We aimed to investigate the relationship between membrane material and development of membrane fouling in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) using membranes with different pore sizes and hydrophilicities. Batch filtration tests were performed using submerged single hollow fiber membrane ultrafiltration (UF) modules with different polymeric membrane materials including cellulose acetate (CA), polyethersulfone (PES), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with activated sludge taken from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The three UF hollow fiber membranes were prepared by a non-solvent-induced phase separation method and had similar water permeabilities and pore sizes. The results revealed that transmembrane pressure (TMP) increased more sharply for the hydrophobic PVDF membrane than for the hydrophilic CA membrane in batch filtration tests, even when membranes with similar permeabilities and pore sizes were used. PVDF hollow fiber membranes with smaller pores had greater fouling propensity than those with larger pores. In contrast, CA hollow fiber membranes showed good mitigation of membrane fouling regardless of pore size. The results obtained in this study suggest that the surface hydrophilicity and pore size of UF membranes clearly affect the fouling properties in MBR operation when using activated sludge.

In review, the operating principles of the most common bio sensing devices, detection methods and the identification sensitivity of analyzed molecules were shown. The central focus was done on hybridization analysis of nucleic acids (NA), which are considered to be one of the most important analytes in terms of diagnostic point of view. Constructions enabling to transfer the fact of formation of nucleotide probe/target complex in to detectable signal by optical, electrochemical or micromechanical (piezoelectric) sensors were presented in this review.

Temperature is one of the most important range-limiting factors for many seaweeds. Driven by the recent climatic changes, rapid northward shifts of species’ distribution ranges can potentially modify the phylogeographic signature of Last Glacial Maximum such as increased genetic diversity at lower latitudes. To explore this question in detail in the kelp Saccharina latissima, we used microsatellites and double digest RAD-sequencing derived SNPs on S. latissima sporophytes sampled within 11 sites spanning the entire European Atlantic latitudinal range of this species. In addition, we checked for statistical correlation between genetic marker allele frequencies and three environmental proxies (sea surface temperature, salinity, and water turbidity). Our findings revealed that genetic diversity was significantly higher for the northern localities compared to the southern ones in contrast to the expected phylogeographic pattern. This suggests that the southernmost S. latissima populations are negatively affected by the recent climatic changes but also that the recolonization of S. latissima range following the LGM may have occurred from northerly refugia. Seven SNPs and 12 microsatellite alleles were found to be significantly associated with at least one of the three environmental variables. We discuss the potential adaptive functions of the genes associated with the outlier markers and the importance of these markers for successful conservation and aquaculture strategies for S. latissima in this age of rapid global change.

Elevated antimony concentrations in aqueous environments from anthropogenic sources is becoming of global concern, here iron oxides are known to strongly adsorb aqueous antimony species with different oxidation states, but the effect of silica on the removal characteristics is not well understood despite being a common component in the environment. In this study, ferrihydrite was synthesized at various Si/Fe molar ratios to investigate its adsorption and co-precipitation behaviors with aqueous antimony anionic species, Sb(III) and Sb(V). The XRD analyses of the precipitates showed two broad diffraction features at approximately 35° and 62° 2θ, which are characteristic of 2-line ferrihydrite, no significant shifts in peak positions in the ferrihydrite regardless of the Si/Fe ratios. The infrared spectra showed a sharp band at ~990 cm⁻¹, corresponding to asymmetric stretching vibrations of Si-O-Fe bonds which increased in intensity with increasing Si/Fe molar ratios. Further, the surface charge on the precipitates became more negative with increasing Si/Fe molar ratios. The adsorption experiments indicated that Sb(V) was preferentially adsorbed at acidic conditions and decreased dramatically with increasing pH while the adsorption rate of Sb(III) ions was independent of pH, however, the presence of silica suppressed the adsorption of both Sb(III) and Sb(V) ions. The results showed that Sb(III) and Sb(V) ions were significantly inhibited by co-precipitation with ferrihydrite even in the presence of silica by isomorphous substitution in the ferrihydrite crystal structure.

A gold nanostructured film modified glassy carbon electrode (Au_film/GCE) was developed for the determination of chromium (VI) in water sample. GCE was immersed into HAuCl₄ solution (10^-3M) and electrodeposition of thin gold layer was conducted at –0.4 V (vs Ag/AgCl) for 10 min. The strong affinity between Au and Cr species resulted with increasing of Cr (VI) signal, compared with the bare glassy carbon electrode. The electrodepositing time, type of supporting electrolyte, pH, the scan rate, modulation amplitude, and modulation time were optimized using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DP-ASV). The calibration graph using accumulation time of 120 s was linear from 10 to 120 µgL^-1 with a sensitivity 1.3 x 10^-2 µA/µgL^-1. Under optimum experimental conditions, a good correlation coefficient R²=0.9971, and a low detection limit 5.5 µg/L Cr (VI) was obtained. The signal was reproducible with a relative standard deviation ±4.5 %. The developed Au_film/GCE sensor was applied for the Cr (VI) determination of in sewage water samples.

Here we report highly efficient, indium tin oxide (ITO)-free polymer solar cells (PSCs) with an ultrathin copper (Cu) film(~10 nm) coated with a thin layer of poly[(9,9-bis(3‘-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)] (PFN) as transparent electrode. Despite of its lower far-field transmittance of the electrode, the obtained ITO-free device based on the ultrathin Cu film can delivery higher absorption efficiency than that of the device based on ITO substrate in the long wavelength region, which can be attributed to the formation of metal resonant microcavity between the opaque back metal mirror (MoO3/Al electrode) and the transparent Cu film with high reflectance. As a result, polymer solar cells based on poly[[2,6'-4,8-di(5-ethylhexylthienyl)benzo[1,2-b;3,3-b]dithiophene][3-fluoro-2[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7-Th) and [6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) blend show a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.21 %, comparable to that of the control device based on ITO electrode (with a PCE of 9.60% ). The results demonstrate that thermally evaporated Cu thin film electrode can be promising candidate to replace ITO for highly efficient PSCs, thus may open up the possibility for massive production of PSCs with low cost.

The study of coherent vortices remains an urgent field of singular optics of vortex beams. In this paper, coherent properties of partially coherent vortex Bessel—Gaussian optical beams propagating through a uniform medium (free space) or a turbulent atmosphere are examined theoretically. The consideration is based on analytical solution of the equation for the transverse second-order mutual coherence function of the field of a partially coherent optical radiation in a turbulent atmosphere. For the partially coherent Bessel—Gaussian beam, the second-order mutual coherence function of the source field is taken as a Gaussian Shell-model. In this approximation, we analyze the behavior of the coherence degree and the integral coherence scale of these beams as a function of the propagation pathlength, propagation conditions, and beam parameters, such as the radius of the Gauss factor of the beam, parameter of the Bessel factor of the beam, topological charge, and correlation width of the source field of partially coherent radiation. In addition, the integral coherence scale of the partially coherent vortex Bessel—Gaussian beam is compared with that of the partially coherent Gaussian beam. It is found that as a partially coherent vortex Bessel—Gaussian beam propagates through a turbulent atmosphere, there appear not two (as might be expected: one due to atmospheric turbulence and another due to partial coherence of the source field), but only one ring dislocation of the coherence degree (due to the simultaneous effect of both these factors on the optical radiation). In addition, it is shown that the dislocation of the coherence degree that affects significantly the beam coherence level is formed only for beams, for which the coherence width of the source field is larger than the diameter of the first Fresnel zone.

Concern over potential antimony mediated toxicity from mining and smelting activities has instigated novel concepts toward removing aqueous antimony ions. The iron based adsorbent Fe3O4/HCO was found to be efficient for treating antimony-containing wastewater However, ineffective methodology for preparation limited its effective adsorption capacity and thus wider application. In this study, a new type of HCO-doped-(Fe3O4)x adsorbent was prepared by co-precipitation method for doping Fe3O4 into HCO sludge (HCO), thereby improving adsorption performance for Sb(III) and Sb(V) ions, with the maximum adsorbing capacity being 44.46 mg/g and 47.91 mg/g, respectively. According to the results of BET, SEM-EDS, XRD and XPS, it were confirmed that the FeOOH and X≡Fe-OH were formed during the preparation process, bring about the increased the surface area, thus resulting in further increase of surface area, hydroxyl groups and the net negative ionic charge. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model which indicated that adsorption process of Sb(III)/Sb(V) by HCO-doped-(Fe3O4)x adsorbent was controlled by chemical reaction. The main adsorption mechanism is that antimony ion and amorphous iron oxide X≡Fe-OH undergo coordination exchange reaction and complexation reaction with CeO2 or Ce2O3. Furthermore, HCO-doped-(Fe3O4)x could adapt to wide pH and had stable adsorption ability after regeneration. The good adsorption performance of HCO-doped-(Fe3O4)x makes it a potential applications of adsorbent for removal of antimony.

This review focuses on Cu/TiO2 sequentially and Cu-TiO2 co-sputtered catalytic/photocatalytic surfaces leading to bacterial inactivation discussing their stability, synthesis, adhesion and antibacterial kinetics. The intervention of TiO2, Cu and the synergic effect of Cu and TiO2 on films prepared by a colloidal approach and other techniques is also reviewed leading to bacterial inactivation. Processes in aerobic media and anaerobic media leading to bacterial loss of viability on multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens, Gram-negative (-) and Gram-positive(+) bacteria are described. Insight is provided for the interfacial charge transfer mechanism under solar irradiation occurring between TiO2 and Cu. surface properties of 2D TiO2/Cu and TiO2-Cu films are correlated with the bacterial inactivation kinetics observed in the dark and under light. The intervention of these antibacterial sputtered surfaces in health-care facilities leading to MRSA-isolates is described in the dark and under the actinic light. The synergic intervention of the Cu and TiO2 films leading to bacterial inactivation prepared by direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS), pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMSP) and highly ionized pulse plasma magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) is reported in a detailed way.

The chiral optical Tamm state (COTS) is a special localized state at the interface of a handedness-preserving mirror and a structurally chiral medium such as a cholesteric liquid crystal or a chiral sculptured thin film. The spectral behavior of COTS, observed as reflection resonances, is described by the temporal coupled-mode theory. Mode coupling is different for two circular light polarizations because COTS has a helix structure replicating that of the cholesteric. The mode coupling for co-handed circularly polarized light exponentially attenuates with the cholesteric layer thickness since the COTS frequency falls into the stop band. Cross-handed circularly polarized light freely goes through the cholesteric layer and can excite COTS when reflected from the handedness-preserving mirror. The coupling in this case is proportional to anisotropy of the cholesteric and theoretically it is only anisotropy of magnetic permittivity that can ultimately cancel this coupling. These two couplings being equal results in a polarization crossover (the Kopp--Genack effect) for which a linear polarization is optimal to excite COTS. The corresponding cholesteric thickness and scattering matrix for COTS are generally described by simple expressions.

