Total Mass Research Articles

GRB 221009A/SN 2022xiw: A Supernova Obscured by a Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglow?

We present optical photometry for the afterglow of GRB 221009A, in some respects the most extraordinary gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever observed. Good quality in the R-band light curve is obtained, covering 0.32–19.57 days since the Fermi-Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor trigger. We find that a weak bump emerges from the declining afterglow at t ≈ 11 days; a supernova (SN) may be responsible. We use a smooth broken power-law and 56Ni model to fit the light curve. The best-fitting results reveal that the SN ejected a total mass of M ej = 3.70 M ⊙, a 56Ni mass of M Ni = 0.23 M ⊙, and a kinetic energy of ESN,K=2.35×1052erg . We also compare GRB 221009A with other GRB–SN events based on a GRB-associated SN sample and find that only SN 2003lw and SN 2011kl can be obviously revealed in the afterglow of GRB 221009A by setting these objects at its distance. This suggests that a supernova (SN 2022xiw) is possibly obscured by the brighter afterglow emission from GRB 221009A.

Optimization research of salt pill in an ultra-low temperature adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator

Adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration is a crucial technology for cooling bolometric infrared detectors and cryogenic X-ray detectors in the sub-Kelvin temperature range (below 1 K). To improve the cooling performance and reduce the total mass of a four-stage continuous adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) (operating between 4 K and 50 mK) for future space missions, a two-dimensional transient ADR model has been developed. Through this model, the effects of salt pill’s aspect ratio on the cooling performance (holding-time) and total mass of the ADR have been studied. As the salt pill’s aspect ratio increased, the holding-time of ADR gradually decreased, while the total mass of the ADR firstly increased and then decreased. The optimal aspect ratios of stage 1 ∼ stage 4 ADRs have been 2.4, 2.2, 1.3 and 1.4, with efficiencies of 56.20 %, 82.78 %, 75.45 %, and 88.36 % respectively. Additionally, the effects of the thermal bus diameter and the volume ratio of magnetocaloric material in the salt pill have also been investigated. With a thermal bus diameter of 0.2 mm, the maximum holding-times achievable for stage 2, stage 3, and stage 4 ADRs have been 1711 s, 1832 s, and 4050 s, and the corresponding optimal number of thermal buses have been 459, 1957, and 505 respectively.

Relict soil evidence for post-Miocene aridification in the Atacama Desert of South America

Deep exposures of soil profiles on Miocene or Mio-Pliocene alluvial deposits were studied along a 500 km N-S transect in the Atacama Desert. These ancient deposits, with excellent surface preservation, now stand many meters above a broad incised Plio-Pleistocene alluvial terrain. Total geochemical analyses and mass balance calculations allowed the establishment of elemental gains, losses, and redistribution in the soils. From north to south (presently hyperarid to arid), the ancient soils reveal an increase in losses of rock-forming elements (Si, Al, Fe, K, Mg). Additionally, rare earth elements (REE) show losses with increasing southerly latitude and systematic patterns with soil depth. Some REEs appear to be unique chemical tracers of exogenous dust and aerosol additions to the soils. The removal of major elements and REEs is impossible in the present climate (one of salt and dust accumulation), revealing that for a significant period following the deposition of the alluvium, soils were exposed to rainfall, chemical weathering, and mass loss—with a geographical pattern that mirrors the present rainfall gradient in the region. Following the cessation of weathering, the pre-weathered soils have undergone enormous dust and salt accumulations, with the rates and types of salt accumulation consistent with latitude: (1) carbonate in the south and (2) sulfate, chlorides, and nitrates to the north. The quantity, and apparent rates, of salt accumulation have a strong latitudinal trend. Isotopes of sulfate have predictable depth patterns based on isotope fractionation via vertical reaction and transport. The relict hyperarid soils are geochemically similar to buried Miocene soils (ca. 10−9 Ma) in the region, but they differ from older Miocene soils, which formed in more humid conditions. The overall soil record for the Atacama Desert appears to be the product of changes in Pacific Ocean sea surface temperatures over time, and resulting changes in rainfall. The mid-Miocene was relatively humid based on buried soil chemistry and evidence of fluvial activity. The mid to late Miocene cooling (ca. 10−5.5 Ma) appears to have aridified the region based on paleosol soil chemistry. Pliocene to earliest Pleistocene conditions caused weathering of the relict soils examined here, and regional fluvial activity. Since the earliest Pleistocene, the region has largely experienced the accumulation of salts and, except for smaller scale oscillations (glacial-interglacial), has experienced protracted hyperaridity.

