Proper Buffer Research Articles

Buffer Zones Through the Lens of Golf: A Negligence Case Content Analysis

Buffer zones are a risk management strategy used within sport and recreation to protect participants and spectators from injury. Within the recreational golf sector, buffer zone standards do not exist. Recreational golf courses serve a wide range of customers in terms of age, skill level, and experience. A legal case content analysis of 1,561 golf negligence lawsuits answered research questions related to locations of incidents, circumstances, and injuries or damages that resulted from errant golf shots. A Westlaw search provided 133 cases within the scope of this study, 85 of which could have been possibly prevented with proper buffer zones. In lawsuits in which the golf course was sued, the course prevailed 47.5% of the time and most cases specifically alleged a failure to provide reasonably safe conditions or negligent course design. This article concludes by providing practical recommendations for practitioners to protect golf courses from litigation stemming from errant golf balls.

PH-shape: an adaptive persistent homology-based approach for building outline extraction from ALS point cloud data

ABSTRACT Building outline extraction from segmented point clouds is a critical step of building footprint generation. Existing methods for this task are often based on the convex hull and α-shape algorithm. There are also some methods using grids and Delaunay triangulation. The common challenge of these methods is the determination of proper parameters. While deep learning-based methods have shown promise in reducing the impact and dependence on parameter selection, their reliance on datasets with ground truth information limits the generalization of these methods. In this study, a novel unsupervised approach, called PH-shape, is proposed to address the aforementioned challenge. The methods of Persistence Homology (PH) and Fourier descriptor are introduced into the task of building outline extraction. The PH from the theory of topological data analysis supports the automatic and adaptive determination of proper buffer radius, thus enabling the parameter-adaptive extraction of building outlines through buffering and “inverse” buffering. The quantitative and qualitative experiment results on two datasets with different point densities demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in the face of various building types, interior boundaries, and the density variation in the point cloud data of one building. The PH-supported parameter adaptivity helps the proposed approach overcome the challenge of parameter determination and data variations and achieve reliable extraction of building outlines.

An Improved Two-Hop Rendezvous Model With Buffer-Aided Relays in Channel-Hopping Cognitive-Radio Wireless Networks for Internet of Things

In this paper, two-hop transmissions in channel-hopping (CH) cognitive-radio wireless networks (CRWNs) with buffer-aided relays are studied. The two-hop relay (rendezvous) model is improved using symmetric CH sequences, which are more suitable for practical CRWNs than the old model using asymmetric ones. A proper buffer storage size in the relays is formulated to minimize the two-hop data-transfer latency. The lower and upper bounds of the steady-state maximum-time-to-rendezvous (MTTR) and throughput with relays are derived with formal proofs. Using the proper buffer size, both metrics can be better controlled and found no worse than twice the original MTTR and throughput without relays. To explore the impacts of utilization probability of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices to their performances in a small-scale CRWN, the single-region rendezvous-success (RS) rate and throughput are formulated. For a large-scale CRWN, the model is extended to formulate the multi-region RS rate and throughput with and without relays for the first time. Numerical studies of these analytical models are performed and validated with computer simulations. In summary, the transmission range and number of rendezvousing IoT devices are improved in the large-scale CRWN with relays, and the multi-region RS rate and throughput with relays are found better than those without relays.

The effect of volume change and stack pressure on solid‐state battery cathodes

AbstractSolid‐state lithium batteries may provide increased energy density and improved safety compared with Li‐ion technology. However, in a solid‐state composite cathode, mechanical degradation due to repeated cathode volume changes during cycling may occur, which may be partially mitigated by applying a significant, but often impractical, uniaxial stack pressure. Herein, we compare the behavior of composite electrodes based on Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) (negligible volume change) and Nb2O5 (+4% expansion) cycled at different stack pressures. The initial LTO capacity and retention are not affected by pressure but for Nb2O5, they are significantly lower when a stack pressure of <2 MPa is applied, due to inter‐particle cracking and solid‐solid contact loss because of cyclic volume changes. This work confirms the importance of cathode mechanical stability and the stack pressures for long‐term cyclability for solid‐state batteries. This suggests that low volume‐change cathode materials or a proper buffer layer are required for solid‐state batteries, especially at low stack pressures.

