Relative Percentage Research Articles

Correlation between photoluminescence and radiative defects in silicon oxycarbide films due to the growth temperature effect

In this work, the effect of growth temperature (678–988 °C) on silicon oxycarbide (SiCxOy) samples obtained by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) is reported. The samples were deposited on silicon (Si) n-type (100) and quartz substrates for optical and structural studies. At a lower temperature (678 °C), silicon oxycarbide powders were formed on Si substrates due to the homogeneous reaction occurring in the gas phase. However, for temperatures between 804 and 988 °C, silicon oxycarbide films were formed on Si substrates. By changing the temperature from 678 to 988 °C, both carbon (C) concentration (21.2–17.7 wt.%) and the relative percentage of Si–C bond density (%RtSi-C = 11.34–3.47 %) decreased, as demonstrated by EDS and FTIR measurements, respectively. On the other hand, the content of relative Si–O–Si bonds located around 1060 cm−1 remained dominant in all cases, resulting in SiCxOy films with an amorphous SiOx-type structure. These films exhibited strong photoluminescence (PL) centered in the blue region (∼3 eV), where Si–NOVS radiative centers were preferentially responsible for PL emission. At a lower temperature (678 °C), the PL intensity decreased. The determination of optical bandgap energy (Eopt) using Tauc Plots coincided with the emission due to luminescent centers (∼3 and ∼2.7 eV) observed in PL, indicating that the radiative transitions were due to defects. The AFM measurements showed an increase in roughness from 5.01 to 16.20 nm as the growth temperature decreased, as expected according to SEM measurements.

Comprehensive quality evaluation of Lysimachia christinae Hance via fingerprint, spectrum-effect relationship, and quantitative analyses of multiple components by single marker.

Lysimachia christinae Hance (LCH) is a traditional medicine used to treat gallstone disease and cholecystitis. Despite its known anti-inflammatory and choleretic effects, its quality has not been extensively evaluated. In this study, we aimed to establish a reliable quality evaluation method for LCH via fingerprint, spectrum-effect relationship, and quantitative analyses of multicomponents by a single marker (QAMS). First, the fingerprints and anti-inflammatory and choleretic activities of 14 LCH batches were determined. Then, the gray relation analysis method was used to analyze the peak areas of the fingerprint profile and pharmacodynamic data. Subsequently, the characteristic peaks were tentatively identified using high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Finally, rutin was selected as the internal reference material, and QAMS was used to analyze the LCH components. Pharmacodynamic experiments confirmed that LCH exerted anti-inflammatory and choleretic effects. Moreover, 15 flavonoids related to the anti-inflammatory and choleretic effects of LCH were identified. Notably, relative error percentage between the QAMS and external standard method was less than 5%. This study successfully established a comprehensive evaluation method for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of LCH.

Impact of internal standard selection on measurement results for long chain fatty acids in blood

IntroductionInternal standards correct for measurement variation due to sample loss. Isotope labeled analytes are ideal internal standards for the measurement of fatty acids in human plasma but are not always readily available. For this reason, quantification of multiple analytes at once is most often done using only a single or few internal standards. The magnitude of the impact this has on method accuracy and precision is not well studied for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry systems. ObjectiveThis study aims to estimate bias and changes in uncertainty associated with using alternative fatty acid isotopologue internal standards for the estimation of similar or dissimilar long chain fatty acids. MethodUsing a previously reported method for the quantification of 27 fatty acids in human plasma using 18 internal standards we obtained estimates of bias and uncertainty at up to three levels of fatty acid concentration. ResultsWith some notable exceptions, method accuracy remained relatively stable when using an alternative internal standard (Median Relative Absolute Percent Bias: 1.76%, Median Spike-Recovery Absolute Percent Bias: 8.82%), with larger changes in method precision (Median Increase in Variance: 141%). Additionally, the degree of difference between analyte and internal standard structure was related to the magnitude of bias and uncertainty of the measurement. ConclusionThe data presented here show that the choice of internal standard used to estimate fatty acid concentration can affect the accuracy and reliability of measurement results and, therefore, needs to be assessed carefully when developing analytical methods for the measurement of fatty acid profiles.Disclaimer: The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Service, and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

AI-driven photonics: Unleashing the power of AI to disrupt the future of photonics

