Peak Intensity Research Articles

Exploring the Feasibility of Eu(TTA)3TPPO as Pigment for Fluorescent Paint

We outline the synthesis of rare earth hybrid organic β-diketonate Eu(TTA)3TPPO complex [Eu: Europium, TTA: Thenoyl Trifluoro Acetone, TPPO: Triphenylphosphine oxide] pigment to formulate luminous paints. Epoxy and urea formaldehyde resins were synthesized by catalytic homo polymerization and solution polymerization technique, respectively. The fluorescent pigment was synthesized at ambient temperature by solution technique, maintaining the stoichiometric ratio at pH 7. Nextly, fluorescent paint was developed on glass substrate with epoxy (E) and urea formaldehyde (UF) resins and toluene as solvent with thickness 0.1 mm, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra and photometric assessment of the complex were carried out to probe its photophysical parameters. The excitation spectra of the synthesized complex depicts a wide-ranging excitation peak at 466 nm with a wide shoulder at 538 nm, while emission spectra discloses an intense peak, recorded at 617 nm which portrays colour in the reddish-orange region of the visible spectrum. The paint compositions were checked for tack-free, hard dry, adhesion, water, salt, alkali and acid spray test to study their resistance against distinct surroundings. The painted panels also portrayed reddish orange emission at a unique wavelength of 617 nm. Amid all the paint compositions, the intensity of the painted panel with urea formaldehyde as a binder was found to be maximum, followed by the painted panel with epoxy as the binder. Photometric evaluation revealed reddish-orange emission from pure pigment as well as painted panels, which portrayed in the visible spectrum. This proposes a way to develop fluorescent paints that find applications in several areas such as flexible displays, glow-in-dark road paints, OLED devices, automotive rare lighting, fluorescent sensors, aircraft cabin and floor lighting, architectural and interior decorations and many more.

Characterisation of aroma-active compounds in dried Dendrobium spp. stems (Shihu) using GC-Olfactometry and a modified NIF-SNIF method

Dendrobium orchid stems (Chinese name Shihu) are becoming popular ingredients in food and drinks such as wine, teas and desserts, however, its aroma chemistry is not currently understood. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry (GC-O) were used to analyse two Dendrobium species. The Nasal Impact Frequency-Surface of Nasal Impact Frequency (NIF-SNIF) method was employed on thirteen untrained panellists using a newly built open-source software (“nif-simple”). An expert annotated odour descriptions and intensities of NIF-SNIF peaks. Twenty-four volatile aroma compounds were found using GC-MS, with 22 shared compounds and 17 reported for the first time. GC-O NIF-SNIF indicated nine aroma compounds were aroma-active in D. nobile and D. officinale. Five were found in both species suggesting that they are species-independent markers. Aroma-active compounds were characterised as brown, mushroom, metallic, nutty and potato aromas. Methional (NIF 83 %) and 1-octen-3-one (NIF 81 %) were most frequently detected in D. nobile and D. officinale respectively, and this study proposed aroma formation mechanisms in dried Dendrobium stems. Modified Frequencies demonstrated that NIF-SNIF is an effective GC-O method for identifying key aroma-active compounds. Understanding the flavour properties of Shihu could enhance its global appeal and encourage NIF-SNIF to be used in future studies.

Nanofibrillated cellulose derived from rice bran, wheat bran, okara as novel dietary fibers: Structural, physicochemical, and functional properties

The structural, physicochemical, and functional properties of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) derived from rice bran (RB), wheat bran (WB), and okara were investigated and explored its potential as novel dietary fibers (DF). Cellulose microfibers (CMF) with cellulose purity of 87.4 % (RB), 92.1 % (WB), and 95.1 % (okara) were prepared by alkali and bleaching treatment, respectively. Subsequently, cellulose microfibers were prepared into NFCs with nanoscale diameters by dynamic high-pressure microjet treatment. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy demonstrated a significant decrease in the intensity of characteristic absorption peaks of lignin and hemicellulose after chemical treatment. X-ray diffraction results indicated the order of relative crystallinity is: NFC (56.9 %) > CMF (50.8 %) > DF (26.1 %). Moreover, NFC exhibits higher water/oil holding capacity, swelling capability, nitrite/cholesterol/sodium cholate adsorption capacity than CMF and DF. Besides, NFC exhibited superior ability to inhibit starch and lipid digestion compared to DF. Consequently, NFC holds great promise as a novel dietary additive in the food industry. [Display omitted]