A-305 Evaluation of the Analytical Performance of Rapid Tests to Detect Arboviruses Antibodies Intended for Point-of-Care Screening

Abstract Background Arboviruses are recognized as a group of RNA viruses that can transmit diseases by different sucking arthropods vectors, especially Aedes Aegypti, a mosquito that can transmit several viral diseases including Dengue (DENV) and Chikungunya (CHIKV). The re-emergence and spread of these diseases are considered a concern in global health and Latin American countries, such as Brazil. Therefore, it's necessary to offer efficient, simpler, and faster diagnosis tools for accurate case identification and help promote adequate treatment. Rapid tests (RTs) can be used as one of these tools for qualitative detection and it's important mainly in point-of-care (POC) testing places. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate RTs to identify antibodies (IgG and IgM) of DENV and CHIKV. Methods Serum samples were previously selected as positive, negative, or inconclusive results based on ELISA method or RTs confirmation. It was used the immunofluorescence-based ECO Diagnostica RTs kits (ECO-F Dengue IgG/IgM and ECO-F ChikV IgG/IgM). The samples were diluted in proper buffer and incubated for 15 minutes. The results were read in ECO Reader F200 equipment that uses the Cut-Off value for results. Cut-Off values >1.00 are considered positives, while Cut-off values <1.00 are considered negatives. Results The results are presented in Tabela 1. Conclusion Both RTs showed specificity that surpasses 88%. The sensibility obtained was 57,14% and 33,3% for DENV and CHIKV tests respectively. All samples that obtained inconclusive results by other methodologies showed negative results in the RTs assessed. The NPV was 64% and 86,96% for DENV and CHIKV tests respectively. Although RTs can be used to help in the initial screening of diseases caused by arboviruses, it is necessary to carry out molecular tests for confirmation, especially in negative cases.

Interactions of Common Biological Buffers with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been studied extensively for biomedical applications, which require that they be aqueous-stable at physiological pH. The structures of some of these buffers, however, may also allow for binding to surface iron, thus potentially exchanging with functionally relevant ligands, and altering the desired properties of the nanoparticles. We report here on the interactions of five common biologically relevant buffers (MES, MOPS, phosphate, HEPES, and Tris) with iron oxide nanoparticles through spectroscopic studies. The IONPs in this study are capped with 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-DHBA) to serve as models for IONP functionalized with catechol ligands. Unlike previous studies, which relied exclusively on dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential measurements to characterize buffer interactions with IONPs, we use Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectroscopic techniques to characterize the IONP surface to demonstrate binding of buffers and etching of the IONP surface. Our findings establish that phosphate and Tris bind to the IONP surface, even in the presence of strongly bound catechol ligands. We further observe significant etching of IONPs in Tris buffer, with the release of surface Fe into solution. Minor etching is noted in HEPES, and to a lesser degree, in MOPS, while no etching is observed in MES. Our findings suggest that, while morpholino buffers, such as MES and MOPS, may be more appropriate for use with IONPs, proper buffer selection should always be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Optimization of formulation and atomization of lipid nanoparticles for the inhalation of mRNA

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have demonstrated efficacy and safety for mRNA vaccine administration by intramuscular injection; however, the pulmonary delivery of mRNA encapsulated LNPs remains challenging. The atomization process of LNPs will cause shear stress due to dispersed air, air jets, ultrasonication, vibrating mesh etc., leading to the agglomeration or leakage of LNPs, which can be detrimental to transcellular transport and endosomal escape. In this study, the LNP formulation, atomization methods and buffer system were optimized to maintain the LNP stability and mRNA efficiency during the atomization process. Firstly, a suitable LNP formulation for atomization was optimized based on the in vitro results, and the optimized LNP formulation was AX4, DSPC, cholesterol and DMG-PEG2K at a 35/16/46.5/2.5 (%) molar ratio. Subsequently, different atomization methods were compared to find the most suitable method to deliver mRNA-LNP solution. Soft mist inhaler (SMI) was found to be the best for pulmonary delivery of mRNA encapsulated LNPs. The physico-chemical properties such as size and entrapment efficiency (EE) of the LNPs were further improved by adjusting the buffer system with trehalose. Lastly, the in vivo fluorescence imaging of mice demonstrated that SMI with proper LNPs design and buffer system hold promise for inhaled mRNA-LNP therapies.

