Sheet Configuration Research Articles

Construction of Bi2MoO6 sheets/NH2-UiO-66(Zr) heterojunction photocatalysts toward enhanced degradation of tetracycline under visible light

The application of photocatalysts in environmental field has emerged as a prominent research topic. Nevertheless, the efficiency of photocatalysts is reduced as the recombination of photogenerated chargers significantly, restricting their extensive use in this domain. In the present study, photocatalysts composed of bismuth molybdate/NH2-UiO-66(Zr) (Bi2MoO6/NH2-UiO-66(Zr)) featuring Z-scheme heterojunctions were effectively synthesized using a two-step hydrothermal technique. These photocatalysts exhibit remarkable photocatalytic degradation under visible light conditions. Notably, the broad planar configuration of Bi2MoO6 sheets improves the separation of the photogenerated charge carriers. NH2-UiO-66(Zr) layered atop Bi2MoO6 sheets enhances the availability of catalytically active sites, reduces charge recombination, and promotes charge transfer through the interface. The kinetic rate constant for Bi2MoO6/NH2-UiO-66(Zr) is around 0.00329 L mg−1 min−1, indicating the increase of 3.78 and 41.13 times compared with pure Bi2MoO6 and NH2-UiO-66(Zr), respectively. The efficiency for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline using Bi2MoO6/NH2-UiO-66(Zr) reaches 81.72 % under visible light. Importantly, this efficiency exhibits a reduction of 10 % after five recycling cycles, demonstrating notable stability. The photocatalytic mechanism involved in tetracycline degradation was uncovered through trapping experiments and EPR, indicating that it is predominantly facilitated by the active oxidation of ·O2- and ·OH. The intermediates of the photocatalytic process as well as the possible degradation pathways were discussed. The creation of Bi2MoO6 sheets/NH2-UiO-66(Zr) heterojunction photocatalysts provides a fresh approach to the development of novel catalysts, which may lead to significant advancements in environmental remediation efforts.

Impact of Carbon Fiber‐Reinforced Polymer Sheets and Bolt Diameter on the Seismic Performance Enhancement of Steel Beam‐Column Joints

ABSTRACTBeam‐column joints are pivotal for ensuring the resilience of prefabricated steel structures under various loading conditions. Following the major earthquakes of the 1990s, semi‐rigid bolted connections emerged as a promising alternative to traditional welded connections. This study investigates a fully prefabricated Intermediate Beam‐Column Joint (IBCJ) with extended endplates, renowned for its excellent seismic resistance. While significant progress has been made in existing research, there is still a need to thoroughly examine the tension capacity of IBCJs concerning bolt size and explore the potential of Carbon Fiber‐Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sheets to enhance joint performance under seismic loading. Using the finite element method, this research evaluates the performance of IBCJ under both monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. After validation with experimental data, the study examines various bolt diameters to assess their tension capacity, ductility ratio, secant stiffness, and energy dissipation capacity. The findings indicate that larger bolts exhibit higher ultimate capacities and reduced deformation at failure. Additionally, the study investigates the optimal placement and configuration of CFRP sheets, identifying the backside of the endplates as the most effective location. The application of CFRP significantly enhances bolt tension capacity by up to 1.2 to 1.3 times, demonstrating its potential in reducing bolt failure risk and improving structural reliability under seismic conditions. The superior performance of CFRP‐strengthened bolts can play a crucial role in the design and retrofitting of prefabricated steel structures, potentially contributing to the improvement of existing standards and practices of seismic enhancement of IBCJ.

Contrasting the Penultimate Glacial Maximum and the Last Glacial Maximum (140 and 21 ka) using coupled climate–ice sheet modelling

