Longer Exposure Periods Research Articles

Evaluation of the balance system in amateur kickboxers

Abstract Background Kickboxing is defined as an eclectic combat sport created by combining close combat practices. While the effect of kickboxing on balance function may seem evident, controlled studies that investigate the impact of kickboxing on static and dynamic balance using objective tests are limited. Objective The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of kickboxing on the development of static and dynamic balance in amateur kickboxers using objective tests. Specifically, we sought to assess how kickboxing training influences postural abilities and balance systems. Methods A total of 20 amateur kickboxers between ages 18 and 26 years (mean age, 21.6 ± 5.65 years) and 20 healthy subjects between ages 19 and 25 years (mean age, 21.3 ± 1.41 years) who had no previous experience with kickbox sports training were recruited. The sensory organization test (SOT), adaptation test (ADT), limit of stability (LOS), rhythmic weight shift (RWS) test, weight bearing/squat (WBS) test, and unilateral stance (US) test of the computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) were used to evaluate both groups. All these subtest results were compared between amateur kickboxers and the control group. All subtest results were compared between amateur kickboxers and the control group using independent sample t-tests. An alpha level of 0.05 was set for statistical significance. Results A statistically significant difference was found in the weight bearing/squat (WBS) and limit of stability (LOS) subtest results of the CDP between amateur kickboxers and the control group compared to the control group in amateur kickboxers (p < 0.05). Conclusions An increase in LOS and WBS skills was observed in the amateur kickboxers who participated in this study when compared to similar-aged individuals who did not participate in kickboxing. These balance differences may be greater in more elite-level kickboxers who have trained for longer. In addition, other balance parameters may also improve with longer periods of exposure and increasing skill complexity performed at more elite levels.

Innovative surface acoustic wave devices: A solution for real time monitoring and self-cleaning cascade impactor

This paper presents a comparative study of three types of surface acoustic waves sensors used for particulate matter detection along with a theoretical study tackling the possibility to switch to innovative materials called Piezoelectric-on-Insulator. These sensors are placed in a cascade impactor as impaction plates. Monitoring their phase variation allows us to measure the quantity of fine particles present in the air with high accuracy. Until now, the sensors used in our prototype are built on quartz substrate and present a sufficient sensitivity to fine particles. One major concern in our application is the fouling of the sensor’s surface with particles upon long periods of exposure. This shaped our drive to develop a self-cleaning sensor relying on other substrates with stronger electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2) [1]. Hence, the aim of this study is to demonstrate the possibility of using strongly coupled modes on different piezoelectric substrates for an accurate PM detection. Among these, different POI substrates are considered to assess their physical and acoustic properties, especially in terms of k2 and thermal stability, for further optimization enabling their exploitation in the self-cleaning system that is being developed.

Evaluating the suitability of nitrate-nitrogen levels for post-smolt Atlantic salmon Salmo salar production in RAS with assistance from heart rate bio-loggers

