Comparative Experimental Study Research Articles

Self-referencing similariton-based spectral interferometry for ultrashort pulse complete characterization

Similariton is used to provide a reference for the characterization of ultrashort pulses by spectral interferometry. Measured pulse profiles are compared with autocorrelation measurements and cross-checked by spectrotemporal imaging technique based on similariton-induced temporal lens. The use of similariton makes the pulse measurement method self-referencing, substantially improving its application range, whilst preserving the simplicity of the principle and setup of the classic methods of spectral interferometry that require a reference pulse. Our comparative experimental study, carried out together with numerical simulations, provides the application range and limitations of the method and evidences the high precision of the similariton-based spectral interferometry.

Low cycle fatigue behaviour of cellular materials: Experimental comparative study of strut-based and gyroid structures made of additively manufactured 316L steel

Cellular materials are an attractive option to improve mechanical properties in lightweight design. Given their complex geometry, cellular materials present small features at the meso-scale that make them highly susceptible to fatigue failures. Fatigue of these materials has been receiving adequate attention only in the last few years, nevertheless, studies of low cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviour are extremely scarce and fragmented. In this study, 316L steel strut-based (FBCCZ) and gyroid cellular specimens were successfully manufactured by laser-powder bed fusion and tested in the LCF regime, considering their post-manufacturing morphological characteristics. The cyclic elastoplastic response revealed a higher stiffness for the strut-based than the gyroid cellular structure. The latter, in contrast, exhibited higher fatigue strength in strain-control mode, thanks to the absence of severe stress and strain raisers when compared to the strut-based counterpart. Overall, strain-life curves of both types of cellular materials are shifted to lower number of cycles to failure with respect to the base material. Detailed fractographic analyses revealed complex and tri-dimensional fracture surfaces for the gyroid specimens, whereas the strut-based lattice displayed planar fracture surfaces.

Adsorption of Ba and 226Ra on illite: A comparative experimental and modelling study

Illite, smectite and illite/smectite mixed layers are major phases in various argillaceous rock formations foreseen as potential host rocks for the deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste and are important sorbents for cationic radionuclides potentially released in the repository. 226Ra is a critical radionuclide in the safety analysis and an important source of radioactivity in technically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials. A comprehensive study was carried out on the adsorption of Ba and Ra on purified homoionic Na-illite (Illite du Puy) over a wide range of experimental conditions (pH, concentration, ionic strength) allowing for the development of a quasi-mechanistic Ba/Ra adsorption model for illite. Ba adsorption isotherms obtained at fixed ionic strength and pH exhibit a non-linear behaviour in the Ba equilibrium concentration range between ∼10−7 and ∼10−2 M. The pH dependent adsorption of trace 226Ra and Ba was investigated at different ionic strengths and evidenced a more pronounced adsorption of 226Ra than Ba on illite. Finally, a competition experiment of trace 226Ra in the presence of increasing Ba concentrations showed an unexpected 226Ra adsorption behaviour which was not observed for montmorillonite in earlier studies. This large set of experimental data could be successfully modelled by Ba/226Ra exchange reactions against Na, together with selectivity coefficients, on two different site types, namely planar sites and high affinity sites. The modelling of the pH dependent adsorption of Ba and 226Ra at high ionic strength and high pH required an additional surface complexation reaction. Two additional exchange sites had to be introduced to quantitatively describe the 226Ra uptake on illite in the 226Ra/Ba competition experiment. The nature of these sites, however, remains unclear. The implementation of the 226Ra adsorption model into predictive transport modelling codes is of key importance for the safety analysis of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste.

Pulsed laser ablation-mediated facile fabrication of MoO3/TiO2/rGO nanocomposite as a photocatalyst for dye degradation

In this work, for the first time, the MoO3/TiO2/rGO nanocomposites with different weight ratios of rGO (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) were fabricated using pulsed laser ablation technique. The as-fabricated nanocomposites were employed for photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. The morphological, structural, and chemical properties of the fabricated photocatalysts were characterized using XRD, TEM, SEM, UV-DRS, XPS, FTIR, TGA, DSC, and PL. Comparative experimental studies displayed that MoO3/TiO2/rGO nanocomposites fabricated with 5% rGO showed the highest photocatalytic degradation (95%) of MB under UV irradiation. This superior photocatalytic performance could be ascribed to the narrow bandgap of the fabricated nanocomposites as well as the synergistic effect of the three components.

