A four-step synthesis of bifunctional, noncovalent organocatalysts based on the chiral (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine scaffold containing a 1,2-benzenediamine H-bond donor was developed. Nucleophilic aromatic substitution of the 2-fluoronitrobenzene derivative with the commercial (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine was followed by selective alkylation of the primary amino group, reduction of the aromatic nitro group and final derivatization of the primary aromatic amino group, i.e. acylation, sulfonation, reductive alkylation and arylation, leading to the four subtypes of organocatalysts. All new compounds were fully characterized. The prepared organocatalysts (32 examples) were tested in the Michael addition of acetylacetone to trans-β-nitrostyrene, yielding the addition product with incomplete conversions (up to 93%) and enantioselectivities of up to 41% ee.

One way to reduce the negative impact of human activity on the natural environment is to use natural, easily available and relatively cheap to produce compounds in industrial processes. One such compound is naturally occurring calcium carbonate (CaCO3). This compound has adsorption properties so that it can be an alternative to commonly used adsorbents. The aim of this work is to determine the possibility of using CaCO3 to remove pharmaceutical substances such as sulfadiazine and tetracycline from water. The CaCO3 used in this work was synthesised using our own method, which allows the production of CaCO3 particles with nanometric size. In the conducted research, calcium carbonate was used in the form of a suspension in purified solutions and as an inorganic filling of the developed membranes. The mass of pharmaceutical substances removed from their aqueous solutions was determined in the tests carried out. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that CaCO3 has the ability to adsorb both tetracycline and sulfadiazine. In suspension tests, the mass of the removed substances per unit mass of adsorbent was 1.52 mg/g and 6.85 mg/g, respectively. In turn, in the case of the process using the developed membranes, the mass of the removed substances per unit mass of adsorbent was 232 mg/m2 and 524 mg/g, which is a several times greater increase in the mass of the removed substance compared to the process using an unmodified membrane.

The development of accurate dynamic battery pack models for electric vehicles (EVs) is critical for the ongoing electrification of the global automotive vehicle fleet, since these serve as a key element in the energy performance of an EV powertrain system. The Equivalent Circuit Model (ECM) technique at the cell level is commonly employed for this purpose, combining accuracy and efficiency in the representation of battery operation within the broader powertrain system. In this study, a second-order ECM model of a battery cell is being developed using Modelica, an equation-based modeling language. Parameter lookup tables at multiple levels of state of charge (SoC), extracted from Li-ion battery cells with 4 different commonly used cathode materials, have been utilized. This approach allows for a representation of the battery systems that are used in a wide range of commercial EV applications. To verify the model, an integrated EV model is developed and simulation results of the FTP75 driving cycle have been compared against an equivalent application in MATLAB Simulink. The findings demonstrate a close match between the results obtained from both software across different system points. Specifically, the maximum deviation of SoC is limited to 0.08% and the maximum value of relative voltage deviation is 1.4%. The verified model enables the exploration of multiple possible architecture configurations of EV powertrains with Modelica.

Several pathotypes of enteric E. coli have been identified. The group represented by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is of particular interest. Raw milk and raw milk products are significant sources of STEC infection in humans; therefore, identifying pathogens at the herd level is crucial for public health. Most national surveillance programs focus solely on raw milk and raw milk cheeses that are ready for retail sale, neglecting the possibility of evaluating the source of contamination directly at the beginning of the dairy chain. In order to assess the viability of new molecular methodologies applied to raw milk filters enabling the identification of the presence of STEC serotypes in milk production and apply the same methods to identify the presence of these pathogens in calf feces we analyzed, through a commercial real-time PCR assay, a total of 290 samples coming from 18 different dairy herds; 88 bulk tank milk (BTM), 104 raw milk filters (RMF) and 98 calves’ feces samples. In total 3.4% of BTM, 41.4% of RMF and 73.4% of calves’ feces tested positive for stx presence, supporting our hypothesis that BTM is not a suitable matrix to assess the STEC presence at herd level, underestimating it. Our conclusion is that the surveillance program needs critical and extensive improvements such as RMF and calves’ feces analysis implementation in order to be more efficient in detecting and preventing STEC infections. The epidemiology of these infections and the characteristics of the pathogen clearly show how a One Health approach will be pivotal to improve our capabilities to control the spread of these infections.

Two methods for Pd nanoparticle synthesis were explored with three different carbide-derived carbon (CDC) support materials of which one was nitrogen-doped. These materials were studied for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1 M KOH solution. The prepared CDC/Pd catalysts were characterized using TEM, XRD and XPS. Using these methods, we can observe the influence of support materials for one-pot synthesis methods as we use the standard citrate method and polyol method with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent. Comparing the two methods N-doping of carbon material resulted in smaller nanoparticles only in the case of citrate synthesis, suggesting that the influence of support is weaker using polyol method. Citrate method on CDC1, which was predominantly microporous led to a higher degree of agglomeration and larger particle formation in comparison to CDC2 and CDC3 supports, which possessed higher degree of mesoporosity. Smaller Pd particle sizes were achieved using citrate and NaBH4 in comparison to the ethylene glycol-PVP method. CDC2 and CDC3 did not show significant difference suggesting that the N-doping did not have much of an influence on the ORR. Highest SA value was observed on CDC1/Pd_Cit, which could be attributed to formation of larger particles and agglomerates.

Hexakis(2-alkoxy-1,5-phenyleneimine) macrocycles were synthesized using a simple one−pot procedure through by precipitation−driven cyclization. The acetal−protected AB−type monomers, 2-alkoxy-5-aminobenzaldehyde diethyl acetals, underwent polycondensation in water or acid−containing tetrahydrofuran. The precipitation−driven cyclization based on imine dynamic covalent chemistry and π−stacked columnar aggregation played a decisive role in the one−pot synthesis. The progress of the reaction was analyzed by MALDI−TOF mass spectrometry. The macrocycles with alkoxy chains were soluble in specific organic solvents such as chloroform, allowing their structures to be analyzed by NMR. The shape−anisotropic, nearly planar, and persistent macrocycles aggregated into columnar assemblies in polymerization solvents, driven by aromatic π−stacking. The octyloxylated macrocycle OcO−Cm6 exhibited an enantiotropic columnar liquid crystal−like mesophase between 165°C and 197°C. In the SEM image of (S)-(−)-3,7-dimethyloctyloxylated macrocycle (−)BCO-Cm6, columnar substances with a diameter of 100−200 nm were observed. The polymerization solution for 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxylated macrocycle (TEGO−Cm6) gelled and showed thixotropic properties by forming a hydrogen bond network.

Chitosan decorated copper nanoparticles catalysts (CSCuNPs) were synthesized via reduction methods utilizing green protocol. The CSCuNPs catalysts were tested for the synthesis of quinoline derivatives utilizing one-pot multicomponent reaction (MCR) under ultrasonic irradiation. The best catalyst (Cu-CS-NPs) that provided good conversion reaction yield and high turnover frequency (TOF) was characterized using FTIR, TGA, XRD, TEM and XPS techniques. Generalization of the scope of the proposed catalytic process was studied using different aldehydes. Excellent products yield and high TOF in even shorter reaction time (~5 min) was attained. Recyclability performance of the catalyst over five times re-use without detectable loss in product yield was recorded. The current method is green process utilizing environmentally benign catalyst and considered to be promising sustainable protocol for the synthesis of fine chemicals.

The development of a method to produce coumarins unsubstituted on the pyranic nucleus catalyzed from Wells–Dawson heteropolyacid (H₆P₂W₁₈O₆₂), phenol derivatives and ethyl 3,3-diethoxypropionate using Pechmann condensation under solvent-free conditions is described. This catalytic method was also applied successfully to synthesize various substituted coumarins, including the corresponding phenols and ethyl 3,3-diethoxypropionate. This work provides a novel, cheaper and safer way to syhthesize coumarins unsubstituted on the pyranic nucleus.

The present article describes a one-pot and cascade mode process using biocompatible/biodegradable reagents, for directly and simply obtaining surfactant compositions of mixtures of D-mannuronic acid and L-guluronic acid directly from oligoalginates or semi-refined alginates (mixtures of alginate, cellulose, hemicellulose, laminaran and fucan). Simple treatments of partial purification of the reaction crudes (elimination of the salts and/or the residual fatty alcohols) or isolation of the surfactant compositions result in derived compounds and in compositions having performance levels appropriate to applications in detergency. In addition, the challenging extension of this cascading one-pot synthesis technology to crude milled brown seaweeds was successfully carried out to provide promising surface-active compositions made up of alkyl uronate and alkyl glycoside monosaccharides.

The weight coefficients of the diaphragm spring depend on experiences in the traditional optimization. However, this method not only cannot guarantee the optimal solution but it is also not universal. Therefore, a new optimization target function is proposed. The new function takes the minimum of average compress force changing of the spring and the minimum force of the separation as total objectives. Based on the optimization function, the result of the clutch diaphragm spring in a car is analyzed by the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and the solution set of Pareto is obtained. The results show that the pressing force of the diaphragm spring is improved by 4.09%by the new algorithmand the steering separation force is improved by 6.55%, which has better stability and steering portability. The problem of the weight coefficient in the traditional empirical design is solved. The pressing force of the optimized diaphragm spring varied slightly during the abrasion range of the friction film, and the manipulation became remarkably light.

The green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is an emerging and promising field owing to its environmentally friendly nature and diverse applications. In this article, a new technology for the green synthesis of functional ultrastable biopolymer gold nanoparticles is introduced. This approach employs thiolated single-stranded DNA (ssDNA-SH) aptamers instead of conventional self-assembled monolayers, resulting in the production of highly stable aptamer-tagged gold-core-shell nanoparticles. A comprehensive discussion on the use of glucose as a simple reducing agent for the green synthesis of Au nanoparticles and the utilization of ssDNA-SH aptamers as smart and biologically functional capping agents is provided. The potential of this innovative approach for the green synthesis of nanoparticles is demonstrated through a case study involving the use of the naked eye for qualitative detection of human fungal infections caused by Candida albicans for women's health.

Silica aerogels and their derivatives have outstanding thermal properties with exceptional values in the thermal insulation industry. However, the brittle nature restricts its large-scale commercialization. Thus, enhancing their mechanical strength without affecting their thermal insulating properties is essential. Therefore, for the first time, highly thermally stable Poly(acrylamide-Co-acrylic acid) partial sodium salt is used as a reinforcing polymer to synthesize hybrid P(AAm-CO-AAc)-silica aerogels via epoxy ring-opening polymerization in the present study. Functional groups in P(AAm-CO-AAc) partial sodium salts, such as CONH2 and COOH, acted as nucleophiles for the epoxy ring-opening reaction with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, which resulted in a seven-fold enhancement in mechanical strength compared to that of a pristine silica aerogel while maintaining the thermal conductivity at less than 30.6 mW/mK and porosity of more than 93.68%. Moreover, the hybrid P(AAm-CO-AAc)-silica aerogel demonstrated improved thermal stability up to 343 ⁰C owing to the synergetic effect between P(AAm-CO-AAc) and the silica aerogel, corresponding to thermal stability and strong covalent bonding among them. These excellent results illustrate that this new synthetic approach for producing hybrid P(AAm-CO-AAc)-silica aerogels is useful for enhancing the mechanical strength of a pristine silica aerogel without impairing its thermal insulating property and shows potential as an industrial heat insulation material.

In contemporary design practices, there is a disconnect between the design techniques used for early-stage design experimentation and performance analysis, and those used for the manufacture and construction. This study addresses the problems in developing an integrated digital design workflow and provides a research framework for integrating environmental performance requirements with robotic manufacturing processes on a construction site. The proposed method enables the user to import a design surface, identify design parameters, set several environmental performance goals, and thereafter simulate and select a robotic building strategy. Based on these inputs, design alternatives are developed and evaluated, considering their robotically simulated constructibility, in terms of their performance criteria. To validate the proposed method, the design is evaluated in an experiment wherein a double-skin facade perforation is generated using the proposed methodology. The results suggest a heuristic feature to improve the simulated robotic constructibility. Moreover, the functionality of the prototype is demonstrated.