Previous onsite research determined that post-smolt Atlantic salmon Salmo salar growth, health, and welfare were unaffected by exposure to 99 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) in freshwater recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). A subsequent study was conducted to determine if higher concentrations negatively impact Atlantic salmon within a similar size range. Salmon production metrics were compared in triplicate RAS with NO3-N levels increasing from 100 to 250 mg/L (“high”) vs. 50–100 mg/L NO3-N (“low”). An average feed loading rate of 2.53 kg feed/m3 makeup water/day was maintained to facilitate natural NO3-N accumulation up to 75–100 mg/L, and sodium nitrate was continuously dosed to achieve higher concentrations. All-female diploid and all-female triploid Atlantic salmon were comingled in six replicated RAS, resulting in 227 fish/tank with an initial mean weight of 0.35 kg. Six diploid salmon with surgically implanted heart rate bio-loggers were included in each RAS. Continuously logged heart rates were matched with frequently measured NO3-N levels to determine the onset of a physiological response. At the end of the 6-month study, salmon exposed to the high and low NO3-N conditions weighed 1.84 ± 0.05 and 1.91 ± 0.02 kg, respectively (p > 0.05). Diploid and triploid salmon growth rates, feed conversion ratios, maturation prevalence, survival, fin condition, and cataract scores were unaffected (p > 0.05). However, salmon heart rates were generally higher in the high NO3-N treatment after concentrations exceeded 150 mg/L NO3-N. Higher plasma chloride, hematocrit, and hemoglobin levels (p < 0.05) consistent with an adaptive response to a stressor were also measured in salmon from the high NO3-N RAS during this period. These findings suggest that NO3-N concentrations < 150 mg/L do not affect post-smolt Atlantic salmon under similar operating conditions, including freshwater RAS without denitrification technologies and water hardness >300 mg/L as CaCO3. Additional research is required to determine if higher NO3-N concentrations are suitable for Atlantic salmon production over longer exposure periods and with naturally produced NO3-N levels imparted by reduced water exchange. Feed- and nitrogen-loading rates conducive to maintaining the tested NO3-N levels are reported.

Stability of immunohaematological reagents used for blood typing of recipients in the tube technique.

The storage temperature of immunohaematological reagents generally ranges from 2 to 8°C, and they should be utilised at room temperature. This study aimed to analyse the stability of immunohaematological reagents used in ABO and RhD typing. The evaluation encompassed the potency, specificity, and integrity of anti-A, anti-B, anti-D, RhD control sera, and A1 and B red blood cells (RBC) reagents after long (8 h) and short (4 h) daily periods of exposure to room temperature (20-24°C), 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Additionally, the A1 and B RBC reagents were exposed daily for 11 h and 30 min at room temperature, including 30 more minutes at room temperature with simultaneous homogenisation through equipment. For the control, an aliquot of each reagent was constantly stored at refrigeration temperature, while another was exposed to room temperature for 12 h daily. Tests conducted included reaction intensity, titration, and avidity for antisera, reaction intensity, free haemoglobin determination, and electrical conductivity for the RBC reagents. The antisera maintained the reaction intensity. The titre and avidity of the antisera satisfied the minimum Brazilian requirements after different exposure periods. A higher free haemoglobin concentration was noted in the RBC reagents subjected to room temperature and simultaneous homogenisation, although this did not affect the potency and specificity. The electrical conductivity average of the RBC reagent remained consistent. The findings indicate that the immunohaematological reagents from a specific manufacturer are stable under the tested temperature, ensuring the quality of the results under these conditions.

Predicting corrosion of recycled aggregate concrete under sulfuric acid rain using machine learning and uncertainty analysis

The growing use of recycled concrete aggregate (RA) in concrete has raised concerns about their corrosion, which affect their properties, particularly in harsh environments. This research utilizes a set of experiments to evaluate the properties of recycled aggregate concretes (RACs) subjected to acid rain using magnetic water (MW) and nano silica (NS). Furthermore, deep learning (DL) and support vector machines (SVM) are integrated with the experiments to predict the response of RACs. The results confirm that MW enhances the properties, particularly compressive strength (CS) and sorptivity coefficient (SC). However, the MW is less effective than NS. In contrast, RA replacement decreases the resistance to acid rain, as evidenced by reduction in CS. NS replacement also leads to the enhanced electrical resistivity higher than MW. The prediction results using DL and SVM further facilitate quantifying the level of importance of treatment measures, particularly over longer exposure periods, where DL markedly outperforms SVM. Noticeably, RA is the second major property after pH, controlling the response of RACs. Despite the positive effects of MW, its utilization under acid rain can only surpass NS replacement mostly enhancing SC. Nevertheless, pH, RA, and NS affect the acid rain resistance of RACs significantly more than MW.

Recent Advances in Magnesium-Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticle Composites for Biomedical Applications.