PurificationDB: database of purification conditions for proteins.

The isolation of proteins of interest from cell lysates is an integral step to study protein structure and function. Liquid chromatography is a technique commonly used for protein purification, where the separation is performed by exploiting the differences in physical and chemical characteristics of proteins. The complex nature of proteins requires researchers to carefully choose buffers that maintain stability and activity of the protein while also allowing for appropriate interaction with chromatography columns. To choose the proper buffer, biochemists often search for reports of successful purification in the literature; however, they often encounter roadblocks such as lack of accessibility to journals, non-exhaustive specification of components and unfamiliar naming conventions. To overcome such issues, we present PurificationDB (https://purificationdatabase.herokuapp.com/), an open-access and user-friendly knowledge base that contains 4732 curated and standardized entries of protein purification conditions. Buffer specifications were derived from the literature using named-entity recognition techniques developed using common nomenclature provided by protein biochemists. PurificationDB also incorporates information associated with well-known protein databases: Protein Data Bank and UniProt. PurificationDB facilitates easy access to data on protein purification techniques and contributes to the growing effort of creating open resources that organize experimental conditions and data for improved access and analysis. Database URL https://purificationdatabase.herokuapp.com/.

Genome, biology and stability of the Thurquoise phage - A new virus from the Bastillevirinae subfamily.

Bacteriophages from the Bastillevirinae subfamily (Herelleviridae family) have proven to be effective against bacteria from the Bacillus genus including organisms from the B. cereus group, which cause food poisoning and persistent contamination of industrial installations. However, successful application of these phages in biocontrol depends on understanding of their biology and stability in different environments. In this study, we isolated a novel virus from garden soil in Wrocław (Poland) and named it 'Thurquoise'. The genome of that phage was sequenced and assembled into a single continuous contig with 226 predicted protein-coding genes and 18 tRNAs. The cryo-electron microscopy revealed that Thurquoise has complex virion structure typical for the Bastillevirinae family. Confirmed hosts include selected bacteria from the Bacillus cereus group-specifically B. thuringiensis (isolation host) and B. mycoides, but susceptible strains display different efficiency of plating (EOP). The eclipse and latent periods of Thurquoise in the isolation host last ~ 50 min and ~ 70 min, respectively. The phage remains viable for more than 8 weeks in variants of the SM buffer with magnesium, calcium, caesium, manganese or potassium and can withstand numerous freeze-thaw cycles if protected by the addition of 15% glycerol or, to a lesser extent, 2% gelatine. Thus, with proper buffer formulation, this virus can be safely stored in common freezers and refrigerators for a considerable time. The Thurquoise phage is the exemplar of a new candidate species within the Caeruleovirus genus in the Bastillevirinae subfamily of the Herelleviridae family with a genome, morphology and biology typical for these taxa.

Optimized Tunability of Barium Strontium Titanate Thin Films onto Different Plates with Proper Buffer Layers

Misfit strain, polarization, permittivity, and tunability of Ba x Sr1−x TiO3 (BST) thin films on various substrates with varied buffer layers are calculated by a modified thermodynamic model. The lattice parameters of the LaAlO3 (LAO), CaTiO3 (CT), BaZr0.25Ti0.75O3 (BZT), and MgO buffer layers grow consecutively as does the thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of the Si, Ti, Ni, and stainless steel (SS) substrates. When the TEC of substrates is bigger (such as Ni, SS) than that of the films, introducing buffer layers with larger lattice parameters (such as BZT, MgO) can improve the permittivity and tunability. Conversely, inserting buffer layers with smaller lattice parameters (such as LAO, CT) can enhance the dielectric response when the TEC of substrates is smaller (such as Si, Ti) than that of the films. The relationship between the TEC of substrate and the lattice parameter of buffer layer is primarily linear for achieving high tunability. According to several references, introducing LaNiO3 buffer layers can significantly increase the tunability of BST solid solutions prepared on Si‐based substrates, which is in line with the estimated rule. This law offers a guide for choosing the best substrate and buffer layer when producing BST films with strong dielectric response.

