Li3FeN2 material was synthesized by two-step solid-state method from Li3N (adiabatic camera) and FeN2 (tube furnace) powders. Phase investigation of Li3N, FeN2 and Li3FeN2 were carried out. Discharge capacity of Li3FeN2 is 343 mAh g-1, that is about 44.7% of theoretic capacity. The molar heat capacity of Li3FeN2 at constant pressure in the temperature range 298-900 K should be calculated as Cp,m = 77,831 + 0,130 × T – 6,289 × T-2, where T is absolute temperature, . Thermodynamic characteristics of Li3FeN2 were determined as next: entropy S0298 = 116.2 J mol-1 K-1, molar enthalpy of dissolution ΔdHLFN = ˗ 206,537 ± 2,8 kJ mol−1, the standard enthalpy of formation ΔfH0 = ˗ 291.331 ± 5.7 kJ mol−1, entropy S0298 = 113.2 J mol-1 K-1 (Neumann-Kopp rule) and 116.2 J mol-1 K-1 (W.Herz rule), the standard Gibbs free energy of formation ∆f G0298 = ˗276,7 kJ mol-1.

: Protease-producing yeasts were isolated from potato wastes and screened for protease production on skim milk agar plates The best producer of protease isolate was identified as Clavispora lusitaniae. The strain showed better enzyme production using tomato pomace and bread waste mix as a solid fermentation substrate. The optimized conditions improved enzyme activity and showed a maximal production of 33450±503 IU/g compared with the initial activity of 11205,78 ±360 without medium optimization. A threefold increase in protease activity after medium optimization proved the reliability of using the PBD and CCD design. A 19.76-fold purified enzyme and a yield of 32.94% were obtained after purification. The protease showed maximum activity at pH 4 and 60 °C and was resistant to Tween 20, Tween 40, SDS, and β-mercaptoethanol, Ca2+, and Mg2+ stimulated it. The protease activity was strongly inhibited in the presence of urea, and EDTA. The results revealed Clavispora lusitaniae protease's ability to degrade wheat seeds and flour gluten by 98.7% and 97% respectively under pH 4 for 24 hours at 40 °C. According to this study, this enzyme could be a potential candidate for the food industry, particularly for treating wheat seed and flour to reduce the immunogenicity of gluten.

The organo-catalyzed enantioselective benzylation reaction of α-trifluoromethoxy indanones afforded α-benzyl-α-trifluoromethoxy indanones with a tetrasubstituted stereogenic carbon center in excellent yield with moderate enantioselectivity (up to 57% ee). Cinchona alkaloid-based chiral phase transfer catalysts were found to be effective for this transformation, and both enantiomers of α-benzyl-α-trifluoromethoxy indanones were accessed, depended on the use of cinchonidine and cinchonine-derived catalyst. The method was extended to the enantioselective allylation reaction of α-trifluoromethoxy indanones to give the allylation products in moderate yield with good enantioselectivity (up to 76% ee).

The conformations of trifluoroacetyl triflate, CF3C(O)OSO2CF3, were investigated through vibrational experimental methods (gas-phase FTIR, liquid-phase Raman, and Ar-matrix FTIR spectroscopy) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. A potential energy surface was computed using the B3P86 /6-31+g(d) approximation as a function of the dihedral angles τ1 = CCOS and τ2 = COSC. The surface reveals three minima, which were further optimized using the B3LYP method with various basis sets (6-31++G(d), 6-311++G(d), tzvp and cc-pvtz). The global minimum corresponds to a syn-anti conformer (the CO double bound syn with respect the O−S single bond and the C−O single bond anti with respect to de S−C single bond). The other two minima represent enantiomeric syn-gauche forms. The Ar-matrix FTIR spectrum exhibited clear evidence of the presence of two conformers. Furthermore, the randomization process observed following broad-band UV-visible irradiation facilitated the identification of the IR absorption of each conformer. Based on the Ar-matrix FTIR experiments, the vapour phase of trifluoroacetyl triflate at room temperatures was composed of approximately 60-70% of the syn-anti conformer and 30-40% of the syn-gauche form.

Cenospheres are hollow particles in fly-ash, a by-product of coal burning, and are widely used as reinforcement for developing low density composites called syntactic foams. This study investigates the physical, chemical, and thermal properties of cenospheres obtained from 3 different sources, CS1, CS2, and CS3, for the development of syntactic foams. Description of floatation method to separate broken particles is given, and it was seen that up to 11 % of the particles were damaged. Post heat treatment samples show development of SiO2 phase in the cenosphere, which is not present in the as received product. CS3 had the highest quantity of Si element, compared to the other two, showing the difference in the source quality. The particle size distribution for CS2 is very narrow while for the others is much broader. All censopheres have porous walls but the morphology of CS2 is the most uniform and smooth. For the application of metallic layer and subsequent consolidation via spark plasma sintering, CS2 was deemed the most physically, thermally, and chemically suitable.

Clopidogrel is one of the thienopyridine antiplatelet drugs commonly used as a prophylactic medication to prevent coagulation in vessels and cardiovascular events. The molecule of clopidogrel is metabolized in the liver via phase-I and phase-II metabolism pathways. The sulfenic acid clopidogrel metabolite undergoes phase-II metabolism through conjugation with glutathione by the glutathione-s-transferase (GST) to form a glutathione conjugate of clopidogrel (inactive metabolite). A glutaredoxin enzyme removes the glutathione conjugated with clopidogrel to form cis-thiol-clopidogrel. This review focused on the polymorphisms of genes related to phase-II metabolism during the clopidogrel bioactivation process. Overall, no well-controlled studies were done about the relationship between the clopidogrel bioactivation process and genes related to phase-II metabolism’s enzymes. Nevertheless, some polymorphisms of G6PD, GCLC, GCLM, GSS, GST, GSR, HK, and GLRX genes could be responsible for clopidogrel resistance due to low glutathione conjugate or glutaredoxin plasma levels. Studies needed to be concerned with the relationship between clopidogrel resistance and phase-II metabolism issues in the near future.

Solid-liquid interfacial phenomena play an essential role in our everyday lives and are often regarded as the outcome of interactions at the solid-liquid interface. However, the intricately intrinsic mechanism underlying interfacial interactions renders in-situ simulations and direct measurements challenging. As an effective analytic method for studying solid-liquid interfacial interactions, Microcalorimetry can provide the most basic thermodynamic information (including changes in enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy during solid-liquid binding/separation processes), which is extremely crucial for understanding interaction directionality and limitation. This review is dedicated to highlighting the pivotal role of microcalorimetry in studying solid-liquid immersion and adsorption processes. Specifically, we provide an overview of the commonly employed microcalorimetric methods, delve into the influence factors of enthalpy change, and finally discuss the specific applications of microcalorimetry in studying various solid-liquid binding processes. There remains a vast expanse of thermodynamic information regarding solid-liquid interactions that await exploration via calorimetry.

Background: The liver has emerged as a frequent transplanted organ which can transmit T. gondii between seropositive donors and seronegative recipients. Associated with the immunosuppressive therapy of recipients, the presence of cysts in donor livers elevate the risk of severe toxoplasmosis in recipients. Objectives: The objective of the study was to verify the frequencies of positive serology in liver graft donors and their respective recipients, as well as to verify whether their clinical signs presented post-transplant are associated with the serological status of recipients. Patients and methods: All data on liver transplant recipients from 2008 to 2018 were obtained from the MVPeP electronic medical records of the Liver Transplant Service of FUNFARME/FAMERP. IgM and IgG anti-T. gondii antibody serology was investigated by chemiluminescence. According to the serological profile, four groups of recipients were assessed (G1: IgG-/IgM-; G2: IgG+/IgM-; G3: IgG+/IgM+, G4: IgG-/IgM+). Results: The numbers of recipients according to the serological profile groups were: G1: 20 (41.7%), G2: 26 (54.1%; G3: 2 (4.2%). No cases were found for G4. Post-transplant clinical manifestations such as fever without defined cause, lung nodules, headache, hepatosplenomegaly, encephalopathy and hepatitis (A, B and C) were reported in all groups. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that there is a high prevalence of T. gondii infection in liver recipients and, therefore, screening should be intensified. Furthermore, a high incidence of co-infection with hepatitis A was identified especially in patients who died in the post-transplant period.

To reduce environmental impacts from sodium silicate synthesis it was suggested the use of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a source of silicon dioxide and sodium carbonate using the ceramic method. Although the production of sodium silicate is carried out on a large scale, it should be noted that its process requires temperatures above 1000 °C or the use of highly corrosive agents such as sodium hydroxide and chlorine gas used to neutralize the remaining sodium hydroxide. In the present work, the synthesis temperatures were reduced to 800 °C with a reaction time of 3 hours by pressing equimolar mixtures of previously purified SCBA and sodium carbonate, then heat treatment was carried out under the indicated conditions. The resulting materials were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Among the crystalline phases, calcium disodium silicate was identified, in addition to sodium silicate, so it was inferred that the other components of the ash can interfere with the synthesis of silicate. Therefore, to obtain the highest composition of sodium silicate, a leaching treatment of the SCBA is required.

Tumor microenvironment (TME) represents a complex network between tumor cells and a variety of components including immune, stromal and vascular endothelial cells as well as extracellular matrix. A wide panel of signals and interactions here take place, resulting in a bi-directional modulation of cellular functions. Many stimuli, on one hand, induce tumor growth and spread of metastatic cells and, on the other hand, contribute to the establishment of an immunosuppressive environment. The latter feature is achieved by soothing immune effector cells, mainly cytotoxic T lymphocytes, B and NK cells, and/or through expansion of regulatory cell populations, including regulatory T and B cells, tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. In this context, immune checkpoints (IC) are key players in the control of T cell activation and anti-cancer activities, leading to the inhibition of tumor cell lysis and of pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Thus, these pathways represent promising targets for the development of effective and innovative therapies both in adults and childhood. Here we address the role of different cell populations homing the TME and of well-known and recently characterized IC in the context of pediatric solid tumors. We also discuss preclinical and clinical data available using IC inhibitors alone, in combination each other or administered with standard therapies.

Growing population leads to industrialisation and urbanization which in turn generate huge amount of waste that represents a big problem for many developed and developing countries. Emerging solution for this problem can be use of wastes as a sustainable source of energy in the form of heat, electricity, fertilizer and biofuel like bioethanol. Type of technology employed is mainly based on the composition of waste whether it is rich in organic matter like MSW or not. WTE technologies reduce the volume of waste as well as decrease the dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation.This study focuses on overview of various available waste to energy conversion technologies like pyrolysis, gasification, incineration, biochemical treatments like landfill gas, aerobic and anaerobic digestion of wastes.

Nanoparticles offer available tools for MDD research. In this assay, we applied CBR1 (cannabinoid receptor 1) knockout (CB1-/-) mice to study whether functionalized solid lipid nanoparticles loading with curcumin and dexanabinol (Cur/SLNs-HU-211) exhibited anti-depressant outcomes through CBR1. Wild-type (CB1+/+) animals together with CBR1 knockout (CB1-/-) animals received daily injections of Corticosterone (CORT) for 3 weeks to obtain MDD mice model, and then the therapeutic action of Cur/SLNs-HU-211 were evaluated, respectively. Our work show that Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles in the existence of CBR1 facilitate an efficient motor function improvement in CORT-induced MDD mice model. Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles alleviated symptoms on CB1+/+ MDD mice and resulted in dopamine and norepinephrine recovery following CORT-induced neurotoxicity. In conclusion, the possible mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effect of Cur/SLNs-HU-211 might be the induction of CB1 expression and downstream RASGEF1C and Egr1 expression, together with a significantly upregulation of neuron-specific genes in CB1+/+ mice only. In conclusion, CBR1 is necessary during the process of antidepressant activities of Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles. This study confirms that Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles based CBR1 in vivo targeting would be a potentially feasible and safe way to motivate future therapeutic strategies of Major Depressive Disorder.