Mesoporous MgAl2O4+ LnFe0.7Ni0.3O3 (Ln=La, Pr) nanocomposites were prepared by inexpensive one-pot procedure with Pluronic P123 copolymer, Ni+Ru active component was supported by wet impregnation. The real structure of samples was studied by XRD and TEM with EDX, surface properties by FTIRS of adsorbed CO, reactivity by H2 –TPR, catalytic activity was tested in ethanol steam reforming. Disordering of the real structure of nanocomposite supports due to incorporation of transition metal cations into MgAl2O4 results in developed metal-support interface and domination of single surface metal centers. This provides a high catalytic activity in reaction of ethanol steam reforming in the intermediate temperature range ~550 oC close to that of the best known catalysts, and stability to coking. A higher activity for Pr-containing catalyst is provided by a high reactivity of surface oxygen species bound with Pr cations.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds significant therapeutic potential by silencing target genes through RNA interference. Current clinical applications of siRNA have been primarily limited to liver diseases, while achievements in delivery methods are expanding its applications to various organs, including the lungs. Cholesterol-conjugated siRNA emerges as a promising delivery approach due to its low toxicity and high efficiency. This study focuses on developing a cholesterol-conjugated anti-Il6 siRNA and the evaluation of its potency for the potential treatment of inflammatory diseases using the example of acute lung injury (ALI). The biological activities of different Il6-targeted siRNAs containing chemical modifications were evaluated in J774 cells in vitro. The lead cholesterol-conjugated anti-Il6 siRNA after intranasal instillation demonstrated dose-dependent therapeutic effects in a mouse model of ALI induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The treatment significantly reduced Il6 mRNA levels, inflammatory cell infiltration, and the severity of lung inflammation. IL6 silencing by cholesterol-conjugated siRNA proves to be a promising strategy for treating inflammatory diseases, with potential applications beyond the lungs.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been one of the leading causes of death and disability-adjusted life years lost worldwide. Blood pressure, lipid, and cholesterol are good predictors of CVD risk and correspond upon age and physical fitness. However, few studies have explored the variation trend of CVD risk factors across different populations upon age and their muscle strength. Objective: to analysis the variation tendency of CVD risk factors in blood according to age and relative grip strength among different populations. Method: 25363 participants were recruited in this cross-sectional study and 24709 were included in the analysis. A logistic regression and a Bayesian probabilistic analysis based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) Modeling is conducted to build probability prediction models of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hypercholesterolemia according to age, relative grip strength, body weight conditions, and physical activity levels. Results: 1) age might be the main influence factor of hypertension, which is regarded as one of the primary CVD risk factors. However, although keeping a high level of physical activity might have positive effect on preventing hypertension because that individuals with normal body weight and higher physical activity shows a lower probability of being diagnosed with hypertension, it might could not prevent individuals from getting hypertension with age. 2) After 60, individuals of normal body weight seem more likely to have hyperlipidemia than those are overweight or obese. 3) Larger relative grip strength might not be able to offset the negative effects of obesity, overweight and physical inactivity on hyperlipidemia. 4) The probability of getting hypercholesterolemia varies less with age and relative grip strength. Conclusion: Body weight management and keeping high levels of physical activity are recommended at any age. It might benefit to increase some bodyweight after 60 years old.

Graphene was synthesized through a two-step pyrolysis method using waste candlenut (Aleurites moluccanus) shells as the precursor. Cerium (Ce)/graphene composites were prepared via an impregnation technique. The resulting graphene and Ce/graphene were characterized using various analytical methods, including Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), and Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV). The bio-carbon produced predominantly exhibited a graphene structure with flat carbon morphology and an interlayer distance of 0.33 nm. This structural information is supported by XRD data, which shows a broad and weak peak at 2θ = 26° corresponding to the C (002) plane, indicative of graphene presence. FTIR, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy further confirmed the presence of graphene through the detection of Csp2 aromatic bonds and the characteristic D, G, and 2D peaks. Notably, the performance of cerium can be enhanced by the incorporation of graphene, attributed to the large surface area and chemical interactions between Ce and graphene. Consequently, candlenut-derived graphene shows potential as a supportive material for modifying the properties of cerium, thereby opening avenues for various advanced applications, such as sustainable and high-performance energy storage systems.

This work presents a novel compact CMOS potentiostat designed circuit for electrochemical cell. The proposed topology functions as a circuit interface, controlling the polarization of voltage signals at the sensor electrodes and facilitating current measurement during the oxidation-reduction process of a analyzed solution. The potentiostat, designed for CMOS technology, comprises a two-stage amplifier, two current mirror blocks coupled to this amplifier, and a CMOS push-pull output stage. It employs the electrochemical method of cyclic voltammetry, operating within voltage range of ±0.8 V and scan rates of 10mV/s, 25mV/s, 100mV/s and 250 mV/s. The circuit is capable of reading currents ranging from 10 µA to 500 µA. Experimental results were obtained using a potassium ferrocyanide (K3(FeCN)6) redox solution with concentrations of 10, 15 and 20 mmol/L, and their corresponding voltammograms were evaluated. The experimental results from a discrete circuit demonstrate that the proposed potentiostat topology produces outcomes consistent with those of classical topologies presented in the literature and industrial equipment.

In thermal power plants equipped with air-cooled condensers, axial cooling fans operate under the influence of ambient flow fields. Under inlet cross-flow conditions, the resultant asymmetric flow field is known to introduce additional harmonic forces to the fan blades. This effect has previously been studied only numerically or using blade mounted strain gauges. For this study, Laser Scanning Vibrometry was used to assess fan blade vibration under inlet cross-flow conditions in an adapted fan test rig inside a wind tunnel test section. Two co-rotating laser beams scanned a low pressure axial fan, resulting in spectral, phase resolved surface vibration patterns of the fan blades. Two distinct operating points were examined, with and without inlet cross-flow influence. While almost identical fan vibration patterns were found for both reference operating points, overall blade vibration increased by 100% at low fan flow rate due to cross-flow, and by 20% at high fan flow rate. While numerically predicted natural frequency modes could be confirmed from experimental data as minor peaks in the vibration amplitude spectrum, they were not excited significantly by cross-flow. Instead, primarily higher rotation rate harmonics were amplified, i.a. a synchronous blade tip flapping was strongly excited at the blade pass frequency.

Organosilicate glass (OSG) films are a vital component in modern electronic devices, with their electrical properties playing a crucial role in device performance. This comprehensive review systematically examines the influence of chemical composition, vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation, and plasma treatment on the electrical properties of OSG films. Through an extensive survey of literature and experimental findings, we elucidate the intricate interplay between these factors and the resultant alterations in electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, and breakdown strength of OSG films. Key focus areas include the impact of diverse organic moieties incorporated into the silica matrix, the effects of VUV irradiation on film properties, and the modifications induced by various plasma treatment techniques. Furthermore, we discuss the underlying mechanisms governing these phenomena, shedding light on the intricate molecular interactions and structural rearrangements occurring within OSG films under different environmental conditions. This review not only consolidates existing knowledge but also identifies gaps in understanding and suggests avenues for future research, thereby advancing our comprehension of OSG film behavior and paving the way for enhanced performance in next-generation electronic and photonic devices.

In this work, unmodified screen-printed electrode (bare SPE) and Sb-film modified SPE (SbFSPE) sensors were employed for the analysis of trace amounts of Pb(II) in non-deaerated water solutions. The modified electrode was performed in situ in 0.5 mg/L Sb(III) and 0.01 M HCl. The methodology was validated for an accumulation potential of –1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl and an accumulation time of 60 s. A comparative analysis of bare SPE and SbFSPE showed that the detection and quantification limits decrease for the bare SPE. The method with the bare SPE showed a linear response in the 69.8–368.4 µg/L concentration range, whereas linearity for the SbFSPE was in the 24.0–319.1 µg/L concentration range. This work also reports the reason why the multiple standard addition method instead of a linear calibration curve for Pb(II) analysis should be employed. Furthermore, the analytical method employing SbFSPE was found to be more accurate and precise compared to the use of bare SPE when sensors were employed for the first time, however this performance changed significantly when these sensors were reused in the same manner. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used for the first time to analyse the electrochemical response of sensors after being used for multiple successive analyses. Surface characterisation before and after multiple successive uses of bare SPE and SbFSPE sensors, with atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy, showed sensor degradation. The interference effect of Cd(II), Zn(II), As(III), Fe(II), Na(I), K(I), Ca(II), Mg(II), NO₃^– Bi(III), Cu(II), Sn(II), and Hg(II) on the Pb(II) stripping signal was also studied. Finally, the application of SbFSPE was tested on a real water sample (from a local river), which showed high precision (RSD = 8.1%, n = 5) and accurate results.

The characteristics of gap plasmon formed by nanoparticle-on-mirror (NPOM) structure composed of metal nanoparticles (MNP) and metal thin films have aroused the interest of various optoelectronic devices. The resonant spectrum obtained by the internal coupling effect of gap can be flexibly controlled by the polarization of incident light and the thickness of the dielectric layer between MNP and metal thin films. We have theoretically studied the resonance spectra of polarization-dependent gold ellipsoidal nanoparticles (GENP) and gold thin films in the gap region of NPOM structures. GENP and gold thin films are separated by a dielectric layer with a refractive index of 1.36. We observe that the intensity of the local electric field resonance peak in the gap region is inversely proportional to the polarization angle. Similarly, the intensity of the local electric field resonance peak in the gap region is inversely proportional to the thickness of the dielectric layer. We have obtained more than 2200 V/m local electric field intensity (dielectric layer thickness 0.3nm). Finally, the resonant peak wavelength of the electric field in the gap region of the NPOM structure is also controlled by the polarization angle of the incident light and the thickness of the dielectric layer.

The new unique technology for granulation of metals and nonmetallic melts is presented in the paper. It was created on the newly developed controlled film flow disintegration with rapid cooling of the droplets and solidified granules in amorphous state. Three new phenomena discovered by us created the base for 3 different methods for granulation of metals and nonmetallic melts in a wide range of granules’ sizes. Electromagnetic resonance method allows producing granules of metals in the range of 1 mm and over. The soliton-like vibrational regime is available for production of any granulation material in the range 0.1-1 mm. Moreover, the shockwave regime is applicable for producing particles from 10 micrometers by size. All methods produce particles of the stated size with a narrow distribution by size: deviation from the average size no more than 50%. The other known methods do not produce granules with such high cooling rate, which can realize the amorphous state and cannot regulate size of particles in such bright but narrow range from 10 micrometers to 1-2 mm.

In this study a material based on Polyethylene (PE) and Microcrystalline Cellulose (MC) was developed as a breathable packaging film. Surface functionalization of MC with 3 aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) shows to be an efficient alternative to tailor their properties and increase opportunities for the application of MC on the reinforcement of polymers such polyethylene (PE). Functionalization of MC with mentioned silane derivative was achieved using a green method and later used on the development of composites with PE in three percentages (1, 3 and 5%). All the materials were prepared by melt blending and characterized, in terms of structural properties (ATR-FTIR and FTIR in transmittance, EDX, SEM), thermal properties (DSC and TGA), thermomechanical properties (DMA), contact angle measurements and permeability to oxygen and water vapor. The materials demonstrated to have potential to be used as breathable film packaging of fresh products.

Nowadays, rotor-stator mixers are widely used in the chemical process industry to carry out the dispersion and de-agglomeration processes for manufacturing the homogenous electrode slurries. Development of the process simulation models for the turbulent mixing of these slurries helps to optimize the mixing parameters such as rotational speed and dispersion time. In this work, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach through ANSYS Fluent are explored to determine and analyze the flow patterns, velocity fields and viscosity distribution during the dispersion of anode slurries. It utilizes a non-homogeneous Eulerian multiphase approach and the typical k-ε model to create turbulence fields and compute the mixing rate. This work significantly improves our understanding of the relationship between rotor speed, dispersion time, viscosity distribution, and mixer geometry in rotor-stator mixers.

Recent trends concerning hydrogen as a fuel of the future and problems related to its production, storage and utilization increase the demand for efficient technologies related to these problems. A large part of such technologies is related to application of advanced materials based on various complex oxides which are used as efficient catalysts for fuel transformation into hydrogen and syngas, materials for membranes with selective permeability for hydrogen and syngas production, components of solid oxide fuel cells/electrolyzers as well as many other applications in energy, electrochemistry and catalysis. Such materials are typically based on oxides and solid solutions with perovskite and fluorite structures or their derivatives. Attention is also paid to the materials based on spinel, apatite, mayenite, sheelite, fergusonite structures. The above-mentioned materials are continuously studied in order to modify and optimize their functional properties. On the other hand, other classes of materials (weberites, monazites, etc.) are recently discovered and considered as candidate materials for the aforementioned applications due to their specific functional properties or a great potential of their improvement. In this review, some of these materials are considered.