Efficient, quick, and low-carbon removal mechanism of microplastics based on integrated gel coagulation-spontaneous flotation process

To address the problems of unstable efficiency, long treatment period, and high energy consumption during microplastics (MPs) removal by traditional coagulation–flotation technology, a gel coagulation–spontaneous flotation (GCSF) process is proposed that employs laminarin (LA) as the crosslinker and polyaluminum chloride (PAC)/polyaluminum ferric chloride (PAFC) as the coagulant to remove MPs. Herein, the effects of GCSF chemical conditions on microplastic-humic acid composite pollutants (MP-HAs) removal were investigated, and the removal mechanisms were analyzed through theoretical calculations and floc structure characterization. Results showed that an LA to PAC/PAFC ratio of 2.5:1 achieved the highest removal of HA (86 %) and MPs (93 %–99 %) in short coagulation (< 1 min) and spontaneous flotation (< 9 min) period. PAC-LA exhibited strong removal ability for MP-HAs while PAFC-LA induced fast flotation speed. The peak intensity and peak shift in Fourier-transformed infrared and X-ray photo-electron spectra indicated that the removal mechanisms of MPs include hydrogen bond adsorption and the sweeping effect, mainly relying on –OH/–C = O on the MPs surface and entrapment of gel flocs with a high degree of aggregation, respectively. The extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek calculation also revealed that interactions between PAC/PAFC-LA and MP-HAs were mainly polar interaction (hydrogen bonding) and intermolecular attraction interaction (Lifshitz-van der Waals force), and the sweep effect was reflected by intermolecular interaction. In addition, density function theory calculations indicated that –OH in LA mainly adsorbs DO through a double hydrogen bond configuration, and the crosslinking ligand FeO6/AlO6 assists in DO absorption by –OH.

Electroanalytical analysis of phenol oxidation using bacteria immobilized by a polycaprolactone coating on the copper electrode surface

The copper electrode modified by bacteria immobilised by a polycaprolactone film was successfully developed by electropolymerisation for the purpose of determining the presence of phenol. Electrochemical techniques such as square-wave voltammetry (SWV), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to characterize the electrochemical properties of the Cu-polymer/bacteria electrode. The results show that the intensity of the phenol oxidation peak increases with concentration, allowing us to obtain good analytical results with DL of 2.156 × 10–7 M and QL which is 7.2 × 10–7 M , confirming that the biosensor has excellent electroanalytical activity for phenol oxidation, with good stability and a wide linear range. Our electrode is based on a easily available and inexpensive material, as well as on its simple preparation, which has demonstrated high performance for phenol.

Insights into the preparation and photoluminescence properties of MgTi2O5: Eu3+ red phosphor with high color purity for w-LED applications

As one of the critical components for achieving high-quality white light emitting diodes (w-LEDs) are efficient phosphors, a series of intense red emitting Eu3+doped magnesium dititanate (Mg(1-x)Ti2O5: xEu3+; x = 0, 0.005, 0.008, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 mol) phosphors were prepared via solid-state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the phase purity and orthorhombic structure of the prepared phosphors. The Ti-O functional groups were detected from the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images revealed agglomerated spherical-like shaped phosphor particles. Under 465 nm excitation, intense red emission corresponding to 5D0→7FJ (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4) transitions of Eu3+ ions were recorded in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra with an intense peak at 615 nm. The optimum concentration of Eu3+ ions was determined to be 1 mol% and the concentration quenching mechanism was due to the interaction between adjacent Eu3+ ions. The lifetime values of the samples were in the millisecond range and the internal quantum efficiency was determined to be 31.65 %. The Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of the optimum sample Mg0.99Ti2O5:0.01Eu3+ are (0.6421, 0.3575), lies in the red region with 99.9 % color purity and have warm correlated color temperature (CCT) values. Therefore obtained results suggest that the prepared Mg(1-x)Ti2O5:xEu3+phosphors can be used as an efficient red phosphor for w-LED applications.