Abstract. The configuration of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets during the Penultimate Glacial Maximum differed to the Last Glacial Maximum. However, the reasons for this are not yet fully understood. These differences likely contributed to the varied deglaciation pathways experienced following the glacial maxima and may have had consequences for the interglacial sea level rise. To understand the differences between the North American Ice Sheet at the Last and Penultimate glacial maxima (21 and 140 ka), we perform two perturbed-physics ensembles of 62 simulations using a coupled atmosphere–ice sheet model, FAMOUS-ice, with prescribed surface ocean conditions, in which the North American and Greenland ice sheets are dynamically simulated with the Glimmer ice sheet model. We apply an implausibility metric to find ensemble members that match reconstructed ice extent and volumes at the Last and Penultimate glacial maxima. We use a resulting set of “plausible” parameters to perform sensitivity experiments to decompose the role of climate forcings (orbit, greenhouse gases) and initial conditions on the final ice sheet configurations. This confirms that the initial ice sheet conditions used in the model are extremely important in determining the difference in final ice volumes between both periods due to the large effect of the ice–albedo feedback. In contrast to evidence of a smaller Penultimate North American Ice Sheet, our results show that the climate boundary conditions at these glacial maxima, if considered in isolation, imply a larger Penultimate Glacial Maximum North American Ice Sheet than at the Last Glacial Maximum by around 6 m sea level equivalent. This supports the notion that the growth of the ice sheet prior to the glacial maxima is key in explaining the differences in North American ice volume.

Design and performance assessment of a solar photovoltaic panel integrated with heat pipes and bio-based phase change material: A hybrid passive cooling strategy

This study investigates the effectiveness of an indirect passive cooling solution for photovoltaic (PV) panels using flattened heat pipes (FHPs) and phase change material (PCM). An innovative passive cooling design is proposed to cool a PV panel using multiple FHPs with a thin graphite sheet between the PV panel and the FHPs. Five experimental cases are examined under varying heat flux loads. Case O serves as the baseline with no cooling system, while Cases 1 to 4 feature different configurations of FHPs and aluminum sheets, with PCM heat sinks added in Cases 2 and 4. The investigation focuses on temperature profiles, temperature reductions, and final temperatures of the PV panel, especially at the end of a 4-hour experimental period when the PCM is fully melted. The results show significant temperature reductions in Case 1 compared to the baseline, with further improvement in Case 2 due to the PCM heat sink. Temperature reductions in Cases 2 and 4 are consistently higher than in Cases 1 and 3, demonstrating the enhanced cooling potential of PCM. Case 4 achieves the highest temperature reduction of 37.0 °C, followed by Case 2 with 34.9 °C under a radiative heat flux of 1000 W/m2. Using 4 FHPs (Cases 1 and 2) is economically justified, offering comparable cooling performance to 8 FHPs (Cases 3 and 4), thus ensuring cost-effectiveness and reducing material usage by over 50 %. A maximum enhancement in PV electrical efficiency of 17.3 % is achieved in Case 2 during PCM phase change with a radiative heat flux of 1000 W/m2.

Relative sea-level sensitivity in the Eurasian region to Earth and ice-sheet model uncertainty during the Last Interglacial

Fingerprinting the source and rate of the melt of polar ice sheets during the Last Interglacial is a key research challenge. This is reliant on high-quality relative sea-level constraints, and the correction of this data for the effects of glacial isostatic adjustment driven by ice sheet cover changes prior to the interglacial. However, both the spatial and temporal evolution of past ice sheets and the Earth’s rheological structure that serve as inputs to glacial isostatic adjustment predictions are significantly uncertain. This study sets out to determine the relative influence of each of these inputs on modelled values of Last Interglacial relative sea levels and how this influence varies spatially. To answer this question, we use a palaeo ice-sheet model and a gravitationally consistent glacial isostatic adjustment model. We develop new numerical tools to generate plausible ice-sheet extent and histories, quantify relative sea-level uncertainty, and perform a Sobol sensitivity analysis facilitated by the use of Gaussian process emulation. We find that Earth model parameters are the dominant contributors to relative sea-level uncertainty in most Eurasian regions, but that relative sea-level values in the Barents-Kara Sea are most influenced by ice-sheet loading, while the timing of the deglaciation has the greatest impact in the Baltic Sea. Our results show that the magnitude and rate of relative sea-level change is relatively insensitive to the specific timing of ice-sheet retreat, as well as the configuration of the far-field North American ice sheet. Overall, our work suggests that the coastlines of the southern North Sea and the English Channel are least influenced by relative sea-level uncertainty and are the most suitable for future data collection studies aiming to limit the influence of glacial isostatic adjustment.

