Experiment Study Research Articles

Public Preferences for Genetic and Genomic Risk-Informed Chronic Disease Screening and Early Detection: A Systematic Review of Discrete Choice Experiments.

Genetic and genomic testing can provide valuable information on individuals' risk of chronic diseases, presenting an opportunity for risk-tailored disease screening to improve early detection and health outcomes. The acceptability, uptake and effectiveness of such programmes is dependent on public preferences for the programme features. This study aims to conduct a systematic review of discrete choice experiments assessing preferences for genetic/genomic risk-tailored chronic disease screening. PubMed, Embase, EconLit and Cochrane Library were searched in October 2023 for discrete choice experiment studies assessing preferences for genetic or genomic risk-tailored chronic disease screening. Eligible studies were double screened, extracted and synthesised through descriptive statistics and content analysis of themes. Bias was assessed using an existing quality checklist. Twelve studies were included. Most studies focused on cancer screening (n = 10) and explored preferences for testing of rare, high-risk variants (n = 10), largely within a targeted population (e.g. subgroups with family history of disease). Two studies explored preferences for the use of polygenic risk scores (PRS) at a population level. Twenty-six programme attributes were identified, with most significantly impacting preferences. Survival, test accuracy and screening impact were most frequently reported as most important. Depending on the clinical context and programme attributes and levels, estimated uptake of hypothetical programmes varied from no participation to almost full participation (97%). The uptake of potential programmes would strongly depend on specific programme features and the disease context. In particular, careful communication of potential survival benefits and likely genetic/genomic test accuracy might encourage uptake of genetic and genomic risk-tailored disease screening programmes. As the majority of the literature focused on high-risk variants and cancer screening, further research is required to understand preferences specific to PRS testing at a population level and targeted genomic testing for different disease contexts.

Is a more physical representation of aerosol chemistry needed for fog forecasting?

AbstractWith the changing climate, the study of fog formation is essential due to the impact of the complexity of natural and anthropogenic aerosols. The evolution of the droplet size distribution in the presence of different aerosol species remains poorly understood. To make progress towards reducing the uncertainty of fog forecasts, the Eulerian–Lagrangian particle‐based small‐scale model for the diffusional growth of droplets is used to better understand the droplet activation and growth. The small‐scale model simulations are performed using observed data from the Winter Fog Experiment study over Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. The microphysical properties, such as droplet number concentrations (Nd) and liquid water content (LWC), important for fog simulation, are evaluated to gain more insights. The small‐scale simulations have shown the droplet microphysical properties at different evolutionary stages. The Nd and effective radius change with variations in LWC for different aerosol chemistries (i.e., organics, mix, and inorganic). The calculated visibility at small scale is also shown with the variation of Nd and LWC. This study compared visibility from an existing parametrization with parcel–direct numerical simulation calculation. The hygroscopicity , which is highly related to the activation of aerosols to condensation nuclei, is taken into account to demonstrate the contribution of aerosol chemistry to fog droplet formation. The results highlight that hygroscopicity is essential in the numerical model for fog and visibility prediction as the microphysical properties of fog are regulated by aerosol species.

Preparation and characterization of novel flame-retardant paint of substituted cyclodiphosph(V)azane sulfonomide and their Cu(II), Cd(II) metal complexes as new additives for exterior wood coating protection

