Roller milling of sorghum and quinoa seeds into flour fractions (course, middle, and fine) was investigated, chemically analysed and applied in the baking of gluten-free sourdough bread. Gap settings were adjusted to 0, 5, 8 and 10 for quinoa and 3, 5, and 7 for sorghum. The fine fractions reached values of up to about 41% (gap 8) for quinoa and around 20% for sorghum (gap 5). SEM pictographs illustrated clear separation of each fraction with chemical analysis showing high contents of protein, TDF (total dietary fibre) and IDF (insoluble dietary fibre) in the course fraction. Up to 77% starch content was obtained in the fine fraction with significant amounts of SDF (soluble dietary fibre) which has good health benefits. Increasing the dough moisture up to 90% helped in decreasing the bread crumb firmness, while low Avrami parameters and RVA pasting behaviour indicated slow bread staling rate for both sourdough breads.

A total of 27 microsatellites markers , scattered all over the genom of barley, were used for characterization,and diversity analysis in 33 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) accessions and cultivars of Algeria.Over the 27 genetic loci studied, 110 alleles were identified with a mean of 4.1 alleles per locus and the average polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.46,the marker Ebma0806 showed the greatest value of PIC with 0.83.Genetic diversity at 27 microsatellite loci varied from 0 to 0.84 (Mean=0.50) for 33 Algerian cultivars. The genetic distance among the cultivars ranged from 0.2 to 0.85. Cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) based on the SSR data clearly differentiate the all genotypes studied.

Deuterium is a heavy nonradioactive isotope of hydrogen, having a neutron as well as a proton, making it twice as heavy. It is a natural element, present at 156 parts per million in seawater. The ATPase pumps in the mitochondria utilize proton motive force to drive ATP synthesis, and deuterons damage the pumps, producing a stutter that can cause reactive oxygen release and inefficiencies in ATP synthesis. Cellular metabolism incorporates several novel mechanisms to assure low deuterium content in the mitochondria and other organelles. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a major carrier of deuterium depleted (deupleted) protons to supply the mitochondria. Many enzymes, especially flavoproteins, are able to use proton tunneling to fractionate out deuterium. In this paper, we argue that the amino acid proline is able to trap and sequester deuterium, and that peptidyl prolyl isomerases (PPIases) play a central role in facilitating deuterium trapping in proline-rich proteins, most notably collagen. The endothelial glycocalyx also sequesters deuterium in gelled water lining the blood vessels, creating a battery and promoting low deuterium in the circulation. Excess deuterium promotes cancer growth, and cancer cells release large quantities of lactate via aerobic glycolysis to help reverse deuterium overload, systemically.

This study aims at providing a climatological analysis of annual and long-term variability of dry periods in the Polish Carpathians in the period of 35 years between 1986 and 2020. Aside days with precipitation, dry periods, namely sequences of days with no precipitation, constitute an inherent characteristic of the climate. The input data for the research was formed by daily precipitation totals from 17 meteorological stations acquired from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - National Research Institute, and T. Niedźwiedź catalogue of circulation types over southern Poland. Frequency of dry periods of different duration has been presented. The incidence of long-term periods has been related to the atmospheric circulation. An analysis was performed regarding the change of the average quantity and average length of dry sequences in the 35-year period covered. At most stations, there were no statistically significant trends with respect to the analysed dry day characteristics. This is an obvious result of high variability year-to-year, which means that exclusively large changes may achieve statistical significance. Dry days have been evidenced to related to circulation types. A vast majority of dry days is related to anti-cyclonal systems, particularly the anti-cyclonal wedge (Ka) and western anti-cyclonal (Wa) situations.

Marangoni flow in foam fractionation in the lamellar film for the interior and exterior of a micro-foam was investigated. The three-dimensional node-film-Plateau Border system was modeled using computational fluid dynamics. The importance of the surfactant concentration of the foam fractionation column and air-liquid interface mobility on the Marangoni velocity in the film was emphasized. The study found that an increase in surfactant concentration in the reflux column significantly increases the Marangoni velocities. Additionally, a mobile interface results in a higher Marangoni flow, while a rigid interface leads to less intensive flow. The behavior of the Marangoni flow in both interior and exterior foam was explored, revealing that the flow in exterior foam has different behavior due to the presence of the wall, which reduces the Marangoni velocity compared to interior films.

It is shown that if there exists in nature a pair of heavy elementary particles each with a charge equal to that of the proton and with mass energy , then their direct interaction gives rise to a spontaneous fractionation of the two charges into three pairs of elementary particles according to two equiprobable channels, one hadronic and one leptonic. The leptons and quarks produced are in agreement with the first generation of the Standard Model of matter. Fractionation suggests the relative abundances of the elementary particles, introducing some questions about the possibility of the real existence of a currently unknown particle and its role in the formation of an apparent matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe.

Extreme climates such as droughts and hot extremes, may result in marked damage to crop yields and threaten regional and global food security. Maize is a major grain crop in Liaoning Province, severely affected by drought and hot events. The objective of this study is to advance an approach to estimate the risk of crop yield reduction under the compound dry-hot events (CDHE) in Liaoning Province. Results show that the ratio of stations experiencing compound dry-hot events during the twelfth leaf and maturity stage tended to increase on the time scale. On a spatial scale, the frequency of compound dry-hot events in central Liaoning Province was relatively low during the whole and various reproductive periods of maize. In addition to the twelfth leaf, western Liaoning Province is prone to compound dry-hot events. The high-risk area for the occurrence of the compound dry-hot events in maize is Chaoyang City, located in the western part of Liaoning Province, and the cities in the low-risk area account for about 64.3% of the total number of cities in Liaoning Province, mainly in the central and northern parts of Liaoning Province. Generally, this study emphasizes focusing on the impacts of compound dry-hot events on agricultural production and provides an index to assess the risk of compound dry-hot events on maize production.

Sulfate, the main dissolved contaminant in acid mine drainage (AMD), is ubiquitous in watersheds affected by coal and metal mining operations worldwide. Engineered passive bioremediation systems (PBS) are low-cost technologies that remediate sulfate contamination by promoting (1) precipitation of sulfate-bearing compounds, such as schwertmannite and gypsum; and (2) microbially-mediated sulfate reduction (BSR) to sulfide with subsequent precipitation of sulfide minerals. In this study, chemical and sulfur isotopic data are used to infer multiple pathways for sulfate sequestration in the Tab-Simco PBS. By simultaneously monitoring sulfate concentrations and δ34SSO4 values at four sampling points across the PBS, we (1) identified that the organic layer within the bioreactor was the primary site of BSR processes contributing to sulfate sequestration; (2) observed seasonal variations of BSR processes; (3) estimated that initially the BSR processes contributed up to 30% to sulfate sequestration in the Tab-Simco bioreactor; and (4) determined that BSR contribution to sulfate sequestration continuously declined over the PBS operational lifetime. Together, our results highlight the utility of combining geochemical and microbial fingerprinting techniques to decipher complementary processes involved in sulfur cycling in a PBS as well as the value of adding the sulfur isotope approach as an essential tool to help understand, predict, prevent and mitigate sulfate contamination in AMD-impacted systems.

Organic wastes and by-products from several activities, including food industries, farming, and animal husbandry, are a hygiene threat when aerobically decomposed. Therefore, their manage-ment is crucial for public health. In this direction, anaerobic digestion (AD) systems may be the solution by transforming waste into energy, which may decrease the environmental impact. However, their efficacy should be carefully examined. In this innovative study, we evaluated the physicochemical and microbial characteristics of liquid digestate (LD) retrieved from organic animal wastes in northern Greece using nanofiltration. Using treatment technologies including physical (solid-liquid separation, microfiltration and nanofiltration) and biological (anaerobic digestion), heavy metals and microbial (i.e., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis) concentrations reduced and nutrients were recovered. This work sets the basis for the efficient management of liquid digestate. Our method may enable the use of treated liquid digestate for unlimited irrigation water and other industrial applications of water. Apart from the sanitation process, the recovery of nutrients for soil fertilization seems to be a more sustainable way for fu-ture agricultural practices.

The aim of this study is to present the spatial and temporal variability of the frequency of dry and wet days and dry and wet spells against the background of changes in precipitation and atmospheric circulation. The study is based on daily precipitation totals from 46 meteorological stations in Poland for the years 1966-2023. Additionally seven circulation indices were used: GBI, NAO, AO, EA, EA/WR. SCAND ana AMO. Dry days are defined as days without precipitation. Wet days are days with at least 1 mm of precipitation. It was shown that dry spells are much more common that wet spells, are longer and cover larger areas. Long term changes in annual characteristics of dry and wet days and spells are statistically insignificant. Only the length of the longest dry spell in the year increases. However, there are significant changes in their annual cycles. Spring is drier, in summer months, precipitation decreases in the south and increases in the north, November and December, symbols of gloomy rainy weather, are increasingly drier, rainy weather moved to January and February. The impact of circulation varies with seasons and NAO, Ao, SCAN and GBI indices have the strongest impact.

Wildfires have always been a part of the history of Mediterranean forests. However, forest regeneration after a wildfire is not certain. It depends on many factors, some of which may be influenced by land management activities. Failure of regeneration will cause a regime shift in the ecosystem, reducing the provision of ecosystem services and ultimately leading to desertification. How can we increase Mediterranean forests’ resilience to fire? To answer this question, we did a literature review, investigating chains of processes that allow forests to regenerate (which we label “regeneration mechanisms”), and assessed the impact of selected management practices documented in the WOCAT database on the regeneration mechanisms. We identified three distinct regeneration mechanisms that enable Mediterranean forests to recover, as well as the time frame before and after a fire in which they are at work, and factors that can hinder or support resilience. The three regeneration mechanisms enabling a forest to regenerate after a fire consist of regeneration (1) from a seed bank; (2) from resprouting individuals; and (3) from unburned plants that escaped the fire. Management practices were grouped into four categories: (1) fuel breaks, (2) fuel management, (3) afforestation, and (4) mulching. We assessed how and under what conditions land management modifies the ecosystem’s resilience. The results show that land management influences resilience by interacting with resilience mechanisms before and after the fire, and not just by modifying the fire regime. Our analysis demonstrates a need for adaptive – i.e. context- and time-specific – management strategies.

Berberis vulgaris (L.) has remarkable ethnopharmacological properties and is widely used in traditional medicine. The present study investigates B. vulgaris stem bark (Berberidis cortex) by extraction with 50% ethanol. The main secondary metabolites were quantified, resulting in a polyphenols content of 17.6780 ± 3.9320 mg Eq Tannic acid / 100 g extract, phenolic acids amount of 3.3886 ± 0.3481 mg Eq Chlorogenic acid / 100 g extract and 78.95 µg/g berberine. The dried hydro-ethanolic extract (BVE) was thoroughly analyzed using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC–HRMS/MS) and HPLC and 40 bioactive phenolic constituents were identified. Then, the antioxidant potential of BVE was evaluated using three methods; our results could explain the protective effects of Berberidis cortex EC50FRAP = 0.1398 mg/mL, IC50ABTS = 0.0442 mg/mL, IC50DPPH = 0.2610 mg/mL compared to ascorbic acid (IC50 = 0.0165 mg/mL). Next, the acute toxicity and teratogenicity of BVE and Berberine - Berberine sulfate hydrate (BS) - investigated on Daphnia sp reported significant BS toxicity after 24 h; BVE revealed considerable toxicity after 48 hours and induced embryonic developmental delays. Finally, the anticancer effects of BVE and BS were evaluated on different tumor cell lines after 24 and 48 hours of treatments. The MTS assay evidenced a dose- and time-dependent antiproliferative activity, higher on BS than BVE. The strongest diminution of tumor cell viability was recorded on breast (MDA-MB-231), colon (LoVo) cancer, and OSCC (PE/CA-PJ49) cell lines after 48 h of exposure (IC50 < 100 µg/mL). However, no cytotoxicity was reported on normal epithelial cells (HUVEC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HT-29) cell lines. Extensive data analysis supports our results, showing a significant correlation between the BVE's concentration, phenolic compounds content, antioxidant activity, exposure time, and the viability rate of various normal cells and cancer cell lines.

The effect of H2S with high concentrations on catalytic dry reforming of methane (DRM) process has seldom been focused on previously. Herein, a thermodynamic analysis of the DRM reactions in the presence of H2S with the concentration varying in 0-20 vol% was conducted firstly. Several typical types of catalysts including MgO, NiO/MgO and LaNiO3 in different states were prepared for executing DRM at 800 C, 0.1 MPa in the feed of 20 vol% CO2 and 20 vol% CH4 balanced with N2. The catalytic performance of each catalyst for DRM process under conditions of absence and presence of H2S was compared. A promotion effect of increasing H2S concentration on both the conversions of CO2 and CH4 and the molar yields of CO and H2 was observed on all the catalysts especially the MgO and the pristine NiO/MgO. While a significant decline in catalytic activity of either the reduced NiO/MgO or the reduced LaNiO3 catalyst after adding H2S, moderate reactant conversions still sustained. The results of process analysis and catalyst structure characterization suggest that H2S participation can contribute to the increment in CO2 and CH4 conversion, and active S-adsorbed species may play the key role of catalysis in the reactions involving H2S.