Magnesium (Mg) is considered an attractive option for orthopedic applications due to its density and elastic modulus close to the natural bone of the body, as well as biodegradability and good tensile strength. However, it faces serious challenges, including a high degradation rate and, as a result, a loss of mechanical properties during long periods of exposure to the biological environment. Also, among its other weaknesses, it can be mentioned that it does not deal with bacterial biofilms. It has been found that making composites by synergizing its various components can be an efficient way to improve its properties. Among metal oxide nanoparticles, magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) have distinct physicochemical and biological properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, high bioactivity, significant antibacterial properties, and good mechanical properties, which make it a good choice as a reinforcement in composites. However, the lack of comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of Mg NPs as Mg matrix reinforcements in mechanical, corrosion, and biological fields is considered a challenge in their application. While introducing the role of MgO NPs in medical fields, this article summarizes the most important results of recent research on the mechanical, corrosion, and biological performance of Mg/MgO composites.

How safe are 3D-printed skull models for neurosurgical simulation? Measurement of airborne particles and VOCs while burr hole drilling

PurposeThree-dimensional (3D)printed skulls for neurosurgical training are increasingly being used due to the widespread access to 3D printing technology, their low cost and accuracy, as well as limitations and ethical concerns associated with using human cadavers. However, little is known about the risks of airborne particles or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released while drilling into 3D-printed plastic models. The aim of this study is to assess the level of exposure to airborne contaminants while burr hole drilling.Design/methodology/approach3D-printed skull samples were produced using three different materials (polyethylene terephthalate glycol [PETG], white resin and BoneSTN) across three different 3D print processes (fused filament fabrication, stereolithography [SLA] and material jetting). A neurosurgeon performed extended burr hole drilling for 10 min on each sample. Spot measurements of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) were recorded, and air samples were analysed for approximately 90 VOCs.FindingsThe particulate matter for PETG was found to be below the threshold value for respirable particles. However, the particulate matter for white resin and BoneSTN was found to be above the threshold value at PM10, which could be harmful for long periods of exposure without personal protective equipment (PPE). The VOC measurements for all materials were found to be below safety thresholds, and therefore not harmful.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the safety of 3D-printed materials for burr hole surgical drilling. It recommends PETG as a safe material requiring minimal respiratory control measures, whereas resin-based materials will require safety controls to deal with airborne particles.

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 100 Cited Articles in Regenerative Periodontics Surgery: Insights and Trends.

The aim of this study was to identify and appraise the bibliometric properties of top 100 most-cited articles on regenerative periodontics surgery (RPS). The bibliometric research technique was conducted using a dataset comprising the 100 highly cited articles obtained from Elsevier's Scopus database on RPS. Information regarding the growth of articles by year, number of citations, citations per year, study design, study field, modalities, journals, authors, and countries were extracted for each article. Microsoft Excel (v.16) was utilized for data evaluation and tabulation. These articles on RPS were published over a span of 45 years, from 1975 to 2019, with citation metrics ranging from 144 to 820. Out of the 422 participating authors, 82% contributed to a single article. The 100 most cited articles on RPS were published in 45 years from 1975 to 2019 and number of citations ranged from 144 to 820. Out of the 422 participating authors, 82% contributed in a single article.. The study design with the highest number of cited articles was laboratory/animal studies. Others/not specified was the preferred modality, followed by infrabony modality. The Journal of Periodontology published about one-fourth of the articles, with W. V. Giannobile emerging as the most productive author. Among the 100 most-cited articles on RPS, authors from 25 different countries contributed, with the United States producing half of the articles (n = 51). Bibliometric investigation revealed that the most cited papers published before 2000 had higher citation counts due to their longer period of exposure. The ratio of authors per article increased after the year 2000. Infrabony emerges as a trending topic in RPS, with laboratory/animal studies, clinical trials, and literature reviews being the most frequently employed study designs.