Flexible printed circuit-based triboelectric film sensor for integrity monitoring of tensile bolted joints

This study presents an improved design of a triboelectric film sensor for integrity monitoring of tensile bolted joints, which is designed to capture the micro-scale relative motion due to the bolt’s looseness by utilizing the triboelectric effect of the polymer layer of the sensor in contact with the metal surface of the fastened objects. The key idea is twofold: First, we use the triboelectric effect between the polymer layer and the fastened object itself, instead of the triboelectric effect between two polymer layers. This allows the sensor to be a single sheet configuration instead of two-piece. The second idea is to make the sensor design fabricable as a standard flexible printed circuit. This makes it possible to produce sensors accurately and inexpensively. Experimental tests incorporating the proposed sensor into a tensile bolted joint have demonstrated that the sensor’s voltage output is inversely related to the bolt’s tightness. Additionally, a modeling study adopting Persson’s contact theory has been conducted to refine the understanding of the real contact area, triboelectric charging, and separation dynamics between the polymer and metal layers, which is crucial for the accurate modeling of sensor outputs under dynamic loading conditions. It has been concluded that the integrated mechanical and triboelectric model successfully aligns with the experimental findings, indicating the sensor’s potential for practical applications in bolt integrity monitoring.

On the Effect of Driving Turbulent-like Fluctuations on a Harris Current Sheet Configuration and the Formation of Plasmoids

Energy dissipation in collisionless plasmas is one of the most outstanding open questions in plasma physics. Magnetic reconnection and turbulence are two phenomena that can produce the conditions for energy dissipation. These two phenomena are closely related to each other in a wide range of plasmas. Turbulent fluctuations can emerge in critical regions of reconnection events, and magnetic reconnection can occur as a product of the turbulent cascade. In this study, we perform 2D particle-in-cell simulations of a reconnecting Harris current sheet in the presence of turbulent fluctuations to explore the effect of turbulence on the reconnection process in collisionless nonrelativistic pair plasmas. We find that the presence of a turbulent field can affect the onset and evolution of magnetic reconnection. Moreover, we observe the existence of a scale-dependent amplitude of magnetic field fluctuations above which these fluctuations are able to disrupt the growing of magnetic islands. These fluctuations provide thermal energy to the particles within the current sheet and preferential perpendicular thermal energy to the background population.

One Meter Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Efficient Harvesting of Meter‐Scale Wave Energy

AbstractTriboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are effective in harvesting high‐entropy low‐frequency wave energy, yet traditional TENGs struggle to align with the meter‐scale wavelengths prevalent in marine environments, significantly impairing their wave energy conversion efficiency. Addressing this, the One Meter TENG (OM‐TENG) is introduced, a pioneering advancement in TENG design that extends the shell size to 1 m. This innovation features a novel lantern‐shaped stacked silicon‐manganese steel sheet configuration, optimizing internal space usage, and achieving a single‐cycle transfer charge of 60.82 µC and a friction layer area density of 1.76 cm−1. Furthermore, by integrating a segmented limiter device for rational control of different sliders, effective contact separation among numerous TENG units is realized. Comprehensive evaluations through theoretical analysis, multiphysics field numerical simulations, sensor data analytics, and comparative experimental measurements have unequivocally demonstrated OM‐TENG's superior capability in capturing meter‐scale wave energy under actual environmental conditions, alongside its remarkable anti‐capsize performance. Achieving peak outputs of 584 V and 444 µA, OM‐TENG can power 96 2 W LEDs and drive wireless communication modules, marking a significant step forward in the efficient utilization of wave energy and the design of large‐scale TENGs.

Forming Limits Prediction of Laminated SUS430/Al1050/SUS430 Composites and the Effect of Component Properties on Mechanical Performance

In this study, a constitutive model applied to predict the tensile properties and fracture behavior of well‐bonded multilayered metal composites is extended. The equivalent single‐layer model, as a convenient method, is introduced into finite‐element simulations by combining it with an improved Xue–Wierzbicki damage plasticity model that considers material anisotropy. The steel use stainless (SUS) 430/Al1050/SUS430 laminated sheet fabricated by cold rolling is selected as the research material. The quasistatic uniaxial tests and Nakazima tests are operated to verify the accuracy of the proposed method. The mean errors in tensile stress and fracture forming limit strains are 2% and 3%, respectively. A load‐sharing mixture rule is proposed to assess the effects of the volume fraction, strength coefficient, and hardening exponent of the constituent materials on the mechanical properties of the laminates. In the results, it is indicated that the laminate exhibits sufficient elongation and remains markedly enhanced in tensile strength, reaching 470 Mpa when the ductile Al layer is combined with the higher strength and hardenability steel layer. In this research, it is aimed to clarify the formability characteristics in laminated composites for optimal sheet configuration design and development.