Atmospheric turbulence characteristics are essential in determining the quality of astronomical images and implementing adaptive optics systems. In this study, the vertical distributions of optical turbulence at the Peak Terskol observatory (43.27472 ° N 42.50083 ° E, 3127 m a.s.l.) using the Era-5 re-analysis and scintillation measurements are investigated. For the closest reanalysis grid node to the observatory, vertical profiles of the structural constant of the air refractive index turbulent fluctuations Cn2 were obtained. The calculated Cn2(z) vertical profiles are compared with the vertical distribution of turbulence intensity obtained from tomographic measurements with Shack-Hartmann sensor. The atmospheric coherence length at the location of Terskol Peak was estimated. Using combination of atmospheric models and scheme paramaterization of turbulence, Cn2(z) profiles at Mt. Kurapdag were obtained. The values of atmospheric coherence length at the Peak Terskol are compared with estimated values of this length at the ten astronomical sites including Ali, Lenghu and Daocheng.

This paper investigates an innovative photovoltaic cell configuration, denoted as “Au/CuSCN/RbGeI3/CdTe/ZnO/TiO2/FTO", using SCAPS-1D simulation. The research focuses on optimizing device performance by analyzing key components, including ZnO as the electron transport layer (ETL), RbGeI3 as the perovskite absorber layer, CuSCN as the hole transport layer (HTL), and CdTe as the active buffer layer. A comparison is made with the standard “Au/CuSCN/CH3NH3SnI3/CdTe/ZnO/TiO2/FTO" configuration under dark and illuminated conditions. Through an in-depth investigation involving temperature effects, generation rate analysis, RbGeI3 absorber layer thickness, Nd level, and interface defect levels, an optimized design for a unit area is achieved. The proposed solar cell demonstrates outstanding performance metrics, including an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.94V, a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 34.52mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 77.77%, and an energy conversion efficiency (η) of 25.40%. These values significantly outperform the reference models with energy conversion efficiencies of 10.11% and 21.09%. Real-world applicability is validated by implementing these optimized characteristics in a photovoltaic system for Pakistan’s geographical location using PVSyst software. The suggested solar cell achieves a remarkable performance ratio (PR) of 85.6%, surpassing the PR of the reference basic solar cell model at 83%. The findings of this research offer a promising and superior solar cell design, incorporating innovative materials and optimization techniques to achieve exceptional energy conversion efficiency and overall performance. This study’s outcomes have the potential to advance photovoltaic technology and contribute to sustainable energy solutions worldwide.

It is of great academic significance to understand how the atomic structure of interfaces and boundaries in materials impacts the magnetic coupling nature across the boundaries and encourage development of state-of-the-art magnetic devices. Here, we carry out a systematic investigation of the atomic and electronic structures of twin boundaries (TBs) in LiFe5O8 thin films and determine their concurrent magnetic couplings using atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomistic first-principles calculations. The results show ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic coupling can exist across the different TBs in LiFe5O8 (LFO) thin films and electrical structures within a few atomic layers directly rely on the TB atomic core structures. Uncovering one-to-one relationship between the magnetic properties of individual TB and the local atomic structures will clarify a thorough comprehension of numerous fascinating magnetic properties of commonly utilized magnetic materials, which will undoubtedly encourage the progress of sophisticated magnetic materials and devices.

Non-viral mediated plasmid DNA transfection by electroporation (EP) is an established method for gene transfection. In this study, the usefulness of direct EP at an intradermal (i.d.) site (D_EP) with implanted electrodes to achieve a high protein expression level was investigated. In addition, D_EP application with various intervals with a low application voltage was also evaluated to confirm its effect on protein expression. A higher protein expression level was observed after green fluorescent protein (GFP)- and luciferase-encoding DNA were delivered by i.d. injection followed by D_EP application. When luciferase expression was observed with an in vivo imaging system, continuous expression was confirmed over 21 days after i.d. injection followed by D_EP at 100 V. This approach provided increased gene expression levels compared with conventional EP methods via the stratum corneum layer. In addition, the effect of application voltage on luciferase expression was investigated; two-time applications (repeated D_EP) at 20 V with 5 min intervals showed similar luciferase expression level to single D_EP application with 100 V. Histological observations showed the skin became thicker after a single D_EP at 100 V, whereas no apparent thickness changes was confirmed after repeated D_EP at 20 V with 5 min intervals. This study revealed that direct i.d. voltage application achieved high protein expression levels even at low voltages. Skin is a promising administration site for DNA vaccines, so this approach may be effective in DNA vaccine delivery into skin tissue.

From the theory of relativistic chemical kinetics [M. W. Baig, Int. J. Mod. Phys. B 31, 1750177 (2017)] relativistic thermodynamics and kinetics for electrode processes have been developed to explain time dilation for electrode processes. For a moving observer moving at fractions of the speed of light, cell potential is observed to decrease. This results in the slower oxidation and reduction of ions at the respective electrodes. The newly formulated Lorentz transformation of the electrode and cell potential is explained in terms of generation of spin 2-boson “gravitons” from fusion of spin-1 boson “virtual-photons” mediating electrostatic force of attraction between ions and electrodes. It is postulated that birth of spin 2-boson i.e. gravitons is followed by their eventual escape in any of higher 4+n dimensions. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the present theory, the Daniel cell is considered as a numerical example.

We report the relative humidity (R.H.) sensing response of a resistive sensor, employing sensing layers based on a ternary nanohybrid comprising holey carbon nanohorns (CNHox), potassium chloride (KCl), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) at mass ratios 7/1/2, 6.5/1.5/2, and 6/2/2 (w/w/w/w). The sensing structure comprises a silicon substrate, a SiO2 layer, and interdigitated transducer (IDT) electrodes. The sensing film is deposited on the sensing structure via the drop-casting method. The sensing layers' morphology and composition are investigated through Scanning Electron Microscopy (S.E.M.) and RAMAN spectroscopy. The ternary hybrid-based thin film resistance increases when the sensors are exposed to R.H., ranging from 0% to 100%. The manufactured devices show a room temperature response comparable to a commercial capacitive R.H. sensor and are characterized by excellent linearity, rapid response time, and good sensitivity. The presented sensors exhibit superior performance in terms of sensitivity compared to other similarly manufactured and tested sensors that employ a CNHox-based sensing layer. We explain the sensing role of each constituent of the ternary hybrid nanocomposites based on their chemical and physical properties, electronic properties, and affinity for water molecules. Different alternative sensing mechanisms are considered and discussed, such as the decreasing number of holes in the holey CNHox at the interaction with water molecules, proton conduction, and PVP swelling.

Polyphenols are the most common organic compounds in wine. They improve both the sensory aspects of wine and human health by activating antioxidant systems. Therefore, there is a great need for a simple, fast and accessible method to determine the polyphenol content of wine. The aim of this study is to characterize polyphenolic compounds in natural wine samples using an electrochemical method and a modified carbon paste electrode with TiO2 nanoparticles. This work is motivated by the promising improvement of the sensing properties of a TiO2 nanoparticle-modified carbon paste electrode observed in the electrooxidation of different polyphenols. Since the voltammetric response of wine is largely irreversible, another motivation was the possibility of improving the processing of voltammograms to obtain data indicative of wine polyphenols, based on the approach described in the seminal work by Espinoza et al. The modified electrode studied provides an improved and reproducible voltammetric response of gallic acid in wine samples and provides a good basis for further development of an integrated sensor/data system with the possibility of wider application for the quantification of gallic acid as a flavor and visually relevant parameter in winemaking.

The purpose of this work is to investigate the protein kinase inhibitory activity of constituents from ethyl acetate soluble fraction of Acacia auriculiformis stem bark. Column chromatography, gel filtration and NMR spectroscopy were used to purified and characterized betulin from the extract. Betulin which is a known inducer of apoptosis was screened against a panel of 16 disease-related protein kinases. Betulin was shown to inhibit Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 1 (ABL1) kinase, casein kinase 1epsilon (CK1epsilon), glycogen synthase kinase 3alpha/β (GSK-3alpha/β), Janus kinase 3 (JAK3), NIMA Related Kinase 6 (NEK6) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 kinase (VEGFR2) and with activity in µM range. The effect of betulin on the cell viability of doxorubicin-resistant K562R chronic myelogenous leukemia cells was then verified to underline its putative use as anti-cancer compound. Betulin was shown to modulate the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway similarly to imatinib mesylate, a well-known inhibitor of ABL1 kinase. The interaction of betulin and ABL1 was studied by molecular docking showing an interaction of the inhibitor with the ATP binding pocket. Altogether, these data demonstrate that betulin is a multi-target inhibitor of protein kinases, an activity that can contribute to the anticancer properties of the natural compound and notably for treatment of leukemia.

Along with the rapid development of technology and industry, the need for energy storage has become fundamental. One promising energy storage devices is the supercapacitor. Several type supercapacitors are available, one of which is the electrical double-layer capacitor made from carbon graphite and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). In this study, we combined these two materials into a working electrode in a three-electrode system. In the morphological analysis using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and X-ray diffraction, the two materials were found to have formed a composite on the surface. In the electrochemical analysis, two types of testing were conducted using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Electrochemical analysis was carried out on five electrolyte concentrations of Na2SO4 from 1 to 6 M. The capacitance produced at concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 M were 34.395, 35.808, 46.284, 49.502, and 76.815 F/g, respectively. At an electrolyte concentration of 5 M Na2SO4, an energy density of 27.312 Wh/Kg and a power density of 343.786 W/Kg were produced. Meanwhile on concentration of 6 M, the surface of the electrode was damaged.

In this paper, carbon nanotubes modified screen-printed electrode (CNTs/SPE) was prepared and the CNTs/SPE was employed for the electrochemical determination of antioxidant substance Chlorogenic acids (CGAs). A pair of well-defined redox peak of CGA was observed at the CNTs/SPE in 0.10 mol∙L^-1 acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.2) and electrode process is adsorption-controlled. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method for the determination of CGA were proposed based on the CNTs/SPE. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method exhibited linear ranges from 4.73×10^-7 to 4.45×10^-5 mol∙L^-1, the linear regression equation was Ipa(µA) = 4.1993 C (mol∙L^-1)+1.1039 (r = 0.9976) and the detection limit for CGA could reach 3.25×10^-6 mol∙L^-1. The recovery of matrine was 94.74~106.65% (RSD = 2.92%) in coffe beans. The proposed method is quick, sensitive, reliable, and can be used for the determination of CGA.

Seedling emergence is crucial for the establishment and growth of crops and is influenced by topsoil temperature and moisture. Mulching has been widely used to promote seedling emergence in areas with a cold spring. This study was conducted to determine and simulate the effects of transparent plastic film mulch on surface soil moisture, temperature, and seedling emergence of spring maize in Northwest China. Four treatments were used: no mulching (CK), full plastic film mulch (PMF), and partial plastic film mulch, 60 cm in width (PM60, 40 cm uncovered between rows of mulch) or 30 cm in width (PM30, 20 cm uncovered between rows of mulch). The effects of soil water conservation and temperature enhancement gradually decreased as the plastic film width decreased, but there was little difference between PMF and PM60 treatments. Soil-water-modified growing degree days (WGDD) described the beneficial effects of soil moisture and temperature with respect to seedling emergence under mulching conditions. Plastic film mulching markedly accelerated seedling emergence and increased final seedling emergence rate because mulching can shorten the autotrophy duration and maintain surface soil moisture, which leads to increased germination. The effects of seedling emergence improvement decreased as the plastic film width decreased. The relationship between WGDD and cumulative relative seedling emergence (CRE) was adequately described by a Gompertz function.

Potassium 6-oxo-7,13,16,22-tetraazatetracyclo[12.6.2.18,12.017,21]tricosa-1(20),8(23),9,11,14,16,18,21-octaen-2-yne-15-carboxylate was synthesized through a multi-step pathway starting from commercially available 3-iodo-1,2-phenylenediamine. Structure characterization of this new substituted macrocyclic quinoxaline compound was achieved by using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS spectral analysis. This new macrocyclic derivative demonstrated submicromolar potency on both Pim-1 and Pim-2 isoforms, with an interesting selectivity profile against a selected panel of human kinases.

