Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is a major source of natural fiber and an important cash crop. The cotton growth habit and architecture determine its productivity and influence management strategies for commercial production. The GATA transcription factors (TFs) control various developmental processes in plants, such as flower, bract and embryo development, and petal differentiation. As stable transformation is still a bottleneck in many plant species, TRV-VIGS was used to manipulate gene expression in different plants, including Gossypium hirsutum L. In this study, we undertook the TRV-based VIGS to functionally characterize two candidate genes, Gohir.D05G103700 and Gohir.D12G153600, identified through the expression QTL analysis for five floral induction and meristem identity genes using the upland cotton mini-core collection. Virus-induced silencing of the Gohir.D05G103700 gene resulted in up to a 1.4-fold reduction in the transcript level in two inoculated plants, G3 and G4, and Gohir.D12G153600 gene resulted in up to a 2.3-fold reduction in transcript level in a single inoculated plant P05 relative to the mock-treated plant. The TRV2-Gohir.D05G103700 inoculated plants precisely G3 and G4 also exhibited loss of the supernumerary (fourth) floral bract in the squares, whereas the TRV2-Gohir.D12G153600 inoculated plants did not show any observable phenotypic change relative to the mock-treated plants.  Altogether, this study suggested that TRV-VIGS can be used to characterize genes in cotton relatively rapidly and the cotton Gohir.D05G103700 gene is a positive regulator of the indeterminate growth habit in cotton, which could be manipulated to obtain a cotton plant with architecture best suited for the cultivation area.

Viroids are known the smallest plant pathogens, and although their genome sequences do not encode proteins, they can cause disease in economically important crops. In order to control viroid diseases and mitigate their damage, genetic resources used for breeding of the viroid-resistant crop have been searched, but the practical resistant trait has not been found in almost all viroid-crop combinations, as well as the tolerant trait. Due to the difficulty in exploiting naturally occurring resistance or tolerance, various effective strategies have been devised to control viroid diseases using non-transforming or transforming techniques. Meanwhile, extensive findings related to viroid resistance and tolerance may lead to confer resistance or tolerance to viroid infection by combining with the recently emerged new technologies (e.g., spray-induced gene silencing and genome-editing technologies), which are believed to be more environmentally viable and acceptable to the general public than previously reported approaches. In particular, some genome-modified crops produced by the latter technology are already on the market. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the current status about investigation of naturally occurring genetic traits for viroid resistance and tolerance, accumulating knowledge about host factors involved in viroid pathogenicity, and various basic technologies developed to try to possible viroid disease control strategies. Furthermore, we discuss prospects and challenges for the achievement of more effective, practical, and sustainable disease control of viroid.

Phytophthora. infestans is a well known late blight causing oomycetes pathogen. It evolves and adapts to the host background and new fungicide molecules rapidly within a few years of their release, may be due to the predominance of transposable elements in its genome. Frequent and huge applications of fungicides cause environmental concerns. Here we developed target specific RNA interference based molecules, that are capable of effectively reducing the late blight infection. cDNA microarray expression data was used for the selection of genes involved in the early stage of infection process, sporulation etc. The in vitro synthesis of double stranded RNA molecule, targeting SDH, EF-1α, GPI-HAM344, PLD-3 and HSP-90 encoding genes revealed the reduction in growth, sporulation and symptom expression, which were subsequently assessed by culture bioassay, detached leaf assay and topical application methods. The multiple genes targeted dsRNA nano clay sprayed plants showed enhanced disease resistance (4% disease severity) and least sporulation (<1x103), compared to naked dsRNA spray. Use of nano clay was assumed to be involved in the effective delivery, protection and boosting the action of RNAi in potato plants. A significant difference in the growth, sporulation count, disease severity and reduced expression of the genes and confocal microscopy imaging authenticates the effects of SIGS on late blight disease progression. Our research demonstrated that topical dsRNA nano clay spray under the open-air environment could be an alternative to chemical fungicides and transgenic approaches as a novel plant protection strategy for late blight in an environmentally friendly manner.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in thermal spray techniques using suspension or solution-based coatings. These techniques offer precise control over particle size and microstructure, improving feedstock flowability and allowing for high-quality coatings customization. Spray parameters, such as stand-off distance (SOD) and feedstock flow rate, can alter the performance and characteristics of these coatings. Geothermal power plant heat exchangers often face issues like corrosion, scaling, and fouling. These issues could be mitigated, at least in part, by the use of spray coatings. In this study, TiO2 coatings were applied to a carbon steel substrate using suspension plasma spray (SPS) to enhance the performance of geothermal heat exchanger materials. The impact of SOD (50, 75, and 100mm) and feedstock flow rate (10, 20, and 30 ml/min) on these coatings was examined through various techniques, including SEM, profilometry, XRD, and adhesion testing. The results demonstrated that coatings deposited using 10ml/min feedstock flow rate were well-adhered to the substrate due to efficient melting of coating material but as the SOD and feedstock flow rate increase due to poor thermal and kinetic energy exchange between the torch and feedstock particles, adhesion between coating and substrate decreases. smaller SODs led to more compact coatings, while higher feedstock flow rates increased coating porosity. Smaller SODs and lower flow rates resulted in well-adhered coatings, offering valuable insights for advancing geothermal heat exchanger coatings.

Space exploration is an arduous journey, with future explorations extending in duration, increasing the risk for common space-related health issues such as bone density loss due to microgravity, impaired gut microbiota, cardiovascular ailments, and exposure to cosmic radiation. These ailments can be addressed using medicinal plants. Enhancing their efficacy entails employing gene editing to target specific secondary metabolite pathways associated with therapeutic properties. Moreover, gene editing can combine multiple medicinal properties from various plants, culminating in a singular 'superplant' with enhanced therapeutic benefits. This review discusses the current usage of medicinal plants in promoting human health during space travel, the application of gene editing technology in modifying medicinal plants and presents a vision for the utilization of gene-edited medicinal plants in space to mitigate the risk of various space-related health issues.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a systemic autoinflammatory disorder caused by inherited mutations in the MEFV (Mediterranean FeVer) gene located on chromosome 16 (16p13.3) and coding pyrin protein. Despite the existing data on MEFV mutations, the exact mechanism of their effect on the development of pathological processes leading to autoinflammation observed in FMF, remains unclear. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are considered an important tool for studying the molecular genetic mechanisms of various diseases due to their ability to differentiate into any cell type, including macrophages, which contribute to the development of FMF. In this study, we developed iPSCs of an Armenian patient with FMF having M694V, p.(Met694Val) (c.2080A&gt;G, rs61752717) pathogenic mutation in exon 10 of the MEFV gene. As a result of direct differentiation, macrophages expressing CD14 and CD45 surface markers were obtained. In addition, we found that the morphology of patient macrophages derived from iPSCs with MEFV mutation was significantly different from that of differentiated from iPSCs of a healthy donor carrying wild-type MEFV gene.

Agricultural workers utilize pesticides extensively on their farms to control weeds and insects, as well as increase crop productivity. Despite these advantages, their excessive use poses a seri-ous threat, particularly to the population living at the nexus of urban and rural areas. Exposure to pesticide drift can be investigated using geospatial tools. Remote sensing technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques have been used intensively and constitute trusted tools in different sectors, especially in agriculture. Remote sensing depends on pro-cessing the electromagnetic radiation reflected and emitted from the ground target and can be used to identify the spectral signature of crops exposed to pesticides. GIS has powerful tools for building a spatial geo-database of pesticide exposure drift. Therefore, the major objective of the research was to explore the effectiveness of using remote sensing and GIS techniques to estimate the exposure to pesticides in Macon County (Alabama). To achieve this objective, Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) was used to identify accurate cropland areas. The Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 satellite images. Available agricultural pesticide usage data (seven of the seventeen organophosphates used in Alabama) were obtained through the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The results indicated that 6.6% of Macon County’s residents are considered potentially severely exposed, and the potentially affected population resides primarily in rural areas. While 23 percent of residents of rural edges are considered to have potentially medium to high expo-sure. In addition, 38% of residents living in suburban areas are considered to have potentially low-to-medium exposure. Also, the results indicated that both GIS and remote sensing can play an effective role in estimating pesticide exposure drift.

Abstract: The trend of fasting until noon (omission or delayed breakfast) is increasingly prevalent in modern society. This eating pattern triggers discordance between endogenous circadian clock rhythms and the feeding/fasting cycle and is associated with an increased incidence of obesity and T2D. Although the underlying mechanism of this association is not well understood, growing evidence suggests that fasting until noon, also known as an “extended postabsorptive state,” has the potential to cause a deleterious effect on clock gene expression and disrupted regulation of body weight, postprandial and overall glycemia, skeletal muscle protein synthesis, appetite and may also lead to lower energy expenditure. This manuscript overviews the clock gene-controlled glucose metabolism during the active and resting phases. The consequences of postponing until noon the transition from postabsorptive to fed state on glucose metabolism, weight control, and energy expenditure. Finally, we will discuss the metabolic advantage of shifting more energy, carbohydrates (CH), and proteins to the early hours of the day.

Freeze drying was compared with spray drying regarding feasibility to process wild thyme drug in order to obtain dry formulations at laboratory scale starting from liquid extracts produced by different extraction methods: maceration, heat-, ultrasound-, and microwave-assisted extractions. Higher powder yield (based on the dry weight prior to extraction) was achieved by freeze than spray drying and lower loss of total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) due to the drying process. Gelatin as a coating agent (5% w/w) provided better TPC recovery by 70% in case of lyophilization and higher powder yield in case of spray drying by diminishing material deposition on the wall of the drying chamber. The resulting gelatin-free and gelatin-containing powders carried polyphenols in amount ~190 and 53-75 mg gallic acid equivalents GAE/g of powder, respectively. Microwave-assisted extract formulation distinguished from others by higher content of polyphenols, proteins and sugars, higher bulk density and lower solubility. The type of the drying process affected mainly position of the gelatin-derived -OH and amide bands in FTIR spectra. Spray dried formulations compared to freeze dried expressed higher thermal stability as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry analysis and higher diffusion coefficient; the last feature can be associated with the lower specific surface area of irregularly shaped freeze-dried particles (151-223 µm) compared to small microspheres (~8 µm) in spray-dried powder.

In Uganda, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is often infested by a complex of insect pests, but the bean stem maggots, aphids, bean leaf beetles, and flower thrips are the most important. Whereas yield losses due to these pests have been established, there is limited information on their population dynamics at different stages of crop growth and their effect on yield and yield components. In order to describe the population dynamics of selected common bean pests at various phases of bean crop growth, and their impact on yield and yield components, a study was carried out in Uganda during 2016 second rains and 2017 first rains in three agro-ecological zones. Bean fly, bean aphids, bean leaf beetles, whitefly, striped bean weevil, leaf hoppers, and caterpillars of Lepidopteran species were the main insects observed. Pesticide spray schedules were imposed to generate different populations of insect pests whose effects on yield and its components were determined. The findings indicate that spray regimes significantly influenced the abundance of bean fly, aphids, whitefly, striped bean weevil, and leaf hoppers but not bean leaf beetles and caterpillars. Additionally, except caterpillars, insect pests were significantly influenced by crop growth stages, but only aphids, whiteflies, bean flies and leaf hoppers exhibited a significant negative relationship with grain yield. Furthermore, yield and yield components varied significantly between spray regimes, agro-ecological zones, and seasons. Our study is important in informing growers on the stage of crop growth at which management tactics such as use of insecticides can be applied for different insect pests.

Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa were spray-drying using maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA) as carriers agents. An experimental design Taguchi L8 with seven variables was implemented. Physicochemical properties in the encapsulates were evaluated by UV-Vis, XRD, spectroscopy and gravimetric techniques. Treatments with aqueous extracts showed the highest concentration of total soluble polyphenols (TSP) 32.12- 21.23 mg EAG/g DW, and antioxidant capacity (AOX) for ABTS assay. The best treatment for TSP and AOX was T4: 2.5% Hibiscus w/w, aqueous extracts, decoction, extract-to-carrier ratio 1:1 (w/w), proportion to carriers (MD:GA) 80:20 (w/w), 10000 rpm, 150°C. Taguchi L8 model is a tool that allows the use of multiple variables with a low number of treatments that indicate the drying conditions that give the best parameters, focusing mainly on TSP and AOX, in addition, is a good alternative for the preservation and stability of the PC in Hibiscus.

In order to achieve better knowledge of the thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) by supersonic atmospheric plasma spraying (SAPS) process, an experimental study was carried out to elaborate physicochemical properties of particles in-flight during the SAPS process. One type of commercially available agglomerated and sintered yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) powders were injected into the SAPS plasma jet and collected by shock chilling method. The YSZ particles in-flight physicochemical properties of the melting state, morphology, microstructure, particle size distribution, element composition changes and phase transformation during the SAPS process have been systematically analyzed. The melting state, morphology and microstructure of the collected particles were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The particle size distribution was measured by a laser particle size analyzer (LPSA). Element compositions were quantitatively analysed by an electron probe X-ray microanalyzer (EPMA). Additionally, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method was used to analyse the phase transformation. The results showed that the original YSZ powders injected into the SAPS plasma jet were quickly heated and melted from the outer layer companied with breakup and collision-coalescence. The outer layer of the collected particles containing roughly hexagonal shaped grains exhibited a surface texture with high sphericity and the inside was dense with hollow structure. The median particle size was decreased from 45.65 μm to 42.04 μm. Besides, phase transformation took place and the content of zirconium (Zr) and yttrium (Y) element was decreased with the evaporation of ZrO2 and Y2O3.

Exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a common complication of athletes and individuals who exercise regularly. It is estimated that about 90% of patients with underlying asthma experience EIB. Sex differences in the prevalence of asthma have been widely reported, with higher rates in boys vs. girls before puberty, and higher rates in women than men after puberty. Because atopy has been reported to occur at higher rates in athletes than in non-athletes, in this study we investigated sex differences in EIB and atopy in athletes. A systematic literature review identified 60 studies evaluating EIB and/or atopy in post-pubertal adult athletes (n=7501). Collectively, these studies reported: 1) a 23% prevalence of EIB in athletes; 2) a higher prevalence of atopy in male athletes vs. females; 3) a higher prevalence of atopy in athletes with EIB; and 4) a significantly higher rate of atopic EIB in male vs. female athletes. Our analysis indicates that the physiological changes that occur during exercise may differentially affect male and female athletes, and suggest an interaction between male sex, exercise, and atopic status in the course of EIB. Understanding these sex differences is important to provide personalized management plans to athletes with underlying asthma and/or atopy.

Microencapsulation by atomization can be used to minimize the loss of bioactive compounds, improving the characteristics and applicability of the powdered product. This study evaluates the effect of different encapsulating agents (maltodextrin, gum arabic, and chitosan) and three spray nozzle diameters (1.0, 1.2, and 1.5 mm) on the atomization of guavira (Campomanesia adamantium) pulp with added 6% bocaiuva (Acrocomia aculeata) dehydrated pulp in the green maturation stage. The experiment followed a simplex-centroid mixed design, with carrier agent concentrations and spray nozzle diameters as independent variables and powder yield, solubility, hygroscopicity, and vitamin C content as dependent variables. The results show that gum arabica increased powder yield and vitamin C retention. The addition of maltodextrin resulted in powders with increased solubility and low hygroscopicity. Furthermore, the optimization tool indicated that the best process conditions were achieved with the addition of gum arabic (10.8%) and chitosan (7.2%), resulting in powders with 29.48% yield, 82.96% solubility, 15.90% hygroscopicity and 741.11 mg/100g vitamin C. Furthermore, the 1.0 mm diameter spray nozzle was considered the most suitable for obtaining guavira pulp microparticles with higher ascorbic acid content.

Electroluminescence (EL) is an innovative technology in the lighting area. The EL device's main structure consists of a phosphor layer sandwiched by two electrodes. In this work, several alternating current EL devices have been developed by applying a set of sequential layers with combinations of in-house prepared inks and commercially available ink as a phosphor layer. A flexible polyester textile substrate was functionalized with inks by spray coating technique, after knife-coated an interfacial layer directly on the surface. A thorough study was carried out on the phosphor layer composition to optimize the EL device performance, more precisely the illuminance intensity and the illuminance homogeneity. The developed phosphor layer was composed of zinc sulphide doped with copper (between 30.0 to 38.1 wt%) and diluted by using a diluent at different ratios (28.0 to 35.5 wt%). The best peak illuminance intensity of 61 lux was obtained when the phosphor ink presented 35.4% ZnS:Cu and was diluted with 33.0% diluent. The aim of this study to determine the best formulation of the phosphor layer, which can be highly promising for further developments of EL devices, taking in account different applications in market.

A novel manufacturing process is presented for producing Nano powders and thin films of CuCoO₂ (CCO) material. This process utilizes three cost-effective synthesis methods: hydrothermal, sol-gel, and solid-state reactions. The resulting delafossite CuCoO₂ samples were deposited onto transparent substrates through spray pyrolysis, forming innovative thin films with a Nano crystal powder structure. Prior to the transformation into thin films, CuCoO₂ powder was first produced using a low-cost approach. The precursors for both powders and thin films were deposited onto glass surfaces using a spray pyrolysis process, and their characteristics were examined through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, HR-TEM, UV-visible, and Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses was conducted to determine the conductivity in transversal direction of this groundbreaking material for solar cell applications. On the other hand, the sheet resistance of the samples was investigated using the four probe-method to obtain the sheet resistivity and them calculate the in plane conductivity of the samples. We also investigated the aging characteristics of different precursors with varying durations. The functional properties of CuCoO2 samples were explored by studying chelating agent and precursor solution aging periods. Resuming, this study thoroughly discusses the synthesis of delafossite powders and their conversion into thin films, which hold potential as hole transport layers in transparent optoelectronic devices.

The process of Thermal spray is effective for creating a metal matrix composite (MMC) by embedding zirconium diboride reinforcement into a molybdenum matrix. This allows for the combination of beneficial properties in a new composite, as both materials have a high The materials Mo and ZrB2 possess different characteristics. For example, Mo has a melting point of 2622 ◦C while ZrB2 has a higher melting point of 3246 ◦C. Additionally, Mo has a high thermal conductivity of 139 W/m◦C compared to ZrB2's thermal conductivity of 24 W/m◦C. However, both materials have good thermal shock resistance, and Mo has a low coefficient of thermal expansion of 5.35 µm/m◦C while ZrB2 has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 5.8 × 10−6 K−1., as well as the ability to maintain strength at elevated temperatures and stability in extreme environments. The study focused on creating Mo/Zrb2 composites using a thermal spray coating technique, varying the parameters of spraying distance, number of passes, and gas pressure, and testing the resulting castings to evaluate their hardness and Young's Modulus. The primary objective of the research was to use the Taguchi technique for identifying the optimal parameters for generating the highest Young's Modulus and hardness for the castings. The Taguchi method integrates experimental and analytical principles to identify the most significant parameter affecting the response, which can significantly enhance overall performance. The study found that the optimal parameters were a spraying distance of 20 cm, gas pressure of 6 bar, and the number of passes of 18. The Taguchi method accurately predicted the parameters that produced the highest properties for the composite coatings, which demonstrated good surface formation without hot cracks and fewer pores, with well-formed metallurgical bonding between the coating and the substrate.

Background: According to newly published studies, patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have significantly lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D levels than those without the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vitamin D insufficiency may be a predictor of poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Vitamin D supplementation is related to improved clinical outcomes in terms of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death, particularly in individuals with moderate-to-severe forms of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. Materials and methods: This placebo-controlled five-day study was performed on 100 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with vitamin D insufficiency randomized into two groups. Vitamin D in the form of a sublingual sprayable microemulsion (LYL love your life® sunD3 LYLmicro™) was given three times daily after breakfast, lunch, and dinner (daily dose 12,000 IU) to 52 patients with blood vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml. 48 patients in the control group received a placebo spray in the same daily regiment. Results: We observed a statistically significant increase by 8.6 ng/ml in median vitamin D level after five days of high-dose vitamin D3 spray therapy. 90.2% of subjects reached normal serum levels of vitamin D. There was a strong correlation between changes in vitamin D and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in individuals with moderately severe disease (p<0.05), while mild and severe cases showed no statistical significance comparing case and control groups. There were no statistically significant changes in ferritin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Conclusions: In this study, we demonstrated the possibility to rapidly increase circulating levels of vitamin D just in 5 days of high-dose intervention and found a statistically significant decrease of CRP levels in patients with moderately severe COVID-19. We were not able to detect statistically significant changes in ferritin and IL-6 levels during the 5-day vitamin D intervention.

The encapsulation of proteins into core-shell structures is a widely utilised strategy for controlling protein stability, delivery and release. Despite the recognised utility of these microstructures, however, core-shell fabrication routes are often too costly or poorly scalable to allow for industrial translation. Furthermore, many scalable routes rely upon emulsion-techniques implicating denaturing or environmentally harmful organic solvents. Herein, we investigate core-shell protein encapsulation through single-feed, aqueous spray drying: a cheap, industrially ubiquitous particle-formation technology in the absence of organic solvents. We show that an excipient’s preference for the surface of the spray dried particle is well-predicted by its hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) under relevant feed buffer conditions (pH and ionic strength) and that the predictive power of Dh is improved when measured at the spray dryer outlet temperature compared to room temperature (R2 = 0.64 vs. 0.59). Lastly, we leverage these findings to propose an adaptable design framework for fabricating core-shell protein encapsulates by single-feed aqueous spray drying.

Umbu is a tropical fruit with high content of bioactive compounds. However, maturation causes significant losses on nutrient density reducing the nutritional value of this highly appreciated fruit. Thus, the objective of the present work was to encapsulate the Umbu fruit bioactive compounds using spray drying and identify the variables affecting the biomolecules preservation. A Box-Behnken experimental design with 3 factors was set varying inlet temperature, atomization flow rate, and maltodextrin concentration for process otimization. Then the powder physicochemical and chemical properties were characterized, and results were modeled using a polynomial equation. Results revealed that the droplet size and maltodextrin concentration had a significant influence on the conservation of the biomolecules. Drying kinetics favoring fast formation of a particle crust increases encapsulation efficiency. Bioactive compounds retention was achieved by increasing maltodextrin even at high temperatures, where a matrix is formed hindering chemical degradation. Process optimization was validated and revealed low inlet temperatures (122ºC), high atomization flow rate (5kg/h) and high maltodextrin concentration (20%) to be the most desirable conditions for bioactive compounds retention.

The question of building sustainable in a geographical locality is inexorably linked to cost. In 2011, one of the authors built a sustainable house that was (at the time) the highest certified sustainable home based on the National Association of Home Builder’s standards for sustainable construction. This Texas house has been used for residential and research purposes for the past decade. In this case study, the authors evaluate components of the construction and their effectiveness as well as unseen secondary and tertiary effects. Some of the specific components discussed are home site placement; rainwater harvesting (100% of residential requirements); aerobic septic system; grid-tied solar array power; electric car charging; geothermal heating and cooling; reclaimed wood framing; spray foam installation; selection of windows, fixtures, and appliances; on-demand electric water heaters for guest areas; generator backups; and use of local items. Electric bills and water system improvements are discussed in detail, as improvements were made as part of residential and research requirements. This case study suggests that the financial outlay is worth the extra up-front costs if residents in this geographical area and climate will occupy the residence 7 years.

The process of preparing anti-glare thin films by spray-coating silica sol-gel to soda-lime glass was exclusively and statistically studied in this paper. The effects of sol-gel deliver pressure, air transport pressure, and spray gun displacement speed on the gloss, haze, arithmetic mean surface roughness, and total transmittance light were analyzed. The experimental results indicate that the factors of sol-gel deliver pressure, air transport pressure, and displacement speed exhibit significant effect on the haze, gloss, and Ra. In contrast, the variation of total transmittance light with these three factors are insignificant. Because the anti-glare property is predominantly determined by low gloss and high haze, therefore, we aim to minimize gloss and maximize haze to achieve high anti-glare. Central composite design and response rurface methodology are employed to analyze the main and interaction effects of the three factors through quadratic polynomial equations, which are confirmed by the analysis of variance and R². The response surface methodology predict the lowest gloss and highest haze are 9.2 GU and 57.0%, corresponding to the sol-gel deliver pressure, air-transport pressure, and displacement speed of 250 kPa, 560 kPa, and 140 mm/s, and 340 kPa, 620 kPa, and 20 mm/s, respectively. Comparing the predicted optimal data with the real experimental results validates the applicability of the mathematical model. This study provides an important basis for the subsequent production of anti-glare glass with different specifications to satisfy the market demand.

As a photo-catalytic titanium oxide film deposition process, thermal spray is hoped to be utilized practically on the condition that it is relatively easy to deposit anatase rich films. However, because of its high equipment and feedstock powder costs, it is very difficult to introduce thermal spray equipment into small companies. In this study, to develop a low cost thermal spray system, low power atmospheric suspension plasma spray equipment with titanium hydroxide suspension created by hydrolysis of titanium tetra iso butoxide using Ar, N2 as working gases. For avoiding sedimentation of the hydroxide particles in the suspension, mechanical milling of the suspension was conducted to create colloidal suspension before using it as feedstock. Moreover, an Ultrasonic wave container was used to keep the suspension particles moving while the spray process was conducted. After the film deposition, with As for the coating, anatase rich TiO2 film could be obtained. For characterization of the film, microstructure observation by optical microscope and X-ray diffraction was carried out. Consequently, by creation of colloidal suspension, deposition could be conducted without sedimentation of the hydroxide particle in the suspension during operation. Besides, it was proved the film had enough photo-catalytic property to decolor methylene-blue droplet

Movement disorders can be associated with various drugs and systemic diseases, posing diagnostic challenges for clinicians. This review explores the spectrum of movement disorders associated with pharmacological agents and medical conditions. Drug-induced movement disorders encompass a broad range of conditions resulting from exposure to medications that affect several neurotransmitters. Neuroleptic medications can lead to tardive dyskinesia, characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements. Antipsychotics and antiemetics, including metoclopramide, may induce acute dystonic reactions. Other drugs, such as dopamine receptor-blocking agents, can contribute to drug-induced parkinsonism. Beyond medications, movement disorders can also arise secondary to systemic diseases. Metabolic disorders like Wilson's disease, characterized by copper accumulation, may manifest as chorea or dystonia. Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus can result in secondary movement disorders due to autoimmune-mediated processes affecting the central nervous system. Movement disorders linked to drugs or systemic diseases often necessitate a thorough clinical evaluation, including detailed medication histories and comprehensive systemic assessments. Neuroimaging, laboratory investigations, and, in some cases, cerebrospinal fluid analyses and electrodiagnostic studies help in establishing accurate diagnoses. Management involves addressing the underlying cause, modifying medications, and employing symptomatic treatments.