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and computing technologies are currently disrupting the modeling and design paradigms in photonics. In this work, we present our perspective on the utilization of current AI models for photonic device modeling and design. Initially, through the physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) framework, we embark on the task of modal analysis, offering a unique neural networks-based solver and utilizing it to predict propagating modes and their corresponding effective indices for slab waveguides. We compare our model’s predictions against theoretical benchmarks and a finite differences solver. Evidently, using 349 analysis points, the PINN approach had a relative percentage error of 0.69272% compared to the finite differences method, which had a percentage error of 1.28142% with respect to the analytical solution, indicating that the PINN approach was more accurate in conducting modal analysis. Our model’s continuity over the entire solution domain enhances its performance and flexibility while requiring no training data due to its guidance by Maxwell’s equations, setting it apart from most AI approaches. Our model design also flexibly enables simultaneous prediction of multiple modes over any specified intervals of effective indices. In addition, we present a novel reinforcement learning (RL)-based paradigm, employing an actor–critic model for inverse design. We utilize this paradigm to optimize the transmittance of a grating coupler by manipulating the device geometry. Comparing the obtained design to that obtained using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, our RL-based approach effectively produced a significant enhancement of 34% in 14 iterations only over the initial design compared to the PSO, which prematurely scored 27% enhancement in 30 iterations, proving that our model navigates the design space more efficiently, achieving a better design than PSO and resulting in a superior design. Based on these approaches, we discuss the future of AI in photonics in forward modeling and inverse design and the untapped potential in bringing these worlds together.

Evaluation of the safety, immunogenicity and protective effect of an attenuated Pseudomonas plecoglossicida strain ΔgacS as the live vaccine for the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea)

Pseudomonas plecoglossicida is one of most important pathogenic bacterial species in large yellow croaker and several other commercially valuable fish species. In our previous study, a GacS deficient mutant (ΔgacS) was constructed and its virulence showed substantially attenuated. In present study, the safety, immunogenicity and protective effect of the ΔgacS were evaluated in large yellow croaker as a live-attenuated vaccine candidate. It was shown that the ΔgacS strain exhibited good safety to large yellow croaker and there was no mortality or clinical symptoms observed in all fish that infected by ΔgacS strain with the doses range from 2 × 105～107 CFU per fish via intraperitoneal injection (IP) or immersion (IM), and almost all bacteria were cleaned up in the spleen of the fish at 14-day post infection. Specific antibodies could be detected at 7-day and 14-day post infection by direct agglutination method, and the valences of antibodies and bactericidal activities of the serum were significant increased with vaccination doses and vaccination time. Moreover, the expressions of some molecules and cytokines involved in specific immune responses were detected in the ΔgacS strain immunization group and control group. After challenged by the wild-type (WT) strain XSDHY-P, the relative percentage survival (RPS) showed highly correlated with the immunized dosage regardless of vaccination methods. It showed that the RPS of the IP groups were 39.47 %, 57.89 %, 71.05 % with the immune dosage in a descending order, respectively, and the RPS of the IM groups were 26.31 %, 36.84 %, 76.31 % with the immune dosage in a descending order, respectively. In summary, the ΔgacS strain exhibited safety and good protective effect to large yellow croaker and was a potential live vaccine candidate.

Effects of Rheopheresis in dialysis patients with peripheral artery disease and diabetic foot ulcers: A multicentric Italian study.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) in hemodialysis (HD) patients has a significant social impact due to its prevalence, poor response to standard therapy and dismal prognosis. Rheopheresis is indicated by guidelines for PAD treatment. Twenty-five HD patients affected by PAD stage IV Lerichè-Fontaine and ischemic ulcer 1C or 2C according to the University of Texas Wound Classification System (UTWCS), without amelioration after traditional medical therapy and/or revascularization, were selected and underwent 12 Rheopheresis sessions in 10 weeks. Improvements in pain symptoms using Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), healing ulcers and laboratory hemorheological parameters have been evaluated. A clinically and statistically significant mean value reduction and of relative percentage differences between estimated marginal means (Δ), calculated at each visits, of NRS was observed, with a maximum value (-48.5%) between the first and last visit. At the end of the treatment period 14.3% of ulcers were completely healed, 46.4% downgraded, 53.6% were stable. Overall, no ulcers upgraded. A statistically significant reduction of the Δ, between the first and last visit, for fibrinogen (-16%) was also observed. Rheopheresis reduced overall painful symptoms; data suggest that it could heal or improve ulcers and hemorheological laboratory parameters in HD patients with PAD and ischemic ulcers resistant to standard therapies.