The study evaluated the regenerative responses of the lacrimal functional unit (LFU) after Lacrimal Gland (LG) ablation. The LG of Wistar rats were submitted to G1) partial LG ablation, G2) partial ablation and transplantation of an allogeneic LG, or G3) total LG ablation, (n=7-10/group). The eye wipe test, slit-lamp image, tear flow, and histology were evaluated. RT-PCR analyzed inflammatory and proliferation mediators. The findings were compared to naïve controls after 1 and 2 months (M1 and M2). G3 presented increased corneal sensitivity, and the 03 groups have shown corneal neovascularization. Histology revealed changes in LG, and corneal inflammation. In the LG, there was an increase in MMP-9 mRNA of G1 and G2 at M1 and M2 and RUNX-1 at M1 and M2 in G1 and RUNX-3 mRNA at M1 in G1, and in G2 at M2. TNF-α mRNA rose in the corneas of G1 and G2 at M2. There was an increase in the IL-1β mRNA in the Trigeminal Ganglion of G1 at M1. Without changes in tear flow or evidence of LG regeneration, LG ablation or grafting are unreliable models for dry eye or LG repair in rats. The surgical manipulation extended inflammation to the LFU.

Intermittent religious fasting increases a risk of hypo- and hyperglycemia in individuals with diabetes, but its impact in those without diabetes is poorly investigated. The study aim was to examine the effects of religious Bahá'í fasting (BF) on glycemic control and variability and compare these effects with time-restricted eating (TRE). In a three-arm randomized controlled trial, 16 subjects without diabetes were assigned to a BF, 16:8 TRE or control group. Continuous glucose monitoring and food intake documentation was conducted before and during the 19 days of intervention, and 24-hour mean glucose, glycemic variability indices, and glucotypes were assessed. BF and TRE groups, but not the control group, markedly reduced the daily eating window while maintaining macronutrient composition. Only the BF group decreased caloric intake (-677.8 ± 357.6 kcal, p=0.013), body weight (-1.92 ± 0.95 kg, p=0.011) and BMI (-0.65 ± 0.28 kg, p=0.006). Higher maximum glucose values were observed during BF in the within-group (+1.41 ± 1.04, p=0.039) and between-group comparison (BF vs. Control: p= 0.010 and TRE vs. BF: p= 0.022). However, there were no alterations of 24-hour mean glucose, intra- and inter-day glycemic variability indices, or glucotypes in any group. Proportions of time above and below range (70-180mg/dl) and HbA1c values remained unchanged. BF and TRE do not exhibit negative effects on glycemic control and variability in subjects without diabetes.

Background and Objectives: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the major causes of central vision loss in the older age group and its dry form accounts for the majority of cases. Although several causes and mechanisms for the development and progression of AMD have previously been identified, the pathogenesis of this complex disease is still not entirely understood. As the inflammation and involvement of the immune system are strongly suggested to have a central role to promote the degenerative process and to stimulate the onset of complications, we aimed to analyze the prevalence of serum anti-retinal (ARA) and anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) in patients with dry AMD and to determine their relationship with the clinical features of the disease, notably area of geographic atrophy (GA). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 41 patients with dry AMD and 50 sex- and age-matched healthy controls without AMD. The presence of ARA was determined by indirect immunofluorescence using monkey retina as an antigen substrate, while the presence of AECA was determined using cultivated human umbilical vein endothelial cells and primate skeletal muscle. Results: ARA were detected 36 (87.8%) AMD patients (titers range from 1:20 to 1:320) and in 16 (39.0%) (titers range from 1:10 to 1:40) of controls (p=0.0000). Twenty of the 41 patients (48.8%) were positive for AECA, while in a control group AECA were present only in 5 sera (10.0%). The titers of AECA in AMD patients ranged from 1:100 to 1:1000 and in the control group the AECA titers were 1:100 (p=0.0001). There were no significant correlations between the presence of AECA and disease activity. Conclusions: This study provides evidence for the possible involvement of an autoimmune process against retina and retinal vessel antigens in the pathogenesis of geographic atrophy associated with dry AMD.

Despite its growing importance as a dry beneficiation method, there is a lack of studies exploring the fundamentals aspects of dry jigging. In this sense, this study focuses on explore some essential aspects of density-based separation in dry jigs, like pulse profile, energy consumption and, especially, stratification over time, also exploring an innovative operational strategy here called “transient pulsation”. The tests were carried out using density tracers distributed across 11 density ranges (0.4-2.4 g/cm³) and employing a base bed (gravel) to analyze their segregation in a pilot-scale dry jig. Pressure drop and active power data were acquired to measure the pulse characteristics and energy consumption. The findings suggest that establishing the dry jigging cycle is more complex than in hydraulic jigs due to the compressibility of air. Stationary pulsation tests revealed an unstable behavior of stratification over time, contrasting with traditional hydraulic jigs, while transient pulsation tests unveiled varied trends in separation quality. Energy consumption analysis underscored the significant role of the blower drive. These insights have the potential to inform operational enhancements in dry jigging.

Numerous studies on evaporative cooling systems have been conducted globally, but there is a scarcity of investigations in eastern Africa. The few studies undertaken in this region have primarily focused on their application in food storage and preservation, rather than for building purpose. The goal of this study is to review the most recent advancements in evaporative cooling technology, which would be relevant in eastern Ethiopia and could provide adequate cooling, give adequate thermal comfort, use less energy, and minimize environmental effect in hot and dry areas. There aren't many studies on evaporative cooling systems for building applications in Eastern Africa as a whole, thus this review has taken into account studies conducted in regions with climates similar to eastern Ethiopia. This study covers the classification, operation, and performance of evaporative cooling systems in hot and dry climate. Evaporative cooling systems work well in hot and dry climates, as revealed by this review study.

For the effective utilization of rice husk, organosolv fractionation was investigated to separate three main components (glucan, xylose, and lignin) with low acid concentration. Reaction temperatures of 170–190 °C, ethanol concentrations of 50–70% (v/v), and sulfuric acid concentrations of 0–0.7% (w/v) were investigated, with the reaction time and liquid-to-solid ratio kept constant at 60 min and 10, respectively. The fractionation conditions for the efficient separation into the three components of rice husk were determined to be 180 °C, 60% (v/v) of ethanol, and 0.25% (w/v) of sulfuric acid. Under these fractionation conditions, 86.8% of the xylan and 77.5% of the lignin were removed from the rice husk, and xylose and lignin were obtained from the liquid in 67.6% and 49.8% yields, respectively. The glucan digestibility of the fractionated rice husk was 85.2% with an enzyme loading of 15 FPU (filter paper unit) of cellulase per g-glucan.

At the end of the dry season in early March to early April each year, extensive agricultural biomass waste burnings occur throughout insular mainland Southeast Asia. During this biomass burnings period, smoke aerosols blanket the whole regions and were transported and dispersed by predominant westerly and south westerly winds to southern China, Taiwan and as far southern Japan and the Philippines. The extensive and intense burnings coincided with some wildfires in the forests due to high temperature making the region one of the global hot spots of biomass fires. In this study, we focus on the effect of pollutants emitted from biomass burnings in March 2019 at the height of the burnings period to the exposed population and their health impact. The Weather Research Forecast- Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model was used to predict the PM2.5 concentration over the simulating domain and health impacts are then assessed on the exposed population in the four countries of Southeast Asia, namely Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Using the health impact based on log-linear concentration response function and Integrated Exposure Response (IER), the results show that at the peak period of the burnings from 13 to 20 March 2019, Thailand experienced the highest impact, with an estimated 2170 premature deaths. Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia followed, with estimated mortalities of 277, 565, and 314 deaths respectively. However, when considering the impact per head of population, Laos exhibited the highest impact, followed by Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The results highlight the significant health impact and associated economic cost of agricultural waste burnings in Southeast Asia at the end of the dry season. And hence policy makers should take these into account to design measures to reduce the negative impact of widespread burnings on exposed population in the region.

The dust originating from the extinct lake of the Aral Sea poses a considerable threat to the sur-rounding communities and ecosystems. The accurate location of these wind erosion areas is an essential prerequisite for controlling sand and dust activity. However, few relevant indicators re-ported in the current study can accurately describe and measure wind erosion intensity. A novel wind erosion intensity (WEI) of a resolution unit was defined in this paper based on the deformation due to the wind erosion in this resolution unit. We also derived the relationship between WEI and soil InSAR temporal decorrelation (ITD). The ITD is usually caused by the surface change over time, which is very suitable for describing wind erosion. However, within one resolution unit, the ITD signal usually includes soil and vegetation contributions, and few studies are referred to this. Therefore, we proposed an ITD decomposition model (ITDDM) to decompose the ITD signal of a resolution unit. The least-squares method (LSM) based on singular value decomposition (SVD) is used to estimate the ITD of soil (SITD) within a resolution unit. We verified the results qualitatively by the landscape photos, which can reflect the actual conditions of the soil. At last, the WEI of the Aral Sea from June 23, 2020, to July 05, 2020, was mapped. The results confirmed that (1) Based on the ITDDM model, the SITD can be accurately estimated by the LSM method, (2) the Aral Sea is experiencing severe wind erosion, and (3) The middle, northeast, and southeast bare areas of the South Aral Sea are where salt dust storms may occur.

Bioprospecting native Australian plants offers potential discovery of latent and novel bioactive compounds. Promising cytotoxic and antibacterial activity of methanolic extracts of Pittosporum angustifolium and Terminalia ferdinandiana led to further fractionation and isolation using our laboratory’s bioassay guided fractionation protocol. Hence, the aim of this study was to further evaluate the bioactivity of the fractions and subfractions and characterize bioactive compounds using liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography MS (GC-MS). Compounds tentatively identified in P. angustifolium Fraction 1 using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS were chlorogenic acid and/or neochlorogenic acid, bergapten, berberine, 8’-epitanegool and rosmarinic acid. GC-MS analysis data showed the presence of around 100 compounds, mainly comprising of carboxylic acids, sugars, sugar alcohols, amino acids, and monoalkylglycerols. Furthermore, the fractions obtained from T. ferdinandiana flesh extracts showed no cytotoxicity, except against HT29 cell lines, and only Fraction 2 exhibited some antibacterial activity. The reduced bioactivity observed in the T. ferdinandiana fractions could be attributed to the potential loss of synergy as compounds become separated within the fractions. As a result, further fractionation, and separation of compounds in these samples were not pursued. However, additional dose-dependent studies are warranted to validate the bioactivity of T. ferdinandiana flesh fractions, particularly since this is an understudied species. Moreover, LC-MS/GC-MS studies confirm the presence of bioactive compounds in P. angustifolium Fraction 1/subfractions which helps to explain the significant acute anti-cancer activity of this plant. The screening process designed in this study has the potential to pave the way for developing scientifically validated phytochemical/bioactivity information on ethnomedicinal plants, thereby facilitating further bioprospecting efforts, and supporting the discovery of novel drugs in modern medicine.

The aging ability of dry white wines has been increasingly recognised. The present work aimed to understand which sensory factors drive their quality evaluation by experienced tasters. Individuals assessed several aesthetic, synthetic, and analytic flavour attributes, using dark tasting glasses. Wines originated from the grape varieties Alvarinho, Arinto, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Bianco with a wide range of ages. Basic physical-chemical analysis, browning (Abs 420 nm), elemental composition and a partial volatile fraction were also determined. The overall quality scores were a function of complexity and balance and were negatively influenced by the perception of faultiness. The different ages could be associated with a continuous sensory space characterised by a decreasing perception of freshness and an increase in the mellowed flavours. All wines shared an austere in-mouth perception elicited by their acidity, saltiness, bitterness, smoothness and dryness. Nevertheless, quality scores were similar from the youngest to the oldest-tasted wines (17 years old). The exception was a Sauvignon Blanc wine from a recent vintage that was judged as faulty due to the perception of earthiness. Overall, the tasted wines displayed an unexpected aging ability as demonstrated by the difference between the predicted and real wine ages. To improve the recognition of old wines, the metaphor “mellowed by age” is proposed to describe flavours resulting from beneficial aging instead of “oxidised by age”.

The popular appreciation of dry white wines is most frequently directed to young wines. However, present consumption trends comprise the valorisation of aged dry white wines. Therefore, the present work was aimed at the sensory analysis of these wines with different ages to define their sensory space and to understand which factors drive their quality evaluation by experienced tasters (critics, oenologists and students). Individuals were asked to evaluate several synthetic and aesthetic attributes and to characterise the analytic sensory profile through a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) methodology. The quality evaluations were differently correlated with wine synthetic parameters according to the taster group. For both critics and oenologists, overall quality scores were driven by persistence and complexity. Moreover, quality was also highly correlated with power for critics and with balance for oenologists. Quality scores were highly correlated with wine browning (absorbance at 420 nm) for critics. The tasting panel showed a homogeneous analytic description of aroma, taste and mouthfeel consistent with wine age. The different ages could be associated to a continuous sensory space characterised by a decreasing perception of freshness and increase in mature and mellowed descriptors. All wines shared an austere in-mouth perception elicited by their acidity, saltiness, bitterness, smoothness and dryness. The age prediction showed that most tasters failed to guess the age wines with more than roughly 13 years old, indicating that tasters were not familiar with the sensory features of white wines with 17 to 46 years old. In conclusion, experienced tasters consistently described the sensory space and recognised the high quality of aged dry white wines. Education programs may use the defined sensory spaces according to aging and to expand the range of quality perception by consumers.