Effects of oxygen sources on the growth characteristics and dielectric properties of atomic-layer-deposited TiO2 films for aluminum electrolytic capacitors

TiO2 is a promising high dielectric material which can be introduced into aluminum anode foils for realizing miniaturization, lightweight, and high quality of aluminum electrolytic capacitors because of its excellent permittivity. However, the complex porous framework of etched aluminum foil gives rise to the low step coverage and residual carbon impurities of TiO2 films, which can restrict the specific capacitance improvement. In this work, the TiO2 films were deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using O3, O2 plasma (O2*), H2O as oxygen sources, respectively. The effects of oxygen sources on step coverage, carbon impurity content, crystalline structure, oxygen vacancies (OVs) concentration and band gap (Eg) of TiO2 films were studied. Besides, the capacitor performances of aluminum foils were investigated. The O3–TiO2 films showed the best conformability and the least carbon impurity content, while the O2*-TiO2 films exhibited the lowest step coverage due to the directionality of plasma. And the highest carbon impurity content in H2O–TiO2 films was caused by the poor reactivity of H2O. Moreover, the anatase TiO2 peak intensity of H2O–TiO2 films through sintering and anodization was the highest due to the highest deposited mass. The O3–TiO2 films were found to be optimally insulating by characterization of OVs concentration and Eg. Surprisingly, the composite dielectric films using O3 as oxygen source exhibited the excellent withstanding voltage of 21.9 V, while the specific capacitance of 159.9 μF cm-2 was maintained, and there were about 45.89% and 33.63% enhancements in the specific capacitance and CV compared with those without TiO2. These outstanding properties demonstrate that O3 is more favorable for depositing high-performance ALD TiO2 films on aluminum electrolytic capacitors.

Value of Ultrasound Super-Resolution Imaging for the Assessment of Renal Microcirculation in Patients with Acute Kidney Injury: A Preliminary Study.

The present study aimed to explore the clinical applicability of ultrasound super-resolution imaging (US SRI) for assessing renal microcirculation in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). A total of 62 patients with sepsis were enrolled in the present study-38 with AKI and 24 control patients-from whom renal ultrasounds and clinical data were obtained. SonoVue contrast (1.5 mL) was administered through the elbow vein and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images were obtained on a Mindray Resona A20 ultrasound unit for 2 min. The renal perfusion time-intensity curve (TIC) was analyzed and, after 15 min, additional images were obtained to create a microscopic blood flow map. Microvascular density (MVD) was calculated and its correlation with serum creatinine (Scr) levels was analyzed. There were significant differences in heart rate, Scr, blood urea nitrogen, urine volume at 24 h, and glomerular filtration rate between the two groups (p < 0.01), whereas other characteristics, such as renal morphology, did not differ significantly between the AKI group and control group (p > 0.05). The time to peak and mean transit times of the renal cortex in the AKI group were prolonged compared to those in the control group (p < 0.01), while the peak intensity and area under the TIC were lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The MVD of the renal cortex in the AKI group was lower than that in the control group (18.46 ± 5.90% vs. 44.93 ± 11.65%; p < 0.01) and the MVD in the AKI group showed a negative correlation with Scr (R = -0.84; p < 0.01). Based on the aforementioned results, US SRI can effectively assess renal microcirculation in patients with AKI and is a noninvasive technique for the diagnosis of AKI and quantitative evaluation of renal microcirculation.

The Usefulness of qPCR Data for Sample Pre-Assessment and Interpretation of Genetic Typing Results.