For decades SrTiO3 is in the focus of research with seemingly never-ending new insights regarding its ground state properties, its application potentials, its surface and interface properties, the superconducting state, the twin boundaries and domain functionalities, etc. Here, we focus on the already well-investigated lattice dynamics of STO and show that four different temperature regimes can be identified which dominate the elastic properties, the thermal conductivity and the birefringence. These regimes are the low-temperature quantum fluctuation dominated one, followed by an intermediate regime, the region of the structural phase transition at ~105 K and its vicinity, and at high temperatures a regime characterized by precursor and saturation effects. They can all be elucidated by lattice dynamical aspects. The relevant temperature dependences of the soft modes are discussed and their relationship to lattice polarizability is emphasized.

We develop an 1/n expansion method for the systematic approxi- mation of the solutions of classical spin systems (tri-dimensional vec- tors) which can describe general spin-spin interactions and phases with complex magnetization pattern. This method is applied to study the phase transitions observed in pyrochlore crystals (e.g. Gd₂ Ti₂ O₇ ) and the results have qualitative agreement with the experimental ones.

Dynamic phase modulation is vital for tunable focusing, beaming, polarization conversion and holography. However, it remains challenging to achieve full 360∘ dynamic phase modulation while maintaining high reflectance or transmittance based on metamaterials or metasurfaces in the terahertz regime. Here we propose a doubly resonant graphene-metal hybrid metasurface to address this challenge. Simulation results show that by varying the graphene Fermi energy, the proposed metasurface with two shifting resonances is capable to provide dynamic phase modulation covering a range of 361∘ while maintaining relatively high reflectance above 20% at 1.05 THz. Based on the phase profile design, dynamically tunable beam steering and focusing are numerically demonstrated. We expect this work will advance the engineering of graphene metasurfaces for the dynamic manipulation of terahertz waves.

Prevention of infections is crucial in solid organ transplant (SOT) candidates and recipients. These pa-tients are exposed to an increased infectious risk due to previous organ insufficiency and to pharmaco-logic immunosuppression. Besides infectious-related morbidity and mortality, this vulnerable group of patients is also exposed to the risk of acute decompensation and organ rejection or failure in the pre- and post-transplant period respectively, since antimicrobial treatments are less effective than in the immunocompetent patients. Vaccination represents a major preventive measure against specific infec-tious risks in this population but as responses to vaccines are reduced, especially in the early post-transplant period or after treatment for rejection, an optimal vaccination status should be obtained prior to transplantation whenever possible. This review reports the currently available data on the indications and modalities of vaccination in SOT adult candidates and recipients.

The expansion of concrete subjected to extreme elevated temperature is linked with intricate micro-structural variations, such as the transformation of the constituent phases. This study proposes a model to predict the thermal expansion of cement paste and concrete considering micro-structural changes under elevated temperatures ranging from 20°C to 800°C. The model presented can consider characteristics of various aggregates in the calculation of thermal expansion for concrete. The model is a combination of a multi-scale stoichiometric model and a multi-scale composite model. At the cement paste level, the model satisfactorily predicted a test result. At concrete level, upper bounds from the model were matched relatively well with test results by previous researcher. If the mechanical properties, such as elastic modulus (E), Poisson’s ratio (ν), and thermal deformation, of the aggregates used in concrete are given, it is likely that the model will reasonably predict experimental results.

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are latent heat storage media with high potential of integration in building structures and technical systems. Their solid-liquid transition is commonly utilized for thermal energy storage in building applications. It also means that some kind of encapsulation is necessary. This is often solved with metal containers that also have high thermal conductivity and resistance to mechanical damage enhancing the performance these so called latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems. However selection of suitable metal is rather challenging. It depends, among other things, on the elimination of undesirable interaction between storage medium and surrounding metal. Heat storage medium must be reliably sealed in metal container especially when the storage system is integrated in systems like domestic hot water storage tanks, where PCM leaks can negatively affect human health. The aim of this study was evaluation of interaction between selected commercially available organic and inorganic PCMs and metals. The evaluation is based on the calculation of corrosion rate and use gravimetric method for determination of the weigh variations of the metal samples. Results show that aluminium is the most suitable container material with lowest mass loss and suffered only minimal visual changes on the surface after prolonged exposure to PCMs.

This Article demonstrates how an eigendecomposition problem is inputted into a quantum circuit, how gates are applied in the quantum circuit, and how the output measurements are the correct eigenvalues. This process is known as quantum phase estimation (QPE). A quantum harmonic oscillator example, a foundational quantum physical chemistry problem, is demonstrated within the context of QPE. A particle in a box example, another quantum physical chemistry problem, may be solved by QPE with a caveat. These examples are of the limiting cases of diagonal matrices. Future advances in taking matrix inverses for solving linear sets of equations or finding ground state energies in the Schrödinger equation will use the principles implemented in this Article.

Three-dimensional nanocomposite networks consisting of percolated Si nanowires in a SiO₂ matrix, Si:SiO₂, were studied. The structures were obtained by reactive ion beam sputter deposition of SiO_x (x ≈ 0.6) thin films at 450 °C and subsequent crystallization using conventional oven as well as millisecond line focus laser annealing. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, cross-sectional and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy were applied for sample characterization. While oven annealing resulted in a mean Si wire diameter of 10 nm and a crystallinity of 72 % within the Si volume, almost single-domain Si structures with 30 nm in diameter and almost free of amorphous Si were obtained by millisecond laser application. The structural differences are attributed to the different crystallization processes: Conventional oven tempering proceeds via solid state, millisecond laser application via liquid phase crystallization of Si. The 5 orders of magnitude larger diffusion constant in the liquid phase is responsible for the three times larger Si nanostructure diameter. In conclusion, laser annealing offers not only significantly shorter process times but moreover a superior structural order of nano-Si compared to conventional heating.

Currently, most plastic waste stems from packaging materials, with a large proportion of this waste either discarded or used to derive fuel. Accordingly, there is growing interest in the use of pyrolysis in the context of chemically recycling non-recyclable (i.e., via mechanical means) plastic waste into petrochemical feedstock. The aim of this study is to use kinetic analyses to elucidate the pyrolytic properties of solid recovered fuel (SRF) produced using two types of reactors, namely, fixed bed and fluidized bed reactors. From the kinetic analysis, the activation energy corresponding to the rate of pyrolysis reaction conversion was obtained. In conclusion, we found that the pyrolysis occurs more vigorously in fluidized bed reactors compared to fixed bed reactors.

Two once-through steam generators and a combination of a steam generator and a gas preheater for supplying feed gases to solid-oxide electrolysis stacks were evaluated for their carryover characteristics of contaminants from the feed-water into the steam phase. The concentrations of various trace impurities in the steam were determined by sampling the steam condensates and screening them with inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry for 19 elements and liquid ion chromatography and continuous flow analysis for chloride and ammonium. Steam soluble species like boric acid undergo complete volatilization and transfer into the steam phase. During unstable evaporation in the steam generators an extensive physical carryover of alloying metal species was observed. At realistic operation conditions for steam electrolysis, the gas preheater caused a considerable release of silicon into the steam phase. Two stack experiments were performed with common preheater temperatures and showed largely increased cell voltage degradation at higher operation temperatures. The post-test chemical analysis of cell samples revealed significant concentrations of silicon in the samples that are regarded as primary cause for increased degradation. These findings could partially explain the wide spread of degradation rates reported for solid-oxide steam electrolysis experiments.

A solid structure, such as a road, building wall or envelop, used as a solar collector is considered an effective and new way to use renewable energy. This paper focused on the temperature characteristics of four structures exposed to sunshine: asphalt, red brick, composite cement and concrete road slab. Furthermore, the collected heat based on a hydraulic system was investigated experimentally. For the four structure slabs, their temperature differences are due to solar radiation absorption varied greatly by the material’s heat absorptance and color. Through the test, asphalt slab attained the highest temperature and had the weakest reflection among the structures. Compared with the others, the temperature of the asphalt slab was greater by 8.1%, 14.9% and 16.4% than the brick, composite cement and concrete, respectively. The reflection intensity growth ratio was defined and indicates the growth potential for absorbing radiation in the solid slab surface. From the experiments, it was concluded that a suitable selection of road materials can greatly improve the thermal absorption, conduction and penetration into the solid slab. The collected heat capability was approximately 250 W/m2 to 350 W/m2 in the natural summer condition. A black coating or a surface modification can collect more heat, reaching greater than 250 W/m2. The solar collecting heat efficiency with a surface configuration of the road slab can reach above 30% in the summer time.

The present work describes the synthesis, characterization and photomineralization activity of synthesized Ce1-xZnxO2-x solid solution catalysts allowing the degradation of Diclofenac as a model of anti-inflammatory medicines in water. Oxygen deficient photocatalysts Ce1-xZnxO2-x (CeZnx), produced with mixing ZnO and CeO2 have been characterized for their crystallographic parameters, specific surface area and morphology. Photomineralization activity determinations using TOC analysis have shown efficient diclofenac photooxidation under sunlight. Moreover, results indicate that coexistence of Zn2+, Ce4+ and oxygen vacancies rate in CeZnx solid solution are key factors for strong drug mineralization. Finally, CeZn0.1 which is one of the photocatalysts synthesized in the present work represents a cheap and efficient reagent for organic matter photomineralization in wastewater.

This study provides a novel method to prepare metal-ceramic composites from magnetically selected iron ore using microwave heating. By introducing three different microwave susceptors (Activated Carbon, SiC, and a mixture of Activated Carbon and SiC) during the microwave process, effective control of the ratio of metallic and ceramic phases has been achieved easily. The effects of the three susceptors on the microstructure of the metal-ceramics and the related reaction mechanisms were also investigated in detail. The results show that the metal phase (Fe) and ceramic phase (Fe2SiO4, FeAl2O4) can be maintained, but the metal phase to ceramic phase changed significantly. In particular, the microstructures appeared as well-distributed nanosheet structures with diameters of ~400 nm and thicknesses of ~20 nm when SiC was used as the microwave susceptor.

In recent years, the chiral biological effects of nanomedicines have become a subject of widespread interest. The research focus has been on understanding the influence of material chirality on cellular transcription and metabolism. Stress granules are membraneless organelles formed through liquid-liquid phase separation of G3BP1 proteins and related compartments. They have been extensively studied and proven to be closely associated with cellular damage repair and metabolism. However, the role and mechanism of chiral nanomaterials in modulating stress granules remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and structural characteristics of stress granules under the individual influence of chiral nanomaterials and in combination with chemotherapy. To achieve this, we constructed a library of chiral ligand-modified materials and employed immunofluorescence, live-cell imaging, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays. We also used proximity labeling techniques combined with proteomics analysis to identify the protein corona adsorbed on the surface of the nanomaterials and explore their relationship with nanomaterial chirality. Our results demonstrate that the assembly of stress granules is chiral-dependent and can be regulated by chiral nanomaterials. Furthermore, we achieved enhanced chemotherapy sensitivity in cancer cells and protected normal cells by exploiting the chiral-dependent modulation of material assembly in stress granules. This study provides important insights into the regulation of membraneless cellular structures based on chiral biological effects.

Gray cast iron is one of the most important engineering materials that has many applications in various industries including automotive and machinery manufacturing due to its mechanical properties, wear resistance, machining potentials and low price. In this research effect of adding aluminum and silicon to composition of gray cast iron on microstructure and wear resistance was studied. Moreover, it was investigated the role of formation of Fe-Al-Si intermetallic compound in final properties of the alloy. For studying wear resistance of samples pin-on-disc method was carried out. The results showed that addition of aluminum to gray cast iron causes formation of ferrite matrix, which leads to a decrease in hardness value. Increasing silicon content up to 2 wt. % in cast iron with 4 wt. % aluminum intensifies the formation of ferrite matrix, while further increase to 3 wt. % causes emerging a Fe-Al-Si intermetallic phase. Improvement in hardness value was achieved by increasing silicon content from 3 wt. % to 4 wt. % due to the increased percentage of intermetallic phase. Effect of intermetallic phase on decreasing wear rate was showed by studying microstructure and hardness values, however the lowest wear resistance was observed in aluminum bearing cast iron containing 2 wt. % silicon.