The study examines projected changes in dry- and wet-spell probabilities in West Africa using a Markov chain approach. Four simulations of regional climate models from the CORDEX-Africa program were used to analyze projected changes in intraseasonal variability. The results show an increase in the probability of having a dry day, a dry day preceding a wet day and a dry day preceding a dry day, and a decrease in the probability of wet days in the Sahel region under anthropogenic forcing scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The decrease in wet days is stronger in the far future and under the RCP8.5 scenario (up to -30%). The study also finds that the probability of consecutive dry days (lasting at least 7 days and 10 days) is expected to increase in the Western Sahel, the Central Sahel, and the Sudanian Area under both scenarios, with stronger increases in the RCP8.5 scenario. In contrast, the decrease is expected over the Guinea Coast, with the changes more important under the RCP4.5. These changes in dry- and wet-spell probabilities are important for water management decisions and risk reduction in the energy and agricultural sectors. The study also highlights the need for decision-makers to implement mitigation and adaptation policies to minimize the adverse effects of climate change.

Beef dry aging consist in a selection of unpackaged primal cuts that are placed in a refrigerator room with controlled environment for several weeks. The goals are the concentration of flavor, like nutty and beefy and tenderness improvement. In this study it was intended verify the microbiological and physicochemical behavior and the meat sensorial perception during a process example of meat dry aging. Twelve beef loins were selected for 90 days of dry aging and placed in a refrigerator room with average temperature, relative humidity and forced air 3.17 ± 0.68 °C, 60.65 ± 4.23 % and 0.5-2 m/s, respectively. On 1, 14, 21, 35, 60 and 90 days of dry aging, were taken two samples, crust and lean meat for microbiological counts, pH, aw, color L*a*b* and sensorial analysis. During drying, there weren´t any pathogenic bacteria counts and the average counts were higher for the crust. The aw and pH had an average of 0.98 ± 0.02 and 5.77± 0.015, with a slightly decrease and increase respectively (P<0.05) along aging days. The dry aging process practices, with room refrigeration at RH<65.00% and temperature <4.00 °C can be the reason for aw<0.98 and meat pH<6.00 and therefore for the absence of pathogenic bacteria. The lower microbial counts on the lean meat and the overall acceptability assessed by the sensory panel confirm the importance of the good trimming and storage practices for the dry aged beef.

The dry washing method is an alternative to replace water washing, thereby reducing the negative impacts of contamination. However, commercial adsorbents come from industrial processes that, due to their composition, may not be such a sustainable resource in the global biodiesel production process. In this study, the use of organic residues, such as sawdust, coconut fiber, nutshell, rice husk and water hyacinth fiber, were proposed as bioadsorbents for the purification of biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO). Quality parameters such as the acid value, water content, and free and total glycerin content were evaluated and compared with those of commercial resins such as Magnesol® and Amberlite™. Promising results were obtained using sawdust during the purification process, achieving a 31.6% reduction in the acid value compared to that of unpurified biodiesel, the reduction was 31.3% more efficient than Amberlite™. Sawdust adsorbed free glycerin at 55.8%, being more efficient than Amberlite™. The total glycerin values were similar between commercial resins and sawdust. A water content values were similar than Amberlite™ and better than that with Magnesol®, at 4.3% and 39.81%, respectively. These results show that sawdust can be used as an alternative bioadsorbent in a dry purification method for biodiesel being a residue with less environmental impact.

Nine components (C1-C9) were isolated from chloroform fraction of fractionated methanol extracts of Vernonia amygdalina leaves (FMEVA) by column chromatography. All the components C1 to C9 were purified and screened for hypoglycaemic activities in type-2 diabetic rats. The most potent hypoglycaemic component was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic (1D-, 2D-NMR, GC-MS, FTIR) data analysis. The Component C5 was found to be the most potent hypoglycaemic in reducing blood glucose by 12.55 ± 3.55% at 4 h post-oral administration, when compared to the positive (18.07 ± 1.20%) and negative (-1.99 ± 0.43%) controls. The spectroscopic data analysis reveals that the isolated compound has a structure consistent with 11β,13-dihydrovernolide. The isolated compound is part of the hypoglycaemic components present in V. amygdalina leaves that is responsible for the anti-diabetic activities. Further research is needed in the development of this compound or its derivatives for pharmaceutical use.

This study involved a comprehensive examination of sensory attributes in Bísaro dry-cured loins, including odor, androsterone, scatol, color, fat color, hardness, juiciness, chewiness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence. Analysis of 40 samples revealed a wide variation in these attributes, ensuring a robust margin for multivariate calibration purposes. The respective near-infrared (NIR) spectra unveil distinct peaks associated with significant components such as protein, lipid, and water. Support Vector Regression (SVR) models were methodically calibrated for all sensory attributes, with optimal results using multiplicative scattering correction pre-treatment, MinMax normalization, and radial base kernel (non-linear SVR model). The predictive models exhibited acceptable results, characterized by R-squared values close to 1 (0.9616 - 0.9955) and low RMSE values (0.0400 – 0.1031). The prediction set's relative standard deviation (RSD) remained under 5%. Comparisons with prior research revealed significant improvements in prediction accuracy, particularly when considering attributes like pig aroma, hardness, fat color, and flavor intensity. This research underscores the potential of advanced analytical techniques to improve the precision of sensory evaluations in food quality assessment.

Accordingly, a lot of dry direct seeding rice would be dense planted, that the initial seedling quantity could approach or even exceed the targeted effective panicle number. While limit information is available to evaluate the effects of involved novel nitrogen application methods, that total nitrogen once applied at a determined leaf age stage, on the yield formation traits of such dense planted dry direct seeding rice. The two-year experiments with total 180 kg ha-1 nitrogen once applied time treatments at sixth (L6), seventh (L7), eighth (L8), ninth (L9) and tenth (L10) leaf age stages were carried out. Results showed that the above-ground dry matter weight at maturity and grain yield of L8 was 2.1% ~ 11.8% and 4.0% ~ 9.9% higher than those of other treatments. Compared to other treatments, the higher above-ground dry matter weight after heading stage, bigger mean leaf area index with higher leaf area index at heading stage, increased leaf area duration, crop growth rate and net assimilation rate from jointing to heading period were important traits of higher grain yield formation of L8. In addition, the L8 had relative higher grain-leaf ratio traits than other treatments. Overall, a total 180 kg ha-1 nitrogen with mixed urea and compound fertilizer once applied at eighth leaf age stage would be suggest a useful high yield cultivation method for dense planted dry direct seeding rice in rice-wheat rotation system.

The authors of this paper use an original method of diatomaceous earth fractionation, which allows for obtaining a filler with a specific particle size distribution. The method makes it possible to separate small, disintegrated and broken diatom frustules from those which maintained their original form in diatomaceous earth. The study covers a range of tests conducted to prove that such a separated diatomic fraction shows features different from the base diatomite used as an epoxy resin filler. We have examined mechanical properties of a series of diatomite/resin composites considering the weight fraction of diatoms and the parameters of the composite production process. The studied composites of Epidian 601 epoxy resin cross-linked with amine-based curing agent Z-1 contained 0 to 70% vol. of diatoms or diatomaceous earth. Samples were produced by casting into silicone moulds in vacuum degassing conditions and, alternatively, without degassing. The results have shown that the size and morphology of the filler based on diatomaceous earth affects mechanical and rheological properties of systems based on epoxy resin.

Polyelectrolyte-drug complexes are interesting alternatives to improve unfavourable drugs properties. Vancomycin (VAN) is an antimicrobial used in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. It is generally administered intravenously with high incidence of adverse side effects, which could be reduced by intrapulmonary administration. Currently, there are no commercially available inhalable formulations containing VAN. Thus, the present work focuses on the preparation and characterization of an ionic complex between hyaluronic acid (HA) and VAN with potential use as inhalable formulations. Particulate-solid HA-VAN25 complex by spray drying from an aqueous dispersion was obtained. FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis confirmed the ionic interaction between HA and VAN, while an amorphous diffraction pattern by X-ray was observed. The powder density, geometric size and morphology showed a suitable aerosolization and aerodynamic performance of the powder, indicating the capability of reaching the deep lung. An in vitro extended-release profile of VAN from the complex was obtained, exceeding 24 hours. Microbiological assays against methicillin-resistant and -sensitive reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus, showed that VAN preserves its antibacterial efficacy. In conclusion, HA-VAN25 exhibited interesting properties for the development of inhalable formulations with potential efficacy and safety advantages over conventional treatment.

Since fine powders tend strongly to adhesion and agglomeration, their processing with conventional methods is difficult or impossible. Typically, in order to enable the handling of fine powders, chemicals are added to increase the flowability and reduce adhesion. This contribution shows that instead of additives also vibrations can be used to increase the flowability, to reduce adhesion and cohesion, and thus to enable or improve processes such as precision dosing, mixing, and transport of very fine powders. The methods for manipulating powder properties are described in detail and prototypes for experimental studies are presented. It is shown that the handling of fine powders can be improved by using low-frequency, high-frequency or a combination of low- and high-frequency vibration.

Enhancing the Efficiency of Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Extraction and Fractionation Trains: An Integrated Approach of Simulation Analysis, Advanced Modifications, and Technological Advancements. Through comprehensive research, innovative solutions such as the heat pump aided distillation (HPAD) system and self-heat recuperation technology (SHRT) have been developed to significantly reduce the energy consumption associated with conventional distillation systems. To identify a practical system for NGL fractionation trains, this study extensively examined and compared various HPAD and SHRT options to retrofit a single column. The objective was to find the most suitable and efficient solution for the fractionation process of natural gas liquids (NGLs). The retrofit options analyzed in this study encompassed a range of techniques, including vapor compression (VC), mechanical vapor re-compression (MVR), thermal vapor re-compression (TVR), bottom flashing (BF), side heat exchanger (SHE), intermediate heating and cooling (IHC), self-heat recuperative (SHR), and modified self-heat recuperative (MSHR) distillation. These methods were carefully examined to determine their suitability and effectiveness in improving the performance of NGL fractionation trains.In this study, a depropanizer column, typically employed in conventional NGL plants, was selected as a case study. The simulation software Aspen HYSYS V7.3 was employed to model and analyze eight retrofit designs based on predefined criteria. The simulation data was carefully evaluated to identify the most efficient design for minimizing energy consumption. Among the retrofit options, the mechanical vapor re-compression (MVR) technique demonstrated the most significant energy cost reduction, with a remarkable 68.11 percent improvement compared to the base case conventional column. These findings highlight the potential of MVR as an effective solution for lowering energy costs in NGL fractionation trains.Following the MVR retrofit option, the study found that vapor compression (VC) achieved a considerable energy cost reduction of 66.65 percent, closely followed by modified self-heat recuperative (MSHR) at 64.02 percent, bottom flashing (BF) at 62.88 percent, self-heat recuperative (SHR) at 55.85 percent, side heat exchanger (SHE) at 54.23 percent, intermediate heating and cooling (IHC) at 39.54 percent, and thermal vapor re-compression (TVR) also at 39.54 percent. These findings highlight the significant potential for energy savings offered by these retrofit options, with VC being the most popular choice, closely followed by MSHR, BF, SHR, SHE, IHC, and TVR.

Pyracantha angustifolia has been used in traditional medicine to treat a range of diseases of the stomach and improve digestion, blood circulation, diarrhea, dysentery, and hemostasis. This study evaluated bioactivity-guided fractionation as a means to identify therapeutic phytochemicals from P. angustifolia that can attenuate melanogenesis and oxidation. Seven compounds with inhibitory effects on melanin production and tyrosinase (TYR) activity, as well as ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities, and have not been reported as whitening materials, were isolated from the n-butanol fraction from P. angustifolia leaves (PAL). Among the seven compounds, p-hydroxybenzoic acid beta-d-glucosylester (HG), and cimidahurinine (CD) had strong inhibitory effects of melanin production, TYR activity, and ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Western blot analysis showed that HG and CD suppressed tyrosinase-related protein (TYRP)-1 and TYRP-2 expression. These results suggest that P. angustifolia containing active compounds, such as HG and CH, is a potent therapeutic candidate for the development of hypopigmenting agents.

The focus of our study was the changes in the composition of semi-natural dry grasslands in Hungary. Since these valuable habitats were created with the help of humans, their preservation also requires regular treatment. Our mowing experiment aimed to investigate the suppression of the native Calamagrostis epigejos L. Roth. In Hungary, in the Cserhát Mountains, eight permanent plots were mowed twice a year. The vegetation was sampled annually between 2001 and 2011. The effects of mowing were investigated with repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). After 10 years, the C. epigejos cover of the mowed plots decreased significantly, from the initial average of 62.38 to 7.50%. Surprisingly, we also experienced a similar decrease in the control plots. Regular treatment also had a positive effect on the number of species and diversity. Species richness increased continuously in both treatment types, which indicates the combined effect of vegetation succession and treatment. The biomass growth of other Poaceae and Fabaceae species, which are important from a grassland management perspective, was also facilitated by mowing. Our results suggest that long-term in situ experiments and continuous botanical studies are needed to establish a reliable utilization of grasslands.