The development of flame-retardant materials has become an important research direction. For the past dozen years, researchers have been exploring flame retardants with high flame-retardant efficiency, low toxicity, less smoke, or other excellent performance flame retardants. Therefore, this work aimed to synthesize new cyclodiphosph(V)azane derivatives and their Cu(II) and Cd(II) metal complexes and investigated their potential applications as high flame-retardant efficiency. Various techniques were used to characterize the prepared ligand H2L and its metal complexes, including elemental analyses, mass spectra, conductivity measurements, electronic spectral data UV–vis, FT-IR, 1H,13C-NMR, TGA, XRD, and molecular docking experiments studies were M. tuberculosis receptors (PDB ID: 5UHF) and the crystal structure of human topoisomerase II alpha (PDB ID: 4FM9). Wood-based paint was physically mixed with the ligand H2L and its metal complexes. The obtained results of mechanical characteristics of the dried paint layers were noticed to improve, such as gloss value, which ranged from 85 to 95, hardness 1.5–2.5 kg, adhesion 4B to 5B, and impact resistance, which improved from 1.3 to 2.5 J. Moreover, the obtained results of flame-retardant properties showed a significant retardant impact compared to the blank sample, such as ignitability, which includes the heat flux which increased from 10 to 25 kW/m2, and ignition time, ranging from 550 to 1200 s, respectively, and limiting oxygen index (LOI) (%) which has been increased from 21 to 130 compared with the plywood sample and sample blank. The ordering activity of the observed results was noticed that coated sample based on Cd(II) metal complexes > coated sample based on Cu(II) metal complexes of Cyclophosphazene ligand > coated sample based on phosphazene ligand H2L > coated sample without additives > uncoated sample. This efficiency may be attributed to (1) the H2L is an organophosphorus compound, which contains P, N, Cl, and aromatic six- and five-member ring, (2) Cu(II) and Cd(II) metal complexes characterized by high thermal stability, good stability, excellent performance flame retardants, and wide application.

Experiment study on particle pulverization-assisted convective air drying of sewage sludge

Sewage sludge drying is a pivotal step in sludge reduction, harmlessness, and resource utilization. Pulverizing sewage sludge can significantly increase the surface area of sludge particles available for contact with the air medium, consequently strengthening the convective drying process of the sludge. In this paper, the adopted deep drying system mainly combined sewage sludge pulverization and sewage sludge drying functions. Parametric studies were carried out to investigate the effects on the drying process. The moisture content of the sewage sludge decreased from 50.3% to 26.8% when the linear speed of the rotating blade tip of the pulverizing dryer and induced draft fan reached 28.3 m·s−1, 62.8 m−1, and air velocity reached 9.5 m·s−1, respectively. Furthermore, this work also preliminarily reveals the mechanism of the pulverizing dryer. The pores on the sludge particle surfaces are destroyed during the drying process. As the linear speed of the rotating blade tip in the pulverizing dryer increased, the hydrophilicity and the average particle size of the sewage sludge particles decreased, with the particle size representing the highest volume fraction being reduced by 62% in the particle size distribution. The pulverizing dryer not only breaks up the sludge to increase the surface area of the sludge in contact with the air but may also have a centrifugal effect. As the intensity of the pulverizing dryer increases, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements show a leftward shift in the peak of the weakly bound water in the sludge and a noticeable shortening of the transverse relaxation time. Overall, the results suggested that pulverizing is a suitable assistive method to improve the drying effect of the sewage sludge.

Experiment and numerical simulation study of polycarboxylate superplasticizer modified cemented ultrafine tailings filling slurry: Rheology, fluidity, and flow properties in pipeline

Understanding the rheological properties of cemented paste backfill is crucial for optimizing its flowability and ensuring the efficient transportation in mine site. Due to the superfine size, the high-concentration filling slurry prepared by ultrafine tailings (the mean size < 0.019 mm) usually exhibits poor flow performance. In this study, the polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCS) was adopted as an additive to modify cemented ultrafine tailings filling slurry. Experiment tests and numerical simulation were conducted to investigate effects of PCS dosages, solid and binder contents on rheological, fluidity, and flow performance. Results indicate that the PCS modified filling slurry conforms to Bingham model and shows shear-thinning behavior. As PCS dosage increases from 0 to 0.30 wt%, the yield stress gradually decreases, whereas the plastic viscosity initially increases then decreases. The electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance generated by PCS can disintegrate the floc structures formed by ultrafine particles, leading to more release of free water, and reducing interparticle friction, correspondingly, improving flowability of filling slurry. The optimal PCS dosage is determined as 0.15–0.25 wt% considering transportation requirement. For a given PCS dosage, the yield stress and plastic viscosity exhibit an exponential growth with solid content, while a continuous decline with binder content. Furthermore, the fluidity increases linearly and exponentially with PCS dosage for filling slurry at solid content of 59–62 wt% and 63 wt%, respectively. An exponential model is established to quantify the relationship between yield stress and fluidity, which provides a method for predicting rheological parameters. With addition of PCS dosage, the flow performance of filling slurry is enhanced significantly in transportation pipeline. The maximal flow velocities at the pipeline center increase, and those near the pipeline wall decrease. The findings afford a practical guidance for designing and optimizing materials proportions of PCS modified filling slurry to achieve the desired flowability in mine site.