The carbonyl iron particles were dispersed in a polychloroprene rubber (CR) matrix under an external magnetic field for practical application as microwave absorption composites film. The film prepared under external magnetic field with a thickness of only 0.54 mm showed least reflection loss of -15.98 dB and the reflection loss value less than -10.0 dB over the frequency range of 11.4~14.8 GHz. In comparison with the microwave absorption properties of calculation by transmission line theory based on the tested relative complex permittivity and permeability and film prepared by general route without external magnetic field, the film made with external magnetic field exhibited more excellent microwave absorption properties, strongly depending on the increment of anisotropy and rearrangement of magnetic particles. The results indicated the composite film made under external magnetic field have excellent microwave absorption properties, which suggest that the composites thin film could be used as a thinner and lighter microwave absorber.

In the present study, a multilayer high barrier thin blown film based on a polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) blend with polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), and composed of four layers, including a cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) barrier layer and an electrospun poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) hot-tack layer, was characterized in terms of surface roughness, surface tension, migration, mechanical and peel performance, barrier properties and disintegration rate. The results showed a material with a smooth surface. The overall migration test showed that the material was suitable for its use as a food contact layer. The addition of the CNC interlayer had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the system, drastically reducing the elongation at break and, thus, the flexibility of the material. However, the material retained its elastic modulus and tensile strength. The CNC coating had a negative impact on the peeling strength, weakening the inherently strong interlayer adhesivity of the electrospun PHBV fibers. The multilayer had a good barrier to water vapor, and especially to oxygen, with its permeance reduced by up to a 90 % when the CNC layer was present. Finally, the monolayer blend film disintegrated in a period of less than 55 days in a laboratory-scale composting experiment, while the multilayer system disintegrated in 60 days. Overall, the multilayer system formed a fully compostable structure with great potential for use in food packaging applications.

Canada is known to have a complex pathway for new drug approval and reimbursement resulting in delayed access to patients with serious and life-threatening diseases such as cancer. Several recent publications from key stakeholders including patients, physicians and policymakers highlight patient helplessness, physician frustrations and policymakers entangled in a massive network of bureaucracy unable to make headway. Several quantitative assessments using time from regulatory approvals to successful reimbursements confirm long review times and high rejection rates for oncology drugs especially those receiving conditional approvals. A consensus forum of 18 Canadian oncology clinicians recently voiced frustration with the process and inability to deliver guideline-supported efficacious therapies to their patients. This manuscript compares data extracted from publicly available data sources from 2019 to June 2024 to previous publications. Methods: Public databases from Health Canada, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), which is in the process of changing to Canada’s Drug Agency, and the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) were reviewed and data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results: From the data, three trends emerge, i) an increasing number of oncology drugs are receiving conditional approvals from Health Canada, ii) the percentage of conditionally approved oncology drugs receiving positive reimbursement recommendations from CADTH is still low but appears to be improving, but delays in access are now contingent upon pCPA deciding whether to negotiate price and then the duration of any negotiation, and iii) real-world evidence is no longer part of decision-making for conditional approvals. A slight increase in positive endorsement of RWE used to support CADTH recommendations was observed. Conclusion: Lack of timely access to oncology drugs hurts Canadian patients. While a small trend of improvement appears to be emerging, longer-term data collection is required to ensure sustained patient benefits.

The paper is dedicated to studying the influence of annealing temperature on the chemical, structural and electrophysical properties of low-k films made from porous organosilicate glasses containing terminal methyl groups. The films were deposited using centrifugation, followed by drying at 200 °C and annealing at temperatures ranging from 350 °C to 900 °C. Changes in refractive index, porosity, pore size, chemical composition, and electrical properties as a function of annealing temperature are evaluated. The results of JV measurements indicate that the methyl-modified film, which was annealed at 450 °С, demonstrates minimal leakage currents. This phenomenon can be explained by the almost complete removal of surfactant residues and non-condensed silanols, as well as the minimal thermal degradation of methyl groups. The results of the study on leakage current models in methyl-modified films, obtained at various annealing temperatures, lead us to conclude that the predominant mechanism of charge carrier transfer is Poole–Frenkel emission.

The reaction of berberine derivatives containing at O-9 position N,N-disubstituted acetamide fragments with sodium borohydride in methanol at 0 °C leads to a mild reduction of the "C" cycle with the formation of corresponding tetrahydroberberine derivatives with moderate to good yields.

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is key to the success of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Clostridium sp. often occurs in MFC anode communities, but its ability to perform EET remains controversial. We have employed Clostridium pasteurianum DSM 525 as biocatalyst in a glycerol-fed MFC, designated MFC_DSM. We have also followed the EET of this biocatalyst in the presence of a mediator, namely soluble neutral red (NR), soluble methyl viologen (MV), neutral red film (FNR), or methyl viologen film (FMV). MFC_DSM provided power and current densities (j) of 0.39 mW.cm^-2 and 2.47 mA.cm^-2, respectively, which evidenced that the biocatalyst performs direct electron transfer (DET). Introducing 150.0 µM NR or MV into the MFC_DSM improved the current density by 7.0- and 3.7-fold (17.05 and 8.45 mA.cm^-2), respectively. After 20 cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles, the presence of FNR in the MFC_DSM anodic chamber provided almost twofold higher current density (30.76 µA.cm^-2) compared the presence of NR in the MFC_DSM. Introducing MV or FMV into the MFC_DSM anodic chamber gave practically the same current density after 10 CV cycles. The MFC_DSM anodic electrode might interact with FMV weakly than with FNR, so FNR is more promising to enhance C. pasteurianum DSM 525 EET within MFC_DSM.

Nowadays asymmetric thin film composite (TFC) polymeric hollow fiber (HF) membranes are extensively used in industrial gas/vapor separations, water treatment etc. There are numerous advantages to use hollow fibers such as: low energy requirements, simplicity of operation, and high specificity. In the present article we discuss the progress made during the past decade in the preparation of the HF substrate and preparation/modification of the thin selective layer. Their applications in water treatment, dehydration of alcohols via pervaporation and gas/vapor separation are also demonstrated.

Electrode degradation in continuous resistance spot welding process of BH 220 steel was evaluated by electrode life test, and weldability tests were conducted by geometry features measurement, mechanical property analysis, and electrode diameter measurement with 88 or 176 weld intervals. The analysis of weld geometry shows that the HAZ width, nugget diameter, and nugget area tend to decrease rapidly, while the nugget height tends to firstly increase with the weld repetitions till the welding heat input becomes too small to form the valid nugget. The peak load shows a rapid downward trend, while failure energy and maximum displacement slightly increase till the 176th weld and then decrease. The cavities and pores in the nugget mainly appear after the 176th spot weld. The electrode diameter increases during welding. The reason for the increase in electrode diameter may be that the contact area between the electrode and BH 220 steel sheets becomes smaller in the welding process, which causes the continuous sticking phenomenon between the electrode and the BH 220 steel sheets. In the absence of alloying, the edge of the electrode is geometrically deformed, while Cu-Zn-Fe alloying occurs in the area in contact with the BH 220 steel sheet.

In this paper, mesoporous electrodes consisted of Sb-doped SnO2 deposited onto Ti plates controlled corroded under acidic medium were synthesized by spin-coating method, and morpho structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrodes were electrochemical testing in the degradation/mineralization by electrooxidation (EO) of doxorubicin (DOX) as single-component and multi-component together with capecitabine (CCB)-from cytostatic class and humic acid (HA)-from natural organic matter (NOM) class in the absence/the presence of activated carbon (AC) as particulate electrode. The best mineralization efficiency of 67 % was achieved for DOX mineralization using Sb-doped SnO2 deposited onto Ti plate controlled corroded with oxalic acid in electrooxidation process. The presence of AC within the electrolysis process generated a synergy effect of 52.75 % for TOC parameter removal, which is in accordance and quite better than the result reported in the literature. The aspects related to the complex mechanism of DOX degradation and mineralization are discussed. The superiority of AC assisted electrooxidation, as electrochemical filtering (EF), was proved considering simultaneous degradation and mineralization of mixture of doxorubicin, capecitabine and humic acid.

Electrochemical energy conversion and storage is key for the use of regenerative energies at large scale. A thorough understanding of the individual components, such as the ion conducting membrane and the electrode layers, can be obtained with scattering techniques on atomit to molecular length scales. The largely heterogeneous electrode layers of High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells are studied in this work with small- and wide-angle neutron scattering at the same time with the iMATERIA diffractometer at the spallation neutron source at J-PARC, opening a view on structural properties on atomic to mesoscopic length scales.

In the last years, advances in materials engineering based on adaptive electronics have found a new paradigm to optimize drawbacks in signal processing. A two-layer MnO/ZnO:Zn heterostructure envisioned for frequency adaptive electronic signal processing is synthesized by sputtering where the use of internal states allows reconfigurability to obtain new operating modes at different frequency input signals. An X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) is performed on each layer, MnO:Mn had a cubic and ZnO:Zn a hexagonal structure with preferential growth in [111] and [002] directions respectively. It is determined that the coupling in this heterojunction is compatible with a mismatch less 1 % due texture in each layer which implies a low number of defects. An electrical characterisation with an oscilloscope and signal generator was carried out to obtain the time-response signals and current-voltage (I-V) curves where no degradation is detected when changing from a range of frequencies (100 Hz – 1 MHz). An equivalent circuit is proposed to explain the effects in the interface. Finally, the MnO/ZnO:Zn heterojunction delivers states that are stable, repeatable, and reproducible and it demonstrates how the interaction of the materials can be used in adaptive device applications applying frequencies and internal states as to create new and innovative design schematics, reducing the numbers of components/connections in a system for future sustainable electronics.

The novelty of this study consists in: i) synthesis and characterization of electrode materials recycled from a spent car battery and doped with MnO2 and CuO by the analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Infrared (IR) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) data and ii) the investigation of electrochemical properties of prepared materials in view of new applications as electrode materials for battery. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) data indicate that the intensity of the resonance line corresponding to the Cu+2 ion was modified with the increase of the dopant content. The analysis of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) data indicates that by increasing the dopant content there is a process of ordering the oxygen atoms around the lead similar to the PbO2 theoretical model. The electrochemical performances of the recycled and manganese-copper-doped materials are optimized for applications as new anodic electrode for the car battery.

Study Objective: This study examined office workstation types’ impact on objective health-related metrics including stress, physical activity (PA), and sleep quality. We propose a sensor-based sleep quality index (SB-SQI) to fill a needed gap for objective sleep quality measurement over short timescales. Methods: We monitored 231 office workers using chest-worn sensors for 72 hours, yielding 11,736 hours of usable data from 163 participants (mean age 43.4, 56% women). SB-SQI was based on a validated algorithm estimating sleep-onset latency, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency, using the scoring method from the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). We examined the relationships between SB-SQI, office workstation type (open-bench seating, cubicle, and private office), work-hours stress (standard deviation of heart rate variability), and after-work PA (relative duration of moderate-to-vigorous activity). Results: The sensor-derived poor-sleep ratio of the private office workers was higher than with other office workstation types (81% vs. 66.1%, p = 0.023). PSQI revealed a similar but insignificant trend with a lower effect-size. Among good-sleepers, open-bench seating workers had 22% (p = 0.018) less stress during work hours than others. A significant association between work-hours stress and after-work hours PA (r = 0.331, p = 0.000) was observed irrespective of office workstation type, with the highest PA level observed for open-bench seating workers. Conclusions: Office workstation type had a significant impact on work-hours stress, affecting PA after work hours, which influenced sleep quality. SB-SQI could be more sensitive than PSQI in determining the impact of office workstation types on sleep quality.

Polystyrene as a thin film on arbitrary substrates or pellets form defective graphene films or powders that can be dispersed in water and organic solvents. The materials were characterized by visible absorption, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron and atomic force microscopy and electrochemistry. Raman spectra of these materials show the presence of the expected 2D, G and D peaks at 2750, 1590 and 1350 cm^-1, respectively. The relative intensity of the G vs. the D peak is taken as a quantitative indicator of the density of defects in the G layer.