Assessment of reproductive hormones in prepubertal and postpubertal rats (&lt;i&gt;Rattus norvegicus&lt;/i&gt;) on chronic exposure to various spectra of artificial light at night

Exposures to Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) is on the increase with resultant varied physiological impact related to the light spectrum via the non-visual pathway. This study examined the effects of various spectra of ALAN on Testosterone (Te), Progesterone (Pr) and Estradiol (Es) in rats exposed to Blue (BL), Green (GL), Yellow (YL), Red (RL), White (WL) and Darkness (DD) light wave-lengths while Ambient light (CL) served as the control. Dams with their post-natal day 1 pups were housed in cages exposed to various light wavelengths for 12 hours: (6:00pm–6:00am) daily for 126 days. At d63 and d126, five rats per treatments were euthanized; blood serum was collected and the serum hormones: Te, Es and Pr were analysed using ELISA. The results showed that light treatments had significant effect on the level of Te at d63 but not at d126 in male rats. At d63, onset of puberty, Te was significantly highest (p &lt; 0.05) under BL. In females exposed to YL and WL at d126, Te was significant high and Es was significantly low. Estradiol was heightened significantly (p &lt; 0.05) in both sexes exposed to RL. In conclusion, BL seemed to stimulate early sexual development in males, WL and GL enhanced post-pubertal male albino rat reproductive system while RL provided the best reproductive environment for females in the long term. Long periods of exposure to YL seemed to pose risks for male and female reproductive function.

Shipping live sea urchins: Effects of temperature and exposure time on survival

Sea urchin aquaculture could offset declines in wild fisheries. The economic feasibility of sea urchin aquaculture may depend on farmers receiving premium prices for product transported live internationally to markets or processing facilities. Research into cost-effective methods of transporting live sea urchins out of water is scarce. In this study, to get a baseline of the temperatures experienced by sea urchins transported by air in the Indo-Pacific region, temperature loggers recorded temperatures in ‘cooler boxes’ containing the sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla, packed and shipped in seawater or dry. We then examined the effect of time kept out of water (6, 12, 24, 48 h) and air temperature (chilled ∼4 °C, cooled ∼12 °C, or ambient ∼27 °C) on mortality, change in wet weight, and fitness (as measured using righting behaviour) of two sea urchins, T. gratilla and Heliocidaris erythrogramma. For both species mortality (15 days after the treatment) was low (0–20%) when held out of water for up to 24 h at 12 °C, but 100% died within 15 days when held out of water at 4 °C and 27 °C. Mortality increased (∼60%) for T. gratilla held out of water for 48 h at 12 °C, but remained at ∼20% for H. erythrogramma in the same treatment. Righting times were faster for urchins exposed to air at 12 °C than at 4 or 27 °C. The mass (fluid) lost by urchins was a key predictor of mortality with urchins losing a higher percentage of their mass during longer exposure periods at higher temperatures. T. gratilla frequently spawned after being out of water. To test packing strategies that could influence sea urchin health, T. gratilla were packed out of water at 28.6 °C for 12 h in sealed or open containers and in containers that drained off excreted fluid or retained fluid around the urchins. None of these treatments had an impact on mortality to 15 days, the amount of fluid lost, or righting activity. Our results indicate producers may be able to transport T. gratilla and H. erythrogramma dry for up to 24 h with little mortality as long as temperatures are maintained at ∼12 °C. Additional research into limiting the fluid loss of sea urchins while being shipped dry may improve survival during longer shipping periods.

Oral subacute polypropylene microplastics administration effect on potential immunotoxicity in ICR mice