Evolution of Substrate for Ventricular Arrhythmias Early Postinfarction: Insights From a Porcine Ischemia-Reperfusion Model.

The evolution of myocardial scar and its arrhythmogenic potential postinfarct is incompletely understood. This study sought to investigate scar and border zone (BZ) channels evolution in an animal ischemia-reperfusion injury model using late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR). Five swine underwent 90-minute balloon occlusion of the mid-left anterior descending artery, followed by LGE-CMR at day (d) 3, d30, and d58 postinfarct. Invasive electroanatomic mapping (EAM) was performed at 2months. Topographical reconstructions of LGE-CMR were analyzed for left ventricular core and BZ scar, BZ channel geometry, and complexity, including transmurality, orientation, and number of entrances/exits. LVEF reduced from 48.0% ± 1.8% to 41.3% ± 2.3% postinfarct. Total scar mass reduced over time (P = 0.008), including BZ (P = 0.002) and core scar (P = 0.05). A total of 72 BZ channels were analyzed across all animals and timepoints. Channel length (P = 0.05) and complexity (P = 0.02) reduced progressively from d3 to d58. However, at d58, 64% of channels were newly formed and 36% were midmyocardial. Conserved channels were initially longer and more complex. All LGE-CMR channels colocalized to regions of maximal decrement on EAM, with significantly greater decrement (115 ± 31ms vs 83 ± 29ms; P< 0.001) and uncovering of split potentials (24.8% vs 2.6%; P< 0.001) within channels. In total, 3 of 5 animals had inducible VT and tended to have more channels with greater midmyocardial involvement and functional decrement than those without VT. BZ channels form early postinfarct and demonstrate evolutionary complexity and functional conduction slowing on EAM, highlighting their arrhythmogenic potential. Some channels regress in complexity and length, but new channels form at 2months' postinfarct, which may be midmyocardial, reflecting an evolving, 3-dimensional substrate for VT. LGE-CMR may help identify BZ channels that may support VT early postinfarct and lead to sudden death.

A light-fueled self-rolling unicycle with a liquid crystal elastomer rod engine

Active materials hold substantial potential for self-sustaining motion, however, the dependency on movable light or extensive area illumination in current structures often restricts the design and practical deployment of such active machines. In this study, we report a novel zero-energy-mode, self-rolling unicycle equipped with a liquid crystal elastomer rod engine, which fueled by a fixed, small-area light source. By employing an elaborate dynamic model for liquid crystal elastomer, we derive the lateral curvature of the liquid crystal elastomer rod and the driving moment necessary for the unicycle's self-rolling. The study results demonstrate that the self-rolling of the unicycle is driven by a moment induced by the shift in the center of gravity of the curved liquid crystal elastomer rod. Our numerical simulations indicate the presence of a supercritical Hopf bifurcation point delineating the transition between the self-rolling mode and the static mode within the unicycle system. Additionally, the rolling velocity of the unicycle relies on a handful of key system parameters, notably including light intensity, light penetration depth, length of the liquid crystal elastomer rod, rolling friction coefficient, total mass of the unicycle, and wheel radius of the unicycle. The experimental validation of a self-rolling unicycle with zero-energy-mode has been conducted. The self-rolling unicycle constructed in this paper has excellent characteristics of simple structure, zero-energy-mode, horizontal constant light source, and small area light source, providing valuable insights for the utilization of photoresponsive liquid crystal elastomer rods in soft robotics, medical devices, energy harvesting systems, and actuators.