Low-loss photonic waveguides in lithium niobate offer versatile functionality as nonlinear frequency converters, switches, and modulators for integrated optics. Combining the flexibility of laser processing with liquid phase epitaxy we have fabricated and characterized lithium niobate channel waveguides on lithium niobate and lithium tantalate. We used liquid phase epitaxy with K2O flux on laser-machined lithium niobate and lithium tantalate substrates. The laser-driven rapid-prototyping technique can be programmed to give machined features of various sizes, and liquid phase epitaxy produces high quality single-crystal, lithium niobate channels. The surface roughness of the lithium niobate channels on a lithium tantalate substrate was measured to be 90 nm. The lithium niobate channel waveguides exhibit propagation losses of 0.26 ± 0.04 dB/mm at a wavelength of 633 nm. Second harmonic generation at 980 nm was demonstrated using the channel waveguides, indicating that these waveguides retain their nonlinear optical properties.

The Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ) has now been available for more than 15 years; its original publication has been cited 1,240 times (Google Scholar, May 2019); its online version, which was available until July 2017, has produced almost 300,000 entries from all over the world (MCTQ database). The MCTQ has gone through several versions, has been translated into 13 languages and has been validated against other more objective measures of daily timing in several independent studies. Besides being used as a method to correlate circadian features of human biology with other factors – ranging from health issues to geographical factors – the MCTQ gave rise to quantifying old wisdoms, like “teenagers are late” and has produced new concepts, like social jetlag. Some like the MCTQ’s simplicity and some view it critically; it is time to have a self-critical view on the MCTQ, to address some misunderstandings and give some definitions about MCTQ-derived chronotype and the concept of social jetlag.

(1) Background: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of diseases that affect the morphology and function of neutrophils. Rapid diagnosis of MDS is crucial for the initiation of treatment that can vastly improve disease outcome. (2) methods: In this work, we present a new approach for detecting morphological differences between neutrophils isolated from blood samples of high risk MDS patients and that for patients and blood bank donors (BBDs). First, using fluorescent flow cytometry CD66b positive cells were stained with 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF) and Hoechst. Secondly, we imaged the cells using interferometric phase microscopy (IPM) without utilizing cell staining. (3) Results: flow cytometry results show MDS patients present different dispersion patterns compared to BBDs. BBDs present two distinct subpopulations (one of these are the H cells constituting 16% for neutrophils) whereas MDS patients present only 4% of this subpopulation. IPM results are consistent with this pattern: ~20% of BBDs neutrophils were characterized as H cells and whereas MDS patients present only ~4% of these cells. (5) Conclusion- IPM can be utilized for diagnosis of complex hematological pathologies such as MDS.

Gray cast iron is one of the most important engineering materials that has many applications in various industries including automotive and machinery manufacturing due to its mechanical properties, wear resistance, machining potentials and low price. In this research effect of adding aluminum and silicon to composition of gray cast iron on microstructure and wear resistance was studied. Moreover, it was investigated the role of formation of Fe-Al-Si intermetallic compound in final properties of the alloy. For studying wear resistance of samples pin-on-disc method was carried out. The results showed that addition of aluminum to gray cast iron causes formation of ferrite matrix, which leads to a decrease in hardness value. Increasing silicon content up to 2 wt. % in cast iron with 4 wt. % aluminum intensifies the formation of ferrite matrix, while further increase to 3 wt. % causes emerging a Fe-Al-Si intermetallic phase. Improvement in hardness value was achieved by increasing silicon content from 3 wt. % to 4 wt. % due to the increased percentage of intermetallic phase. Effect of intermetallic phase on decreasing wear rate was showed by studying microstructure and hardness values, however the lowest wear resistance was observed in aluminum bearing cast iron containing 2 wt. % silicon.

Magnetic quantum oscillations (MQO) are traditionally applied to investigate the electronic structure of metals. In layered quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) materials the MQO have several qualitative features giving additional useful information, provided their theoretical description is developed. Within the framework of the Kubo formula and the self-consistent Born approximation, we reconsider the phase of beats in the amplitude of Shubnikov oscillations of interlayer conductivity in Q2D metals. We show that the phase shift of beats of the Shubnikov (conductivity) oscillations relative to the de Haas - van Alphen (magnetization) oscillations is larger than expected previously and, under certain conditions, can reach the value of π/2, as observed experimentally. We explain the phase inversion of MQO during the 3D - 2D crossover and predict the decrease of relative MQO amplitude of interlayer magnetoresistance in a strong magnetic field, larger than the beat frequency.

New TLC-densitometric method have been developed for the identification and quantification of paracetamol (PA), propyphenazone (PP) and caffeine (C) of Saridon tablets using the NP-TLC technique combined with densitometry. This method allows for the simultaneous determination of PA, PP, and C in the same sample. Among all tested chromatographic conditions, the mixture consisting of chloroform + toluene + ethyl acetate + ethanol + acetic acid (18:18:7.5:5.0:0.3, v/v) and silica gel 60F254 plate proved to be the most effective for the separation of three tested active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and substances related to paracetamol. The fully validation of the proposed NP-TLC method proves that it is specific, precise, accurate, robust and sensitive. The percentage content in relation to the content declared by the manufacturer is for propyphenazone 99.8%, paracetamol 101.6% and caffeine 100.8%, which are in accordance with pharmacopoeial requirements. The results presented indicate the possibility of using the developed method in the routine control of pharmaceutical preparations containing these APIs. The proposed method is economical and more sensitive compared to the previously proposed planar methods for the simultaneously determination of PA, PP and CAPIs. Will be an What is more, the presented method may be anaxcellent excellent economical alternative when HPLC method is unavailable for such determination.

Keywords: Kenaf; liquid cultivation; solid cultivation; in vitro propagation, life on land

Currently, efficient utilization of low-grade thermal energy is a great challenge. Thermoelectricity is an extremely promising method of generating electrical energy from temperature differences. As a promising energy conversion technology, thermo-electrochemical cells (TECs) have attracted much attention in recent years for their ability to convert thermal energy directly into electricity with high thermal power. Within TECs, anions and cations gain and lose electrons, respectively at the electrodes using the potential difference between the hot and cold terminals of the electrodes by redox couples. Additionally, the anions and cations therein are constantly circulating and mobile via concentration diffusion and thermal diffusion, providing an uninterrupted supply of power to the exterior. This review article focuses mainly on the operation of TECs, recent ad-vances in redox couples, electrolytes, and electrodes. The outlook for optimization strategies re-garding TECs is also presented in this paper.

We study the deterministic dynamics of N point particles moving at constant speed in a 2D table made of two polygonal urns connected by an active rectangular channel, which applies a feedback-control on the particles, inverting the horizontal component of their velocities, when their number in the channel exceeds a fixed threshold. Such a bounce--back mechanism is non-dissipative: it preserves volumes in phase space. An additional passive channel closes the billiard table forming a circuit in which a stationary current may flow. Under specific constraints on the geometry and on the initial conditions, the large N limit allows nonequilibrium phase transitions between homogeneous and inhomogeneous phases. The role of ergodicity in making a probabilistic theory applicable is discussed both for rational and irrational urns. The theoretical predictions are compared with the numerical simulation results. Connections with the dynamics of feedback-controlled biological systems are highlighted.

This study deals with vibrational and crystallographic aspects of the thermally induced transformation of serpentine-like garnierite into quartz, forsterite, and enstatite occurring at about 620 °C. Powder specimens of garnierite have been annealed in static air between room temperature and 1000 °C. The resulting products from the transformations detected based on thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, have been extensively characterized via microRaman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Our study shows that serpentine-like garnierite consists of a mixture of different mineral species. Furthermore, these garnierites and their composition can provide details based on the mineralogy and the crystalline phases resulting from the thermal treatment.

This research is related to the eco-hydrological problems of herbaceous wetland drying and biodiversity loss in the floodplain lakes of the Middle Basin of the Biebrza river (Poland). An experiment was set up, whose main goals were: (i) mapping the vegetation types and the temporarily or permanently flooded areas, and (ii) comparing the usefulness of C-band Sentinel-1A (S1A) and X-band TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X (TSX/TDX) for mapping purposes. The S1A imagery was acquired on a regular basis using the dual polarization VV/VH and the Interferometric Wide Swath Mode. The TSX/TDX data were acquired in quad-pol, a fully polarimetric mode, during the Science Phase. The paper addresses the following aspects: i) wetland mapping with S1A multi-temporal series; ii) wetland mapping with fully polarimetric TSX/TDX data; iii) comparing the wetland mapping using dual polarization TSX/TDX subsets, i.e. HH-HV, HH-VV and VV-VH; iv) comparing wetland mapping using S1A and TSX/TDX data based on the same polarization (VV-VH); v) studying the suitability of the Shannon Entropy for wetland mapping; and vi) assessing the contribution of interferometric coherence for wetland classification. The experimental results show main limitations of the S1A dataset, while they highlight the good accuracy that can be achieved using the TSX/TDX data, especially those taken in fully polarimetric mode.

If a lubricant contains structures capable of conducting energy, reactions involving zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) may take place both very close to and away from the solid surfaces, with this indicating that ZDDP can be a highly effective anti-wear (AW) additive. The central thesis of this article is that the tribocatalytic effect is observed only when the energy emitted by the solids is transmitted by ordered molecular structures present in the lubricant, e.g., graphene. The friction tests were carried out for 100Cr6 steel balls in a sliding contact with uncoated or a:C-H-coated HS6-5-2C steel discs in the presence of polyalphaolefin 8 (PAO 8) as the lubricant, which was enhanced with graphene and/or ZDDP. There is sufficient evidence of the interactions occurring between ZDDP and graphene and their effects on the tribological performance of the system. It was also found that the higher the concentration of zinc in the wear area, the lower the wear. This was probably due to the energy transfer resulting from the catalytic decomposition of ZDDP molecules. Graphene, playing the role of the catalyst, contributed to that energy transfer.

Solid-state transformer (SST) is a promising technology for smart grids due to its flexible power control (better reliability) and high efficacy (by decreasing losses) compared with traditional transformers. The SST is designed in tandem with three stages, i.e., the input, isolation, and output stages. As three converter stages are used to design the SST to make a more reliable device in practice, it is highly prone to instabilities. Moreover, the key objective of SST design is to implement a modern power distribution system to make it more intelligent and reliable. The stability issue can be even more complicated by the presence of distributed energy resources in the distribution system. Thus, the stability of SST must be measured prior to /during the design, and to determine, a state-space model is used, which is developed in this paper. Each stage of SST is modeled with its controller, and the system's stability is measured through the controllability and observability test. Further, the conversion from state-space to transfer function model is done, and the stability of SST is shown using frequency and time-domain diagrams. With these, the different plots, namely, the Bode plot, Nyquist plot, Nichols chart, Root locus, pole-zero plot, and Eigen plot, are used to ascertain the relative and absolute stability. Finally, the SST Simulink model is tested and validated through hardwate-in-the-loop simulation, i.e., OPALRT, to show its effectiveness and applicability.

The practice of collecting, treating and management of solid waste prior to disposal has become a necessity in developing and modern societies. Over the years, it is known that most wastes that are disposed have a second hand value. However, the construction cost for conventional Material Recovery Facility(s) (MRFs) has been a major barrier for implementation. These technologies require considerable technical expertise, which is often not available in developing nations to successfully operate the MRFs. Covenant University; a private mission institution through her waste to wealth scheme is focused on managing and processing used materials to reusable products. These include Pet bottles, Paper wastes, Food wastes from cafeteria, plastic food packs, nylon, tin cans and others. Specific areas chosen for the Survey include the residential areas for staff and students and the two cafeterias. The waste generated was characterized based on the waste stream so as to quantify the amount of recyclable waste generated and most occurring. The survey involved the use of structured questionnaires, on-site observations and measurements. The study reveals an average amount of recyclable waste generated per day in the institution as 13.46% pet bottles, 4.03% paper, 55.56% food waste, 12.64% plastic, 9.63% nylon and 4.68% tin cans. The study established that adequate waste characterization is a requirement for effective integrated solid waste management which would boost resource recovery, reuse and recycling.

