Significant Increase In Density Research Articles

Impact of incremental zinc-oxide incorporation on optical, magnetic, mechanical and photon transmission properties of K2O, SrF2, PbO containing borate-glasses

This study examines the radiation shielding properties of borate glass systems, with a focus on the simultaneous enhancement of optical, mechanical, and magnetic characteristics. The glass composition is represented by formula (55-x)B2O3+25PbO+10SrF2+10K2O + xZnO (where x: 0.0–10.0 mol%). By manipulating the ZnO concentration, we aimed to investigate its role as a radiation attenuator and its effects on the glass's optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties. Using traditional melt-quenching techniques, we produced the glass samples and examined their density, molar volume, linear attenuation coefficients (GLAC), mean free paths (GMFP), half-value layers (GHVL), and optical and magnetic properties. Our findings demonstrate that higher ZnO concentrations lead to a significant increase in density and a corresponding decrease in molar volume, thereby enhancing the glasses' ability to shield against gamma radiation. The radiation attenuation analysis revealed that increasing ZnO content substantially improves GLAC values across the energy range of 356–1333 keV. Additionally, ZnO incorporation decreases the optical bandgap, shifting the UV absorption edge to shorter wavelengths and enhancing UV dielectric capacity. Magnetic properties were assessed using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements, showing a strong correlation between ZnO content and the effective atomic number (Zeff). It can be concluded that ZnO not only contributes to radiation shielding but also modifies the electronic structure of the glass, impacting its optical absorption properties.

Quantifying hurricane impacts on United States Virgin Islands reef fishes using a catchability invariant approach to compare uncalibrated survey indices

The United States Virgin Island's (USVI) coral reefs support many economically and ecologically important fish species. Located in the Caribbean Sea, they are subject to frequent severe weather disturbances, including two category 5 hurricanes, Irma and Maria, in 2017. The overarching goal of this study was to identify reef fish community impacts following these extreme events using discontinuous survey indices. Long-term (2001–2021), in situ, fishery-independent survey data using two methods were standardized to the extent possible in two regions of the USVI, St. Thomas/St. John (STT/STJ) and St. Croix (STX). Comparable data were assessed, 73 species collected on hard- bottom habitat, to identify the number of these species with significant changes in density and/or mean length between 2-yr survey intervals over the historic baseline (2001–2015), disturbance (2017–2019), and postdisturbance (2019–2021) periods. The results varied by region: STT/STJ had no disturbance impact and STX had a significant disturbance impact. In STX, 20 species had significant changes in density in the disturbance period compared to an average of 9.7 (SD 3.8) species for the baseline period. The proportion of species with significant density increases and decreases were similar suggesting that overall disturbance impacts are nuanced. Mean length observations were less informative, likely due to survey method and sample size changes. However, in combination with density they provided useful insights into the possible causes of population change. The successful use of discontinuous survey indices to obtain meaningful biological insights has broader applications to ecosystem and fishery datasets with similar limitations.

Molecular Simulations of Hydrogen Sorption in Semicrystalline High-Density Polyethylene: The Impact of the Surface Fraction of Tie-Chains.

The modeling of the barrier properties of semicrystalline polymers has gained interest following the possible application of such materials as protective liners for the safe supply of pressurized hydrogen. The mass transport in such systems is intimately related to the complex intercalation between the crystal and amorphous phases, which was approached in this work through an all-atom representation of high-density polyethylene structures with a tailored fraction of amorphous-crystalline connections (tie-chains). Simulations of the polymer pressure-volume-temperature data and hydrogen sorption were performed by means of molecular dynamics and the Widom test particle insertion method. The discretization of the simulation domains of the semicrystalline structures allowed us to obtain profiles of density, degree of order, and gas solubility. The results indicated that the gas sorption in the crystalline regions is negligible and that the confinement of the amorphous phase between crystals induces a significant increase in density and a drop in the sorption capacity, even in the absence of tie-chains. Adding ties between the crystal and the amorphous phase results in further densification, an increase of the lamella tilt angle, and a decrease in the degree of crystallinity and hydrogen sorption coefficient, in agreement with several literature references.