Sensorless Force Estimator for Bilateral Control Systems Using Adaptive Sliding-Mode-Assisted Disturbance Observer

Superior transparency, which includes precise force feedback and position tracking, is the main objective of bilateral operating systems. Therefore, force information estimation or measurement plays a critical role in improving the transparency of bilateral operating systems. This paper proposes a bilateral control scheme combined with an adaptive sliding-mode-assisted disturbance observer (ASMADO) for bilateral operating systems. First, ASMADO, comprising an adaptive disturbance observer and adaptive sliding mode-assisted control law, is used as a force detector to estimate the time-varying force in bilateral control systems. The adaptive disturbance observer with a fixed-time convergent auxiliary dynamic variable is designed without the prior knowledge of the upper bound of the force information derivative, which drives the force estimation error into a small bounded set. Then, the adaptive sliding mode-assisted control law is used to eliminate the estimated residuals of the adaptive disturbance observer in the inner loop of the force estimator. Stability analysis proves that the proposed ASMADO is practical finite-time stable. Subsequently, a bilateral control scheme based on the proposed ASMADO is developed to further improve the system transparency with force feedback and position tracking. Finally, comparative experimental studies are conducted to verify the superior performance of the proposed bilateral controller based on ASMADO.

Unraveling The Effects of DICER1 Overexpression on Immune-Related Genes Expression in Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells: Insights for Therapeutic Applications.

The immunoregulatory properties of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) bring a promise for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. However, their ability to suppress the immune system is unstable. To enhance their effectiveness against immune responses, it may be necessary to manipulate MSCs. Although some dsRNA transcripts come from invading viruses, the majority of dsRNA has an endogenous origin and is known as endo-siRNA. DICER1 is a ribonuclease protein that can generate small RNAs to modulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. We aimed to evaluate the expression of several immune-related genes at mRNA and protein levels in MSCs overexpressing DICER1 exogenously. In this comparative transcriptomic experimental study, the adipose-derived MSCs (Ad-MSCs) were transfected using the pCAGGS-Flag-hsDicer vector for the DICER1 overexpression. Following the RNA extraction, mRNA expression level of DICER1 and several inflammatory cytokines were examined. We performed a relative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and transcriptome analysis between two groups including DICER1- transfected MSCs and control MSCs. Moreover, media from the transfected MSCs were evaluated for various interferon response factors by ELISA. The overexpression of DICER1 is associated with a significant increase in the mRNA expression level of COX-2, DDX-58, IFIH1, MYD88, RNase L, TLR3/4, and TDO2 genes and a downregulation of the TSG-6 gene in MSCs. Moreover, the expression levels of IL-1, 6, 8, 17, 18, CCL2, INF-γ, TGF-β, and TNF-α were higher in the DICER1-transfected MSCs group. It seems that the ectopic expression of DICER1 in Ad-MSCs is linked to alterations in the expression level of immune-related genes. It is suggested that the manipulation of immune-related pathways in MSCs via the Dicer1 overexpression could facilitate the development of MSCs with distinct immunoregulatory phenotypes.

Skin microbiome in autoimmune pemphigus: a comparative analysis of bacterial diversity in relation to treatment

Background. Autoimmune pemphigus (AP) is a chronic, life-threatening disease of the skin and mucous membranes. Effective therapeutic options are currently available, but mortality in AP patients is higher than in the general population. The leading causes of death are infectious complications. Recent years have revealed the key role of microbiome alteration in a number of skin diseases. There is an increasing number of published studies examining the skin microbiome in patients with AP, but they have a number of limitations and require further research to understand the role of skin microbial composition in the course of AP. Aims: to study the composition of skin microbiome by culture method in patients with AP (in active stage and in remission), to perform correlation analysis of microbiome composition and therapy received. Materials and methods. Experimental prospective comparative study. Forty-four patients with diagnosed AP (16 men, 36.4%; 28 women, 63.6%; mean age 51.5±13.1 years) and 10 controls (7 women, 70%; 3 men, 30%; mean age 40±12.5 years) were included. Patients were enrolled between November 2021 and June 2023 at the V.A. Rakhmanov Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases. Results. Seventy-nine skin samples were obtained and analysed. Only bacterial growth was detected in all submitted samples. No statistically significant difference was found between the composition of the microbiome of the unchanged skin of patients with AP in the active stage and in remission and the control group. In patients in the active stage of AP, a significant difference was found between the composition of the microbiome from rash elements and unchanged skin. S. aureus prevails on the skin from rash elements, and S. hominis dominates on unchanged skin. In patients before the start of glucocortlcosteroid (GCS) therapy, a predominance of S. aureus in the samples and a decrease in microbial diversity is noted. In patients receiving GCS therapy, S. hominis and S. epidermidis predominate, and greater microbial diversity is also noted. Conclusions. The study revealed that the skin microbiome from the rash elements of patients with AP undergoes significant changes during the active stage of the disease, mainly due to colonisation of the skin by S. aureus. However, against the background of therapy with systemic GCS there is a tendency to normalisation of skin microflora composition, which demonstrates that there are no differences in the composition of the microbiome of patients in remission of AP and control groups.

