Degree Of Homogeneity Research Articles

Dependence of rheological characteristics of epoxy adhesive binder on the degree of homogeneity of the premix composition

Dependence of rheological characteristics of epoxy adhesive binder on the degree of homogeneity of the premix composition

New data about the stability of skills for creating clay vessel shapes

The article analyzes the relative stability of skills for creating the shapes of clay vessels, both wheel-made and hand-made ones. Sources of the study included a series of “identical” vessels that were made as part of experiments conducted by employees of the Joint Team for Pottery Study in the 1970s and the Samara Expedition for the experimental study of ancient pottery in 2019–2022. Shape parameters have been identified that exhibit the greatest stability, regardless of the method of making the vessel, the type of building elements and the skill level of a craftsman. These parameters are the inclination angles of the lateral line of the shoulder-brachium frame and the body. The results of the study lead to the conclusion that these parameters can be considered as the most reliable for making conclusions based on the pottery shapes about the degree of cultural and ethnocultural homogeneity of the population groups that left archaeological sites.

Piecewise flat Ricci flow of compact without boundary three-manifolds

Using a recently developed piecewise flat method, numerical evolutions of the Ricci flow are computed for a number of manifolds, using a number of different mesh types, and shown to converge to the expected smooth behavior as the mesh resolution is increased. The manifolds were chosen to have varying degrees of homogeneity, and include Nil and Gowdy manifolds, a three-torus initially embedded in Euclidean four-space, and a perturbation of a flat three-torus. The piecewise flat Ricci flow of the first two are shown to converge to known smooth Ricci flow solutions, with the remaining two flowing asymptotically to flat metrics.

Genetic polymorphism of merozoite surface protein 1 and merozoite surface protein 2 in the Vietnam Plasmodium falciparum population

BackgroundPlasmodium falciparum merozoite surface proteins 1 (PfMSP1) and 2 (PfMSP2) are potential candidates for malaria vaccine development. However, the genetic diversity of these genes in the global P. falciparum population presents a significant challenge in developing an effective vaccine. Hence, understanding the genetic diversity and evolutionary trends in the global P. falciparum population is crucial.MethodsThis study analyzed the genetic variations and evolutionary changes of pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 in P. falciparum isolates from the Central Highland and South-Central regions of Vietnam. DNASTAR and MEGA7 programs were utilized for analyses. The polymorphic nature of global pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 was also investigated.ResultsA total of 337 sequences of pfmsp1 and 289 sequences of pfmsp2 were obtained. The pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 from Vietnam revealed a higher degree of genetic homogeneity compared to those from other malaria-endemic countries. Remarkably, the allele diversity patterns of Vietnam pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 differed significantly from those of neighboring countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Declines in allele diversity and polymorphic patterns of Vietnam pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 were observed.ConclusionsThe Vietnam P. falciparum population might be genetically isolated from the parasite populations in other neighboring GMS countries, likely due to geographical barriers and distinct evolutionary pressures. Furthermore, bottleneck effects or selective sweeps may have contributed to the genetic homogeneity of Vietnam pfmsp1 and pfmsp2.

Influence of Equal Channel Angular Pressing and Cyclic Extrusion Compression on the Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Pure Aluminum.

The influence of equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) and cyclic extrusion compression (CEC) of Al-1080 on the pressing load, microstructure, and tensile properties was investigated. The pressing peak loads of the CEC were 218.8-265.4% higher than those of the ECAP, with a more complex load behavior in the CEC process. The deformation morphology of the ECAP samples indicates an improvement in the deformation homogeneity with the number of passes. Shear band morphology with a decrease in the shear band width from the center to the outer surface makes up the predominant pattern of the CEC samples. The ECAP samples have 13.9-44% smaller average grain sizes, with 3.8-8.1% higher high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) than the CECed samples. The ECAP and CEC processing improve the tensile strength. However, the ECAP sample's tensile strength (UTS) and the proof strength (σ0.2) were 11.5-20.6 and 2.6-16.4% higher than that of CEC, without noticeable differences in elongation. The σ0.2 values were predicted accurately with a deviation range of 1.8-7.3% from the experimental one. The ECAP samples are easy to process under lower loads. Moreover, ECAP samples have an equiaxed grain microstructure with a higher degree of deformation homogeneity and tensile strength.