A facile and novel synthesis of thirteen 2-amino-3-cyanopyridine derivatives 5(a-m), by a one-pot multicomponent reaction (MCRs), is described for the first time, starting from aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile, methyl ketones, or cyclohexanone and ammonium acetate in the presence of the nanostructured diphosphate Na2CaP2O7 (DIPH) at 80 °C, under solvent-free conditions. These compounds were synthesized in short reaction times with good to excellent yields (84-94%). The diphosphate Na2CaP2O7 is used as an efficient catalyst, environmentally, easy handling, non-toxic, stable, and reusable. Our study was strengthened by the synthesis of five new pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives 6(b, c, g, h, j) by intramolecular cyclization of 2-amino-3-cyanopyridines 5(b, c, g, h, j), with formamide. The synthesized products were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, XRD, TEM, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, TLC, and BET. The operating conditions were optimized using a model reaction in which the catalyst amount, temperature, time, and solvent effect were evaluated. The antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains for the synthesized compounds.

Obesity is a global public health problem and the environment as its major determinant. To identify interventions an evidence base is warranted. To this aim we investigate the relationship between the consumption of foods and eating locations (like home, school/work and others) in British adolescents, using data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Program (2008–2012 and 2013-2016). Cross-sectional analysis of 62,523 food diary entries from this nationally representative sample then focused on foods contributing up to 80% total energy to the daily adolescent´s diet. Correspondence Analysis (CA) was first used to generate food-location relationship hypotheses and Logistic Regression (LR) to quantify the evidence in terms of odds ratios and formally test those hypotheses. The less-healthy foods that emerged from CA were chips, soft drinks, chocolate and meat pies. Adjusted Odds Ratios (99% CI) for consuming specific foods at a location “Other” than home (H) or school/work (S) in the 2008-12 survey sample were: for soft drinks 2.8 (2.1 to 3.8) vs. H and 2.0 (1.4 to 2.8) vs. S; for chips 2.8 (2.2 to 3.7) vs. H and 3.4 (2.1 to 5.5) vs. S; for chocolates 2.6 (1.9 to 3.5) vs. H and 1.9 (1.2 to 2.9) vs. S; and for meat pies 2.7 (1.5 to 5.1) vs. H and 1.3 (0.5 to 3.1) vs. S. These trends were confirmed in the 2013-16 survey sample. Interactions between location and BMI were not significant in either sample. In conclusion, our study showed that adolescents are more likely to consume specific less-healthy foods at locations away from home and school/work, irrespective of BMI. Such locations include leisure places, food outlets and “on the go”, hence public health policies to discourage less-healthy food choices in these locations is warranted for all adolescents.

The uncertainty in the secondary path of an Active Noise Control (ANC) headphone affects the waterbed effect and stability of the feedback system. This study focuses on the uncertainty of the secondary path when real users wear headphones, and proposes a new uncertainty constraint based on the measured results of the secondary path transfer function under different wearing conditions of dummy head and limited subjects. This constraint and a cascaded second-order infinite impulse response filter with fixed coefficients are used to formulate a control strategic function, which is optimized by the Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (IGWO) algorithm to obtain the optimal controller with better noise reduction performance. The proposed method and simulation model are validated based on the experimental test results. The results demonstrate that the safety factor and waterbed suppressing factor contained in the proposed uncertainty constraint ensures more stable noise reduction and effective suppression of the waterbed effect for new subjects without a priori data.

In contemporary design practices, there is a disconnect between the design techniques used for early-stage design experimentation and performance analysis, and those used for the manufacture and construction. This study addresses the problems in developing an integrated digital design workflow and provides a research framework for integrating environmental performance requirements with robotic manufacturing processes on a construction site. The proposed method enables the user to import a design surface, identify design parameters, set several environmental performance goals, and thereafter simulate and select a robotic building strategy. Based on these inputs, design alternatives are developed and evaluated, considering their robotically simulated constructibility, in terms of their performance criteria. To validate the proposed method, the design is evaluated in an experiment wherein a double-skin facade perforation is generated using the proposed methodology. Initial results suggest a heuristic feature to improve the simulated robotic constructibility. Moreover, the functionality of the prototype is demonstrated.

Artificial Intelligence and especially machine learning have noticed rapid advancement on image processing operations. However, its involvement in the architectural design is still in its initial stages compared to other disciplines. Therefore, this paper addresses the issues of developing an integrated bottom up digital design approach and details a research framework for the incorporation of Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) for early stage design exploration and generation of intricate and complex alternative facade designs for urban infill. This paper proposes a novel building facade design by merging two neighboring building’s architecture style, size, scale, openings, as reference to create a new building design in the same neighborhood for urban infill. This newly produced building contains the outline, style and shape of the parent buildings. A 2D urban infill building design is generated as a picture where 1) neighboring buildings are imported as a reference using mobile phone and 2)iFACADE decode their spatial adjacency. It is depicted the iFACADE will be useful for designers in the early design stage to generate new façades depending on existing buildings in a short time that will save time and energy. Besides, building owners can use iFACADE to show their architects their preferred architecture facade by mixing two building styles and generating a new building. Therefore, it is depicted that iFACADE can become a communication platform in the early design stages between architects and owners. Initial results properly define a heuristic function for generating abstract design facade elements and sufficiently illustrate the desired functionality of our developed prototype.

Fluorinated compounds and co-enzymes are being widely researched and employed throughout research community because of their versatile physical, chemical and biological properties. In this work, we synthesized NiS-NiO/S-g-C3N4, a highly effective photocatalyst for C(sp3)-F bond activation and the regeneration of coenzyme (1,4-NADH) employing a new and ecologically acceptable route. The obtained photocatalyst exhibited important photocatalytic properties, such as good solar light harvesting ability, suitability of the optical band-gap, and facilitating efficient charge migrations. As a result, the newly designed NiS-NiO/S-g-C3N4 photocatalyst shows the excellent yield for regenerations of 1,4-NADH (51%). Further, a method of combining C(sp3)-F bond activation with photocatalysis has been demonstrated that represents a very powerful and sustainable approach, that can be a major breakthrough for the field of pharmaceutical.

Electrochemical methods are used for the treatment of both municipal and industrial wastewater, either independently or in conjunction with biological methods. This conjunction is used for pretreatment or posttreatment of biologically treated wastewater. In our work, we focused on the combination of these processes, where pre-electrolysis was used to produce dissolved iron before the activation process. Electrolysis was also directly introduced into the activation using either iron or carbon electrodes. The surface of one iron electrode was 32.2 cm2, the applied voltage was 21 V, and the supplied current was 270 mA. The surface of one carbon electrode was 7.54 cm2, the supplied current was 82.5 mA, and the applied voltage was 21 V. From laboratory research on the treatment of synthetic municipal wastewater using a combination of electrolysis and activation processes, it resulted that the use of iron electrodes increased the efficiency of phosphorus removal compared to its precipitation with iron salts. The electrolysis had a positive effect on the sedimentation properties of sludge and the destruction of filamentous microorganisms. Electrolysis negatively affected the respiration rates of activated sludge and the efficiency of denitrification. However, it did not have a negative impact on the nitrification activity of the sludge.

Background: One challenge in implant dentistry is to reduce marginal bone resorption to avoid long-term esthetic and biological complications. Sub-gingival implant placement has been suggested as a suitable strategy. Methods: 38 healthy patients were enrolled to receive bone level (BL – Control group) or 2 mm sub-crestal (SC - Test group) conical connection, platform-switched implants. An immediate tissue level abutment was used in the Test group by following a One Time Abutment (OTA) restorative procedure. Marginal Bone Modification (MBM) was calcu-latied on standardized radiographs at surgery (T0), loading (T1), and 6 months (T2) and 12 months after loading (T3), and cathegorised in Bone Loss (BL) if the resorption occurred below the implant neck and Bone Remodeling (BR) if above. Pocket probing depth (PPD), Bleeding on probing (BoP) and Plaque Index (PI) were also collected. Results: The mean MBM in the test group after 12 months was 0.61mm, compared to 0.52mm in the control group. However, no BL was observed in the test group, as the MBM completely occurred above the implant neck as BR, whilst in the control group MBM corresponded in total to BL. The average PPD was 2.38mm in the test group and 3.04mm in the control group after 12 months, BoP 50% and 43%, PI 33% and 19.44% respectively. Conclusions: Sub-crestal conical connection, platform-switched implants could be a suitable clinical choice to avoid BL with exposure of the treated implants surfaces.

This study analyzes how Perceived Credibility of a 360-degree feedback and Evaluation of Outcome impact on ratees’ attitudes towards behavioral change. The study adopts a qualitative-quantitative mixed method approach. Reasoned Action Theory was selected as the theoretical framework, and ten 360-degree assessment ratees were interviewed on their perceived credibility, evaluation of outcome and attitude toward behavioral change in the 360-degree assessment practices. The qualitative inputs were analyzed under the methodology of grounded theory. Additional 159 respondents participated in the quantitative research phase of the research to validate the findings in the qualitative research phase. It was validated that Perceived Credibility, Evaluation of Outcome has impact on Attitude Toward Behavioral Change in 360-degree assessment.

Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens are the two most widespread and important species of mosquito-borne nematodes, posing a significant threat to veterinary health, particularly affecting canines and felines. While D. immitis causes cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis, D. repens causes subcutaneous infections in dogs and other carnivores. Despite extensive knowledge about the aforementioned parasites, little is known about their natural vectors in Serbia. Thus, the aim of this study was to: i) further map out Dirofilaria sp. hotspots in the Vojvodina Province, ii) detect positive mosquito species which can provide insights in how the nematodes spread and adapt to the environmental conditions, and iii) analyze the blood fed mosquitoes females of species found infected to identify the potential source of parasite infection. A total of 2,902 female mosquitoes were collected across 73 locations during 2021 and 2022. Molecular biology methods, based on conventional PCR, were used to analyze non-blood fed (2,521 specimens) and blood fed (381 specimens) mosquito females, in order to detect filarial nematode presence and identify blood meal sources respectively. When the parasite genome was detected, the amplicon (COI gene, 650 bp fragment) was sent for Sanger sequencing, further confirming the presence of nematodes and species assignation. D. immitis was detected in three Culex pipiens mosquitoes collected in XXXX (location and date), while Setaria tundra was detected in Aedes vexans and Aedes caspius. This work adds two new locations where D. immitis occurs in Vojvodina, and is the first report of S. tundra on the territory of Serbia. Blood meal analysis provided insights into the preferences of mosquitoes that were positive for Dirofilaria sp. and S. tundra.

In this study, a summary of the processes performed on the SPL for recycling, reduction in toxicity and treatment were examined on an industrial and laboratory scale. In writing this research, an attempt has been made to address the useful processes that have taken place in this field. Spent pot lining or SPL is a type of solid waste that is produced in the aluminum production process. After 3 to 8 years, the cathode blocks become problematic and can no longer be used, and need to be replaced due to adverse effects on cell function. SPL is known to be a hazardous waste to nature due to its fluoride and cyanide content. Research has shown that SPL ingredients have destructive and very dangerous effects on human DNA, which is why they are so important to maintain and recycle.

The production of butanol, acetone and ethanol by Clostridium acetobutylicum is a biphasic fer-mentation process. In the first phase the carbohydrate substrate is metabolized to acetic and bu-tyric acid, in the following second phase the product spectrum is shifted towards the economi-cally interesting solvents. Here we present a cascade of six continuous stirred tank reactors (CCSTR), which allows performing the time dependent metabolic phases of an ace-tone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) batch fermentation in a spatial domain. Experimental data of steady states under four operating conditions - with variations of the pH in the first bioreactor between 4.3 and 5.6 as well as the total dilution rate between 0.042 1/h and 0.092 1/h - were used to optimize and validate a corresponding mathematical model. Beyond a residence time distribution representation and substrate, biomass and product kinetics this model also includes the differen-tiation of cells between the metabolic states. Model simulations predict a final butanol product concentration of 8.2 g/L and a butanol productivity of 0.75 g/(L h) in the CCSTR operated at a pH in bioreactor 1 of 4.3 and D = 0.092 1/h, while 31 % of the cells are differentiated to the solventogenic state. Aiming at an enrichment of solvent-producing cells, a feedback loop was introduced into the cascade - sending cells from a later state of the process (bioreactor 4) back to an early stage of the process (bioreactor 2). In agreement with the experimental observations, the model accurately predicted an increase of butanol formation rate in bioreactor stages 2 and 3, resulting in an overall butanol productivity of 0.76 g/(L h) for the feedback loop cascade. The here presented CCSTR and the validated model will serve to investigate further ABE fermentation strategies for a controlled metabolic switch.

