Cost-effective Method Research Articles

Synthesis of InAl-alloyed Ga2O3 nanowires for self-powered ultraviolet detectors by a CVD method.

Ga2O3 is a kind of wide-band gap semiconductor, which has great potential in deep ultraviolet detection because of its high efficiency and fast response. Doping can improve the photoelectric properties of Ga2O3 materials. In this paper, In and Al elements alloyed Ga2O3 nanowires (InAl-Ga2O3 NWs) were successfully grown on p-GaN using a cost-effective chemical vapor deposition method and a vertical structure. The GaN/InAl-Ga2O3 NWs p-n self-powered wide-gap UV photodetector (PD) was constructed based on sputtered gold film as the bottom and top electrodes, and spin coated with polymethyl methacrylate as the insulating layer in the vertical direction. The GaN/InAl-Ga2O3 UV PD exhibits excellent performances, including an extremely low dark current of 0.015 nA, a maximum photocurrent of about 16 nA at zero-bias voltage under 265 nm illumination, and a light-to-dark current ratio greater than 103. The responsivity is 0.94 mA W-1, the specific detectivity is 9.63 × 109 jones, and the good fast response/attenuation time is 31.2/69.6 ms. The self-powered characteristics are derived from the internal electric field formed between p-type GaN and n-type InAl-Ga2O3 NWs, which is conducive to the rapid separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. This work provides an innovative mechanism of high-performance metal oxide nanowires for the application of p-n junction photodetectors, which can operate without any external bias.

A Cost-effective, High-throughput, Highly Accurate Genotyping Method for Outbred Populations.

Affordable sequencing and genotyping methods are essential for large scale genome-wide association studies. While genotyping microarrays and reference panels for imputation are available for human subjects, non-human model systems often lack such options. Our lab previously demonstrated an efficient and cost-effective method to genotype heterogeneous stock rats using double-digest genotyping-by-sequencing. However, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing offers an alternative method that has several advantages. Here, we describe a cost-effective, high-throughput, high-accuracy genotyping method for N/NIH heterogeneous stock rats that can use a combination of sequencing data previously generated by double-digest genotyping-by-sequencing and more recently generated by low-coverage whole-genome-sequencing data. Using double-digest genotyping-by-sequencing data from 5,745 heterogeneous stock rats (mean 0.21x coverage) and low-coverage whole-genome-sequencing data from 8,760 heterogeneous stock rats (mean 0.27x coverage), we can impute 7.32 million bi-allelic single-nucleotide polymorphisms with a concordance rate >99.76% compared to high-coverage (mean 33.26x coverage) whole-genome sequencing data for a subset of the same individuals. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using sequencing data from double-digest genotyping-by-sequencing or low-coverage whole-genome-sequencing for accurate genotyping, and demonstrate techniques that may also be useful for other genetic studies in non-human subjects.

Pneumatic extrusion bioprinting-based high throughput fabrication of a melanoma 3D cell culture model for anti-cancer drug screening.

The high incidence of malignant melanoma highlights the need for in vitro models that accurately represent the tumour microenvironment, enabling developments in melanoma therapy and drug screening. Despite several advancements in 3D cell culture models, appropriate melanoma models for evaluating drug efficacy are still in high demand. The 3D pneumatic extrusion-based bioprinting technology offers numerous benefits, including the ability to achieve high-throughput capabilities. However, there is a lack of research that combines pneumatic extrusion-based bioprinting with analytical assays to enable efficient drug screening in 3D melanoma models. To address this gap, this study developed a simple and highly reproducible approach to fabricate a 3D A375 melanoma cell culture model using the pneumatic extrusion-based bioprinting technology. To optimise this method, the bioprinting parameters for producing 3D cell cultures in a 96-well plate were adjusted to improve reproducibility while maintaining the desired droplet size and a cell viability of 92.13± 6.02%. The cross-linking method was optimised by evaluating cell viability and proliferation of the 3D bioprinted cells in three different concentrations of calcium chloride. The lower concentration of 50 mM resulted in higher cell viability and increased cell proliferation after 9 days of incubation. The A375 cells exhibited a steadier proliferation rate in the 3D bioprinted cell cultures, and tended to aggregate into spheroids, whereas the 2D cell cultures generally formed monolayered cell sheets. In addition, we evaluated the drug responses of four different anti-cancer drugs on the A375 cells in both the 2D and 3D cell cultures. The 3D cell cultures exhibited higher levels of drug resistance in all four tested anti-cancer drugs. This method presents a simple and cost-effective method of producing and analysing 3D cell culture models that do not add additional complexity to current assays and shows considerable potential for advancing 3D cell culture models' drug efficacy evaluations.