Microstructural characteristics and mechanical response of transient liquid-phase diffusion bonding AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high entropy alloy utilizing BNi-5 interlayer

This study focuses on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical response of the transient liquid phase (TLP) diffusion-bonded joints of AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high entropy alloy. Bonging parameters were chosen and optimized for the AlCoCrFeNi2.1 alloy and the TLP joining mechanism. The relatively complete isothermal solidification zone (ISZ) ensured a reliable connection of the base metal. As the bonding temperature increased from 1060 °C to 1160 °C, the athermal solidification zone (ASZ) disappeared. The homogenization degree of elements in the ISZ continuously increased, the matrix γ phase became fully ordered, and the B2 phase was precipitated, achieving high entropy state in the ISZ of the joint. Additionally, semi-coherent relationships of [0, 1, 1] L12, [0, 1, 1] B2 and (1, 1̅,1) L12, (2̅, 3, 1̅) B2 were detected between the B2 precipitate phase and the L12 matrix. The phase distribution in the ISZ significantly influenced the mechanical properties of the joint. The complete ordering of the matrix phase at 1160 °C eliminated deformation incoordination between the ISZ and the diffusion-affected zone (DAZ). The B2 phase transitioned from precipitating at the grain boundary at lower temperatures to precipitating uniformly in the ISZ, eliminating the weakening effect of the grain boundary and resulting in tensile strength and elongation comparable to the base material. The fracture morphology indicated a mixed fracture mode.

An Algorithm Based on An Efficient Cost Model to Form Learning Groups

The purpose of this research is to form learning groups that are intra-homogeneous (a high level of similarity across student GPAs inside a group), inter-homogeneous (similarity or balance in the degree of homogeneity between groups), and balanced in size. The algorithm proposed for this purpose treats the learning group formation as an assignment-type optimization problem where it seeks to find a feasible least-cost assignment of a given set of students to a given set of learning groups. It is referred to as GAGF (Generalized Assignment Strategy for Group Formation). It is based on an efficient cost model, which performs three tasks: measuring the cost of assigning students to a learning group, relating each improvement in assignment cost to increased intra-group homogeneity and group size balance, and bringing the intra-homogeneity of the groups to a reference value (a specific level of homogeneity), which improves inter-homogeneity. Experimental results have shown that the GAGF algorithm is effective at constructing intra- and inter-homogeneous learning groups with balanced sizes. It was found that using GAGF attained an improvement of more than 29% in intra-group homogeneity when compared to both related work and self-formation methods. It significantly improved inter-group homogeneity, outperforming related works by 79.75%.

Alterations in magnitude and spatial distribution of erector spinae muscle activity in cyclists with a recent history of low back pain.