Processing of tropical agro-industrial waste for particleboard manufacture: Dimensional stability and mechanical performance

Agro-industrial by-product shells are an interesting ecological and economical option to reduce the use of wood in particleboard formulation. However, knowledge of the thermal stability and physical properties of these shells is required for their use in construction materials. In this work, Doum Palm (DPS) and Balanite (BS) tropical fruit shells from the sub-Saharan region of Cameroon were characterised and processed as fillers for the manufacture of polyester-bonded particleboard. Gravimetric tests showed that water absorption and porosity were minimal for BS compared to DPS. In addition, thermogravimetric analyses indicated that both shells had almost the same thermal stability. Fifteen classes of particleboard were then manufactured by hot pressing from the prepared blends with particle sizes of 500–1250 μm, 1250–2500 μm and 2500–4000 μm, with Balanite/palm Doum (B/D) hybridisation ratios of 0/70, 20/50, 35/35, 50/20 and 70/0 by volume. The dimensional stability and mechanical performance of the samples were analysed by means of water immersion tests, and bending and internal adhesion tests, respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant increase in density in samples containing at least 20% BS regardless of particle size, resulting in a decrease in porosity and water sensitivity with an increasing B/P ratio. The performance of the samples was much better when both shells were used in equal proportions (35/35), with density (612 kg.m−3), thickness swelling (8%) and internal bond strength (1.12 MPa) in accordance with EN312. In addition, the bending strength (4.3 MPa) and stiffness (510 MPa) were in line with literature values for shell-based particleboards. These performances make DPS and BS promising biobased fillers for the manufacture of particleboards for construction purposes.

PD03 Afamelanotide reduces the ultraviolet radiation erythemal response soon after application in healthy volunteers with skin phototypes II–III

Abstract Afamelanotide is a potent α-melanocyte stimulating hormone analogue that binds to the melanocortin 1 receptor and, over time, promotes tanning, conferring systemic photoprotection. Afamelanotide also has antioxidant properties and may promote repair of ultraviolet (UV) radiation (UVR)-induced DNA damage. The objectives of this study were to examine the short-term impact of afamelanotide on DNA damage repair mechanisms, UVR erythema and melanogenic responses in healthy human skin following exposure to UVR. Healthy men and women (n = 10) volunteers aged 27–43 years (median 34) of skin phototypes II–III were recruited. Reflectance spectrophotometry was performed on six body sites (photoexposed and photoprotected) to assess skin pigmentation, and then a geometric series of erythemally weighted doses (7–80 mJ cm−2) of broadband UVB (∼60% UVB, 40% UVA; Philips TL12) was applied to unexposed upper buttock skin. After 24 h, the minimal erythema dose (MED) was assessed and erythema intensity (CIE a*) was measured at each dose site. A subcutaneous implant of afamelanotide 16 mg was administered; 5 days later, the same UVR dose series was applied to unexposed contralateral upper buttock skin. After 24 h, the MED was assessed and repeat skin reflectance measurements were performed. The overall UVR–erythema dose response (area under curve) showed a significant decrease post-afamelanotide (mean 3.5 vs. 2.7; P = 0.018). There was an apparent increase in the median MED post-afamelanotide (24.5 vs. 29.9 mJ cm−2; not statistically significant). Reflectance measurements showed skin lightness (CIE L*) significantly decreased at only one site (central forehead, from 63.0 to 61.0; P = 0.015), while determination of melanin density by reflectance at 420 and 400 nm showed a statistically significant increase in density at all sites except the right abdomen, with a mean overall increase from 2.5% to 2.9% (P = 0.001). Our results indicate that afamelanotide reduces the overall UVR–erythema dose response in healthy human skin shortly after administration, with a small increase in melanogenesis, suggesting other nonmelanogenic properties of this agent contribute to the erythema protection. Further investigation will examine whether enhanced repair of UVR-induced DNA damage plays a role. Funding sources: research sponsored by CLINUVEL (UK) Ltd.