Adaptive Super-Twisting Sliding Mode Control of Underwater Mechanical Leg with Extended State Observer

Underwater manipulation is one of the most significant functions of the deep-sea crawling and swimming robot (DCSR), which relies on the high-accuracy control of the body posture. As the actuator of body posture control, the position control performance of the underwater mechanical leg (UWML) thus determines the performance of the underwater manipulation. An adaptive super-twisting sliding mode control method based on the extended state observer (ASTSMC-ESO) is proposed to enhance the position control performance of the UWML by taking into account the system’s inherent nonlinear dynamics, uncertainties, and the external disturbances from hydrodynamics, dynamic seal resistance, and compensation oil viscous resistance. This newly designed controller incorporates sliding mode (SMC) feedback control with feedforward compensation of the system uncertainties estimated by the ESO, and the external disturbances of the hydrodynamics by fitting the parameters, the dynamic seal resistance, and the compensation oil viscous resistance to the tested results. Additionally, an adaptive super-twisting algorithm (AST) with integral action is introduced to eliminate the SMC’s chattering phenomenon and reduce the system’s steady-state error. The stability of the proposed controller is proved via the Lyapunov method, and the effectiveness is verified via simulation and comparative experimental studies with SMC and the adaptive fuzzy sliding mode control method (AFSMC).

Structural design of new mesh-type high-damping rail pad and comparative experimental study on the mechanical property with the traditional rail pads

Commonly used rail pads (RPs) in urban rail transit fastening systems comprise prismatic and grooved rail pads (PRP and GRP). This research introduced novel mesh-type and mesh-type high-damping rail pads (NMTRP and MTHDRP) to mitigate RP’s stress and enhance damping efficiency while optimizing elastic material utilization. A finite element model (FEM) of the fastening system was established and validated through stiffness and hammering tests of the RPs. The FEA results revealed that the mesh-type RP offered advantages in uniform stress distribution and efficient material usage. The MTHDRP has a significantly lower stress level than the PRP and GRP because of the damping block, it will prolong the MTHDRP’s service life. Both NMTRP and MTHDRP displayed reduced static and dynamic stiffness in comparison to PRP and GRP. Notably, MTHDRP demonstrated the lowest dynamic-to-static stiffness ratio at 1.45, indicating superior dynamic stiffness retention capacity relative to the other three RPs. The hammering test found that the MTHDRP exhibited the highest damping ratio among the four RPs and consistently lower vibration amplitudes in the time and frequency domains at the rail, clip, track bed, and ground when compared to the other RPs. Furthermore, analysis of the 1/3 octave frequency band of the acceleration signal underscored MTHDRP’s excellence, with vibration levels reduced by 4.31, 4.37, 4.21, and 1.43 dB at the rail, clip, track bed, and ground, respectively, in comparison to PRP. These findings affirm the superior vibration reduction performance of MTHDRP relative to the other three RPs and underscore its potential for enhanced foundation protection when incorporated into rail systems.

Efficacy and safety of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation versus cyclocryotherapy in the treatment of intractable glaucoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To perform a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of diode laser transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCPC) and cyclocryotherapy (CCT) in the treatment of intractable glaucoma. Systemic searches of the Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases yielded experimental and observational comparative studies. TSCPC and CCT efficacy and safety outcomes were compared. Subgroup analyses of participant ethnicity, preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) level, and underlying causes of glaucoma were conducted. The pooled effects were computed using the random-effects model. The meta-analysis included nine studies totalling 668 eyes. There was no statistically significant difference between the TSCPC and CCT groups in the IOP reduction (IOPR%), decrease in antiglaucoma medications, the operative success rate with or without medications, or retreatment rate in the efficacy analysis. In the subgroup analysis, CCT had a better IOP-lowering effect among non-Asian participants and a non-inferior IOPR% to TSCPC among Asian participants. TSCPC and CCT were associated with similar rates of deterioration in visual acuity, postoperative visual analog scale, and other analysed postoperative complications in the safety analysis. In both groups, severe complications were uncommon. Diode laser TSCPC and CCT had nearly equivalent clinical efficacy in treating intractable glaucoma, while CCT demonstrated a better IOP-lowering effect in non-Asian. Both cyclodestructive procedures have a comparable safety profile.