Droplet-based microfluidics has revolutionized numerous fields such as biomedical research, pharmaceuticals, drug discovery, food engineering, flow chemistry, and cosmetics. This paper presents a comprehensive study focusing on the detection and characterization of droplets with volumes in the nanoliter range. Leveraging the precise control of minute liquid volumes, we introduced a novel spectroscopic On-Chip microsensor equipped with integrated microfluidic channels for droplet generation, characterization, and sensing, simultaneously. The microsensor, designed with Interdigitated-Ring-Shaped Electrodes (IRSE) and seamlessly integrated with microfluidic channels, offers enhanced capacitance and impedance signal amplitudes, reproducibility, and reliability in droplet analysis. We were able to make analyses of droplets length in the range 1.0-6.0 mm, velocity 0.66-2.51 mm/s, droplet volume 1.07nL-113.46nL. Experimental results demonstrated that the microsensor's has a great performance in terms of droplet size, velocity, and length, with a significant signal amplitude of capacitance and impedance, and real-time detection capabilities, thereby highlighting its potential for facilitating microcapsule reactions and enabling on-site real-time detection for chemical and biosensor analyses on-chip.

The copper deposition on the platinum and palladium nanoelectrode has been studied using cyclic voltammetry. The use of nanoelectrode platinum and palladium are defined in the study of heavy metals. The noble nanoelectrode of metal has a typical silicone processing structure. In comparison to the nanoelectrodes, the geometry of the electrode series is complex and balanced. Nanoelectrodes of platinum are found effective in detecting heavy metal. There was regular analysis of the use of the sensors. The identification constraints down to the ng /L level was accomplished by refined electrode geometry and the stripping procedures. The process was used for the study of water sample determination. Another heavy metal ion attack voltammetric reaction was studied. The SEM picture clearly observed and characterized the nanoparticle electrode by X-ray diffraction and cyclic voltammetry.

A new sulbatamol sulphate SBS membrane electrode was prepared that utilizing for its determination ; depend on the forming of the association complex ion of sulbatamol sulphate by the phosphotungstate counter anion deposed in poly vinyl chloride PVC polymer, by use a (Di-n- Octyl Phenyl Phthalate)(Dopp) as the plastizier substance, in membrane.The features properties as well as the behavior of it .The new electrode have been elaborated. The concentrations of medicine by utillizing This sensor show a fast, stable, near-Nernstian response in the range (1x10^-1-1x10^-6) mol/ L were determined with correlation coefficient of about (r = 0.9991) and with of a relative standard about 0.416 additionally deviation relative standard error of 1.710 %.^pot The nernast linearity slop was founded and it is equal to 28.9 mV/decade and the detection limit was 4.1 x 10^-6 mol/ L.The electrode selectivity coefficient K_i,j was calculated, in the existence of several interferences cations with confirmed medicine solutions. It was found the pH range response is in the range of (3 -7), with the response time of (30 – 116) sec. for various concentrations at room temperture , the lifetime for electrode was found to be more than 21 days. The electrode was successfully used for potentiometric limitation of sulbatamol sulphate in several pharmaceutical drugs by using direct potentiometry.

This paper is the second part of a two-part report studying the responses of a typical point-contact elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) problem to multiscale roughness that is mimicked by artificially generated waviness with different amplitudes, frequencies, and directions. The previous Part I paper (doi:10.3390/lubricants10120368) focuses on the full film regime, while the current paper focuses on the partial film regime. The amplitudes and frequencies are related to the feature geometry of smooth EHL problems. Generated waviness is input to a transient thermal EHL model. The simulation is conducted 1,600 times for different waviness parameters, loads, and speeds. Eight performance parameters are extracted: the asperity contact ratio, minimum film thickness, maximum pressure, central point film thickness, central point pressure, mean film thickness, coefficient of friction (COF), and the maximum temperature rise. The ratios of the first seven parameters with and without waviness and the asperity contact ratio values are plotted on the frequency–amplitude coordinate plane as contour maps. The influences of the amplitude, frequency, wave direction, load, and speed on the eight performance parameters are analyzed and summarized. The simulated data and plotted contour maps are provided to the readers in the Supplementary Material.

Molybdenum oxides is well-known electro-catalysts in fuel cells systems, they are usually used as anodic materials for the oxidation of low molecular weight alcohols. The utilization of Mo as catalysts in the pharmaceutical analysis is not common yet. In this study, bare glassy carbon electrodes were modified by the oxides by means of electrochemical deposition and the modified electrodes were used as catalysts for the electrochemical oxidation of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT). Well-resolved anodic peaks were reported for the analyzed pharmaceuticals when the Mo/GCE was utilized for the analysis of HCT. Analytical performance of the modified electrodes was evaluated based on the following statistical parameters; linearity ranges, correlation coefficients, limits of detection and quantitation, and recovery values. The prepared electrodes were used for the determination of the active ingredients in their pharmaceutical formulations and the reported activity was correlated to influence of the utilized pH on both structures of the used electrodes and the detected analytes.

An effort was made to find a relationship between the ratio of average asperities height and lubricant thickness at the point of contact of rolling element ball bearings, and empirical equations to predict the life for bearings under constant motion. Two independent failure mechanisms were considered, fatigue failure and lubricant failure resulting in seizing of the roller bearing. A theoretical formula for both of these methods was established for the combined probability of failure using both of these failure mechanisms. Fatigue failure was modeled with the empirical equations of Lundberg and Palmgren and standardized in DIN/ISO281. The seizure failure, which this effort sought to investigate, was predicted using Greenwood and Williamson's theories on surface roughness and asperities during lubricated contact. These two mechanisms were combined, and compared to predicted cycle lives of commercial roller bearing, and a clear correlation was demonstrated. This effort demonstrated that the Greenwood-Williams theories on the relative height of asperities versus lubricant film thickness can be used to predict the probability of a lubricant failure resulting in a roller bearing seizing during use.

An effort was made to find a relationship between the predicted tribological conditions at the point of contact of ball bearings, and empirical equations to predict the life for bearings under constant motion. The model was modified to predict the temperature dependence, and compare rapid accelerations and decelerations with empirical extrapolations.

Aluminum wire is a common material for wire bonding due to its resistance to oxidation and low price. It does not melt when becoming a free air ball (FAB) during the electronic flame-off (EFO) process with wettability, and is applied by wedge bonding. This study used 20μm Zn-Coated Al-0.5wt.%Si (ZAS) wires to improve the FAB shape after the EFO process, while maintaining stability of the mechanical properties, including the interface bonding strength and hardness. In order to test circuit stability after ball bonding, the current-tensile test was performed. During the experiment, it was found that 80nm ZAS with wire bonding has lower resistance and higher fusing current. For the bias tensile test, the thicker Zn film diffused into the Al-Si matrix easily, after which the strength was reduced. The ball-bond interfaces had no change in their condition before and after the bias. Accordingly, ZAS could be a promising candidate for ball bonding in the future.

Ag/TiO₂ thin films were prepared using the sol-gel spin coating method. The microstructural growth behaviors of the prepared Ag/TiO2 thin films were elucidated using real-time synchrotron radiation imaging, its structure determined using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), its morphology imaged using the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and its surface topography examined using the atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode. Cubical white spots were detected, identified as Ag, while the TiO₂ thin film resembles a porous ring-like structure with each ring coalescing and forming channels. Junction growth is directly proportional with time under continuous heating conditions (annealing), and its growth orientations and patterns were seemingly random.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of hydrogen adsorption on titanium nitride had previously shown that hydrogen may adsorb on both titanium and nitrogen sites with a moderate adsorption energy. Further, the diffusion barrier was also found to be low. These findings may qualify TiN, a versatile multifunctional material with electronic conductivity, as electrode material for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This was the main impetus of this work which aims to experimentally and theoretically investigate the electrocatalytic properties of TiN-layers that were processed on Ti substrate using reactive ion sputtering. The properties are discussed focusing on the role of oxygen defects introduced during the sputtering process on the HER. Based on DFT calculations, it is shown that these oxygen defects alter the electronic environment of the Ti atoms which entails a low hydrogen adsorption energy in the range of -0.1 eV; this leads to HER performances that match those of Pt-NPs in acidic media. When a few nanometr thick layer of Pd-NPs is sputtered on-top of the TiN-layer, the performance is drastically reduced. This is interpreted in terms of oxygen defects being scavenged by the Pd-NPs near the surface which is thought to reduce the hydrogen adsorption sites.

Recently, the difficulties in recycling and environmental pollution caused by metal-based electrode materials have limited the further development of batteries. Therefore, biomass carbon materials, with their environmental friendliness and stable performance, are the key to solving this problem. Many advances have been achieved by researchers for the application of biomass porous carbon materials in batteries. Nevertheless, the same biomass carbon materials in batteries face problems such as low utilization, low yield, and a cumbersome preparation process. This paper thus aims to summarize the recent progress of biomass carbon materials in the field of batteries and provide a detailed description of the battery performance of biomass carbon materials from three perspectives: synthesis, structure and application of carbon materials. We believe that biomass carbon composites are in line with future development and have a broad application prospect. Finally, we will give our in-depth prospect on developing biomass carbon materials.

The behavior of low concentrations of methanol (0.5 and 1.0 wt%) as a promoter for hydrate formation in seawater or pure water metastable solutions of methane was investigated using the classical molecular dynamics method at moderate temperature and pressure. The influence of methanol on the dynamics of the re-arrangement of the hydrogen bond network in seawater and pure water solutions of methane was studied by calculating the order parameters of the tetrahedral environment and intermolecular torsion angles for water molecules, as well as by calculating the number of hydrogen bonds, hydrate and hydrate-like cavities. It was found that hydrate nucleation can be considered a collective process in which the rate of hydrate growth is faster in systems with low concentrations of methanol and confident hydrate growth begins earlier in a metastable solution without sea salt with a small amount of methanol than in systems without methanol.

Orogenic antimony-gold deposits contribute significantly to the global antimony resource base. China's orogenic antimony-gold deposits are primarily in southern Tibet. Investigations indicate that antimony combines and migrates with sulfur hydroxides in ore-forming fluids. Previous research on fluid inclusions in orogenic antimony-gold ores with sedimentary rock accommodation revealed the presence of organic inclusions, including liquid hydrocarbons, alongside common components such as CO2, H2O, CH4, and NaCl. However, the impact of liquid hydrocarbons on antimony migration and mineralization is still de-batable. To investigate the transportability of antimony by liquid hydrocarbons in orogenic antimony ores, we selected n-dodecanethiol and n-dodecane as the subjects. We measured the solubility and occurrence form of antimony in these compounds at various temperatures and durations. The results indicate that after 5 and 10 days of reaction at 100 °C, the antimony concentrations in the n-dodecanethiol and n-dodecane groups were 67.44±7.62 ppm, 75.15±16.74 ppm, 1.40±1.02 ppm, and 3.02±3.09 ppm, respectively. At 150 °C for 5 and 10 days, the respective concentrations were 50.58±5.39 ppm, 77.26±45.20 ppm, 2.66±3.08 ppm, and 2.41±2.03 ppm. At 200 °C for 5 and 10 days, the corresponding concentrations were 339.76±71.94 ppm, 218.97±25.03 ppm and 6.53±7.17 ppm, 2.27±0.82 ppm (n=3). The measured solubility of antimony in the n-dodecanethiol group increased gradually with rising temperature. The solubility of antimony in the n-dodecane group was low and notably inferior to that observed in the n-dodecanethiol group. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis demonstrated a distinct thiol (R-SH) peak at 163.31 eV and compound peaks of antimony reacting with thiols at 162.06 and 160.87 eV. This suggests that antimony predominantly forms complexes with thiols for migration. Our findings suggest that specific liquid hy-drocarbon components, predominantly thiols, can interact with antimony at metallogenic temperatures and persist in ore-forming fluids, facilitating migration and mineral enrichment. Earlier experimental studies on gold and crude oil have indicated that liquid hydrocarbons also play an essential role in the transportation and enrichment of gold during the formation of gold deposits, thus indicating that liquid hydrocarbons possess the considerable potential to act as an ore-forming fluid during orogenic antimony-gold deposit formation in southern Tibet.