Bi-polaron hopping process of some MoO3 doped glassy system: Efors-Shkolvshkii gap in the unoccupied states

New glassy nanocomposites, yMoO3 - (0.1 – y)V2O5 – 0.9 (0.05ZnO - 0.95CuO) is found significant not only for surveying their microstructures using X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and SEM techniques, but also for setting out to explore their electrical conduction mechanism in terms of bi-polaronhopping process. Different nanophases such as Cu4O3, ZnO, Cu3Mo2O9 etc. have been identified and the average size of estimated nanocrystallites is found to increase with MoO3content.As MoO3 content is incorporated gradually, orthorhombic phases are found to be the major phases containing TMIs. Formation of more orthorhombic phases with higher MoO3 incorporation may directly indicate the stable structure of the resultant glassy nanocomposites.Electrical conductivity of the present system has been analyzed using bi-polaron hopping process, which may take place among various localized states in the extended stable orthorhombic structures. Significant increase in density of states near Fermi level, N(EF) at higher temperature may directly indicate the expansion of the present glassy structure with more and more MoO3incorporation. All experimental data have been used to frame a schematic model to explore conduction mechanism inside the present glassy system.

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with NAFLD.

The expression of immune- and cancer-related genes was measured in liver biopsies from 107 NAFLD patients. The strongest difference in overall gene expression was between liver fibrosis stages F3 and F4, with 162 cirrhosis-associated genes identified. Strong correlations with fibrosis progression from F1 to F4 were observed for 91 genes, including CCL21, CCL2, CXCL6, and CCL19. In addition, the expression of 21 genes was associated with fast progression to F3/F4 in an independent group of eight NAFLD patients. These included the four chemokines, SPP1, HAMP, CXCL2, and IL-8. A six-gene signature including SOX9, THY-1, and CD3D had the highest performance detecting the progressors among F1/F2 NAFLD patients. We also characterized immune cell changes using multiplex immunofluorescence platforms. Fibrotic areas were strongly enriched in CD3+ T cells compared to CD68+ macrophages. While the number of CD68+ macrophages increased with fibrosis severity, the increase in CD3+ T-cell density was more substantial and progressive from F1 to F4. The strongest correlation with fibrosis progression was observed for CD3+CD45R0+ memory T cells, while the most significant increase in density between F1/F2 and F3/F4 was for CD3+CD45RO+FOXP3+CD8- and CD3+CD45RO-FOXP3+CD8- regulatory T cells. A specific increase in the density of CD68+CD11b+ Kupffer cells with liver fibrosis progression was also observed.

Impacts of Climate Change on Densities of the Urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii Vary among Marine Regions in Eastern Australia

The urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii is expanding its range southward in eastern Australia, which has been associated with negative ecological impacts, including shifts from kelp forests to barrens. However, limited analyses are available that examine the factors influencing its abundance and distribution across the entirety of this range. Here, we utilise data from 13,085 underwater visual census surveys, from 1992 to 2022, to develop an urchin density model for C. rodgersii across its historical and extending geographical range. We apply this model to examine whether C. rodgersii densities are increasing and to project future urchin densities by 2100 under IPCC climate scenario RCP 8.5. Significant increases in C. rodgersii densities were detected in data for the South-east marine region of Australia, which encompasses Tasmania, Victoria, and the far south coast of New South Wales (NSW) over the last 30 years. In the Temperate East marine region (encompassing Queensland and NSW waters to 36.6° S), however, no significant increases in densities were observed. Future projections indicated that further substantial increases in C. rodgersii densities are likely to occur in the South-east marine region and substantial reductions in most of the Temperate East marine region by 2100. Importantly, results indicate that current and future changes to C. rodgersii densities in Australia vary among marine regions. Therefore, the future ecological impacts of urchins on temperate ecosystems, including the formation of barrens, will also vary among regions. Consequently, management actions will need to differ among these regions, with the South-east marine region requiring mitigation of the impacts of increasing C. rodgersii densities, whereas the Temperate East marine region may need actions to preserve declining C. rodgersii populations.