While cycling offers several health benefits, repetitive loading and maintenance of static postures for prolonged periods expose cyclists to low back pain (LBP). Despite high LBP prevalence in cyclists, underlying pathomechanics and specific lumbar region muscle activation patterns during cycling are unclear. Here, we compared lumbar erector spinae (ES) muscles activation and spatial distribution activity in cyclists with and without recent LBP history. Ten cyclists with recent LBP history (LBPG; Oswestry Disability Index score ~ 17.8%) and 11 healthy cyclists (CG) were recruited. After assessing the Functional Threshold Power (FTP), participants underwent an incremental cycling test with 4 × 3min steps at 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% of their FTP. High-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) signals were recorded from both lumbar ES using two 64-channel grids. Information about ES activation levels (root-mean-square, RMS), degree of homogeneity (entropy), and cranio-caudal displacement of muscle activity (Y-axis coordinate of the barycenter of RMS maps) was extracted from each grid separately and then grand-averaged across both grids. Repeated-measure 2-way ANOVAs showed a significant intensity by group interaction for RMS amplitude (p = 0.003), entropy (p = 0.038), and Y-bar displacement (p = 0.033). LBPG increased RMS amplitude between 70-100% (+ 19%, p = 0.010) and 80-100% FTP (+ 21%, p = 0.004) and decreased entropy between 70-100% FTP (-8.4%, p = 0.003) and 80-100% FTP (-8.5%, p = 0.002). Between-group differences emerged only at 100% FTP (+ 9.6%, p = 0.049) for RMS amplitude. Our findings suggest that cyclists with recent LBP history exhibit higher ES muscles activation and less homogeneous activity compared to healthy controls, suggesting potential inefficient muscle recruitment strategy. HEC-DSB/09-2023.

Hamiltonian Birkhoff Normal Form for Gravity-Capillary Water Waves with Constant Vorticity: Almost Global Existence

We prove an almost global existence result for space periodic solutions of the 1D gravity-capillary water waves equations with constant vorticity. The result holds for any value of gravity, vorticity and depth, a full measure set of surface tensions, and any small and smooth enough initial datum. The proof demands a novel approach—that we call paradifferential Hamiltonian Birkhoff normal form for quasi-linear PDEs—in presence of resonant wave interactions: the normal form is not integrable but it preserves the Sobolev norms thanks to its Hamiltonian nature. A major difficulty is that paradifferential calculus used to prove local well posedness (as the celebrated Alinhac good unknown) breaks the Hamiltonian structure. A major achievement of this paper is to correct (possibly) unbounded paradifferential transformations to symplectic maps, up to an arbitrary degree of homogeneity. Thanks to a deep cancellation, our symplectic correctors are smoothing perturbations of the identity. Thus we are able to preserve both the paradifferential structure and the Hamiltonian nature of the equations. Such Darboux procedure is written in an abstract functional setting applicable also in other contexts.

Commercial Insurance Coverage Criteria for Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation Poorly Reflect Current Research.

The aim of this study is to both quantify and qualify the way insurance companies justify their coverage policies for autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) and determine whether these policies align with recent research on the subject. The top 11 national commercial health insurance payers for ACI were identified. Coverage policy documents were recovered for 8 payers. These documents were examined, and the type of reference and the level of evidence (LOE) were recorded for each applicable reference. Specific coverage criteria for each individual payer were then extracted and assessed for similarities among commercial payers. Finally, all references cited by each payer were examined to determine whether they mentioned the specific payer criteria. This study found that the majority of cited references were primary journal articles (86, 58.1%) and that only 30 (20.2%) references were level I or level II evidence. This study also found significant homogeneity among payer coverage criteria. Cited sources inconsistently mentioned specific payer coverage criteria. In addition, payer criteria tended to be poorly supported by current evidence on ACI. This study demonstrates that commercial insurance payers' coverage policies for ACI poorly cite references, cite a majority of references with low LOE, and cite references which infrequently mention their specific coverage criteria. In addition, payer coverage policies have a high degree of homogeneity and many of their specific criteria are poorly supported by current research on ACI.

Diversity Analysis in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) Genotypes Using Microsatellite Markers