In the paper the new, fractional order, state space model of a heat transfer in a one- 1 dimensional metallic rod is addressed. The fractional orders of derivative along space and time 2 are not exactly known and they are described by intervals. The proposed model is the interval 3 expanding of the state space fractional model of the one dimensional heat transfer. It is expected to 4 better describe the reality because interval order of each real process is hard to estimate. Elementary 5 properties of the proposed model are analysed. Theoretical results are experimentally validated using 6 data from real experimental laboratory system.

Activated carbons can be produced from biomass in a thermal process either in a direct carbonization-activation process or by first carbonizing the biomass and later on activating the biochars into activated carbons. The properties of the ACs are dependent on the type of process used for production. In this study, the properties of activated carbons produced in a one-stage and a two-stage process are considered. Activated carbons were produced by physical activation of two types of starting materials, bio chars produced from spruce and birch chips in a commercial carbonization plant and from the corresponding raw chips. The activated carbons produced were characterized regarding specific surfaces, pore volumes and pore size distributions. The un-activated bio chars had some degree of surface area 190 and 140 m²g^-1 for spruce and birch and pore volumes of 0.067 and 0.092 cm³g^-1. According to the results obtained, two slightly different types of activated carbons are produced depending if a one-stage or a two-stage carbonization and activation process is used. The ACs produced in the one-stage process had higher specific surface areas compared to the ones produced in a two-stage process (761-940 m²g^-1 vs. 540-650 m²g^-1) . In addition, total pore volumes were higher in one-stage process but development of micropores is greater compared to two-stage process. There was no significant difference in total carbon content between one-stage and two-stage process.

In this paper, the synthesis of two novel luminescent Eu3+ ion complexes [Eu(TFT)3(phen) (1) and Eu(TFT)3(bpy)•Hex (2)] based on the combination of 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-1-tetralone (TFT), containing n-donor ligands (1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-Bipyridine) and Eu3+ ion is reported herein, and their structural features are discussed on the basis of X-ray crystallographic and thermal analyses. We observed that the ligands transfer energy effectively to the metal center by fluorescence, IR and UV spectrograms studies. The structures and properties of complexes 1-2 were optimized by the DFT theoretical calculation, and the calculation results were consistent with the experimental X-ray structure data and spectral analysis.

The strong competition in the automotive industry has required manufacturers to implement lean production, both with methods and techniques specific to Industry 4.0. At the same time, universities must provide graduates with specific skills for applying these new production methods and techniques. In this context, a Lean Learning Factory was developed in the Pitesti University Center, which allows students to learn, experiment, and research, in an environment similar to that of enterprises, the new Lean Manufacturing methods and techniques, and Industry 4.0. The research presented in this study had as its objective identifying the minimum number of repetitions necessary to train operators who serve two differently organized workstations, one classic, the other including digital techniques, but on which the same assembly operation is performed. Several indicators were considered in the analysis, such as the number of errors, the number of stops, the effective duration of the work cycle, and the percentage ratio between the standard duration of cyclical activities and the effective duration of the work cycle. The evolution of these indicators was mathematically modelled by regression functions, using the least squares method. The obtained results also highlight the usefulness of applying the DOJO method as a Lean manufacturing-specific learning technique and the efficiency of implementing digital techniques in work organization.

Ammonia can be considered a relevant compound in the future energy sector, playing a significant role as an energy carrier, storage, or carbon-free fuel. However, the production of this molecule has a high energy demand, and the use of natural gas, which is not free of controversy due to the accidental leakage into the atmosphere produced during extraction and the fact that it is a non-renewable source, contributes to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing the process’s energy demand and carbon footprint will be essential to making ammonia a clear alternative for a carbon-free economy. Given the vast experience in ammonia production and handling, this gas seems to be the logical step forward in the evolution of the energy sector. However, the current uncertainty in the global market requires cautiousness in decision-making. Several factors may impact economic growth and human welfare, thus needing a careful assessment before taking any transcendental decisions that could affect worldwide energy prices and raw material availability.

Lactoperoxidase system (LPS) effect on quality of raw and pasteurized milk under real conditions along the dairy value chain in Ethiopia was evaluated. A total of 250 milk samples were collected from farmers, collectors, and factories. Experimental samples were LPS-activated of morning and overnight milk. The samples were tested with several chemical and microbiological tests such as total bacterial count (TBC), total coliform count (TCC) and Escherichia coli count (EC). Results indicated that all LPS-activated milk samples had a higher quality than all the control samples. For instance, both the morning and overnight farm milk samples had a mean TBCs of 5.79 log and 6.55 log cfu/ml which is significantly (p

Motivated by diffraction experiments on the $\left(2\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}\right)\mathrm{R}{30}^{\circ }$ reconstructed Si(111) due to deposition of rare earth elements (Dy, Tb) and silicide formation we analyse the splitting and non-splitting of superstructure spots. For this purpose, we model diffraction patterns for one dimensional structures generated by the binary surface technique and use supercell models to keep the analysis simple. Diffraction pattern are calculated in the framework of the kinematical diffraction theory and they are analyzed as a function of the domains and domain boundaries. Basic properties of the diffraction pattern are analyzed for model systems of a two-fold and a three-fold periodicity. The rules derived from these calculations are applied to the "real-world" system of Si(111)-($\left(2\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}\right)\mathrm{R}{30}^{\circ }$)-RESi$2_{}$ (RE = Dy or Tb). Depending on the combination of domains and domain boundaries of different types a plethora of different features are observed in the diffraction patterns. These are analyzed to determine the sizes of both domain boundaries and domains from experimentally observed splitting of specific superstructure spots.

Tracking information diffusion is a non-trivial task and it has been widely studied across different domains and platforms. The advent of social media has led to even more challenges, given the higher speed of information propagation and the growing impact of social bots and anomalous accounts. Nevertheless, it is crucial to derive a trustworthy information diffusion graph, which is capable of highlighting the importance of specific nodes in spreading the original message. The paper introduces the interaction strength, a novel metric to model retweet cascade graphs by exploring users’ interactions. Initial findings show the soundness of the approaches based on this new metric with respect to the state-of-the-art model, and its ability to generate a denser graph, revealing crucial nodes that participated in the retweet propagation. Reliable retweet graph generation will enable a better understanding of the diffusion path of a specific tweet.

Despite recent developments in monitoring and visualizing construction progress, the data exchange between construction jobsite and office lacks automation and real-time recording. To address this issue, a near real-time construction work inspection system called iVR is proposed; this system integrates 3D scanning, extended reality, and visual programming to visualize interactive onsite inspection for indoor activities and provide numeric data. iVR comprises five modules: iVR-location finder (finding laser scanner located in the construction site) iVR-scan (capture point cloud data of jobsite indoor activity), iVR-prepare (processes and convert 3D scan data into a 3D model), iVR-inspect (conduct immersive visual reality inspection in construction office), and iVR-feedback (visualize inspection feedback from jobsite using augmented reality). An experimental lab test is conducted to validate the applicability of iVR process; it successfully exchanges required information between construction jobsite and office in a specific time. This system is expected to assist Engineers and workers in quality assessment, progress assessments, and decision-making which can realize a productive and practical communication platform, unlike conventional monitoring or data capturing, processing, and storage methods, which involve storage, compatibility, and time-consumption issues.

Reservoirs created by damming rivers significantly modify the environment and problems may arise: the storage of nutrients and organic matter in reservoirs often leads to decreased water quality due to eutrophication. Reservoirs built on lowland rivers are exposed to significant nutrient loads, often leading to eutrophication. In this article, the Sulejów Reservoir, in Central Poland, was the subject of the research, which focused on the use of Sentinel-2 remote sensing data to detect phytoplankton blooms, and on understanding the pattern of wind-driven surface currents using the CCHE2D model (a depth-averaged hydrodynamic model). The calculation of the total phosphorus load has shown that the reservoir mainly acts as nutrient storage. Still, during the low flow and intensive phytoplankton bloom, it can be a source of nutrients. The distribution of phytoplankton bloom on the Sulejów Reservoir was documented using eight Sentinel-2 satellite images from the vegetation season of 2020 and the Normalized Difference Chlorophyll Index (NDCl). Coupling remote sensing data and numerical modelling helps to interpret the hydrodynamic model results and understand nutrients and sediment dynamics within the reservoir. Hydrodynamic modelling combined with remote sensing data can be a valuable tool for selecting appropriate locations for water quality measurements at monitoring stations.

The numerical simulation of entropy generation at mixed natural free and forced convection flow in a square lid-driven cavity filled with an eletrically conducting binary fluids saturated porous media in the presence of a magnetic field is performed in this investigation. Both the top and bottom horizontal walls of the cavity are kept at constant and different temperatures while the left and right vertical walls are adiabatic and insulated. The magnetic field is applied in normal direction to the cavity. The Darcy model, including Brinkman term relative to viscous effects and Forchheimer term due to inertial forces, is used for the momentum equations, and the SIMPLER algorithm, based on the control volume finite-element method approach is used to solve the pressure –velocity coupling. The flow pattern and the heat transfer characteristics inside the cavity are presented in the form of isotherms, streamlines and isentropic lines and average Nusselt number trend. The entropy generation rate is determined for various values of Darcy number (10^-3 ≤ Da ≤ 1) and for a range of Hartmann number (0 ≤ Ha ≤ 10²). This study is limited to Pr = 7 which corresponds to water. It is observed that entropy generation is very affected by the variations of dimensionless control parameters considered.

Lung neuroendocrine tumors (LNETs) and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEPNETs) are two distinct types of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that have traditionally been treated as a single entity despite originating from different sources. Although they share certain phenotypic characteristics and the expression of neuroendocrine markers, they exhibit differences in their microenvironment, molecular mutations, and responses to various therapeutic regimens. Recent research has explored the genetic alterations in these tumors, revealing dissimilarities in the frequently mutated genes, role of EGFR in carcinogenesis, presence of transcription factors, and immunogenicity of the tumor and its microenvironment. Spread Through Air Spaces (STAS), a phenomenon unique to lung carcinomas, appears to play a crucial role in LNET prognosis. These distinctions are also evident in the cascade response of lung and GI tract neuroendocrine tumors to somatostatin analogs, Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT), chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Identifying similarities and differences between the two groups may im-prove our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and facilitate the development of more effective treatment strategies.

Extraction techniques of important bioactive molecules from the major concern of Seafood byproducts are getting emphasis for better valorization. Employing green extraction technologies for efficient and quality production of these bioactive molecules is also strictly required. Hence, understanding the extraction process parameters to effectively design an applicable optimization strategy could make this real. In this review, statistical optimization strategies applied for the extraction process parameters of bioactive molecules from Seafood byproducts are focused. The type of experimental designs, and techniques applied to criticize and validate the effects of independent variables on the extraction output was addressed. Dominant parameters studied were enzyme/substrate ratio, pH, time, temperature and power of extraction instruments. The yield of bioactive compounds, chitin and chitosan, proteins and peptides, enzymes and carotenoids (Astaxanthins) were the most studied responses. Efficiency and/or economic and quality considerations and their selected optimization strategies that favour the production of potential bioactive molecules were also reviewed.