C-H activation under visible light using DDQ organo-photocatalyst: Practical, tunable and additive free

Here we present a practical, mild, selective, eco-friendly, metal-free, cost-effective, and tunable method for the photoactivation of C-H compounds using an organo photocatalyst without any additives. For this purpose, the organo photocatalyst DDQ was employed as a versatile and highly efficient catalyst for C-H bond functionalization under visible light irradiation in a straightforward reaction setup, free from additives and co-catalysts. Notably, under appropriate solvent conditions, the photooxidation of alkylarenes produced ketones, aldehydes, and carboxylic acids from corresponding starting materials. In CH3CN solvent, carboxylic acids were obtained. Interestingly over oxidation to carboxylic acid is avoided and aldehydes were produced from methyl arenes via acetal formation in CH3CN:MeOH. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that the photooxidation of 4-methoxytoluene was more efficient than that of 4-methoxybenzylalcohol. The proposed mechanism for this reaction involved the formation of a charge transfer complex between the starting material and DDQ, as indicated by UV–Vis and fluorescence spectra. Also, this method exhibited promising scalability, with 30 mmol of 4-methoxytoluene being converted to 4-methoxybenzoic acid with a yield of 92 % (TON: 345).

Sex Determination through Pelvic Bone Using Anteroposterior Radiographs

Background: Forensic anthropology uses digital radiography to identify victims' gender, despite the population-specific nature of determining gender from bones, offering a cost-effective and straightforward method. The objective of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of the digital radiography technology for sex recognition of the selected participant group in Hyderabad, Sindh Time and location: Cross-sectional study conducted by department of Forensic medicine Liaquat University of medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro and Isra University Hyderabad at the outpatient of Liaquat University hospital, Hyderabad from February to May 2023. Methods: The study included male and female patients aged 18-50 years and was authorized by the Research and Ethics Committee LUMHS. Study participants were divided into two groups; male and female. Differences in pelvis bone fragments parameters like iliac height, inter-acetabular distance, pelvic inlet (breadth), acetabulum diameter, pubic length, Ischial length and ischio-pubic index on digital x-ray radiographs of both groups were examined and compared. Results: A statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in bony prominence parameters including inter-acetabular distance, acetabular diameter, breadth of the pelvic inlet, pubic length, ischial length and ischio-pubic index was observed between group A and group B. The study revealed that the accuracy in recognizing male individuals through ileum height (68.8%), inter-acetabular distance (64.7%), and the pelvic inlet breadth (61.0 %) Conclusion: The iliac height, inter-acetabular distance, pelvic inlet (breadth), inter-acetabular diameter, pubic length, Ischial length and ischio-pubic index on radiographs (x-rays) of pelvic bones are a reliable bone fragments parameters in sex determination with high precision.

Key Takeaways on the Cost-Effective Production of Cellulosic Sugars at Large Scale

The production of cellulosic sugars in lignocellulose biorefinery presents significant economic and environmental challenges due to the recalcitrant nature of biomass. The economic and facile production of renewable sugars with high yield and productivity is pivotal for the success of biorefinery. The cellulosic sugars are valorized either by biochemical routes or chemical routes or by hybrid (biological and chemical) routes into renewable chemicals, fuels, and materials. This manuscript focuses on the critical parameters affecting the economic viability of cellulosic sugar production at large scale, including biomass-specific pretreatment strategies and enzyme cost efficiency. High pretreatment costs, carbohydrate loss, and inhibitors production during pretreatment are identified as major contributors to overall production costs. To address these issues, we highlight the importance of developing cost-effective and efficient pretreatment methods tailored to specific biomass types and strategies for enzyme reuse and recycling. Future research should focus on innovations in pretreatment technologies, improved logistics for high-density feedstocks, biomass feeding systems, and advancements in enzyme technology to enhance the economic and environmental sustainability of lignocellulosic biorefineries. The findings highlight the need for continued innovation and optimization to make the commercial-scale production of cellulosic sugars more viable and sustainable.