Using Barbell Acceleration to Determine the 1 Repetition Maximum of the Jump Shrug.

Techmanski, BS, Kissick, CR, Loturco, I, and Suchomel, TJ. Using barbell acceleration to determine the 1 repetition maximum of the jump shrug. J Strength Cond Res 38(8): 1486-1493, 2024-The purpose of this study was to determine the 1 repetition maximum (1RM) of the jump shrug (JS) using the barbell acceleration characteristics of repetitions performed with relative percentages of the hang power clean (HPC). Fifteen resistance-trained men (age = 25.5 ± 4.5 years, body mass = 88.5 ± 15.7 kg, height = 176.1 ± 8.5 cm, relative 1RM HPC = 1.3 ± 0.2 kg·kg-1) completed 2 testing sessions that included performing a 1RM HPC and JS repetitions with 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of their 1RM HPC. A linear position transducer was used to determine concentric duration and the percentage of the propulsive phase (P%) where barbell acceleration was greater than gravitational acceleration (i.e., a>-9.81 m·s-2). Two 1 way repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare each variable across loads, whereas Hedge's g effect sizes were used to examine the magnitude of the differences. Concentric duration ranged from 449.7 to 469.8 milliseconds and did not vary significantly between loads (p = 0.253; g = 0.20-0.39). The P% was 57.4 ± 7.2%, 64.8 ± 5.9%, 73.2 ± 4.3%, 78.7 ± 4.0%, and 80.3 ± 3.5% when using 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% 1RM HPC, respectively. P% produced during the 80 and 100% 1RM loads were significantly greater than those at 20, 40, and 60% 1RM (p < 0.01, g = 1.30-3.90). In addition, P% was significantly greater during 60% 1RM compared with both 20 and 40% 1RM (p < 0.01, g = 1.58-2.58) and 40% was greater than 20% 1RM (p = 0.003, g = 1.09). A braking phase was present during each load and, thus, a 1RM JS load was not established. Heavier loads may be needed to achieve a 100% propulsive phase when using this method.

Pichia pastoris composition expressed aerolysin mutant of Aeromonas veronii as an oral vaccine evaluated in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Vaccines are one of the most practical means to stop the spreading of Aeromonas veronii in aquaculture. In this study, virulence factor aerolysin mutant NTaer which has lost its hemolytic activity was used as a target antigen. Pichia pastoris constitutive secretory expression NTaer (GS115-NTaer) was used as a potential safe oral vaccine to evaluate its effectiveness on zebrafish immunity. The result shows that vaccination of GS115- NTaer for four weeks did not affect the growth performance of the host, while eliciting an effective immune protective response. Compared with the control group, the GS115-NTaer could significantly up-regulate the relative expression level of the intestinal tight junction protein 1α (TJP1α) gene, and significantly increased the contents of lysozyme (LYZ), complement C3 and C4 in the gut, indicating that the innate immune response of the fish was activated. The relative gene expression levels of macrophage-expressed gene 1 (MPEG1) and T cell receptor (TCR-α) in the gut, and MPEG1, CD4, CD8, TCR-α, GATA3, and T-bet in the spleen were all increased significantly, indicating that the cellular immune response of the fish was activated. Furthermore, the contents of serum IgM and intestinal mucosa IgZ antibodies were significantly increased, which showed that humoral immunity was also activated. Moreover, inoculation with GS115-NTaer significantly changed the structure of gut microbiota. In particular, the relative ratio of (Firmicutes + Fusobacteriota + Bacteroidota)/Proteobacteria was significantly higher than that of the control and GS115 groups. Lastly, the vaccinated fish were challenged with A. veronii, and the relative percent survival of GS115 and the GS115-NTear groups was 14.28% and 33.43%. This improvement of immunity was not only due to the specific immune response but also attributed to the improvement of innate immunity and the gut microbiota which was demonstrated by the germ-free zebrafish model. Collectively, this study provides information on the effectiveness of GS115-NTear as an oral vaccine for the green prevention and control of A. veronii infection in fish aquaculture.