Sarcopenia becomes more common with age, being most prevalent among elderly individuals. According to the EWGSOP, muscle mass is one of the criteria for the evaluation of sarcopenia. The main methods for evaluating muscle mass are CT, MRI, and DXA, but these methods are difficult to apply in the field due to equipment costs, radioactivity, and lack of portability. BIVA and PhA are alternative approaches for assessing somatic cell mass and volume and do not require predictive equations. These variables are clinically relevant parameters that indicate cell health, especially cell membrane integrity and cell function. This study in sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic elderly volunteers aimed to determine the BIVA distribution pattern among individual sarcopenia patients; to evaluate the relationship between PhA and muscle strength, muscle quality, and physical function; and to find any correlates of PhA. The sample comprised 134 free-living elderly individuals of both sexes aged 69–91 years. Anthropometric parameters, grip strength, DXA findings, BIA results, and physical performance (the 6-meter walk test) were measured. Impedance vector distributions were evaluated in sarcopenia patients and healthy elderly individuals using BIVA. According to the AWGS criteria, sarcopenia was diagnosed according to DXA findings, grip strength and physical performance test results. Group differences were evaluated using the t test, Mann‒Whitney U test, and Hotelling's T2 test. Correlation analysis was performed to identify variables significantly associated with PhA. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine whether PhA was associated with muscle strength, muscle quality and physical function. BIVA detected a significant difference between the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups (both sexes) due to higher R/H values and lower phase angles in a few individuals, whereas Xc/Ht values did not differ between the two groups. The sarcopenia group had a significantly lower PhA than the non-sarcopenia group among both males (p<0.01) and females (p<0.05). PhA was significantly correlated with age, ASM, HGS, and muscle quality in both sexes and significantly correlated with ASM/Ht2 and physical performance in males. PhA was a significant indicator of muscle strength in both males (β = 2.6; p<0.01) and females (β = 3.4; p<0.01), a significant indicator of muscle quality in both males (β = 0.07; p<0.05) and females (β = 0.17; p<0.01), and a significant indicator of physical performance in males (β = 0.3; p<0.01). BIVA can detect changes in muscle mass in individuals with sarcopenia and is a practical method for the assessment of sarcopenia in the field. PhA is a good indicator of muscle strength, muscle quality and physical performance (in males). These methods can help diagnose sarcopenia in elderly individuals with reduced mobility.

Recently a new class of experiments in the field of surface gravity waves has emerged. These experiments serve as demonstration of an analogy to a broad variety of phenomena in optics and quantum mechanics. In particular, experiments involving Airy water-wave packets were carried out. The Airy wave packets have attracted tremendous attention in optics and quantum mechanics owing to their unique properties, spanning from an ability to propagate along parabolic trajectories without spreading, and to accumulating a phase that scales with the cubic power of time. Non-dispersive Cosine-Gauss wave packets and self-similar Hermite-Gauss wave packets, also well known in the field of optics and quantum mechanics, were recently studied using surface gravity waves as well. These wave packets demonstrated self-healing properties in water wave pulses as well, preserving their width despite being dispersive. Finally, this new approach also allows to observe diffractive focusing from a temporal slit with finite width.

A semi-analytical approach is developed for predicting pyrolysis front temperature in a solid undergoing thermal decomposition. The pre-reaction heating stage is described using an analytical formulation and invoking the concept of thermal penetration depth. The solution for the solid conversion stage accounts for decomposition enthalpy, convective flow of volatiles, and a reaction front characterized by a uniform temperature that progresses toward the inner layers. This method incorporates empirical relations into the analytical model. Two scenarios are considered. First, the solution of the pyrolysis model combined with the data of conversion time versus external heat flux leads to an algebraic expression that reveals the existence of a maximum pyrolysis-front temperature. Explicit relations are derived for both the extremum pyrolysis temperature and optimum applied heat flux. In the second case, an expression is derived for the ignition temperature of a solid fuel by incorporating ignition delay time measurements into the heating stage model. The newly derived expression allows to describe the ignition temperature as a function of the Biot number and external heat flux. The relation obtained for the ignition temperature explains the experimental trends reported in some previous studies where two local extremums were observed for the ignition temperature in the absence of volatiles reactions.

In recent decades, perovskite-type compounds (ABB′O3) have been exhaustively studied due to their unique ferroelectric properties. In this work, a systematic study aiming to prepare fine particles in the binary system SrZrO₃–SrTiO₃ was conducted under hydrothermal conditions in a KOH (5 M) solution at 200 °C for 4 h under a constant stirring speed of 130 rpm. The precursors employed were SrSO₄ powder (< 38 μm size) and coprecipitated hydrous gels of Zr(OH)₄•9.64 H₂O (Zr-gel) and Ti(OH)₄•4.5H₂O (Ti-gel), which were mixed according to the stoichiometry of the SrZr_1-xTixO₃ in the compositional range of 0.0>x>100.0 mol% Ti⁴⁺. The XRD results revealed the formation of two crystalline phases rich in Zr⁴⁺, an orthorhombic structured SrZr0.93Ti0.07O3 and a cubic structured SrZr0.75Ti0.25O3 within the compositional range of 0.1–0.5 mol of Ti4+. A cubic perovskite-structured solid solution, SrTi1-xZrxO3, was preferentially formed within the compositional range of 0.5>x>0.1 mol% Ti⁴⁺. The SrZrO₃ and SrZr_0.93Ti_0.07O₃-rich phases had particle sizes averaging 3 m with a cubic morphology. However, a remarkable reduction in the particle size occurred on solid solutions prepared with hydrous Ti-gel over contents of 15 mol% Ti⁴⁺ in the reaction media, resulting in the formation of nanosized particles agglomerates with cuboidal shape self-assembled via a 3D hierarchical architecture, the sizes of these particles varied in the range between 141.0–175.5 nm. The limited coarsening of the particles is discussed based on the Zr-gel and Ti-gel dehydration capability differences that occurred under hydrothermal processing.

Paraffin wax stores energy in the form of latent heat at a nearly constant temperature during melting and releases this energy during solidification. This effect is used in industrial energy storage. An unusual change in the shape of a melted droplet of paraffin wax placed on a relatively cold glass plate is studied. As the droplet solidifies, its upper surface becomes nearly flat and a dimple is formed in the center of this surface, making the droplet look like a fruit (pumpkins are more commonly shaped like this, but the authors prefer apples). A series of experiments, as well as physical and numerical modeling of the droplet's thermal state, taking into account the formation of a mushy zone between liquidus and solidus, made it possible to understand the role of gravity and gradual increase in viscosity and density of paraffin wax on changing the droplet shape and, in particular, to clarify the mechanism of formation of the dimple on its upper.

The past two decades has seen a growing demand for high-power, high-voltage utility scale inverters mostly fueled by the integration of large solar PV and wind farms. Multilevel inverters have emerged as the industry choice for these megawatt range inverters because their reduced voltage stress, capable of generating an almost sinusoidal voltage, in-built redundancy, among others. This paper present a new Switched-Source Multilevel Inverter (SS MLI) architecture. The new inverter show superior over existing topologies. It has reduced voltage stress on the semiconductor, uses less number of switches –reduced size/weight/cost and increased efficiency. The new SSMLI is comprised of two voltage sources (V₁, V₂) and 6 switches. It is capable of generating 5-level output voltage in symmetric modes (i.e., V₁ = V₂), and 7-level output voltage in asymmetric modes (i.e., V₁ ≠ V₂). To demonstrate the validity of the proposed inverter, simulations results using MATLAB^® /Simulink^® for 5- and 7-level output voltages are presented . The simulations are also verified experimentally using a laboratory prototype.

Although 4Ce4YSZ has high corrosion resistance, it faces challenges concerning sinterability and ionic conductivity. Therefore, we studied destabilization behavior caused by corrosion and oxygen vacancy ordering according to ZnO doping. The powders of (4Ce4YSZ)1-x(ZnO)x (x=0.5, 1, 2, 4 mol%) were synthesized through the sol-gel method. With the addition of ZnO, the cubic phase increased, and secondary phases were not observed. The (111) peak showed a higher angle shift in ZnO-doped 4Ce4YSZ compared to 4Ce4YSZ, and TEM-SAED revealed a reduction in the spacing of the (011)t plane, suggesting lattice contraction due to the substitution of the smaller Zn2+ (60 Å) for Zr4+ (84 Å) in the lattice. The local atomic structure analysis was conducted using EXAFS to investigate the oxygen vacancy ordering behavior. Zr K-edge Fourier-transform data revealed a decrease in the Zr-O1 peak intensity with an increasing amount o ZnO doping, indicating an increase in oxygen vacancies. The Zr-O1 peak position shifted to the right, leading to an increase in the Zr-O1 interatomic distance. In the Y K-edge Fourier-transform data, the Y-O1 peak intensity did not decrease, and there was little variation in the Y-O1 interatomic distance. These results suggest that the oxygen vacancies formed due to ZnO doping are located in the neighboring oxygen shell of Zn, rather than in the neighboring oxygen shells of Y and Zr. Impedance measurements were conducted to measure the conductivity, and as the amount of ZnO doping increased, the total conductivity increased, while the activation energy decreased. The increase in oxygen vacancies by ZnO doping contributed to the enhancement of conductivity and it is considered that these created oxygen vacancies did not interact with Zn2+ and did not form defect associations. Fluoride-based molten salts were introduced to the specimens to assess corrosion behavior in a molten salt environment. Yttrium depletion layers (YDLs) were formed on the surfaces of all specimens due to the leaching of yttrium. However, Ce remained relatively stable at the interface according to EDS line scans, suggesting a reduction in the phase transformation (cubic, tetragonal to monoclinic) typically associated with yttrium leaching in YSZ.

This study provides an in-depth examination of the binary system of n-Nonadecane and 1-Octadecanol, representative of plant cuticular waxes. It emphasizes the crystallization and phase transitions in this hydrocarbon mixture. Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the research uncovers detailed thermal properties and phase behaviors. The findings reveal the distinct phase transitions and enthalpy changes of each component in the binary system. This research is significant for its implications in under-standing the structural properties of plant waxes. Such insights are crucial for enhancing the effi-ciency of fertilizer and pesticide absorption in plant leaves, with broad applications in bionics and materials science. This study not only furthers the understanding of identifying specific phase transitions for each compound, facing challenges in detecting subtle changes using DSC. The re-search enhances understanding of plant cuticle waxes through FTIR analysis, revealing intricate molecular interactions and structural complexities. but also opens avenues for improved agri-cultural practices and material engineering, potentially influencing future innovations in these fields.

Quantitative differential phase contrast (qDPC) imaging has become an important method of optical measurement and life science research in microscopy because of its high reconstruction resolution and non-invasive, high-contrast and quantitative imaging of biological samples. Despite the continuous development of the principle and algorithm, the frame rate of the existing qDPC algorithm is still much lower than that of camera acquisition, so it is hardly applied to real-time image the fast-moving biological samples. In this paper, based on color-coded multiplexing strategy, a compact real-time quantitative phase imaging system is designed to realize multi-mode imaging. The system employs a programmable LED array to illuminate directly, and the phase reconstruction algorithm is deployed in the graphics processing unit (GPU) of the laptop to accelerate the calculation. The system can achieve high-speed quantitative phase imaging of non-stained biological samples, and the frame rate can reach 60fps. The device has the advantages of compact structure, low cost and portability. Thus, it is suitable for mobile medical applications.