Exploring adequate CO2 elevation for optimum tomato growth and yield under protected cultivation

The adequate elevation of CO2 concentrations (e [CO2]) could not be assessed by constrained analysis of comparative experimental study for optimum plant growth and yield with improved fruit quality owing to the lack of conjunctive investigation of plant parametric responses. Instead, the principal component analysis (PCA) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) assessed and quantified the parametric plant responses to identify the adequate level of e [CO2] for optimum plant growth and yield. In this study, tomato plants were grown under an ambient CO2 (a [CO2], 500 μmol mol−1) and three e [CO2] (700, 850 and 1000 μmol mol−1): named EC700, EC850 and EC1000, respectively, in autumn-winter (AW) 2020 and spring summer (SS) 2021 growing seasons to investigate and evaluate the plant parametric responses under e [CO2]. The tomato plant's response with maximum transportability of biomass to fruits was observed under 700 μmol mol−1. The plant height, stem diameter and LAI were enhanced compared to a [CO2] at the optimum level under 1000 μmol mol−1 (by 50.53, 20.98 and 44.44%) and 700 μmol mol−1 (by 22.41, 12.09 and 26.88%) in Aw 2020; Ss 2021, respectively. The optimum yield was increased under 700 μmol mol−1 by 73.95% and 55.58% in Aw 2020; Ss 2021, respectively. EC700 was ranked as a priority by TOPSIS with 0.632 and 0.694 plant response performance index in Aw 2020; Ss 2021, respectively, to get optimum tomato growth, yield, water use efficiency and fruit quality. The results of this study are beneficial for commercial greenhouse crop production by fumigating the adequate level of e [CO2], to reduce the cost of CO2 fertigation, enhance the yield and save the water quantity.

A randomized single-blinded comparative experimental study to test the influence of timing of intravenous fluid therapy on maternal hemodynamics during lower segmental caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia

: Spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension can be prevented by several techniques and methodologies, which is very important as the life of the mother and fetus is at risk. This study compared the efficacy of crystalloid administration 6 hours and half an hour before spinal anaesthesia on reducing hypotension.: After obtaining informed consent, 110 ASA 2 patients aged between 20 and 40 were scheduled for elective lower segmental caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. Group 1: Participants were kept nil per oral overnight, and Ringer's lactate was administered over half an hour before surgery. Group 2: participants were given ringer lactate. The amount was based upon the Holiday Segar formula (first 10 kg received 4ml/kg, 10-20 kg- 2ml/kg and remaining received 1 ml/kg) and given steadily over half an hour and 6 hours respectively in both groups. The incidence of hypotension and the need for rescue vasopressor in the two groups was recorded.: The two groups were statistically comparable in terms of age, height and weight. The incidence of Hypotension in Group 1 was 12.7%, and in Group 2 was 25%, which was statistically insignificant. Seven out of 55 patients in Group 1 had SBP<20% from baseline, whereas in Group 2, 14 patients out of 55 patients had SBP <20% from baseline, which was statistically insignificant. The incidence of ephedrine usage was statistically insignificant in both groups.: This study's results showed no statistically significant difference in preventing hypotension whether the fluids were given as 6 hours or half an hour before surgery. Therefore, to deliver preload of fluid, it is unnecessary to delay surgery.

The effect of host tissue and radiation on fat-graft survival: A comparative experimental study

The effect of host tissue and radiation on fat-graft survival: A comparative experimental study

Nanosecond laser processing and surface quality of SiC particle-reinforced AA2024 composite, homogeneous AA2024 aluminum alloy, and SiC: A comparative experimental study