A Study on Changes in Hair Condition of Shampoo Containing Aroma Essential Oil

In this study, we investigated changes in hair after using an aroma shampoo containing aroma essential oils. The aroma essential oils included are Lavender, Juniper Berry, Cypress, Peppermint and Cedarwood. After the experimental group (15 persons) used the aroma shampoo for 4 weeks, the hair condition of the control group (15 persons) using the general shampoo for 4 weeks was compared and analyzed before and after. The hair was measured at 4 sites (left, right, parietal, and occipital regions) of the scalp, and changes in condition were measured with Aram Huvis' ASG (AI-Scalp Grader). As a result of the study, it was confirmed that the experimental group using aroma shampoo showed a significant increase in density and number in the occipital area, while the control group using general shampoo showed a significant decrease in number and thickness in the parietal area. By providing quantitative data that proves the hair improvement effect of aroma essential oil, it is expected that hair loss prevention and hair growth will be used as cosmetic ingredients.

Influence of the Shear Process on the Compaction Success and Friction Behavior During Asphalt Paving

As part of this research, the shear process during asphalt paving with the paver screed was investigated in the laboratory. An extensive international literature search revealed that the influence of the shear process on the compaction success during asphalt paving has not been investigated to date. In addition, only limited data on the coefficient of friction between the asphalt mix and the screed plate exist from in-situ measurements. The investigations in the laboratory were carried out with a customized frame shear device of the Institute of Geotechnics at the Technical University of Darmstadt. The asphalt mix types AC 11 DS, SMA 11 DS and AC 16 BS (according to the German guideline TL Asphalt-StB) were used for this purpose. In addition, the influence of temperature changes and grading curve changes was investigated using the AC 11 DS asphalt mix. On the basis of the results, it was possible to prove for the first time that a significant increase in density takes place as a result of the shear process under constant normal stress. Where the influence on the compaction success depends on the asphalt composition. In addition, in-situ measurements could be validated based on determined sliding friction coefficients. The friction coefficients showed a material and temperature-dependent behavior.

Spectroscopic and Magnetic Performance of Cobalt (Co) Incorporated NiMn0.05Fe1.95O4 Nanoferrites: A Potent Antifungal Activity Against Aspergillus niger (MT675916)

We investigated the impact of cobalt (Co) incorporation on the structural, optical, and magnetic properties of ferrite Ni[Formula: see text]CoxMn[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text]O4, also known as NCMF for [Formula: see text], 0.02, and 0.04, which were successfully synthesized using a low-temperature sol-gel combustion process with nitrates as cations and citric acid (C6H8O7) as the combustion/chelating agent. In X-ray diffraction studies, cobalt incorporation resulted in a significant increase in lattice parameter from 8.31 to 8.36, as well as a significant increase in density from 5.42 to 5.52[Formula: see text]g/cm3; crystal size formation was observed in the range of 44.76[Formula: see text]nm to 48.54[Formula: see text]nm for all samples. Raman spectra analysis confirmed that single phase belongs to the Fd3m space group. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were used to identify functional clusters and residual groups in all samples. UV–visible spectroscopy showed a redshift of 0.92[Formula: see text]eV for [Formula: see text]. The effect of dopants on nickel ferrites’ magnetization was observed in the range 52–59[Formula: see text]emu/g, indicating that all samples contain soft magnetic content. Antifungal activity of synthesized sample was analyzed against Aspergillus niger (MT675916) species of plant pathogenic fungi isolated from Capsicum during storage. Biological analysis designated that the sample for [Formula: see text] has shown a 100% potent antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger (MT675916) species. For [Formula: see text] treatment completely inhibits the growth of fungus after 7 days. Therefore, NCMF NPs can be used as applicant resources for industrial, medical, and biological applications.

Compact neutron source from head-on collision of high energy density plasma jets

We propose a new scheme to generate a neutron source with a short duration, and the scheme is validated in two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations. When a laser beam irradiates a deuterated polystyrene cone with a half-opening angle of 60°, high energy density plasma jets are produced due to the converging effect. As two laser-driven counter-propagating jets collide in a head-on configuration, the kinetic energy converts into internal energy efficiently, inducing a significant increase in density and temperature. Then, deuteron–deuteron thermonuclear reactions are triggered, and plenty of neutrons are released. The simulation results show that the total neutron yield is as high as 6.6×108 with a duration of 103 ps, providing a new way to achieve ultrafast diagnosis with high resolution in experiments.