Waste recovery is an important aspect towards human and environmental health protection. Unfortunately, proper food waste management is among the serious challenges in the field of solid waste management worldwide. Therefore, it is of great importance to conduct studies towards achieving efficient and cost-effective approaches for food waste management. This study investigated the potential of recovering food waste through maggots’ production as animal feed. The influence of fly attractant application on maggot production was also investigated. The study also investigated the potential of maggot production for waste recovery and reduction. Four different types of food waste (starch food leftovers, rotten bananas and peels, rotten pineapple and peels, and rotten oranges) were used in the investigation process. From the results, it was observed that the application of fly attractants had a significant effect on the production of maggots as determined by the weights after harvesting. Average weight of 94 g/kg of maggot was achieved from banana materials with an application of fly attractant during the 8th day of the cultivation; which is equivalent to a 32.4% increase from the same day when the material was cultured without applying fly attractant. Also, from the starch materials, about 77 g/kg of maggot weight was achieved; which is a 54.6% increase from the same day and the same material but without application of fly attractant. Moreover, the relative dry weight reduction in the trials varied from 52.5% to 82.4%.

In the present study Aprepitant (APT) ternary solid dispersions (SDs) were developed and evaluated for the first time. Specifically, ternary SDs of APT with Poloxamer 188 and Soluplus^® (SOL) were prepared via melt mixing and compared to binary APT/Poloxamer 188 and APT/SOL SDs. Initially, combined thermo-gravimetric and hot-stage polarized light microscopy studies indicated that all tested compounds were thermally stable up to 280 °C, while Poloxamer 188 acted as a plasticizer to SOL by significantly reducing the temperature required to fully solubilize the API during SD preparation. Differential scanning calorimetry combined with wide angle X-ray diffraction studies showed that crystalline API was dispersed in both binary and ternary SDs, while Fourier transformation-infrared spectroscopy studies revealed no molecular interactions among the components. Scanning electron microscopy combined with EDAX element analysis showed that the API was dispersed in nano-scale within the polymer matrices, while increasing APT content led to increasing API nano-crystals within the SDs. Finally, dissolution studies showed that the prepared formulations enhanced dissolution of Aprepitant and its mechanism analysis was further studied. A mathematical model was also investigated to evaluate the drug release mechanism

Memristors were proposed in the early ’70s of the XXth century by Leon Chua as a new electrical element linking the charge and the flux. Since that first introduction, these devices have positioned themselves to be considered as possibly fundamental for the new generations of electronic devices. It has to be mentioned that actual memristors have only been recognized to exist as physical elements. In this paper, we apply a modeling framework to generate a model describing experimental measurements performed on a ReRAM. We show how to apply the Dynamic Route Map technique in the general case to obtain an approximation to the differential equation that determines the behaviour of the device.

Nonlinear rheological properties of chiral crystal cholesteryl oleyl carbonate (COC) in blue phase III are investigated under different shear deformations; large amplitude oscillatory shear, step shear deformation, and continuous shear flow. Rheology of the liquid crystal is significantly affected by structural rearrangement of defects under shear flow. One of the examples on the defect-mediated rheology is the blue phase rheology. Blue phase is characterized by three dimensional network structure of the disclination lines. It has been numerically studied that the rheological behavior of the blue phase is dominated by destruction and creation of the disclination networks. In this study, we find that the nonlinear viscoelasticity of BPIII is characterized by the fracture of the disclination networks. Depending on the degree of the fracture, the nonlinear viscoelasticity is divided into two regimes; the weak nonlinear regime where the disclination network locally fractures but still show elastic response, and the strong nonlinear regime where the shear deformation breaks up the networks, which results in a loss of the elasticity. Continuous shear deformation reveals that a series of the fracture process delays with shear rate. The shear rate dependence suggests that force balance between the elastic force acting on the disclination lines and the viscous force determines the fracture behavior.

Cancer patients, susceptible to severe COVID-19 outcomes, exhibit varied vaccine responses, particularly those who are receiving chemotherapy. This prospective cohort study enrolled 115 cancer patients, and data from 91 patients who received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines were analyzed. Blood was drawn at baseline, day 28, and 6 months post-second dose for neutralizing antibody analysis. The primary outcome was seroconversion rate against wild type and Omicron at day 28. Secondary outcomes included seroconversion at 6 months, factors associated with seroconversion, and safety. Of the 157 cancer patients screened, 91 were enrolled, with 45% receiving chemotherapy. Seroconversion rates at day 28 were 77% for the wild type and 62% for Omicron. Chemotherapy did not affect seroconversion (p=0.789 for wild type, p=0.597 for Omicron). Vaccine type positively correlated with seroconversion, with an adjusted ORR of 25.86 (p=0.029) for the wild type and 17.38 (p<0.001) for Omicron with the primary heterologous vaccine. Adverse events were grade 1 in 34.0% and grade 2 in 19.7% of participants. Despite lower seroconversion against Omicron, no difference was noted between chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy groups. COVID-19 vaccinations demonstrated good tolerability. This data underscores vaccine efficacy considerations in cancer patients, informing tailored strategies for this vulnerable population.

The present work reports an experimental thermodynamic study of two nitrogen heterocyclic organic compounds, fenclorim and clopyralid, that have been used as herbicides. The sublimation vapor pressures of fenclorim (4,6-dichloro-2-phenylpyrimidine) and of clopyralid (3,6-dichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid) were measured, at different temperatures, using a Knudsen mass-loss effusion technique. The vapor pressures of both crystalline and liquid (including supercooled liquid) phases of fenclorim were also determined using a static method based on capacitance diaphragm manometers. The experimental results enabled accurate determination of the standard molar enthalpies, entropies and Gibbs energies of sublimation for both compounds and of vaporization for fenclorim, allowing a phase diagram representation of the (p,T) results, in the neighborhood of the triple point of this compound. The temperatures and molar enthalpies of fusion of the two compounds studied were determined using differential scanning calorimetry. The standard isobaric molar heat capacities of the two crystalline compounds were determined at 298.15 K, using drop calorimetry. The gas phase thermodynamic properties of the two compounds were estimated through ab initio calculations, at the G3(MP2)//B3LYP level, and their thermodynamic stability was evaluated in the gaseous and crystalline phases, considering the calculated values of the standard Gibbs energies of formation, at 298.15 K.

Childhood malnutrition is one of the most persistent public health problems throughout developing countries including Nigeria. This study focused on the evaluation of complementary food produced by solid-state fermentation of Fonio and Soybean using Rhizopus oligosporus (2710) and Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) using Lactobacillus planterum, (B-41621). Solid state fermentation (SSF) was carried out by inoculating Fonio and Soybean with spore suspension (1×10⁶spores/ml) of Rhizopus oligosporus (2710) and OFSP with spore suspension (1×10⁶spores/ml) of Lactobacillus planterum (B-41621). The samples were blended in the following ratios: Fonio and Soybean 100: 100 (AS), fonio/soybean and OFSP 50: 50(ASO), and compared with a commercial infant formula which served as the control (CTRL). Quality characteristics of the samples were evaluated. Results showed that moisture, crude protein, fibre, ash content, beta carotene and titratable acidity increased significantly (p<0.05) as fermentation progressed. The iron content ranged from 6.57–8.41mg/100g while the beta carotene content ranged from 15.80 –17.35mg/100g. Viscosity ranged from 8200 –15400cP, while that of swelling capacity ranged from 2.25-3.41(g/g). In sensory scores, there were no significant (p>0.05) difference between the average mean scores of the samples. SSF improved the nutritional content and flavour of the developed complementary food which is needed for infant growth and development.

The recycling, incineration, and final disposal rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) are calculated based on the total amount of waste input to each facility in many countries. These statistic data have serious limitation in setting the national goal and policy for effective waste management because it is not considering the amount of foreign objectives in the process of each life-cycle stage. This case study is to estimate the actual rates of recycling, incineration, and final disposal by material flow analysis (MFA) after the collection of MSW in Korea. The actual rates of recycling, incineration and final disposal for MSW in 2016 were 49.9%, 32.9% and 23.1% respectively, indicating that the recycling rate was lower by 10.1%, while the incineration and final disposal rates were raised by 7.6% and 8.4% respectively, compared with the statistics for current MSW. In addition, the changed actual rates of recycling, incineration treatment, and final landfill, and variation of waste treatment charge according to treated amounts per treatment method was analyzed. This results of this study will contribute to establish national level of plan on effective waste management.

Semi-solid feedstock of AZ80 magnesium alloy modified by minor rare-earth Y element (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 wt.%) were fabricated by strain induces melting activated (SIMA) in the form of extrusion and partial remelting. The effect of Y addition on the microstructure evolution of extruded and isothermal treated alloy was observed by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and quantitative analysis. The results show that the Y addition can refine the microstructure and make the β-Mg17Al12 phases agglomerating. During the subsequent isothermal treatment at 570℃, the average solid grain size, shape factor and liquid fractions increased with prolonged soaking time. Smaller spheroidal solid grains and the larger shape factor were obtained due to Y addition. The coalescence and Ostwald ripening of solid grains operated the coarsening process simultaneously. The coarsening rate constants of AZ80M1 (0.2 wt.% Y addition) of 164.22 μm3s-1 was approximately four times less than the un-modified AZ80 alloy of 689.44 μm3s-1. In contrast, the desirable semi-solid structure featured by fine, well globular solid grains and appropriate liquid fractions and shape factor was achieved in AZ80M1 alloy treated at 570℃ for 20-30 min.

The absorption of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) depends on the solubility of these components in the gastric fluid. Parameters such as the total MCFA concentration, carboxyl ionization level, and carbon chain length affect the solubility of these molecules. Moreover, the enzymatic lipolysis of solubilized triacylglycerol (TAG) molecules may depend on the carbon chain length of the fatty acids (FAs) components and their positions on the glycerol backbone. This present study aimed at investigating the effect of electrolyte usually formed during the gastric digestion phase on the solubility of MCFA, and evaluating the influence of the FA carbon chain length on the lipolysis rate during the in vitro digestion simulation. The results obtained here showed that the increasing of electrolyte concentrations tend to decrease the mutual solubility of systems composed by the caproic and caprylic fatty acids + sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium chloride solutions. We also observed that a conventional version of the thermodynamic UNIQUAC model was able to correlate the liquid-liquid phase behavior of the electrolyte solutions. Regarding the in vitro digestion simulation, the experimental data indicated that the action of the pancreatic enzyme occurred preferentially in TAG molecules comprised of short and medium-chain fatty acids.

Thermophysical characterization of three paraffin waxes (RT27, RT21 and RT35HC) is carried out in this study using DSC, TGA and transient plane source technics. Then, a numerical study of their melting in a rectangular enclosure is examined. The enthalpy-porosity approach is used to formulate this problem in order to understand the heat transfer mechanism during the melting process. The analysis of the solid-liquid interface shape, the temperature field shows that the conduction is the dominant heat transfer mode in the beginning of the melting process. It is followed by a transition regime and the natural convection becomes the dominant heat transfer mode. The effects of the Rayleigh number and the aspect ratio of the enclosure on the melting phenomenon are studied and it is found that the intensity of the natural convection increases as the Rayleigh number is higher and the aspect ratio is smaller. In the second part of the numerical study, a comparison of the performance of paraffins waxes during the melting process is conducted. Results reveals that from a kinetically RT21 is the most performant but in term of heat storage capacity, it was inferred that RT35HC is the most efficient PCM.

We investigated the structural evolution of the two-phase blends of polycarbonate (PC) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at various blend compositions by simultaneous biaxial stretching using optical microscopy and SEM observation. The spherical PMMA domains and PC matrix in 30/70 PC/PMMA were enlarged uniformly at all in-plane direction, while the anisotropic-shaped co-continuous structure in 50/50 PC/PMMA was deformed to crosshatched one by in-plane bimodal orientation. In 70/30 PC/PMMA, the phase inversion was found to occur by simultaneous biaxial stretching; i.e., the spherical PMMA domains were changed to crosshatched matrix by in-plane bimodal orientation due to coalescence of the PMMA domains during the stretching. Owing to the phase inversion, the surface hardness estimated by pencil hardness test became harder from 2B to 2H with increasing the strain from 1.0 to 2.0.