Large-ensemble simulations of the North American and Greenland ice sheets at the Last Glacial Maximum with a coupled atmospheric general circulation–ice sheet model

Abstract. The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was characterised by huge ice sheets covering the Northern Hemisphere, especially over North America, and by its cold climate. Previous authors have performed numerical simulations of the LGM to better understand coupled climate–ice sheet systems. However, the results of such simulations are sensitive to many model parameters. Here, we perform a 200-member ensemble of simulations of the North American and Greenland ice sheets and climate of the LGM with a coupled ice sheet–atmosphere–slab ocean model (FAMOUS-BISICLES) to explore sensitivities of the coupled climate–ice system to 16 uncertain parameters. In the ensemble of simulations, the global mean surface temperature is primarily controlled by the combination of parameters in the large-scale condensation scheme and the cumulus convection scheme. In simulations with plausible LGM global mean surface temperatures, we find that the albedo parameters have only a small impact on the Greenland ice volume due to the limited area of surface ablation associated with the cold climate. Instead, the basal sliding law controls the ice volume by affecting ice transport from the interior to the margin. On the other hand, like the Greenland ice sheet in future climate change, the LGM North American ice sheet volume is controlled by parameters in the snow and ice albedo scheme. Few of our simulations produce an extensive North American ice sheet when the global temperature is above 12 °C. Based on constraints on the LGM global mean surface temperature, the ice volume and the southern extent of the North American ice sheet, we select 16 acceptable simulations. These simulations lack the southern extent of ice compared to reconstructions, but they show reasonable performance on the ice sheet configuration and ice streams facing Baffin Bay and the Arctic Ocean. The strong sensitivities of the North American ice sheet to albedo at the LGM may imply a potential constraint on the future Greenland ice sheet by constraining the albedo schemes.

Flexural behavior of historical RC beams strengthened with hybrid FRP sheets

Historical reinforced concrete (RC) buildings are culturally and aesthetically significant and require conservation due to aging. Strengthening RC buildings often requires the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) sheets, however distinct material properties of historical RC buildings have not been systematically considered yet. This study investigates the flexural behavior of historical RC beams strengthened by hybrid FRP sheets. A total of 11 beam specimens with varying FRP sheet configurations were tested using a four-point bending test to assess their flexural behavior, including failure mode, cracking pattern, load-deflection behavior, strain distribution, and ductility. The results showed that hybrid FRP sheets increased the maximum bearing capacity of strengthened specimens up to 30.2 %. An optimal fiber sheet configuration (T-3) is identified. 45-degree incline installation contributes to a 4.5 % increase in the bearing capacity of specimens. The average ductility loss of hybrid FRP sheets strengthened specimen (except for double-layer strengthened specimen) is 42 %, while an increase of sheet layer post adverse effect on ductility. Strain distribution conforms to the plane-section assumption. Additionally, a maximum bearing capacity calculation model was proposed, aiding the understanding of FRP strengthening in historical RC buildings.

Local summer temperature changes over the past 440 ka revealed by the total air content in the Antarctic EPICA Dome C ice core

Abstract. Seasonal temperature reconstructions from ice cores are missing over glacial–interglacial timescales, preventing a good understanding of the driving factors of Antarctic past climate changes. Here the total air content (TAC) record from the Antarctic EPICA Dome C (EDC) ice core is analyzed over the last 440 ka (thousand years). While the water isotopic record, a tracer for annual mean surface temperature, exhibits a dominant ∼100 kyr cyclicity, the TAC record is associated with a dominant ∼40 kyr cyclicity. Our results show that the TAC record is anti-correlated with the mean insolation over the local astronomical summer half-year. They also show for the first time that it is highly anti-correlated with local summer temperature simulated with an Earth system model of intermediate complexity. We propose that (1) the local summer insolation controls the local summer temperature; (2) the latter, through the development of temperature gradients at the near-surface of the ice sheet (<2 m), is affecting the surface snow structure; and (3) those snow structure changes propagating down to the bottom of the firn through densification are eventually controlling the pore volume at the bubble close-off and consequently the TAC. Hence, our results suggest that the EDC TAC record could be used as a proxy for local summer temperature changes. Also, our new simulations show that the mean insolation over the local astronomical summer half-year is the primary driver of Antarctic summer surface temperature variations, while changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations and Northern Hemisphere (NH) ice sheet configurations play a more important role in Antarctic annual surface temperature changes.