Experimental study of a WEC array-floating breakwater hybrid system in multiple-degree-of-freedom motion

Installing an array of wave energy converters (WECs) on an existing breakwater is viable to reduce the high cost and improve the reliability of wave energy applications. The interaction between WECs and floating breakwater under multi-degree-of-freedom motion is crucial but not well investigated, especially the impact of WECs on the mooring system of the breakwater. This article fills this gap by experimentally studying a hybrid system consisting of a rectangle floating breakwater and an array of oscillating body WECs. The interactions between the WEC and the breakwater, the effect of the WEC bottom shape on the hybrid system, and the performance of the hybrid system in waves with different nonlinearities are investigated. Results indicate that the wave amplification effect of the breakwater improves the wave energy conversion performance of the WEC by up to 324.6%. As the WEC absorbs wave energy, the mooring forces of the breakwater in the pitch and surge directions decrease by up to 19.8% and 47.4%, respectively. When the incident wave height increases, the energy extraction performance of the hybrid system improves while the wave attenuation performance decreases. This study provides a reference for the practical application of WEC-breakwater hybrid systems and test data for the validation of numerical methods.

Experimental study on the static rolling friction coefficient of a flat-roller-flat configuration considering surface roughness

The friction-based seismic isolation technology is widely used in structural engineering. Despite the advantages and disadvantages of different types of isolated bearings, the coefficient of friction is a crucial factor that affects the seismic performance and stability of the isolation systems. In this study, a test apparatus with a flat-roller-flat configuration is developed to measure the static rolling friction coefficient (SRFC) of roller shafts. The SRFC under different conditions of normal load, material properties, geometry characteristics, and surface roughness are experimentally studied. The SRFC of the aluminum roller shafts ranges between 0.0020 and 0.0150, while that of the acrylic roller shaft ranges between 0.0028 and 0.0177, under low normal load level. The SRFCs of the roller shafts are positively correlated with the normal load and negatively correlated with their diameters. The surface roughness of the bottom plate significantly affects the SRFC. More precisely, the larger the surface roughness, the larger the SRFC. A theoretical model based on the elastic hysteresis theory is also proposed to predicted the SRFC. It is assumed that the elastic hysteresis loss coefficient (EHLC) is linearly correlated with the surface roughness of the bottom plate. Compared with the experimental results, the values predicted theoretically are within the error of 25 % for 85 % cases.

Does perceived greenwashing promote or inhibit ethical voice? Effects of moral disengagement and perceived competitive pressure

Based on the social cognitive theory of morality and considering employees’ perspectives, we build and test a mediated moderation model in which perceived greenwashing interacts with perceived inter-organizational competitive pressure to affect ethical voice through moral disengagement. We conducted a multisource time-lagged organizational field survey (Study 1) and two vignette-based experiments (Study 2 and 3) to test our hypotheses. Results show that perceived greenwashing negatively (positively) affects ethical voice through moral disengagement under high (low) perceptions of competitive pressure. Studies have indicated that when employees feel that their organizations are under greater competitive pressure, stress may cause them to suppress their objections to greenwashing through moral disengagement. These findings have implications for the social cognitive theory of morality and managers who aim to encourage ethical voice and discourage moral disengagement.