Effects of dietary Adansonia digitata L. (baobab) seed meal on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract The seeds of lesser-known tropical legume trees are currently being promoted as a cost-effective method of increasing broiler productivity, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Several feeding trials have evaluated the effects of baobab seed meal (BSM) on broiler chicken productivity. However, due to differences in experimental conditions among feeding trials, drawing broad conclusions using this large volume of data appears difficult. Thus, the meta-analytic effect of BSM on growth performance [i.e., feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and body weight gain (BWG)] and carcass characteristics of broilers were investigated using 14 peer-reviewed published articles. These articles were retrieved via a systematic search conducted on Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Elicit.com, and PubMed databases. The effect size was calculated via a random effect model, and results were expressed as standardised mean differences (SMD) at 95% confidence intervals. The pooled results showed that broilers fed BSM had significantly lower BWG (SMD = −0.77; −0.19, −0.30; p < 0.001), dressed carcass weight (SMD = −0.84; −1.44, −0.23; p = 0.007), and higher FCR (SMD = 0.55; 0.19, 0.91; p < 0.001) than those fed control diets. However, feed intake, dressing percentage, and weights of breast, thigh, and drumstick were not significantly affected. Subgroup analyses showed that the Marshall strain-fed BSM-based diets had significantly heavier BWG (p < 0.001) than the Hubbard, Ross, and Anak strains. Similarly, results revealed that broilers fed soaked and roasted BSM had significantly better FCR and BWG than broilers fed sundried and fermented BSM. Broilers fed BSM-based diets from days 29–56 (SMD = 0.17; −0.51, 0.84; p = 0.622) and days 1−56 (SMD = −0.89; −1.41, −0.36; p < 0.001) had significantly improved FCR compared to those offered BSM-based diets from days 1–21 (SMD = 2.58; 1.65, 3.51; p < 0.001), days 1–28 (SMD = 0.85; 0.35, 1.34; p < 0.001), and days 22–42 (SMD = 1.82; 1.02, 2.62; p < 0.001). Similarly, broilers fed BSM-based diets from days 29–56 (SMD = 0.21; −0.38, 0.79; p = 0.484) and days 1−56 (SMD = 0.92; 0.16, 1.69; p = 0.018) had significantly higher BWG than those offered BSM-based diets from days 1–21 (SMD = −3.39; −4.41, −2.37; p < 0.001), days 1–28 (SMD = −1.32; −1.91, −0.72; p < 0.001), and days 22–42 (SMD = −2.24; −2.75, 1.73; p < 0.001). Meta-regression revealed a low to moderate effect of processing methods, broiler strains, inclusion level, and feeding duration as covariates, explaining most of the sources of heterogeneity. In conclusion, broilers fed 1–10% of soaked, and roasted BSM from days 1 to 56 had improved growth performance parameters when compared to those on the control.

MRNA-Engineered CD5-CAR-γδTCD5- Cells for the Immunotherapy of T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Clinical trials of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy have demonstrated remarkable success in treating both solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Nanobodies (Nbs) have emerged as promising antigen-targeting domains for CARs, owing to their high specificity, robust stability, and strong affinity, leading to significant advancements in the field of Nb-CAR-T. In the realm of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) targets, CD5 stands out as a potentially excellent candidate for T-cell-based CAR therapy, due to its distinct expression on the surface of malignant T-ALL cells. To mitigate graft-versus-host disease associated with allogeneic CAR-T, γδT cells are selected and stimulated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and γδT cells are engineered via CRISPR/Cas9 to eliminate fratricide, enabling the creation of fratricide-resistant CAR-γδTCD5- cells. In vitro transcribed (IVT) mRNA is used to construct CAR-T, presenting a safer, faster, and cost-effective method compared to traditional viral vector approaches. In this study, a CD5-VHH library is constructed, and specific CD5-nanobodies are screened for subsequent use in CD5-CAR-γδTCD5- therapy. IVT-mRNA-CD5-CAR-γδTCD5- cells exhibited favorable functional characteristics and demonstrated antitumor efficacy against malignant T cell lines, underlining the potential for advancing mRNA-CD5-CAR-γδTCD5- therapy.