Lavander distillation leads to huge quantities of solid waste produced yearly. This waste is usually discarded resulting in serious environmental issues. However, it still contains residual essential oil and other bioactive compounds. This research reports on the development and comparison of optimized solid-liquid separation methods, i.e. microwave (MAE) and ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) of phenolic compounds from lavender distillation waste. Optimal pretreatment conditions, such as waste moisture content and particle size were also determined. The extracts were spray or freeze-dried and the resulting powders were characterized for their physicochemical properties. The majority of the original phenolic compounds in lavender were found in the leachate fraction after distillation (61%), while 43% in the solid waste. Drying of the solid waste before extraction affected the process efficiency. UAE led to higher phenolic content and antioxidant properties compared to MAE. Drying (spray or freeze) the extracts did not significantly affect their phenolic content, while the use of maltodextrin as a drying agent improved the drying process yield especially in the freeze-drying method. It is concluded that valorization of lavender distillation wastes can be achieved via an integrated process consisting of a green extraction method and a consequent drying process that result in a stable bioactive powder.

The principal main of this research work was the study the influence of Cu addition on the wear behavior (WB) of eutectic Al-12.6Si alloy developed by spray forming (SF) method and compared with as-cast (AC) alloys. The phases of chemical compositions and microstructure were studied by optical microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The microstructure of SFAl-12.6Si (SF1) alloy reside — of fine primary and eutectic Si phases evenly distributed in the equiaxed α-Al matrix and SF Al-12.6Si-2Cu (SF2) alloy lie of uniformly distributed fine eutectic Si particulates and spherical form θ-Al2Cu precipitates in α-Al matrix. On other hand, the AC Al-12.6Si alloy (AC1) alloy involve of eutectic Si needles in the dendrite α-Al matrix, whereas AC Al-12.6Si-2Cu (AC2) alloy consisted of eutectic Si needles and Chinese script form θ phase distributed randomly in the α-Al matrix. The microhardness and wear properties were analyzed using Vickers hardness (VH) and dry sliding WT. The SF alloys exhibit superior hardness compared to the AC alloys. The wear properties of SF alloys exhibited significantly superior compared to the AC alloys. The SF2 alloy showed high wear resistance (WR) than the SF1 alloy in the entire sliding velocities and applied loads. The results indicate that the spray deposited alloys have a lower coefficient of friction (CF(µ)) than the AC alloys under varying load and sliding velocity conditions. The high WR in the SF alloy was due to microstructural modification during SF and precipitation of fine Al2Cu intermetallic and solid solubility effects. The SF2 depicts increased transition from oxidative to abrasive. In other ways, AC alloys demonstrate wear mechanisms that change from oxidative to abrasive and delamination with an increase in sliding velocity and load.

Respiratory viral infections, including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and, more recently, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, continue to pose significant global health threats. Conventional treatments for these infections often face challenges such as limited efficacy, the emergence of drug-resistant strains, and the requirement for frequent administration. In recent years, nanobodies have emerged as a promising class of therapeutic agents due to their unique properties, including small size, high stability, and specific binding capabilities. This mini-review article focuses on the application of nanobodies as spray and aerosol particles for the treatment of respiratory viral infections. Furthermore, we highlight the remarkable efficacy of nanobodies in preclinical and clinical studies against respiratory viruses, including their ability to neutralize viral particles, inhibit viral replication, and modulate the host immune response. We discuss the potential advantages of using nanobodies as inhalable formulations, including their improved delivery to the respiratory tract, enhanced stability in aerosol form, and reduced systemic side effects. Additionally, we explore the various strategies employed to engineer nanobodies for optimal aerosol delivery, such as conjugation to carrier particles or formulation as dry powders. We also examine the potential challenges and limitations associated with the development of nanobody-based aerosol therapies, including production scalability, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory considerations.

The influence of small-scale processes at the ocean-atmosphere boundary layer such as spray and foam on the surface waves prediction is studied. Estimates of the effect of including the exact number of specific fragmentation "parachute" type in the spray on the resulting drag coefficient is shown. For the estimates, the numerical simulations within WAVEWATCH III wave model are performed. The parameterizations of wind input were tested within WAVEWATCH III wave model: default ST4 and ST6 parameterizations and the ST1 and ST6 parameterizations used together with the implemented drag coefficient parameterization. The proposed parameterization takes into account the presence of foam and spay. The obtained results are compared with the NDBC buoys data. The importance of small-scale processes for waves at hurricane winds prediction and the prospects for their inclusion in modern numerical wave models is shown.

Automobile industries worldwide extensively use organic solvents. Yet, limited evidence examined the health and safety in handling these solvents, which can only be assured if workers have appropriate knowledge and demonstrate safe practices. A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the knowledge and practice among workers who are involved with handling organic solvents in the automobile industry in the largest most urban district in Brunei Darussalam. Qualitative data were sought from open-ended questions; observations and pictorial evidence through still photographs. Quantitative analysis showed that 75% of the workers practice reading labels, 94.1% use fully covered clothes, 82.4% wear gloves and 98.5% practice proper hand washing as well as 98.5% cover container lids. The qualitative analysis illustrated workers have general knowledge of materials containing solvents but did not identify the exact solvents, the harmful effects of the solvents, pathophysiology and harmful effects on specific body systems. Health and safety were practiced albeit not consistent. Health and Safety Authorities in Brunei Darussalam must review and enforce specific policies on use of organic solvents so that they can be practiced consistently and safely in automobile industries. Cooperation and collaboration in adhering to the policies are mandatory to ensure health and safety at work.

In this review, several cost-effective thin-film coating methods which include dip-coating, spin-coating, spray-coating, blade-coating, and roll-coating are presented. Each method has its set of advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of application. Not all of them are appropriate for large-scale production due to their certain limitations. That is why the coating method should be selected based on the type and size of substrate including the resolution of the required thin-films. The sol-gel method offers several benefits, such as simplicity in fabrication, excellent film uniformity, the capacity to cover surfaces of any size and over vast areas, and a low processing temperature. Nevertheless, these coating methods are somewhat economical and well managed in low-budget laboratories. Moreover, the produced thin-films are homogeneous and have low-surface roughness. Furthermore, some other thin-film deposition methods such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are also discussed. Since CVD is not restricted to line-of-sight deposition, a characteristic shared by sputtering, evaporation, and other PVD processes, many manufacturing methods favor it. However, these techniques require sophisticated equipment and cleanroom facility. We aim to provide the pros and cons of thin-film coating methods and let the readers decide the suitable technique for their specific application.

The potential of sodium alginate (ALG) and gum arabic (GA) as wall polymers for L-ascorbic acid (AA) encapsulation as a tool for their preservation against the thermo-oxidative degradation was investigated. The influence of such polymers used as wall material on the AA-content, size, encapsulation efficiency, encapsulation yield and thermo-oxidative stability were evaluated. The AA-microparticles were obtained using the spray-drying technique. An experimental Taguchi design was employed to assess the influence of the variables in the encapsulation process. The microparticles morphology and size distribution were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and laser diffraction. The thermal stability of AA microparticles was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry analysis. This work points out the viability to encapsulate AA using GA and ALG through a spray-drying process. In general, a product yield ranging from 35.1% to 83.2% and an encapsulation efficiency above 90% was reached. Spherical microparticles with a smooth surface were obtained with a mean diameter around 6 μm and 9 μm for the those prepared with GA and ALG, respectively. The thermo-oxidative analysis showed that both polymers allow maintaining AA stable up to 188 °C, which is higher than the traditional processing temperature used in the fish feed industry.

This study aimed to determine shifts in microbial populations regarding richness and diversity from daily use of a popular over-the-counter nasal spray. In addition, the finding of nasal commensal bacterial species that overlap with the oral microbiome may prove to be potential probiotics for the “gateway microbiomes.” Nasal swab samples were obtained before and after using the most popular over-the-counter (OTC) nasal spray in 10 participants aged 18–48 years. All participants were healthy volunteers with no significant medical histories. The participants were randomly assigned a number by randomizing software and consisted of five men and five women. The sampling consisted of placing a nasal swab atraumatically into the nasal cavity, which is similar to the sampling performed for COVID-19 testing, with only very slight discomfort, if any. The samples were preserved and sent to Northwestern University Sequencing Center for whole-genome deep sequencing. After 21 days of OTC nasal spray use twice daily, the participants returned for further nasal microbiome sampling. The microbial analysis included all bacteria, archaea, viruses, molds, and yeasts via deep sequencing for species analysis. The Northwestern University Sequencing Center utilized artificial intelligence analysis to determine shifts in species and strains following nasal spray use that resulted in changes in diversity and richness.

With the increasing interest in CM as a potential source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, there arises a necessity to delve into methods for its processing and drying. Over recent decades, a significant amount of research has been conducted on the chemical composition of CM and its potential health benefits. Consequently, this study is directed towards examining CM drying technology, including an analysis of the influence of different drying methods on its chemical composition and nutri-tional properties. The objective of this review is to systematically summarize the available literature on CM drying processes and their impact on its chemical composition. Special attention is devoted to comparing various drying methods such as freeze-drying, spray drying, and freeze-drying, as well as investigating factors affecting the quality of dried CM. To achieve this goal, we scrutinize a series of studies published between 2003 and 2022 to identify optimal drying methods that promote the maximum preservation of CM's nutritional components and bioactive compounds. Additionally, we explore possibilities for reducing drying time to enhance production efficiency. This research is grounded in the analysis of data from diverse scientific research databases, including Scopus and Google Scholar, encompassing a systematic review of scientific literature and a comparative analysis of the obtained results.

Cobalt-doped alumina catalysts were prepared by different methods, applying either the conventional wet impregnation (WI) and/or the advanced spray impregnation (SI), and evaluated as novel oxidation catalysts for CO and MeOH oxidation. The spray impregnation technique aims towards the synthesis of core-shell catalytic nanostructures to secure chemical/thermal stability of the active sites on the catalyst carrier. The catalysts were further promoted with low Pd content (0.5 wt.%) applying either incipient wetness impregnation (DI) or spray impregnation. The results revealed the superior performance of spray impregnated catalysts (Co/γ-Al2O3-SI) for both reactions. The deposition of Co oxide on the outer surface of the alumina particle (SEM images) and the availability of the active Co phase, resulted in the enhancement of Co/γ-Al2O3 catalysts oxidation activity. Pd incorporation increased catalysts reducibility (TPR-H2) and improved the catalysts performance for both reactions. However, Pd incorporation method affected the catalytic performance; as with the SI method the active phase of Co3O4 was probably covered from PdO and was not available for the oxidation reactions. On the contrary, the incorporation of Pd with the DI method resulted in better dispersion of PdO all over the Co/Al catalyst surface, maintaining available Co active sites and better Pd-Co interaction. MeOH desorption studies revealed the methanol oxidation mechanism; Co/Al catalysts promote partial oxidation of MeOH to formaldehyde (HCHO) and dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME), while Pd-based Co/Al catalysts enhance the complete oxidation of methanol to CO2 and H2O.

NaClO3 and NaBrO3 are believed to form a complete solid solution from RT to fusion. The unique solid phase can thus be written: NaClO3 (1-x)-NaBrO3 (x) with: 0 ≤ x ≤ 1. This study shows that at high temperature this statement might be valid. Nevertheless, up to 50°C and probably up to 160°C and even higher temperature, this is not true when the system is in thermodynamic equilibrium. A large miscibility gap exists at room temperature (RT). This gap could be reduced up to a complete disappearance by fast crystallization, for instance by spray-drying. The necessary conditions to access to equilibrium including homochirality are also discussed.