Since there are no morphological clues capable of making a pathologist suspect a possible mammary origin of a metastatic lesion without adequate clinical information, the histologic diagnosis of brain metastasis from BC is still based on the immunohistochemical expression of mammary gland markers such as GATA-3, ERs, PgRs and HER-2. The present retrospective study aimed to select purely morphological features capable to suggest the mammary origin of a metastatic carcinoma to the brain. The following histological features were collected on a series of 30 cases of brain metastases from breast cancer:(i) solid growth pattern; (ii) presence of comedonecrosis; (iii) glandular differentiation. Our results showed that most cases histologically exhibited solid growth pattern with at least focal comedonecrosis, producing an overall morphology closely reminiscent of mammary high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ. Although the above-mentioned morphological parameters are not strictly specific to a mammary origin, they may have an important diagnostic utility in leading pathologists to suspect a possible breast primary tumor and to include GATA-3, ERs, PgRs and HER-2 to the immunohistochemical panel.

In this study, we presented a simple highly sensitive sensor based on commercially available solid core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for measuring the refractive index (RI) of analytes. The numerical simulation based on the finite element method (FEM) has been examined to compute the optical properties such as confinement loss, power spectrum, and transmission intensity of the sensor. The most sensitive and inert plasmonic materials (gold and silver) have been assumed to be coated inside the fiber with the range of analytes RI from 1.32 to 1.40. The performance of the proposed sensor has been evaluated by tracing the several optical features like wavelength sensitivity, amplitude sensitivity, resolution of the sensor, and figure of merit. As a result, the comparative study between silver and gold elements has been carried out in which the maximum sensitivity received as 1.15 μm/RIU and 1.10 μm/RIU respectively. Whereas, on the base of power spectrum the obtained sensitivity was 513 μm/RIU for the gold layer. Moreover, the effect of other structural parameters (air holes and plasmonic layers thickness) on the sensing performance has been taken into an account. According to the simulation analysis and results, this sensor would have a great potential in various sensing applications of biomedical and liquid refractive index.

We demonstrate the use of a nanotechnology-based approach for the investigation of enzymatic activity of a single molecule of horseradish peroxidase with a solid-state nanopore. The artificial 5 nm solid-state nanopore has been formed in a 40-nm-thick silicon nitride structure. Single molecule of HRP has been entrapped into the nanopore. The activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme molecule inserted in the nanopore has been monitored by recording the time dependence of the ion current through the nanopore in the course of the reaction of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) oxidation reaction. We have found that in the process of ABTS oxidation in the presence of 2.5 mM hydrogen peroxide, individual HRP enzyme molecules are able to retain activity for approximately 700 seconds before a decrease in the ion current through the nanopore, which can be explained by structural changes of the enzyme.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the citric acid on the properties of solid pine wood, which were submitted to thermomechanical treatment. A preliminary test was performed in a previous study to evaluate the influence of different temperatures of pressing and concentrations of citric acid over the physical properties of wood. After choosing the best treatments (170°C and 5% and 10% of citric acid) it was evaluated the effect of these on the chemical properties (SEM, FTIR and pH), on the density profile using an X-ray microtomography, and on the resistance to ageing through abrasion test. The result of the chemical analysis allowed to observe an increase of the presence of ester functional groups, as well as a better coverage and higher acidity of the surface. The density profile technique allowed to observe the formation of peaks of density on the surface where the acid was applied. Lastly, it was also possible to verify an increase in the resistance to abrasion because of the application of the citric acid.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have been the mainstay of immunosuppressive therapy in solid organ transplantation (SOT) for decades due to their potent effects on the innate immunity and tissue protective effects. But, some SOT centers are reluctant to administer GCs for long-time due to the various side effects. This review summarizes advantages and disadvantages of GCs in SOT. PubMed and Scopus databases were searched from 2011 to April 2021 using search syntaxes cover “transplantation” and “glucocorticoids”.GCs are used in transplant recipients, transplant donors, and organ perfusate solution to improve transplant outcomes. In SOT recipients GCs are administered as induction and maintenance immunosuppressive therapy. GCs are also the cornerstone to treat acute anti-body- and T-cell-mediated rejections. Addition of GCs to organ perfusate solution and pretreatment of transplant donors with GCs are recommended by some guidelines and protocols to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury peri-transplant. GCs with low bioavailability and high potency for GC receptors such as budesonide, nanoparticle-mediated targeted delivery of GCs to specific organs, and combination use of dexamethasone with inducers of immune-regulatory cells are new methods of GC usage in SOT patients to reduce side effects or induce immune-tolerance instead of immunosuppression. Various side effects on different non-targeted organs/tissues such as bone, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, skin, and gastrointestinal tract have been noted for GCs. There are also potential drug-drug interactions for GCs in SOT patients.

Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (Trop 2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is highly expressed in various cancer types with relatively low or no baseline expression in most of normal tissues. Its overexpression is associated with tumor growth and poor prognosis; Trop 2 is therefore, an ideal therapeutic target for epithelial cancers. Several Trop 2 targeted therapeutics have recently been developed for the treatment of cancers, such as anti-Trop 2 antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), as well as Trop 2-specific cell therapy. In particular, the safety and clinical benefit of Trop 2-based ADCs have been demonstrated in clinical trials across multiple tumor types, including those with limited treatment options, such as triple-negative breast cancer, platinum-resistant urothelial cancer, and heavily pretreated non-small cell lung cancer. In this review, we elaborate on recent advances in Trop 2 targeted modalities and provide an overview of novel insights for future developments in this field.

Sulfonated carbon was used as an efficient and reusable heterogeneous solid acid catalyst for the synthesis of biodiesel via esterification of oleic acid with methanol under high voltage conditions. Using an inexpensive and reusable catalyst, environmental benignity, excellent yields in short times, synthesis in atmospheric pressure and low temperature conditions are some of the important features of this protocol. In the final results were confirmed by GC.

Municipal landfills play a vital role in disposing of the solid waste from a community. One of the biggest challenges landfill management face is when the available storage space is being reduced faster than the rate that was planned for. This shortening of the landfill lifecycle impacted the city of Wilmington, Delaware when it was found that their landfill had lost 11 years of its projected lifespan and would reach fully capacity within the next decade. In order to remedy the situation six alternative solutions were devised, with each having different costs (capital, operating, and transport) and varying lengths of landfill extension. This research used the principle of optimization via a LINDO program to determine which solution would achieve the longest landfill extension for the minimum total cost. Other constraints placed on the program include reducing the waste being sent to the landfill and to achieve a minimum of 25 additional years for the landfill. The calculated solution produced a cost reduction of $232.64 million dollars and 3.2 additional years of operation from the option that was eventually chosen by the landfill authority.

The author demonstrates a stable Lagrangian solid modeling method, tracking the interactions of solid mass particles rather than using a meshed grid. This numerical method avoids the problem of tensile instability often seen with smooth particle applied mechanics by having the solid particles apply stresses expected with Hooke's law, as opposed to using a smoothing function for neighboring solid particles. This method has been tested successfully with a bar in tension, compression, and shear, as well as a disk compressed into a flat plate, and the numerical model consistently matched the analytical Hooke's law as well as Hertz contact theory for all examples. The solid modeling numerical method was then built into a 2-D model of a pressure vessel, which was tested with liquid water particles under pressure and simulated with smoothed particle hydrodynamics. This simulation was stable, and demonstrated the feasibility of Lagrangian specification modeling for fluid–solid interactions.

This study's main target was to analyze and design rectangular edges supported two ways solid slabs by using ES EN 1992-1-1:2015. Slab design is often carried out either manually or with the use of design and analytic software. The researcher sees that some software cannot accept some countries' standard codes. For example, currently in Ethiopia analysis and design of two-way solid slab is done using readily available Excel sheet template. But working with this might have many problems, firstly the structure that is already analyzed by SAP or SAFE or any other international software application that uses international codes but which cannot design structure using ES EN 1992; for instant euro codes and designed by excel sheet can create failure and uneconomical analysis and design result. In this paper, the slab is designed and analyzed based on the chosen concrete grade, chosen reinforcement bar diameter, chosen steel grade for design and analysis of slabs calculations like load, moment, shear, and deflection checking using the moment coefficient method for analysis and design and Microsoft Visual Basic 2010 for coding. All input values are given by the International Standard units and are also used to represent output values. Using manual calculations delays time and mostly the result is not correct. But using this Computer program can increase computation accuracy and save time. The procedure the researcher followed is, first the manual calculation has been done and then SADSE2021 has been done. The result is that both are 99.9% identical, and the disadvantage of this method is that it cannot be used to determine the detailed drawing.

In recent years, both domestic and international research on quadruped robots has advanced towards high dynamics and agility, with a focus on high-speed locomotion as a representative motion in high-dynamic activities. Quadruped animals like cheetahs exhibit high-speed running capabilities, attributed to the indispensable role played by their flexible spines during the flight phase motion. This paper establishes dynamic models of quadruped robots with different degrees of spine flexibility, providing a parameterized description of the flight phase motion for both rigid trunks and flexible spine quadruped robots. By setting different initial values for the spine joint and calculating the flight phase results for both types of robots at various initial velocities, the study compares and analyzes the impact of a flexible spine on the flight phase motion of quadruped robots. Through comparative experiments, the research aims to validate the influence of a flexible spine during the flight phase motion, providing insights into how spine flexibility affects the flight phase motion of quadruped robots.

Most of the municipalities in the Gulf region are facing performance related issues in their municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems. They lack to possess a deliberate inter-municipality benchmarking processes. Instead of identifying the performance gaps for their key components (e.g., personnel productivity, operational reliability, etc.) and adopt proactive measures, the municipalities primarily rely on an efficient emergency response. A novel hierarchical modeling framework, based on deductive reasoning, is developed for performance assessment of MSWM systems. Fuzzy rule based modeling using Simulink-MATLAB was used for performance inferencing at different levels, i.e., component, sub-components, etc. The model is capable of handling the inherent uncertainties due to limited data and imprecise knowledge base. The model’s outcomes can exclusively assist the managers working at different levels of organizational hierarchy for effective decision-making. Performance of the key component, assists the senior management to assess the overall compliance level of performance objectives. Subsequently, operation management can hone in the sub-components to acquire useful information for intra-municipality performance management. While, individual indicators are useful for inter-municipality benchmarking. The model has been implemented on two municipalities operating in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. The results demonstrate the model’s pragmatism for continuous performance improvement of MSWM systems in the country and elsewhere.

Recently several papers have been published on the Liénard equation x'' +L x+m x^3+n x^5=0, where the authors studied their explicit solutions and their applications. Here we describe the complete dynamics of these differential equations in the Poincar\'e disc. The Poincar\'e disc is the closed disc centered at the origin of coordinates of radius one, the whole plane R^2 is identified with the interior of this disc, and its boundary, the circle $\sss^1$ is identified with the infinity of R^2.

We study different aspects of an exactly solvable master equation (ME). Its simplicity allows one direct access to the details of its workings, highlighting significant features and peculiarities. The existence of phase transitions is unveiled.

The temperature-dependent energy storage properties of four tungsten bronze phase compounds are studied together with an investigation of their structure and temperature-dependent permittivity response, i.e., Ba6Ti2Nb8O30 (BTN), Ba6Zr2Nb8O30 (BZN), Sr3TiNb4O15 (STN) and Sr3ZrNb4O15 (SZN) ceramics. It was found that BZN has smaller grains and a more porous structure than BTN. SZN shows no clear grain boundaries with the most porous structure among all samples, exhibiting a much lower permittivity response than other samples with no signs of phase transitions from room temperature to 400 °C. Though the energy storage response of those samples is generally quite low, it exhibits rather good temperature stability. It was suggested that by obtaining a denser structure through chemical modification or other methods, those tungsten bronze ceramics with good temperature stability could be promising as energy storage devices when improved energy storage properties are achieved.