The Comprehensive Review: Internet Protocol (IP) Address a Primer for Digital Connectivity

The Internet Protocol (IP) is the rule book that governs how data is addressed and routed across networks on the internet. Think of it as the postal system for the digital world. This addressing system allows routers, the digital mail carriers, to efficiently transfer packets between devices and networks until they reach their destination. It ensures data reaches the right place by assigning addresses and enabling efficient routing. IP also encompasses various protocols and services, such as ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) for error reporting and diagnostics, and DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) for automatic IP address assignment. Additionally, IP can be configured to support different transmission modes, including uni-cast, multicast, and broadcast, catering to diverse communication requirements. Adopting technology that has been researched and developed commercially offers the military a cost-effective method of implementation. IP systems enable the forces to share a common network that supports voice, video, and data sharing. This systematic review article initially highlighted the basics on IP and lastly the brief discussion regards data gram format, NAT, IPv4, IPV6 IP fragmentation, CIDR, TCP and UDP individually.

Development of an all-in-one real-time PCR assay for simultaneous detection of spotted fever group rickettsiae, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus and hantaan virus prevalent in central China.

Central China has been reported to be one of the most important endemic areas of zoonotic infection by spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR), severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and hantaan virus (HTNV). Due to similar clinical symptoms, it is challenging to make a definite diagnosis rapidly and accurately in the absence of microbiological tests. In the present study, an all-in-one real-time PCR assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of nucleic acids from SFGR, SFTSV and HTNV. Three linear standard curves for determining SFGR-ompA, SFTSV-L and HTNV-L were obtained within the range of 101-106 copies/μL, with the PCR amplification efficiencies ranging from 93.46% to 96.88% and the regression coefficients R2 of >0.99. The detection limit was 1.108 copies/μL for SFGR-ompA, 1.075 copies/μL for SFTSV-L and 1.006 copies/μL for HTNV-L, respectively. Both the within-run and within-laboratory coefficients of variation on the cycle threshold (Ct) values were within the range of 0.53%-2.15%. It was also found there was no statistical difference in the Ct values between single template and multiple templates (PSFGR-ompA = 0.186, PSFTSV-L = 0.612, PHTNV-L = 0.298). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value were all 100% for determining SFGR-ompA and SFTSV-L, 97%, 100%, 100% and 99.6% for HTNV-L, respectively. Therefore, the all-in-one real-time PCR assay appears to be a reliable, sensitive, rapid, high-throughput and low cost-effective method to diagnose the zoonotic infection by SFGR, SFTSV and HTNV.

Comparison of morphological and molecular Strongylus spp. identification in equine larval cultures and first report of a patent Strongylus asini infection in a horse.

Surveillance of Strongylus vulgaris and other Strongylus spp. in equids is important for targeted intervention in parasite control, requiring reliable routine diagnostic methods. Comparing morphological examination and PCR analyses of larval cultures to identify Strongylus spp. species based on German diagnostic samples from 2018. Method comparison. During the routine diagnostic investigations, in total 712 strongyle-egg positive equine faecal samples were cultured. Third-stage larvae (L3) were morphologically differentiated. For molecular validation, samples were examined using S. vulgaris real-time PCR and Strongylus edentatus/Strongylus equinus/Strongylus asini high-resolution melting PCRs. Based on 28S rRNA PCR, 594 samples positive for nematode DNA were included in the study. The inter-rater reliability to compare morphological and molecular species identification was fair for Strongylus spp. without species identification and for S. edentatus, slight for S. equinus and poor for S. vulgaris. The frequency based on morphological and molecular data in this study were for S. vulgaris 0% and 0.8%, respectively, for S. edentatus 0.3% and 1.5%, respectively, and for S. equinus 2.0% and 0.2%, respectively. Based on molecular analyses, one sample obtained from a domestic horse contained S. asini DNA, which was confirmed by sequencing. For many samples, no or only incomplete data regarding clinical history, the exact geographical location and whether samples were obtained on individual or farm level, were available. Results of morphological and molecular examination methods of strongyle L3 from equine samples can differ substantially. Further evaluation of these methods is required to provide reliable and cost-effective methods of screening equine parasites. Further studies using approaches suitable to detect S. asini are needed to evaluate its clinical and epidemiological relevance.

Immunological characteristics of a recombinant alphaherpesvirus with an envelope-embedded Cap protein of circovirus.