On the Association of GW190425 with Its Potential Electromagnetic Counterpart FRB 20190425A

Recent work by Moroianu et al. has suggested that the binary neutron star (BNS) merger GW190425 might have a potential fast radio burst (FRB) counterpart association, FRB20190425A, at the 2.8σ level of confidence with a likely host galaxy association, namely UGC10667. The authors argue that the observations are consistent with a long-lived hypermassive neutron star (HMNS) that formed promptly after the BNS merger and was stable for approximately 2.5 hr before promptly collapsing into a black hole. Recently, Bhardwaj et al. conclusively associated FRB20190425A with UGC10667, potentially providing a direct host galaxy candidate for GW190425. In this work, we examine the multimessenger association based on the spacetime localization overlaps between GW190425 and the FRB host galaxy UGC10667 and find that the odds for a coincident association are O(5) . We validate this estimate by using a Gaussian process density estimator. Assuming that the association is indeed real, we then perform Bayesian parameter estimation on GW190425 assuming that the BNS event took place in UGC10667. We find that the viewing angle of GW190425 excludes an on-axis system at p(θ v > 30°) ≈ 99.99%, highly favoring an off-axis system similar to GRB 170817A. We also find a slightly higher source frame total mass for the binary, namely, mtotal=3.42−0.11+0.34M⊙ , leading to an increase in the probability of prompt collapse into a black hole and therefore disfavors the long-lived HMNS formation scenario. Given our findings, we conclude that the association between GW190425 and FRB20190425A is disfavoured by current state-of-the-art gravitational-wave analyses.

Dual-Parameter Prediction of Downhole Supercritical CO2 with Associated Gas Using Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) Neural Network

This research investigates the application of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) within carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies to enhance oil-well production efficiency and facilitate carbon storage, thereby promoting a low-carbon circular economy. We simulate the flow of supercritical CO2 mixed with associated gas (flow rates 3–13 × 104 Nm3/d) in a miniature venturi tube under high temperature and high-pressure conditions (30–50 MPa, 120–150 °C). Accurate fluid property calculations, essential for simulation fidelity, were performed using the R. Span and W. Wagner and GERG-2008 equations. A dual-parameter prediction model was developed based on the simulation data. However, actual measurements only provide fluid types and measurement data, such as pressure, temperature, and venturi differential pressure, to determine the liquid mass fraction (LMF) and total mass flow rate (m), presenting challenges due to complex nonlinear relationships. Traditional formula-fitting methods proved inadequate for these conditions. Consequently, we employed a Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) based neural network algorithm to address this issue. The LM optimizer excels in handling complex nonlinear problems with faster convergence, making it suitable for our small dataset. Through this approach, we formulated dual-parameter model equations to elucidate fluid flow factors, analyzing the impact of multiple parameters on the LMF and the discharge coefficient (C). The resulting model predicted dual parameters with a relative error for LMF of ±1% (Pc = 95.5%) and for m of ±1% (Pc = 95.5%), demonstrating high accuracy. This study highlights the potential of neural networks to predict the behavior of complex fluids with high supercritical CO2 content, offering a novel solution where traditional methods fail.

QUALITY OF BRAZILIAN SPINACH SEEDLINGS (Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R.Rr. ex DC.) IN REGIONAL SUMMAÚMA SUBSTRATE

The use of unconventional food plants is an alternative for diversification and promotion of food sovereignty. The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of spinach seedlings from the Amazon produced in samaúma substrate as conditioner. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse in the experimental garden of the Federal University of Acre, from November to December 2022. The experimental design was completely randomized, with three treatments and 30 repetitions, totaling 90 experimental units. The treatments were 3 substrates, as follows: T1 - Commercial substrate; T2 -commercial substrate + samaúma substrate (1:1) and T3 – samaúma substrate. At 30 days of cultivation, the following variables were evaluated: leaf length, leaf width, seedling height, stem diameter, total number of shoots, total number of leaves, number of leaves per shoot, root length, fresh mass of the part aerial part, fresh mass of roots, dry mass of aerial part, dry mass of roots, total fresh mass, total dry mass and the Dickson quality index was calculated. The combination of the commercial substrate with the samaúma substrate (1:1) is an alternative for the production of spinach seedlings from the Amazon.