Experimental study of combustion efficiency and outlet temperature distribution characteristics of a combined evaporative flameholder

In ramjet engines and afterburners, combined stabilizers are employed to achieve effective flame stabilization. This paper designs a combined evaporative flame stabilizer, aimed at enhancing combustion performance and flame propagation under sub-atmospheric conditions. Combustion efficiency and outlet temperature distribution were experimentally studied under varying inlet Mach numbers, temperatures, pressures, and equivalence ratios. Results indicate that combustion efficiency increases with temperature from 600 K to 800 K, initially increases and then decreases with Mach number from 0.11 to 0.19, and decreases with pressure from 0.04 to 0.101 MPa. At an inlet temperature of 600 K, combustion efficiency drops from 55.84 % to 19.36 % as the fuel–air ratio (FAR) increases from 0.008 to 0.044, and then rises to 24.74 % at a FAR of 0.055. Similar outlet temperature distribution characteristics were observed under different inlet conditions. As the Mach number increases, the peak position of the outlet temperature gradually moves from the center to the lower wall. This study provides design guidance and engineering value for improving the combustion performance of flameholders in afterburners or ramjet engine combustion chambers.

CONTENT AND EXPORT OF N, P, K AND SI WITH MAIZE BIOMASS DEPENDING ON THE FERTILIZATION ON ALLUVIAL-MEADOW SOIL

The aim of the study in a pot experiment on Alluvial-meadow soil (Fluvisol, FAO) was to evaluate the effect of different rates and combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and silicon fertilizers on the growth of maize (Zea mays L.) an early hybrid Р-8834 from group 310 FAO “Syngenta”. The experiment included 16 variants of fertilization in 3 replications. Data were obtained on the yield of fresh and absolutely dry biomass of maize plants and the content of N, P, K and Si in the dry biomass was assessed. It was found that the concentrations and the export of the studied macroelements with the biomass were significantly influenced by the fertilization applied. Nitrogen export was the highest in the N200, N300 and N400 rate treatments, and in comparison with the export of the other investigated elements. The export of N, P, K, and Si with maize dry biomass corresponded to a significant extent the contents of the macroelements in it. With increasing fertilization rates, not only the content, but also the export of nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon increased. Regarding the potassium, this tendency was expressed to a less extent.

Sustainable potassium-doped graphene oxide from oak fruit agricultural waste for a synergistically improved nanofluid-surfactant slug for enhancing oil recovery

This study presents an eco-friendly solvothermal method for synthesizing potassium-doped graphene oxide (K-GO) from agricultural waste, specifically oak fruit. Various spectrographic analyses, including XRD, FTIR, Raman, and UV–Vis, confirmed the successful synthesis of graphene oxide. The synthesized K-GO was combined with different surfactants to create nanofluids to enhance oil recovery. Anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) demonstrated the best performance among the surfactants tested. When 250 ppm of K-GO was added to a 2500 ppm SDS solution, the surface tension was reduced by over 10 %. The study of zeta potential experiments validated that the K-GO-SDS nanofluid is compatible with sandstone reservoirs. Furthermore, the interfacial tension between the K-GO-SDS nanofluid and crude oil decreased by approximately 40 %. Batch adsorption studies showed that the combination of SDS and K-GO significantly reduced surfactant loss to reservoir surfaces by up to 32 %. Additionally, incorporating K-GO resulted in a notable improvement in wettability alteration, with contact angle measurements showing an improvement of over 20°. The sustainable synthesis of potassium-doped graphene oxide (K-GO) facilitates synergistic interactions with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), thereby optimizing the formulation of nanofluids for enhanced oil recovery applications. This combination demonstrates superior efficacy in accessing trapped oil compared to using surfactants alone, highlighting the significant potential of K-GO-SDS nanofluids in advancing oil recovery techniques.