Variant pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a newly emerged zoonotic pathogen that can cause human blindness. PRV can take advantage of its large genome and multiple non-essential genes to construct recombinant attenuated vaccines carrying foreign genes. However, a major problem is that the foreign genes in recombinant PRV are only integrated into the genome for independent expression, rather than assembled on the surface of virion. We reported a recombinant PRV with deleted gE/TK genes and an inserted porcine circovirus virus 2 (PCV2) Cap gene into the extracellular domain of the PRV gE gene using the Cre-loxP recombinant system combined with the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system. This recombinant PRV (PRV-Cap), with the envelope-embedded Cap protein, exhibits a similar replication ability to its parental virus. An immunogenicity assay revealed that PRV-Cap immunized mice have 100% resistance to lethal PRV and PCV2 attacks. Neutralization antibody and ELISPOT detections indicated that PRV-Cap can enhance neutralizing antibodies to PRV and produce IFN-γ secreting T cells specific for both PRV and PCV2. Immunological mechanistic investigation revealed that initial immunization with PRV-Cap stimulates significantly early activation and expansion of CD69+ T cells, promoting the activation of CD4 Tfh cell dependent germinal B cells and producing effectively specific effector memory T and B cells. Booster immunization with PRV-Cap recalled the activation of PRV-specific IFN-γ+IL-2+CD4+ T cells and IFN-γ+TNF-α+CD8+ T cells, as well as PCV2-specific IFN-γ+TNF-α+CD8+ T cells. Collectively, our data suggested an immunological mechanism in that the recombinant PRV with envelope-assembled PCV2 Cap protein can serve as an excellent vaccine candidate for combined immunity against PRV and PCV2, and provided a cost-effective method for the production of PRV- PCV2 vaccine.

Spinning Desicurer: A cost-effective and generalizable post-processing method for enhanced optical quality in 3D-printed microfluidics

Spinning Desicurer: A cost-effective and generalizable post-processing method for enhanced optical quality in 3D-printed microfluidics

The effect of tobacco tax increase on price-minimizing tobacco purchasing behaviours: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tobacco product excise taxes are a cost-effective method for reducing tobacco consumption, but industry pricing and marketing strategies encourage consumers to engage in price-minimizing behaviours (PMBs). We investigated the relationship between tobacco tax increases and PMBs, measuring whether PMBs intensify following tax increases, whether low-income consumers with higher nicotine dependence are more likely to engage in PMBs and whether PMBs are negatively related to smoking cessation. This was a systematic review with meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies from seven databases up to March 2023, using studies that reported any product- and purchasing-related smoking behaviours post-tobacco tax increase in a general representative population. Sixty-eightstudies were quality-assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. All studies were narratively synthesized, with five studies involving 13 068-26 575 participants providing data for pooled analyses on PMBs [purchasing lower-priced brands, roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco and cartons] pre- and post-tax increases using a random effects meta-analytical model. Fifty-seven studies reported on legal PMBs, and 17 studies reported illicit cigarette purchasing. Meta-analysis showed that consecutive tax increases were positively associated with purchasing RYO [odds ratio (OR) = 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-2.46], especially in higher tobacco taxing environments, with substantial heterogeneity (I2= 96%). Lower income and higher nicotine dependence were associated with purchasing lower-priced brands and RYO, whereas higher income and nicotine dependence were associated with purchasing cartons, large-sized packs and cross-border sales. Less evidence associated illicit tobacco purchases with tax increases or PMBs with smoking cessation. Tobacco purchasers' PMBs vary widely by state, country and time-period within countries. Both legal and illegal PMBs, potentially influenced by industry pricing tactics, may exacerbate health inequalities and dilute the public health benefits of tobacco tax increases.

Spin orientation evolution of individual ferromagnetic nanoparticle during reversing magnetization processes revealed by micromagnetic simulations

Understanding the internal magnetization structure of an individual ferromagnetic nanoparticle (MNP) is crucial for deciphering its magnetic characteristics. Unfortunately, while certain techniques can measure the magnetic properties of an individual MNP, they fall short of accurately detecting the internal magnetization structure. In this work, micromagnetic simulations were employed to construct the internal magnetization structure of an individual CoFe2O4 (CFO) nanopyramid, and the energy jump behavior during the magnetization process was successfully explained, with simulation results aligning with dynamic cantilever magnetometry (DCM) experimental outcomes. Subsequently, the external stray field of the nanopyramid was simulated, and the stray field gradient map revealed distinct bright and dark regions corresponding to the reverse and forward saturation magnetizations of the CFO nanopyramid. This result is possible to be verified by magnetic force microscopy (MFM) measurements of individual CFO nanopyramids. The confidence in the accuracy of the simulated internal magnetization structure was significantly enhanced by independently verifying the micromagnetic simulation results through DCM and MFM experiments. Our work proposes a convenient and cost-effective method for studying the internal magnetization structure of individual MNPs.