The HSP70 and IL-1β of Nile tilapia as molecular adjuvants can enhance the immune protection of DNA vaccine against Streptococcus agalactiae infection.

Globally, streptococcal disease caused by Streptococcus agalactiae is known for its high mortality rate, which severely limits the development of the tilapia breeding industry. As a third-generation vaccine, DNA vaccines have shown great application prospects in the prevention and control of aquatic diseases, but their low immunogenicity limits their development. The combination of DNA vaccines and molecular adjuvants proved to be an effective method for inducing protective immunity. This study constructed recombinant plasmids encoding tilapia HSP70 and IL-1β genes (pcHSP70 and pcIL-1β) to verify their effectiveness as molecular adjuvants for S. agalactiae DNA vaccine (pcSIP) in the immunized tilapia model. The results revealed that serum-specific IgM production, enzyme activities, and immune-related gene expression in tilapia immunized with pcSIP plus pcHSP70 or pcIL-1β were significantly higher than those in tilapia immunized with pcSIP alone. It is worth noting that combination with molecular adjuvants improved the immune protection of DNA vaccines, with a relative percentage survival (RPS) of 51.72% (pcSIP plus pcHSP70) and 44.83% (pcSIP plus pcIL-1β), respectively, compared with that of pcSIP alone (24.14%). Thus, our study indicated that HSP70 and IL-1β in tilapia are promising molecular adjuvants of the DNA vaccine in controlling S. agalactiae infection.

Estimation of Leaf Water Content of a Fruit Tree by In Situ Vis-NIR Spectroscopy Using Multiple Machine Learning Methods in Southern Xinjiang, China

Water scarcity is one of the most significant environmental factors that inhibits photosynthesis and decreases the growth and productivity of plants. Using the deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN) model, this study evaluates the ability of spectroscopy to estimate leaf water content (LWC) in fruit trees. During midday, spectral data were acquired from leaf samples obtained from three distinct varieties of fruit trees, encompassing the spectral range spanning from 350 to 2500 nm. Then, for spectral preprocessing, the fractional order derivative (FOD) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT) algorithms were used to reduce the effects of scattering and noise on the collected spectra. Finally, the CNN model was developed to predict LWC in different fruit trees. The results showed that: (1) The spectra treated with CWT and FOD could improve the spectrum expression ability by improving the correlation between spectra and LWC. The correlation level of FOD treatment was higher than that of CWT treatment. (2) The CNN model was developed using FOD 1.2, and CWT 3 performed better than other traditional machine learning methods, such as RFR, SVR, and PLSR. (3) Further validation using additional samples demonstrated that the CNN model had good stability and quantitative prediction capability for the LWC of fruit trees (R2 &gt; 0.95, root mean square error (RMSE) &lt; 1.773%, and relative percentage difference (RPD) &gt; 4.26). The results may provide an effective way to predict fruit LWC using a CNN-based model.

Calibration estimation of population total using multi-auxiliary information in the presence of non-response

This paper considers the problem of estimation of the population total under probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling scheme when complete data is not available due to the presence of missing observations or non-response. The suggested estimators are developed based on available multi-auxiliary information for the response group and non-response group utilizing the calibration approach. The variances of the suggested estimators have been derived up to the first order of approximation. A simulation study done on a real dataset using R software also supports the performance of the suggested estimators. The empirical percentage absolute relative biases (%ARB) and percentage relative root mean squared errors (%RRMSE) are computed for the suggested estimators. The developed estimators are compared with the estimators of the population total due to the design-based Horvitz and Thompson (HT) estimator and calibration HT type estimator obtained on the available complete response units along with the design-based Hansen and Hurwitz (HH) estimator in the presence of non-response.