Експериментальне дослідження щільності кісткової тканини у хворих з уродженим псевдоартрозом кісток гомілки до та після операції за даними комп’ютерної томографії

Surgical treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia bones is accompanied by a significant percentage of complications and refractions. One of the main reasons for the unsatisfactory results of treatment is the violation of the quality of bone tissue in the area of pseudoarthrosis, which is an obstacle to the normal process of fusion of the shin bones. Рurpose - use computed tomography to examine bone density in patients with congenital pseudoarthrosis of the tibia before and after surgery. Materials and methods. CT scans of the tibia of three patients with congenital pseudoarthrosis of the tibia, aged 5 to 7 years. The density in the Hounsfield units of the cortical layer above and below the nonunion zone was determined. Results. Prior to treatment, a significant decrease (p=0.001) in the density of the cortical layer of the tibia of the injured limb along its entire length was determined. One year after surgery, a statistically significant difference in the density of the cortical layer of the tibia remains. The optical density of the cortical layer of the damaged tibia is statistically significantly less than healthy (p=0.001). One year after surgical treatment by osteosynthesis with an intramedullary rod with axial mobility, the difference in the density of the cortical layer of the tibia of the healthy and operated limbs remains statistically significant (p=0.001) less than the bone density of the healthy limb. On the unoperated limb, a significant (p<0.05) increase in optical density of bones was observed in all studied areas. Conclusions. As a result of surgical treatment of congenital pseudoarthrosis of the tibia, there is a statistically significant increase in the density of the cortical layer. The density of the cortical layer of the bones of the operated shin a year after surgery is close to the density of the bones of a healthy limb. The increase in bone density of the operated limb is due not only to the growth of patients, but also occurs due to the possibility of loading the operated limb. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Increasing density and mechanical performance of binder jetting processing through bimodal particle size distribution

Binder jetting is an additive manufacturing (AM) technology that has gained popularity and attention in recent years for production applications in tooling, biomedical, energy, and defense sectors. When compared to other powder bed fusion-based AM methods, binder jetting processes powder feedstock without the need of an energy source during printing. This avoids defects associated with melting, residual stresses, and rapid solidification within the parts. However, one of the challenges of this process is the relatively lower densities which impacts part density, and subsequently, sintering and mechanical properties. In this study, we investigated the influence of bimodal powder size distributions (a mixture of coarse to fine particles) as a method for increasing part density and mechanical strength, and used stainless steel (SS) 316L bimodal mixtures in this case. Four unimodal and two bimodal groups were evaluated under similar AM processing conditions for sintered density measurements and flexural strengths. Our results demonstrated that bimodal size distributions showed a statistically significant increase in density by 20% and ultimate flexural strength by 170% when compared to the highest performing unimodal group. In addition to experimental findings, reactive molecular dynamics simulations showed that the presence of finer powders along with coarser particles in the bimodal particle mixture contribute to additional bonds that are stronger across the particle interfaces. Findings from this study can be used to design bimodal particle size distributions to achieve higher density and better mechanical properties in binder jetting AM process.

High pressure deformation induced precipitation in Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy (Al7075)

Precipitate-matrix interactions govern the mechanical behavior of precipitate strengthened Al-based alloys. These alloys find a wide range of applications ranging from aerospace to automobile and naval industries due to their low cost and high strength to weight ratio. Structures made from Al-based alloys undergo complex loading conditions such as impact and shock. Understanding the microstructural changes in Al-alloys under extreme conditions is challenging due to the fast time scale of the experiments. Here, we study the high-pressure behavior of Al7075 alloy separately from the high strain-rate behavior using quasi-static experiment in a diamond anvil cell. We combine in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and pre- and post-compression transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging to analyze microstructural changes and estimate high pressure strength. XRD showed that non-hydrostatic pressure leads to a significant increase in defect density and peak broadening with pressure cycling. XRD mapping under non-hydrostatic pressure revealed that the region with the highest local pressure had the greatest increase in defect nucleation, whereas the region with the largest local pressure gradient underwent texturing and had larger grains. TEM analysis showed that pressure cycling leads to the nucleation, growth and significant increase in density of precipitates. The significant increase in precipitate density was due to the destabilization of solid solution atoms under high pressure and led to an increase in strength for Al7075 alloy at high pressures.