Pollution by heavy metals is one of the most severe environmental issues that threaten global sustainability. This review presents a recent advance in electrochemical sensors for heavy metal detection Rotating Disk Platinum Electrode are discussed. This study on the production of a modern natural water electrochemical antimony (II) and cupper (II) test include the use of platinum electrode. Antimony and cupper were pre-concentrated on the modified electrode surface and adsorbed to the surface, oxidizing at E = 540 mV and E = 85 mV, respectively. After 20 min of accumulation, time the best-defined anodic peak was obtained of surface. The precision was tested by carrying out chronoamperometric measurements at a concentration of Sb⁺² and Cu⁺² 8.5x10^-8 M and 9.5x10^-7 M, respectively.

Background: Molecular genetic events are among the numerous factors affecting the clinical course of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Recent studies have demonstrated that aberrant expression of miRNA, as well as different thyroid-related genes, correlate with the aggressive clinical course of PTC and unfavorable treatment outcome, which opens up new avenues for using them in personalization of the treatment strategy for patients with PTC. In the present work, our goal was to assess the applicability of molecular markers in preoperative diagnosis of aggressive variants of papillary thyroid cancer. Methods: The molecular genetic profile (expression levels of 34 different markers and BRAF mutation) was studied for 108 cytology specimens collected by fine-needle aspiration biopsy in patients with PTC having different clinical manifestations. Results: Statistically significant differences with adjustment for multiple comparisons (p < 0.0015) for clinically aggressive variants of PTC were obtained for four markers: miRNA-146b, miRNA-221, FN1, and CDKN2A. Weak statistical correlation (0.0015< р<0.05) was observed for miRNA-31, -375, -551b, -148b, -125b, mtDNA, CITED1, TPO, HMGA2, CLU, NIS, SERPINA1, TFF3, and TMPRSS4. Conclusions: The recurrence risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma can be preoperatively predicted using miRNA-221, the fibronectin and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A genes.

Electrophysiological mapping (EM) using acute electrode probes is a common procedure performed during functional neurosurgery. Due to their constructive specificities, the EM probes are lagging in innovative enhancements. This work addressed complementing a clinically employed EM probe with carbonic and circumferentially segmented macrocontacts that are operable both for neurophysiological sensing ("recording") of local field potentials (LFP), and for test stimulation. The paper illustrates in-depth the development, that is based on direct writing of functional materials. The unconventional fabrication processes were optimized on planar geometry and then transferred to the cylindrically thin probe body. We report and discuss on the constructive concept and architecture of the probe, characteristics of the electrochemical interface deduced from voltammetry and chronopotentiometry, and the results of in vitro and in vivo recording and pulse stimulation tests. Two and three directional macrocontacts were added on probes having shanks of 550 and 770 m diameters and 10-23 cm lengths. The graphitic material presents a ~2.7 V-wide, almost symmetric water electrolysis window, and an ultra-capacitive charge transfer. When tested with 150 s biphasic current pulses, the interfacial polarization stayed safely away from the water window for pulse amplitudes up to 9 mA (135 C/cm2). The in vivo experiments on adult rat models confirmed the high-quality sensing of LFPs. Additionally, the in vivo-prevailing increase of the electrode impedance and overpotential are discussed and modeled by an ionic mobility-reducing spongiform structure; this restricted diffusion model gives new applicative insight into the in vivo-uprisen stimulation overpotential.

This paper introduces an open-source active high-precision signal amplifier designed for enhancing biodata acquisition, specifically focusing on EEG signals. The compact device, with a diameter of 18 mm, seamlessly integrates electronics, signal processing, and meticulous design considerations. Incorporated within the single board are circuits for low-noise amplification, an analog interface equipped with bandpass filters, and an integrated ADC for precise digitization. A comprehensive evaluation of signal quality has been conducted, encompassing aspects such as noise levels, electrode bias tolerance, and common mode rejection ratio. To facilitate this evaluation, the widely recognized Silver Chloride electrode (Ag/AgCl) has been employed. Additionally, this paper delves into an extensive discussion concerning diverse sources of noise, along with strategies to curtail input noise and minimize noise originating from electrodes and amplifiers. Leveraging the substantial advancements achieved in the design of dry contact electrodes, this specific device is poised to carve a notable niche in the realm of brain-computer interface.

One of the significant challenges today in the brain-machine interface using invasive methods is the stability of the chronic record. In recent years, polymer-based electrodes have gained notoriety for achieving mechanical strength values close to that of brain tissue, promoting a lower immune response to the implant. In this work, we fabricated fully polymeric electrodes based on PEDOT:PSS for neural recording in Wistar rats. We characterized the electrical properties and both in-vitro and in-vivo functionality of the electrodes. Also, we employed histological processing and microscopical visualization to evaluate tecidual immune response in 7, 14, and 21 days post-implant days. Electrodes with 400-micrometer channels showed a 12dB signal-to-noise ratio. Local field potentials were characterized under two conditions: anesthetized and free-moving. There was a proliferation of microglia to the tissue-electrode interface in the first days, with a decrease after 14 days. Astrocytes also migrated to the interface, but there was no continuous recruitment of these cells in the tissue, showing inflammatory stability at 21 days. The signal was not affected by this inflammatory action, demonstrating that fully polymeric electrodes can be an alternative to prolong the valuable time of neural recordings.

In this study the processes taking place on the surfaces of nanostructurized Cu/CuO and Cu/CuO/Pd electrodes at different potential, $E$, values in the solutions of 0.1 M KOH in H$_2$O and D$_2$O (heavy water) were probed by the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and analysis of electrochemical reactions occurring under experimental conditions is presented. Bands of the SERS spectra of Cu/CuO/Pd electrode observed in the range of $E$ values from +0.3~V to 0 V~(SHE) at 1328 - 1569~cm$^{-1}$ are consistent with the existence of species which are adsorbed or weakly bound to the surface with the energy of interaction close to 15 - 21~kJ mol$^{-1}$. These bands can be attributed to the ad(ab)sorbed (H$_3$O$^+$)$\rm{_{ad}}$, (H$_2^+$)$\rm{_{ab}}$ and (H$_2^+$)$\rm{_{ad}}$ ions as intermediates in reversible HER/HOR processes taking place on Cu/CuO/Pd electrode. There was no isotopic effect observed; this is consistent with a dipole nature of electron-ion pair formation of adsorbed (H$_3$O$^+$)$\rm{_{ad}}$ and (H$_2^+$)$\rm{_{ad}}$ or (D$_3$O$^+$)$\rm{_{ad}}$ and (D$_2^+$)$\rm{_{ad}}$. In accordance with literature data SERS bands at 125-146~cm$^{-1}$ and $\sim 520-565$~cm$^{-1}$ were assigned to Cu(I) and Cu(II) oxygen species. These findings corroborate the mechanism of cascading reduction of water.

This review provides informations and details for the fabrication of biosensors that are composed from lipid membranes and have been utilized and applied to rapidly detect food toxic compounds, environmental pollutants and analytes of clinical interest. Biosensors based on polymeric lipid membranes have been used to rapidly detect a wide range of these analytes and offer several advantages such as fast response, high sensitivity and selectivity, can be portable for in the field applications, and small size. A description of the construction of these devices and their applications for the rapid detection of food toxic substance, environmental pollutants and analytes of clinical interest is provided in this review.

Oriental melons have a relatively short shelf life as they are harvested during the summer season and susceptible to cold-induced injuries. Typical chilling injury when stored at 4℃ is expressed as browning of the fruit suture. To prolong the shelf life and reduce browning of the fruit, the effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), X-tend modified atmosphere (MA)/modified humidity (MH) bulk packaging (XF), and polyethylene (PE) packaging, on oriental melons were investigated during storage at 4℃ and 10℃ for 14 days and under retail display conditions at 20℃. The O2 concentrations in PE packages stored at 4℃ and 10℃ ranged from 17.4–18.5%, whereas those in XF packages were reduced to 16.3–16.6%. The CO2 content of XF package (4.2–4.6%) was higher than that of PE package (1.4–1.9%) stored at 4℃ or 10℃. Relative humidity (RH) saturated in the PE packages but not in the XF packages after seven days of storage. Furthermore, PE packages performed better at maintaining melon weight and firmness than XF packages during storage at 10℃ for 14 days and under retail display conditions at 20℃. PE and XF packages effectively reduced the browning index of the peel and white linear sutures of oriental melons compared with the unpackaged control during cold storage at 4℃, and this observation was maintained at the retail display condition at 20℃. The enhanced CO2 levels, reduced O2 levels, and optimal RH values that were provided by the MAP, prevented the browning symptoms and improved the marketability and shelf life of oriental melons.

Low temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) have conquered a niche segment in biological microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS) during the last two decades. Since 3-dimensional assembly and rapid prototyping capability are outstanding features of the technology, bioreactors with complex geometry can easily be produced. Particularly needed functions are working electrodes, e.g. for impedance measurements and reference electrodes consisting in platinum or silver-silver chloride. Although the distinct grainy surface of thick film materials influences the double layer properties, data describing the bioelectronic interface and biocompatibility of common thick film materials are rarely published up to now. This works aims to fill this gap by studying the surface properties, composition, electrochemical properties and biocompatibility of commercially available thick film materials. It was found that thick film gold is suitable as electrode material in direct cell contact since an appropriate proliferation of the cell culture was observed. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) coating decreases the absolute value of the zeta potential of thick film gold from 16.55 V to 11.78 mV without any change in vitality of the cells. Thick film platinum layers have a porous structure entailing an enlargement of the effective surface by a factor of 21.6 and can be used as reference instead of silver/silver chloride, which was identified to be incompatible with cell culture. The investigations show that some commercially available cost-effective thick film materials are compatible with cell culture and the here presented data give an orientation for the use of the same in LTCC bioreactors.

The organic solar cells (OSCs) have drawn attention in the past decade due to its cynosure in industrial manufacturing because of its promising properties such as low weight, highly flexible and low cost production. However, low η restricts the utilization of OSCs for potential application such as low cost energy harvesting devices. In this paper, OSCs structure based on triple junction tandem scheme is reported with three different absorber materials with the objective to enhance the absorption of photons which in turn improves the η, as well as its correlating performance parameters. The investigated structure gives the higher value of η = 14.33% with Jsc=16.87 (mA/m2), Voc=1.0 (V), and FF=84.97% by utilizing a stack of three different absorber layers with different band energies. The proposed structure is tested under 1.5 (AM) with 1 sun (W/m2). The impact of top, middle and bottom sub cells thickness on η is analyzed with a terse to find the optimum thickness for three sub cells to extract high η. The optimized structure is then tested with different electrode combination and the highest η is recorded with FTO/Ag. Moreover, the influence of upsurge temperature is also demonstrated on the proposed structure and observed that the upsurge temperature has greatly affected the electrical parameters of the device and η decreases from 14.33% to 11.40% when the temperature of the device rises from 300-400 K.

The light response and resistance switching behavior in BaTiO3 (BTO) films are studied for a symmetric Pt/BTO/Pt structure. The resistance of films as a function of time with and without ultraviolet light has been studied. Furthermore, resistance switching behavior was clearly observed based on the application of 365 nm wavelength ultraviolet light. Consequently, the polarities of resistance switching can be controlled by ultraviolet light when the energy is larger than the band excitation energy. It is proposed that the polarity of the resistance switching is dictated by the competition of the ferroelectricity and oxygen vacancy migration. This provides a new mechanism for modulating the state of ferroelectric resistive memory devices.

Protrusive defects on the color filter of thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal displays (LCDs) frequently damage the valuable photomask. An fast method using side-view illuminations associated with digital charge-couple devices (CCDs) to detect the protrusive defect in the four substrates, which are the black matrix (BM), red, green, and blue. Between the photomask and substrate, the depth of field (DOF) is normally 300 μm for the proximity-type aligner; we select the four substrates to evaluate the detectability in the task. The experiment is capable of detecting measurements of 300 μm and even lower than 100 μm can be assessed successfully. The maximum error of the measurement is within 6% among the four samples. Furthermore, the uncertainty analysis of three standard deviations is conducted. Thus, the method is cost-effective to prevent damage for valuable photomasks in the flat panel display industry.