Determination of S, Ni, Cu in copper-nickel sulfide ores by total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis: experience of participation in the interlaboratory comparisons

The quality of the determination of S, Ni, Cu in copper-nickel sulfide ores was assessed in the framework of the program for interlaboratory comparative tests (ICT) using total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF) taking into account the criteria for methods for determining the chemical composition of mineral raw materials. Certified TXRF techniques for the analysis of mineral materials are absent, so the interlaboratory comparison test was used to control and improve the accuracy of measurements by TXRF. Powdered ore samples were prepared as suspensions by wet grinding: 100 mg of the powder, 4 ml of ultra-pure water and 250 μl of the Ga standard solution were milled using 20 g of ZrO2 balls 1 mm in diameter in the mixing mill for 10 minutes at a frequency of 20 Hz. The ratio of the intensities of the characteristic lines of the analyzed elements and the Ga internal standard was chosen as an analytical signal. To plot calibration curves, a set of ore reference samples was analyzed using certified procedures (atomic absorption spectrometry for Cu, Ni, gravimetry for S). The quality of the TXRF analysis was assessed by the value of Z-criterion. The measurement error did not exceed 5 rel. %. The relative percentage differences between the TXRF results and the results obtained in the interlaboratory study was less than 10%. The described method can be used for rapid analysis of copper-nickel sulfide ores.

Forecasting of global solar radiation: A statistical approach using simulated annealing algorithm

In recent years, the share of renewable energy sources in current energy production has been increasing due to the depletion of fossil fuel resources, increasing energy needs and environmental concerns. Solar energy, one of the most important renewable energy sources depending on being clean, sustainable and environmentally friendly energy source. Understanding the solar radiation value is crucial for maximizing the potential of solar energy and ensuring the efficient operation of solar energy systems. In this paper, it is aimed to develop a new global solar radiation (GSR) prediction model by using simulated annealing algorithm (SAA). Modeling solar radiation data with significant variability is a challenging task that necessitates the use of nonlinear approaches. Although the SAA is widely used in engineering and natural sciences, it has not previously been used to develop a GSR prediction model. While developing the SAA forecast model for the Adana region, long-term sunshine duration and solar radiation data obtained from the Turkish General Directorate of State Meteorology were used, as well as geographical features such as latitude and longitude of the selected region. The performance and applicability of the proposed model was examined by comparing it with different GSR estimation methods developed in the literature. The primary contribution of this study lies in the introduction of an inventive model, which has been constructed for the first time in the assessment of GSR, to the current collection of literature. The produced results were statistically compared with the observed data using six separate performance and error measures. The results of all years showed that the relative percentage error (RPE) less than 11.66 %, the mean percentage error (MPE) does not exceed 12.55 %, the correlation coefficient (R2) greater than 0.98, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) test results appear to vary close to the value 10, the sum of squared relative error (SSRE) test results seem to approaching 0 and the t-statistic test less than 4.06 for the annual GSR. It has been observed that the developed SAA GSR forecasting model has a successful performance when compared to different forecasting models popularly used in the literature. According to the statistical error results, the estimated GSR data from the novel SAA-GSR forecast model aligns well with the measured meteorological values. Given the efficacy of the established SAA model in GSR estimation, this study is anticipated to offer valuable insights and contributions to the application of the SAA approach in other energy applications.

Comparative analysis of tobacco industry cigarette marketing expenditures in the United States, 2009–2018

Anti-tobacco campaigns face challenges as tobacco marketing consistently outpaces funding for public health presentation initiatives. In 2017, tobacco companies spent around $1 million every hour to promote cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the US. That same year, they were also mandated to sponsor and disseminate Federal court ordered Corrective Statements (CSs) advertisements in outlets such as newspapers and major television networks. Thus, it is crucial to monitor the marketing activities of the tobacco industry to bolster effective tobacco control efforts. Cigarettes marketing expenditures were obtained from the Federal Trade Commission Cigarettes reports and adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator. Temporal trends during 2009–2018 period were assessed using Joinpoint regression at (p < 0.05). The costs of publishing the CSs in print were estimated based on the cost of a full-page advertisement with similar specifications. Between 2009 and 2018, the total adjusted cigarette marketing expenditures exhibited no significant changes (AAPC = −1.5). Spending on print advertisements decreased from 0.43% in 2009 to 0.1% in 2018. Magazine cigarette marketing expenditures underwent a relative percentage decline of 80% (AAPC = −13.5;p < 0.05). In 2018, the tobacco industry allocated approximately $8.5 million for print advertisements to promote cigarettes. We estimated that it cost $5.5 million to disseminate the CSs in print the same year, constituting 0.06% of the overall expenditure on cigarette marketing and promotion. Several traditional cigarettes advertising categories have seen reduced funding over the past decade. Nevertheless, the total marketing expenditure remained unaffected. In response to marketing regulations, tobacco companies shifted their funds to less regulated channels. In 2018, a significant portion of promotional expenditures were directed toward various price discounts, which could potentially expose vulnerable children and youths to cigarette marketing. Lastly, the impact of CSs was weakened by delayed implementation and shift in consumer attention from traditional media to other digital channels.