The Status of Posidonia oceanica at Tremiti Islands Marine Protected Area (Adriatic Sea).

Simple SummaryThe seagrass Posidonia oceanica is the most important marine phanerogam of the Mediterranean Sea due to its meadows’ complexity, persistence, and extension. These habitats provide a suite of ecosystem goods and services, being of primary importance in marine conservation. Despite their central role in the coastal ecology, P. oceanica meadows are undergoing overall deterioration and fragmentation in the basin mostly due to anthropogenic impacts at local to global scales. In the last decades, several management measures have been proposed aiming to improve the meadow health conditions, while the periodic monitoring of P. oceanica meadows allows for verifying their effectiveness. Here, we report the results of the monitoring of P. oceanica at Tremiti Islands Marine Protected Area (Adriatic Sea, Italy) carried out in 2003, 2015, and 2020. A general worsening was observed, particularly enhanced by direct anthropogenic impacts mostly related to anchoring practices, as well as by a certain level of sedimentation possibly deriving from coastal development. However, the identification of these impacts and the correct management of human activities to mitigate them produced positive results in a relatively short time span.Posidonia oceanica meadows are Mediterranean coastal habitats of great conservation importance. This study is focused on a meadow located at Tremiti Islands Marine Protected Area (Adriatic Sea, Italy), which was monitored in 2003, 2015, and 2020 to evaluate its health state over time in relation to coastal human activities, which have been highly affecting this MPA for the last 20 years. To assess any change in the physiognomy of the meadow, rhizome density, percentage coverage, and lower limit progressions and/or regression over time were evaluated by scuba diving, while the distribution and extension of the meadow were assessed through habitat mapping using a side-scan sonar. Moreover, phenological and lepidochronological analyses were performed on the collected rhizomes to assess the leaf area index (LAI, m2m−2) and the rhizome age (lepidochronological years). Our study showed a general deterioration of P. oceanica meadow from 2003 to 2020, with a significant reduction of its absolute and relative rhizome density and LAI at almost all sampling stations, absence of renovation of the meadow, and lower limit regression and overall worsening of the main conservation status indicators. However, appropriate management actions, such as the establishment of mooring buoy fields, supported the improvement of the P. oceanica status at the local scale with a significant increase in density and LAI and the presence of active stolonization processes, suggesting that mitigation actions can play a crucial role in the conservation of this habitat. On the contrary, local anthropogenic impacts, especially anchoring and coastal development, markedly affect the resilience of P. oceanica meadows to global stressors, such as climate change.

Short-Term Response of Deep-Water Benthic Megafauna to Installation of a Pipeline Over a Depth Gradient on the Angolan Slope

Large structures are introduced into deep-water marine environments by several industrial activities, including hydrocarbon exploitation. Anthropogenic structures can alter ecosystem structure and functioning in many marine ecosystems but the responses on continental margins are poorly known. Here, we investigate the short-term response of benthic megafauna to the installation of a 56 km-long 30 cm diameter pipeline on the Angolan Margin (Block 31) from 700 to 1800 m water depth using remotely operated vehicle imagery. Clear depth-related patterns exist in the density, diversity and community structure of megafauna observed in 2013 prior to pipeline installation. These patterns are altered in a subsequent survey in 2014, three-months after pipeline installation. Significant increases in density, particularly in mid-slope regions are observed. Diversity is generally, but not consistently, enhanced, particularly in the shallower areas in 2014. Clear changes are noted in community structure between years. These changes are primarily caused by increases in the abundance of echinoderms, particularly the echinoid Phormosoma sp. indet. There was no evidence of colonisation of the pipeline in three months by visible fauna. The few large anemones observed attached to the pipe may be able to move as adults. The pipeline appeared to trap organic material and anthropogenic litter, and may enhance available food resources locally as well as providing hard substratum. These results indicate complex and ecosystem-dependent responses to structure installation and caution against simplistic approaches to environmental management.