Plasma Deposition to Improve Barrier Performance of Biodegradable and Recyclable Substrates Intended for Food Packaging

The extensive application of biodegradable polymers in the food packaging industries was partially limited due to poor barrier performances. In the present work, we investigated the improvement of oxygen barrier performances by means of the deposition of a few nanometres of SiOx coatings on Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) films. The coated samples produced by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique were tested in terms of morphology and composition of the surface and barrier properties. Barrier performances studied as a function of SiOx thickness were greatly improved and a reduction of at least 99% was achieved for oxygen transmission rate. In order to reduce the formation of residual stress between PBS substrate and SiOx coatings, a proper buffer layer (silicon organic SiOxCyHz) was used.

Sensing Sub‐Surface Strain in GaAsBi(001) Surfaces by Reflectance Anisotropy Spectroscopy

Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) is applied to study the reconstructed GaAsBi(001) surfaces at room temperature. Arsenic‐capped GaAsBi samples with 7% Bi concentration are grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) in nearly matched conditions on a proper buffer layer and annealed in ultra‐high vacuum (UHV). Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) shows that, following the As decapping, a 2 × 3/1 × 3 phase (Bi‐rich) is obtained after annealing the sample at 400 °C, while subsequent annealing at 450 °C yields a deterioration of the surface order. RAS spectra measured in situ allow to definitely confirm that the characteristic Bi‐dependent anisotropy measured below 2.5 eV has not a true surface origin, although being connected to the surface: it is related to the strain of the directional bonds between Bi atoms existing at the surface and below the surface. This result has a twofold significance: it recommends that previous attributions to the surface of RAS anisotropy features in III–V semiconductors should be in some cases revisited; for the future, it shows that RAS is suitable to characterize 2D‐layered materials, and to investigate the consequences of strain in the electronic properties of low‐dimensional systems.

High-throughput proteomic sample preparation using pressure cycling technology.

High-throughput lysis and proteolytic digestion of biopsy-level tissue specimens is a major bottleneck for clinical proteomics. Here we describe a detailed protocol of pressure cycling technology (PCT)-assisted sample preparation for proteomic analysis of biopsy tissues. A piece of fresh frozen or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue weighing ~0.1–2 mg is placed in a 150 μL pressure-resistant tube called a PCT-MicroTube with proper lysis buffer. After closing with a PCT-MicroPestle, a batch of 16 PCT-MicroTubes are placed in a Barocycler, which imposes oscillating pressure to the samples from one atmosphere to up to ~3,000 times atmospheric pressure. The pressure cycling schemes are optimized for tissue lysis and protein digestion, and can be programmed in the Barocycler to allow reproducible, robust and efficient protein extraction and proteolysis digestion for mass spectrometry-based proteomics. This method allows effective preparation of not only fresh frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, but also cells, feces and tear strips. It takes ~3 h to process 16 samples in one batch. The resulting peptides can be analyzed by various mass spectrometry-based proteomics methods. We demonstrate the applications of this protocol with mouse kidney tissue and eight types of human tumors.

Engineering of metal-MoS2 contacts to overcome Fermi level pinning

Fermi level pinning (FLP) in metal-MoS2 contacts induces large Schottky barrier heights which in turn results in large contact resistances. In this work, we made use of Density Functional Theory (DFT) to study the origin of FLP in MoS2 contacts with a variety of metals. We also reported how the Fermi level de-pinning could be attained by controlling the distance between the metal and MoS2. In this respect, the metal-MoS2 contacts can be engineered by means of the insertion of proper buffer layers and the use of back-gated structures. This results in a practically zeroed Schottky barrier heights for some specific metal-MoS2 stacks, which it is crucial to attain Ohmic contacts with low series resistances.