This study performed comparative experiments on ablation behavior and surface quality obtained by nanosecond laser processing of silicon carbide (SiC) particle-reinforced 2024 aluminum alloy matrix composite (SiCp/AA2024), homogeneous SiC, and 2024 aluminum alloy. A nanosecond laser with a pulse fluence range of 0.68 ∼ 6.83 J/cm2 was used at irradiate samples of these materials, which were then ablated by various numbers of scanning passes (1 to 10) at a fluence of 6.83 J/cm2. The material melting could be achieved only for homogeneous AA2024. The ablation depth for SiC exceeded that of the composite, and the former could be ablated with a pulse fluence exceeding 3.42 J/cm2. The composite ablation threshold was higher than 4.10 J/cm2. Due to the thermal transition between the reinforcement and matrix, the melting threshold of the composite’s AA2024 matrix was lower than that of homogeneous AA2024 alloy. Moreover, the ablation threshold of SiC particles exceeded that of homogeneous SiC. The ablated surface roughness for the homogeneous material showed a sudden increase because of melting or oxidization, while that of the composite exhibited a gradual increase. For homogeneous SiC, oxidization accompanied by ablation and the accumulation of oxidization products on the surface deteriorated the laser pulse processing quality, especially in multipass scanning. In contrast, the dispersed distribution of SiC particles in the composite improved the composite’s machining feasibility.

Mechanical and Surface Characteristics of Selective Laser Melting-Manufactured Dental Prostheses in Different Processing Stages.

Due to the expansion of the use of powder bed fusion metal additive technologies in the medical field, especially for the realization of dental prostheses, in this paper, the authors propose a comparative experimental study of the mechanical characteristics and the state of their microscale surfaces. The comparison was made from material considerations starting from two dental alloys commonly used to realize dental prostheses: Ni-Cr and Co-Cr, but also technologies for obtaining selective laser melting (SLM) and conventional casting. In addition, to compare the performances with the classical casting technology, for the dental prostheses obtained through SLM, the post-processing stage in which they are in a preliminary finishing and polished state was considered. Therefore, for the determination of important mechanical characteristics and the comparative study of dental prostheses, the indentation test was used, after which the hardness, penetration depths (maximum, permanent, and contact depth), contact stiffness, and contact surface were established, and for the determination of the microtopography of the surfaces, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used, obtaining the local areal roughness parameters at the miniaturized scale-surface average roughness, root-mean-square roughness (RMS), and peak-to-peak values. Following the research carried out, several interesting conclusions were drawn, and the superiority of the SLM technology over the classic casting method for the production of dental prostheses in terms of some mechanical properties was highlighted. At the same time, the degree of finishing of dental prostheses made by SLM has a significant impact on the mechanical characteristics and especially the local roughness parameters on a miniaturized scale, and if we consider the same degree of finishing, no major differences are observed in the roughness parameters of the surfaces of the prostheses produced by different technologies.

Fragmentation of the DNA Lesion 8-oxo-Guanine by Low-Energy Electrons.

8-oxo-Guanine is a mutagenic lesion produced by reactions involving reactive oxygen species and guanine in DNA. Its production induces mispairing between the canonical nucleobases during DNA replication such that various types of cancers are associated with the DNA lesion. Since radiation therapy is used in some cases, the interaction of low-energy electrons with 8-oxo-guanine can in turn produce other reactive species, which in principle could have either a detrimental or protective effect on the organism. Motivated by these facts, we report a comparative experimental study of electron-induced fragmentation of guanine and 8-oxo-guanine, along with a theoretical study of the π* shape resonances and bound anion states, which may trigger those dissociation reactions. The electron-induced fragmentation of 8-oxo-guanine is remarkably distinct from the native form. More complex reactions were observed for the oxidized species, which may produce several anion fragments at very low energies (∼0 eV). The dehydrogenated parent anion, which is already a minor fragment in guanine, was completely suppressed in 8-oxo-guanine. The calculated thermodynamical thresholds also suggest that NH2 elimination in guanine, at sub-excitation energies, proceeds via a complex reaction involving rearrangement steps.

A comparative experimental study on blind‐bolted beam connections to square steel tubular columns filled with polyurethane foam or concrete

AbstractIn the last two decades blind‐bolted connections have been developed to allow bolting of open section beams (e.g, I‐beam) to steel hollow section (SHS) columns where access from all sides of the column is not possible. Filling the tubular column with concrete in the vicinity of the beam‐to‐column connection has been shown to improve the anchoring mechanism of the blind‐bolted connection thereby increasing the strength and stiffness of the connection and reducing the column face deformation, however it adversely affects the joint ductility. This study introduces polyurethane foam filled steel tubular columns in combination with a new anchoring arrangement employing hollo‐bolts to develop a novel connection between the SHS columns and open section beams that provides a better combination of stiffness, strength and ductility. To investigate the behaviour of the proposed arrangement, monotonic pull‐out tests of blind bolted T‐stub connections anchored to foam‐filled steel tubular (FFT) and concrete‐filled steel tubular (CFT) columns using holloBolts were conducted. Benchmark tests on unfilled SHS columns were also conducted for comparison. The FFT in conjunction with the proposed anchoring mechanism was shown to provide a good stiffness as the CFT columns, and almost similar ductility to that of the unfilled steel tube blind‐bolted connection. Hence it is concluded that employing foam instead of concrete as an infill leads to favourable combination of strength and ductility, thus rendering FFT an attractive light alternative to CFT sections when ductility of the joint is an important design consideration.

