biosynthesis, ion transport, photosynthesis, amino acid metabolism, and protein synthesis. Gene coexpression network diagrams indicated that TaIRT1b-4A , TaNAS2-6D , TaNAS1a-6A , TaNAS1-6B, and TaNAAT1b-1D might function as key regulators in the adaptive responses of wheat plants to Fe deficiency. Conclusions These results might help us fully understand the morpho-physiological and molecular responses of wheat plants to low-Fe stress, and provide elite genetic resources for the genetic modification of efficient Fe use. | Combined morpho-physiological, ionomic and transcriptomic analyses reveal adaptive responses of allohexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to iron deficiency | 10.1186/s12870-022-03627-4 |
2022-05-07 | At present, insufficient works have provided insights into the application of adsorption to remove CO 2 in flue gas below room temperatures under ambient pressure. In this work, the effects of temperature, CO 2 partial pressure and moisture on dynamic adsorption characteristics for CO 2 are conducted for various adsorbents. Based on our findings, lower the adsorbing temperature can drastically enhance the adsorption of carbon dioxide over molecular sieves and activated carbon. Among various adsorbents, 13X molecular sieve shows highest adsorption capacity. With a concentration of 10% CO 2 in flue gas, the specific adsorption capacity of CO 2 over 13X molecular sieve is 0.11, 2.54 and 5.38 mmol/g at 80 °C, 0 °C and − 80 °C, respectively. In addition, the partial pressure of CO 2 also has a significant impact on the adsorption capacity. With the increment of the concentration of CO 2 from 1% to 10% under 0 °C, the specific capacity of 13X molecular sieve increases from 1.212 mmol/g to 2.538 mmol/g. Water vapor in flue gas can not only reduce the specific adsorption capacity of CO 2 due to competing adsorption, but also increase the heat penalty of molecular sieve regeneration due to the water adsorption. An overall analysis is conducted on the energy penalty of capture 1 ton CO 2 at various adsorption temperatures between − 80 °C and 80 °C, considering both the heat penalty of molecular sieve regeneration as well as the energy penalty for cooling the adsorber. It is found that the lowest energy penalty is about 2.01 GJ/ton CO 2 when the adsorption is conducted at 0 °C. | Adsorption behaviour of molecular sieve and activated carbon for CO2 adsorption at cold temperatures | 10.1007/s43979-022-00017-5 |
2022-05-07 | From infrared body temperature surveillance to lifeguarding, real-life visual search is usually continuous and comes with rare targets. Previous research has examined realistic search tasks involving separate slides (such as baggage screening and radiography), but search tasks that require continuous monitoring have generally received less attention. In this study, we investigated whether continuous visual search would display a target-rate effect similar to the low-prevalence effect (LPE) in regular visual search. We designed a continuous detection task for a target feature (e.g., a green color) among items of continuously and gradually changing features (e.g., other colors). In four experiments, we demonstrated target-rate effects in terms of slower hit response times (RTs) and higher miss rates when targets were rare. Similar to regular search, target-rate effects were also observed for relative frequencies across two target features. Taken together, these results suggest a target-rate effect in continuous visual search, and its behavioral characteristics are generally similar to those of the LPE in regular visual search. | Target-rate effect in continuous visual search | 10.1186/s41235-022-00392-8 |
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