In this work, we report manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) films obtained by ultrasonic spray-pyrolysis technique at 40°C deposited on glass substrate subjected to thermal annealing at 100 °C and 120°C. The MnPc films were characterized by UV/Vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The absorption spectra of the MnPc films were studied in a wavelength range from 200 to 850 nm, where the characteristic bands of a metallic phthalocyanine known as B and Q bands were observed in this range of the spectrum. The optical energy band (Eg) was calculated by the Tauc equation. It was found that for these MnPc films, the Eg has the values of 4.41, 4.46 and 3.58 eV corresponding to as deposited, annealing 100°C and 120°C, respectively. The Raman spectra of the films showed their characteristic vibrational modes of the MnPc films. In X-ray diffractograms of these films, the characteristic diffraction peaks of a metallic phthalocyanine are observed, presenting a monoclinic phase. SEM images of these films were studied in cross section obtaining thicknesses of 2, 1.2 and 0.3 μm to as deposited, annealing 100°C and 120°C, successively. Also, in the SEM images of these films, both the average particle sizes ranging from 4 to 0.041 µm and the average diameter from 4.8 to 0.091 μm were obtained. The results agree with those reported in the literature for MnPc films deposited with other techniques.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of feeding spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) to pigs infected with African swine fever virus (ASFV). Two groups of twelve weaned pigs each were fed with CONVENTIONAL or 8% SDPP enriched diets. Two pigs (trojans)/group) were injected intramuscularly with the pandemic ASFV (Georgia 2007/01) and comingled with the rest of the pigs (1:5 trojan:naïve ratio) to simulate a natural route of transmission. Trojans developed ASF and died within the first week after inoculation but contact pigs did not develop ASF, viremia or seroconversion. Therefore, three more trojans per group were introduced to optimize the ASFV transmission (1:2 trojan:naïve ratio). Blood, nasal and rectal swabs were weekly harvested and at end of the study, ASFV-target organs collected. After the second exposure, rectal temperature of conventionally fed contact pigs increased >40.5˚C while fever was delayed in the SDPP contact pigs. Additionally, PCR Ct values in blood, secretions and tissue samples were significantly lower (P<0.05) for CONVENTIONAL compared to SDPP contact pigs. Under these study conditions, contact exposed pigs fed SDPP had delayed ASFV transmission and reduced virus load, likely by enhanced specific T-cell priming after the first ASFV-exposure.

The evaporation of polymer solution droplet is an important in solution-based polymer film fabrications, such as inkjet print, spray coatings, and droplet casting etc. In this work, we investigated the effect of droplet size, solvent evaporation rate, and concentration on “coffee-ring” effect, crystal nucleation, polymorphism, and morphology of dried poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solution droplets with atomic force microscopy (AFM) method. We found that the crystal structure, morphology and crystal distribution in the center and edge regions of dried PVDF droplets were different due to “coffee-ring” effect. The “coffee-ring” effect of dried PVDF droplets was mainly composited of accumulated crystals at the edge region of droplet, which was mainly made by crystallization of migrated chains. The interplay between migration of chains, crystallization and solidification of PVDF droplets significantly influenced the formation of “coffee-ring”. In addition, our results showed that the decrease of droplet size and controlling solvent evaporation rate were effective ways to improve the PVDF β-phase nucleation and decrease crystal size.

Recent advances and demands in clinical applications drive a large amount of research to hydroxyapatite (HA) composite coatings fabricated by plasma spray. However, lower degree of HA crystallinity related to high temperature exposure in plasma spray usually leads to rapid weakening and disintegration of HA coatings and often promotes inflammatory responses in the surrounding tissue. In this research, graphene nanosheet (GNS) reinforced HA coatings were fabricated using plasma spray and followed by heat and hydrothermal treatment (hereafter referred to as thermal treatment). The addition of GNSs resulted in competing phenomenon to influence HA crystallinity viz. increased portion of the partially melted/unmelted zones and higher cooling rate during splat formation, leading to slight increase in HA crystallinity (~46.0-51.3%) in the as-sprayed coating. XRD and FTIR results showed that thermal treatment was capable of inducing significant transformation of amorphous HA to the crystalline form and removing other foreign non-HA compounds through regaining OH- ion, and therefore HA coatings displayed ~45.5-47.1% improvements in HA crystallinity regardless of addition or not of the GNS nanofillers. Microstructure observations revealed that thermal treatment enabled microcrack propagation due to stresses caused by crystallisation and phase transformations, and the residual partially melted/unmelted zone of the thermally treated GNS/HA coating was significantly decreased in size. More importantly, the added GNSs contributed greatly to the significant increase in surface nanoroughness of the thermally treated HA coatings owing to the fact that much more structural defects along with the GNSs mainly induced by thermal treatment might act as nucleation sites to accelerate HA nanoparticle precipitation, which would be beneficial for the improved adhesion strength of the osteoblast cells on the coating surface.

Cold gas-dynamic spray (cold spray) is an evolving coating deposition and restoration technology in which particles are deposited above the sonic speed. This paper presents the non-destructive three-dimensional characterization of cold sprayed stainless steel coating. The visualization of coating morphology and volumetric porosity, and the analyses of porosity size and spatial distributions confirmed that dense stainless steel coating with non-connected, micron-sized gradient porosity is successfully produced by cold spray. The suitability of X-ray tomography for characterizing cold sprayed coatings is assessed.

Abstract: High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDR-ISBT) has recently come to be considered one of the most effective treatments for oral cancer. On the other hand, it is important to note that radiation therapy has some side effects. Especially, radiation-induced malignancy is probably the most serious complication affecting long-term survivors. We report a case of a radiation-induced undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma that developed following HDR-ISBT for tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A 39-year-old woman with right tongue SCC underwent HDR-ISBT (60 Gy, 10 fractions, 8 days) treatment. Five years and one month later, a tumor had developed at the primary site. Surgery was performed for the tumor, which was histopathologically diagnosed as an undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma. That was distinct from the squamous cell origin of the primary cancer. According to recently established criteria for radiation-induced malignancy, this case was classified as a radiation-induced sarcoma. A search of the literature revealed no previous report of radiation-induced malignancy following HDR-ISBT for tongue cancer.

Ultrasonic feedback energy is affected by the variety, planting and growth state of crops, it is difficult to fine application in precision agriculture systems. To this end, an ultrasonic sensor was mounted in a spray boom height detection system. Winter wheat was used as the test object to obtain feedback energy values for the spray boom height from the top of the wheat in the field during six critical growth stages: the standing stage, jointing stage, booting stage, heading stage, filling stage and maturity stage. The relationship between the actual value of the height from the spray boom to the top of wheat (Habw) and the detected value of the height from the spray boom to the top of wheat (Hdbw) was analyzed. A spray boom height detection model based on the ultrasonic sensor during the full growth cycle of wheat was determined. Field validation tests showed that the applicability of the spray boom height detection distance (Dd) of the spray boom height detection model proposed in the present study was 450 mm~950 mm. Within the applicable Dd range, the detection error of the detection model was ≤5 cm during the full growth cycle. This study provides an ultrasonic detection model construction method, which improves the reliability and accuracy of ultrasonic boom height detection for different wheat growth stages.

In this work, we describe the optimization of carbon-based electrodes employed in Bio-Electrochemical Systems (BES) by the deposition on commercial carbon paper electrodes of nanostructured layers of poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxy-thiophene) poly(styrene-sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) via Ultrasonic Spray Coating (USC). This innovative application of USC allowed us to demon-strate that uniform and controlled depositions of PEDOT:PSS can be successfully obtained on car-bon-based electrodes. We characterized the morphology and verified the spatial uniformity of depositions via scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical charac-terizations on fabricated electrodes demonstrated a more than two-fold increase in electrochemi-cal active surface area with respect to bare carbon paper. A lab-scale experiments on BES was performed selecting Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) as the reference devices. Devices featuring USC-deposited PEDOT:PSS electrodes showed a three-fold higher Energy recovery with respect to con-trol cells, reaching a maximum value of (13 ± 2) J·m−3. Furthermore, the optimal PEDOT:PSS con-centration for the MFCs improvement is in line with the values reported in the literature for other deposition methods. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that USC is a promising technique for application in BES.

This study demonstrates the successful synthesis of Ni/Y2O3 nanocomposite particles through the application of ultrasound-assisted precipitation using the Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis technique. The particle size was predicted accurately using a modified equation, and they were collected in a water suspension with Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the stabiliser. The presence of the Y2O3 core and Ni shell was confirmed with Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and with electron diffraction. The TEM observations revealed the formation of round particles with an average diameter of 466 nm, while the lattice parameter on the Ni particle’s surface was measured to be 0.343 nm. The Ni/Y2O3 nanocomposite particle suspensions were lyophilized, to obtain a dried material that was suitable for embedding into a Polylactic acid (PLA) matrix. The resulting PLA/Ni/Y2O3 composite material was successfully extruded successfully, so that a 3D printed technology Fused Filament Fabrication could be used further for the production of tensile test tubes. The tensile tests showed that the addition of lyophilised Ni/Y2O3 into the PLA matrix decreased the tensile strength by 21.8 %, while the tensile modulus was not influenced. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) showed that the addition of the Ni/Y2O3 particles increased the glass transition temperature by 5 °C, and increased the storage modulus in the glass transition range significantly. These findings demonstrate the potential for utilising Ni/Y2O3 nanocomposite particles in 3D printing applications, and warrant further exploration of their mechanical properties and potential applications in various fields.

Owing to the escalating adoption of IoT systems across various domains, the demand for mobile and wireless power sources has surged. Although conventional batteries typically serve as energy storage components, the current low-power consumption devices necessitate eco-friendly alterna-tives. In this study, we designed, fabricated, and characterized an energy harvesting device that repurposes mechanical vibrations. A three-beam design was employed to harvest energy across a broader range of potential frequencies. Finite element models were simulated to ascertain the first bending moment for both sets of beams. A nanostructured piezoelectric multilayer film made of ZnO was deposited onto an AISI 304 steel substrate, and a photosensitive resin seismic mass was implemented. Low-cost techniques generating minimal environmental waste were leveraged in the fabrication process. The piezoelectric film was deposited using a spray nebulization technique involving recycled materials and cost-effective equipment. Micrographs of the layers unveiled the presence of nanospheres with diameters of 250 nm. Employing a custom-made shaker, output voltages of 1.08 V and 180 mV, and power outputs of 1.849 µW and 16.2 nW were achieved for each set of beams. The electrical characterization was conducted using a custom-made shaker, repurposing materials for this objective.

Ocular drug delivery is one of the most challenging administration routes due to the very low drug bioavailability. In this work, we produce and characterize mucoadhesive mixed polymeric micelles (PMs) made of chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) backbones graft-hydrophobized with short poly(methyl methacrylate) blocks and use them to encapsulate cannabidiol (CBD), an anti-inflammatory cannabinoid. CBD-loaded mixed PMs are physically stabilized by ionotropic crosslinking of the CS domains with sodium tripolyphoshate and spray-drying. These mixed PMs display CBD loading capacity of 20% w/w and sizes of 100-200 nm, and spherical morphology (cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy). The good compatibility of the unloaded and CBD-loaded PMs is assessed in a human corneal epithelial cell line. Then, we confirm the permeability of CBD-free PMs and nanoencapsulated CBD in cornea cell monolayers under liquid-liquid and air-liquid conditions. Overall, our results highlight the potential of these polymeric nanocarriers for ocular drug delivery.

Consumer products contain the chemical substances that threaten human health. The modeling methods and experimental methods have been used to estimate the inhalation exposure concentration by the consumer products. The model and measurement methods have the spatial property problem and time/cost consuming problem, respectively. For solving the problems due to the conventional methodology, this study performed the feasibility of applying CFD for evaluation of inhalation exposure by comparing the experiment results and the zero-dimensional results with CFD results. To calculate the aerosol concentration, the CFD was performed by combined the 3D Reynolds averaged Navier Stoke’s equation and discrete phased model using ANSYS FLUENT. As a result of comparing the three methodologies performed under the same simulation/experimental conditions, we found the zero-dimensional spray model shows approximately 5 times underestimated inhalation exposure concentration when compared with the CFD results and measurement results in near field. Also, the results of the measured concentration of aerosols at five locations and the CFD results at the same location were compared to show the possibility of evaluating inhalation exposure at various locations using CFD instead of experimental method. The CFD results according to measurement positions can predict rationally the measurement results with low error. In conclusion, in the field of exposure science, a guideline for exposure evaluation using CFD was found that complements the shortcomings of the conventional methodology, the zero-dimensional spray model and measurement method.

The study concentrates on researching possibilities of using computer image analysis and neural modeling in order to assess selected quality discriminants of spray-dried chokeberry powder. The aim of the paper is quality identification of chokeberry powders on account of their highest dying power, the highest bioactivity as well as technologically satisfying looseness of powder. The article presents neural models with vision technique backed up by devices such as digital camera as well as electron microscope. Reduction in size of input variables with PCA has influence on improving the processes of learning data sets, thus increasing effectiveness of identifying chokeberry fruit powders included in digital pictures, which is shown in the results of the conducted research. The effectiveness of image recognition are presented by classifying abilities as well as low Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), for which the best results are achieved with typology of network type Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). The selected networks type MLP are characterized by the highest degree of classification at 0.99 and RMSE at 0.11 at most at the same time.

Ga doped ZnO thin films were formed by the Ultrasonic Chemical Spray Pyrolysis method onto substrates using zinc acetate and gallium (III) nitrate hydrate as precursors. The structural, optical, surface and electrical properties were studied as a function of increasing Ga doping concentration from 0 to 6 at %. Structural studies were shown polycrystalline with a hexagonal crystal structure. The transparency in the visible range was around 85% for thin film deposited using 6 at % Ga doping. With the aim of determining surface images and surface roughness of the films atomic force microscope images were taken. Ga doping of ZnO thin films could markedly decrease surface roughness. Electrical resistivity was determined by four point method. The resistivity 2.0% Ga doped ZnO film was the lowest resistivity of 1.7 cm. In the photoluminescence measurements of the films, existence of UV and defect emission band was observed. As a result, Ga doped ZnO films have advanced properties and promising materials for solar cells.