The Relationships of Dust and Total Masses of Luminous Infrared Galaxies with Their Far Infrared and Total Luminosities Using Two Methods of Distance Measurements

This research aims to determine the nature of the relationships among luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) by using different methods of distance measurement (distance modulus “dm” and luminosity distance “dl”). We used data from the following sources: NASA Extragalactic Database (NED) and the HYPERLEDA database, where this data was used to study the nature of the relationships and the extent to which they relate to each other. The program (statistica-win-program) was employed, which helped us know the strength of the association between the variables. The results of the statistical analysis showed that there was a strong correlation between dust mass (Mdust dm &amp; Mdust dl) and luminous infrared (LFIRdm, LIRdm) &amp; (LFIRdl, LIRdl), where the partial correlation coefficient was equal to (R⋍0.7) and the slope was linear. There was also a positive correlation between (LFIRdm, LFIRdl)&amp; ( ) where the partial correlation coefficient was (R⋍0.4) with a linear slope. The relationship between (LIR)&amp; ( ) was a positive relation in the modulus distance case (dm), where its correlation was equal to (R⋍0.4), but in another case (luminosity distance), the relation was very weak, and the correlation was (R⋍0.2). The relationship between total masses ( ) &amp; (LFIRdm, dl­­) in both cases of distance (dm) &amp; (dl) was good, and the partial correlation coefficient was equal to (R⋍0.4) with a linear slope. The relationship between (LIR) &amp; ( ) in both cases of distance was also positive, and the partial correlation coefficient was equal to (R⋍0.3). There was an inverse relationship between the ratio fluxes (F100/F60) &amp; ( ), as well as a very tight partial correlation coefficient, which was equal to (R⋍-0.9) with a slope of (-1).

Clonal plasticity and trait stability may facilitate knotweed invasion in Europe

Abstract Invasive plant species pose significant ecological and economic threats due to their establishment and dominance in non-native ranges. Previous studies have yielded mixed results regarding the plants' adaptive mechanisms for thriving in new environments, and particularly, little is known about how the phenotypic plasticity of growth and defense-related traits may facilitate plant invasion. This study addressed these uncertainties by employing the aggressive weed Reynoutria japonica as a study model. We examined the differences in growth, defense-related traits, and biomass allocation between R. japonica populations from native and introduced ranges grown in two common gardens with distinct climate conditions. Our results demonstrated that while the introduced populations did not exhibit increases in height and total dry mass, nor reductions in leaf defense levels, their investment in leaf production was significantly higher compared to the native populations. Additionally, introduced populations displayed greater phenotypic plasticity in clonal ramet but less phenotypic plasticity in biomass production than native populations across varying environments. These findings highlight the roles of phenotypic plasticity and specific trait adaptations, such as clonality, in the successful invasion of R. japonica. This study has important implications for managing invasive plant species under changing environmental conditions.

The effect of the feed rate and revolutions of the cutting tool on the amounts of created chips in dust and respirable sizes from milling particleboards, and medium-density fibreboards

The CNC finish milling of wood-based materials creates chips in a wide size range, where considerable amounts were found even below &lt;10.0μm. The presented article studied the effect of technological variables on determined amounts of chips in dust sizes and respirable range from medium-density fibreboards (MDF) and particleboards (PTCB). The materials were milled at a constant width of cut (ae) by 1mm, with the feed speed (vf) in the range of 6, 8, 10, and 12m·min-1, and with revolutions of the cutting tool (n) in the range of 16,000; 18,000; and 20,000revs·min-1. In dust size, we cover chips in the size range below &lt;0.125mm, and respirable size below &lt;10.0μm. The dust sizes from collected chip samples were determined by sieve analysis with pre-defined mesh sizes by weighting the retained mass on specific sieves and with the laser analysis we estimated the amounts of chips in sizes &lt;10.0μm. The number of chips in the dust size ranged for MDF by 34.7-40.8w% and in PTCB by 38.1-54.7w%. Amount of chips in respirable size for MDF by 0.01-18% and for PTCB by 0.01-4.5% of the total mass volume. Increasing the (vf) from 6 to 12m/min significantly lowered amounts of Fine and chips in respirable size (p&lt;0.05) in PTCB, no matter on adjusted cutting tool (n). In MDF such effect was observed only with (n) 20000revs/min for respirable sizes.