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have been shown as selective and environmentally friendly solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds. However, studies on the solubility of low molecular weight carbohydrates (LMWC) in NADES are scarce. In this work, new solubility data of LMWC in NADES are provided and a new approach based on the use of these solvents for the efficient fractionation of bioactive carbohydrates was explored for the first time. Several mono- and disaccharides and three NADES based on choline chloride (ChCl) and different donors [2-ethylene glycol (EtG), glycerol (Gly) and ethanedioic acid dihydrate (Eth)] were considered. While degradation of carbohydrates, mainly ketoses, was detected with ChCl:Eth due to its acidic nature, ChCl:EtG and ChCl:Gly were found to be useful alternatives for selectively separating bioactive ketoses and their corresponding aldoses (e.g. lactulose/lactose and tagatose/galactose) present in equimolar binary mixtures. In addition, the usefulness of ChCl:EtG for the selective enrichment of lactulose to be used as food ingredient or nutraceutical was proven (from a 25% in the reaction mixture to a 56% in the purified sample). NADES could be used for the selective fractionation of value-added carbohydrates from interfering sugars for several applications including food science, engineering or pharmaceuticals.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness world-wide. We recently reported that polyethylene glycol (PEG) can activate the alternative pathway of the complement system and induce choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mice. Currently, no other investigator has demonstrated CNV after PEG injection in the mouse eye. The aim of this article is twofold: we review the histologic changes in mouse retina and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) after treatment with PEG, and we summarize a model of wet and dry AMD pathogenesis in mice through subretinal PEG treatment of RPE cells and retinal layers. We injected (subretinal) male C57BL/6 mice with 2 μL of solution containing 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg of PEG or PBS in control groups. Eyes were harvested at day 1, 3 and 5 after injection and processed for analysis. Sections were immunohistochemically stained for complement component C3, mem-brane attack complex (MAC), and cytokeratin 18. Light and laser confocal microscopy was used for image capturing. PEG increased deposition of C3 and MAC on RPE cells and on all retinal layers after 1.0 mg injection. PEG induced loss of cellular contacts between RPE cells and migration of RPE cells in the subretinal space at day 1 after PEG injection. After 0.5 mg PEG injection, increased size of RPE cells was detected at day 3 and 5. Apoptotic bodies were observed in outer nuclear layer at day 3 and 5 after 0.5 mg PEG treatment. RPE cells with dark cytoplasm and condensed chromatin were observed. Higher doses of PEG induce CNV, encouraged RPE cell proliferation and death, and damage photoreceptors in mice. This simple and fast model may be useful to explore the pathogenesis of both dry and wet AMD.

The basis of the work of electroencephalography (EEG) is the registration of electrical impulses from the brain or some of its individual areas using a special sensor/electrode. This method is used for the treatment and diagnosis of various diseases. The use of wet electrodes in this case does not seem viable, for several well-known reasons. As a result of this, a detailed analysis of modern EEG sensors developed over the past few years is carried out, which will allow researchers to choose this type of sensor more carefully and, as a result, conduct their research more competently. Due to the absence of any standards in the production and testing of dry EEG sensors, the main moment of this manuscript is a detailed description of the necessary steps for testing a dry electrode, which will allow researchers to maximize the potential of the sensor in the various type of research.

Abstract: Filipendula ulmaria, commonly known as meadowsweet, is a wild herbaceous flowering plant widely distributed in Europe. A range of salicylic acid derivatives and flavonol glycosides have been previously associated with the antirheumatic and diuretic properties of F. ulmaria. In the present work, an hydroalcoholic extract of F. ulmaria aerial parts was extensively profiled using an efficient NMR-based dereplication strategy. The approach involves fractionation of the crude extract by centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), ¹³C NMR analysis of the fractions, 2D-cluster mapping of the whole NMR dataset and finally, structure elucidation using a natural metabolite database, validated by 2D NMR data interpretation and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The chemodiversity of the aerial parts was quite broad, with 28 compounds unambiguously identified, belonging to various biosynthetic classes. The F.ulmaria extract and CPC fractions were screened for their potential to improve skin epidermal barrier function and also skin renewal properties using in vitro assays performed on Normal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes. Fractions containing quercetin, kaempferol glycosides, ursolic acid, pomolic acid, naringenin, β-sitosterol, and tellimagrandins I and II were found to be responsible for the up-regulation of genes related to skin barrier function, epidermal renewal and stress responses. This research is significant as it could provide a natural solution for improving hydration and skin renewal properties.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of different types of olive cake (five treatments) in the diet of Bísaro pigs on the volatile compounds and sensory characteristics in the dry-cured loin and dry-cured “cachaço” (2 processed meat products). The treatments applied are based on the type of extraction and this may imply differences in their water and fat content. Eighty com-pounds were identified, and grouped into eight chemical classes: hydrocarbons, aldehydes, es-ters, alcohols, ketones, acids, furans, and other compounds. Aldehydes and alcohols were the ma-jor groups of compounds, representing 57.06-66.07 % and 68.67-75.61 % for the loin and “cacha-ço”, respectively. There were no significant differences between treatments for any of the volatile compounds identified. The major aldehydes were hexanal, heptanal, pentanal, and propanal. These compounds were significantly higher (p<0.001) in “cachaço”. This significant difference be-tween the two types of dry-cured products is directly related to the amount of total fat content. The major alcohols were 2.3-butanediol, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl, 1-hexanol, benzyl-alcohol and glycidol. Except for compounds 2,3-butanediol and benzyl-alcohol, the majority in this group are significantly different in terms of the type of dry-cured product. As for the sensory evaluation, for both dry-cured products, the trained tasters did not detect significant differences between the different treatments, which is in line with the results obtained for volatile compounds.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disorder in which tear fluid homeostasis is lost, resulting in increased tear film osmolarity and ocular surface irritation. In Asia, the short tear film breakup time type-DED is common, and stabilization of the tear film is the first goal of treatment. Treatment of DED begins with eye drops. Until now, artificial tears and steroid eye drops have been the main treatment for DED. However, artificial tears require frequent administration of eye drops and thus pose adherence problems, while steroids have problems with side effects (cataracts, increased intraocular pressure). This review evaluates the new generation of DED therapies in Asia based on what is known about them and demonstrates that they are more effective for DED than traditional therapies such as artificial tears and steroids. Based on these considerations, it is proposed that the optimal treatment for DED in Asia is the initial application of mucin secretion enhancing eye drops (long-acting diquafosol) and oral supplements, and if additional treatment is needed, cyclosporine eye drops and the adjunctive therapies presented in this review are added.

Ultrasound is a well-known tool to produce thermal and non-thermal effects on cells and tissues. These effects require a correct application of ultrasound in terms of localization and acoustic energy delivered. This article describes a new device that combines ultrasound and Dry Needling treatments. The ultrasound transducer can rotate in 3D space mechanically to align itself in the direction of the needle. The transducer electronically focuses the acoustic pressure automatically on the needle tip and its surroundings. A computer, using graphical interface software, controls the angulation of the array and the focus position.

Background: Aflatoxins (AFs) as toxic compounds are widely spread. They are frequent contaminants of crops that are produced by fungi species. Corn is of crops that widely used in the corn dry milling process; a four-step procedure comprises grain handling and milling, liquefaction and saccharification, fermentation, and co-product recovery that produces ethanol and animal feed. However, it is possible that corn as a feed for dry milling process might be contaminated with AFs. Therefore, monitoring AFs in during widespread this process results having a better understanding of the fate of AFs. Methods: In this study, a sample of corn kernel was contaminated with a high level of AFs using Aspergillus parasiticus. Then, the corn flour comprising 23400.5 µg/kg of the total level of aflatoxins (AFT), was hydrolyzed by enzymes and acid for ethanol fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Also, the level of AFs was monitored during ethanol fermentation process. Results: The results showed that AFs did not detect in the ethanol produced through fermentation and it was safe. Also, during the experiments, the AFT level reduced by 58.5 and 95.7% for the ethanol fermentation with simultaneous saccharification and fermentation and ethanol production with acidic hydrolysis, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that highly contaminated corn with AFs can be used for ethanol fermentation through dry milling process and the produced ethanol was safe.

Each year in March, adherents of the Bahá’í faith abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset for 19 days. Thus, Bahá’í fasting (BF) can be considered as a form of daytime dry fasting. We tested if BF decreases energy expenditure after a meal and improves anthropometric measures, and systemic and tissue-level metabolic parameters. This was a self-controlled cohort study with 11 healthy men. We measured anthropometric parameters, metabolic markers in venous blood, and pre- and postprandial energy metabolism at systemic (indirect calorimetry) and tissue (adipose tissue and skeletal muscle microdialysis) level, both before and during BF. During BF, we found reduced body weight, body mass index, body fat and blood glucose. Postprandial increase in energy expenditure was lower, diet-induced thermogenesis tended to be lower. In adipose tissue, perfusion, glucose supply and lipolysis were increased. In skeletal muscle, tissue perfusion did not change. Glucose supply and lipolysis were decreased. Glucose oxidation was increased, indicating an improved insulin sensitivity. BF may be a promising approach to losing weight and improving metabolism and health. However, outside the context of religiously-motivated fasting, skipping a meal rather in the evening (dinner cancelling) might be recommended, as metabolism appears to be reduced in the evening.

The interest in dry EEG electrodes has increased in recent years and especially as everyday suitability earplugs for measuring drowsiness or focus of auditory attention. However, the challenge is still the need for a good electrode material, which is reliable and can be easily processed for highly personalized applications. Laser processing as used here is a fast and very precise method to produce personalized electrode configurations that meet the high requirements of in-ear EEG electrodes, for example. The arrangement of the electrodes on the very flexible and compressible mats allows an exact alignment of the electrodes to the ear mold and contributes to a high wearing comfort, as no edges or metal protrusions are present. For better transmission properties, an adapted coating process for surface enlargement of platinum electrodes is used, which allows easy control of the thickness and growth form of the porous layer. The porous platinum-copper alloy is chemically very stable, shows no exposed copper residues and enlarges the effective surface area by 40. In a proof-of-principle experiment, these porous platinum electrodes could be used to measure the Berger effect in a dry state using just one ear of a test person. Their signal-to-noise ration and frequency transfer function is comparable to gel-based silver/silver chloride electrodes.

In order to produce bioethanol from yellow poplar sawdust without detoxification, deacetylation (mild alkali treatment) was performed with aqueous ammonia solution. To select the optimal conditions, deacetylation process was carried out using different conditions: NH₄OH loading (2–10% (w/v)) and solid-to-liquid ratio (1:4–10) at 121 °C for 60 min. In order to assess the effectiveness of deacetylation, fractionation of deacetylated yellow poplar sawdust was performed using dilute acid (H₂SO₄, 0.5–2.0% (w/v)), reaction temperature (130–150 °C) and time (10–80 min). The toxicity-reduced hemicellulosic hydrolysates that were obtained through a two-step treatment at optimized conditions were fermented using Pichia stipitis for ethanol production, without any further detoxification. The maximum ethanol production was 4.84 g/L, corresponding to a theoretical ethanol yield of 82.52%, which is comparable to those of intentionally made hydrolyzates as controls.

(1)Background: Early-age concrete shrinkage induces stress that impact the cost and service life of concrete pavements. (2)Methods: In this study, strain measurements of field slabs were conducted and a methodology was presented that independently derived autogenous, drying, and thermal shrinkages in the initial stages of concrete placement. Total strain was measured according to five different environmental conditions and shrinkage strain was calculated for each condition. (3)Results: By measuring the strain of the slab and the specimen, the drying shrinkage strain was measured to be approximately 54% better than that by the conventional non-stressed cylinder method because it was possible to measure the drying shrinkage strain at the surface rather than in the middle part of the slab along its depth direction. When the water-to-cement ratio increased (35→40%), there was a considerable reduction (317με→82με) of autogenous shrinkage strain for the concrete at 28 days of age. Furthermore, calculation of stress-dependent strain allowed the presentation of more intuitive and accurate results. (4)Conclusion: As the measurement of independent shrinkage occurrence is possible, the consequent calculated result of the stress-dependent strain acting on real slabs will facilitate improvement in the construction quality, reduction in the development of defects in the concrete structure, and increase in the service life.

Traditional dry fermented meat products are obtained artisanally in many countries, where they represent a gastronomic heritage well distinguished from industrial counterparts. This food category is most often obtained from red meat, a food commodity that is under attack because of evidences of increased risk of cancer and degenerative diseases with high consumption. However, traditional fermented meat products are intended for moderate consumption and gastronomic experience and, as such, their production must be continued also to safeguard culture and economy of the geographical areas of origin. In this review, the main risks attributed to these products are considered and how these risks are minimized by following precise production norms, respectful of the ancient manufacturing processes is described. Moreover, results obtained in studies reporting use of autochthonous microbial cultures of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), Debaryomyces hansenii and Penicillium nalgiovense to improve safety and quality of traditional fermented meats are summarized. The role of these products as a source of microorganisms that can be beneficial to the host are also considered. From the results of the studies reviewed here it appears that the development of autochthonous cultures for these foods ensure safety and stabilize sensory characteristics with possibility to be extended to the large variety of traditional productions.

Data on the seasonally dry tropical forests of Mexico have been examined in the light of statistical mechanics. The results suggest a division into two classes of species. There are drifting populations of a cosmopolitan class capable of existing in most dry forest sites; these have a statistical distribution previously only observed (globally) for populations of alien species. A high proportion of species found only at a single site are endemic and these prefer sites comparatively low in species richness.