ABSTRACT Exposure to microplastics may be associated with damage of immune system. Polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs) with a wide range of beneficial applications have not been extensively studied with respect to the immune system. The aim of this investigation is to examine the influence of two different sizes of PP-MPs (5.2 and 23.9 μm diameter) on immune system components in ICR mice. PP-MPs were administered orally to female and male mice at 0 (corn oil vehicle), 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg/d for single and daily for 4-week repeated toxicity test, respectively. No significant differences were observed in number of thymic CD4+, CD8+, CD4+CD8+ T lymphocytes, splenic helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, and B cells. The ratio of interferon-γ to interleukin-4 in culture supernatants from activated splenocytes ex vivo (48 hr) was lower in females which were repeatedly administered with PP-MPs compared to vehicle irrespective of PP-MPs size and dose. In contrast, the opposite trend was observed in males. Production of tumor necrosis factor-α was upregulated in females that were repeatedly exposed to PP-MPs. The serum IgG2a/IgG1 ratio was lowered in female receiving large-size PP-MPs. Data suggest that immune disturbances resulting in predominant type-2 helper T cell reactivity may occur in mice, especially in females, when repeatedly exposed to PP-MPs. Further investigations with longer exposure periods are necessary to determine the immunotoxicities attributed to PP-MPs.

Differences in mineral and osmotic balances enhance zinc translocation in an aquaporin overexpressing poplar

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plants, but it is toxic beyond a certain threshold. Populus alba (L.) ‘Villafranca’ clone is known for its good tolerance to high Zn concentration compared to other poplar species. A line of this species overexpressing the tonoplast intrinsic aquaporin AQUA1 gene has showed an improved tolerance to Zn excess in comparison to the wild-type (wt) line. The aims of this work were to: 1) verify if AQUA1 plants can uptake Zn more efficiently after a longer period of exposure; 2) evaluate if a higher Zn uptake in transgenic lines can have negative effects; 3) assess Zn competing elements (iron and manganese), soluble sugars, osmolytes, and potassium to investigate differences in water and osmotic homeostasis between lines. Under Zn excess, AQUA1 plants showed a twofold Zn translocation factor and a higher xylem sap Zn concentration than the wt plants. Transgenic plants preferentially allocated Zn in aerial biomass and this different behaviour matched with modified manganese and iron balances suggesting that the increased Zn uptake might be related to a decrease in iron transport in the transgenic line. Moreover, a higher instantaneous water use efficiency in control conditions and an increase in bark soluble sugars under Zn excess could allow a higher resistance of AQUA1 plants to the water and osmotic perturbations caused by Zn. Indeed, the Zn excess increased the xylem osmolyte content only in wt plants. Further investigations are required to understand the role of AQUA1 in osmotic regulation.

Mixed food waste valorization using a thermostable glucoamylase enzyme produced by a newly isolated filamentous fungus: A sustainable biorefinery approach

Food waste is a lucrative source of complex nutrients, which can be transformed into a multitude of bioproducts by the aid of microbial cell factories. The current study emphasizes isolating Glucoamylase enzyme (GA) producing strains that can effectively break down mixed food waste (MW), which serves as a substrate for biomanufacturing. The screening procedure relied heavily on the growth of isolated fungi on starch agar media, to specifically identify the microbes with the highest starch hydrolysis potential. A strain displayed the highest GA activity of 2.9 ± 0.14 U/ml which was selected and identified as Aspergillus fumigatus via molecular methods of identification. Exposure of the A. fumigatus with 200 mM Ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) led to a 23.79% increase compared to the wild-type GA. The growth conditions like cultivation temperature or the number of spores in the inoculum were investigated. Further, maximum GA activity was exhibited at pH 5, 55 °C, and at 5 mM Ca2+ concentration. The GA showed thermostability, retaining activity even after long periods of exposure to temperatures as high as 95 °C. The improvement of hydrolysis of MW was achieved by Taguchi design where a maximum yield of 0.57 g g−1 glucose was obtained in the hydrolysate. This study puts forth the possibility that mixed food waste, despite containing spices and other microbial growth-inhibitory substances, can be efficiently hydrolyzed to release glucose units, by robust fungal cell factories. The glucose released can then be utilized as a carbon source for the production of value-added products.

Passive exposure to task-relevant stimuli enhances categorization learning.