Quasi-stars as a Means of Rapid Black Hole Growth in the Early Universe

JWST observations demonstrate that supermassive black holes (SMBHs) exist by redshifts z ≳ 10, providing further evidence for “direct collapse” black hole (BH) formation, whereby massive (∼103–5 M ⊙) SMBH seeds are generated within a few million years as a byproduct of the rapid inflow of gas into the centers of protogalaxies. Here we analyze the intermediate “quasi-star” phase that accompanies some direct-collapse models, during which a natal BH accretes mass from and energetically sustains (through accretion) an overlying gaseous envelope. We argue that previous estimates of the maximum BH mass that can be reached during this stage, ∼1% of the total quasi-star mass, are unphysical, and arise from underestimating the efficiency with which energy can be transported outward from regions close to the BH. We construct new quasi-star models that consist of an inner, “saturated convection” region (which conforms to a convection-dominated accretion flow near the BH) matched to an outer, adiabatic envelope. These solutions exist up to a BH mass of ∼60% of the total quasi-star mass, at which point the adiabatic envelope contains only 2% of the mass (with the remaining ∼38% in the saturated-convection region), and this upper limit is reached within a time of 20–40 Myr. We conclude that quasi-stars remain a viable route for producing SMBHs at large redshifts, which is consistent with recent JWST observations.

Application management of Codasal Plus 2000 on Italian Zucchini irrigated with saline water

Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) is one of the main economically important vegetables in Brazil, but its production is limited in semi-arid regions due to its water requirement. This study evaluated the effect of Codasal Plus 2000 in different application management on zucchini crops irrigated with saline water. The experiment was carried out at the Federal Rural University of Semi-Árido, Mossoró-RN. A randomized block design was adopted with two salinity levels of irrigation water (S1 - 0.5 dS m-1; S2 - 5.0 dS m-1) and six application managements of Codasal Plus 2000 ((M1 - Absence (H2O); M2 - every 7 days (2 L ha-1); M3 - every 7 days (4 L ha-1); M4 - every 14 days (4 L ha-1); M5 - every 14 days (8 L ha-1); M6 - every 14 days (6 L ha-1)). Growth and production variables were evaluated. Regardless of application management, the dry mass of the vegetative part, dry mass of the fruits and total dry mass reduced by an average of 34.16%, 49.29% and 21.78. %, respectively, at the highest salinity. In fruits, the number, fresh mass and productivity were reduced by 67.75%, 21.77% and 72.48%, respectively, at the highest salinity level. Codasal Plus 2000 was unable to mitigate the negative effects of saline water.

Discovery of a split stellar stream in the periphery of the small magellanic cloud

Abstract I report the discovery of a stellar stream (Sutlej) using Gaia DR3 proper motions and XP metallicities located ∼15○ north of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The stream is composed of two parallel linear components (“branches”) approximately ∼8○ × 0.6○ in size and separated by 2.5○. The stars have a mean proper motion of (μRA, μDEC)=(+0.08 mas yr−1,−1.41 mas yr−1) which is quite similar to the proper motion of stars on the western side of the SMC. The color magnitude diagram of the stream stars has a clear red giant branch, horizontal branch, and main sequence turnoff that is well-matched by a PARSEC isochrone of 10 Gyr, [Fe/H]=−1.8 at 32 kpc and a total stellar mass of ∼33,000 M⊙. The stream is spread out over an area of 9.6 square degrees and has a surface brightness of 32.5 mag arcsec−2. The metallicity of the stream stars from Gaia XP spectra extend over −2.5 ≤ [M/H] ≤ −1.0 with a median of [M/H]=−1.8. The tangential velocity of the stream stars is 214 km s−1 compared to the values of 448 km s−1 for the Large Magellanic Cloud and 428 km s−1 for the SMC. While the radial velocity of the stream is not yet known, a comparison of the space velocities using a range of assumed radial velocities, shows that the stream is unlikely to be associated with the Magellanic Clouds. The tangential velocity vector is misaligned with the stream by nearly 90○, which might indicate an important gravitational influence from the nearby Magellanic Clouds.