ON THE INTEGRAL CONVERGENCE OF NUMERICAL SCHEMES CALCULATING GAS-DYNAMIC SHOCK WAVES

A comparative experimental accuracy study of shock-capturing schemes such as RBM(Rusanov-Burstein-Mirin), CWA(Compact high order Weak Approximation) and A-WENO(Alternative Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory) schemes is carried out by numerically solving a Cauchy problem with smooth periodic initial data for the Euler equations of gas dynamics. It is shown that in the presence of shock waves, RBM and CWA schemes(in the construction of which nonlinear flux correction is not used) have a higher order of integral convergence, which provides significantly higher accuracy to these schemes (compared to A-WENO scheme) in the areas of shock waves influence, despite noticeable non-physical oscillations at their fronts. This makes it possible to use RBM and CWA schemes as basic ones when constructing combined schemes that monotonically localize shock wave fronts and at the same time maintain higher order accuracy in their influence areas.

Comparative Experimental Study on Effect of Copper Wire Helical Wound Steel Tube with 2.5” Full Length Insert on Performance of Double Pipe Steel Tube Heat Exchanger

Abstract: A comparative experimental study was conducted to explore the hydrothermal behavior of a double tube heat exchanger with copper wire helical wound steel tubes and plane steel tubes with and without twisted tap inserts of pitch length 2.5 inches. In comparison to helical tubes, corrugated tubes, and many other more compact tube type heat exchangers, straight tube heat exchangers offer advantages since the construction of the heat exchanger tubes is easier. In the current work, the fluid-to-fluid heat exchange is considered, with a flow rate ranging from 15 to 75 liters/hour. Constant wall temperature or constant heat flux ideas are used in the majority of investigations on heat transfer coefficients. The efficiency, overall heat transfer coefficient, and impact of hot water flow rate with constant cold water flow rate for straight steel tube and copper wire helical wrapped steel tube heat exchangers in parallel flow and counter flow configurations were investigated and compared. Utilizing a 2.5" full length clockwise twisted tape insert, both layouts were created. The measurements were carried out in a constant state. When the hot water flow rate is increased while maintaining the cold water flow rate constant, the efficiency of the heat exchanger drops for both the straight steel and the copper wire helical wound steel tube. Compared to a plane steel tube heat exchanger, the copper wire helical wound steel tube heat exchanger has a better efficiency. The test findings demonstrate that inserting inserts causes pressure drop. With 2.5" clockwise twisted tape inserts wrapped in helical copper wire, steel tube was able to transmit heat more quickly than other arrangements.

USE OF PROBIOTICS IN ALLERGIC RHINITS: A PILOT STUDY

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a nasal inflammatory disease. It manifests itself with nasal obstruction/blockage, rhinorrhea, itching and sneezing in response to contact with allergens. Its diagnosis is clinical and confirmed with allergy tests. Its treatment may involve antihistamines, topical corticosteroids, as well as immunotherapy, which is considered the only treatment capable of altering the clinical history of the disease. To evaluate the use of probiotics to control allergic rhinitis symptoms. This is a comparative experimental pilot study in which 11 adult employees were evaluated in 4 weeks and, of these, 9 were also evaluated in 8 weeks. Everyone used 0.9% physiological solution, budesonide 200 mcg/day nasally and desloratadine, when necessary. Among the volunteers, 7 also used the combination of probiotics, Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175, one capsule a day. There was statistical relevance in the probiotic group for sneezing in the 4-week evaluation and for nasal obstruction in the 8-week evaluation. The results of this comparative pilot study may have been influenced by the small sample size. Even so, it was possible to find data with statistical relevance that confirmed the benefit of using probiotics, mainly to reduce sneezing and nasal obstruction. Despite being a promising form of RA treatment, more studies are needed on the use of probiotics for this purpose.