Learning to perform a perceptual decision task is generally achieved through sessions of effortful practice with feedback. Here, we investigated how passive exposure to task-relevant stimuli, which is relatively effortless and does not require feedback, influences active learning. First, we trained mice in a sound-categorization task with various schedules combining passive exposure and active training. Mice that received passive exposure exhibited faster learning, regardless of whether this exposure occurred entirely before active training or was interleaved between active sessions. We next trained neural-network models with different architectures and learning rules to perform the task. Networks that use the statistical properties of stimuli to enhance separability of the data via unsupervised learning during passive exposure provided the best account of the behavioral observations. We further found that, during interleaved schedules, there is an increased alignment between weight updates from passive exposure and active training, such that a few interleaved sessions can be as effective as schedules with long periods of passive exposure before active training, consistent with our behavioral observations. These results provide key insights for the design of efficient training schedules that combine active learning and passive exposure in both natural and artificial systems.

Passive exposure to task-relevant stimuli enhances categorization learning

Learning to perform a perceptual decision task is generally achieved through sessions of effortful practice with feedback. Here, we investigated how passive exposure to task-relevant stimuli, which is relatively effortless and does not require feedback, influences active learning. First, we trained mice in a sound-categorization task with various schedules combining passive exposure and active training. Mice that received passive exposure exhibited faster learning, regardless of whether this exposure occurred entirely before active training or was interleaved between active sessions. We next trained neural-network models with different architectures and learning rules to perform the task. Networks that use the statistical properties of stimuli to enhance separability of the data via unsupervised learning during passive exposure provided the best account of the behavioral observations. We further found that, during interleaved schedules, there is an increased alignment between weight updates from passive exposure and active training, such that a few interleaved sessions can be as effective as schedules with long periods of passive exposure before active training, consistent with our behavioral observations. These results provide key insights for the design of efficient training schedules that combine active learning and passive exposure in both natural and artificial systems.

Efficiency Evaluation of Silica Nanoparticles as a Pesticide against Ctenocephalides felis

The increasing resistance of arthropods to many insecticides has encouraged researchers to search for new alternatives to combat harmful insects. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of silica nanoparticles (NPs) on Ctenocephalides felis (C. felis), a prevalent species among cats and a known vector for diseases. The killing efficacy of SiO2-NPs against C. felis was tested at three different concentrations (50, 100, and 150 mg/ml) over three different time intervals (10, 20, and 40 minutes), alongside positive and negative control groups (distilled water and cypermethrin). The results of the current study indicated that all concentrations had a fleacidal effect, with SiO2-NPs demonstrating increased efficacy with higher concentrations and longer exposure periods. The concentration of 150 mg/mL of SiO2-NPs led to the highest effect at 96% upon exposure for 40 minutes. The results of the current study revealed significant differences between the control groups and all the groups treated with Sio2-NP concentrations. It can be concluded that Sio2-NPs are a practical approach to flea control although it is necessary to search for environmentally friendly pesticides. The current results indicate that SiO2-NPs have anti-parasitic effects against C. felis.

Face Mask and Tear Film Stability: A Pilot Study of the Objective Measurement of Tear Break-Up Time.

(1) Background: Mask-associated dry eye (MADE) has been associated with increased dry eye symptoms, apparently due to reduced tear break-up time (TBUT). This study aimed to determine the short-term impact of surgical face mask (FM) on tear film stability by measuring non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT). (2) Methods: Twenty-six healthy participants had NIBUT evaluated without FM, with surgical FM and with a surgical FM secured to the skin with adhesive tape (TFM). NIBUT-first was measured with Keratograph 5M (K5M, Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany). Each participant had NIBUT measured in four sessions on four consecutive days. Session 1: without FM vs. with FM. Session 2: with FM vs. without FM. Session 3: without FM vs. with TFM. Session 4: with TFM vs. without FM (3). The time between each measured setting was 2 min. Results: The mean ± SD NIBUT without FM was 8.9 ± 3.7, with FM 10.2 ± 4.1, and with TFM 8.4 ± 3.8 s. No significant differences were observed in NIBUT in any of the evaluated settings: without FM vs. with FM (p = 0.247), without FM vs. with TFM (p = 0.915), and with FM vs. with TFM (p = 0.11). (4) Conclusions: This study did not find a significant short-term effect of FM on NIBUT. Other variables or longer periods of exposure might trigger the symptoms and ocular surface alterations in MADE.