Light sources tend to affect images captured in any automatic optical inspection (AOI) system. In this study, the effectiveness of metal-halide lamps, quartz-halogen lamps, and LEDs as the light sources in AOI systems for the detection of the 3rd and 4th layers electrodes of thin-film-transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs) is examined experimentally. The results show that the performance of LEDs is generally comparable or better than that of metal-halide and quartz-halogen lamps. The best optical performance is by the blue LED due to its spectrum compatibility with the time-delay-integration charged-coupled device (TDI CCD) sensor and its better spatial resolution. The images revealed by the blue LED are sharper and more distinctive. Since current LEDs are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, using LEDs as the light source for AOI is very beneficial. As the blue LED performs the best, it should be adopted for AOI using TDI CCD sensors.

The development of smart negative electrode materials with high capacitance for use in supercapacitors remains challenging. Although there have been several types of electrode materials with high capacitance used in energy storage, carbon-based materials are the most reliable electrodes due to their high conductivity, high power density and excellent stability. The most common complaint about general carbon materials is that these as-formed electrode materials can hardly ever be used as free-standing electrodes. Free-standing carbon-based electrodes are in high demand and are a passionate topic of energy storage research. Electrospun nanofibers are a potential candidate to fill this gap. However, the as-spun carbon nanofibers (ECNFs) have low capacitance and energy density on their own. To this end, several attempts have been made to improve these characteristics. In this review, we introduce negative electrode materials that have been developed. Moreover, this review places special attention to the advances of electrospun nanofiber-based negative electrode materials and their limitations. Based on the above information, we put forth a future perspective on how these limitations can be overcome to meet the demands of next-generation smart devices.

Non-standard diesel blends can be harmful to the environment and human health. In this context, a simple analytical method to estimate the biodiesel mixture ratio in diesel was developed based on the impedance spectroscopy (IS) associated with the interdigitated sensors. In this article, four different interdigitated sensors, variable comb spacing (G), were simulated using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. Based on finite element simulations, four interdigitated electrode architectures by manufactured and evaluated. According to the X-ray powder diffraction technique, the deposition of the conductive layer (Au°) over the surface of the dielectric substrate (SiO2) did not alter its phase composition. In the analysis of AFM and SEM, it was possible to observe irregular edges on the electrodes, possibly related to thin layers' manufacturing process and mechanical stability. Another characteristic observed in the AFM images was the height of the step of the gold layer of the sensor. Several cross-sections were obtained, and the mean step value is 225.71 ± 0.0032 nm. Although there are differences in the roughness, the whole sensor has nanometric roughness. Based on the finite element method simulation performed, it can be assumed that the geometric parameters more suitable for the manufacturing of the electrode are: W = 20 µm, L = 1000 µm, G = 50 µm e N = 40 digits. The electrical characterization performed by impedance spectroscopy showed that we could differentiate between biodiesel and diesel fuels and their pseudo-binary mixtures in the low-frequency region.

The aims of this work were to examine the new electrode, based on polymer bacteria modified aluminum electrode for simultaneous production of electricity and degradation of phenol. This electrode is based aluminum modified by bacteria inserted in the polymer matrix, developed in situ on the surface. This electrode, designated subsequently by bacteria-polymer-aluminum, Showed stable response and was characterized with voltametric methods, as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The experimental results revealed that the prepared electrode could be a feasible for degradation of hazardous phenol pollutants. The sensor was successfully applied to the determination of phenol in a real sample with satisfactory results.

MPC (Magneto-Photonic Crystal) Optimisation is a feature-rich Windows software application designed to enable researchers to analyze the optical and magneto-optical spectral properties of multilayers containing gyrotropic constituents. A set of computational algorithms aimed at enabling the design optimization and optical or magneto-optical (MO) spectral analysis of 1D magnetic photonic crystals (MPC) is reported, together with its Windows software implementation. Relevant material property datasets (e.g., the optical spectra of refractive index, absorption, and gyration) of several important optical and MO materials are included, enabling easy reproduction of the previously published results from the field of MPC-based Faraday rotator development, and an effective demonstration-quality introduction of future users to the multiple features of this package. We also report on the methods and algorithms used to obtain the absorption coefficient spectral dispersion datasets for new materials, for which the film thickness, transmission spectrum, and refractive index dispersion function are known.

Recent events concerning jet fuel contamination of drinking water have shown that we need a better understanding of the effects of ingested jet fuel. To this end, a reproductive study with in-gested jet fuel in rats was undertaken with relatively high concentrations of Jet Propellant (JP)-5 along with a human estrogen receptor activation in vitro assay using JP-5, JP-8, and an alternative jet fuel derived from the camelina plant to help evaluate potential effects of ingested jet fuel. Results of the in vivo study provided evidence that JP-5 can act as an endocrine disruptor, with specific observations including altered hormone levels with JP-5 exposure (significantly lower estradiol levels in male rats and significantly increased Dehydroepiandrosterone levels in females), indi-cations of abnormal estrous cycles, and a decreased male/female offspring ratio. The in vitro hormone receptor activation assay indicated JP-5 and JP-8 are capable of upregulating human estrogen receptor (ER) activity, while the alternative jet fuel derived from the camelina plant was not active in the ER assay. The jet fuels were not able to activate androgen or glucocorticoid re-ceptors in further in vitro assays. These results infer potential endocrine disruption associated with JP-5, with activation of the estrogen receptor as one potential mechanism of action.

A tumbler screen type residual film–impurity mixture wind separator as a key equipment for secondary utilization of farmland residual film. During the working process, the proportion of impurities in the separated waste mulch film intermittently increases, resulting in poor working stability of the device, which may hamper long-term operation. In this study, the material inside the separation unit was continuously monitored, and the main factor affecting separator per-formance was determined to be the challenges in the effective depolymerization of some residual film–impurity mixtures. The principles of agglomeration and depolymerization of the residual film–impurity mixtures were analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element method (DEM) flow-solid coupling simulation methods. The key factor affecting the disaggregation of the mixture was the collision force between the residual film–impurity mixture and the trommel screen. The collision force was maximum when the residual film–impurity mixture first collided with the trommel screen when it was fed into the separation device. As determined by force analyses, the key factors affecting the collision force of the process were the material feeding amount and the structure of the inlet. Furthermore, simulations were carried out for different inlet structure forms; the evaluation index was the maximum collision force of the residual film–impurity mixture agglomerate on the trommel screen. The best disaggregation effect was obtained with a square feed inlet and at a feeding rate of 202 kg/h. A prototype was built using these specifications for verification. The average value of the ratio of impurities in the re-sidual film was 6.966%, the coefficient of variation was 7.38%, and the dispersion of statistical results was small. The ratio of impurities in the residual film was kept constant during the con-tinuous operation of the wind separator. Thus, this study analyzed the agglomerate disaggregation process and provided theoretical insights for deter-mining the optimal structures of the inlets of various cleaning devices and the feeding volumes.

The noble metals palladium and silver find use in many high performance applications, and their alloys (PdAg), known for more than sixty years, are industrially important, finding use in many fields including hydrogen purification and separation, numerous facets of catalysis, and in fuel cells. In recent years, interest in these materials has grown significantly, particularly in energy generating applications and due to their performance as solid-state chemical sensors for a range of small molecules. PdAg thin films can be prepared using traditional physical methods such as cold rolling, or more modern and controllable chemical or physical deposition techniques such as electrodeposition or chemical vapour deposition. Despite the wide-reaching uses of PdAg, several recent advancements in materials preparation, such as additive manufacturing, better known as 3-D printing, remain unexplored for this material due to the differing chemistries of the two elements. In this review, we explore the manufacturing methods commonly employed for the preparation of PdAg thin films, the common and niche applications of these materials, and opportunities for the future development of these two aspects, with an emphasis on how preparation of thin films can utilise additive manufacturing approaches.

In this work, we studies the principle of ground electrode current field through ground communication technology, signal design, and optimal working mode of excitation source, so as to adapt the working mode, working frequency, and transmission medium condition of signal transmission. Through waveform design, energy is concentrated in the main conduction direction, which is beneficial for signal filtering at the receiving end and achieving high reliability data transmission; On this basis, on-site environmental testing was conducted to verify the detection and recognition technology of weak signals. Signal design and detection recognition are a very important part of the grounding electrode current field through ground communication technology. The grounding electrode current field through ground communication technology is mainly applied to solve the problem of communication between rescue personnel and trapped personnel before and during tunnel engineering collapse and rescue.

We investigated the effect of 0.6 MeV proton irradiation on the superconducting and normal state properties of thin-film YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductors. A thin-film YBCO superconductor (≈ 567 nm thick) was subject to a series of proton irradiations with a total fluence of 7.6×1016p/cm2. Upon irradiation, Tc was drastically decreased from 89.3 K towards zero with a corresponding increase in its normal state resistivity above Tc. This increase in resistivity which indicates the increase of defects inside the thin-film sample can be converted to the dimensionless scattering rate. We found that the relation between Tc and dimensionless scattering rate obtained during proton irradiation approximates the generalized d-wave Abrikosov-Gor’kov theory better than the previous results obtained from electron irradiations. This is an unexpected result since the electron irradiation is known to be most effective to suppress superconductivity over other heavier ion irradiations such as proton irradiation. It suggests that the type of defects created by proton irradiation evolves from cascade defects (in bulk single crystals) to point-like defects (in thin-film single crystals) as the thickness decreases.

Infrared sensors incorporating suspended zinc oxide (ZnO) pyroelectric films and thermally-insulated silicon substrates are fabricated using conventional MEMS-based thin-film deposition, photolithography, and etching techniques. The responsivity of the pyroelectric film is improved through annealing at 500℃ for 4 h. The voltage response of the fabricated sensors is evaluated experimentally for a substrate thickness of 1 µm over a sensing range of 30 cm. The results show that the voltage signal varies as an inverse exponential function of the distance. A positioning system based on three infrared sensors is implemented in LabVIEW. It is shown that the position estimates obtained using the proposed system are in excellent agreement with the actual locations. In general, the results presented in this study provide a useful source of reference for the further development of MEMS-based pyroelectric infrared sensors.

Film therapy, the therapeutic use of movies in psychological therapies, is a growing area of interest to therapists and researchers. This paper presents the MOVIE model of film therapy, a widely applicable, trauma-informed framework for working with film imagery and themes in individual or group therapy, counsellor education and self-help. Film or cinema therapy is a highly accessible and relatable method for many diverse client and student groups with benefits that include, catharsis and emotional processing, greater ease of dialogue around issues, increased empathy, and interpersonal learning, engaging with new perspectives and learning skills. Following the model clients mindfully observe and voice their emotional and psychological responses to movie watching, identify how the imagery, characters, themes, and narrative symbolise personal experience and consider any new possibilities that emerged through re-authoring personal narratives. The model is informed by a practice focused review of literature.

Perovskite Solar Cell (PSC) is a third-generation photovoltaic device known for its rapid improvement in efficiency levels over the past decade. Moreover, the added benefits of abundant sourcing of raw materials, uncomplicated fabrication process, organic and inorganic device materials, and tuneable bandgaps make this technology a sustainable energy alternative. However, the efficiency values of these devices are subjected to variation depending on factors such as material compatibility, environmental conditions, energy band alignment of device components and stability characteristics to extrinsic and intrinsic factors. One such vital intrinsic factor is film morphology, homogenous and superior film quality formation and pinhole and trap-free films. In this study, we have investigated the formation of perovskite films on a qualitative basis using metal chloride washing of salts such as Erbium, Antimony, Cadmium and Chromium Chloride. The study aims to analyse the difference in film formation with various metal chloride washing and how this could potentially impact or contribute to photovoltaic performance if the devices are fabricated.