This article presents a decentralized phase-shedding technique for multiphase converters. The usual central digital controller is replaced by identical local controllers forming a daisy-chain structure. Phase-shedding decisions are taken locally based on a local inductor current monitoring and threshold crossing management. This control strategy allows to implement as many phases as desired in a modular manner. In order to handle specific events such as load current inrush or a start-up sequence and to guarantee optimal transient responses, additional functions are included into each local controllers. The inter-cell communication protocol is described, along with necessary design considerations of threshold and timing values. Finally, functional simulations are carried out on a 5-leg 12V/1.2V 60W multiphase converter, which validate the proposed decentralized phase-shedding strategy for a microcontroller power supply implementation.

Based on the principle of Pancharatnam-Berry phase, we propose an approach to construct dual-functional dielectric metasurface doublets. This type of doublet, which is composed of a substrate and two metasurface layers, performs two different functionalities at two different operating wavelengths. The simulated results of the examples show that the designed dual-functional doublet works well as expected. The proposed approach can be used to design dielectric meta-structures with more layers of meta-surface and thereby with more functionalities, and would be of interest for miniaturization and integration.

Analytical solutions for radiation dominated phase of Quasi Steady State Cosmology in Friedmann-Robertson-Walkar models are obtained. We find that matter density is positive in all the cases (k = 0,-1,1). The nature of Hubble parameter (H) in [0,2] is discussed. The deceleration parameter (q) is marginally less than zero indicating accelerating universe. The scale factor (S) is graphically shown with time. The model represents oscillating universe between the above mentioned limits. Because of bounce in QSSC, the maximum density phase is still matter dominated. The models represent singularity free model. We also find that the models have event horizon i.e. no observer beyond the proper distance rH can communicate each other in FRW mdels for radiation dominated phase in the frame work of QSSC. The FRW models are special classes of Bianchi type I, V, IX space-times with zero, negative and positive curvatures respectively. Initially i.e. at  = 0, the model represents steady model. We have tried to show how a good fit can be obtained to the observations in the framework of QSSC during radiation dominated phase.

Neuromorphic computing, reconfigurable optical metamaterials operational over a wide spectral range, holographic and nonvolatile displays of extremely high resolution, integrated smart photonics and many other applications need phase-change materials (PCMs) of the next generation with better energy efficiency, wider temperature and spectral range for reliable operation compared to current flagship PCMs as Ge2Sb2Te5 or doped Sb2Te. Gallium tellurides are promising candidates to achieve the necessary requirements because of higher melting and crystallization temperatures, combined with a low switching power and fast switching rate. At the same time, Ga2Te3 and non-stoichiometric alloys appear to be atypical PCMs, characterized by regular tetrahedral structure and the absence of metavalent bonding. The sp3 gallium hybridization in cubic and amorphous Ga2Te3 is also different from conventional p-bonding in flagship PCMs, raising a question of the phase-change mechanism. Besides, gallium tellurides exhibit a number of unexpected and highly unusual phenomena as nanotectonic compression or viscosity anomaly just above melting. Using high-energy X-ray diffraction, supported by first-principles simulations, we will unravel the atomic structure of amorphous Ga2Te5 PLD films, compare it with the crystal structure of tetragonal gallium pentatelluride, and investigate electrical, optical and thermal properties of these two materials to estimate their potential for memory applications as well as for other fields.

The influence of pH, temperature, biopolymer ratio, total concentration, and ionic concentration on the interaction between egg white protein (EWP) and chitosan (CS) was investigated through turbidity, zeta potential, and state diagram in our research. In addition, phase behavior was observed under various conditions. The turbidity of EWP remained low (turbidity&lt;0.03) and basically unchanged at a wide range of pH (4.0-8.0), while the turbidity of CS was slightly higher (turbidity&lt;0.2) after pH 7.0 than before. Moreover, under the same conditions, a sharply rising peak pattern was observed for the complex between EWP and CS. The maximum turbidity value was observed at 55°C, and the temperature had a mild effect on turbidity. The optimum EWP to CS ratio was found to be 12:1 based on the experiment of the turbidity curves and state diagrams influenced by different biopolymer mixing ratios. With the enhanced concentrations of total biopolymer, the maximum turbidity rose insignificantly above 0.1%.

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of proteins has been found ubiquitously in eukaryotic cells, critical in the controlling of many biological processes through forming a temporary condensed phase with different bimolecular components. TDP-43 is recruited to stress granules in cells and is the main component of TDP-43 granules and proteinaceous amyloid inclusions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). TDP-43 low complexity domain (LCD) is able to demix in solution forming the protein condensed droplets. The molecular interactions regulating its LLPS were investigated at the protein fusion equilibrium stage, where the droplets stopped growing. We found the molecules in the droplet were still liquid-like but with enhanced intermolecular helix-helix interaction in the LCD. The protein would start to aggregate after about 200 minutes of lag time and aggregate slower than at the condition when the protein does not phase separate or the molecules have a reduced intermolecular helical interaction. A structural transition intermediate towards protein aggregation was also discovered involving a decrease of the intermolecular helix-helix interaction and a reduction in the helicity. Therefore, LLPS and the intermolecular helical interaction could help maintain the stability of TDP-43 LCD.

The principles of causality and unitarity are studied within rational nonlinear electrodynamics proposed earlier. We investigate dyonic and magnetized black holes and show that in the self-dual case, when the electric charge equals the magnetic charge, corrections to Coulomb's law and Reissner-Nordstrom solutions are absent. In the case of the magnetic black hole, the Hawking temperature, the heat capacity and the Helmholtz free energy are calculated. It is shown that there are second-order phase transitions and it was demonstrated that at some range of parameters the black holes are stable.

Super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) is used for manufacturing large valves and pipes in offshore plants because of its excellent strength and corrosion resistance. Large valves and pipes are manufactured by forging after casting, and the outside and inside microstructures are different owing to the difference in the cooling rate caused by the thermal conductivity. This microstructural variation causes cracks during solution annealing, which breaks the materials. To study toe corrosion resistance of the SDSS forged material, the microstructure was conducted based on the difference in the cooling rate between the inside and outside of the cast SDSS. To analyze the effects of the secondary phase fraction before solution annealing on the solution and corrosion resistance, the corrosion resistance with and without solution annealing was measured using the potentiodynamic polarization test and critical temperature test after the precipitation of the secondary phase. In the potentiodynamic polarization test, the secondary phase decreased the activation polarization and increased the corrosion rate. The critical pitting temperature exhibited the effect of the secondary phase.

Lamb waves occur in thin-walled structures in two wave modes, the symmetric and antisymmetric mode. Their oscillation on the structures‘ surfaces is either in phase (symmetric) or shifted by a phase angle of π (antisymmetric). In this work, a method is developed to compare the surfaces‘ oscillation phase relation. It is based on the evaluation of time signals regarding the instantaneous phase angle using the continuous wavelet transformation and as a comparative method the short-time Fourier transformation. For this purpose, numerical simulations utilizing the finite element method provide time signals from the top and bottom surface of different thin-walled structures. They differ with respect to their material settings and laminate configurations. The numerically obtained time signals are evaluated by the developed methods. The occurring oscillation phase differences on the top and bottom surface are studied and both methods are compared. Subsequently, the oscillation phase is evaluated experimentally for the wave propagation in a fiber metal laminate. It is shown that the method based on the continuous wavelet transformation is suitable for the evaluation of oscillation phase relations in time signals. Additionally, it is proven that fiber metal laminates show only two phase relations which indicates the occurrence of Lamb waves.

Phase imaging of biochemical samples has been demonstrated for the first time at the Infrared Microspectroscopy (IRM) beamline of the Australian Synchrotron using the usually discarded Near-IR (NIR) region of the synchrotron-IR beam. The synchrotron-IR beam at the Australian Synchrotron IRM beamline has a unique fork shaped intensity distribution as a result of the gold coated extraction mirror shape, which includes a central slit for rejection of the intense X-ray beam. The resulting beam configuration makes any imaging task challenging. For intensity imaging, the fork shaped beam is usually tightly focused to a point on the sample plane followed by a pixel-by-pixel scanning approach to record the image. In this study, a pinhole was aligned with one of the lobes of the fork shaped beam and the Airy diffraction pattern was used to illuminate biochemical samples. The diffracted light from the samples was captured using a NIR sensitive lensless camera. A rapid phase-retrieval algorithm was applied to the recorded intensity distributions to reconstruct the phase information corresponding to different planes. The preliminary results are promising to develop multimodal imaging capabilities at the IRM beamline of the Australian Synchrotron.

To enhance the mechanical properties (i.e. strength and elongation) of the face-centered cubic (fcc) α-phase in the Au-Cu-Al system, this study focused on the introduction of the martensite phase (doubled B19 (DB19) crystal structure of Au2CuAl) via the manipulation of alloy compositions. Fundamental evaluations, such as microstructure observations, phase identifications, thermal analysis, tensile behavior examinations, and reflectance analysis have been conducted. The presence of fcc annealing twins was both observed in the optical microscope (OM) and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Both the strength and elongation of the alloys were greatly promoted while the DB19 martensite phase was introduced into the alloys. Amongst all the prepared specimens, the 47Au41Cu12Al and the 44Au44Cu12Al alloys performed the optimized mechanical properties. The enhancement of strength and ductility in these 2 alloys was achieved while the stress plateau was observed during the tensile deformation. A plot of the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) against fracture strain was constructed to illustrate the effects of the introduction of the DB19 martensite phase on the mechanical properties of the alloys. Regardless of the manipulation of the alloy compositions and the introduction of the DB19 martensite phase, the reflectance stayed almost identical to pure Au.

An HPLC method for indicating stability was developed, created, and confirmed for the quantification measurement of recombinant human erythropoietin in large quantities as well as dosage forms. An isocratic separation was accomplished using a Thermo Biobasic C18 (250 mm 4.6 mm i.d., 300Ao, 5 m) column with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1 as well as a UV detector to monitor the eluate at 278 nm. Acetonitrile, 0.05 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate (80:20 v/v), and orthophosphoric acid adjusted to 4.0 made up the mobile phase. The drug was exposed to oxidative stress, hydrolysis, and photodegradation to simulate stress conditionsRecombinant Human Erythropoietin, the parent compound, was eluted at roughly 6.675 minutes, as well as all byproducts have been entirely disconnected inside an overall analytical run time of about 15 minutes. To identify quantification limits of 0.05 and 0.2 g mL-1, respectively, the method was linear over a concentration range of 1-6 g mL-1 (r = 0.9989). Recombinant Human Erythropoietin can be measured accurately, selectively, sensitively, and precisely using this method both in dosage form and in bulk. Stress-induced degradation products did not interact with the identification of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin, indicating that the assay is stable.

The objective of this study was to identify circulating miRNAs affected by disease duration in newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes. Forty children and adolescents from The Danish Remission Phase Cohort were followed with blood samples drawn at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 60 months after diagnosis. Pancreatic autoantibodies were measured at each visit. Cytokines were measured only the first year. miRNA expression profiling was performed by RT-qPCR and quantified for 179 human plasma miRNAs. The effect of disease duration was analyzed by mixed models for repeated measurements, adjusted for sex and age. Eight miRNAs (hsa-miR-10b-5p, hsa-miR-17-5p, hsa-miR-30e-5p, hsa-miR-93-5p, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-125b-5p, hsa-miR-423-3p and hsa-miR-497-5p) were found to significantly change expression (adjusted p-value < 0.05) with disease progression. Three pancreatic autoantibodies ICA, IA-2A, GADA65 and 4 cytokines IL-4, IL-10, IL-21, IL-22 were associated with the miRNAs at different time points. Pathway analysis revealed association with various immune-mediated signaling pathways. Eight miRNAs, involved in immunological pathways changed expression levels during the first five years after diagnosis in children with type 1 diabetes, and were associated with variations in cytokine and pancreatic antibodies, suggesting a possible effect on the immunological processes in the early phase of the disease.