Mars Ascent Propellants and Life Support Resources - Take it or Make it?

Studies of Mars missions over the past thirty years lacked credible cost estimates, so the total mass of materiel delivered to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) was typically used as a rough measure of relative mission cost because the complexity of the mission was thought to be roughly proportional to the initial mass in LEO (IMLEO). Historically, high launch costs led to large investments in space hardware development which led to high space mission costs. Reducing mass became the central theme of space mission engineering. We are now entering a new era where launch costs no longer have the impact that they would have two decades ago. Launch costs are coming down to the point where we must ask ourselves whether it now makes sense to bring ascent propellants and life support resources from Earth (with higher reliability as a bonus), as opposed to using in situ propellant production and cycling of life support resources. This paper compares various options for bringing ascent propellants and life support resources from Earth vs. developing in situ. In short, it examines the “take it or make it” options for both technologies. For ISPP, the answer is clear: Mars ISPP is not worth the investment when launch costs are low. For life support, the most robust option is to bring life survival resources from Earth, and only use cycling to upgrade the quality of life for the crew.

Investigation of the stability of the extreme low mass ratio contact binaries SX Crv and XX Sex, which are analysed photometrically

The photometric analyses of the extreme low mass ratio contact binaries SX Crv and XX Sex were conducted in detail. Light curves of SX Crv and XX Sex were retrieved from TESS, and light curve analyses were performed simultaneously with radial velocities. The mass ratios for SX Crv and XX Sex were calculated as 0.077(1) and 0.099(2). The masses of the primary components account for about 90% of the total masses of the systems and were determined to be 1.256(48) M⊙ and 1.337(37) M⊙ for SX Crv and XX Sex, respectively. It has been observed that the orbital periods of both systems have increased. The orbital period change rate of SX Crv has been calculated to be 0.39 s per century, while that of XX Sex has been calculated to be 2.68 s per century. The orbital angular momentum (Jo) determined for both systems is more than 3 times the spin angular momentum (Js), and it can be said that the SX Crv and XX Sex systems are stable. The calculated instability separation (ains.) and instability mass ratio (qins.) values for both systems are smaller than those obtained in the analyses, which supports the stability. The estimated ages of the systems are 7.4 Gyr for SX Crv and 3.9 Gyr for XX Sex. logMtot – logJ and logTeff – logL diagrams were also interpreted to better understand the evolution of the extreme low mass ratio contact binaries.

The relationship of body composition with bone mineral density and 10-year probability of hip fracture in postmenopausal women

IntroductionPostmenopausal osteoporosis and fractures are widely prevalent. However, the relationship of body composition with bone health in this population remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of body composition with bone mineral density (BMD) and 10-year probability of hip fracture in postmenopausal women. Materials and MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study. A total of 1285 subjects were included in our study. Body composition and BMD were assessed using dual-energy X-ray densitometry. The 10-year probability of hip fracture of participants was calculated. All participants were categorized into four groups: sarcopenic-obese (SO) group, sarcopenic-nonobese (S) group, nonsarcopenic-obese (O) group, or nonsarcopenic-nonobese control (C) group. Multivariate analyses and binary logistic regression were conducted to explore the relationship of body composition with BMD and 10-year probability of hip fracture. ResultsParticipants in S group were 2.8, 4.7 and 4.8 times more likely to develop osteoporosis in the lumbar spine, the total hip and femoral neck sites, respectively. Lean mass was positively correlated with BMD, wherein lumbar spine BMD was significantly affected by appendicular lean mass, while total hip BMD and femoral neck BMD were mainly influenced by trunk lean mass. Total fat mass was positively associated with total hip and femoral neck BMD, but not with lumbar spine BMD. A significant correlation was observed between lean mass and 10-year probability of hip fracture. ConclusionChanges in body composition in postmenopausal women could affect bone health. A decrease in regional lean mass may be associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

Acetylated lignin sulfonate as a biodegradable coating for controlled-release urea fertilizer: A novel acetylation method and diffusion coefficient analysis