DNA quantification is a crucial step in the STR typing workflow for human identification purposes. Given the reaction's nature, qPCR assays may be subjected to the same stochastic effects of traditional PCR for low-input concentrations. The study aims to evaluate the precision of the PowerQuant® (Promega) kit assay measurements and the degree of variability for DNA templates falling below the optimal threshold of the PowerPlex® ESX-17 Fast STR typing kit (Promega). Five three-fold dilutions of the 2800 M control DNA (Promega) were set up. Each dilution (concentrations: 0.05, 0.0167, 0.0055, 0.00185, and 0.000617 ng/µL) was quantified and amplified in four replicates. Variability for qPCR results, STR profile completeness, and EPGs' peak height were evaluated. The qPCR-estimated concentration of casework samples was correlated with profile completeness and peak intensity, to assess the predictive value of qPCR results for the successful STR typing of scarce samples. qPCR was subjected to stochastic effects, of which the degree was inversely proportional to the initial input template. Quantitation results and the STR profile's characteristics were strongly correlated. Due to the intrinsic nature of real casework samples, a qPCR-derived DNA concentration threshold for correctly identifying probative STR profiles may be difficult to establish. Quantitation data may be useful in interpreting and corroborating STR typing results and for clearly illustrating them to the stakeholders.

Efficient Second‐Harmonic Generation with Weak Polarization Sensitivity in Gallium Nitride Metasurfaces via Bound States in the Continuum

AbstractBound states in the continuum (BICs) are widely exploited in all‐dielectric metasurfaces to significantly enhance the Q‐factor and second harmonic generation (SHG). However, a higher SHG conversion efficiency is overshadowed by the narrow transparency window of all‐dielectric materials and strict requirement of polarization‐matching. Herein, an augmented SHG assisted is demonstrated by symmetry‐protected quasi‐BICs from z‐cut wurtzite GaN metasurfaces, whose wide transparent range suppresses self‐absorption of second harmonic. Strong resonances emerge under both X‐ and Y‐polarized excitations, where the multipole characters of each eigenmode are quantitatively identified via decomposition simulations. The local field enhancement enabled by the extreme energy confinement of quasi‐BICs contributes to an efficient SHG, recording a conversion efficiency up to 2 × 10−7 at moderately low input peak intensity (≈1 GW cm−2), orders of magnitude larger than bulk GaN. With proper design, the overlapping X‐ and Y‐polarized resonances can support SHG from excitation with arbitrary polarizations. The alleviation of polarization‐matching remarkably enhances the SHG power by 66.2% under unpolarized illumination condition. The results of intense SHG reveal GaN as a promising candidate for high‐performance nanoscale nonlinear photonic devices. The weak polarization sensitivity of the designed structure will chart a novel course for the advancement of next‐generation efficient all‐dielectric metasurfaces.

Exploring the Impact of Various Wooden Barrels on the Aromatic Profile of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena by Means of Principal Component Analysis.

The study examines the unique production process of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena PDO (ABTM), emphasizing its complex phases and the impact of raw materials and artisanal skill on its flavor characteristics. Analytical tests focused on the volatile composition of vinegars from different wood barrels at different aging stages, using solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography, either with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or flame ionization detector (FID). Multivariate analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA), was employed to investigate the presence of peculiarities among the volatile profiles of samples of different barrel origin. The research focuses on characterizing the volatile composition of vinegars sourced from individual wood barrels, such as Cherry, Chestnut, Mulberry, Juniper, and Oak. Although it was not possible to identify molecules directly connected to the woody essence, some similarities emerged between vinegar samples from mulberry and cherry barrels and between those of juniper and oak. The former group is characterized by analytes with high molecular weights, such as furfural and esters, while the latter group shows more intense peaks for ethyl benzoate. Moreover, ethyl benzoate appears to predominantly influence samples from chestnut barrels. Due to the highly complex production process of ABTM, where each battery is influenced by several factors, this study's findings are specific to the current experimental conditions.

Hierarchical hub-filament structures and gas inflows on galaxy-cloud scales

Abstract We investigated the kinematics and dynamics of gas structures on galaxy-cloud scales in two spiral galaxies NGC5236 (M83) and NGC4321 (M100) using CO (2–1) line. We utilized the FILFINDER algorithm on integrated intensity maps for the identification of filaments in two galaxies. Clear fluctuations in velocity and density were observed along these filaments, enabling the fitting of velocity gradients around intensity peaks. The variations in velocity gradient across different scales suggest a gradual and consistent increase in velocity gradient from large to small scales, indicative of gravitational collapse, something also revealed by the correlation between velocity dispersion and column density of gas structures. Gas structures at different scales in the galaxy may be organized into hierarchical systems through gravitational coupling. All the features of gas kinematics on galaxy-cloud scale are very similar to that on cloud-clump and clump-core scales studied in previous works. Thus, the interstellar medium from galaxy to dense core scales presents multi-scale/hierarchical hub-filament structures. Like dense core as the hub in clump, clump as the hub in molecular cloud, now we verify that cloud or cloud complex can be the hub in spiral galaxies. Although the scaling relations and the measured velocity gradients support the gravitational collapse of gas structures on galaxy-cloud scales, the collapse is much slower than a pure free-fall gravitational collapse.