An effective hybrid meta-heuristic method for the simultaneous batch production and transportation problem in additive manufacturing

One notable advancement in additive manufacturing (AM) is the mobile mini-factory, which uses a truck equipped with an AM machine to produce orders while en-route to customers' locations. This offers potential benefits such as reduced delivery times and storage expenses for companies. This study investigates a simultaneous batch production and transportation problem (denoted by SBPTP) in additive manufacturing. To solve this problem, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is first formulated. Then, to solve large-scale problems, a meta-heuristic method (denoted by SA-CP) combining a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, an ant colony optimisation algorithm (ACO) and a cutting-plane algorithm is developed, in which the assignment subproblem is dealt with the SA, the simultaneous production and transportation subproblem is dealt with the ACO, and finally the current solution is further improved by the cutting-plane algorithm. Computational experiments are conducted on both randomly generated instances and modified benchmark instances. The results demonstrate that the SA-CP is very effective since it can obtain the solutions with an average relative percentage gap 0.16% on randomly generated instances and −0.09% on modified benchmark instances within less than 180 CPU seconds, compared to those obtained by solving the MILP model directly with CPLEX within 1 h.

Detection and consistency of mucosal fluid T lymphocyte phenotypes and their relationship with blood, age and gender

Innate and adaptive immune responses at mucosal surfaces play a role in protection against most infectious diseases. However, the relative importance either of mucosal versus systemic, or of cellular versus humoral immunity in protection against such infections remains unclear. We aimed to determine the relative percentages and reproducibility of detection of five major T lymphocyte phenotypes in stimulated whole mouth fluid (SWMF); to compare matched mucosal and blood phenotypes; to evaluate the consistency of phenotypes in SWMF over time; and to determine any associations with age or gender. Peripheral blood and SWMF samples were collected from 194 participants and sequential concomitant samples were collected from 27 of those and from 12 subjects living with HIV. CD3, CD4, CD8, Th1 and Th2 T lymphocyte phenotypes were determined by FACS. All the five T lymphocyte phenotypes were detected consistently by FACS in PBMC and SWMF with experimental replicates (N = 10; PBMC CV: 3–30%; SWMF CV: 12–36%). In longitudinal samples detection rates were reproducible in both fluids but variations were higher in SWMF (CV: 23–79.6%) than PBMC (CV: 9.7–75%). Statistically significant correlations of the percentages of all the T lymphocyte phenotypes except CD8 was seen between the two fluids. In PBMCs a negative correlation with age was found with CD3, CD4 and CD8 phenotypes, whilst a positive correlation was found in both SWMF and PBMC with the Th2 phenotype. CD3, CD4 and CD8 phenotypes in SWMF and PBMCs from an HIV-positive cohort were not significantly correlated in contrast with the HIV-negative controls. Our study provides a robust FACS protocol for the detection of the five major T lymphocyte phenotypes in SWMF which should prove useful for research with other mucosal fluids.

Study on the quality difference between raw and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and GC-MS coupled with color measurement.

Magnoliae officinalis cortex (MOC) has been used for thousands of years as a traditional Chinese herb. In Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), it has two types of decoction pieces, raw Magnoliae officinalis cortex (RMOC) and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex (GMOC). The quality difference between RMOC and GMOC has not been explored systemically. This study aimed to discover the quality difference between RMOC and GMOC, and clarify the effect of ginger juice during processing comprehensively. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were applied to study the non-volatile and volatile components of RMOC and GMOC; electronic eye was applied for color measurement. Meanwhile, water processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex (WMOC) was studied as the blank sample. There were 155 non-volatile and 72 volatile substances identified. Between RMOC and GMOC, 29 distinctive non-volatile and 34 distinctive volatile compounds were detected, among which 23 new compounds appeared and five compounds disappeared due to the addition of ginger juice during processing. The intensities of 12 common non-volatile compounds and the relative percentage contents of four common volatile compounds showed significant differences between RMOC and GMOC. In color measurement of RMOC, GMOC, and WMOC, 14 common compounds with significant differences were discovered related to their color values, and their mathematical prediction functions were built. There were significant differences between RMOC and GMOC; the processing mechanism of GMOC would be carried out based on the differential compounds in further investigation.