Psychosis can be defined as a combination of psychopathological symptoms including delusions and/or hallucinations without insight. Psychotic disorders may configure a primary psychiatric illness or represent the result of a functional/structural brain damage induced by substance use, neurological diseases or other medical conditions. They are multifactorial disorders in which genetic, environmental and gene-environment interaction factors contribute to the expressiveness of the symptoms. Among the environmental factors, psychotropic substances represent the most important removable facilitators of psychosis. In our study, we compared the prevalence of substance induced psychosis between a sample of patients affected by cannabis use disorder and a sample of patients affected by cocaine use disorder analyzing retrospectively the data of outpatients with no personal or family history of psychiatric illnesses.

Drug induced liver injury (DILI) is the most common cause of acute liver failure and 5-10% of patients hospitalized for jaundice are diagnosed with DILI. For a diagnosis of DILI to be made, there should be exclusion of other etiologies of liver injury and the use of a precipitator drug, latency of symptoms, and resolution of liver injury once the offending drug is identified and discontinued. In our case report, we present a patient with idiosyncratic hepatocellular pattern DILI after two doses of ocrelizumab for treatment of multiple sclerosis. Ocrelizumab was given 16 and 27 days prior to the onset of icterus, jaundice, and fatigue, in a patient without the evidence of prior exposure to hepatitis B virus. At presentation labs revealed severe acute hepatocellular liver injury with R factor of 30.42, marked hyperbilirubinemia, and transient hypoalbuminemia. No evidence of latent or active hepatitis B infection was detected. Drug dechallenge led to return of liver chemistries to near-normal levels 31 days after the onset of her symptoms. This case indicates DILI diagnosis associated with the use of ocrelizumab, and warrants careful monitoring of liver functions in patients even in the absence of hepatitis B.

In resettlement planning literature, much has been written on economic, land valuation and compensation, infrastructure and services aspects of the land. Psychological risks and stresses of resettled communities, however, have been under-researched. The current research looks at the psychological risks of resettlers in a Development-Induced Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR) project in Sri Lanka. Focusing on the stages of resettlement planning process discussed by Scudder and Colson four-stage model (1980) and the psychological risks discussed by Cernea’s (1990) impoverishment risks and reconstruction (IRR) model. This study evaluates the significant level of the psychological risks faced by the communities in DIDR projects in Sri Lanka relating to before and after resettlement. Moragahakanda Resettlement Project (MRP) was selected as the case study which is located in Naula DS division of Matale District, Central Province, Sri Lanka. A questionnaire survey, documents and field observations were used to evaluate the current psychological risks. The responses received from multiple choice questions were analyzed by Significant Point (SP) index. The research findings point that there are no conspicuous changes of psychological risks related to before/after resettlement has occurred in re-settlers. The findings highlight that the psychological risk levels in transition stage have remained the same level in the potential development stage. This research provides a systematic guidance enabling the physical planners to prioritize the most significant psychological risks which should be considered in the decision-making process of DIDR projects.

Background: The morbidity of myocardial infarction is keeping raise in this decade. Because of high safety and operability , percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) has been used to conquer this disease for more than 20 years.An important complication of PCI is contrast induced nephropathy(CIN), which raises our attention. Previously, we started a study to explore the correlation between acute kidney injury and myonecrosis after scheduled percutaneous coronary intervention. Our study showed that the rate of CI-AKI in patients with post-procedural myocardial injury and undergoing elective PCI was higher than that in patients free of injury. Methods: In this study,forty male rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group (n=8), CM group (n=12), AMI group (n=8) and AMI+CM group (n=12), then velocity of renal artery blood flow (VRABF), computer tomography (CT), serum creatinine(Scr), reactive oxidative species (ROS), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and TUNEL were used to estimate the injury of kidney. We analyzed 327 non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome subjects undertaking elective PCI. Serum levels of creatinine (SCr) and the eGFR before coronary angiography, and 24–72 h after contrast administration were recorded to assess the renal function. Results: The data showed that VRABF was lower in AMI+CM group than CM group from 0 minute to 24h and CT number in cortex was higher in AMI+CM group than CM group at 4-hour. As well as the level of Scr in AMI+CM group displayed a significantly increase at 24-hour compared with CM group. The histopathologic scores and percentage of tubular cell apoptosis were higher in AMI+CM group at 24-hour. In 327 patients, we found that CI-AKI occurred more often in subjects with post-procedural myonecrosis (PMN) than in those without PMN (20.8% versus 5.8%, respectively, P=0.001). Conclusion: Compared to the elective patient, the injury of CIN exhibited a higher severity in AMI patient.

The tension cable-supported power transmission structure (TC-PTS) is a new type of power transmission structure suitable for mountainous terrain, which is sensitive to wind load. In this regard, a nonlinear finite element analysis model of wind-induced vibration is proposed for the TC-PTS, and the wind-induced vibration response of the structure is analyzed. Firstly, the tangent stiffness matrix of the three-dimensional truss element for the supporting suspension cable and transmission line, considering the geometric nonlinearity of structures, is derived through the relationship between the element elastic energy and its displacement. Subsequently, the element mass matrix and damping matrix of the supporting suspension cable and transmission line, as well as the element nodal load vector obtained from wind load equivalence are given. Then, based on the nonlinear finite element theory, the nonlinear dynamic equation of wind-induced vibration is established for the TC-PTS and solved by Newmark-β method combined with Newton-Raphson iterative method. Furthermore, the rain-flow counting method and Miner's linear fatigue cumulative damage theory were used for wind induced fatigue damage assessment. Finally, a two-span TC-PTS is selected as an example, and the wind-induced nonlinear vibration and fatigue damage assessment are analyzed through the proposed model. The results show that the proposed model has high computational accuracy and efficiency. With the increase of wind speed and wind direction angle, the maximum lateral displacement and tension of the supporting suspension cable and transmission line increase, and their degree of increase shows a nonlinear trend. In terms of the wind-induced fatigue analysis results of TC-PTS, the fatigue damage at the end of the supporting-conductor suspension cable is greater than the fatigue damage at its midpoint. Compared to the fatigue damage at the midpoint of the conductor, the fatigue damage at the end of the conductor is less affected by wind direction angle, and both are more significantly affected by the wind speed.

This paper presents Mathematical Formulation for Neutrino-Fission of a heavy nuclei in Neutrino-environments. It has been proposed that neutrino fission is a dynamic two-process reaction, where more than one neutrino can be captured by target nucleus. A quantity named Neutrino-Zeta with units of eV^-1 has been defined to represent Neutrino-environments. Neutrino-zeta with assumed excited energy states for heavy nuclei A∼230-270 is estimated to be 0.0212 MeV^-1, with the probability of fission Barrier energy state P(E_x,f)= 0.169064014 with E_x,f =6MeV. P(E_x,f)=0.222664 is highest at zeta=0.1MeV^-1 . It has been shown that probabilities of certain excitation energy states and their corresponding decay reactions at those excitation energies can be equal for two neutrino-zetas. Neutron induced fission for different neutrinos hypothesize that probability of symmetric fission channels is higher at low neutrino-zetas, which can be tested experimentally.

This paper provides a review of the aerodynamic behavior of horizontal axis wind turbines operating in hazardous environmental conditions. Over the past decade, renewable energy use has accelerated due to global warming, depleting fossil fuel reserves, and stricter environmental regulations. Among renewable options, solar and wind energy have shown economic viability and global growth. Horizontal axis wind turbines offer promising solutions for sustainable energy demand. Since wind turbines operate in an open environment, their efficiency depends on environmental conditions. Hazard environmental conditions, such as icing, rainfall, hailstorm, dust or sand, insects’ collisions, increased humidity and sea spray, result in degraded aerodynamic performance. The outcome of the most studies is that lift is degraded and at the same time drag is increased when wind turbines operate under these conditions. The objective of this review is to improve our comprehension of the crucial aspects to take into account when designing wind turbine blades, and it offers suggestions for future research paths. It serves as a valuable resource that can inspire researchers who are dedicated to enhancing the aerodynamic performance of horizontal axis wind turbines.

This study aimed to develop chitosan-based apigenin spray dried solid dispersion using 1:1,1:1.5,1:2 w/w ratios. The results of process yield and drug assay were found to be (87.5%, 94.2%, and 95.86%), (95.2 ±1.34%), (99.5 ±0.85%), and (97.6 ±2.42%), respectively, for AC1, AC2, and AC3. Flow properties indicate the free flow of powders. FTIR revealed compatibility among chitosan and apigenin, and DSC and XRD showed prepared solid dispersion was on a molecular level and available in amorphous. In contrast, SEM images reflect irregular block and near-spherical shape elongated particles in the selected AC2. The antimicrobial examination reflects that AC2 was more effective against Gram-positive, negative, and fungal strains. AC2 SDSDs has more anti-oxidant property compared to pure flavonoid (AGN). Anti-proliferative activity against A549 lung cancer cell lines showed better anti-cancer activity by AC2 SDSDs. The selected AC2 SDSD filled in a 3D shell pill and further characterized for 3D shell pill for dissolution profiles and stability studies. The product has sustained release and similar release profiles after three months of storage. The findings suggest that the AC2 SDSDs may be a promising candidate for further development as a 3D printed drug delivery system for treating multiple disease conditions using model flavonoid- apigenin.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of feeding spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) on the protection afforded by the BA71∆CD2 African swine fever virus (ASFV) vaccine prototype. Two groups of pigs ac-climated to diets without or with 8% SDPP were intranasally inoculated with 105 plaque forming units (PFU) of live attenuated ASFV strain BA71∆CD2 and three weeks later left in direct contact with pigs infected with the pandemic Georgia2007/01 ASFV strain. During the post-exposure (pe) period, 2/6 from the conventional diet group showed a transient peak rectal temperature >40.5ºC before day 20 pe and some tissue samples collected at 20 d pe from 5/6 were PCR+ for ASFV, albeit showing Ct values much higher than Trojan pigs. Interestingly, the SDPP group did not show fever, neither PCR+ in blood nor rectal swab at any time pe and none of the postmortem collected tissue samples were PCR+ for ASFV. Differential serum cytokine profiles among groups at vaccination, and a higher number of ASFV-specific IFNϒ-secreting T-cells in pigs fed with SDPP soon after the Georgia2007/01 encounter, confirmed the relevance of Th1-like responses in ASF pro-tection. We believe that our result show that nutritional interventions might contribute to improve future ASF vaccination strategies.

In this experimental work, pure nickel oxide and Al-doped NiO thin films have successfully been elaborated onto glass substrates by solar spray pyrolysis technique. The substrates were heated at around 450°C using a solar heater (furnace). The structural, optical and electrical properties of the elaborated Al-doped films have been studied at different atomic percentage ratios (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 at. %). The results of Al-doped NiO films XRD patterns were, the formation of (NiO) phase under a cubic crystalline structure (polycrystalline) with a strong favored orientation along (111) plane were noticed at all sprayed films. When Al doping ratio reaches 1 at.%, an growth in crystallite size over 31.9 nm was obtained denoting the nano-structure of the product, which confirmed by SEM images. In addition, aluminum oxide Al₂O₃ was clearly observed at 1.5 at.% Al ratio. Otherwise, all thin films have a good optical transmission in the visible region of about 65%, the optical band gap energy decreased from 3.69 to 3.64 eV with increasing Al doping ratio. It is shown that the layer deposited with 0.5 at.% has less disorder with few defects. The investigation on electrical properties of elaborated thin films confirmed that the conductivity of NiO films was improved, after doping them with Al which affirms their p-type character of semiconductor. However, an addition of an excessive quantity of Al content causes the formation of Al₂O₃ which leads to a decrease in the conductivity. It is worth mentioning that the Al content of 0.5 at.% is the optimum ratio in terms of electrical conductivity and formation defect. Al-doped NiO can be used in various optoelectronic devices due to its good transparency and high electrical conductivity.

The demand for suspensions used in thermal spray processes is expanding from research labs using the lab-prepared suspensions toward actual coating production in different industrial sectors. Industrial applications dictate reduced production time and effort which may in turn justify the development of the market for ready-to-use commercial suspensions. To this end, some of the powder suppliers have already taken steps forward by introducing to the market suspensions of some of the most used materials such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), alumina and titania. There is, however, a need to compare the suspension characteristics over time and the resultant coatings when using these suspensions as compared with the freshly prepared home-made suspensions. In this work, such comparison is done using YSZ suspensions of the sub-micron to a few micron powders. In addition, some changes in the suspensions' formula were performed as a tool to vary the coatings’ microstructures in a more predictable way, without variation of spray parameters. The coatings were generated using both radial and axial injection of the suspensions into Oerlikon-Metco 3MB and Mettech Axial III plasma spray torches, respectively. A clear effect of suspension viscosity on the coating microstructure was observed using the 3MB torch with radial injection of suspension (i.e. cross flow atomization). The viscosity role, however, was not dominant when using the Axial III torch with axial feed injection system (i.e. coaxial flow atomization).

Spatially resolved, line-of-sight measurements of aluminum monoxide emission spectra in laser ablation plasma are used with Abel inversion techniques to extract radial plasma temperatures. Contour mapping of the radially deconvolved signal intensity shows a ring of AlO formation near the plasma boundary with the ambient atmosphere. Simulations of the molecular spectra were coupled with the line profile fitting routines. Temperature results are presented with simultaneous inferences from lateral, asymmetric radial, and symmetric radial AlO spectral intensity profiles. This analysis indicates that we measured shockwave phenomena in the radial profiles, including a temperature drop behind the blast wave created during plasma initiation.