HPR152 The Impact of Insurance Reform on Health Resource Utilization and Persistence for Chinese Patients With Crohn’s Disease, Taking Ustekinumab as an Example: Evidence From a Natural Experiment Study

HPR152 The Impact of Insurance Reform on Health Resource Utilization and Persistence for Chinese Patients With Crohn’s Disease, Taking Ustekinumab as an Example: Evidence From a Natural Experiment Study

PCR228 Healthcare Provider Preferences for Attributes of Influenza Vaccines in the United States: Results From a Discrete-Choice Experiment Study

PCR228 Healthcare Provider Preferences for Attributes of Influenza Vaccines in the United States: Results From a Discrete-Choice Experiment Study

Anisotropic Sensing Performance in a High-Sensitivity Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Based on Few-Layer Black Phosphorus.

Few-layer black phosphorus (FLBP) is a highly promising material for high sensitivity label-free surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors due to its exceptional electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. FLBP exhibits inherent anisotropy with different refractive indices along its two main crystal orientations, the zigzag and armchair axes. However, this anisotropic property is often overlooked in FLBP-based sensors. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of the SPR reflectivity and phase in a BK7-Ag-FLBP structure to understand the influence of the stacking sequence and the number of FLBP layers on the sensing performance. Clear resonant angle shifts caused by different stacking sequences of FLBP could be observed both theoretically and experimentally. In the theoretical study, the highest reflective and phase sensitivities were achieved with a 12-layer black phosphorus (BP) structure. The reflectivity sensitivity reached 287.9°/refractive index units (RIU) with the zz stacking 12-layer BP film exhibiting a sensitivity 76°/RIU higher than the ac stacking structure. Similarly, the phase sensitivity reached 1162°/RIU with the zz stacking 12-layer BP structure showing a sensitivity 276.9°/RIU higher than the ac stacking structure. The electric field distribution of the 12-layer BP structure with four different stacking sequences has also been analyzed. In the experiment study, the well-known Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) θ-2θ SPR setup is utilized to detect the reflectivity and phase of BK7-Ag-FLBP structures. The FLBP samples with the same thickness but different stacking sequences show significant resonant angle shift (0.275°) and maximum phase difference variation (34.6°). The FLBP sample thickness and crystal orientations have been demonstrated using the angular-resolved polarized Raman spectroscopy (ARPRS). These theoretical and experimental results provide strong evidence that the stacking sequences of FLBP have a significant impact on the sensing performance of SPR sensors. By harnessing the anisotropic properties of materials like FLBP, novel structures of anisotropic-2D material-based SPR sensors could open up exciting possibilities for innovative applications.

1909-LB: Patient Preferences for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Devices—A Discrete Choice Experiment Study of People Living with Type 2 Diabetes

1909-LB: Patient Preferences for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Devices—A Discrete Choice Experiment Study of People Living with Type 2 Diabetes

VALIO: Visual attention-based linear temporal logic method for explainable out-of-the-loop identification

The phenomenon of being Out-Of-The-Loop (OOTL) can significantly undermine pilots’ performance and pose a threat to aviation safety. Previous attempts to identify OOTL status have primarily utilized “black-box” machine learning techniques, which fail to provide explainable insights into their findings. To address this gap, our study introduces a novel application of Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) methods within a framework named Visual Attention LTLf for Identifying OOTL (VALIO), leveraging eye-tracking technology to non-intrusively capture the pilots’ attentional focus. By encoding Areas of Interest (AOIs) and gaze durations within the cockpit into Visual Attention Traces (VAT), the method captures the spatial and temporal dimensions of visual attention. It enables the LTL methods to generate interpretable formulas that classify pilot behaviors and provide insights into the understanding of the OOTL phenomenon. Through a case study of a simulated flight experiment, we compared the efficacy of this approach using different time windows from 10 s to 75 s. The results demonstrate that VALIO’s performance is stable across all time windows with the best F1 score of 0.815 and the lowest F1 of 0.769. And it significantly outperforms the other machine learning methods when using time windows shorter than 30 s, signifying its ability to detect the OOTL status more in-timely. Moreover, the VALIO elucidates pilot behaviors through the derivation of human-readable LTLf formulas, offering the explainability of the results and insights into OOTL characteristics. Overall, this research proposes the VALIO framework as an improvement for OOTL identification in both performance and explainability.