In vivo toxicity evaluation and antibacterial assessment of vanadium doped Bi2Se3 synthesized by cost effective method

Bismuth selenide-based nanomaterials are introduced as theranostic agents, primarily enhancing their antimicrobial, anti-cancerous, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. Pure Bi2Se3 and V doped Bi2Se3 with V = 0.07 g, 0.12 g, and 0.15 g were synthesized by using Sol-gel Technique. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns demonstrated that the manufactured samples were crystalline in nature having rhombohedral structure. The average crystallite sizes of VxBi2-xS3 were calculated by Scherrer formula in the range (24.9–11.0 nm). The average crystallite size reduced as doping concentrations increased (0–0.15 g). The FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectra confirms that the peaks corresponds to 900–600 cm−1 indicates Bi–Se bond stretching, whereas vibrations exhibit peaks between 704 cm−1 - 830 cm−1 in doped samples correspond to V–O bond. UV–Visible analysis shows that the band gap of doped Bi2Se3 increased from (2.57 eV–2.90 eV) having standard error 0.02, 0.01, 0.02, and 0.02 respectively as the concentrations of doping increased (0.0–0.15 g), respectively. SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) study of pure Bi2Se3 showed nanosized particles, and for doped, a clear change in morphology occurred with the particles tending to agglomerate. EDAX also confirms the purity of synthesized samples. XPS analysis confirms the presence of Bi, Se and Vanadium along with chemisorbed oxygen. Antibacterial potential of synthesized samples was analyzed against Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli and cocci bacteria, which showed that the vanadium doped bismuth selenide has greater zone of inhibition than undoped bismuth selenide. Pseudomonas shows more ZOI (Zone of Inhibition) than E.coli and cocci. The maximum inhibition zone was 25 mm against Pseudomonas for V0.15Bi1.85Se3. The In-Vivo toxicity experiment was also applied on mice's (Swiss Albino) with a higher dosage of 20 mg per kg of the prepared doped sample. The blood samples were collected and examined after 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day of treatment. The entire treatment does not cause any severe damage to mice. An evaluation of a p-value based on hematological and biochemical data was non-significant this ensures that vanadium doped Bi2Se3 nanoparticles are non-toxic and biocompatible. This work proves that V-doped Bi2Se3 is good for further study in many other Applications in the biomedical field, such as photo thermal therapy, imaging etc.

Thinking inside the box: a cost-effective approach to fan array noise reduction

Noise from fan arrays can contribute high sound pressure levels both to buildings and communities. Noise that travels from these units through ducts and into the spaces within buildings can be attenuated with silencers or duct lining. However, sound radiated from the unit through building structures or into communities can be more difficult to attenuate and often adds significant cost. While it is possible to attenuate sound from the unit using enclosures or sound walls, exploring the operation of the fan arrays themselves could be a more cost-effective noise reduction method. One particular noise reduction method for an existing fan array was proposed for a customer: review sound levels of each fan within the array to determine how they are contributing to the radiated sound power level of the unit. The assumption that sound levels between individual fans within fan arrays are consistent is not always correct. A series of acoustical tests were completed; results indicated that sound caused by turbulent airflow within the tested fan array was able to be lowered by reducing the fan speeds of individual fans. By reducing the fan speeds of problematic fans and increasing speeds for the quieter ones within the same fan array, the same level of cooling can be provided with lower overall radiated sound levels at no additional cost.

Experimental Investigation and Numerical Analysis Regarding the Influence of Cutting Parameters on the Asphalt Milling Process.