The role of shear rates on amyloid formation from biofilm peptide phenol-soluble modulins

Biofilms, microbial communities enclosed in the self-produced extracellular matrix, have a significant impact on human health, environment, and industry. The pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is recognized as one of the most frequent causes of biofilm-related infections. Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) serve as a crucial component, fortifying S. aureus biofilm matrix through self-assembly into amyloid fibrils, which enhances S. aureus colonization and resistance to antibiotics. However, the role of shear rate, one of the critical physiological factors within blood vessels, on the formation of PSM amyloids remains poorly understood. In this work, using a combination of thioflavin T fluorescence kinetic studies, circular dichroism spectrometry, and electron microscopy, we demonstrated that shear rates ranging from 150 to 300 s−1 accelerate fibrillation of PSMα1, α3, and α4 into amyloids, resulting in elongated amyloid structures. Furthermore, PSMα1, α3, and α4 predominantly self-assembled into amyloid fibers with a cross-α structure under shear conditions, deviating from the typical β-sheet configuration of PSM amyloids. These findings imply the role of shear rates within the bloodstream on enhancing PSM self-assembly that is associated with S. aureus biofilm formation.

Experimental study on the synergetic damage of sandwich panel with armored hybrid core under combined blast and fragment loading

Synergetic damage under combined blast and fragment loading drives innovational design of protective structures. In present study, sandwich panel with armored hybrid core was designed, fabricated and finally tested under combined blast and fragment loading. The failure behaviors and the underlying mechanisms were analyzed for the components of sandwich panel. The sandwich panel displayed superior performance over equivalent solid plate. The designability of special interest was exploited by elaborating the effects of face sheet configuration, core material and core sequence on the failure behaviors. Experimental results demonstrate that the same thickness of the front and back faces is beneficial for the constraint of back face deflection. The aluminum foam and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) laminate, adopted as the components of armored hybrid core, cooperated well against combined blast and fragment loading by suffering crushing erosion failure and global bulge deformation, respectively. The potential of armored hybrid core is strongly associated with the core sequence. The ceramic layer supported by the material with high stiffness and the protection of upper bulletproof material for UHMWPE laminate layer would benefit the performance of whole panel. The optimal design of core sequence could markedly reduce back face deflection and even avoid the petalling failure of back face.

Laurentide Ice Sheet configuration in southern Ontario, Canada during the last glaciation (MIS 4 to 2) from stratigraphic drilling and LIDAR-based surficial mapping

Regional subsurface mapping of glacial depositional systems preserved in buried bedrock paleovalleys, and quantitative analysis of new LiDAR imagery of surface glacial landforms using machine learning techniques, when combined, are powerful tools for assessing the dynamics of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) during the last (Wisconsinan) glaciation in southern Ontario. While age dating of deposits preserved below Last Glacial Maximum tills (LGM: marine isotope stage (MIS) 2 < c.24 000 years B.P. (ybp)) is still sparse, newly available sedimentological data derived by cored drilling, combined with legacy outcrop data, identify thick (100 m+) successions of glaciolacustrine sediments and a lack of till(s), indicating that the ice sheet margin did not extend beyond the Niagara Escarpment at the western end of Lake Ontario, during the earliest phases of the glaciation (MIS 4) or the ensuing mid-Wisconsinan (MIS 3). Ice was able to extend into New York State blocking the Rome outlet to the Hudson Valley ponding deep proglacial lakes in the glacio-isostatically depressed Huron–Ontario–Erie basins recorded by thick glaciolacustrine sediments in paleovalleys. These were cannibalized by an expanding Late Wisconsinan ice sheet after ∼24 000 ybp recorded by extensive till sheets resting on a marked erosional unconformity, with drumlinized surfaces. Analysis and visualization of LiDAR data identifies discrete statistically validated flow sets of highly elongated streamlined bedforms (mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGLs)). These provide key evidence of a major reorganization of the ice sheet margin during deglaciation into lobate paleo ice streams shortly after 17 400 ybp. MSGLs are cut across earlier LGM drumlinized tills creating widespread “palimpsest” surfaces. At least two principal phases of fast ice flow can be identified, marked by large fluxes of sediment and the rapid building of large gravel and sand-dominated moraine complexes within interlobate depocentres, the largest glacial landforms in southern Ontario. Analysis of LiDAR data further reveals the common presence of DeGeer moraines where ice margins retreated in water, and iceberg scours. Future work using LiDAR mapping has the objective of fully documenting the number, extent, and timing of ice streams to enhance glaciological modelling when the ice sheet rapidly lost mass.