Fabrication of fluorinated triazine-based covalent organic frameworks for selective extraction of fluoroquinolone in milk

A novel fluorinated triazine-based covalent organic frameworks (F-CTFs) was designed and synthesized by using melamine and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroterephthalaldehydeas as organic ligands for selective pipette tip solid-phase extraction (PT-SPE) of amphiphilic fluoroquinolones (FQs). The competitive adsorption experiment and mechanism study were carried out and verified that this F-CTFs possesses favorable adsorption affinity for FQs. The abundant fluorine affinity sites endowed the F-CTFs high selectivity to FQs extraction through F-F interactions. The adsorption capacity of F-CTFs can reach up to 109.1 mg g−1 for enrofloxacin. The detailed characterization of the F-CTFs adsorbent involved the application of various techniques to examine its morphology and structure. Under optimized conditions, a method combining F-CTF-based PT-SPE with high-performance liquid chromatography (PT-SPE-HPLC) was established, which exhibited a broad linear range, excellent precision, and an impressively low limit of detection, and could be used for the determination of six FQs in milk, with LODs as low as 0.0010 μg mL−1. The recovery rates during extraction varied between 92.1% and 111.4%, exhibiting RSDs below 6.8% at different spiked concentrations.

Humid heat aging of biphenyl epoxy resin: a combined study of experiments and simulations

Epoxy resins are commonly used as external insulating materials for high-voltage outdoor applications. To improve the moisture and heat resistance of epoxy resin materials, this research carried out experimental tests and theoretical simulations on a variety of epoxy resin materials, including the biphenyl type. The theoretical simulation used the Materials Studio software to model the biphenyl epoxy resin and bisphenol A-type epoxy resin at different humidities. The simulation results show that the biphenyl epoxy resin has a higher glass transition temperature, at which the water molecules have a smaller root-mean-square displacement and a lower probability of forming hydrogen bonds. Experimental tests illustrated that biphenyl-type epoxy resins exhibit enhanced stability, lower hygroscopicity, and minimal changes in the permittivity in hot and humid environments. The agreement between the theoretical simulations and experimental tests indicates that the simulation calculation method is applicable to studying the hygrothermal resistance of epoxy resin materials. This study also lays the foundation for improving various aspects of the performance of epoxy resin materials through simulations, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the development of hygrothermal-resistant epoxy resins.

Applying Ethics in the Handling of Dual Use Research: The Case of Germany

With regard to the handling of dual use research, the dominant approach in Germany aimed at mitigating dual use risks emphasizes the freedom of research and the strengthening of academic self-regulation. This article presents this approach as one example for a framework for handling security-relevant research, underlines the need for awareness-raising about risks of security-relevant research, and, more generally, highlights some of the dilemmas researchers and legislators face when dealing with security-relevant research. The article furthermore presents the key questions developed by the German Joint Committee on the Handling of Security-Relevant Research to provide guidance for researchers and institutions when they address possible research of concern. It applies these key questions in a case study of a well-publicized experiment in which artificial intelligence and drug discovery technologies were used to determine their dual use potential in identifying highly toxic chemical substances. Moreover, it discusses the utility of the framework applied in Germany and concludes that this approach is practicable. Given the strong emphasis on the researchers’ own responsibility, however, awareness of dual use risks and risk mitigation strategies should be further enhanced and an academic culture of responsible handling of security-relevant research should be promoted.

Effect of 20 mph speed limits on traffic injuries in Edinburgh, UK: a natural experiment and modelling study

IntroductionThere is limited research evaluating 20 mph speed limit interventions, and long-term assessments are seldom conducted either globally or within the UK. This study evaluated the impact of the phased...