This paper presents the deformation of the joined sheet after the clinch-riveting process. The DX51D steel sheet with zinc coating was used. The samples to be joined with clinch riveting technology had a thickness of 1±0.05 mm and 1.5±0.1 mm. The sheet deformation was measured before and after the joining process. The rivet was pressed in the sheets with the same dimension between the rivet axis and three sheet edges: 20, 30 and 40 mm. For fixed segments of the die, from the rivet side close to the rivet, the sheet deformation was greater than that of the area with movable segments. The movement of die sliding element caused more sheet material to flow in the space between the fixed part of the die and movable segments. Hence, the sheet deformation in these places was smaller than for the die fixed element – sheet material was less compressed. For sheets thickness 1.5 mm and width 20 mm, the bulk of the sheet was observed. For a sheets width of 20 mm, it was observed that the deformation of the upper and lower sheets in the area of the rivet is greater than for sheets width of 30 or 40 mm.

The most important plastic resins used for wire coating are Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Nylon, Polysulfone and Low-high density polyethylene (LDPE / HDPE). In this article,the coating process is performed using elastic-viscous fluid as a coating material for wire coating in a pressure type coating die. The elastic-viscous fluid is electrically conducted in the presence of an applied magnetic field. The governing non-linear equations are modeled and then solved analytically by utilizing an Adomian decomposition method (ADM). The convergence of the series solution is established. The results are also verified by Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method (OHAM). The effect of different emerging parameters such as non-Newtonian parameters α and β, magnetic parameter M and the Brinkman number Br on solutions (velocity and temperature profiles) are discussed through several graphs. Additionally, the current result also compares with the published work already available in the literature.

Zirconium nitride (Zr-N) is a candidate material for inert matric fuel elements in breeder reactors. They have shown exceptional resistance to radiative corrosive environments. They have shown excellent resistance to radiation stability at operational conditions in current generation reactors. But being a candidate nuclear fuel material in generation reactors, their radiation stability at higher temperature conditions observed has not been reported. We have employed molecular dynamics simulations to study the damage cascades and radiation stability of ZrN at 600K. The process of primary damage evolution by considering varying overlapping cascades with 10, 20 keV incident PKA’s reported here. The defects interface interaction and diffusion mechanism at the interface are reported.

In the framework of maritime surveillance, vessel detection techniques based on spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images have promoted extensive applications for the effective understanding of unlawful activities at sea. The paper deal with this topic presenting a novel approach exploiting a cascade application of a pre-screening, and discrimination phase. The latter leverage the SAR spectrum by means of sub-looks analysis. For the first time, the method has been validated with experiments on multi-frequency (C-, X-, and L-band) SAR images. For a future syngergic exploitation of more SAR missions, the developed dataset, composed of Sentinel-1, SAOCOM and COSMO-SkyMed images, is comprehensive of multiple images gathered over the same area with short time lag (below 15 minutes). Finally, the diversified processing chains and the results for each mission product and scenarios are discussed. Being the first dataset of SLC (Single Look Complex) SAR multi-frequency data, the present work intends to encourage additional research in this promising field of research.

Background/Objectives:The first attempts of posterior lumbar interbody fusion can be traced back to the 1940s, where their performance was marked by animosity due to high rates of failure. Nowadays, the use of interbody fusion involves a much more complicated consideration of factors such as global alignment, disc height, fusion rates, and operative risk, all combined at once.Our study aims to examine all these effects using Flarehawk 9 as a means of interbody fusion.Materials and methods: A total of 58 patients underwent open posterior lumbar surgery using Flarehawk 9 between September 2021 and February 2023 with a mean follow up of 1 year.The mean age was 59.8 years old ( range between 33 and 79 years old), 36 of them are males while 22 of them are females. The diagnostic groups included spinal canal stenosis (n=40), failed back surgery syndrome-revision surgery (n=5),spondylolisthesis with slip percentage 25% (n=4),recurrent herniated disc (n=7) and adjacent segment disease (n=2). Results: The majority of patients demonstrated remarkable improvement based on ODI scores.The rate of union varied based on the fused levels and whether the patients had previous surgery or not.The amount of lordosis postoperatively is increased by 2±0.4 degrees.Conclusions: Even though anterior approaches become more and more popular and advanced nowadays, posterior fusion with interbody cage still remains a safe and effective method to treat various spine surgical pathologies with optimal results.

Despite being stored at 113 K and atmospheric pressure, LNG cold potential is not exploited to reduce green ships’ energy needs. An innovative system based on three Organic Ranking Cycles integrated into the regasification equipment is proposed to produce additional power and recover cooling energy from condensers. A first-law analysis identified ethylene and ethane as suitable working fluids for the first and the second ORC making available freshwater and ice. Propane, ammonia and propylene could be arbitrarily employed in the third ORC for air-conditioning. An environmental analysis that combines exergy efficiency, ecological indices and hazard aspects for marine environment and ship’s passengers, indicated propylene as safer and more environmentally friendly. The exergy analysis confirms more than 20% of the LNG potential can be recovered from every cycle to produce a net clean power of 76 kW, whereas 270 kW can be saved by recovering condensers' cooling power to satisfy some ship needs. Assuming the sailing mode, a limitation of 162 kg in LNG consumptions was determined, avoiding the emission of 1584 kg of CO2 per day. Marine thermal pollution is reduced by 3.5 times by recovering the working fluids' condensation heat for the LNG pre-heating.

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) can have several etiologies, such as trauma and iatrogenic interventions that can lead to the loss of structure and/or function impairment. These changes can cause a partial or complete loss of motor and sensory functions, physical disability, and neuropathic pain, what in turn can affect the quality of life. For those reasons, PNI is a major public health concern. This review aims to revisit the concepts associated with the PNI. First, the anatomy of the peripheral nerve is detailed to explain the different types of injury. Then, some of the available therapeutic strategies are explained, including surgical methods, pharmacological therapies, and the use of cell-based therapies alone or in combination with biomaterials in the form of tube guides. Nevertheless, even with the various available treatments, it is difficult to achieve a perfect outcome with complete functional recovery. This review aims to explain the urge for new approaches and to understand the methods to evaluate nerve regeneration in a One Health perspective. In vitro models followed by in vivo models are very important to be able to translate the achievements to human medicine.

The relationship between tissue effects, intensity (I), and voltage (V) of a high-frequency alternative current seems well known. However, the translation of the settings of the electrosurgical unit and their use during surgery seems not to be unanimously understood by all surgeons. This results in many variations of surgical technique and plenty of specific questions asked during live surgery. Above 200 V, the heat of the sparks results in the explosion of superficial cells and a cutting effect. With higher voltages, the associated coagulation is increasing. Voltage and amount of energy (Watt=I*V) are independent since a similar amount of energy can be obtained with a continuous current or an intermittent current half the time and a double voltage. Below 200 V, tissue is heated until the steam from boiling tissue stops the current. Therefore, slower heating with less energy or a larger contact area permits deeper coagulation. The maximal output (W) of the electrosurgical unit results in versatility of use besides being a safety measure. The current intensity increases with the area of contact. Therefore, when I*V exceeds the preset output, V has to drop. A limited maximal output thus permits using the same instrument for non-contact cutting with >200V and sparks and coagulation when the contact area is much larger. In conclusion, the tissue effects of electrosurgery vary with the device’s voltage setting (often indicated as force) and the maximal output. The sur-geon’s choice to cut or coagulate by changing the contact area adds versatility.

This article develops a multi-perspective view on motivations and methods for tobamovirus purification through the ages, and presents a novel efficient, easy-to-use approach that can be well-adapted to different species of native and functionalized virions. We survey the various driving forces prompting researchers to enrich tobamoviruses: from the search for the causative agents of mosaic diseases in plants to their increasing recognition as versatile nanocarriers in biomedical and engineering applications. Best practice and also rarely applied options for the serial processing steps required for successful isolation of tobamoviruses are then reviewed. Adaptations for distinct particle species, pitfalls and 'forgotten' or underrepresented technologies are considered as well. The article is topped off with our own development of a method for virion preparation, rooted in historical protocols. It combines selective re-solubilization of polyethylene glycol (PEG) virion raw precipitates with density step gradient centrifugation in biocompatible iodixanol formulations, yielding ready-to-use particle suspensions. This newly established protocol and some considerations for perhaps worthwile further developments could serve as putative stepping stones towards preparation procedures appropriate for routine practical uses of the multivalent soft-matter nanorods.

Objective: The aim of this study was to optimize the fermentation process of Radix Ranunculi ternate via microbial fermentation and analyze the changes in the contents of the main components, the antioxidant and hypoglycemic capacities of the extract before and after fermentation. Methods: The solid-state fermentation process was optimized using single-factor tests and the response surface method, with the yield of the alcohol extract of R. ternate as an evaluation index. Results: The best fermentation process was optimized using solid-state endophytic fungus fermentation technology as follows: strain addition ratio of Chaetomium globosum/Fusarium equiseti =1:1, fermentation for 5 d, sieve size of 40 mesh, liquid/material ratio of 0.8:1 mL·g−1, fermentation temperature of 31 °C, and inoculation amount of 7.5%. Under the optimized conditions, the contents of the water-soluble extract and total polysaccharides decreased by 12.71% and 12.95%, respectively, in the fermentation, The contents of ethanol-soluble-extract, flavonoids, saponins, polyphenols, organic acids, and total amino acids of fermented R. ternate increased by 19.77%, 57.14%, 79.67%, 14.29%, 17.63% and 3.82%, respectively, and the scavenging rate for DPPH, ABTS+, ·OH free radicals and inhibitory rate for α-amylase also increased by 19.02%, 14.17%, 7.53% and 34.54%, respectively, compared with unfermented R. ternate. Conclusions: Solid-state fermentation opens new avenues for the development and application of R. ternate as natural antioxidant and hypoglycemic food.

The article presents the results of cyanide leaching of gold-containing concentrate using the trichlorocyanuric acid (TCCA) oxidizer. Gold-containing concentrate obtained from a gold tailings sample from a gold recovery factory (GRF) in one of the deposits of Kazakhstan that was not previously studied for concentrability. According to X-ray phase analysis and energy dispersive spectrometry (DSM) data, the main compounds in the tailings sample under study are: pyrite FeS2, quartz SiO2, calcite CaCO3, albite NaAlSi3O8, muscovite KAl2Si3AlO10(OH)8, dolomite CaMg(CO3)2, and oxidized iron compounds. Microscopic studies have established the presence of gold grains in free form, ranging in size from 0.9-10.2 mkm Au-ultrafine and fine gold. Obtaining a gold-containg concentrate with a gold content of 15.95 g / t is possible according to the enrichment scheme, which includes centrifugal separation, classification according to the fineness class -0.05 mm, additional grinding of hydrocyclone sands to a fineness of 90.0-95.0% of the class finer than 0.050 mm, and control centrifugal separation. Since pyrite in technogenic raw materials is the main gold-containing mineral, this paper presents studies on the oxidizability of pyrite with the TCCA oxidizer. The results of studies on the oxidation of pyrite using the TCCA oxidizer show that the products of its hydrolysis oxidize pyrite with the formation of various iron compounds on its surface. Pretreatment of gold-containing concentrate with oxidizer TCCA for 3 hours before the cyanidation process (20 hours) allows to increase the recovery of gold in the solution by 5.8 %.

The Food and Drug Administration’s 2011 Process Validation Guidance and International Council for Harmonization Quality Guidelines recommend continued process verification (CPV) as a mandatory requirement for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and other regulated industries. As a part of product life cycle management, after process characterization in stage 1 and process qualification and validation in stage-2, CPV is performed as stage-3 validation during commercial manufacturing. CPV ensures that the process continues to remain within a validated state. CPV requires the collection and analysis of data related to critical quality attributes, critical material attributes, and critical process parameters on a minimum basis. Data is then used to elucidate process control regarding the capability to meet predefined specifications and stability via statistical process control tools. In statistical process control, control charts and Nelson rules are commonly used throughout the industry to monitor and trend data to ensure that a process remains in control. In the control chart, the mean value is taken as the center line, and 3σ limits are placed on either side of the center line. In CPV, manufactured lots are summarized, trended, and discussed at a cross-functional level at pre-defined intervals (either weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly) based on the batch run rate. A cross-functional team assesses details regarding 1) violation frequency, 2) statistical strength of the signal, 3) violation magnitude and its impact on process or quality, and 4) any potential root causes for out-of-expectation or out-of-trend signals. The cross-functional team must analyze whether any signal identified by the control chart is reliable and must determine whether corrective action should be taken and justify the decision in the CPV meeting minutes based on statistical strength and reliability of the signal. However, basic control charts are susceptible to false alarms and nuisance alarms. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the assumptions behind control charts and the inherent false alarm rates for different Nelson rules. In this article, the authors have detailed the assumptions behind the usage of control charts, the rate of false alarms for different Nelson rules, the impact of skewness and kurtosis of a data distribution on the false alarm rate, and methods for optimizing control chart design by reducing false alarm rates and nuisance signals.