Effect of TiAlCrNb buffer layer on thermal cycling behavior of YSZ/TiAlCrY coatings on γ-TiAl alloys

TiAlCrY has been used as a bonding layer for the thermal barrier coating (TBC) system on TiAl alloys, due to its excellent high temperature oxidation resistance . However, it was found that vertical cracks formed in the TiAlCrY layer during the thermal cycling tests , which would fasten the failure of TBC system. In this work, a TiAlCrNb buffer layer was introduced between TiAlCrY layer and the substrate to alleviate the nucleation and propagation of cracks in the TiAlCrY layer from the perspective of alleviating the stress concentration, aiming to improve the thermal cycling lifetime of the YSZ/TiAlCrY system. The results show that the thermal cycling lifetime of the newly designed YSZ/TiAlCrY/TiAlCrNb system was over 245 cycles by means of water-quenching, which was almost twice of the system without the buffer layer and 3–4 times of the traditional YSZ/MCrAlY system on superalloys . The influence of the TiAlCrNb buffer layer was analyzed based on the combined analysis of microstructure, residual stresses and mechanical properties . This work implies that a proper buffer layer could effectively improve the thermal cycling lifetime of TBCs on TiAl alloys. • A TiAlCrNb buffer layer was firstly introduced to improve the thermal cycling lifetime of the YSZ/TiAlCrY system. • The thermal cycling lifetime of the newly designed YSZ/TiAlCrY/TiAlCrNb system was over 245 cycles by means of water-quenching at 1100 °C, which was almost 3-4 times of the traditional YSZ/MCrAlY system on superalloys. • This work indicates that a suitable buffer layer with excellent mechanical properties can effectively improve the thermal cycle lifetime of the TBCs.

Forecasting the Trend of COVID-19 Considering the Impacts of Public Health Interventions: An Application of FGM and Buffer Level.

PurposeCOVID-19 is still showing a tendency of spreading around the world. In order to improve the subsequent control of COVID-19, it is essential to conduct a study on measuring and predicting the scale of the outbreak in the future.MethodsThis paper uses rolling mechanism and grid search to find the best fractional order of Fractional Order Accumulation Grey Model (FGM). Buffer level is proposed based on the general form of weakening buffer operator to measure the effect of government control measurements on the epidemic. And the buffer level is associated with the Government Response Stringency index and the Mobility Index.ResultsFirstly, the model proposed in this paper dominates the ARIMA model which has been widely used in predicting the confirmed COVID-19 cases. Secondly, in the process of using the buffer level to modify the FGM, this paper finds that government measurements require the active cooperation of the public and often have a time lag when they are effective. Only when government increase its stringency and the public observe the order can the spread of COVID-19 be slowed down. If there is only the controlling measure and the public does not react actively, it will not slow down the epidemic. Thirdly, according to the Mobility Index and Government Response Stringency Index in December, this paper predicts the cumulative confirmed cases of the end of January in different scenarios according to different buffer levels. The study suggests that the world should continue to maintain high vigilance and take corresponding control measures for the outbreak of COVID-19.ConclusionsGovernment’s control measures and public’s abidance are both important in this battle with COVID-19. Governments control measures have time-lag effect and the time lag is about 9 days. When the government increases its stringency and the public cooperates with the government, we must consider the weaken buffer operator with proper buffer level in the prediction process. These prediction methods can be considered in the prediction of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the future or the trend of other epidemics.

Locating the Italian Radioactive Waste Repository: Issues and Perplexities Arisen from Open Data-Based Analyses about the TO-10 Site (NW Italy)