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is commonly called as eggplant or aubergine. It is one of the most important commercial solanaceous vegetable crops grown widely in Asian and African countries. It is popular among people of all social strata and is rightly called a vegetable of masses [1, 2]. It is of substantial economic importance in Asia, Africa, and the subtropics (India, Central America), and it is also grown in some warm temperate regions (Mediterranean area, Southern USA) [3, 4]. It is an old world species and native to Indo-Chinese centre of origin [5]. The genus Solanum is morphologically hypervariable and highly diverse in number of species [6] and ecogeographical distribution [7]. Despite the economic and nutritional importance of eggplant, breeding efforts in this crop have been limited compared to other solanaceous crops, such as tomato and potato [8, 9]. In the present study 30 solanaceae specific microsatellite markers were used of which 29 showed good amplification in the 4 checks used viz state check for round and oblong to long fruit, national check for round fruit and national check for oblong to long fruit. Of these 29, primer set emi04J02 and emk03O04 did show amplification in the other genotypes. Finally, 27 markers were used for analysis. Of these 23 showed monomorphic pattern (85.1%) whereas only 4 showed some polymorphism (14.8 %). The most informative marker was eme01D03 which showed presence of 3 alleles. The low degree of polymorphism indicated a high degree of homogeneity in the genotypes which could be due to a narrow genetic base.

Design, Development and Characterization of Nisoldipine Solid Lipid Nanoparticles: Statistical and Characterization Perspectives.

The objective of this study was to develop and characterize solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) loaded with Nisoldipine (NIS), aiming to enhance the drug’s bioavailability and provide a sustained release profile. SLNs were prepared using a solvent evaporation method and evaluated for several critical parameters. The superfluity test assessed the homogeneity of the SLN suspension, while particle size, drug entrapment efficiency, shapes, and surface morphology were analyzed using SEM/DLS/ TEM. Researchers studied the process of how drugs are released and performed in-vitro drug release tests to establish the substance’s release profile. HPLC and FT-IR were used to verify the drug’s chemical stability and encapsulation effectiveness. Stability studies assessed the formulation’s stability over time throughout different storage settings. The SLNs exhibited a high degree of homogeneity in the superfluity test, with no phase separation. The drug entrapment effectiveness was over 80%, and the typical particle size was 150-250 nm. Microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the SLNs had a flat, spherical top. NIS exhibited a regulated sequence of kinematics and prolonged release during dissolution investigations. FTIR and HPLC confirmed the stability and integrity of the drug within the SLNs. Stability studies indicated that the formulation remained stable over time. NIS-loaded SLNs show significant potential as an effective drug delivery system, offering enhanced bioavailability, sustained release, and excellent stability.

Cutting propagation of Salicornia europaea L. and the optimum NaCl and nutrient solution levels for its rooting and growth

ABSTRACT Salicornia europaea is a salty and crunchy succulent vegetable, traditionally known as precious gourmet food in Europe and Hawaii. Additionally, this plant is expected to be one of the most essential candidates for future crops under climate change because of its high salt tolerance and abundance of bioactive compounds. S. europaea is generally cultivated by seed propagation, which is challenging because of the heterogeneity in seed size, viability and dormancy. However, our results show that the cutting method is suitable for propagating this plant. We explored various nutrient conditions and proposed that the optimal culture medium conditions for promoting root and biomass development consists of 1.5% NaCl and a nutrient solution with 260 ppm N, 120 ppm P2O5 and 405 ppm K2O. Our findings suggest that the cutting method can facilitate S. europaea propagation, owing to its high degree of efficiency, homogeneity and simplicity, providing the potential to produce food even in salt-affected areas effectively.

Determination of the Degree of Homogeneity of Primitive Permutation Groups via the Socle of the Groups

The nilpotentcy class for the Frobenius was determined based on the structure theorem. The socle of the groups were observed to be regular normal and elementary abelian such features were the conditions for the nilpotency classes, as they were the basis on which the socle of these groups constructed were nilpotent of some classes or order. The socle of the nilpotent groups whose structures is in conformity with D were classified based on the classification scheme for the finite primitive groups in relation to socle type.