We describe an interesting case report about a patient with hemophilia A with severe chronic elbow arthropathy who underwent multiple surgical because of his condition. We collected all the clinical and imaging findings, and we compared the decision-making flow chart and the surgery performed with the most recent indications, treatments and complications reported in the literature. The aim of this case report is to show how usually the hemophilic patient even if young usually comes to our attention from the beginning with complex and advance musculoskeletal disease. Elbow hemophilic arthropathy is a complex disease and the management in these patients could be more difficult than others because of the higher risk of complications rate after all surgical procedures, for this reason it’s very important to treat these patients in hub centers with expertise in well-coordinated multidisciplinary teams. The path from diagnosis to surgical treatment of hemophilic elbow arthropathy can be a risky one, as it happened in this case.

Amid the swift progression of the global automobile industry, the aspiration for lightweight vehicle design has surfaced as a crucial approach to boost fuel efficiency and curtail environmental impact. The objective of this study revolves around achieving holistic optimization of vehicle structure via detailed scrutiny of vehicle process characteristics, amalgamated with a Back Propagation neural network (BPNN) optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA) and a topology optimization (TO) method.The process initiates with an examination of the vehicle's technical characteristics, succeeded by an optimization protocol that couples GA with BPNN. This exhaustive optimization procedure derives the best-fit values of design parameters and identifies the globally optimal lightweight design approach. Subsequently, a comprehensive structural optimization is actualized by modifying the topological distribution of the structure.A simulation experiment of the conceptual car body beam skeleton is conducted as a conclusive step, and the anti-collision capacity of the car body beam skeleton is assessed by measuring deformation intrusion. The findings reveal that in the vehicle topology optimization, a comparative analysis of pre and post-optimization results indicates an improved topological density across diverse sections. The topological density of the vehicle's frontal structure escalates from 0.75 to 0.8. Following optimization, the stiffness assessment records a marginal increase (within the range of 0.02–0.05), implying that the lightweight design does not compromise the general rigidity of the structure.The optimized body structure manifests superior crashworthiness in the crash test: the deformation intrusion diminishes by 27% in front-end collisions. In side impacts, the deformation and intrusion at critical points are reduced by 13.15% to 10% respectively. The comprehensive method proposed herein proves to be an efficient strategy to actualize the lightweight design of vehicles.

In this paper, the boiling flow inside a nanochannel with 700000 argon particle has been simulated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. This approach has been employed to analysis the superheated flow and its heat transfer pattern as well. For all simulations an external thrust force varying from 1 PN to 12 PN is exerted on inlet nanoparticles along the channel to have the forced annular boiling flow. Computations reveal that saturation condition and superheat degree have significant impacts on the liquid-vapor interface. Furthermore, because of the major influence of surface tension throughout a nanochannel, the x-velocity of liquid film and vapor core has not considerable fluctuations and stay smooth. All provided results show the behaviors completely similar to the available outcomes in the literature.

To fulfil a need of limitation automotive emissions the reduction of vehicle weight is widely recommended and achieved in many ways, both by the construction of individual elements of the vehicle, and by the selection of light materials including Al alloys. Connecting these elements with each other and with elements made of iron alloys can be realized, inter alia, by welding or stir welding. However, the quality of the welds obtained varies widely and depends on many design, operational and environmental factors. The present study focused on a review of various welding technics used to joint both similar and dissimilar Al alloys utilized in automotive industry, the effect of various process parameters on welds quality, and phenomena appeared in such welds..

The socio-economic benefits of globalization cannot be overemphasized. However, the global spread of infectious diseases has so followed a parallel course. The recent wave of pandemics with emerging new diseases has shown that no part of the world is immune from the spread of infectious diseases. COVID-19 like previous pandemics has exposed inadequacies of our healthcare systems and global capacity for prevention, early detection, and response in pandemic outbreaks. Given the highly interconnected global economy and the high potential for passim spread of infections, every nation must not only come up with concerted efforts to prevent and better prepare for pandemics, international solidarity and engagements will also be critical to ensure a long-lasting and sustainable solution. We are only as strong as our weakest health system, global support to strengthen all health systems around the world is the most effective way to be pandemic – ready. ‘All for one and one for all’.

Glaucoma is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease, characterized by degeneration of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). There has been little progress in developing efficient strategies for neuroprotection in glaucoma. We profiled the retina transcriptome of Lister Hooded rats at 2 weeks after optic nerve crush (ONC) and applied systems biology approaches to better understand the molecular mechanisms related with the retinal remodeling after induction of RGC degeneration. We observed a higher Relative Expression Variability after ONC. Gene expression stability was used as a measure of transcription control and disclosed a robust reduction in the number of very stably expressed genes. Enrichment analysis showed that Complement cascade and Notch signaling pathway were the main affected pathways after ONC. To expand our studies of these two pathways, we examined the coordination of gene expressions within each pathway and with the entire transcriptome. ONC increased the number of synergistically coordinated pairs of genes and the number of similar profiles. This study provided novel findings beyond the regulation of individual gene expression and disclosed changes in the control of expression by Complement cascade and Notch signaling functional pathways important for both RGC degeneration and remodeling of the retinal tissue after ONC.

A co-curing resin system consisting of 9368 epoxy resin for prepreg and 6808 epoxy resin for resin transfer molding (RTM) was developed. A corresponding preparation method of novel polymer composite bolted T-joint with internal skeleton and external skin was proposed based on prepreg-RTM co-curing process, and novel T-joints were fabricated. A series of conventional configuration T-joints based on RTM process and T-joints made of 2A12 aluminum alloy were prepared simultaneously. Bending performances were studied on these T-joints experimentally. The results indicate that 9368 epoxy resin and 6808 epoxy resin exhibit good compatibility in rheological and thermophysical properties. The novel T-joints prepared with prepreg-RTM co-curing process show no obvious fiber local winding or resin-rich regions inside, and the interface quality between internal skeleton and external skin is excellent. The main failure modes of the novel T-joint under bending load include separation of skin and skeleton and fracture along the thickness on the base panel; the skeleton carries the main bending load, but there is still load transfer between external skin and internal skeleton through their interface. The internal damages of the novel T-joint are highly consistent with surface damages observed visually, facilitating the detection and timely discovery of damages. The initial stiffness, damage initiation load, and ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.65 times, 5.89 times, and 3.45 times that of conventional T-joint, respectively. When considering the influence of density, the relative initial stiffness and relative ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.44 times and 2.07 times that of aluminum alloy T-joint, respectively.

Wafer-scale blue micro-light-emitting diode (micro-LED) arrays are fabricated with a pixel size of 12 μm, a pixel pitch of 15 μm, and a pixel density of 1692 pixels per inch, achieved by optimizing the properties of e-beam-deposited and sputter-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO). Although the sputter-deposited ITO (S-ITO) films exhibit a densely packed morphology and lower resistivity compared to those of the e-beam-deposited ITO (E-ITO) films, the forward voltage (VF) values of a micro-LED with the S-ITO films are higher than those with the E-ITO films. The VF values for a single pixel and for four pixels with E-ITO films are 2.82 V and 2.83 V, respectively, while the corresponding values for S-ITO films are 3.50 V and 3.52 V. This was attributed to ion bombardment damage and nitrogen vacancies in the p-GaN layer. Surprisingly, the VF variations of a single pixel and of four pixels with the optimized E-ITO spreading layer from five different regions are only 0.09 V and 0.10 V, respectively. This extremely uniform VF variation is suitable for realizing micro-LED displays to be used in AR and VR applications, circumventing the bottleneck in the development of long-lifespan and high-brightness organic LED devices for industrial mass production.

The Vu Gia - Thu Bon River Basin (VG-TB) is confronting numerous challenges related to water security (WS), particularly in the face of the impacts of climate change. These challenges manifest in salinity intrusion, altered rainfall patterns, and reduced water supply in downstream areas. To assess the current state of water security in the basin, the study employed statistical analysis methods, Process Analysis Method (PAM), SMART, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to develop a comprehensive Assessment Framework for Water Security (AFWS) in the VG-TB. The AFWS encompasses five key dimensions, 17 indicators, and 28 variables, aligning with the UN-Water definition of water security and addressing the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) criteria for global water sustainability. It also adheres to the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) approach to water security assessment as outlined in the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) reports. This allows for the computation of a comprehensive Water Security Index (WSI) for specific regions, serving as a foundation for decision-making and policy formulation aimed at enhancing water security in the context of climate change and facilitating sustainable basin development in the future.

Two gallium porphyrins, a tetraphenyl GaCl porphyrin, termed as (TPP)GaCl, and an octaethylporphyrin GaCl porphyrin, termed as (OEP)GaCl were synthesized to use as electron cascade in ternary organic bulk heterojunction films. A perfect matching of both gallium porphyrins energy levels with that of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) or poly[N-9′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) polymer donor and the 6,6-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) fullerene acceptor forming an efficient cascade system that could facilitate electron transfer between donor and acceptor was demonstrated. Therefore, ternary organic solar cells (OSCs) using the two porphyrins in various concentration were fabricated, where a performance enhancement was obtained. In particular, (TPP)GaCl-based ternary OSCs of low concentration (1:0.05 vv%) exhibited a ~17 % increase of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared with the binary device due to improved exciton dissociation, electron transport and reduced recombination. On the other hand, ternary OSCs with the (TPP)GaCl of high concentration (1:0.1 vv%) and (OEP)GaCl (1:0.05 and 1:0.1 vv%) showed poorest efficiencies due to very rough nanomorphology and suppressed crystallinity of ternary films when the GaCl porphyrin introduced in the blend, as revealed from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The best performed devices exhibited also improved photostability, when exposed to sunlight illumination for a period of 8 h than the binary OSCs, attributed to the suppressed photodegradation of the ternary (TPP)GaCl 1:0.05-based photoactive film.

The complement system is part of the innate immune response, where it provides immediate protection from infectious agents and plays a fundamental role in homeostasis. Complement dysregulation occurs in several diseases, where the tightly regulated proteolytic cascade turns offensive. Prominent examples are atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and Alzheimer’s disease. Therapeutic intervention targeting complement activation may allow treatment of such debilitating diseases. In this review, we describe a panel of complement targeting nanobodies that allow modulation at different steps of the proteolytic cascade, from the activation of the C1 complex in the classical pathway to formation of the C5 convertase in the terminal pathway. Thorough structural and functional characterization has provided a deep mechanistic understanding of the mode of inhibition for each of the nanobodies. These complement specific nanobodies are novel powerful probes for basic research and offer new opportunities for in vivo complement modulation.

A multimodal detection system with complementary capabilities for efficient detection was developed for impurity detection. The system consisted of a visible light camera, a multispectral camera, image correction and registration algorithms. It can obtain spectral feature and color feature at the same time, and has higher spatial resolution than a single spectral camera. This system was applied to detect impurities in Pu ’er tea to verify its high efficiency. The spectral and color features of each pixel in the images of Pu ’er tea were obtained by this system and used for pixel classification. The experimental results show that the accuracy of Support Vector Machine (SVM) model based on combined features is 93%, which is 7% higher than that based on only spectral features. By applying median filtering algorithm and contour detection algorithm to the label matrix extracted from pixel-classified images, 8 impurities except hair were detected successfully. Moreover, taking advantage of the high resolution of visible light camera, small impurities can be clearly imaged. By comparing the segmented color image with the pixel-classified image, small impurities such as hair could be detected successfully. Finally, it is proved that the system can obtain multiple images to allow a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the detected items, and has excellent ability to detect small impurities.