Applicability of sediment rating curves: analysis in the state of Rio Grande do Sul

The transport of sediments is present in all watercourses, occurring naturally, however, in different ways and characteristics. Its quantification in watersheds becomes extremely important for the planning and management of water resources. The sediment rating curve, which empirically describes the relationship between stream flow and suspended sediment concentration (Css), is an alternative tool to the lack of continuous monitoring of sediment transport. The aim of this research was to evaluate the use of rating curves in sedimentometric stations in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Three Css data handling scenarios were tested for the analytical fitting of sediment rating curves considering a power function as follows: complete data sets, data sets subdivided into 10-year periods and subdivided into stream flow ranges. The approaches adopted in the present study were evaluated taking as reference 58 sedimentometric stations in the state. The goodness-of-fit tests used in this study - coefficient of determination, Relative Average Percentage Error and Nash Sutcliffe coefficient, indicated that the best results of the estimation of sediment transport were observed when the sediment rating curve was fitted to the 10-year period data set.

Comparison of outlier detection approaches for compressive strength of cement-based mortars

EN 196-1 states that the compressive strength result of testing of standard mortar specimens corresponds to the average of the six individual measurements. If one of the six individual measurements varies more than ±10 % from the average, it must be excluded, and a new average is calculated with the five remaining values. This methodology might be interesting for quality control or characterization of cement; however, it may not be the best approach for research or scientific purposes. Applying EN 196-1 to non-standard cement-based mortars with multiple and even unconventional supplementary cementitious materials may induce even more variation in the result. Also, mixtures with higher mechanical strength generally present the highest absolute variation. The main goal of the present work is to compare different methodologies, such as Tails of Normal Distribution, Thompson-Tau, Box-plot, T-test, Dixon Criteria, and other methods provided by engineering standards, to evaluate the existence of discrepant values and the effect of their exclusion (or not) on compressive strength experimental values, namely for science purposes. A sample of compressive strength of 338 mortar specimens was used The main findings revealed that excluding data points as a result of applying 8 of the 13 methods under study did not affect the mechanical strength result by more than ±5 %. The method described in the Brazilian standard that guides preparation, control, receipt, and acceptance for Portland cement concrete, would invalidate almost 46 % of all mixtures produced and did not prove to be reliable. Simplified methods of excluding outliers in relative or absolute percentages of 6 % around the average value can be considered an interesting option for professionals involved in laboratory testing of building materials. Otherwise, the authors would recommend applying the either Dixon Criteria or T test of the ASTM E178 for scientific purposes.

Google Gemini’s Performance in Endodontics: A Study on Answer Precision and Reliability

(1) Background: Large language models (LLMs) are revolutionising various scientific fields by providing advanced support tools. However, the effectiveness of these applications depends on extensive, up-to-date databases to ensure certainty and predictive power. Transparency about information sources in Medicine remains a significant issue. (2) Methods: To evaluate Google Gemini’s accuracy and reproducibility in endodontic diagnosis and treatment, 60 questions were designed based on the European Society of Endodontology Position Statements. Thirty questions were randomly selected and answered using Gemini during April 2023. Two endodontic experts independently scored the answers using a 3-point Likert scale. Discrepancies were resolved by a third expert. The relative frequency and absolute percentage of responses were detailed. Accuracy was assessed using the Wald binomial method, and repeatability was assessed using percentage agreement, Brennan and Prediger’s coefficient, Conger’s generalised kappa, Fleiss’ kappa, Gwet’s AC, and Krippendorff’s alpha, all with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA software. (3) Results: A total of 900 answers were generated. The percentage of correct answers varied from 0% to 100% per question. Overall accuracy was 37.11% with a 95% confidence interval of 34.02–40.32%; (4) Conclusions: Gemini is not currently designed for medical use and therefore needs to be used with caution when considered for this purpose.