Abnormal dynamic features of spontaneous brain activity and their concordance in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder related optic neuritis: A resting-state fMRI study

ObjectiveCharacterizing the neuropathological features of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder-related optic neuritis (NMOSD-ON) is crucial for understanding its mechanisms. Given the important role of dynamic features in the brain’s functional architecture, we aim to investigate the dynamic features of spontaneous brain activity and their concordance using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in NMOSD-ON. MethodsFourteen NMOSD-ON patients and 21 healthy controls (HCs) underwent rs-fMRI and ophthalmological examinations. Five dynamic indices depicting different aspects of functional characteristics were calculated using a sliding window method based on rs-fMRI data. Kendall’s coefficient was utilized to measure concordance among these indices at each time point. The differences of dynamic features between two groups were evaluated using two-sample t-tests, with correlations explored between altered dynamics and clinical parameters. ResultsCompared to HCs, NMOSD-ON patients exhibited significant decreases in dynamic regional homogeneity (dReHo) and dynamic degree centrality (dDC) in visual regions, including bilateral cuneus, lingual gyrus, calcarine sulcus, and occipital gyrus. Conversely, increases were observed in left insula, left thalamus, and bilateral caudate. The concordance of NMOSD-ON patients was significantly lower than HCs. The dReHo of right cuneus negatively correlated with mean deviation of visual field (r = -0.591, p = 0.026) and the dReHo of left cuneus negatively correlated with disease duration (r = -0.588, p = 0.030). ConclusionThe evidence suggests that regional dynamic functional alterations involving vision, emotional processing, and cognitive control may provide a new understanding of brain changes in the progression of NMOSD-ON.

Expert panel curation of 31 genes in relation to limb girdle muscular dystrophy.

Limb girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs) are a group of genetically heterogeneous autosomal conditions with some degree of phenotypic homogeneity. LGMD is defined as having onset >2 years of age with progressive proximal weakness, elevated serum creatine kinase levels and dystrophic features on muscle biopsy. Advances in massively parallel sequencing have led to a surge in genes linked to LGMD. The ClinGen Muscular Dystrophies and Myopathies gene curation expert panel (MDM GCEP, formerly Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy GCEP) convened to evaluate the strength of evidence supporting gene-disease relationships (GDR) using the ClinGen gene-disease clinical validity framework to evaluate 31 genes implicated in LGMD. The GDR was exclusively LGMD for 17 genes, whereas an additional 14 genes were related to a broader phenotype encompassing congenital weakness. Four genes (CAPN3, COL6A1, COL6A2, and COL6A3) were split into two separate disease entities, based on each displaying both dominant and recessive inheritance patterns, resulting in curation of 35 GDRs. Of these, 30 (86%) were classified as definitive, 4 (11%) as moderate, and 1 (3%) as limited. Two genes, POMGNT1 and DAG1, though definitively related to myopathy, currently have insufficient evidence to support a relationship specifically with LGMD. The expert-reviewed assertions on the clinical validity of genes implicated in LGMDs form an invaluable resource for clinicians and molecular geneticists. We encourage the global neuromuscular community to publish case-level data that help clarify disputed or novel LGMD associations.

The Spectrum of Disease-Associated Alleles in Countries with a Predominantly Slavic Population.

There are more than 260 million people of Slavic descent worldwide, who reside mainly in Eastern Europe but also represent a noticeable share of the population in the USA and Canada. Slavic populations, particularly Eastern Slavs and some Western Slavs, demonstrate a surprisingly high degree of genetic homogeneity, and, consequently, remarkable contribution of recurrent alleles associated with hereditary diseases. Along with pan-European pathogenic variants with clearly elevated occurrence in Slavic people (e.g., ATP7B c.3207C>A and PAH c.1222C>T), there are at least 52 pan-Slavic germ-line mutations (e.g., NBN c.657_661del and BRCA1 c.5266dupC) as well as several disease-predisposing alleles characteristic of the particular Slavic communities (e.g., Polish SDHD c.33C>A and Russian ARSB c.1562G>A variants). From a clinical standpoint, Slavs have some features of a huge founder population, thus providing a unique opportunity for efficient genetic studies.

Evaluating the Impact of Green Coffee Bean Powder on the Quality of Whole Wheat Bread: A Comprehensive Analysis.