In this paper we present methodology for precise calibration of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) growth process and achieving run to run stability of growth parameters. We present the analysis of the influence of fluxes stability during the growth of long wavelength quantum cascade laser structures designed for the range λ ~ 12–16 µm on wavelength accuracy with respect to desired emission wavelength. The active region of the lasers has a complex structure of nanometer thickness InxGa1-xAs/InyAl1-yAs superlattice. As a consequence, the compositional and thickness control of the structure via bulk growth parameters is rather difficult. To deal with this problem we employ methodology based on double-superlattice test structures, that precede the growth of the actual structures. The test structures are analyzed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction which allows to calibrate the growth of the complex active region of quantum cascade laser structures. We also study theoretically the effect of individual flux changes on emission wavelength and gain parameters of the laser. The results of simulations allow for determination of flux stability tolerance, preserving acceptable parameters of the laser and provide means of emission wavelength control. The proposed methodology was verified by the growth of laser structures for emission at around 13.5 μm.

This paper presents a novel architecture for detecting mathematical formulas in document images, which is an important step for reliable information extraction in several domains. Recently, Cascade Mask R-CNN networks have been introduced to solve object detection in computer vision. In this paper, we suggest a couple of modifications to the existing Cascade Mask R-CNN architecture: First, the proposed network uses deformable convolutions instead of conventional convolutions in the backbone network to spot areas of interest better. Second, it uses a dual backbone of ResNeXt-101, having composite connections at the parallel stages. Finally, our proposed network is end-to-end trainable. We evaluate the proposed approach on the ICDAR-2017 POD and Marmot datasets. The proposed approach demonstrates state-of-the-art performance on ICDAR-2017 POD at a higher IoU threshold with an f1-score of 0.917, reducing the relative error by 7.8%. Moreover, we accomplished correct detection accuracy of 81.3% on embedded formulas on the Marmot dataset, which results in a relative error reduction of 30%.

Most of the structures in flowing water are a challenge to their stability and sustainable with different flow conditions. Recent, renewable energy research and development covers ocean and river energy platform in which flow of water drag considered in various conversion devices towards the offshore and onshore establishment. Various energy platforms have been suggested for offshore development. However, the stability of these platforms in water is a serious concern. To study the water interaction over circular and square cross-section cascade system under the water has been carried out. Water flow around the pillars or column of the energy platform are analyzed through simulation software. Very low velocity 0.5 m/s has been considered to analyze the system. Total fifteen numbers of cascade pillars having circular and square cross-section area were considered. K-ε turbulence model is adopted to calculate the flow interaction to the column. A velocity, pressure, and energy fields are found around the column.

Micellar Casein Concentrate (MCC) is manufactured from microfiltration (MF) of skim milk utilizing ceramic or polymeric membrane filtration. While ceramic filtration has higher efficiency, use of polymeric is cost effective and the process is familiar to several US dairy processors. The aim of the present study was to develop an optimized membrane filtration process to produce MCC using spiral wound polymeric membrane filtration (SW MF) system by systematic selection of transmembrane pressure (TMP) and level of diafiltration (DF). Using skim milk as feed material, preliminary lab-scale MF experiments were conducted using 0.5 µm polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. Three TMP (34.5, 62.1, and 103.4 kPa) and three levels of DF (70, 100, and 150%) along with a process without DF as control were used in the study. Effect of TMP and effectiveness of DF on flux rates, SP removal, casein to total protein (CN/TKN) ratio, casein to true protein (CN/TP) ratio, rejection of casein (rej CN) and SP (rej SP) were evaluated. At all TMP values used in the study, the overall flux (O Flux) increased with the level of DF. Highest O Flux of 30.77 liter per meter square per hour (LMH) was obtained with 34.5 kPa pressure and 150% DF. The impact of DF was more pronounced at lower pressures than at the higher pressures used in the study. With controlled DF, instantaneous flux was maintained within 80% of initial flux for the entire process run. For all the experiments, casein has a rejection of 0.97 to 1.0, while serum protein has the lowest rejection of 0.10 at 34.5 kPa pressure and 150% DF level. Use of 34.5 kPa and DF level of 150 % contributed to 81.45% SP removal, and casein to true protein ratio of 0.96. SP removal data from the lab-scale experiments were fitted into a mathematical model using DF and square of TMP as factors. The model predicts SP removal within 90-95% of actual SP removal got from the pilot plant experiments.

The traditional practice of harvesting and processing raw date palm sap is not only culturally significant but also an essential nutritional source in South Asia. Yet, the potential for bacterial or viral contamination from animals and environmental sources during its collection remains a real and insufficiently studied risk. Implementing improved food safety measures and collection techniques could mitigate the risk of these infections. Additionally, the adoption of advanced food analytical methods has the potential to identify pathogens and uncover the natural bacterial diversity of these products. The advancement of NGS technologies, particularly nanopore sequencing, offers rapid and highly mobile capabilities. In this study, we employed nanopore sequencing for bacterial metabarcoding of a set of raw date palm sap samples collected without protective coverage against animals in Bangladesh in 2021. We identified several bacterial species with importance in the natural fermentation of the product and demonstrated the feasibility of this NGS method in the surveillance of raw palm sap products. We revealed two fermentation directions dominated by either Leuconostoc species or Lactococcus species in these products at the first 6 hours from harvest along with opportunistic human pathogens in the background, represented with low abundance. Plant pathogens, bacteria with the potential for opportunistic human infections and the sequences of the Exiguobacterium genus were also described and their potential role is discussed.

Among phosphorylated derivatives, phosphinates occupy a prominent place due to their ability to be bioisosteres of phosphates and carboxylates. These properties imply the necessity to develop efficient methodologies leading to phosphinate scaffolds. For the past years our team have explored the nucleophilic potential of silylated phosphonite towards various electrophiles. In this paper, we propose to extend our study over other electrophiles. We describe here the implementation of a cascade reaction between (trimethylsilyl)imidates and hypophosphorous acid mediated by a Lewis acid allowing the synthesis of aminomethylenebisphosphinate derivatives.

Table detection is a preliminary step in extracting reliable information from tables in scanned document images. We present CasTabDetectoRS, a novel end-to-end trainable table detection framework that operates on Cascade Mask R-CNN, including Recursive Feature Pyramid network and Switchable Atrous Convolution in the existing backbone architecture. By utilizing a comparatively lightweight backbone of ResNet-50, this paper demonstrates that superior results are attainable without relying on pre and post-processing methods, heavier backbone networks (ResNet-101, ResNeXt-152), and memory-intensive deformable convolutions. We evaluate the proposed approach on five different publicly available table detection datasets. Our CasTabDetectoRS outperforms the previous state-of-the-art results on four datasets (ICDAR-19, TableBank, UNLV, and Marmot) and accomplishes comparable results on ICDAR-17 POD. Upon comparing with previous state-of-the-art results, we obtain a significant relative error reduction of 56.36%, 20%, 4.5%, and 3.5% on the datasets of ICDAR-19, TableBank, UNLV, and Marmot, respectively. Furthermore, this paper sets a new benchmark by performing exhaustive cross-datasets evaluations to exhibit the generalization capabilities of the proposed method.

Cascading Tank Village Systems (CTVSs) of Sri Lanka historically provided a resilient community-based social-ecological water management system in the rural dryzone of Sri Lanka [1]. The CTVS has been described as the ‘lifeblood’ of communities in the rural dry zone [2] and as a globally important Agricultural Heritage System by the FAO [3]. After being abandoned for many centuries, their restoration is now being pursued by different national and international actors as a key to climate change mitigation and sustainable livelihoods for communities [4]. Rural livelihoods in the dry zone are at risk due to multiple factors, poor access and management of water, economic and health pressures, as well as resource limitations and degradation [5]. Despite recent efforts to restore CTVS systems, no social-ecological approach (SES) nor sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF) focused approach to ensuring resilient and sustainable livelihood outcomes has been taken [6]. As part of an on-going PhD project, this paper describes the background, current challenges and potential for an SES focused resilience thinking approach to CTVS combined with a focus on sustainable livelihoods for future sustainable livelihood opportunities and outcomes. The study finds current restoration efforts are at a crossroads between restoring the past (system adaptability) or transforming for the future. It introduces relevant SES and resilience thinking concepts and analyses the CTVS from this perspective. A particular contribution of this study is to point to the significant overlaps and complementarities in social-ecological (SES) resilience thinking and SLF approaches to analysis and proposals for resilient rural development. Employing resilience thinking principles it recommends strategies to create positive livelihood outcomes for communities and households. Keywords: cascading tank village system; sustainable livelihoods; resilience thinking; Sri Lanka; rural dry zone; community rural development

The design flood estimation should consider the regulation of upstream cascade reservoirs which has significantly altered downstream hydrologic regime. The current flood regional composition (FRC) methods do not consider the unfavorable reservoir operation conditions for flood prevention. In this paper, a novel framework, the most unfavorable flood regional composition (MUFRC) method, was proposed based on the flood risk analysis to estimate design flood in cascade reservoir operation period. The results of case study in Yalong River basin indicated that: (1) The proposed MUFRC method would allocate more flood volume into downstream uncontrolled sub-basin, and the precise definition of flood loss could make great difference on MUFRC method for rational estimation of design flood. (2) The 1000-year design flood peak, 3-day and 7-day flood volume of the outlet section estimated by MUFRC method are 15400 m3/s, 3.91, and 8.42 billion m3 respectively, which are all greater than values estimated by other FRC methods; (3) The reduction of design floods in reservoir operation period result the adjustment of flood control water level in downstream reservoirs, which could additionally generate 460 million kW·h (+1.82%) hydropower during flood season. Comparison study and sensitivity analysis further proves that the MUFRC method could rationally allocate flood volume and meanwhile balance the flood prevention risk and comprehensive utilization benefits, which is worth for further study and practical application.

Target recognition mainly includes three approaches: optical image-based, echo detection-based, and passive signal analysis-based methods. Among them, the passive signal-based method is closely integrated with practical applications due to its strong environmental adaptability. Based on passive radar signal analysis, we design an "end-to-end" model that cascades a noise estimation network with a recognition network to identify working modes in noise environment. The noise estimation network is implemented based on U-Net, which adopts a method of feature extraction and reconstruction to adaptively estimate the noise mapping level of the sample, which can help the recognition network to reduce noise interference. Focusing on the characteristics of radar signal, the recognition network is realized based on Multi-Scale Convolutional Attention Network (MSCANet). Firstly, the deep group convolution is used to isolate the channel interaction in the shallow network. Then, through the multi-scale convolution module, finer-grained features of the signal are extracted without increasing the complexity of the model. Finally, the self-attention mechanism is used to suppress the influence of low-correlation and negative-correlation channels and spaces. This method overcomes the problem that the conventional method is seriously disturbed by noise. We validated the proposed method in 81 kinds of noise environments, achieving an average accuracy of 94.65%. Additionally, we discussed the performance of six machine learning algorithms and four deep learning algorithms. Compared to these methods, proposed MSCANet achieved an accuracy improvement of approximately 17%. Our method demonstrates better generalization and robustness.

A temperature-modulated pyroelectricity measurement system for a small single crystal is developed and applied to standard sample measurements performed on a thin single crystal of lithium niobate. The modulation measurement is based on the AC technique, in which the temperature of the sample is periodically oscillated, and the synchronized pyroelectric signal is extracted using a lock-in amplifier. Temperature modulation is applied by irradiating periodic light on the sample placed in the heat exchange gas. To apply this technique to the transparent reference sample, a commercially available black resin is coated on the sample’s surface to absorb the light energy and transmits it to the specimen. The experimental results are analyzed using a two-layer heat transfer model to verify the effect of the light-absorbing layer as well as the non-contact temperature modulation system.