Hydration kinetics and apparent activation energy of cement pastes containing high silica fume content at lower curing temperature

To promote the application of silica fume (SF) in civil engineering in cold regions, relative influences from SF content and low temperature environment on the early hydration kinetics of composite cement pastes were evaluated based on the isothermal calorimetric method. The effect of high SF content on the apparent activation energy (Ea) of Portland cement and the filler effect (via the index of area multiplier) of SF on the hydration parameters was also analyzed. The results showed that the intensity of the shoulder peak (Al peak) of the hydration kinetic curve (heat flow curve) gradually grew as the SF content increased, and the double-peak phenomenon was gradually clear. The heat flow peak is delayed and lowered with the decreasing curing temperature, while the final time of the induction stage and the duration of the acceleration stage are delayed. Moreover, the duration of the acceleration stage was slightly extended with the increase of SF content. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) value of the heat flow curves dropped as the SF content and curing temperature increased. The low temperature environment and the inclusion of SF inhibited the growth in early hydration degree. The higher SF content mitigated the impact of low temperature on the hydration time parameter τ. The apparent Ea results also indicated that the SF reduced the temperature sensitivity of the hydration process of the composite cement pastes, which might contribute to the development of the hydration reaction at low temperatures. The AM (Area Multiplier) factor increased approximately linearly with increasing SF replacement levels. Apparent Ea decreased linearly with increasing AM, which may be attributed to a further reduction in the diffusion-controlled hydration rate of composite cement pastes with larger AM.

Aloe-inspired eco-friendly synthesis of Ag/ZnO heterostructures: boosting photocatalytic potential

The current research focuses on the development of Ag–ZnO heterostructures through a “bottom-up” approach involving the assembly and extraction of Aloe barbadensis Miller gel. These heterostructures composed of metals/semiconductor oxide display distinct and notable optical, electrical, magnetic, and chemical properties that are not found in single constituents and also exhibit photocatalytic applications. These synthesized heterostructures were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and UV–visible spectroscopy. The high peak intensity of the Ag/ZnO composite shows the high crystallinity. The presence of Ag–O, Zn–O, and O–H bonding is verified using FTIR analysis. SEM analysis indicated the formation of spherical shapes of Ag/ZnO heterostructures. The Zn, O, and Ag elements are further confirmed by EDX analysis. Ag–ZnO heterostructures exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and stability against the degradation of tubantin red 8BL dye under visible light irradiation.

Preliminary Studies of Radiofrequency Radiation Emitted from Mobile Phone and its Health Implications

The research work aimed to study the Radiofrequency radiation emitted from mobile phone and its health implications. The experiment was carried out in the dark room (research room) of Physics Department Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola where the light meter sensor was used to obtain the intensities of the radiation coming from the surface of the mobile phone at normal and while ringing, at morning, afternoon and at night. The results obtained shows that 2G SIM card of MTN gave the highest intensity for both normal condition and while ringing at 0 cm, 0.7031 Wm-2 and for 3G is 0.6715 Wm-2 at 0 cm and 4G is 0.6004 Wm-2 at 0 cm, when mobile phone was ringing, the intensities for 2G, 3G and 4G at 0 cm are 0.81765 Wm-2, 0.7505 Wm-2 and 0.7268 Wm-2 respectively, for morning reading. The highest value for the half distance is 79.67 cm and the lowest value obtained showed 0.0168 cm. The lowest absorption coefficient is 0.0163 Wm-2 cm-1 and the highest value is 0.0283 Wm-2 cm-1. The highest value of peak intensity is 0.5469 Wm-2 and the lowest is 0.5180 Wm-2. Whereas the results of afternoon and night followed the same pattern. The result obtained in this work is higher than the result obtained in Ojuh and Isobana (2015). The result is also higher than that of the recommended value by the International Commission on Non-ionizing radiation protection (ICNIRP). The effects that this may cause includes blood brain barrier, eye pain and weakness, and brain tumor