Among the most important variables in the design of falling film microreactors (FFMRs) is the liquid film thickness as well as the gas/liquid interfacial area, which dictate the mass and heat transfer rates. In a previous work conducted in our lab the characteristics of a free-falling Newtonian liquid film have been studied and appropriate correlations have been proposed. In this work the geometrical characteristics of a non-Newtonian shear thinning liquid, flowing in an inclined open microchannel, have been experimentally investigated and design correlations that can predict with reasonable accuracy the features of a FFMR have been proposed. The test section used was an open μ-channel with square cross section (Wo=1200 μm) made of brass which can be set to various inclination angles. The liquid film characteristics were measured by a non-intrusive technique that is based on the features of a μ-PIV system. Relevant CFD simulations revealed that the volume average dynamic viscosity over the flow domain is practically the same as the corresponding asymptotic viscosity value, which can thus be used in proposed the design equations. Finally, a generalized algorithm for the design of FFMRs, containing non-Newtonian shear thinning liquids, is suggested.

Heating films were prepared by using poly(methyl methacrylate) and polybutadiene composites containing graphite. The heating film was prepared by casting the as-made polymer composite on PET film. Copper electrodes were attached to both ends of the as-prepared film, and the heating characteristics of the film was analyzed while applying DC voltage. The electrical conductivity and the heating temperature of the heating films depended on the size, the structure, the content and the dispersion characteristics of the graphite in the composite. The electrical resistance of the heating film was controlled to adjust the heating temperature of the film. The relationship between the physical/chemical structure and the heating characteristics of the composite film was studied by measuring the heating temperature as functions of film thickness and resistance by using an infrared thermal imaging camera. The lower the film resistance, the higher the heating temperature of the film. The surface temperature was uniform throughout the film.

An effective approach to fabricate large-scale of conducting polyaniline (PANI) by an in situ anodic electrochemical polymerization on the nickel foam, which coated by a novel aryl diazonium salt (ADS)-functionalized graphene (ADS-G). In present work, ADS-G was used as a high surface area support material for electrochemical polymerization of PANI. Electrochemical performances of the ADS-G/PANI composites exhibited better suitability as supercapacitor electrode materials than that of the PANI. The ADS-G/PANI composites achieved the specific capacitance of 528 F g-1, which was higher than that of PANI (266 F g-1) due to the excellent electrode-electrolyte interaction and synergistic effect of electrical conductivity between ADS-G and PANI in the composites. These findings suggested that the ADS-G/PANI composites were a suitable composite for the potential supercapacitor applications.

In this work we successfully prepared a modified cobalt oxide (Co3O4) carbon paste electrode to detect Levofloxacin (LEV). By synthesizing Co3O4 nanoparticles through the chemical coprecipitation method, the electrochemical properties of the electrode and LEV were thoroughly investigated using CV, SWV, EIS, while material properties were scrutinized using ICP-OES, TEM, SEM, and XRD. The results showed that the prepared electrode displayed a better electrocatalytic response than the bare carbon paste electrode. After optimizing SWV, the electrode exhibited a wide linear working range from 1 to 85 μM at pH 5 of BRBS as the supporting electrolyte. The selectivity of the proposed method was satisfactory, with good repeatability and reproducibility, strongly suggesting a potential application for determining LEV in real samples, particularly in pharmaceutical formulations. The practicality of the approach was demonstrated through good recoveries, and the morphology of the materials was found to be closely related to other parameters, indicating that the developed method can provide a cost-effective, rapid, selective, and sensitive means for LEV monitoring. Overall, this project has made significant progress towards developing a reliable method for detecting LEV and has opened up new opportunities for future research in this field.

In this study, the preparation of the composite 3% Au/graphite-C3N4 (3% Au/g-C3N4) sensing material was prepared by doping 3% Au onto the surface of graphitic carbonitride (C3N4) for detection pimobendan. By the way of sensing materials characterization, the X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and transmission electron Microscope (TEM) were performed. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to measure the concentration and redox properties of pimobendan. It can be seen that when the voltage value is 0.05 V, and a reduction peak was appeared and the pimobendan concentration (0 to 55 μM) has a relationship with the reduction current value. At low concentrations of pimobendan concentration from 0.0 to 0.8 μM, the linearity R2 = 0.9642 with a detection limit of 0.28 μM. A possible pimobendan sensing mechanism on 3% Au/g-C3N4 was proposed.

The present review article concludes with three different types of materials recently used to enhance the efficiency of supercapacitors. The first type involves carbon-based materials for storage and supercapacitor applications. The carbon materials could be obtained naturally and synthesized manually based on the needs. The second type discusses the recent advances in metal oxide materials for high-performance supercapacitors. The metal oxide materials involve in different types of attachment through the bi-tri metallic bonding, which enhances the specific capacitance. The third type involves recently advanced materials for high energy and power density application. The power and energy density of the materials is enhanced by the surface modification of the materials. In recent days, the MXene and Nano-composite materials seems to be an appropriate material to increase the power and energy density of the device.

Population growth and increasing global demand for freshwater have raised a serious challenge for the depleting sources of freshwater in the 21st century. Desalination technologies can be a reliable technique for providing freshwater. Capacitive deionization is one of the innovative desalination methods that has received increasing interest. Flow-electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) (a new architecture of capacitive deionization) is one of the efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly desalination methods for freshwater production. In this experimental research, the performance of an FCDI system was investigated and the influence of important parameters such as flow rate of flow-electrodes, electrolyte salt concentration of flow-electrodes, and initial feed water concentration will be assessed on the efficiency of desalination operation. In this study, the flow-electrodes operated in short-circuited closed-cycle operation (SCC) mode, and also the feed water operated similarly to the flow-electrodes in closed-cycle. Moreover, in all the experiments, the salt adsorption capacity (SAC) and salt removal efficiency (SRE) was calculated. Herein, by optimizing the above mentioned parameters, the salt removal efficiency of 83% and a SAC value of 29.12 mg/g dry carbon were achieved in 5 hours.

Laser reduced graphene oxide (LRGO) on a PET substrate was prepared in one-step to obtain the LRGO grid electrode for sensitive carbaryl determination. The grid form results in a grid distribution of different electrochemically active zones affecting the electroactive substance diffusion towards to the electrode surface and increasing the electrochemical sensitivity for carbaryl determination. Carbaryl is electrochemically irreversibly oxidized by the secondary amine moiety of the molecule with the loss of one proton and one electron in the pH range from 5 to 7 by LSV on the LRGO grid electrode with a scan rate of 300 mV/s. Some interference of the juice matrix molecules did not significantly affect the LSV oxidation current of carbaryl on the LRGO grid electrode after adsorptive accumulation without applied potential. The LRGO grid electrode can be used for LSV determination of carbaryl in fruit juices in the concentration range from 0.25 to 128 mg/L with LOD of 0.1 mg/L by. The fabrication of the LRGO grid electrode opens up possibilities for further inexpensive monitoring of carbaryl in other fruit juices and fruits.

We have proposed a data-driven approach for designing mesoscale porous structures of Li-ion battery electrode with three-dimensional virtual structures and machine learning techniques. Over 2,000 artificial 3D structures assuming positive electrode composed of random packed spheres as active material particles are generated, and charge/discharge resistance has been evaluated using simplified Physico-chemical model. In this model, resistance from Li diffusion in active material particles (diffusion resistance), transfer resistance of Li+ in electrolyte (electrolyte resistance) and reaction resistance on the interface between active material and electrolyte are simulated based on mass balance of Li, Ohm’s law in and linearized Butler-Volmer equation, respectively. Using these simulation results, regression models via Artificial Neural Network (ANN) have been created in order to predict charge/discharge resistance from porous structure features. In this study, porosity, active material particle size and volume fraction, pressure in the compaction process, electrolyte conductivity, and binder volume fraction are adopted as features, associated with controllable process parameters for manufacturing battery electrode. As results, the predicted electrode resistance by ANN regression model is good agreement with the simulated values. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis and optimization of the process parameters have been carried out. The proposed data-driven approach could be a solution as a guiding principle for manufacturing battery electrode.

In this work, we focus on investigating electrothermal flow in a rotating electric field (ROT-ETF), with primary attention paid to the horizontal traveling-wave electrothermal (TWET) vortex induced at the center of the electric field. The frequency-dependent flow profiles in the microdevice are analyzed using different heat transfer models. Accordingly, we address in particular the importance of electrode cooling in ROT-ETF as metal electrodes of high thermal conductivity while substrate material of low heat dissipation capability are employed to develop such microfluidic chips. Under this circumstance, cooling of electrode array due to external natural convection on millimeter-scale electrode pads for external wire connection occurs and makes the internal temperature maxima shift from the electrode plane to a bit of distance right above the cross-shaped interelectrode gaps, giving rise to reversal of flow rotation from a typical repulsion-type to attraction-type induction vortex, which is in good accordance with our experimental observations of co-field TWET streaming at frequencies on the order of reciprocal charge relaxation time of the bulk fluid. These results point out a way to make a correct interpretation of out-of-phase electrothermal streaming behavior, which holds great potential for handing high-conductivity analytes in modern microfluidic systems.

Previously, we described a 19-base pair double-stranded RNA with 3'-trinucleotide overhangs, acting as immunostimulatory RNA (isRNA). This molecule demonstrated notable antiproliferative effects on cancer cells, inhibited tumor growth, and elicited immunostimulatory and antiviral responses by inducing cytokine and interferon production. Within this study, we compared the efficiency of lung fibrosis development, initiated in mice by BLM or LPS using different schemes of induction. Then we compared the effect of isRNA used in a preventive or therapeutic regimen on the development of fibrosis in selected BLM- and LPS-induced mouse models and showed that isRNA can be used in pathological conditions accompanied by the development of inflammation and the risk of fibrosis formation, without adverse side effects. Prophylactic regimen of isRNA application is beneficial for prevention of the development of pulmonary fibrosis.

Due to its time effective, joint friendly and highly customizable character whole-body-electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is regarded as a feasible solution for a large variety of training issues particularly in the area of non-athletic application. To identify gaps in research and summarize prevalent evidence we conducted an evidence map on outcomes addressed by WB-EMS trials in middle-aged to older, non-athletic adults. Based on a comprehensive systematic search in five databases and two study registers according to PRISMA, 54 projects published in 80 articles were included. More than 90% of the studies reported outcomes related to the physical fitness or function domain. Body composition parameters were addressed by two thirds of the projects. Health-related outcomes addressed by WB-EMS included cancer/neoplasm (n=7), endocrine regulation (n=8), glucose metabolism (15), nervous system diseases (n=2), cardiovascular system diseases (n=22), non-specific chronic low back pain (n=4), osteopenia (n=5) and diseases of the renal system (n=12). Outcomes related to inflammation were addressed 18 times. Of importance, no studies reported clinically relevant adverse effects related to the WB-EMS intervention. In summary, while considerable evidence on outcomes related to fitness/function and body composition is prevalent, evidence gaps of WB-EMS research were particular evident for diseases of the nervous and cerebrovascular system.

Intravaginal drug administration offers several advantages over other administration routes, primarily by bypassing the initial stages of metabolism. Additionally, this route has demonstrated both local and systemic effects. To prevent the disintegration of molecules in the mucous barriers of wet cavities, mucoadhesive polymeric systems can be utilized. In this study, the performance and characteristics of a mucoadhesive film composed of HPMC-PEG 400 containing retinol molecules was determined using various techniques. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was employed to determine the porous structure of the film. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was conducted at different temperatures to assess thermal stability. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyzed the functional groups and the intermolecular interactions between the film and the drug. Swelling and weight loss tests indicated that the film disintegrated within 3-4 days. For drug delivery evaluation based on the Higuchi equation, UV-VIS spectroscopy was used. Additionally, the surface wetting properties were assessed through contact angle measurements. The biocompatibility of the system was confirmed using the MTT assay. Finally, adhesion and glide tests demonstrated the film's interaction with porcine uterine tissue. This study shows that the HPMC-PEG 400 film containing retinol molecules interacts effectively with tissue and could be considered a novel tool for treating damaged epithelial tissues.