The microbioma is presently one of the hottest areas of scientific and medical research and exerts a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Fermented foods arise in the human relationship to the microbial environment. Further to the traditionally recognized effects of fermented foods and beverages on the digestive health and well-being there is now strong evidence on their general health benefits, namely the significance on the gut microbiota and brain functionality. We highlight the possibilities in this field, how little is still known, and call for a convergence of interdisciplinary research fields of One Health microbe-nutrition with fermented foods and gut-brain research. A consequence of civilisation, changes in present-day society in diets with more sugar, fat and salt, habits and lifestyle, contributes to the likelihood of an inflammatory microbiome, particularly the global epidemics of obesity and mental health. Although two recent papers claim that probiotics perturb rather than aid in microbiota recovery back to baseline after antibiotic administration in humans, consuming fermented foods has shown to reduce inflammation so improve gut health and the proper function of the body’s immune system.

Preprints is delighted to have passed the milestone of one thousand preprints online. This is a significant step for the platform, which was launched in May last year with the objective of speeding up the process of communicating research across all disciplines. We are proud to be the first preprint server to cover all disciplines.

Globally increasing antibiotic resistance has been connected to the use of antibiotics in medical, veterinary, and agricultural medicine, contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Asia and Europe. The main objective of this study was to correlations of antimicrobial-resistant of various pathogens in three compartments: humans, animals and the environment in India and Germany. A systematic search was carried out in Medline via PubMed, Google Scholar, and science direct, including studies published in 2022. Out of 532 papers, 24 were considered for meta-analysis. This study reveals that in India, β-lactam is highly resistant in animals. Quinolone, on the other hand, was highly resistant in humans. Furthermore, in the environment and integrated studies, aminoglycosides and β-lactams is resistant. While in Germany, a high rate of AMR resistance in all three sectors was reported in β-lactam. However, E. coli was the most frequent pathogen in both countries and is highly resistant to β-lactam, followed by cephalosporin in all the compartments. Monitoring and evaluating antibiotic-sensitivity patterns and developing proper antibiotic regimens may lead to improved outcomes for inhibiting and controlling E. coli infections in various parts of the world.

While there are software tools available for assisting to conduct the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), such as OpenLCA, these tools lack integration with process design, simulation and optimization software. As LCA has critical role in sustainable product design, it is presented in this work a platform called EMSO_OLCA, which integrates the LCA provided by OpenLCA into the Environment for Modeling, Simulation, and Optimization (EMSO). EMSO_OLCA incorporates a database of environmental impact assessment methodologies from OpenLCA and aligns to the principles of LCA outlined in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. Validation tests were conducted to compare the results obtained by the LCA of sugarcane ethanol using OpenLCA and EMSO_OLCA, revealing a high level of agreement. The average relative error was 0.045%, indicating a negligible discrepancy between the tools. Besides, it took only 0.3 seconds for calculation, which is desirable for using with process systems engineering tools. A second case study was applied to a steam and bioelectricity production from the combustion of sugarcane bagasse and straw in a combined heat and power system. The results show the integration of LCA with simulation and sensitivity analysis tools, thus contributing for supporting sustainable decision-making processes. EMSO_OLCA bridges the gap between LCA and process engineering, enabling a holistic approach to sustainability, design and implementation of environmentally friendly solutions.

Although composting has many advantages in the treatment of organic waste, there are still many problems and challenges associated with emissions, like NH3, VOCs, and H2S, as well as greenhouse gases such as CO2, CH4, and N2O. One promising approach to enhancing composting conditions is used of novel analytical methods bad on artificial intelligence. To predict and optimize the emissions (CO, CO2, H2S, NH3) during composting process kinetics thought mathematical models (MM) and machine learning (ML) models were utilized. Data about everyday emissions from laboratory composting with compost’s biochar with different incubation (50, 60, 70 °C) and biochar doses (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15% d.m.) were used for MM and ML models selections and training. MM has not been very effective in predicting emissions, (R2 0.1 - 0.9), while ML models such as acritical neural network (ANN, Bayesian Regularized Neural Network; R2 accuracy CO:0,71, CO2:0,81, NH3:0,95, H2S:0,72)) and decision tree (DT, RPART; R2 accuracy CO:0,693, CO2:0,80, NH3:0,93, H2S:0,65) have demonstrated satisfactory results. For the first time the ML models to predict CO and H2S during composting were demonstrated. Further research in a semi-scale and field study composting with biochar is needed to improve the accuracy of developments models.

Our knowledge of electricity is based on two parallel lines of research: one focusing on ‘charge’, the other on ‘electron’. The distinction is blurred. The difficulty is that the fundamental nature of elementary charge is unknown. Here I present evidence that charge is a resting electron and electron is a moving charge – one physical entity two behavioural identities. That is, charge is nonrelativistic electron and electron is relativistic charge. Charges obey the laws of static electricity (electrostatics); electrons obey the laws of moving electricity (electrodynamics). Whether positive or negative, a charge is ejected from the atom at tremendous speed, losing the characteristics of ‘a charge’ and gaining those of ‘an electron’. I conclude that an atom, hence nature in general, contains an equal number of positive and negative electrons, recognised at rest as opposite charges. This solves the mystery of the electron-positron numerical asymmetry. It means that static positions and negatrons (charges) play equivalent roles as subatomic building blocks of matter, revealing a new atomic structure.

In a dynamic production processes, mechanical degradation poses a significant challenge, impacting product quality and process efficiency. This paper explores a novel approach for monitoring degradation in the context of viscose fiber production, a highly dynamic manufacturing process. Using causal discovery techniques, our method allows domain experts to incorporate background knowledge into the creation of causal graphs. Further, it enhances the interpretability and increases the ability to identify potential problems via changes in causal relations over time. The case study employs a comprehensive analysis of the viscose fiber production process within a prominent textile industry, emphasizing the advantages of causal discovery for monitoring degradation. The results are compared with state-of-the-art methods, which are not considered to be interpretable, specifically LSTM-based autoencoders, showcasing the alignment and validation of our approach. This paper provides valuable information on degradation monitoring strategies, demonstrating the efficacy of causal discovery in dynamic manufacturing environments. The findings contribute to the evolving landscape of process optimization and quality control.

A controllable synthesis of trisubstituted imidazoles and pyrroles has been developed through rhodium(II)-catalyzed regioselective annulation of N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-trizaoles with β-enaminones. The imidazole ring was formed through 1,1-insertion of N-H bond to α-imino rhodium carbene and subsequential intramolecular 1,4-conjugate addition when α-carbon atom of amino group bearing with methyl, whereas utilizing phenyl substituent constructed pyrrole ring via intramolecular nucleophilic addition. Features such as mild conditions, good functional groups tolerance, gram-scale synthesis, and valuable transformations of the products qualified this unique protocol as an efficient tool for the synthesis of N-heterocycles.

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in some healthcare-associated infections. We investigated the impact of the pandemic on rates and molecular epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) within one VA Hospital. We anticipated that the potential widespread use of antibiotics for pneumonia during the pandemic might increase CDI rates given that antibiotics are a major risk for CDI. Hospital data on patients with CDI and recurrent CDI (rCDI) were reviewed pre-COVID-19 pandemic (2015 to 2019) and during the pandemic (2020 - 2021). Restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) strain typing was performed on CD isolates recovered from stool samples collected from 10/2019 – 3/2022. CDI case numbers declined 43.2% in 2020 – 2021 compared to the annual mean over the previous 5 years. Stool test positivity rate was also lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (14.3% vs. 17.2%; P = 0.013). Although inpatient volume declined, rates of CDI among inpatients were reduced by 34.2% in 2020 – 2021. Mean monthly cases of rCDI also declined significantly after 2020 [3.38 (95% CI: 2.89 – 3.87) vs. 1.92 (95% CI: 1.27 – 2.56); P = <0.01]. Prior to the pandemic, REA group Y was the most prevalent CD strain among the major REA groups (27.3%). During the first wave of the pandemic from March 8, 2020, through June 30, 2020, there was an increase in the relative incidence of REA group BI (26.7% vs. 9.1%. After adjusting for CDI risk factors, a multivariable logistic regression model revealed that odds of developing an REA group BI CDI increased during the first pandemic wave (OR 6.41, 95% CI: 1.03 – 39.91) compared to the pre-pandemic period. In conclusion, the incidence of CDI and rCDI decreased significantly during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, REA BI (Ribotype 027), a virulent, previously epidemic CD strain and frequently associated with hospital transmission and outbreaks, reappeared as a prevalent strain during the first wave of the pandemic.

Inadequately managed agricultural waste significantly impacts the environment, health, and economy. This form of pollution arises from the underutilization, poor awareness, and insufficient treatment of agricultural waste. Fruit and vegetable wastes are valuable sources of bioactive compounds. This study aims to revalorize discarded waste from red habanero chili peppers (Capsicum chinense) by extracting bioactive compounds through different extraction processes: maceration (ME), maceration assisted by ultrasound (US), Soxhlet extraction (SE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and supercritical fluid extraction with a co-solvent (SFEC). Extraction processes have significant effects on extraction efficiency and phytochemical profile (capsaicinoids and carotenoids recovery). The results indicate that the highest efficiency process is obtained with SFEC, also a high phytochemicals recovery (14.9 mg of total capsaicinoids and total carotenoids 292.09 µg per gram of sample). Concerning to phytochemical profile in the extract, the maceration process gets the highest concentration of compound followed by US and SFEC. These data reveal that the use of SFE and SFEC extraction is recommended for extraction of phytochemicals with biologically activity from red habanero chili pepper waste for diverse industries application.

We investigate molecular beam epitaxy growth conditions of micrometers-thick In0.52Al0.48As designed for waveguide of InGaAs/InAlAs/InP quantum cascade lasers. Effect of growth temperature and V/III ratio on the surface morphology and defect structure were studied. The growth conditions which were developed for the growth of cascaded In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As active region, e.g. growth temperature of TG=520°C and V/III ratio of 12, turned out to be not optimum for the growth of thick In0.52Al0.48As waveguide layers. It has been observed that after exceeding ~1µm thickness the quality of In0.52Al0.48As layers deteriorates. The in-situ optical reflectometry showed increasing surface roughness caused by defect forming, which was further confirmed by High Resolution X-Ray reciprocal space mapping, optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The presented optimization of growth conditions of In0.52Al0.48As waveguide layer led to the growth of defect free material, with good optical quality. This has been achieved by decreasing the growth temperature to TG=480 °C with appropriate increasing V/III ratio. At the same time the growth conditions of the cascade active region of the laser were left unchanged. The lasers grown using new recipe have shown lower threshold currents and improved slope efficiency. We relate this performance improvement to reduction of the electron scattering on the interface roughness and decreased waveguide absorption losses.

Mucosal healing (MH) is the main treatment target in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, and it is defined by a combination of complete endoscopic and histologic remission. Indeed, the complete resolution of mucosal inflammation should be confirmed at histology. Neutrophil infiltration represents the unique histological marker in discriminating the active vs quiescent phase of disease, also including crypt injuries (cryptitis and crypt abscesses), erosions and ulcerations. Basal plasmacytosis do not qualify by itself the remission in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), but it represents a diagnostic clue, mostly at onset. Several histological scoring systems have been developed to evaluate therapeutic efficacy, even though they often resulted tricky and subjective. Moreover, these scores listed a heterogeneous group of histological features as parameters. The recently proposed simplified histological score on MH was based on neutrophils and their distribution in the gut mucosa was also considered, aiming to provide a simple, time-sparing and reproducible tool to be applied to the routinary diagnostic practice. The artificial intelligence could be a promising tool both in evaluating and standardizing the histological assessment of disease activity in IBD. Moreover, novel molecules involved in the inflammatory dynamics in the gut could be employed in supporting the diagnostic practice in IBD.