Experimental investigation on strengthening lap joints subjected to bending in glulam timber beams using CFRP sheets

Abstract Strengthening the carpentry joints is considered a big challenge for designers to maintain the joined timber elements’ load transfer and integrity. This research work investigates different techniques to strengthen the lap joints in glulam timber beams using carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets. For this purpose, 12 specimens of glulam timber beams were tested using the four-point loading method. One of the glulam timber specimens was an intact nonlapped specimen, and the others were lapped at mid-span using half-height lap joints. The lap joints were strengthened using different configurations of the CFRP sheets. The test variables were the clamping scheme, bond length, and reinforcement ratio of the CFRP sheets. The analysis of the test results indicates that the CFRP strengthening configuration could be more effective in strengthening the lapped glulam timber beams when the reinforcement ratio of the longitudinal CFRP sheets was equal to 0.303%, and the wrapping CFRP sheets continued beyond the lapped joint by a distance equal to the beam height. Such a strengthening configuration could succeed in increasing the effective stiffness and ultimate load of the lapped timber specimen to 109 and 110%, respectively, relative to those of the intact nonlapped specimen. Moreover, the results reveal that increasing the length or the reinforcement ratio of the longitudinal CFRP sheets without increasing the width of the wrapping CFRP sheets could not succeed in achieving the required improvements in the structural behavior of the lapped timber beams.

Experimental Investigation on the Rehabilitation of RC Flat Slabs Using CFRP Sheets to Enhance Punching Shear Capacity

In this paper, the feasibility of strengthening a flat column–slab connection within the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been investigated through experimental study. The experimental program includes a set of nine reinforced concrete flat slab specimens. Three unaltered specimens served as control slabs, while an additional six samples were strengthened with various CFRP configurations to enhance their shear capacity. The strain distribution, ductility, punching shear resistance, stiffness, and crack formation were studied. The result of experimental studies showed that in the direct method of strengthening in which two layers of unidirectional CFRP sheets were employed in two opposite directions, the ultimate punching shear resistance improved by 64%, 44.7%, and 15.3%, with respect to the location of the column connection, as compared with the control specimens. In the case of using one layer of unidirectional CFRP strips, the punching shear resistance was enhanced by approximately 16% and 39%, considering the configuration of CFRP sheets and the amount of strengthened and adhesive layers used. Following the outcomes of this research, the application of CFRPs in improving the resistance capacity of flat slabs against the punching shear is considerable. The reported outcomes were compared with the latest provisions of ACI to show the efficiency of the presented strengthening. Finally, a parametric study was performed assuming different loading locations to assess the effect of the loading region on the response of RC slabs. Results indicate that approaching the loading location toward the RC slab supports results of an increase in the load-bearing capacity and a reduction in the ductility of the RC slab.