Pore-scale flow simulation of supercritical CO2 and oil flow for simultaneous CO2 geo-sequestration and enhanced oil recovery.

Recently, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) with enhanced oil recovery (EOR) have gained a significant traction in an attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Information on pore-scale CO2 fluid behavior is vital for efficient geo-sequestration and EOR. This study scrutinizes the behavior of supercritical CO2 (sc-CO2) under different reservoir temperature and pressure conditions through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, applying it to light and heavy crude oil reservoirs. The effects of reservoir pressure (20 MPa and 40 MPa), reservoir temperature (323 K and 353 K), injection velocities (0.005 m/s, 0.001 m/s, and 0.0005 m/s), and in situ oil properties (835.3 kg/m3 and 984 kg/m3) have been considered as control variables. This study couples the Helmholtz free energy equation (equation of state) to consider the changes in physical properties of sc-CO2 owing to variations in reservoir pressure and temperature conditions. It has been found that the sc-CO2 sequestration is more efficient in the case of light oil than heavy oil reservoirs. Notably, an increase in temperature and pressure does not affect the trend of sc-CO2 breakthrough or oil recovery in the case of a reservoir bearing light oil. For heavy oil reservoirs with high pressures, sc-CO2 sequestration or oil recovery was higher due to the significant increase in density and viscosity of sc-CO2. Quantitative analysis showed that the stabilizing factor (ε) appreciably varies for light oil at low velocities while higher sensitivity was displayed for heavy oil at high velocities.

Hepatic Macrophage Types Cluster with Disease Etiology in Chronic Liver Disease and Differ Compared to Normal Liver: Implications for Their Biologic and Diagnostic Role.

Introduction. Macrophages are phenotypically heterogeneous cells that play a vital role in hepatic fibrogenesis. We aimed to compare the macrophage profiles between normal livers and those with various chronic liver diseases in the precirrhotic fibrosis stage. Methods. Immunohistochemistry was performed for three macrophage markers (CD163, CD68, and IBA1) on 48 liver biopsies. Digital image analysis and automated cell count were used to calculate the densities of immunostained cells in two selected regions of interest: the periportal region and the perivenous region. Results. The absolute and relative densities of the macrophage phenotypes in relationship with zones and etiologies showed four distinct patterns by hierarchical cluster analysis: (1) no significant increase in the macrophage densities in either periportal or perivenous regions - nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; (2) significant increase in the selected macrophage densities in both periportal and perivenous regions - Hepatitis C; (3) significant increase in the macrophage densities only in periportal region - alcoholic liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and primary biliary cholangitis; and (4) significant increase in the densities of all types of macrophages in both periportal and perivenous regions - autoimmune hepatitis. Conclusions. There are distinct macrophage phenotypic and zonal geographic signatures correlating to etiologies of chronic liver disease in the precirrhotic stage.

Biofillers Improved Compression Modulus of Extruded PLA Foams

Foams produced with biobased materials, such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), cellulose, starch, and plant oil-based polyurethanes, have become more and more important in the circular economy. However, there are still significant challenges, including inferior performance and higher cost. The use of low-cost filler material has the potential to reduce the cost and alter the composite properties of biobased foams. By selecting biofillers derived from plant material, we can reduce the cost without sacrificing the compostability. This study explored the impact of landfill-diverted biofiller material, ground coffee chaff and rice hulls on the physical properties of biobased foams. Both biofillers were extrusion compounded with PLA, then extruded into rigid foams using a physical blowing agent. A filler concentration up to 10 weight % rice hull or 5 weight % coffee chaff could be incorporated without a significant increase in density, in comparison to the regular PLA foam. The thermal conductivity was similarly unaffected by biofiller loading, with values ranging between 71.5 and 76.2 mW/m-K. Surprisingly, the filler composite foams possessed impressive mechanical properties with all compressive moduli above 300 MPa. Only 5 weight % loading resulted in the doubling of compressive modulus, compared to the regular PLA foam. These results indicate that landfill-diverted fillers can strengthen foam mechanical properties without impacting thermal insulation performance, by forming reinforcing networks within the cell walls.