Conversion of Waste Agricultural Biomass from Straw into Useful Bioproducts—Wheat Fibers and Biofuels

Straw, the primary agricultural waste, constitutes approximately 20% of the total biomass in the EU. Only a small fraction of the material is applied in various products, e.g., animal bedding, mulch, building, and composite materials, while a significantly larger portion is often burned in the field. This practice, while prohibited for several reasons, including the increased risk of fire and the release of carbon dioxide contributing to global warming, is still prevalent. Given the increasingly evident effects of climate change, EU legislation aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. One of the strategies includes applying the cascade principle in the circular economy. This principle aims to use the entire raw material, in this case, cereal crops, such that the products with the highest added value, like cellulose fibers from cereal straw, are extracted first. The vast potential for utilizing lignocellulosic agro-waste sustainably arises from its status as the most abundant organic compound on Earth. Its significant presence, renewability, and biodegradability make it a desirable source for producing materials in numerous industries. This study examines the potential of wheat fibers, isolated from the straw of two distinct cultivars (Srpanjka represents an old variety, and Kraljica represents the new variety) primarily for application in technical textiles. The following testing methods were applied: determination of wheat fibers and residues yield, fibers tensile properties, length, moisture content/regain, density, morphology, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The yield of isolated fibers relies on the wheat variety and the climatic conditions affecting plant growth, resulting in fiber yields from 10.91% to 15.34%. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis indicates reduced peak intensity, which is related to hemicellulose and lignin content, suggesting their improved deposition following the process of chemical maceration. Wheat fiber quality was found to be comparable to cotton fibers regarding its density. However, they showed a significant difference in higher moisture regain (9.72–11.40%). The vast majority of the scientific papers related to wheat fibers did not indicate the length of the individual fibers obtained by chemical maceration nor their strength. Therefore, this paper indicated that both varieties demonstrated sufficient fiber tenacity (greater than 10 cN/tex) and fiber length (2–3 cm), stressing the spinning potential of these fibers into yarns and extending their use to the apparel industry. Moreover, our research underscores the feasibility of adhering to the zero-waste principle. A high percentage of solid waste remaining after fiber extraction (25.3–39.5%) was successfully used for biofuel production, thus closing the loop in the circular economy.

Structural characteristics of wheat bran insoluble dietary fiber with various particle size distributions and their influences on the kinetics of gastrointestinal emptying in mice

Wheat bran is an abundant yet underutilized agricultural byproduct. Herein, the insoluble dietary fiber from wheat bran (WBIDF) was ultra-milled to investigate its impact on physicochemical properties and gastrointestinal emptying. SEM and CLSM showed that the laminar structure of WBIDF was disrupted as the particle size was significantly reduced. In the similar characteristic peaks appearing at 3410, 2925, 1635, 1041, and 895 cm−1 in the FT-IR spectra and at 2940, 1593, 1080, and 526 cm−1 in the Raman spectra, the peak intensity was increased as the particle size decreased. It may be that the hydrogen bonding between cellulose, hemicellulose, or other macromolecules was enhanced. X-ray diffraction showed cellulose type I results for all five samples. Correspondingly, the water-holding, swelling, and oil-holding capacities increased by 75.33 %, 52.62 %, and 75.00 %, respectively, in WBIDF-CW1.8 compared with WBIDF-CWy. Additionally, smaller particle sizes had lower viscosity, thereby enhancing intestinal propulsion and gastric emptying rates. Enhanced contact of the cecal tissue growth factor with the intestinal mucosa delayed ghrelin secretion and stimulated the secretion of motilin, gastrin, and cholecystokinin. In conclusion, the particle sizes of WBIDF were reduced through ultramicro-grinding, leading to altered structure, enhanced hydration and oil-holding capacities, decreased viscosity, and improved gastrointestinal emptying capacity.