Carbon nanotubes are hybridized with metal crystals to impart multifunctionality into the nanohybrids (NHs). Simple but effective synthesis techniques are desired to form both zero-valent and oxides of different metal species on carbon nanotube surfaces. Sol-gel technique brings in significant advantages and is a viable technique for such synthesis. This study probes the efficacy of sol-gel process and aims to identify underlying mechanisms of crystal formation. Standard electron potential (SEP) is used as a guiding parameter to choose the metal species; i.e., highly negative SEP (e.g., Zn) with oxide crystal tendency, highly positive SEP (e.g., Ag) with zero-valent crystal-tendency, and intermediate range SEP (e.g., Cu) to probe the oxidation tendency in crystal formation are chosen. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction are used to evaluate the synthesized NHs. Results indicate that SEP can be a reliable guide for the resulting crystalline phase of a certain metal species, particularly when the magnitude of this parameter is relatively high. However, for intermediate range SEP-metals, mix phase crystals can be expected. For example, Cu will form Cu₂O and zero-valent Cu crystals, unless the synthesis is performed in a reducing environment.

The 8Nb isopleth section of a Ti-Al-Nb system is experimentally determined based on thermal analysis and thermodynamic calculation methods to obtain the phase transformation and equilibrium relations required for material design and fabrication. The phase transus and relations for the 8Nb-TiAl system show some deviations from the calculated thermodynamic results. The ordered βo phase transforms from the disordered β/α phases at 1200–1400 °C over a large Al concentration range, and this transformation is considered to be an intermediate type between the first- and second-order phase transitions. Moreover, the βo phases are retained at the ambient temperature in the 8Nb-TiAl microstructures. The ωo phase transforms from the highly ordered βo phase, rather than from α2 or βo with low degree of atom ordering B2 (LOB2) structure, with Al concentration of 32–43 at.% at approximately 850 °C. From the experimental detection, the transition of the ωo phase from the βo phase is considered to be a further ordering process.

Downwind odor characteristics can be very different depending upon the size of the upwind point-source, interim topography, and wind conditions. At one extreme, the downwind odor plume from a relatively large, confined animal feeding operation (CAFO), located on a flat open plain and under stable, near-straight-line wind conditions can be rather broad, sustained and predictable relative to a fixed receptor site downwind. In contrast, the plume from a small point-source (e.g., a roof vent stack) located on irregular topography and under rapidly shifting wind conditions can be intermittent and fleeting. These transient odor events can be surprisingly intense and offensive, in spite of their fleeting occurrence and perception. This work reports on efforts to optimize an environmental odor sampling strategy, which is optimized for the challenges of (1) sampling of such transient odor 'spikes' and (2) the prioritization of odors/odorants from multiple, closely co-located point-sources, under such transient event conditions. Protocol refinement has emerged by way of 2 environmental odor assessment projects which have been undertaken on behalf of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The challenge of transient odor events has been mitigated utilizing rapid, odor cued whole-air grab capture sampling into metalized-FEP gas sampling bags, followed by immediate adsorption transfer onto SPME fibers or sorbent tubes for stabilization during the shipment and storage interval between collection and final analysis. Initial results demonstrated approximately 11 fold increases in target odorant yields for 900 mL sorbent tube transfers from 2-3 second 'burst' odor event bag-captures, as compared to equivalent direct collections at the same downwind receptor location but during perceived (stable) odor 'lull' periods. Results-to-date targeting refinement and field trials of this integrated environmental odor assessment strategy are presented. Preliminary application targeting general odor sampling and point-source differentiation utilizing tracer gases is also presented.

From the formalism of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes and the theory of complex systems, characterization of longevity and aging and its relationship with the emergence and evolution of cancer was carried out. It was found that: 1. The rate of entropy production can be used as an index of robustness, plasticity, the aggressiveness of cancer, and as a measure of biological age; 2. The aging process, as well as the evolution of cancer, goes through what we have called “biological phase transition”; 3. The process of metastasis, which occurs through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), appears as a phase transition far from thermodynamic equilibrium and exhibits Shilnikov chaos-like dynamic behavior. This dynamic guarantees the robustness of the process and, in turn, its unpredictability; 4. It was shown that as the ferroptosis process is strengthened, the complexity of the dynamics associated with the emergence and evolution of cancer decreases. The theoretical framework developed contributes to a better understanding of the biophysical-chemical phenomena of longevity and aging and their relationship with cancer.

Agricultural product like cassava produces huge amounts of waste when processed to consumable goods. The waste generated is generally considered to contribute largely to environmental pollution. This study therefore investigates the waste management practice that is adopted by cassava processors in Ogun State, Nigeria. Five (5) Local Government Areas (LGAs) dominant in processing cassava were selected for the study on the basis of spatial location distribution; landmass and population. The survey involved the use of structured questionnaires administered to cassava processors of the selected LGAs. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software application and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results of the analysis show that majority (70%) of the cassava processors are females. Cassava peel constitutes 10% of the waste produced, of which 91% are heaped at refuse dump in most communities. Results also reveal that 86.3% of cassava residues are used for animal feeds. Other findings show that the peels when dried are used as bio-fuel for cooking and there is a significant potential for biogas production. From the data captured from respondent during the study, most processors are willing to pay for an improved waste management system. The study therefore suggests proper waste management of cassava waste to minimize environmental pollution.

In the application of classical nucleation theory (CNT) and all other theoretical models of crystallization of liquids and glasses it is always assumed that nucleation proceeds only after the supercooled liquid or the glass have completed structural relaxation processes towards the metastable equilibrium state. Only employing such assumption, the thermodynamic driving force of crystallization and the surface tension can be determined in the way it is commonly performed. The present paper is devoted to the theoretical treatment of a different situation when nucleation proceeds concomitantly with structural relaxation. To treat the nucleation kinetics theoretically for such cases, we need adequate expressions for the thermodynamic driving force and the surface tension accounting for the contributions caused by the deviation of the supercooled liquid from metastable equilibrium. In the present paper, such relations are derived. They are expressed via deviations of structural order parameters from their equilibrium values. Relaxation processes result in changes of the structural order parameters with time. As a consequence, the thermodynamic driving force and surface tension, and basic characteristics of crystal nucleation, such as the work of critical cluster formation and the steady-state nucleation rate, also become time-dependent. We show that this scenario may be realized in the vicinity and below the glass transition temperature, and it may occur only if diffusion (controlling nucleation) and viscosity (controlling the alpha-relaxation process) in the liquid decouple. Analytical estimates are illustrated and confirmed by numerical computations for a model system. The theory is successfully applied to the interpretation of experimental data. Several further consequences of this newly developed theoretical treatment are discussed in detail. In line with our previous investigations, we reconfirm that only when the characteristic times of structural relaxation are of similar order of magnitude or longer than the characteristic times of crystal nucleation, elastic stresses evolving in nucleation may significantly affect this process. Completing the analysis of elastic stress effects, for the first time expressions are derived for the dependence of the surface tension of critical crystallites on elastic stresses. As the result, a comprehensive theoretical description of crystal nucleation accounting appropriately for the effects of deviations of the liquid from the metastable states and of relaxation on crystal nucleation of glass-forming liquids, including the effect of simultaneous stress evolution and stress relaxation on nucleation, is now available. As one if its applications, this theoretical treatment provides a new tool for the explanation of the low-temperature anomaly in nucleation in silicate and polymer glasses (the so-called \breakdown" of CNT at temperatures below the temperature of the maximum steady-state nucleation rate). We show that this anomaly results from much more complex features of crystal nucleation in glasses caused by deviations from metastable equilibrium (resulting in changes of the thermodynamic driving force, the surface tension, and the work of critical cluster formation, in the necessity to account of structural relaxation and stress effects) than assumed so far.

The creation of mitochondria-targeted vector systems is a new tool for the treatment of socially significant diseases. Phosphonium groups provide targeted delivery of drugs through biological barriers to organelles. For this purpose, a new class of alkyl(diethylamino)(phenyl) phosphonium iodides (bromides) 1 containing one, two, or three diethylamino groups were obtained by the reaction of alkyl iodides (bromides) with (diethylamino)(phenyl)phosphines under mild conditions and high yields. The structure of compounds 1 was established by NMR and XRD. In vitro a high cytotoxicity against the lines M-Hela, HuTu 80, PC3, DU-145, PANC-1 and MCF-7 was found. Selectivity index are in the range of 0.06-4.0 M (SI 17-277) for the most active compounds. ROS production, mitochondrial localization and the process of cellular apoptosis were investigated. Decorated by 1 of lipid systems (liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles) improve the cytotoxicity and a decrease in toxicity against normal cell lines. Compounds 1 induce apoptosis proceeding along the mitochondrial pathway. Aminophosphonium salts 1 also exhibit a high selective activity against the Gram-positive bacteria strains S. aureus 209P, B. segeus 8035, including methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus (MRSA-1, MRSA-2), comparable to the activity of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic norfloxacin. A moderate in vivo toxicity in CD-1 mice was established for the lead compounds.

It was recently shown that urban networks might exhibit two different critical points, one for the percolation of congested links through the network, and another one for the flow of vehicles through the network. It was observed that the percolation critical point happens after the flow critical point, where network throughput is maximized. This result is important because if a causal relationship exists between these two processes, it can be leveraged for improving control methods to avoid network collapse. This paper presents the results of numerical experiments to understand the possible causal relationship between the percolation and flow processes by focusing on the relative timing between the two critical points. The goal is to understand the impacts of important factors such as: (i) urban network type: long- and short-block networks, (ii) signal timing control type: fixed, random, responsive, and (iii) route choice: turning proportions at intersections. We find that the threshold density $k^*_c$ to determine if a link is congested has the main impact on the timing of the percolation transition, where lower values trigger earlier transitions. This implies that $k^*_c$ can be set such that the percolation transition happens before the flow critical point, opening the door for improved congestion management strategies. If $k^*_c$ is set to the average network critical density, maximum network throughput happen simultaneously with the percolation transition. Surprisingly, it appears that these results, and more generally, the relationship between the percolation and flow processes is independent of (i) and (ii) above.

Different inlet structures have a significant impact on the internal flow characteristics of a solid-magnesium powder water ramjet engine. Based on the magnesium-water reaction model, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is applied to establish a numerical simulation method for the internal flow field of the engine, and the internal flow characteristics of the engine under different inlet structure conditions are studied. The simulation results show that high-temperature gas can effectively promote the ignition of magnesium powder at the top of the combustion chamber, while accelerating the evaporation of the first inlet water and increasing the combustion rate of magnesium powder. The secondary inlet has the most significant effect on the temperature inside the combustion chamber. When the secondary inlet flow rate increases towards the top of the combustion chamber, it increases the amount of heat absorbed by the evaporating water at the top of the chamber, thereby reducing the temperature at the top of the combustion chamber. However, when the flow rate is low, it results in insufficient oxidizer at the top of the combustion chamber, which is unfavorable for the combustion of magnesium powder.

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) can be produced by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) of SiH4 (Silane) mixed with Hydrogen. The resulting material shows outstanding radiation resistance properties and can be deposited on a wide variety of different substrates. These devices have been used to detect many different kinds of radiation namely: MIPs, x-rays, neutrons and ions as well as low energy protons and alphas. However, MIP detection using planar diodes has always been difficult due to the unsatisfactory S/N ratio arising from a combination of high leakage current, high capacitance and a limited charge collection efficiency (50% at best for a 30 µm planar diode). To overcome these limitations the 3D-SiAm collaboration proposes to use a 3D detector geometry. The use of vertical electrodes allows for a small collection distance to be maintained while conserving a large detector thickness for charge generation. The depletion voltage in this configuration can be kept below 400 V with consequent reduction in the leakage current. In this paper, following a detailed description of the fabrication process, the results of the tests performed on the planar p-i-n structures made with ion implantation of the dopants and with carrier selective contacts will be illustrated.