The current investigation focuses on the effect of different concentrations of green coffee bean powder (GCBp) on the physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of whole wheat bread (WWB). C1 bread formulation (containing 1% GCBp) exhibited the highest loaf volume, suggesting optimal fermentation. Moisture analysis revealed minor alterations in the moisture retention attributes of the bread formulations. Impedance analysis suggested that C1 exhibited the highest impedance with a high degree of material homogeneity. Swelling studies suggested similar swelling properties, except C5 (containing 5% GCBp), which showed the lowest swelling percentage. Furthermore, color and microcolor analysis revealed the highest L* and WI in C1. Conversely, higher concentrations of GCBp reduced the color attributes in other GCBp-containing formulations. FTIR study demonstrated an improved intermolecular interaction in C1 and C2 (containing 2% GCBp) among all. No significant variation in the overall textural parameters was observed in GCBp-introduced formulations, except C2, which showed an improved gumminess. Moreover, the TPC (total phenolic content) and microbial analysis revealed enhanced antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in GCBp-incorporated formulations compared to Control (C0, without GCBp). The sensory evaluation showed an enhanced appearance and aroma in C1 compared to others. In short, C1 showed better physicochemical, biological, and sensory properties than the other formulations.

Material Recycling of Plastics—A Challenge for Sustainability

The complexity of plastic polymers and even more so of additives has increased enormously in recent years. This makes the material recycling of plastic waste considerably more difficult, especially in the case of mixed plastic waste. Some additives have now been strictly regulated or even completely banned for good reasons (‘legacy additives’). Material or mechanical recycling generally uses old plastics that still contain these substances. Consequently, products that are manufactured using such recyclates are contaminated with these harmful substances. This poses a major challenge for sustainability, as there is a conflict of objectives between protecting the health of consumers, especially vulnerable groups, conserving resources and recycling, keeping material cycles ‘clean’ and destroying pollutants, and transporting them to a safe final sink. With regard to the first objective, we recommend avoiding the use of contaminated recyclates for products with intensive contact with consumers (‘contact-sensitive products’) until further notice. We also show that the climate policy challenges for the plastics (and chemical) industry necessitate defossilization (‘feedstock change’). This turnaround can only succeed if solely closed-loop recycling takes place in the future; recyclates should primarily replace virgin plastics. For material or mechanical recycling, this means that this can only work if used plastics with a high degree of homogeneity and known formulation are collected separately, as is already the case today with PET bottles. The objective of this article is to illustrate the increasing complexity of plastic polymers and additives, especially legacy additives, which will force a legislative readjustment of todays’ material recycling.

Synthesis and Processing Strategy for High-Bandgap PbS Quantum Dots: A Promising Candidate for Harvesting High-Energy Photons in Solar Cells.

The wide tunability of the energy bandgap of colloidal lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) has uniquely positioned them for the development of single junction and tandem solar cells. While there have been substantial advancements in moderate and narrow bandgap PbS QDs-ideal for single junction solar cells and the bottom cell in tandem solar cells, respectively; progress has been limited in high-bandgap PbS QDs that are ideally suited for the formation of the top cell in tandem solar cells. The development of appropriate high bandgap PbS QDs would be a major advancement toward realizing efficient all-QD tandem solar cells utilizing different sizes of PbS QDs. Here, we report a comprehensive approach encompassing synthetic strategy, ligand engineering, and hole transport layer (HTL) modification to implement high-bandgap PbS QDs into solar cell devices. We achieved a greater degree of size homogeneity in high-bandgap PbS QDs through the use of a growth retarding agent and a partial passivation strategy. By adjusting the ligand polarity, we successfully grow HTL over the QD film to fabricate solar cells. With the aid of an interface modifying layer, we incorporated an organic HTL for the realization of high-performance solar cells. These solar cells exhibited an impressive open-circuit voltage of 0.824 V and a power conversion efficiency of 10.7%, marking a 360% improvement over previous results.