Biomimetic design has recently received widespread attention. Inspired by the Terebridae structure, this paper provides a structural form for suppressing vortex-induced vibration (VIV) response. Four different structural forms are shown, including the traditional smooth cylinder (P0), the Terebridae-inspired cylinder with a helical angle of 30° (P30), the Terebridae-inspired cylinder with a helical angle of 60° (P60), and the Terebridae-inspired cylinder with a helical angle of 90° (P90). And computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is adopted to solve the flow pass the Terebridae-inspired structures, and the vibration equation is solved using the Newmark-β method. The results show that the VIV responses are effectively controlled in the lock-in region for P30, P60, and P90, and P60 shows the best VIV suppression performance. The transverse amplitude and the downstream amplitude can be reduced by 82.67% and 91.43% respectively for P60 compared with that for P0, and the peak of the mean-drag coefficient is suppressed by 53.33%. The Q-criterion vortices of P30, P60, and P90 are destroyed, with irregular vortices shedding. It is also found that the boundary layer separation is located on the Terebridae-inspired ribs. The twisted ribs cause the separation point to constantly change along the spanwise direction, resulting in the development of the boundary layer separation being completely destroyed. The strength of the wake flow is significantly weakened for the Terebridae-inspired cylinder. In the lock-in region, the motion trajectory presents a typical 8-shaped for P0, while the motion trajectory of the Terebridae-inspired cylinder tends to be a flat 1-shaped.

Trichoderma spp. are widely used in plant disease control as biocontrol agents. Inducing plant disease resistance is an important biocontrol mechanism of Trichoderma. It is of great significance to explore the factors involved in the surface recognition and interaction of Trichoderma with plants. Hydrophobin is a small molecular protein rich in cysteine in higher filamentous fungi and has been found to participate in the morphogenesis and interaction of fungi with other organisms. In this study, the type II hydrophobic protein-coding gene Thfb6 from T. harzianum TH33 was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The purified recombinant protein Thfb6 induced a hypersensitive response in tobacco leaves, a burst of reactive oxygen species, and an accumulation of callose, phenolic substances, and lignin in tobacco, indicating that Thfb6 can induce an early defense reaction in tobacco. Thfb6 also enhanced the systemic resistance of tobacco against tobacco mosaic virus. The rate of lesion number reduction by treatment with Thfb6 could be up to 36.02%. Thfb6 increased the activity of tobacco defense-related enzymes, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase, which were all more than three times the control after 3–5 days post treatment of Thfb6. The transcription of resistance-related genes, including the PAL gene, non-expresser of pathogenesis-related gene1 (NPR1), and basic pathogenesis-related gene 1 (PR1-b), were upregulated after Thfb6 treatment. The relative expression levels of the PAL and NPR1 genes were highest on the third and fourth days after Thfb6 treatment, at 5.5 times and 8.3 times that of the control, respectively. The relative expression level of PR1 on the sixth day after Thfb6 treatment was 5.3 times that of the control. These results indicate that the improvement of defense-related enzyme activity and the induced expression of disease-resistance-related genes were the main mechanisms by which Thfb6 induced systemic resistance in tobacco.

Fusarium wilt diseases severely influence the growth and productivity of numerous crop plants. The consortium of antagonistic rhizospheric Bacillus strains and quercetin were evaluated imperatively as a possible remedy to effectively manage the Fusarium wilt disease of tomato plants. The selection of Bacillus strains was made based on in-vitro antagonistic bioassays against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycoprsici (FOL). Whereas, quercetin was selected after screening a library of phytochemicals during in-silico molecular docking analysis using tomato LysM receptor Kinases “SILKY12” based on its dual role in symbiosis and plant defense responses. After the selection of test materials, pot trials were conducted where tomato plants were provided consortium of Bacillus strains as soil drenching and quercetin as a foliar spray in different concentrations. The combined application of consortium () and quercetin (1.0 mM) reduced the Fusarium wilt disease index up to 69% also resulting in increased plant growth attributes. Likewise, the imperative application of the Bacillus consortium and quercetin (1.0 mM) significantly increased total phenolic contents and activities of the enzymes of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis was performed to investigate the perturbation in metabolites. FOL pathogen negatively affected a range of metabolites including carbohydrates, amino acids, phenylpropanoids, and organic acids. Thereinto, combined treatment of Bacillus consortium and quercetin (1.0 mM) ameliorated the production of different metabolites in tomato plants. These findings prove the imperative use of Bacillus consortium and quercetin as an effective and sustainable remedy to manage Fusarium wilt disease of tomato plants and to promote the growth of tomato plants under pathogen stress conditions.

Land use/land cover (LULC) changes have a substantial influence on ecosystem services. The objective of this study is to estimate LULC dynamics induced ecosystem service values (ESV) changes in Western Ethiopia. Data were acquired from Landsat images of the area for four periods (1990-2020), and 221 sample households. The areas of LULC classes and the improved ESV coefficients of Costanza et al (1997) were used estimate ESV changes in 1990-2020. Forest provides diverse provisions, regulatory, supportive and cultural services. Analysis of the Landsat images showed that forest, farmland, settlement, water body and bare-land were the major LULC classes in the study area. While forest ESV had accounted 46.1% (US$ 4.95 million) of the ESV of Wayu-Tuka district in 1990, farmland ESV constituted the largest share (63.3%, US$ 5.21 million) of the ESV of the area after 30 years (2020). The ESV of forest and bare-land showed decreasing trends in three decades (1990-2020) but the farmland service value revealed an increasing trend in the same periods. Forest ecosystem exhibited the largest service value loss (US$ 3.91 million) in 1990-2020; whereas, the service value gain of farmland was only US$ 2.2 million although farmland was responsible for the conversion of the largest area size (9,766.5 ha) from other land covers in 30 years. LULC change induced net ESV loss of the district in three decades (1990-2020) was 23.4% (US$ 2.51 million). Land conversion due to expansion of farmland (by 9,766.5 ha) and settlement (by 4,061.3 ha) was the main cause for the LULC dynamics and the significant ESV loss in 1990-2020. Thus, the government and local people should cooperate so as to curb the steady degradation of forest and its ecosystem services in Wayu-Tuka district, Western Ethiopia.

A switchable and tunable terahertz (THz) metamaterial based on photosensitive silicon and Vanadium dioxide (VO2) was proposed. By using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, the transmission and reflective properties of the metamaterial were investigated theoretically. The results imply that, the metamaterial can realize a dual electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) or two narrow-band absorption depending on the temperature of the VO2. Additionally, the magnitude of the EIT and two narrow-band absorption can be tuned by varying the conductivity of photosensitive silicon (PSi) via pumping light. Correspondingly, the slow light effect accompanying the EIT can also be adjusted.

The plant immunity system is more and more revisited and new elements and roles are attributed to participate in the response to biotic stress. New terminology is also applied trying to identify different players in the whole scenario of immunity: Phytocytokines are one of those elements that are gaining more attention due the characteristics of processing and perception, and showing they are part of a big family of compounds that can amplify the immune response. This review aims to highlight the last findings about the role of phytocytokines in the whole immune response on biotic stress, including basal and adaptive immunity, and to expose the complexity in their action in plant perception and signaling events.

This study presents the developments regarding the time-domain-induced polarisation method, as a supporting tool for resistivity soundings during investigations of coastal detrital aquifers that are salinised by marine intrusion. The interpretation of resistivity measurements in such aquifers, which have variable hydrochemistry and lithology, involves uncertainties owing to the presence of low-resistivity lithologies, such as clays. To reduce these uncertainties, the use of other geophysical parameters is necessary; hence, this study focuses on induced polarisation, since it can be measured simultaneously with resistivity. In detail, we propose the determination of induced polarisation using 1D techniques, while developing a different algorithm for processing the induced polarisation data. The aim is to extend the results of this phenomenon, using instead of chargeability, the concepts of polarisability and decay time, which are extracted from the decay curve, given that they represent more intrinsic properties of the various analysed subsurface media. We present results obtained by applying this methodology to a Quaternary aquifer of the Costa del Sol in the SE Iberian Peninsula (in the province of Almería) during two different campaigns, one before and one after winter (i.e., in October and February, respectively). The results reveal the position of the saline front during each campaign, while reflecting the seasonal movement of the marine intrusion.

This paper develops the study of the effect of powerful ultrasound on the laser breakdown of liquids and a comparative study of the possibilities of acoustic and optical diagnostics of breakdown. The method of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for elemental analysis of liquids, along with high efficiency, continues to be less sensitive compared to traditional chemical methods. The paper develops a method of using additional ultrasound irradiation of the laser breakdown area in order to increase the efficiency of LIBS. Using the developed technique, spectral lines of chemical elements such as potassium, manganese, sodium, calcium, etc. were obtained for the first time depending on the frequency and power of ultrasound. It is shown that a sharp increase in the intensity of spectral lines of elements in water during laser breakdown is observed in the field of high-power ultrasound. It indicates an increase in the sensitivity of the combined method of ultrasonic LIBS. Along with the optical spectrum, the spectral and energy characteristics of acoustic emission were studied. An automated complex for hydrophysical and spectral studies is described, which was tested in the Sea of Japan during the voyage No. 81 of the research vessel RV "Professor Gagarinsky" in August 2022.

We have developed an unsteady and non-linear wind synopsis simulator called RIAM-COMPACT (Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, COMputational Prediction of Airflow over Complex Terrain) in order to simulate the airflow on a microscale, i.e., a few tens of km or less. In RIAM-COMPACT, the large-eddy simulation (LES) has been adopted for turbulence modeling. LES is a technique in which the structures of relatively large eddies are directly simulated and smaller eddies are modeled using a sub-grid scale model. In the present study, we have conducted the numerical wind diagnoses for Taikoyama Wind Farm nacelle separation accident in Japan. The simulation results suggest that all six wind turbines at the Taikoyama Wind Farm are subject to significant influence from separated flow (terrain-induced turbulence) which is generated due to the topographic irregularities in the vicinity of the wind turbines. A proposal has been also made on reconstruction of the wind farm.

With growing regulations on ship emissions, specifically carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, this study emphasizes the critical need for improving the performance of existing ship diesel engines. Focusing on easily modifiable injection conditions within the fuel system, the research aims to enhance combustion characteristics for operational ships. The study provides a concise analysis of the combustion performance improvements achievable in the field. The study employed a range of calculation conditions, spanning from fuel injection pressures of 20 MPa to 160 MPa, injection timing from 15 degrees before top dead center (BTDC) to 5 degrees after top dead center (ATDC), and spray angles varying between 10 degrees and 50 degrees. A comprehensive analysis was conducted, focusing on fuel distribution behavior, combustion dynamics, carbon monoxide (CO) production and extinction, as well as nitrogen oxide (NO) production. This thorough examination aimed to provide insights into the complex interplay of these factors in order to optimize combustion performance in ship diesel engines. The analysis indicated that substantial unburned fuel occurred at injection pressures below 40 MPa and spray angles less than 20 degrees. This issue was significantly mitigated when injection pressures exceeded 80 MPa or a spray angle of 40 degrees was employed. High flame propagation speeds were observed at injection pressures over 80 MPa and injection timings before BTDC 10. Carbon monoxide emissions were notably low when injection pressures exceeded 80 MPa and a 40-degree spray angle was used. Nitrogen oxide emissions were minimized under conditions of injection pressure below 40 MPa, injection timing after BTDC 5 degrees, and a spray angle between 30 and 40 degrees. The study concludes that the most effective injection conditions for concurrently reducing fuel consumption, minimizing incomplete combustion products, and lowering nitrogen oxide emissions in the target engine are optimal when the injection pressure is set at 80 MPa, the injection timing is positioned at 5 degrees before top dead center (BTDC), and the spray angle is maintained at 40 degrees.

In recent years, in order to serve as effective solutions to outdoor human thermal environments under the influence of urban heat islands, adaptation measures such as awnings, louvers, directional reflective materials, mist sprays, and evaporative materials have been developed. In this study, a simplified evaluation framework for adaptation measures to urban heat islands is examined. Adaptation measures to urban heat islands are classified into the following three categories; measures to reduce solar radiation incident on the human body, measures to control and cool ground and wall surface temperature, and measures to control and cool air temperature and human body. Case studies are conducted to evaluate the effects of the implementation of cool water circulation sunshade and to examine the adverse effects of cool pavements on the human thermal environment, in addition to the effects of mist sprays on the human body. The effect of the sunshade, watering road, and mist spray, which are typical adaptation measures to urban heat islands, on the human thermal environment was estimated using Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) as an indicator for heat stroke prevention and Standard New Effective Temperature (SET*) as an indicator for thermal comfort assessment.