Abrasion wear is a significant concern for cutting tools, particularly when milling asphalt concrete due to the presence of hard mineral aggregate particles. The pressure exerted on the cutting tool by the chipped material and the resulting cutting forces directly influence tool wear. To estimate the cutting forces in asphalt milling, the authors propose using either laboratory experiments or cost-effective Discrete Element Method (DEM) modeling-by simulating the real conditions-as direct measurement under real conditions is challenging. This article presents results from an original experimental program aimed at determining the cutting forces during asphalt pavement milling. A specialized stand equipped with a moving plate and recording devices was designed to vary milling depth, rotational speed, and advance speed. The experimental results for horizontal force values were compared with numerical results from DEM modeling. It was found that both increasing the milling depth and the advance speed lead to higher cutting forces. Generally, DEM modeling trends align with experimental results, although DEM values are generally higher. The statistical analysis allowed identification of the milling depth as the most significant parameter influencing cutting force and the optimal combination of milling parameters to achieve minimum horizontal force acting on cutting tooth, namely, 15 mm milling depth and 190 mm/min advanced speed.

GeCKO: user-friendly workflows for genotyping complex genomes using target enrichment capture. A use case on the large tetraploid durum wheat genome

BackgroundGenotyping of individuals plays a pivotal role in various biological analyses, with technology choice influenced by multiple factors including genomic constraints, number of targeted loci and individuals, cost considerations, and the ease of sample preparation and data processing. Target enrichment capture of specific polymorphic regions has emerged as a flexible and cost-effective genomic reduction method for genotyping, especially adapted to the case of very large genomes. However, this approach necessitates complex bioinformatics treatment to extract genotyping data from raw reads. Existing workflows predominantly cater to phylogenetic inference, leaving a gap in user-friendly tools for genotyping analysis based on capture methods. In response to these challenges, we have developed GeCKO (Genotyping Complexity Knocked-Out). To assess the effectiveness of combining target enrichment capture with GeCKO, we conducted a case study on durum wheat domestication history, involving sequencing, processing, and analyzing variants in four relevant durum wheat groups.ResultsGeCKO encompasses four distinct workflows, each designed for specific steps of genomic data processing: (i) read demultiplexing and trimming for data cleaning, (ii) read mapping to align sequences to a reference genome, (iii) variant calling to identify genetic variants, and (iv) variant filtering. Each workflow in GeCKO can be easily configured and is executable across diverse computational environments. The workflows generate comprehensive HTML reports including key summary statistics and illustrative graphs, ensuring traceable, reproducible results and facilitating straightforward quality assessment. A specific innovation within GeCKO is its 'targeted remapping' feature, specifically designed for efficient treatment of targeted enrichment capture data. This process consists of extracting reads mapped to the targeted regions, constructing a smaller sub-reference genome, and remapping the reads to this sub-reference, thereby enhancing the efficiency of subsequent steps.ConclusionsThe case study results showed the expected intra-group diversity and inter-group differentiation levels, confirming the method's effectiveness for genotyping and analyzing genetic diversity in species with complex genomes. GeCKO streamlined the data processing, significantly improving computational performance and efficiency. The targeted remapping enabled straightforward SNP calling in durum wheat, a task otherwise complicated by the species' large genome size. This illustrates its potential applications in various biological research contexts.

Enhancement of a Simple, Economic and Eco-Friendly Analytical Approach for the Extraction and Determination of Endocrine Disruptors from Plastics in Shrimp

The economic significance of the shrimp industry relies heavily on the comprehensive utilization of all of the shrimp’s parts. However, this importance is often threatened by common challenges such as disease and pollution, caused by prominent contaminants that are capable of exerting adverse effects either directly as physical pollutants or indirectly through the incorporation of additives or adsorbed chemicals. Among these substances are endocrine disruptors, which pose risks to both wildlife and human populations. In this study, 11 endocrine-disrupting compounds were determined (3 bisphenols, 3 phthalates, 3 pesticides, and 2 nonylphenols) through the development of a cost-effective, greener and cost-friendly method based on solid-phase matrix dispersion (MSPD) with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Determinations were performed on different parts of the shrimp: the cephalothorax, abdomen, intestine and shell. Several variables were optimized in the extraction, separation and detection phases, resulting in average recoveries of about 90%. The limit of detection (LOD) varies depending on the analyte and matrix. At concentrations of 1 mg/kg in the cephalothorax+shells and 1.25 mg/kg in the abdomen+intestine, all compounds were detected, except for nonylphenols. The developed method has allowed the simultaneous determination of 11 endocrine disruptors in different parts of the shrimp samples. Furthermore, the MSPD has been demonstrated to be an efficacious, selective, and streamlined sample extraction method, eliminating the necessity for pretreatment steps such as centrifugation and filtration, as well as the use of large volumes of solvents.