Режимы синхронизации мод в лампе бегущей волны с цепью обратной связи

The generation of sequences of short correlated pulses in a traveling wave tube (TWT) with a feedback circuit in mode locking regime are considered. It is shown that in a system with parameters corresponding to an experimentally implemented W-band TWT with a linear feedback circuit, it is possible to generate pulses whose peak intensity is several times the average power level. In turn, a significant increase in the peak pulse intensity can be achieved by adding a saturable absorber to the feedback circuit.

The combined use of serum Raman spectroscopy and D dimer testing for the early diagnosis of acute aortic dissection

ObjectivesAcute aortic dissection (AAD) is an extremely life-threatening medical emergency, often misdiagnosed in its early stages, resulting in prolonged wait times for rescue. This study aims to identify potential serum biomarkers that can assist in the accurate diagnosis of AAD and effectively differentiate it from other conditions causing severe chest pain. MethodsA total of 122 patients with AAD and 129 patients with other severe chest pain disorders were included in the study. Serum samples were analyzed by measuring the peak intensities of Raman spectra. For each measurement, the Raman spectrum was accumulated by two accumulations (3 s per acquisition). Logistic regression and nomogram models were developed using these peak intensities as well as D-dimer levels to predict the occurrence of AAD. The clinical utilities of these models were assessed through receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis, net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and decision curve analysis (DCA) in both training and internal test cohorts. ResultsThe D-dimer levels of AAD patients were significantly increased, as well as higher intensities at specific Raman peaks, including 505 cm−1, 842 cm−1, 947 cm−1, 1254 cm−1, 1448 cm−1, and 1655 cm−1 when compared to non-AAD patients. Conversely, decreased intensities were observed at Raman peaks such as 750 cm−1, 1004 cm−1, 1153 cm−1, 1208 cm−1, and 1514 cm−1 in AAD patients. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis on the training cohort identified eight potential predictors: D-dimer along with intensity measurements at peaks such as 505 cm−1, 750 cm−1, 1153 cm−1, 1208 cm−1, 1254 cm−1, 1448 cm−1, and 1655 cm−1. The combination of these eight potential predictors demonstrated a good discriminatory performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.928 in the training cohort and an AUC of 0.936 in the internal test cohort, outperforming the use of D-dimer alone. Furthermore, DCA curve analysis revealed that leveraging this combination of eight potential predictors would provide substantial net benefits for clinical application. Moreover, this combination significantly augmented discrimination power, as evidenced by a continuous NRI of 39.8 % and IDI of 9.95 % in the training cohort, as well as a continuous NRI of 27.1 % and IDI of 9.95 % in the internal test cohort. ConclusionsThe employment of this combination of eight potential predictors effectively rules out AAD to a greater extent. This study presents a promising diagnostic strategy for early detection using optical diagnostic techniques such as Raman spectroscopy.

A Statistical Analysis of the Morphology of Storm‐Enhanced Density Plumes Over the North American Sector

AbstractThe storm‐enhanced density (SED) is a large‐scale midlatitude ionospheric electron density enhancement in the local afternoon sector, which exhibits substantial spatial gradients and thus can impose detrimental effects on modern navigation and communication systems, causing potential space weather hazards. This study has identified a comprehensive list of 49 SED events over the continental US and adjacent regions, by examining strong geomagnetic storms occurring between 2000 and 2023. The ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) total electron content and data from a new TEC‐based ionospheric data assimilation system were used to analyze the characteristics of SED. For each derived SED events, we have quantified its morphology by employing a Gaussian function to parameterize key characteristics of the SED, such as the plume intensity, central longitude, and half‐width. A statistical analysis of SEDs was conducted for the first time to characterize their climatological features. We found that the SED distribution exhibits a higher peak intensity and a narrower width as geomagnetic activity strengthens. The peak intensity of SED has maximum values around the equinoxes in their seasonal distribution. Additionally, we observed a solar cycle dependence in the SED distribution, with more events occurring during the solar maximum and declining phases compared to the solar minimum. SED plumes exhibit a sub‐corotation feature with respect to the Earth, characterized by a westward drift speed between 50 and 400 m/s and a duration of 3–10 hr. These information advanced the current understanding of the spatial‐temporal variation of SED characteristics.