In January and February 2001, El Salvador was hit by two strong earthquakes that triggered thousands of landslides, causing 1,259 fatalities and extensive damage. The analysis of aerial and SPOT-4 satellite images taken a few days after the events allowed us to map 6,491 coesismic landslides, which occurred in 14 study areas extending for about 400 km2. Four different Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) models were produced by using different covariate sets and landslide inventories, the latter containing the slope failures triggered by an extreme rainfall event of November 2009 and those induced by the earthquakes of 2001. Moreover, two validation scenarios were employed, including the 25% and 95% of the mapped landslides, respectively. The results of our experiment revealed that: (i) MARS algorithm provides reliable predictions of coesismic landslides; (ii) models calibrated with rainfall-induced landslides predict with acceptable accuracy landslides caused by deep earthquakes and distributed over vast areas; (iii) the best accuracy is achieved by models trained with both preparatory and trigger variables; (iv) a small portion of the landslides produced by an earthquake can be used to calibrate MARS predictive models that help to identify slopes where yet unreported landslides may have occurred.

Conventional sensors used to measure properties such as deformation or pressure, etc. often make use of metals, ceramics, piezos, and other materials. Many of those materials are very hard, so if they are used as sensors, when the object is deformed, or when the pressure on the object changes from time to time, it is necessary to prepare a variety of sensors with different properties. In this experiment, a dielectric elastomer (DE) pressure sensor was fabricated using a hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) film with improved hardness and elongation. With this, even very thin film (0.2mm) can be measured at any pressure between 1gf and 20kgf. Previously developed film was harder and less stretchy than the current one, with a pressure detection width from 4 kgf to 120 kgf. This time, however, the pressure sensitivity of the finger has been made more sensitive, making it possible to measure even smaller values. A DE stretch sensor was also developed using single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) electrodes with larger stretchability and flexibility, utilizing this HNBR. This greatly improved the mechanical flexibility and stretchability of the DES. Using this stretch sensor, it became possible to sense the motion of the robot's fingers, and to sense the force (pressure) when the fingertip touched the target object with the DE pressure sensor. In addition, it was confirmed that the sensation of the robot's finger touching an object can be fed back to a human finger by using a small diaphragm type vibrator DE actuator.

Drug-induced liver disease represents one of the main problems in the therapeutic field. As with most pathologies, also in this case various risk factors can be recognised, such as age, sex, but also the gut microbiota. Therefore all drugs on the market can, in fact, cause hepatotoxicity of varying degrees. Drugs used in the treatment of IBD can also cause these adverse effects and even lead to DILI. In this review, the various classes of drugs used in the treatment of IBD were taken into consideration and the various adverse effects on the liver were illustrated. In particular, a major role has emerged regarding hepatotoxicity of immunosuppressants. Biological drugs, however, seem to be responsible for these complications to a much lesser extent.

Within the spectra of lanthanide atoms quite often overlapping spectral lines (blends) are observed. On the example of complicated blend situations within Pr I and La I it is shown that in such cases a combination of optogalvanic and laser-induced fluorescence detection is necessary to find all transitions contributing to the observed spectral signature.

Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) have an important role in the pathogenesis of generating citrullinated proteins which is one type of protein posttranslation modifications (PTMs). Additionally, peptidylarginine deiminases 4 (PAD4) is a component of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) that leads to autoimmune disease during NETosis. Our aim was to check the PAD4 enzyme expression at level of gene and protein expression in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rat pancreas and checking the link between PAD4 and inflammatory cytokines. Wistar rats were divided into two groups: control group and diabetic STZ group. STZ was administered by intraperitoneally (60 mg/kg/ body weight). Rats were caged for six weeks and then terminated. Pancreatic tissue was harvested for measurement of PAD4 protein expression, PAD4 mRNA, citrulli-nated histone-3 protein (CITH3), cytokines and Ca2+ content. All measurements in diabetic rats were significantly in-creased compared to non-diabetic rats (p

Tongue mobility is an obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) marker and myofunctional therapy (MFT) target. For this reason, all patients with sleep-disordered breathing should require a combined functional assessment from an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist and a phonoaudiologist to confirm or rule out the presence of tongue-tie. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a 13-year-old girl diagnosed with severe OSA and a significant decrease of 94% in her apnoea index (AI), requiring frenotomy with immediate postoperative change in the tongue position. A drug-induced sleep en-doscopy (DISE) was performed before and immediately post-frenotomy, and the anatomical changes provoked by this surgery during sleep were confirmed for the first time.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are derived from reprogrammed adult somatic cells. These adult cells are manipulated in vitro to express genes and factors essential for acquiring and maintaining embryonic stem cell (ESC) properties. This technology is widely applied in many fields, and there has been much attention to developing iPSC-based disease models to validate drug discovery platforms and study pathophysiological molecular processes underlying disease onset. Especially in neurological diseases, there is a great need for iPSC-based technological research, as these cells can be obtained from each patient and carry the individual’s bulk of genetic mutations and properties. Moreover, iPSC can differentiate into multiple cell types. These are essential characteristics since the study of neurological diseases is affected by limited access to injured sites, in vitro models composed of various cell types, the complexity of reproducing the brain’s anatomy, ethical issues, and the fact that post-mortem cell culture is challenging. Neurodegenerative diseases enormously impact global health due to their high incidence, symptoms severity, and usually lack of effective therapies. Recently, analyses using disease-specific iPSC-based models confirmed their efficacy for testing multiple drugs. This review summarizes the advances in iPSC technology used in disease modeling and drug testing with a primary focus on neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Idiosyncratic drug induced liver injury (DILI) is an unpredictable reaction of exposed individual on a certain drug, and the drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis (DIAIH) presents a DILI phenotype that mimics idiopathic autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) when considering the clinical, biochemical, serological and histological parameters. We present a case of a 48-year-old male that was hospitalized due to severe hepatocellular liver injury two months after the self-treatment with the muscle-building dietary supplement based on arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate, L-citrulline, L tyrosine, creatine malate and beet extract. His immunology panel was positive with increased IgG levels, and the radiologic methods showed no signs of chronic liver disease. He underwent corticosteroid treatment with adequate response. After the therapy withdrawal, a clinical relapse occurred. Seven months after the initial presentation liver MR suggested the initial cirrhotic changes of the right liver lobe. Liver biopsy revealed abundant lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with piecemeal necrosis and grade 2 fibrosis. He responded well on the corticosteroid treatment again, and was further treated with low dose prednisone without additional relapses. Several years later, further management confirmed presence of liver cirrhosis with no histological or biochemical signs of the disease activity. DIAIH is a DILI phenotype difficult to distinguish from idiopathic AIH despite a wide armamentarium of diagnostic methods. Regular patient monitoring and clinical open-mindedness with the adjustment of therapeutic approaches according to the disease course are more important than strict labelling of the disease.

Background: Pteropodine (PT) is a component of some plants with potentially useful pharmaco-logical activities for humans. This compound has biomedical properties related to the modulation of the immune system, nervous system, and inflammatory processes. This study addresses the an-ti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity of pteropodin in a murine model of arthritis and induced edema of the mouse ear. Methods: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity, we used the reversed passive Arthus reaction (RPAR), which includes the rat paw edema test, the rat pleurisy test, and a mouse ear edema model. The antioxidant effect was evaluated by determining the myeloperoxidase enzyme activity. Results: PT showed an anti-inflammatory effect in the different specific and non-specific tests. We found a 52 to 74% of inhibitory effect of PT in the rat paw edema test, 52% of reduction of the pleural exudate volume, and low neutrophil count (28%), when compared to the control group. We also found a 81% of inflammatory inhibition of the ear edema, and a significant myeloperoxidase enzyme inhibition by the three doses of PT. Conclusions: PT exerted a potent an-ti-inflammatory effect in the acute inflammation model in rodents.

The soil-borne pathogens, particularly Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON) and southern root-knot nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) are the major threat to watermelon production in the south-eastern United States. The role of soil micronutrients on induced resistance (IR) to plant diseases is well-documented in soil-based mediums. However, soil-based mediums limit the determination of the role(s) of individual micronutrients in IR. In this manuscript, we utilized hydroponics to assess the effect of controlled application of micronutrient, including iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) on the expression of some IR genes (PR1, PR5, and NPR1 from salicylic acid (SA) pathway, and VSP, PDF, and LOX genes from jasmonic acid (JA) pathway) in watermelon seedlings upon inoculation with either FON or RKN or both. Plants were treated with higher (3X) or lower (0.5X) concentrations of micronutrients in Steiner solution (X= standard dose of micronutrient) for 7 days in a hydroponics system under greenhouse conditions. A subset of micronutrient-treated plants was inoculated (on the 8th day of micronutrient application) with FON and RKN (single and mixed). The expression of the IR genes in treated and control samples were evaluated using qRT-PCR. Although, significant phenotypic differences were not observed with respect to the severity of wilt symptoms or RKN galling with any of the micro-nutrient treatments within the 30 day-experimental-period, differences in the induction of IR genes were observed. However, the level of gene expression varied with sampling period, type and concentration of micro-nutrients ap-plied, and pathogen-inoculation. In the absence of pathogens, no significant changes were observed in the expression level of IR genes on 7th day of micronutrient treatment. However, pathogen inoculation affected the expression levels of the IR genes at 3-day post-inoculation. In FON inoculated plants, PDF was upregulated in high Fe treatment, whereas in RKN inoculated plants, low Mn treatment resulted in up-regulation of VSP. In the case of mixed inoculation with FON and RKN, the plants with low Zn treatment resulted in the upregulation of PR1. These observations suggest that the type and concentration of micronutrients in watermelon may potentially induce systemic resistance against FON and RKN through SA and JA pathways.

MiRNAs are 20-22 nucleotide long single-stranded non-coding RNA sequences, which can regulate post transcriptional activity of mRNA by binding with it at 3’UTR region (untranslated region). Thus deregulation of miRNA expression is responsible for dysregulating mRNA function which contributes in developing various diseases as well as cancerous phenotypes. Alteration of single nucleotide in miRNA sequence is one of the reasons behind deregulation of miRNA expression. The most frequent carcinoma in current day is breast cancer which causes a high mortality among women around the world as well as India. Despite of the advancement of diagnostic tools, strategies and treatment, the cases of breast cancer is increasing every year. There are plenty of biomarkers like ER, PR, Her2, Ki-67, etc available which are frequently used in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. After the discovery of MiRNA in 1993 in Caenorhabiditis elegans, it is attracting all the limelight in diagnosis and treatment of different carcinomas as well as breast cancer. In this review we will discuss on involvement of different types of MiRNAs and miR SNPs in breast cancer occurrence and susceptibility in a detailed manner.

The color changes corresponding to chromophore structures in lignin caused by exposure of Eucalyptus（Eucalyptus grandis and E. urophylla）to heat were investigated. Eucalyptus wood samples were heated in saturated steam atmospheres for 10 h at 110℃, 130℃, and 150℃. The lignin was isolated before and after heat treatment. The physicochemical properties of the lignin and changes in chromophore structures during heat treatment was evaluated through wet chemical analysis, FTIR, UV-Vis, GPC, XPSand 13C-NMR. The color of the wood became darker and redder with the increase in pressure and temperature. Depolymerization and dehydration reactions occurred via demethoxylation with heat treatment in saturated steam at 110℃ or 130℃. Lignin condensed to form insoluble compounds after heat treatment in saturated steam at 150℃. G units increased and S units decreased through demethylation during heat treatment, as revealed by FTIR and 13C-NMR analysis.

In the present study, field observation wind data from the time of the wind turbine blade damage accident on Shiratakiyama Wind Farm were analyzed in detail. In parallel, high-resolution LES turbulence simulations were performed in order to examine the model’s ability to numerically reproduce terrain-induced turbulence. The comparison of the observed and simulated time series (1 second average values) from a 10 minute period from the time of the accident led to the conclusion that the settings of the horizontal grid resolution and time increment are important to numerically reproduce the terrain-induced turbulence that caused the wind turbine blade damage accident on Shiratakiyama Wind Farm. A spectral analysis of the same set of observed and simulated data revealed that the simulated data reproduced the energy cascade of the actual terrain-induced turbulence well.

At the Atsumi Wind Farm in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, damage to wind turbines occurred frequently due to terrain-induced turbulence. In the present study, numerical analyses of terrain-induced turbulence were conducted by reproducing the topography in the vicinity of the wind turbine sites in high resolution and using RIAM-COMPACT natural terrain version, which is based on large eddy simulation (LES). The results of the diagnoses indicated that, in the case of south-easterly wind, terrain-induced turbulence is generated at a small terrain feature located upstream of Wind Turbine (WT) #2, which serves as the origin of the turbulence. At the Atsumi Wind Farm, a combination of the series of wind diagnoses and on-site operation experience led to a decision to adopt an "automatic shutdown program" for WTs #1 and #2. Here, "automatic shutdown program" refers to the automatic suspension of wind turbine operation upon the wind speed and direction meeting the conditions associated with significant effects of terrain-induced turbulence at a wind turbine site. The adoption of the "automatic shutdown program" has successfully resulted in a large reduction in the number of occurrences of wind turbine damage, thus, creating major positive economic effects. 1) a reduction in the repair costs by 9.322 million yen per year per wind turbine, 2) an increase in the availability factor by 8.05%, and 3) an increase in the capacity factor by 1.7%.