Plants require essential nutrients to grow, which soil alone cannot provide. Chemical fertilizers like urea supply the necessary nutrients, including nitrogen. They quickly dissolve in water and can contaminate it with nitrate and nitrite, which can cause diseases. Slow-release fertilizers are a better option to reduce environmental risks. Researchers are exploring cheap and biodegradable alternatives, such as lignin. A critical discussion in the coated urea fertilizer is modeling the nitrogen diffusion process in the coating, which predicts the system's behavior. This article uses lignin sulfonate to coat urea fertilizer, which should first be acetylated with decanoyl chloride. One of the critical parameters is the diffusion coefficient (D). D is determined using the mass transfer flux and the completion time of the effective substance, and with its help, the graph of the total mass transferred from the membrane in a specific time (Mt) is determined. D equals 6.298813 × 10−8 cm2/s using the time lag method. Also, with the fixed-point convergence method, 5.8849 × 10−8 cm2/s was obtained, which has about 0.80 % error with the D obtained by the time lag method. The Mt obtained from the analytical method and the experimental data coincides with a minimal error, which indicates high accuracy.

Bifidobacterium lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™) supplementation effects on body fat, serum triglyceride, and adipokine ratio in obese women: a randomized clinical trial.

Obesity is a common metabolic disease characterized by abnormal fat accumulation. It contributes to health issues, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dyslipidemia, necessitating continuous management through diet and physical activity. Probiotics, particularly Bifidobacterium lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™), have shown promise in positively regulating the gut microbiota. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effect of B. lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™) in obese women. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm study was performed in 99 volunteers with a body mass index (BMI) of 25-30 kg m-2. The participants were randomly assigned to probiotics (n = 49, >5.0 × 109 CFU day-1) or placebo (n = 50) groups. Body fat, lipid profiles, and adipokine levels were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, changes in total fat (placebo -0.16 ± 0.83 kg; probiotics -0.45 ± 0.83 kg; p = 0.0407), trunk fat (placebo -0.03 ± 0.50 kg; probiotics -0.22 ± 0.51 kg; p = 0.0200), and serum triglyceride concentration (placebo 13 ± 60 mg dL-1; probiotics -15 ± 62 mg dL-1; p = 0.0088) were significantly different between the groups. The difference in total fat mass change between groups among postmenopausal women was greater than that of all women. A significant positive correlation was found between the change in total fat mass and log leptin/adiponectin ratio (R = 0.371, p = 0.0112) in the probiotics group. In addition, BMI (26.6 ± 1.9 kg m-2 to 26.4 ± 2.0 kg m-2, p = 0.0009) and leg fat (42 ± 5% to 41 ± 5%, p = 0.0006) significantly decreased in the probiotics group after 12 weeks, but there was no difference in the placebo group. In conclusion, B. lactis IDCC 4301 (B. lactis Fit™) may be associated with body fat loss through changes in metabolic health parameters, such as serum triglyceride and adipokine levels. The clinical trial registry number is KCT0007425 (https://cris.nih.go.kr).

Adult patients with Laron syndrome tend to develop the metabolic syndrome

BackgroundThe metabolic Syndrome is the name of a cluster of abnormal clinical and metabolic states, which constitute a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. AimTo determine whether adult patients with Laron Syndrome with excessive obesity develop the characteristics of the Metabolic Syndrome. SubjectsOut of a cohort of adult patients with Laron Syndrome followed in our clinic, records of 23 patients (12 females, 11 males) were found to have sufficient data for analysis. MethodsThe degree of obesity was determined by the measurement of subscapular skinfold thickness (SSFT), BMI and total body DEXA. NAFLD was determined by liver ultrasonography, serum lipids including adiponectin leptin, insulin and glucose were assessed by radioimmunoassay. ResultsBoth female and male patients were markedly obese with 59% and 39% fat of the total body mass respectively, as were total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and adiponectin. Some had developed NAFLD. They also suffered from insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Eleven patients (3 females, 8 males) developed diabetes. All had varying degrees of hypertension. Eight subjects (3 females, 5 males) suffered from cardiovascular disease. One female died at aged 53 years, and two males died at ages 75 and 78 years. ConclusionWith advancing age and increasing obesity, adult patients with Laron Syndrome developed the characteristics of Metabolic Syndrome including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.