New fluorinated pentaphene derivative has been obtained as a potential precursor for fluorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In this work 7,7-difluoropentaphen-6(7H)-one was prepared from 1,1-difluoroanthracen-2(1H)-one via Diels-Alder reaction with o-quinodimethane generated in situ from o-bis(dibromomethyl)benzene. The structure of newly synthesized compound was confirmed by 1H, 13C, 19F NMR, IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy as well as high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) poses a significant challenge to global health, with its prevalence projected to rise dramatically by 2045. This narrative review explores the bidirectional relationship between periodontitis (PD) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms derived by the interplay between oral microbiota and the host immune response. A comprehensive search of literature published between 2008 and 2023 was conducted to elucidate the association between these two diseases. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship, with individuals with T1DM exhibiting heightened susceptibility to periodontitis, and vice versa. The review includes recent findings from human clinical studies, revealing variations in oral microbiota composition in T1DM patients, including increases in certain pathogenic species such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, along with shifts in microbial diversity and abundance. Molecular mechanisms underlying this association involve oxidative stress and dysregulated host immune responses, mediated by inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, and MMPs. Furthermore, disruptions in bone turnover markers, such as RANKL and OPG, contribute to periodontal complications in T1DM patients. While preventive measures to manage periodontal complications in T1DM patients may improve overall health outcomes, further research is needed to understand the intricate interactions between oral microbiota, host response, periodontal disease, and systemic health in this population.

We describe the behavior of mixtures of stearic acid (SA) and its hydroxylated counterpart 12-hydroxystearic acid (12-HSA) in aqueous mixtures at room temperature, as function of the 12-HSA/(fatty acid) mole ratio R. The morphologies of the self-assembled aggregates are obtained by a multi-structural approach that combines confocal and cryo-TEM microscopies with Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) and Wide-Angle X-Rays Scattering (WAXS) measurements, coupled with rheology measurements. Fatty acids are solubilized by an excess of ethanolamine counterions, so that their heads are negatively charged. The behavior is driven by the competition between mixing entropy and enthalpic effects. A clear trend towards partitioning between the two types of fatty acids is observed, presumably driven by the favorable formation of a H-bond network between hydroxyl OH function on the 12th carbon. For all R, the self-assembled structures are locally lamellar, with bilayers composed of crystallized and strongly interdigitated fatty acids. At high R, multi-lamellar tubes are formed, similarly as for pure aqueous solutions of 12-HSA. The doping by a low amount of SA molecules only slightly modify the dimensions of the tubes (radius and length), and slightly decreases the bilayers rigidity. The solutions have a gel-like behavior originating from entanglements between tubes and show a yield stress. At intermediate R, a partial local partitioning occurs between the two types of fatty acids. The tubes coexist in solution with helical ribbons. The two structures possibly merge to form very long snaky objects with straight and curved parts. The rigidity of the bilayers and the rheological behavior of the solutions are very similar to those of the high R case. At low R, local partitioning also occurs, and the architecture of the self-assemblies associates the two morphologies of the pure fatty acids systems, respectively 2-D planar bilayers for SA and the tubes describe above for the 12-HSA molecules: they are facetted objects with planar domains enriched in SA molecules, capped with curved domains enriched in 12-HSA molecules. The rigidity of the bilayers is strongly increased, as well their storage modulus, compared to systems with larger R. The solutions remain however viscous fluids in this regime of low R.

World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the monkeypox (MPX) epidemic a global public health emergency due to its re-emergence, remarkable increase in the number of MPX cases worldwide, and its potential spread. This paper introduces the symptoms, complications, and features of MPX; its transmission, diagnosis and testing, vaccines and treatment; MPX and sexually transmitted diseases, especially the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); possible natural hosts or reservoirs of the monkeypox virus (MPXV). A useful tool for MPX and surgical safety recommendations are presented. The challenges in fighting the MPX epidemic, One Health strategy, and future research are discussed.

This work is driven by a practical question, corrections of Artificial Intelligence (AI) errors. Systematic re-training of a large AI system is hardly possible. To solve this problem, special external devices, correctors, are developed. They should provide quick and non-iterative system fix without modification of a legacy AI system. A common universal part of the AI corrector is a classifier that should separate undesired and erroneous behavior from normal operation. Training of such classifiers is a grand challenge at the heart of the one- and few-shot learning methods. Effectiveness of one- and few-short methods is based on either significant dimensionality reductions or the blessing of dimensionality effects. Stochastic separability is a blessing of dimensionality phenomenon that allows one-and few-shot error correction: in high-dimensional datasets under broad assumptions each point can be separated from the rest of the set by simple and robust linear discriminant. The hierarchical structure of data universe is introduced where each data cluster has a granular internal structure, etc. New stochastic separation theorems for the data distributions with fine-grained structure are formulated and proved. Separation theorems in infinite-dimensional limits are proven under assumptions of compact embedding of patterns into data space. New multi-correctors of AI systems are presented and illustrated with examples of predicting errors and learning new classes of objects by a deep convolutional neural network.

This paper describes the state of the art and future opportunities for process design and sustainable development. In the Introduction the main global megatrends and European Union's response to two of them, the European Green Deal, are presented. The organization of professionals in the field, their conferences and publications support the two topics. A brief analysis of the published documents in the two most popular databases shows that the environmental dimension predominates, followed by an economic one, while the social pillar of sustainable development is undervalued. The main design tools for sustainability are described. As an important practical case, the European chemical and process industries are analyzed and their achievements in sustainable development are highlighted; in particular, their strategies are presented in more detail. The conclusions cover the most urgent future development areas of the process industries, carbon capture with utilization or storage, process analysis, simulation, synthesis and optimization tools; zero waste, circular economy and resource efficiency already play an important role. However, more profound changes are needed in the coming decades, including a shift away from growth with changes in habits, lifestyles and business models. Lifelong education for sustainable development will play a very important role in the growth of democracy and happiness instead of consumerism and neoliberalism.

We report an unusual transformation where a transient formation of a nitrene moiety initiates a sequence of steps where leading to a remote oxidative C-H functionalization (R-CH3 to R-CH2OC(O)R’) and concomitant reduction of the nitrene into an amino group. No external oxi-dants or reductants are needed for this formal molecular com-proportionation. Detected and iso-lated intermediates and computational analysis suggest that the process occurs with pyrazole ring opening and recyclization.

Since the advent of the OBORI, it was subjected to numerous studies. However, most previous studies investigated only the potential impact of the OBORI on the Chinese economy and geopolitics. Therefore, its real effect on Chinese international commerce in OBORI countries is not evaluated yet. Accordingly, this study intends to model the OBORI effect on Chinese product brand purchases across country members. The assessment is made on 18362 purchases of the International Online Consumers (IOCs) from a Chinese international online selling platform. The Data was obtained from a programming language and the octopus software. The OBORI policy's effect on Chinese brands' purchases was examined through a Different In Different Model (DIDM). Results show that the impact of OBORI is weak in the real market. However, it could be significant if OBORI includes more developed and economically strong countries. To Chinese brands and policymakers, we show how the inclusion in the OBORI project of developed countries could contribute more to Chinese product brands' purchases. Thus, the study enables decision-makers to understand the current impact of OBORI on the real market and its potential effect if more developed and economically strong countries are included.

This paper is concerned with a hydraulic cylinder directly controlled by a variable speed fixed displacement pump. The considered configuration is referred to as a one-motor-one-pump (1M1P) motor-controlled hydraulic cylinder (MCC). A 1M1P MCC with a hydraulically driven passive load-holding function enabled by controlled system pressures is proposed. The proposed load-holding functionality works if there is a standstill command, a loss of power supply, or a hose rupture. Additionally, this paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of the proposed system's operation and load-holding function across four quadrants. Simulation results demonstrate the four-quadrant operation and good load-holding performance under the aforementioned scenarios. In conclusion, the proposed 1M1P MCC can be successfully used on practical applications characterized by overrunning loads and four quadrant operation.

1,2-Dihydroisoquinolines are important compounds due to their biological and medicinal activities, and numerous approaches to their synthesis have been reported. In this study, a palladium-catalyzed cascade cyclization-coupling of trisubstituted allenamides containing a bromoaryl moiety with arylboronic acids is described. The reaction proceeds via intramolecular cyclization, followed by transmetallation with the arylboronic acid of the resulting allylpalladium intermediate. A variety of substituted 1,2-dihydroisoquinolines were concisely obtained using this methodology because the allenamides, as reaction substrates, were prepared from readily available propargylamines in one step.

Due to the increasing risk of extreme events caused by climate change (i.e. floods, fires, hurricanes) or wars, European veterinary public health may need some improvement. Utilizing a mix of qualitative (participatory observation) and quantitative methods (Internet mining), we analyzed the Greek media responses to the millennial flood in Thessaly (September 2023), focusing on animal health (including wild, companion animals and livestock) and public sentiment towards epizootic/epidemic threats. The study revealed a gap in crisis management plans regarding veterinary-related issues, emphasizing the need for comprehensive emergency response strategies. Our findings show how: (i) lay-referral system is projecting perception of epidemic threats into the population; (ii) emotional load of images of animal carcasses is misused by media creators aiming for big audience; (iii) pets owners are creating on-line communities for searching and treatment of their pets. Our results stress the importance of integrating crisis communication in consecutive phases of the discourse, such as (i) weather change; (ii) acute flood; (iii) recovery; (iv) outbreaks, into veterinary practices to better prepare for such disasters.

One of the oldest problems in physics is that of calculating the motion of N particles under a specified mutual force: the N-body problem. Much is known about this problem if the specified force is non-relativistic gravity, and considerable progress has been made by considering the problem in one spatial dimension. Here I review what is known about the relativistic gravitational N-body problem. Reduction to one spatial dimension has the feature that gravitational radiation is absent, thereby allowing for a clear comparison between the physics of one-dimensional relativistic and non-relativistic self-gravitating systems. After describing how to obtain a relativistic theory of gravity coupled to N point particles, I discuss in turn the 2-body, 3-body, 4-body, and N-body problems. Quite general exact solutions can be obtained for the 2-body problem, unlike the situation in general relativity in 3 spatial dimensions for which only highly specified solutions exist. The 3-body problem exhibits mild forms of chaos, and provides one of the first theoretical settings in which relativistic chaos can be studied. For N4 other interesting features emerge. Relativistic self-gravitating systems have a number of interesting problems awaiting further investigation, providing us with a new frontier for exploring relativistic many-body systems.

Fungi constitute a diverse group with highly positive and negative impacts in different envi-ronments, having several natural roles and beneficial applications in human life, but also caus-ing several concerns. Fungi can affect human health directly, but also indirectly by being detri-mental for animal and plant health influencing food safety and security. Climate changes are al-so affecting fungal distribution, prevalence, and their impact on different settings. Searching for sustainable solutions to deal with these issues is challenging due to the complexity of the inter-actions among fungi and agriculture, animal production, environment, and human health. In this way, the “One Health” approach may be useful to get some answers since it recognizes that human health is closely connected to animal and plant health, as well as to the shared environ-ment. This review aims to explore and correlate each of those factors influencing human health in this “One Health” perspective.

Four Fourier transforms are usually defined, the Integral Fourier transform, the Discrete-Time Fourier transform (DTFT), the Discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and the Integral Fourier transform for periodic functions. However, starting from their definitions, we show that all four Fourier transforms can be reduced to actually only one Fourier transform, the Fourier transform in the distributional sense.

Predictive maintenance (PM) algorithms are widely applied for detecting operational anomalies on industrial processes to trigger maintenance before a possible breakdown; however, much less focus has been devoted to the use of such PM predictions as feedback in automated process control mechanisms. They usually integrate preventive solutions to protect the machines, usually causing downtimes. The premise of this study is to develop a holistic adaptive process scheduling mechanism that incorporates PM analysis as a safety component to optimize the operation mode of an industrial process toward preventing breakdowns while maintaining its availability and operational state, thereby reducing downtimes. As PM is largely a data-driven approach; hence, relies on the setup, we first compare different PM approaches and identify a one-class support vector machine (OCSVM) as the best performing option for the anomaly detection on our setup. Then, we propose a novel pipeline to integrate maintenance predictions into a real-time adaptive process scheduling mechanism. It schedules for the most suitable operation, i.e., optimizing for machine health and process efficiency, according to the abnormal readings. To demonstrate the pipeline on action, we implement our approach on a small-scale conveyor belt system utilizing our Internet of Things (IoT) framework. The results show that our PM-based adaptive process control provides an efficient process with less or no downtime. We also conclude that a PM approach does not provide sufficient efficiency without its integration into an autonomous planning process.