We use earthquake ground motion modelling via Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) and numerical simulation of seismic waves to consider the effects of site amplification and basin resonance in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. While spectral accelerations at short periods are sensitive to near-surface conditions (i.e., Vs30), our results suggest that, for basins as deep as Jakarta’s, available GMPEs cannot be relied upon to accurately estimate the effect of basin depth on ground motions at long periods (>1 s). Amplitudes at such long periods are influenced by entrapment of seismic waves in the basin, resulting in longer duration of strong ground motion, and interference between incoming and reflected waves as well as focusing at basin edges may amplify seismic waves. In order to simulate such phenomena in detail, a basin model derived from a previous study is used as a computational domain for deterministic earthquake scenario modeling in a 2-dimensional cross-section. A M_w 9.0 megathrust, a M_w 6.5 crustal thrust and a M_w 7.0 instraslab earthquake are chosen as scenario events that pose credible threats to Jakarta, and the interactions with the basin of seismic waves generated by these events were simulated. The highest PGV amplifications are recorded at sites near the middle of the basin and near its southern edge, with maximum amplifications of PGV in the horizontal component of 200% for the crustal, 600% for the megathrust and 335% for the deep intraslab earthquake scenario, respectively. We find that the levels of ground motion response spectral acceleration fall below those of the 2012 Indonesian building Codes's design response spectrum for short periods (< 1 s), but closely approach or may even exceed these levels for longer periods.

A metastable β-Ti alloy, Ti–10V–3Fe–3Al (wt.%), was subjected to thermos-mechanical processing including the compression test at 725°C, which is below the β transus temperature (780°C), and at strain rate of 10-3s-1. The presence of phases was determined using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Although the dynamic recovery took place together with slip, both deformation-induced α˝ martensite and ω were detected as other operating mechanisms for the first time in metastable-β Ti alloys deformed in α+β region. The volume fraction of stress-induced α˝ was higher than that of the same alloy deformed at room temperature due to higher strain applied. Stress-induced twinning was not operational, which could be related to the priority of slip mechanism at high temperature resulted from thermally-assisted nucleation and lateral migration of kink-pairs.

The first detection of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity in the Gale Crater, Mars created a profound impact on planetary science and exploration. The unique capability of plasma spectroscopy involving in situ elemental analysis in extraterrestrial environments, suggesting the presence of water in the red planet based on phase characterization and providing a clue to Martian paleoclimate. The key to gypsum as an ideal paleoclimate proxy lies in its textural variants, and in this study terrestrial gypsum samples from varied locations and textural types have been analyzed by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique. Petrographic, sub-microscopic and powder X-ray diffraction characterizations confirm the presence of gypsum (hydrated calcium sulphate; CaSO4.2H2O), bassanite (semi-hydrated calcium sulphate; CaSO4.1/2H2O) and anhydrite (anhydrous calcium sulphate; CaSO4) along with accessory phases (quartz and jarosite). The principal component analysis of LIBS spectra from texturally varied gypsums can be differentiated from one another because of the chemical variability in their elemental concentrations. The concentration of gypsum is determined from the partial least-square regressions model. Rapid characterization of gypsum samples with LIBS is expected to work well in extraterrestrial environments.

Both grape pomace and whey are waste products from the food industry that are rich in valuable ingredients. The utilisation of these two by-products is becoming increasingly possible as consumer awareness of upcycling increases. The biological activities of grape pomace extract (GPE) are diverse and depend on its bioavailability, which is influenced by processes in the digestive system. In this work, goat whey protein (GW) was used as the primary coating to protect the phenolic compounds of GPE during the spray drying process. In addition, trehalose (T), sucrose (S), xylose (X) and maltodextrin (MD) were added to the goat whey proteins as co-coatings and protein stabilisers. All spray drying experiments resulted in microcapsules (MC) with high encapsulation efficiency (77.6—95.5%) and yield (91.5—99.0%) and almost 100% recovery of phenolic compounds during the release test. For o-coumaric acid, the GW-coated microcapsules (MC) showed a bioavailability index of up to 731.23%. A semi-crystalline structure and hydrophilicity are characteristics of the MC coated with 10% T, S, X or 5% MD. GW alone or in combination with T, S, MD or X has proven to be a promising carrier for polyphenols from grape pomace extract and ensures good bioavailability of these natural antioxidants.

The integration of spray drying and agglomeration offers significant advantages, such us continuous production with lower energy consumption. However, it is a knife-edge process with a narrow operating window and limited degrees of freedom that decide between successful agglomeration and fluidized bed blockage due to excessive moisture. In this contribution, factors influencing the spray-through agglomeration process of skim milk powder as a model system were investigated via a design of experiments. Three in-line monitoring methods were applied and tested to observe the most important parameters in the agglomeration process: product moisture and particle size distribution. Regarding the moisture content, a capacitive moisture sensor was calibrated with linear regression and a near-infrared sensor with partial least squares regression. Near-infrared spectroscopy was found to be the suitable method for determining moisture content, while the capacitive moisture sensor mainly provides information on the bulk density, the filling level or fluidization state in the fluidized bed. Additionally, particle size distribution data was extracted from the spectral data using in-line data of a spatial filter velocimetry probe in the fluidized bed. This opens the potential to monitor both parameters in real-time with a single non-invasive sensor.

Introduction the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict, initiated by a major attack on the civilian population in Israel provided a tragic opportunity to study the community wide association between severe emotional stressors related to acts of war and the incidence and clinical characteristics of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) in this scenario. Methods Eight consecutive cases of TCM diagnosed during the first 50 days of the Israel-Gaza conflict were retrospectively collected from two southern medical centers who provided care to most of the war victims throughout the period of monitoring. The medical records were thoroughly reviewed and analyzed. Results During the monitoring period, the incidence of TCM increased substantially compared to the control period. Eight patients were included in the analysis. All patients were female and 100% of patients presented within the first 3 weeks of conflict whereas after this initial phase, despite the continuing war, the incidence of TCM reverted to pre-conflict levels. Two patients (25%) were under 50 years of age. All patients had hazardous clinical characteristics including severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (≤35%) and prolonged QTc interval (>500 ms). Five patients (62.5%) experienced complications. Nevertheless, no in-hospital mortality was reported. Conclusions Repeated exposure to severe emotional stress, on both personal and national level, due to mass crisis such as war is associated with an increased incidence of TCM potentially with high-risk phenotype in comparison to TCM following other, less potent, psychological insults.

Familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) can be caused by mutations in PSEN1 that encodes presenilin-1, a component of the gamma-secretase complex that cleaves amyloid precursor protein. Alterations in calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis and glutamate signaling are implicated in the pathogenesis of FAD, however it has been difficult to assess in humans whether or not these phenotypes are the result of amyloid or tau pathology. This study aimed to assess early calcium and glutamate phenotypes of FAD by measuring the Ca2+ response of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons bearing PSEN1 mutations to glutamate and the ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists NMDA, AMPA and kainate compared to isogenic control and healthy lines. The data shows that in early neurons, even in the absence of amyloid and tau phenotypes, FAD neurons exhibit increased Ca2+ responses to glutamate and AMPA, but not NMDA or kainate. Together this suggests that PSEN1 mutations alter Ca2+ and glutamate signaling as an early phenotype of FAD.

In contemporary construction, the prevalence of vibration serviceability issues in lightweight and slender structures has become increasingly common, owing to advancements in building materials and construction methods. While these structures often meet the criteria for ultimate limit states, they can still elicit complaints due to excessive vibrations induced by human activity. To address this challenge, the Integral Resonant Control (IRC) technique has emerged as a favored approach for actively damping vibrations in various systems. This study introduces a fresh perspective on implementing a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) IRC scheme for active vibration control (AVC) specifically tailored for pedestrian structures utilizing inertial mass actuators. Building upon a common framework and design methodology outlined in previous research, this work presents a novel application of MIMO IRC for AVC. The designed controller is rigorously tested and implemented on a laboratory floor structure to validate its efficacy.

Hiccups can significantly reduce the quality of life of patients and can occur as a drug side effect. Previous report using the Drug Adverse Event Database revealed sex-specific differences in the incidence of drug-induced hiccups. However, the pathogenesis of drug-induced hiccups remains unknown, and there is limited evidence on its treatment or prevention. This study examined molecular initiating events (MIEs), which are the starting point of adverse events, to investigate the drug-induced pathways of hiccups. We extracted drugs suspected to cause hiccups using FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, a large database on adverse drug reactions. Information on drugs suspected to be associated with hiccups were extracted from the overall population and sex-specific subgroups divided. In each data table, the predicted activity values of nuclear receptors (NRs) and stress response pathways (SPs) for each drug were calculated using the toxicity predictor, a machine-learning model. Univariate analysis extracted NRs and SPs associated with hiccups, and a multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate independent factors. Transforming growth factor-beta and antioxidant response element were considered an independent factor for hiccups in the male and female subgroups, respectively. This report first examined one of the mechanisms of drug-induced hiccups and identified MIEs associated with drug-induced hiccups.

Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury (CI-AKI) remains a frequent iatrogenic condition since radiological procedures using intra-vascular iodinated contrast media (CM) are being widely administered for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Despite the improvement of the medical healthcare system worldwide, CI-AKI is still associated with direct short-term and indirect long-term outcomes including increased morbidity and mortality, specially, in patients under-lying pre-existing renal function impairment, cardiovascular disease or diabetes that could rap-idly progress into Chronic Kidney Disease. Although the RIFLE (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Kidney Disease), AKIN (Acute Kidney Injury Network) and KDIGO (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes) clinical criteria and recommendation guidelines are based on tra-ditional “gold standard” biomarkers known as serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate and urinary output, new reliable serum and urinary biomarkers are still needed for an effective uni-fied diagnostic strategy for AKI. Starting from previous and recent publications on the benefits and limitations of validated biomarkers responding to kidney injury, glomerular filtration and inflammation among others, this review unravels the role of new emerging biomarkers used alone or in combination, as reliable tools for early diagnosis and prognosis of CI-AKI, taking into account patients and procedures-risk factors towards a new clinical perspective.

Lichens are unique extremophilic organisms due to their phenomenal resistance to adverse environmental factors, including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Melanization plays a special role in the protection of lichens from UV-B stress. In present study, we analyzed the binding of melanins with the components of cell walls of mycobiont of upper cortex in the melanized lichen thalli Lobaria pulmonaria. Using scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, the morphological and nanomechanical characteristics of melanized layer of mycobiont cells were visualized. Melanization of lichen thalli led to the smoothing the surface relief and thickening mycobiont cell walls and resulted in the increase of deformation values and reduction of adhesion properties of lichen thallus. Treatment of thalli with hydrolytic enzymes, especially chitinase and lichenase, enhanced the yield of melanin from melanized thalli and release of carbohydrates, while treatment with pectinase increased the release of carbohydrates and phenols. Our results suggest that melanin by firmly binding with hyphal cell wall carbohydrates, particularly chitin and 1,4-β-glucans, can form associations, strengthen the melanized upper cortex of lichen thalli, and thereby can contribute to lichen survival under UV stress.

Controlled deposition of CoCrFeNiMo0.2 high entropy alloy (HEA) micro-particles was achieved using laser induced forward transfer (LIFT). Ultra-short laser pulses, 230 fs of 515 nm wavelength, were tightly focused into ∼ 2.4 μm focal spots on the ∼50 nm thick plasma-sputtered films of CoCrFeNiMo0.2. The HTA films were transferred onto glass substrates by magnetron sputtering in vacuum (10−8 atm) from the thermal spray coated substrates. The absorption coefficient of CoCrFeNiMo0.2 α ≈ 6 × 105 cm−1 was determined at 600 nm wavelength. The real and imaginary parts of refractive index (n + iκ) of HEA were determined from reflectance and transmittance using nano-films.

Granular superconductivity at high temperatures in graphite can emerge at certain two-dimensional (2D) stacking faults (SFs) between regions with twisted (around the c-axis) or untwisted crystalline regions with Bernal (ABA...) and/or rhombohedral (ABCABCA...) stacking order. One way to observe experimentally such 2D superconductivity is to measure the frozen magnetic flux produced by a permanent current loop that remains after removing an external magnetic field applied normal to the SFs. Magnetic force microscopy was used to localize and characterize such a permanent current path found in one natural graphite sample out of ∼50 measured graphite samples of different origins. The position of the current path drifts with time and roughly follows a logarithmic time dependence similar to the one for flux creep in type II superconductors. We demonstrate that a ≃10nm deep scratch on the sample surface at the position of the current path causes a change in its location. A further scratch was enough to irreversibly destroy the remanent state of the sample at room temperature. Our studies clarify some of the reasons for the difficulties of finding a trapped flux in remanent state at room temperature in graphite samples with SFs.

Since the discovery of the aggregation-induced emission effect in 2001, diaminodicyanoquinone derivatives (DADQs) have presented interesting fluorescence properties, allowing them to be considered fluorescent dyes capable of showing quantum yields above 90%. Besides, the diaminodiacyanoquinone core represents a versatile building block propense either to modification or integration into different systems to obtain and provide them unique photophysical features. Herein, we carried out a theoretical study on the fluorescence properties of three different diaminodicyanoquinodimethane systems. Therefore, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) was used to obtain the values associated with the dipole moments, oscillator strengths, and the conformational energies between the ground and the first excited states of each molecule. The results suggest that only two of the three studied systems possess significant luminescent properties. In a further stage, the theoretical insights were confirmed by means of experimental measurements, which not only retrieved the luminescence of the DADQs, but also suggest a preliminary and promising antibacterial activity of these systems.