The use of automated system-cognitive analysis (ASC-analysis) and the intelligent system “Aidos” for identifying genotypes Actinidia deliciosa (kiwi) on the outer contour of the leaf

The content of this publication reveals the results of the selection and selection of options for solving tasks regarding selection and varietalization of kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa). The “tool” is identified by individual varieties according to the leaves available in the leaf contours, because in their form the information data characterizing the variety (on the phenotype and genotype) are stored in their form. In the context of this research work, an analysis of the signs of the morphological order was carried out, which are inherent in kiwi leaves on the sheet circuit. For this, a system called “Aidos” was used, and the targets were the establishment of (indirect) gender of kiwi plants and the identification of varieties based on the contour of the leaves. The information obtained using the ASC-complex (automated system-cognitive analysis) and the “Aidos” smart system, into which the scanned leaves of leaves, was loaded with it, are disclosed. A evaluative procedure was performed using the quantitative method of the relative sheet circuit of 10 varieties of kiwi. According to the information received, class samples of analyzed genotypes based on the sheet configuration were compiled systematizing. The effect of the characteristic values of the genotypic nature in the most accurate INF4-model of the second iteration in the conditions of the integral order (“sum of knowledge”). Clastorization of the cognitive nature of classes made it possible to differentiate four key cluster structures consisting of subcategories, allocated according to the quantitative features of determinants of the sheet circuit.

Clinical Characterization of Hepatic Light Chain Amyloidosis in the Chinese Population: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis

CONCLUSION Hepatic light chain amyloidosis is caused by malignant plasma cells that abnormally secrete immunoglobulin light chains, which undergo a conformational change to a β-pleated sheet configuration and are deposited in the liver. The amyloid fibrils are deposited mainly in the hepatic sinusoids, the space of Disse and the walls of blood vessels. Previous autopsy studies have shown that the proportion of systemic light chain amyloidosis with liver involvement is extremely high; however, there are fewer systematic analyses of the clinical features in the Chinese population. Therefore, this study retrospectively analysed the clinical data of patients with hepatic lightchain amyloidosis in our center to further explore the clinical characteristics of this disease. A total of 40 patients with hepatic light chain amyloidosis were included in the analysis from 2007 to 2022. Inclusion criteria were positive liver tissue biopsy or positive biopsy of other organs with alkaline phosphatase (AKP) greater than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal or total liver span >15 cm in the absence of heart failure. The median age of these patients was 58±10 years and 80% were male. Of these 40 patients, 66% had light-chain amyloidosis secondary to myeloma and the remainder had primary amyloidosis. The proportion of patients with symptoms related to liver injury as the initial clinical presentation was 33%. Symptoms included malaise, abdominal distention, or jaundice. 40% of patients with symptoms related to abnormal heart function, such as chest tightness, severe shortness of breath, and dizziness. 25% of the patients were first seen for symptoms related to impaired renal function, such as proteinuria with lower limb edema or hypourocrinia. κ-type was found in 28% of the patients and λ-type in 73%. All patients had other sites of involvement, 95% with cardiac involvement (72.9%, Mayo 2004 stage III) and 48% with renal involvement. AKP was elevated in 100% of patients, r-GT in 95%, liver enzymes in 33%, total bilirubin in 44%, and the maximum anteroposterior diameter of the right lobe of the liver was 16.6±1.7 cm (upper limit of normal was 10 cm). In this cohort of patients, 80% received a 2- to 3-drug combination regimen based on proteasome inhibitors and 5% received a 2-drug combination regimen based on melphalan, with a median survival time of 6.5±31.3 months, and patients with a normal total bilirubin level had an overall survival time 2.4 times longer than those with an elevated level (p< 0.05,Figure 1). Contrary to previous reports of hepatic light chain amyloidosis, λ light chain amyloidosis was predominant in our center; elevated total bilirubin was an independent risk factor for survival.

Development of Synthesis Strategy of Ferric and Clayey Flat Ceramic Membranes

Ceramic membranes prepared with flat sheet configuration using local materials, iron ore and bentonite, are reported in this investigation. The feedstocks used were fully characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and laser diffraction/light scattering. In order to optimize the preparation conditions, the effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure of ferric and clayey membranes was assessed. Results obtained with SEM, confirmed by optical microscopy, indicate that the optimized sintering temperature was in the vicinity of 900 °C. The properties of the fabricated membranes were characterized in terms of mass and thickness loss throughout a determined period of time. The experimental results present a negligible variation in the rate of mass change, which suggested the stability of the synthesized membranes. Both the ferric and clayey membranes exhibit a prevalence of mesopores in their pore distribution. These results suggest that these specific membranes could be employed as cost-effective and environmentally friendly materials. Furthermore, they hold promise for potential applications in gas treatment processes.