With the application of high-precision, enormous rotating equipment and the addition of harsh working conditions, the advantages of dry gas sealing technology are increasingly obvious. Herein, research on the dynamic stability of dry gas seals is reviewed based on their operating mechanism. The influence of the dry gas seal structure, vibration response, and dynamic followability on the reliability of the shaft end sealing system of rotating machinery is the focus of current dry gas sealing technology. This work reviews the research history; analyzes the key coefficient of instability of the sealing system under external disturbances and the existing research on stability models; discusses the influence of starting and stopping characteristics, working conditions, and groove parameters on the stability of dry gas seals; and points out the shortcomings in the existing research. In addition, potential developments in dynamic stability are proposed, including improving model accuracy, improving experimental techniques, or applying intelligent control and optimization methods to enhance the dynamic stability of the sealing system. Finally, the development prospects for dry gas sealing technology in intelligent monitoring and wide temperature range adaptations are discussed, and theoretical guidance for improving the dry gas seal system is provided.

A simple fabrication method in the surface modification of electroosmotic silicon microchannel using thermal dry oxidation is presented. The surface modification is done by coating the silicon surface with a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) layer using thermal oxidation process. The process is aimed not only to improve the surface quality of the channel to be suitable for electroosmotic fluid transport but also to reduce the channel width using a simple technique. Initially, the parallel microchannel array with dimensions of 0.5 mm length and width ranging from 1.8 µm to 2 µm are created using plasma etching on the 2x2 cm <100> silicon substrate. The oxidation of silicon channel in a thermal chamber is then conducted to create the SiO₂ layer. The layer properties and the quality of the surface are analyzed using SEM and surface profiler, respectively. The results show that the maximum oxidation growth rate occurs in the first 4 hours of oxidation time and the rate decreases by time as the oxide layer becomes thicker. It is also found that the surface roughness is reduced with the increase of process temperature and oxide thickness. The scallop effect on the vertical wall due to plasma etching process also improved with the presence of the oxide layer. After the oxidation, the channel width is reduced by ~40%. The demonstrated method is suggested for the fabrication of a uniform channel cross section with high aspect ratio in sub-micro and nanometer scale that will be useful for the electroosmotic flow (EOF) manipulation of the biomedical fluid sample.

This study aimed to develop a high-quality dry emulsion incorporating omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acid-rich ostrich oil for use as a dietary supplement. Extracted from abdominal adipose tissues using a low-temperature wet rendering method, the ostrich oil exhibited antioxidant properties, favorable physicochemical properties, microbial counts, heavy metal levels, and fatty acid compositions, positioning it as a suitable candidate for an oil-in-water emulsion and subsequent formulation as a dry emulsion. Lecithin was employed as the emulsifier due to its safety and health benefits. The resulting emulsion, comprising 10% w/w lecithin and 10% w/w ostrich oil, was stable, with a droplet size of 3.93 ± 0.11 μm. This liquid emulsion underwent transformation into a dry emulsion to preserve the physicochemical stability of ostrich oil, utilizing Avicel® PH-101 or Aerosil® 200 through a granulation process. Although Aerosil® 200 exhibited superior adsorption, Avicel® PH-101 granules surpassed it in releasing the ostrich oil emulsion. Consequently, Avicel® PH-101 was selected as the preferred adsorbent for formulating the ostrich oil dry emulsion. The dry emulsion, encapsulated with a disintegration time of 3.11 ± 0.14 min for ease of swallowing, maintained microbial loads and heavy metal contents within acceptable limits. Presented as granules containing butylated hydroxytoluene, the dry emulsion showcased robust temperature stability, suggesting the potential incorporation of animal fat into dry emulsions as a promising dietary supplement.

This study aimed to develop a high-quality dry emulsion incorporating omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acid-rich ostrich oil for use as a dietary supplement. Extracted from abdominal adipose tissues using a low-temperature wet rendering method, the ostrich oil exhibited antioxidant properties, favorable physicochemical properties, microbial counts, heavy metal levels, and fatty acid compositions, positioning it as a suitable candidate for an oil-in-water emulsion and subsequent formulation as a dry emulsion. Lecithin was employed as the emulsifier due to its safety and health benefits. The resulting emulsion, comprising 10% w/w lecithin and 10% w/w ostrich oil, was stable, with a droplet size of 3.93 ± 0.11 μm. This liquid emulsion underwent transformation into a dry emulsion to preserve the physicochemical stability of ostrich oil, utilizing Avicel® PH-101 or Aerosil® 200 through a granulation process. Although Aerosil® 200 exhibited superior adsorption, Avicel® PH-101 granules surpassed it in releasing the ostrich oil emulsion. Consequently, Avicel® PH-101 was selected as the preferred adsorbent for formulating the ostrich oil dry emulsion. The dry emulsion, encapsulated with a disintegration time of 3.11 ± 0.14 min for ease of swallowing, maintained microbial loads and heavy metal contents within acceptable limits. Presented as granules containing butylated hydroxytoluene, the dry emulsion showcased robust temperature stability, suggesting the potential incorporation of animal fat into dry emulsions as a promising dietary supplement.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are being used extensively in modern industries that require high strength-to-weight ratio such as aerospace, automotive, motorsport, and sports equipment. However, although reinforcement with carbon fibers improves the mechanical properties of polymer, this comes on the expense of abrasive wear resistance. Therefore, to efficiently utilize CFRPs in dry sliding contacts, solid lubricant is used as a filler. Further, to facilitate fabrication of objects with complex geometries, selective laser sintering (SLS) can be employed. Accordingly, in the present work, graphite-filled carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide 12 (CFR-PA12) specimens were prepared using SLS process to explore the dry sliding friction and wear characteristics of the composite. The test specimens were aligned along four different orientations in the build chamber of SLS machine to determine the orientation-dependent tribological properties. The experiments were conducted using pin-on-disc tribometer to measure the coefficient of friction (COF), interface temperature, friction-induced noise, and specific wear rate. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of tribo-surfaces was conducted to specify the dominant wear pattern. The results indicated that the steady state COF, contact temperature, and wear pattern of graphite-filled CFR-PA12 are orientation-independent, and that the contact temperature is likely to approach an asymptote far below the glass transition temperature of amorphous PA12 zones, thus eliminating the possibility of matrix softening. Additionally, the results showed that the Z-oriented specimen exhibits the lowest level of friction-induced noise along with the highest wear resistance. Moreover, SEM of tribo-surfaces determined that abrasive wear is the dominant wear pattern.

This study aims to assess the interface shear adhesion behaviour between compacted clay and a metallic surface. A new testing approach was developed in this study for this purpose. The proposed method is simple and requires neither advanced equipment nor special test procedures, and thus represents an improvement on existing practice in this field. The experimental program involves determining the interface shear adhesion strength of reconstituted Kaolin clay/metallic surface where the Kaolin clay testing specimens were compacted dynamically at different energy levels and moisture contents. In general, the results show that the interface shear adhesion strength increases as the dry density of the clay increases, whereas it decreases as the moisture content increases. Furthermore, the results in this study reveal a unique multistage interfacial shear adhesion strength behaviour as the moisture content changes that could be related to the compaction curve of the clay. The observed behaviour, in this study, could be interpreted in terms of the effect of clay dry density and moisture content on the contact area and moisture-induced capillary adhesion at clay particles-continuum interface surface.

: The objective of this study was to obtain different dry matter contents and proportions of mel-on plant biomass for silage making. A completely randomized design was adopted with a facto-rial scheme (3 x 2) in four replications. The first factor corresponded to three mixtures of melon biomass on as fed basis (AF) of plant (branch + leaf) and fruit (harvested melon) as follows: 100% plant, 90% plant + 10% fruit, and 100% fruit. The other factor corresponded to the ensiled materi-al with fresh and dehydrated melon plant biomass (40% DM) which was dried in the field, after harvest. Silages with partial dehydration of the biomass available after fruit harvest with 0% and 10% fruit showed the greatest DM values: 297 and 293 g/kg DM, respectively. Silages with 0, 100 and 10% fruit showed medium LAB populations: 5.79, 5.14 and 4.58 logs CFU/g, respectively. Higher concentrations of acetic acid contents were observed in silages with 0 and 10% fresh fruit, which were 14.9 and 14.1 g/kg DM, respectively. Silages with 0% and 100% of dehydrated fruit showed better results for the indicators of good-quality silage. Dehydration improves the fer-mentative profile and quality of the melon silage.

Ultra-short 230 fs laser pulses of 515 nm wavelength were tightly focused into 700 nm focal spots and utilised in opening ~ 0.4 − 1 μm holes in alumina Al2O3 etch masks with 20-50 nm thickness. Such dielectric masks simplify fabrication of photonic crystal (PhC) light trapping patterns for the above-Lambertian performance of high efficiency solar cells. Conditions of laser ablation of transparent etch masks and effects sub-surface Si modifications were revealed by plasma etch- ing, numerical modeling, and minority carrier lifetime measurements. Mask-less patterning of Si is proposed using fs-laser direct writing for dry plasma etch of Si.

The alteration of the delicate balance that regulates the secretion and distribution of the tear film determines the dry eye (DE) syndrome, because the tear film represents the interface between the eye and the environment. Despite having a multifactorial origin, the main risk factors for the emergence of the ocular disease are female gender and advanced age. Likewise, morphological changes in several glands and in chemical composition of their secretions such as proteins, mucins, lipidics, aqueous tears, and salinity, are highly relevant factors to maintain a condition of good health of the ocular anterior segment. Another key factor of recurrence and onset of the disease is the presence of local and/or systemic infiammation that reflex on the ocular surface. However, it is one of the most commonly encountered disease in clinical practice and many other causes related to daily life and to lengthen the average life will contribute to the beginning. This review will consider how and what disorders of the ocular surface are responsible for a widespread pathology so. In the end, the most appropriate and new therapies will be briefly exposed according to the specific pathology.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of olive cake on the diet of autochthonous Bísaro pigs in processed products. To this purpose, loins and “cachaços” were used and subjected to a manufacturing flowchart to obtain a dry-cured product. Both products were subjected to the same formulation, ingredients, and curing steps. Regarding the physicochemical composition, there were significant differences between the two products for the parameters of aw (p&lt;0.001), moisture (p&lt;0.001), total fat (p&lt;0.001), protein (p&lt;0.001), and haem pigments (p&lt;0.001). As for the diet, it only significantly influences the NaCl content (p&lt;0.05). Neither the product nor the diet had any influence (p&gt;0.05) on the fraction of saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). However, there is a significant difference when it comes to omega 3 (p&lt;0.05). These fatty acids increased with the addition of olive cake, and the diet with olive cake centrifuged by 25% had the highest value for both products. The increase in this omega 3 resulted in a decrease in the PUFA n-6/n-3 ratio (p&lt;0.01) in the diets with olive cake, compared to the control diets.

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.

Knowing, with reasonable accuracy, the dry matter (DM) content of Hass avocado fruit will help determine when the fruit must be harvested. The reliability of predictive models based on near infrared spectra for DM quantification depends on the ability of the spectra to be representative of the DM gradient within a whole fruit. The aim of this work was to develop a methodology to determine the optimum number of spectra to develop a robust model for DM content quantification. Three spectra were recorded for each zone of the intact fruit: peduncle, equator, and base. Each scanning point was sampled, and the DM content was determined using oven drying. Two-way ANOVA confirmed the DM gradient within the whole fruit. This gradient was observed within spectra using the RMS (root mean square) criterion and PCA. The PLS models showed that at least one spectrum per zone could be enough to construct an efficient and robust model for dry matter quantification.

Snowpack loss in midlatitude mountains is ubiquitously projected by Earth system models, though the magnitudes, persistence and time horizons of decline vary. Using daily downscaled hydroclimate and snow projections we examine changes in snow seasonality across the U.S. Pacific Southwest region during a simulated severe 20-year dry spell in the 21st century (2051–2070) developed as part of the 4th California Climate Change Assessment to provide a "stress test" for water resources. Across California’s mountains, substantial declines (30–100% loss) in median peak annual snow water equivalent accompany changes in snow seasonality throughout the region compared to the historic period. We find 80% of historic seasonal snowpacks transition to ephemeral conditions. Subsetting empirical-statistical wildfire projections for California by snow seasonality transition regions indicates a two-to-four-fold increase in burned area, consistent with recent observations of high elevation wildfires following extended drought conditions. By analyzing six of the major California snow-fed river systems we demonstrate snowpack reductions and seasonality transitions result in concomitant declines in annual runoff (47-58% of historic values). The negative impacts to statewide water supply reliability by the projected dry spell will likely be magnified by changes in snowpack seasonality and increased wildfire activity.

The present study illustrates a brain-computer interface designed and developed to be wearable, portable, and user-friendly. Eight dry electroencephalographic sensors were adopted to acquire the brain activity associated with motor imagery. Multimodal feedback in extended reality was exploited to improve the detection of neurological phenomena. Twenty-seven healthy subjects used the proposed system in five sessions to investigate the effects of feedback on motor imagery. The sample was divided into two equal-sized groups: the "neurofeedback" group, which performed motor imagery while receiving feedback, and the "control" group, which performed motor imagery with no feedback. Several questionnaires were administrated to participants aiming to investigate the usability of the proposed system and individual’s ability to imagine movements. The highest mean classification accuracy across subjects of control group was about 62 % with 3 % associated type A uncertainty, and 69 % with 3 % uncertainty for neurofeedback group. Moreover, in some cases the results were significantly higher for the neurofeedback group. The perceived usability by all participants was high. Overall, the study highlights the advantages and the pitfalls of using a wearable brain-computer interface with dry sensors. Notably, the results and the perceived usability pave the way for the employment of the proposed system in tele-rehabilitation.