Recently, Italy has started the procedure for the selection of suitable sites for hosting the National Repository for Low-Medium Activity Radioactive Wastes. Sogin spa, a public company, taking into account the criteria of the ISPRA Technical Guide no. 29, solicited by the EU Directive 2011/70/Euratom, has presented the CNAPI (National Map of the Potentially Suitable Areas) which has become operative since 5 January 2021. Sixty-seven sites were identified in Italy as potentially suitable for hosting the repository. Some criticalities immediately appeared concerning the properness of the selection. An analysis was, therefore, achieved to explore part of the rationales underlying the adopted procedure. A paradigmatic site, namely the TO-10 one (NW Italy), was chosen for the analysis, which highlighted significant anomalies affecting both the procedure rationales and its results. Since the selection process majorly relies on geographical data, attention was particularly paid on the role of official data from open archives. With reference to the most updated and detailed ones, we demonstrated that the Sogin procedure suffers from several critical points. In particular, with reference to the TO-10 site, we found that it cannot be absolutely considered to be suitable for hosting the National Deposit. In fact, it proved to match several exclusion criteria included in the ISPRA Technical Guide n. 29. These include: the potentially high “seismic risk” due to a “seismic gap” and complex tectonics associated with uplift (up to 1–1.5 mm/y); a highly vulnerable and extremely superficial groundwater table; a high permeability (10−2–10−3 m/s) of the cover sedimentary units; not proper buffer zones around local settlements. In spite of the local specificity of the analysis, results concerning procedure weaknesses are general. Consequently, we expect that they can be a stimulus for Sogin to more properly face the next steps of the selection procedure.

Simulation study of Fermi level depinning in metal-MoS2 contacts

We used Density Functional Theory (DFT) to study the Fermi level pinning and Schottky barrier height in metal-MoS2 contacts. We showed that the Fermi level de-pinning could be attained by controlling the distance between the metal and MoS2. In particular, with proper buffer layers and the use of back-gated structures, the Schottky barrier height can be practically zeroed in some metal-MoS2 stacks, which is important to attain Ohmic contacts.

Investigation of thermal stratification in a thermal storage tank with a curve edge obstacle plate

Nowadays, thermal storage tanks have been widely installed because of high demanding for hot water in the production process or daily activities in a household. Numerous energy has been consumed to produce hot water. To reduce the energy consumption and improve the energy efficiency of the hot water system, the design of thermal stratification in a storage tank can play as an important parameter on its thermal efficiency. The basic concept of the thermally stratified tank is attempted to separate a layer of hot and cold water by means of density variation and gravitational effects which cold water is aimed to existing at the bottom and hot water is at the upper part of the tank. The level of temperature stratification significantly impacts on the thermal efficiency. The higher degree of thermal stratification, the better thermal efficiency of the hot water system. However, there are many factors strongly affected the thermal stratification such as height-to-diameter ratio, the inner structure of thermal storage tank, the water flow rate, and etc. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to design a thermally stratified tank by improvement the inner structural design of the tank. Two influenced factors are focused: i) the different configuration of inlet pipes which can impact on the flow pattern and flow velocity of the water and ii) the different design of obstacle plates which can help control a recirculation area of the water in the tank. To obtain a high thermal efficiency of the stratified tank, the computer simulation program Ansys Fluent is applied for the analysis. The results show that uniform distribution of water flow and lower flow velocity due to the appropriate design of inlet pipe and proper buffer plate design can enhance the temperature stratification in the storage tank which increase the thermal efficiency during discharging processes.

Protein formulation through automated screening of pH and buffer conditions, using the Robotein® high throughput facility.

Among various factors, the direct environment (e.g. pH, buffer components, salts, additives, etc.…) is known to have a crucial effect on both the stability and activity of proteins. In particular, proper buffer and pH conditions can improve their stability and function significantly during purification, storage and handling, which is highly relevant for both academic and industrial applications. It can also promote data reproducibility, support the interpretation of experimental results and, finally, contribute to our general understanding of the biophysical properties of proteins. In this study, we have developed a high throughput screen of 158 different buffers/pH conditions in which we evaluated: (i) the protein stability, using differential scanning fluorimetry and (ii) the protein function, using either enzymatic assays or binding activity measurements, both in an automated manner. The modular setup of the screen allows for easy implementation of other characterization methods and parameters, as well as additional test conditions. The buffer/pH screen was validated with five different proteins used as models, i.e. two active-site serine β-lactamases, two metallo-β-lactamases (one of which is only active as a tetramer) and a single-domain dromedary antibody fragment (VHH or nanobody). The formulation screen allowed automated and fast determination of optimum buffer and pH profiles for the tested proteins. Besides the determination of the optimum buffer and pH, the collection of pH profiles of many different proteins may also allow to delineate general concepts to understand and predict the relationship between pH and protein properties.