Mechanical Deterioration by Weathering of the Adobe from the Tausa Chapel (Colombia)

There is a significant number of structures in the world built with earth materials that deteriorate over time. Typically, this deterioration is neither quantified nor used as input for safety analysis of ancient infrastructure. The aim of this work is to propose a novel way to consider the influence of the weathering on the mechanical properties of adobe units. To achieve this objective, adobe samples recovered from a deteriorated sector (old adobe) of a colonial-style chapel built in adobe (Tausa, Colombia) and similar materials from a local soil deposit as a source for restoration of the chapel (new adobe) were studied. Samples using the new adobe were prepared by compaction under controlled moisture. Half of the samples of new adobe were exposed to ambient conditions while the other half and old adobe samples were subjected to accelerated ambient conditions by using a weathering machine (controlling UV radiation, temperature, and moisture). Samples were tested at different periods by unconfined and triaxial compression tests. Results show that old adobe is not sensitive to weathering while new adobe exhibit variations in strength and stiffness. It was observed that these properties in new adobe initially increase with exposure to weathering until reaching twice than those obtained in old adobe samples but tend to reduce with longer periods of exposure. Therefore, deterioration factors of up to two are proposed for vulnerability and safety analysis of new constructions in these materials. Deterioration factors are proposed to be used as a first approximation to quantify the climatic effect over the mechanical response of the adobe.

Combined PEO and Spray Pyrolysis Coatings of Phosphate and ZnO for Enhancing Corrosion Resistance in AZ31 Mg Alloy

Oxide films produced from plasma electrolytic oxidation are porous in structure. While they have some passivating effect in Mg alloys, the pores still lead to corrosion over long periods of exposure. In this study, spray pyrolysis was used to seal the porous oxide layer developed through the plasma electrolytic oxidation method on Mg alloy AZ31. The PEO coating acted as a good base for the application of spray pyrolysis due to its morphology. Three different kinds of coatings were obtained using different precursors: zinc acetate for ZnO, phosphoric acid for phosphate (P), and a mixture of zinc acetate and sodium phosphate for ZnO+P. The corrosion performance of all three coatings was studied by performing electrochemical impedance and polarization tests on the samples. Mass loss over a duration of 1 week was measured in 3% NaCl solution using immersion gravimetry. The coating with only phosphate (P) was found to be most corrosion-resistant with 52 times lower rate of corrosion and 50 times more polarization potential. The chemical composition of the corrosion products was studied using XRD and SEM-EDS analysis. Mass loss in ZnO+P was the highest, at up to 1.4 and 5.1 times higher than ZnO and P, respectively.

Evaluation the efficacy of Ethanol Extract Derived from Wild Mint on the Life Parameters of the Aphis fabae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (Sco-poli) under laboratory conditions

The black bean aphid, Aphis fabae is a significant economic pest with a global presence, impacting a wide range of plant species. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of ethanol extract derived from wild mint (Mentha longifolia) under laboratory conditions on various life performance criteria of A. fabae. The evaluation involved measuring mortality rates of nymphs and adults, as well as adult productivity, utilizing three different extract concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3% w/v). The results revealed that the ethanol extract of plant leaves had a substantial effect on all life stages of the aphid, with a more pronounced impact observed at higher concentrations and longer exposure periods. In the first nymphal instar, the mortality rate reached 81% at a concentration of 3%, and in the second nymphal instar, it was 80% at the same concentration. For the third and fourth nymphal instars, the mortality rates were 82% and 82.5%, respectively, at a concentration of 3%. As for adult aphids, the mortality rate was 81.333% at a concentration of 3%. Moreover, the extract significantly reduced the productivity of adult aphids, with rates of 1.68%, 1.82%, and 1% at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3%, respectively.