Transition between the unfolded and native states of the ordered globular proteins is accompanied by accumulation of several intermediates, such as pre-molten globule, wet molten globule, and dry molten globule. Structurally equivalent conformations can serve as native functional states of intrinsically disordered proteins. This overview captures the characteristics and importance of these molten globules in both structured and intrinsically disordered proteins. It also discusses examples of engineered molten globules. The formation of these intermediates under the conditions of macromolecular crowding and their interactions with nanomaterials are also reviewed.

Dry eye disease (DED) most commonly caused by evaporative subtypes and mainly induced by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Intense pulsed light (IPL) combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) is noninvasive treatment for improvement of ocular discomfort symptoms and MGD. In this prospective study between November 2020 and May 2022, the patients met the criteria of both ocular surface disease index (OSDI) ≥13 scores and standardized patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED)≥ 8 scores were enrolled in Kaohsiung Veteran General Hospital. Three separate treatment sessions of IPL therapy combined with MGX administered to the lower lids with an interval of 28 days. Further tear film assessment included lipid layer thickness (LLT), tear meniscus height (TMH), non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), meibomian gland loss (MGL) either beforeor after 1st and 3rd IPL therapy combined with MGX. Besides, lissamine green staining and pain scores were also recorded. We totally enrolled 37 patients of 74 eyes. Men accounted for 18.92% (7/37). The mean age was 54.51 ± 11.72 years. The mean OSDI scores were 58.12 ± 22, while the SPEED scores were 17.03 ± 5.98. The mean Schirmer’s test was 3.66 ± 2.43 mm. After three sessions IPL treatment with MGX, the OSDI, SPEED, LLT, TMH, MGL, MGXS and pain scores were significantly improved. For the MGX scores (MGXS) ≤20 group, MGL and lissamine green scores showed significant improvements. For the MGXS >20 group, TMH and dry spot rate revealed statistically improvement. Noninvasive IPL therapy with MGX statistically improved not only dry eye symptoms but also tear film assessments.

Sinkhole flooding is an essential hydrological process to recharge karst aquifer in arid to dry sub-humid regions. On the other hand, the increase of rain extremes is one of the major consequences of the global warming, together with the expansion of drylands. Thus, appropriate runoff regulation in endorheic karst basins in order to reduce the risk of flooding and improve the quantity and quality of the water drained by sinkholes will be more and more crucial. With these premises, a systematic review was performed by using WoS engine to infer the best practices for the karst water management in regions actually or potentially affected by water scarcity. Hydrological models are essential to manage the consequences of climate change on karst water resource, however the review shows that providing the tools necessary for reliable modeling is still challenging. Finally, due to the intrinsic vulnerability of the karst aquifers, pollution reduction and wastewater recycling policy will play key role in the next decades.

The WASP-Index is computed over Iberia for three monthly timescales in 1961-2020, based on an observational gridded precipitation dataset (E-OBS), and in 2021-2070, based on bias-corrected precipitation generated by a six-member climate model ensemble from EURO-CORDEX, under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The WASP performance in identifying extremely dry or wet events, reported by the EM-DAT disaster database, is assessed for 1961–2020. An overall good agreement between the WASP spatial patterns and the EM-DAT records is found. The areolar mean values revealed an upward trend in the frequency of occurrence of intermediate-to-severe dry events over Iberia, which will be strengthened in the future, particularly for the 12m-WASP intermediate dry events under RCP8.5. Besides, the number of 3m-WASP intermediate-to-severe wet events is projected to increase, mostly the severest events under RCP4.5, but no evidence was found for an increase in the number of more persistent (12m-WASP) wet events under both RCPs. Despite important spatial heterogeneities, an increase(decrease) of the intensity, duration, and frequency of occurrence of the 12m-WASP intermediate-to-severe dry(wet) events is found under both scenarios, mainly in the southernmost regions of Iberia, thus becoming more exposed to prolonged and severe droughts in the future, corroborating the results from previous studies.

Protein malnutrition is present in developing countries but also in developed ones, due by the actual eating habits with insufficient protein intake, in addition to this it is estimated by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations an increase of world population of 9.1 billion people in less those 30 years, posing the challenge of nourish the mankind. There are different strategies to afford this challenge, one of the most promising ones is to approach novel protein sources like plants, microorganisms, and insects from dry lands.

An energy production system consisting solar collector, biogas dry reforming reactor and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was assumed to be installed in Kolkata, India. This study aims to understand the impact of climate condition on the performance of solar collectors with different lengths of parabolic trough solar collector (dx) and mass flow rate of heat transfer fluid (m). In addition, this study has evaluated the amount of H2 produced by biogas dry reforming (GH2), the amount of power generated by SOFC (PSOFC) and the maximum possible households (N) whose electricity demand could be met by the energy system proposed, considering the performance of solar collector with the different dx and m. As a result, the optimum dx was found to be 4 m. This study revealed that temperature of heat transfer fluid (Tfb) decreased with the increase in m. Tfb in March, April and May was higher than that in other months, while Tfb from June to December was the lowest. GH2, PSOFC and N in March, April and May were higher than that in other months irrespective of m. The optimum m was 0.030 kg/s.

Within the European Union (EU), new plant varieties, to be included at the Common catalog of a member state, has to be registered at the national list, after plant variety testing processes to establish whether the candidate variety is distinguishable, uniform and stable (DUS) and meets the requirement of the cultivation or use value requirement (VCU). Technical development, climate change and changing consumer needs, including the detection of GMOs, necessitate the innovation of plant variety testing methods. Within the EU-funded "InnoVar" project, it has been sent out questionnaires to several countries, which were aimed at analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the current methods and with their help it is possible to have look for a new direction, opportunity and strategy, which can incorporate together with the innovation results into the development of the new methods. Our study confirmed that the SWOT analysis could be used to achieve the set goals; according to the answers to the questionnaires, it became necessary to introduce new characters (e.g. cold tolerance) and new test methods (molecular markers, precision techniques, organic farming) into the variety testing procedures. The development of high-yielding, disease and/or pest-resistant plant varieties with good adaptability and the accurate evaluation of genotypes play a crucial role in ensuring that farmers can access high-performing plant varieties and contribute to sustainable food production.

The application of dry lubrication in rolling contacts is challenging due to wear. In previous studies graphene platelets applied as dry lubricants on the surfaces of angular contact ball bearings demonstrated superior properties. These specific bearings, experiencing both rolling and spinning motion, create more severe conditions for dry lubricants. The applied graphene platelets have a thickness of few graphene layers in the nm range and a diameter in the µm range. Such platelets can be produced by mechanical exfoliation from graphite. To delve deeper into the lubrication effects, investigations were carried out using a milli tribometer. In the tests, a fixed steel ball is sliding against an oscillating counterpart under defined load. During the measurements, the applied load and tangential forces on the ball are recorded to calculate the friction. In our case, a steel ball with a diameter of 6 mm was used against graphene-based films on flat bearing surfaces (axial bearing washer). Comparative investigations included nano graphite particles and fullerene as dry lubricants, in addition to graphene platelets of various staple thicknesses. To increase the adhesion of the films to the surfaces, a pre-rolling process was implemented. Afterwards, the friction on the compressed films was measured. The results indicate that the pre-rolling process effectively reduces the friction of the system. After testing, the surfaces underwent analysis using laser scanning microscopy to assess the formed films, wear, and material transfer. It has been demonstrated that the pre-rolling process leads to the formation of a very thin compacted film with surface protective properties. On the ball as counterpart, the graphene platelets generate a transfer film on the contacting surface.

The heat generated during the startup process of dry gas seals, such as the friction heat of the asperities, viscous shear heat, and the expansion heat of the gas film, easily leads to seal failure and endangers the stable operation of turbomachinery. This study combines the statistically modified contact model and the average Reynolds equation by considering the adiabatic index and the microscale effects of dry gas seals to explore the heat generation characteristics of dry gas seals formed in series at multiple times. In particular, the change laws and influencing factors among the components, including the friction heat of asperities and the shear heat and expansion heat of the gas film and total heat, are investigated. A comparative analysis indicates that the slip flow effect increases the total heat during the startup process. The friction heat is much greater than expansion heat and shear heat. Despite constant acceleration, exponential acceleration, or Harrision acceleration, the heat changes are uneven during the startup process. In particular, the heat changes sharply in the early stage and gently in the later stage. The Harrision acceleration mode is the most conducive to sealing stability.

Fusarium dry rot is one of the major postharvest potato diseases of during storage after harvest, which not only results in quality degradation but also brings up huge economic losses. The dis-ease can be elicited by some species of Fusarium, the pathogenic fungi of Fusarium causing potato dry rot are considerably diverse in various countries and regions. Fusarium spp. infection is as-sociated with dry rot produce mycotoxins, which has phytotoxicity and mycotoxicoses on hu-mans and animals. Chemical synthetic fungicide is considered as the main control measure to Fusarium dry rot of potato, nevertheless, it is unfortunate that the persistent application inevitably results in the emergency of resistant strain and environmental contamination. A comprehensive disease control strategy includes potato cultivar selection, appropriate cultural practices (crop rotation, cultivate pattern, fertilization, and irrigation), harvesting process and postharvest treatment (harvesting, classification, packaging, wound healing), storage condition (environ-mental disinfection, temperature, humidity and gas composition) along with the application of fungicide pre-harvest or postharvest. Recently, emerging studies indicated that eco-friendly strategies include physical control, chemical methods (such as the application of generally rec-ognized as safe (GRAS) compounds or chemical (elicitors) and biological control have been in-troduced to combat Fusarium dry rot of potato.

The consequences of heat stress during the dry period can extend into the postpartum period, affecting health and productivity in the subsequent lactation. We hypothesized that cows with distinct core body temperatures (CBT) would exhibit disparate behaviors associated with different degrees of heat generation or dissipation. The primary objective was to investigate behavioral differences of dry Holstein cows (n=50) classified as high-temperature (HT) or low-temperature (LT) based on median CBT during the summer months using visual observations and accelerometer technology. A secondary objective was to investigate the transcriptome of white blood cells (WBC) collected from a subgroup of HT and LT cows (n=5; per group). Minor behavior differences were observed during the visual observations (performed for a total of 16h/cow). Based on the accelerometer data, HT cows displayed higher periods of high activity and lower periods of inactivity prepartum and diminished rumination time postpartum than LT cows. There were 16 differently expressed genes (DEG) in WBC of HT than LT cows. Despite the low number, several of the identified DEGs have been previously associated with heat stress. Results indicate that CBT and patterns of activity prepartum may serve as valuable predictors for identifying dairy cows with distinct tolerance to heat stress.

Biowaste management is in the center of attention in recent years, due to the increased focus on Circular Economy practices. Recent management solutions promote exploration for small and medium scale processing and monitoring practices. In this context, two pathways of biowaste valorization are analyzed: composting and anaerobic digestion. This study focuses on energy production with the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of anaerobic residues from biogas production. Lesvos has numerous processing facilities and olive mills, and therefore Olive Mill Wastewater (OMWW) are the main biowaste streams in the island, along with olive tree pruning, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and sludge from wastewater treatment facilities. Most studies present applications on specific types of biowaste, while this study aims to co-treat several biowaste streams. A holistic experimental set-up that combines aerobic and anaerobic treatment strategies was developed taking into consideration the hydrothermal treatment of AD digestate along with locally available biowaste, like OMWW, sludge etc. A main target objective is to investigate if solid fraction could have a high heating potential In addition, HTC was able significantly to reduce the COD of OMWW while resulting in hydrochars with increased heating values.

Ventricina del Vastese is a traditional dry fermented sausage from Central Italy not yet charac-terized for occurrence, identity and safety of coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), a bacterial group technologically important for this kind of products. Therefore, in this study, 98 CNS isolates from four manufacturers were differentiated by Repetitive element palindromic PCR (Rep-PCR) and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These were examined for genes encoding biogenic amine (BA) production, resistance to aminoglycosides, β-lactams and tetracyclines and staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). Staphylococcus succinus (55%) predominated, followed by S. xylosus (30%), S. epidermidis (7.4%), S. equorum (3.1%), S. saprophyticus (3.1%) and S. warneri (1%). One S. succinus subsp. casei isolate was slightly β-hemolytic. SEs and the histidine decarboxylase gene hdcA were not detected, while the tyrosine decarboxylase gene tdcA was detected in four S. xylosus isolates. A blaZ beta-lactamase gene and tetracycline resistance genes tetK (six isolates) and tetA (one isolate also bearing tetK) were found, respectively. However, fewer hazardous and AR traits compared to CNS examined in other studies were found, as a probable consequence of using meat from animals reared in conditions that allow to minimize pathogen circulation and antibiotic use. Therefore, appropriate production conditions can reduce these threats.

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) plays an irreplaceable role in regional dry/wet conditions under the background of climate change. Based on the FAO Penman-Monteith method and daily climate variables, ET0 was calculated for 22 stations in and around Songnen Grassland, northeast China, during 1960-2014. The temporal and spatial variations of ET0 and precipitation (P) were comprehensively analyzed at different time scales by using the Mann-Kendall test, Sen’s slope estimator, and linear regression coupling with break trend analysis. Sensitivity analysis was used to detect the key climate parameter attributed to ET0 change. Then, the role of ET0 in regional dry/wet conditions was discussed by analyzing the relationship between ET0, P and aridity index (AI). Results shown a higher ET0 in the southwest and a lower in the northeast, but P was opposite to that of ET0. Evidently decreasing trend of ET0 at different time scales was detected in almost the entire region, and the significant trend mainly distributed in the eastern, northeastern and central. For the whole region, sensitivity analysis indicated decreasing trend of ET0 was primarily attributed to relative humidity and maximum air temperature. The positive contribution of increasing temperature rising to ET0 was offset by the effect of significantly decreasing relative humidity, wind speed and sunshine duration. In addition, the value of ET0 shown higher in drought years and lower in wet years.

This article presents a study conducted within a wind tunnel to enhance understanding of the excitation mechanism of stay cable vibration under arid conditions. Numerous wind tunnel tests were meticulously analyzed. Initially, the vibration of the stay cable was measured under steady flow conditions at a flow angle of 45 degrees and an inclination of 25 degrees, while varying wind velocities were applied. Additionally, an investigation into the flow field surrounding the stay cable was conducted in both vertical and horizontal directions. By utilizing two hot wire anemometers in the cable wake, an extensive database of flow field measurements was obtained. The experimental results revealed that the vibration characteristics of the stay cable under the arid conditions considered in this study aligned with findings reported in existing literature. Notably, a deeper comprehension of the excitation mechanism of a stay cable in a dry state was attained. This mechanism is closely associated with the inhibition of Karman vortices and the development of low-frequency vortices. At low wind speeds, Karman vortices predominated, resulting in small-amplitude vibrations. However, as the wind speed increased, the influence of Karman vortices diminished progressively, while the low-frequency vortices grew stronger. These low-frequency vortices exhibited high energy and a significant correlation with shedding along the stay cable, thereby inducing cable vibration in a dry environment.

Light alloys machining is a widely implemented process that have usually used in presence of cutting fluids to reduce the wear impact and increase tool life. However, current environmental protection policies require their elimination in order to improve process sustainability. This fact forces to work under aggressive cutting conditions, producing adhesion wear that affects the integrity of the part surface. This study describes cutting tool wear mechanisms in machining of UNS A92024 samples under dry cutting conditions. EDS analysis showed the different composition of the adhered layers, while roughness was also positively affected by the change of the cutting geometry produced in the tool.

This study aimed to investigate the airborne release of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) as a result of the dry heat cooking of some meats using charcoal grilling and pan broiling methods. Three types of meat, beef sirloin, pork belly, and duck, were chosen and cooked in a temporary building using the above methods. Air samples were collected in Thermosorb-N cartridges, which were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed for NDMA using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography–fluorescence detection, respectively. Overall, the charcoal grilling method showed higher average NDMA concentrations than the pan broiling method for all types of meat. The highest average concentration was observed for charcoal-grilled beef sirloin (410 ng/m3) followed by pork belly, suggesting that meat protein content and cooking duration are important determinants of NDMA formation. Cancer risk assessment showed that the charcoal grilling of such meats can pose an additional cancer risk for restaurant customers.

This study analyzes the potential response of the seasonal cycle of heatwave (HWDI), dry (CDD) and wet (CWD) spells indices over West Africa for the near (2031-2060) and the far (2071-2100) future periods, under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios using CORDEX simulations. Although some relative biases during the historical period (1976-2005), the CORDEX simulations and their ensemble mean outperform the seasonal variability of the above indices over three defined sub-regions of West Africa (i.e., Guinea gulf, west and east Sahel). They have shown significant correlation coefficients and less RMSE. They project an increase in heatwave days for both near and far future periods over whole west Africa region under both RCP scenarios. In addition, the Sahel regions will face to a decrease in wet spells days from March to November, whereas, the Gulf of Guinea will face to a decrease during all the year, except CCCLM simulation which indicates an increase during the retreat phase of the monsoon (October to December). The results also have shown an increase in dry spells over Sahel regions, more pronounced during March-November period, whereas, over Guinea gulf, the increase is observed over the entire year. On the other hand, the months of increasing dry spells and decreasing wet spells coincide, suggesting that countries in these regions could be exposed simultaneously to dry season associated with a high risk of drought and heatwave under future climate conditions.

In many tropical regions, national forests plantations programs have been promoted. Those plantations contribute frequently to habitat changes. However, it is unclear associated effects on habitat fragmentation and landscape connectivity. From 2008 to 2018, we examined plantation and deforestation data base of Manabí province (Ecuador) for assessing fragmentation and connectivity. At regional scale, forest plantations had a significant effect on land uses changes and fragmentation during the study period. Forests decreased from 33.7% to 32.45% between 2008 and 2018 in the study area, although other natural land uses, mostly shrubs, increased almost double (from 2.4% to 4.68%). Most of the deforestation affected native forests during this period, and most of reforested and afforested areas in 2018 covered former agricultural land. In this period, fragmentation data shows a decrease in the number of patches and an increase in patch average size. When considering reforestation, deforestation was higher than the afforested area (58 km2 of difference) increasing the number of patches but with smaller size. The scenarios that presented better connectivity were those where forest areas increased: avoiding deforestation and considering reforestation. Those scenarios had in general a higher number of links and distance. Regionally, the avoiding deforestation scenario increased connectivity for Puma yagouaroundi in the west part of the Manabí province. On the other hand, for the reforested scenario, the number of links also increased on central and extreme northeast areas. Our findings suggest that plantations may contribute to conservation thanks to an increase in forest plantations connectivity between fragmented patches.

Dry intrusion is an important mid-latitude atmosphere phenomenon within the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. It is always found to be related to the cyclogenesis, rainstorm, as well as convection generation and precipitation enhancement. Since the atmosphere environment for any of these above-mentioned weather is terribly complicated, those preexisting popular schemes which takes no account of water vapor may not suitable for detecting the dry intrusion related to these weathers. With regard to the merits and demerits of the current preexisting schemes, a new scheme based on Fengyun-2E geo-stationary satellite data is presented in this study to detect the atmospheric dry intrusion. The scheme is set up based on the statistical relationship between water vapor at high level troposphere, the general moist potential vorticity, ozone concentration and upper-level jet. After using the total amount of ozone and ozone profile operational products retrieved by Fengyun-3 Polar Orbiting Meteorological Satellites and the potential vorticity calculated by ECMWF Interim data for validation, this scheme is applied to analyze two typical middle-latitude weather processes. One is the famous Beijing extreme rainfall of 21 July 2012 and the other is a hailstorm occurred on the eastern China during March 19, 2014. A good application effect in both cases suggests that our new method of detecting dry intrusion is feasible and can be helpful in middle-latitude disastrous weather monitoring and forecasting.

There is sufficient knowledge of the beneficial effect of warm-dry storage on breaking the morpho-logical dormancy of the chincuya (Annona purpurea Moc. & Sessé ex Dunal) seed embryo. Chincuya is an underutilized, tropical wild species native to Mexico, with potential as a biopesticide. The impact of warm-dry storage and gibberellic acid treatment on seed viability and germination was determined to improve that knowledge further. Also, the content and kinetics of fatty acids in chincuya seeds were profiled during warm-dry storage. Seed treatments included storage time (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months), seed imbibition for 72 h in gibberellic acid at 350 mg L-1, and distilled water im-bibition for 72 h for the control treatment. Seed viability was determined using the TTZ classic test. Imbibed seeds were germinated on paper towels and incubated at 30 °C during the day and 25 °C at night in a 12:12 h dark:light photoperiod. The lipid profile was obtained by gas chromatography. During the storage treatment, seeds stayed in darkness at 25 ± 3 °C. Results showed that high viability remained up to month 9 in storage when it significantly decreased. Freshly harvested seeds germi-nated at a statistically significantly lower rate (26.1 %) than six-month-old seeds (65.6 %). The profile of fatty acids breaks down as palmitic acid (33.41 %), stearic acid (7.72 %), and arachidic acid (1.30 %), for a total of 42.44 % of saturated fatty acids. The detected unsaturated fatty acids (52.15 %) were palmitoleic acid (1.52 %), oleic acid (43.37 %), and linoleic acid (7.24 %). No significant changes were detected in fatty acid content; however, the highest fatty acid content (92.84 %) occurred with the highest germination rate. Regression analysis showed significant content changes: palmitoleic and palmitic acid increased while oleic acid decreased during dry storage. Arachidic acid showed a slight downward trend. Also, fatty acid content significantly differed between intact seeds (unstored and unincubated) and latent seeds (unstored, incubated, and ungerminated). The total fatty acids content for latent seeds was significantly lower. These results show that Annona purpurea seeds present morphophysiological dormancy. Also, we document the highest germination rate reported (65.6 %) and report the presence of arachidic and palmitoleic acids in chincuya seeds.

The structure and diversity of tropical vegetation are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors, which function as environmental filters affecting plant performance in different spatial and temporal scales. We compared soil traits, vegetation structure and leaf traits (i.e., specific leaf area, polyphenols and chlorophyll content a/b and total) in early, intermediate and late successional stages of a tropical dry forests in southeastern Brazil. For this purpose, we measured leaf traits of the most abundant species in the same 18 plots (50 x 20m/ six per successional stage) in 2009 and 2018. We tested whether tree species growing in early forests have a greater investment in conservative traits related to chemical defenses and tolerance to desiccation compared to late-stage tree species. We observed contrasting results when comparing the chronosequence differences in leaf traits both in 2009 and 2018 and the temporal changes along this period. Specific leaf area was lower than expected for all successional stages while polyphenol content increased along time, contrary to other studies in tropical dry forests. These results suggest that contrasting environmental conditions such as soil water holding capacity and light availability are responsible of the observed pattern. Total chlorophyll content increase lightly, while the a/b chlorophyll ratio doubled in all successional stages, contrary to our hypothesis. Therefore, we suggest that the conservative-acquisitive spectrum in successional gradients of TDFs should be further investigated for a better understanding of plant community assemblages.

Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea DC.) is a widely spread plant in Europe and North America. In ethnomedicine, it is well known for its anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic activity. The aim of the research was to develop novel methods of M. discoidea herb complex processing for creating the essential oil and the dry extracts and to investigate their phytochemical composition. Moreo-ver, the molecular docking of main substances and in vivo their soporific and analgesic activity were studied. The essential oil and two dry extracts from M. discoidea were prepared. Total 16 phenolic compounds (7 flavonoids, 7 hydroxycinnamic, 2 phenolic acids) in the dry extracts were identified by means of UPLC-MS/MS. In the essential oil 9 main terpenoids were identified by gas chromatography (GC). We showed that the phenolics extraction from the present herb was successful by using 70% ethanol in a triple extraction and in the range of 1:14-1:16. The in-vivo studies with rodents showed analgesic activity of M. discoidea extracts and the improvements in the sleep of animals. The dry extracts of M. discoidea herb did not show any toxicity. The molecular docking showed the high probability of COX-1,2 inhibition and NMDA receptor antagonism induced by the extracts.

Many techniques have been and are being made to find alternatives to water-saving practices. Among them, Partial root drying (PRD), one of the effective approaches, plays a major role in reducing the harmful effects of water deficit stress. An experiment was carried out using irrigation strategies [I1 (100% full irrigation “FI”), I2 (75%FI), I3 (50%FI), and I4 (PRD (50%FI)] and soil organic mulch [L0 (Zero layer organic soil mulch” control”), L1 (Single layer organic soil mulch), L2 (Two layers of organic soil mulch), and L3 (Three layers of organic soil mulch)] to inspect the impact of those treatments for increasing yield, water productivity and saving energy under arid region conditions. To meet the study's objective, two field experiments were carried out at a private farm. Our results demonstrated a general decrease in water stress and salt accumulation inside root-zone area with PRD with L3. The PRD strategy increased fruit yields by 3.7 and 7.3% and water productivity by 51.9 and 53.1% compared with I1 during 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, respectively, while reducing the applied irrigation water by 50 %. The PRD strategy showed superior results in increasing mango yield and water productivity. In general, PRD can be used as good technique to save water and energy up to 50% and enhance productivity along with using organic mulching, ultimately improving mango yield under arid climatic regions. It may prove a good adaptation strategy for current and future water shortage scenarios of climate change.

Natural gas is an important energy source among various fossil fuels. However, natural gas typically contains a significant amount of water vapor, which can pose challenges in its usage. Therefore, the process of removing water vapor from natural gas, known as gas dehydration, is crucial in the gas industry. The presence of water vapor in the gas supply can lead to the formation of hydrates, which can cause issues such as blockages in pipelines. To tackle this problem effectively, gas dehydration makes use of Tri ethylene glycol (TEG) as a drying agent. TEG works by selectively absorbing water vapor from the natural gas flow, thereby significantly reducing its moisture content.In the gas dehydration process, wet gas is treated by using lean glycol in an absorber, where the water vapor is removed. The resulting rich glycol is then recovered and recycled for further use. In this study, we explore the possibility of replacing nitrogen with dry natural gas in the re-generator of the glycol dehydration system. The aim is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of this alternative approach. To assess the performance of both techniques, we employed HYSYS modeling and simulation. Through this analysis, we compared the capital and utility expenses associated with each method while ensuring that the glycol purity requirements remained unchanged. By examining the results obtained from the simulations, we can gain insights into the economic viability and efficiency of utilizing dry natural gas in the re-generator stage of the glycol dehydration process.In addition to the primary purpose of removing water vapor, the wet gas obtained from the stripping mechanisms in the glycol dehydration process can serve additional functions. It can be utilized to power steam pumps and compressors, thereby maximizing energy efficiency within the system. Alternatively, the wet gas can be recycled back into the process for further treatment. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the entire mechanism, we constructed a model based on the actual flow diagram. This model takes into account the various components and processes involved in the glycol dehydration system, including the stripping mechanisms and their connection to other equipment. By analyzing the data and outcomes generated by this model, we can derive valuable insights. These findings can be utilized to optimize the heat and material balance within the plant, ensuring efficient operation and potentially leading to the design of an improved system in terms of energy consumption and overall performance

Among other fossil fuels, natural gas is a major energy source. It is generally created saturated with water vapor. Dehydration of natural gas is vital in the gas business to remove water vapor from the gas supply, which may cause hydrate development in pipes. Gas dehydration employs Tri ethylene glycol (TEG) to remove water vapor from natural gas flow. The wet gas is dehydrated with lean glycol in an absorber, and the rich glycol is recovered and reused. This work investigates the use of dry natural gas instead of nitrogen in the glycol dehydration re-generator, and compares the results using HYSYS modeling and simulation. The two techniques were compared for capital and utility expenses, while maintaining the identical glycol purity criteria. The wet gas from the stripping mechanisms may also be utilized to run steam pumps and compressors or recycled. The model is based on the real mechanism flow diagram. Finally, the findings of this model might be used to design a new heat and material balance for the plant.

German chamomile galenic preparations are used to treat mild skin diseases, inflammation and spasms, and they have also reported to have anxiolytic and sedative effects. The medicinal use of chamomile is well-known in ethnomedicine. Since chamomile has shown to have some adverse effects, there is a need to develop new formulations, such as dry extracts, for the present herb. The aims of this study were (1) to develop a novel method for preparing essential oils and dry extracts from German chamomile flowers, (2) to reveal the phytochemical composition of such extracts, and (3) to verify the analgesic and soporific activity of extracts in vivo with a rodent animal model. Furthermore, our study aims to gain knowledge of the ethnomedical status of chamomile in the past and presence. Essential oils and dry extracts were successfully prepared from the tincture and aqueous extracts obtained after hydrodistillation and from a tincture powder. Total 22 phenolic compounds (7 hydroxycinnamic acids, 13 flavonoids and 2 phenolic acids), were found in the dry extracts by using UPLC-MS/MS. Total 9 main terpenoids were identified in the chamomile oil, and these terpenoids represent the chemotype rich in bisabolol oxides A and B. In the highest yield, the ratio of phenolic compounds and extract was in the range of 1:14-1:16 and triple extraction was performed. In in-vivo studies with mice and rats, the extracts showed analgesic activity and improvements in sleep. The highest sedative effect in rodents was found with the extract prepared by using a 70% aqueous ethanol solution for extraction. The administration of such extract at the dose of 50 mg/kg significantly prolonged the sleeping time in rats.

Fire is a common natural disturbance in forest ecosystems and plays an important role in subsequent vegetation patterns. Based on the spatial sequence method instead of the time successional sequence method, this study selected burned areas in different locations in the Anning River Basin, which contains typical dry valleys. Quadrat surveys and quantitative classification were used to identify the vegetation classification, distribution pattern, and environmental interpretation during the natural restoration process after forest fire. The results showed that: (1) the vegetation community in the early stage of natural recovery after forest fire disturbance could be divided into seven community types, and Quercus guyavaefolia H. Leveille (Qg) was the dominant species in the community; (2) vegetation samples could be divided into five ecological types, and the classification and distribution pattern of community types in this region changed most obviously with altitude; and (3) detrended correspondence analysis could clearly classify vegetation community types, and detrended canonical correspondence analysis could well reveal the relationships between species and environmental factors. This study provides a scientific basis guiding the restoration of ecosystem structural stability and biodiversity in burned areas.

Once on Mars, maintenance and repair will be crucial for humans as supply chains including Earth andMars will be very complex. Consequently, the raw material available on mars must be processed and used. Factors such as the energy available for material production play just as important a role as the quality of the material that can be produced and the quality of its surface. With the aim of developing and technically implementing a process chain that meets the challenge of producing spare parts from oxygen-reduced Mars regolith, this paper addresses the issue of low-energy handling. Expected statistically distributed high roughnesses of sintered regolith analogs are approximated in this work by parameter variation in the PBF-LB/M process. For low-energy handling, a dry-adhesive microstructure is used. Investigations are carried out to determine the extent to which the rough surface resulting from the manufacturing process can be smoothed by deep rolling in such a way that the microstructure adheres and enables samples to be transported. For the investigated AlSi10Mg samples (12 mm x 12 mm x 10 mm), the surface roughness varies in a wide range from Sa 7.7 µm to Sa 64 µm after the additive manufacturing process, pull-off stresses of up to 6.99 N/cm² could be realized after deep rolling. This represents an increase in pull-off stresses by a factor of 392.94 compared to the pull-off stresses before deep rolling, enabling handling of even larger specimens. It is noteworthy that specimens with roughness values that were previously difficult to handle can be treated post-deep rolling, indicating a potential influence of additional variables that describe roughness or ripples and are associated with the adhesion effect of the microstructure of the dry adhesive.

Often yam varieties grown in different agro-ecologies show differential responses across production environments, a term known as genotype-by-environment interaction. Genotype-by-environment interaction makes selecting the best genotypes under varied production environments more complex. This study tested twenty yam genotypes evaluated in six test environments to assess genotype, environment, and the interaction between genotypes and environmental effect for tuber yield, yam mosaic virus, and dry matter content. The experiments were conducted in two seasons across three locations in Uganda using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed a significant effect (p ≤ 0.001) for genotype (G), environment (E), and genotype by environment interaction for all the traits. Serere 2021 and Namulonge 2021 were identified as the most discriminating and representative environments for testing the yam mosaic virus, respectively. Serere 2021 was recognized as the most discriminating environment, whereas Arua 2021 was identified as the closest to an ideal environment for assessing yam tuber yields. The tested genotypes also exhibited high resistance to yam mosaic virus disease, high tuber yields, and high dry matter content. Genotypes UGY16020, UGY16034, UGY16042, and UGY16080 demonstrated great resistance to yam mosaic virus disease, high yielding, and considerable dry matter content and are thus potential parents for yam improvement. Further evaluation of the four genotypes should be done under farmers' production systems for selection, improvement, and release as new yam varieties for Uganda

Although the dry ice method used to synthesize exfoliated graphite/graphene is little known and used, it has significant advantages over others: it is low cost, simple, and a large quantity of material can be obtained using some inorganic and highly available acids (which can be reused). Despite the above advantages, the main reason for its incipient development is the resulting presence of magnesium oxide in the final product. In the present work, three different treat-ments were tested to remove this remnant using some acid chemical leaching processes, making use of hydrochloric acid, aqua regia, and piranha solution. Based on the experimental evidence, it was found that using aqua regia and combining the leaching process with mechanical milling was the most efficient way of removing such a remnant, the residue being only 0.9 wt.%. This value is low when compared to that obtained with the other acid leaching solutions and purifi-cation process (2.8 - 29.6 wt.%). A mandatory high-energy mechanical milling stage was neces-sary during this treatment, in order to expose and dissolve the highly insoluble oxide without secondary chemical reactions on the graphenes. High-energy mechanical milling is an effective route to exfoliate graphite/graphene, which allows the magnesium oxide to be more susceptible to acid treatment. The obtained surface area was 504 m2g-1; this high value resulting from the in-tense exfoliation can potentiate the use of this material for a wide variety of applications.

Agricultural intensification has been adopted as a viable option for Poverty eradication and hunger, attainment of food security, socio-economic wellbeing as well as sustainable livelihood across the West Africa sub-humid and semi-arid zones. Thus, there is need to identify and address the challenges of sustainable livelihoods in the agriculture-intensive semi-arid and dry sub-humid zones of West Africa. This was addressed through review of relevant literature and analysis of environmental parameters from recent research by the authors to unveil the environmental uncertainties that threaten the sustainability of agriculture and human livelihoods across the ecologically fragile regions of West Africa, using pointers from Nigeria. The research identified the fundamental challenges, adaptation and mitigation approaches to environmental constraints, and requirements for reducing risk, enhance agricultural resilience as well as livelihoods in the zones. This was based on the premise that primarily, the use of adequate and accurately derived environmental information is crucial for increased agricultural productivity, sustainability of economic diversification and human livelihoods and by implication, enhanced regional and national security.

This study investigated dry reforming of methane with combined catalysts supported on γ-Al2O3 support doped with 3.0 wt. % TiO2. The physicochemical properties of all the catalysts were determined by inductively-coupled plasma/mass spectrometry metal analysis, nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction, temperature programmed reduction/desorption, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The addition of CeO2 and MgO to Ni strengthened the interaction between the Ni and the support. The catalytic activity results indicated that the CeO2 and MgO addition to Ni did not do much in retarding carbon deposition, but they improved the activity of the catalysts. Among the tested catalysts, it was found that the catalyst with the composition of 5.0 wt % NiO-10.0 wt % CeO2/3.0 wt %TiO2-γ-Al2O3 resulted in the highest CH4 and CO2 conversion with H2/CO mole ratio close to unity. The optimum reaction conditions in terms of reactant conversion and H2/CO mole ratio were achieved by varying space velocity and CO2/CH4 mole ratio.

This work is devoted to the study of active and stable nickel catalysts for methane dry reforming based on Pr-doped ceria-zirconia obtained by solvothermal continuous method. The studies of physicochemical and catalytic properties of the 5%Ni\Ce0.75Zr0.25-xPrxO2 series showed that Pr introduction leads to an increase in the amount of highly reactive oxygen of the oxide lattice. Praseodymium-based catalysts showed significantly higher reactant conversions. In addition to the nature of support, the method of nickel introduction was also studied - Ni was added both by impregnation and one-pot with mixed oxide preparation. The method of Ni addition was shown to have significant effect on the morphology of the supported active component and, respectively, on the catalytic activity. The 5%Ni/Ce0.75Zr0.15Pr0.1O2 catalyst prepared by one-pot method showed stable operation in the MDR reaction for 30 hours at CO2 and CH4 conversions of ~40% and an H2 yield of ~18% (Т=700°С, τ=10ms).

An in-depth study of the failure of granular materials, which is known as a mechanism to generate defects, can reveal the facts about the origin of the imperfections such as cracks in the carbon anodes. The initiation and propagation of the cracks in the carbon anode, especially the horizontal cracks below the stub-holes, reduce the anode efficiency during the electrolysis process. In order to avoid the formation of cracks in the carbon anodes, the failure analysis of coke aggregates can be employed to determine the appropriate recipe and operating conditions. In this paper, it will be shown that a particular failure mode can be responsible for the crack generation in the carbon anodes. The second-order work criterion is employed to analyze the failure of the coke aggregate specimens and the relationships between the second-order work, the kinetic energy, and the instability of the granular material are investigated. In addition, the coke aggregates are modeled by exploiting the discrete element method (DEM) to reveal the micro-mechanical behavior of the dry coke aggregates during the compaction process. The optimal number of particles required for the failure analysis in the DEM simulations is determined. The effects of the confining pressure and the strain rate as two important compaction process parameters on the failure are studied. The results reveal that increasing the confining pressure enhances the probability of the diffusing mode of the failure in the specimen. On the other hand, the increase of strain rate augments the chance of the strain localization mode of the failure in the specimen.

There is high confidence that climate change has increased the probability of concurrent temperature-precipitation extremes, changed their spatial-temporal variations, and affected the relationships between drivers of such natural hazards. However, the extent of such changes has been less investigated in Australia. Daily weather data (131 years, 1889-2019) at 700 grid cells (1◦ × 1◦) across Australia was obtained to calculate annual and seasonal mean daily maximum temperature (MMT) and total precipitation (TPR). A nonparametric multivariate copula framework was adopted to estimate the return period of compound hot-dry (CHD) events based on an ‘And’ hazard scenario (hotter than a threshold ‘And’ drier than a threshold). CHD extremes were defined as years with joint return periods of larger than 25 years. Mann-Kendall nonparametric tests was used to analyse trends in MMT and TPR as well as in the frequency of univariate and CHD extremes. A general cooling-wetting trend was observed over 1889-1989. Significant increasing trends were detected over 1990-2019 in the frequency and severity of hot extremes across the country while trends in dry extremes were mostly insignificant (and decreasing). Results showed a significant increase in the association between temperature and precipitation at various temporal scales. The frequency of CHD extremes was mostly stable over 1889-1989, but significantly increased between 1990 and 2019 at 44% of studied grid cells, mostly located in the north, south-east and south-west. Spatial homogeneity (i.e. connectedness) and propagation of extreme events from one grid cell to its neighbouring cells was investigated across Australia. It can be concluded that this connectedness has not significantly changed since 1889.