Total Volume Research Articles

INFLUENCE OF MODIFICATION ON PROPERTIES OF ZSM-5 ZEOLITE IN THE REACTION OF TOLUENE ALKYLATION WITH ISOPROPANOL

Bimetallic catalysts based on ZSM-5 zeolite modified with ytterbium and nickel have been prepared. The influence of the concentration of ytterbium (1.7–5.0 wt.%) and nickel (1.0–1.5 wt.%) on the acidic, textural and catalytic properties of the zeolite in the reaction of alkylation of toluene with isopropanol in the temperature range of 300–3500C was studied. It has been shown that the unmodified zeolite HZSM-5 exhibits low selectivity (54.6–58.2%) for isopropyltoluenes (3-IPT, 4-IPT, and 2-IPT) than the modified catalysts. In addition, the content of the valuable 4-IPT isomer does not exceed 44.2%. Modification of HZSM-5 with ytterbium in an amount of 5.0 wt.% leads to an increase in the selectivity for isopropyltoluenes up to 68.7%, and the selectivity for 4-IPT up to 68.8%. Additional modification of the 3%-Yb-HZSM-5 catalyst with nickel in the amount of 1.0 wt.% prevents the formation of 2-IPT and promotes an increase in the yield of 4-IPT. The modified catalysts were characterized by XPA, BET, BJH, and ammonia TPD. Modification, calcination, and successive treatment of the catalyst with air and hydrogen leads to a dispersed distribution of Yb2O3 and metallic nickel oxide nanoparticles in the outer surface and in the pores of the zeolite, which causes a decrease in the specific surface area, total pore volume, and an increase in the fraction of mesopore volume. As a result of the interaction of modifiers with acidic OH groups of the zeolite, the concentration of strong Brønsted acid sites decreases and new, stronger Lewis acid sites form. All this has a decisive effect on the selectivity of 4-IPT formation and the stability of the bimetallic catalyst. The maximum selectivity for 4-IPT on a 3% Yb 1.0% Ni/HZSM-5 bimetallic catalyst is achieved at 3300C and is 71.5% at a toluene conversion of 24.6%.

Enhancing Volumetric Stability of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Composites with Organic Modifiers WER and SCA

Shrinkage during hardening and curing is one of the largest challenges for the widespread application of metakaolin-based geopolymers (MKGs). To solve this problem, a silane coupling agent (SCA) and waterborne epoxy resin (WER) were used to synthesize MKG composites. The individual and synergistic effects of the SCA and WER on chemical, autogenous, and drying shrinkage were assessed, the modification mechanisms were investigated by microstructural characterization, and shrinkage resistance was evaluated by the chloride ion permeability of MKG composite coatings. The results showed that the SCA and WER significantly decreased the chemical shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, and drying shrinkage of the MKG, with the highest reductions of 46.4%, 131.2%, and 25.2% obtained by the combination of 20 wt% WER and 1 wt% SCA. The incorporation of the organic modifiers densified the microstructure. Compared with the MKG, the total volume of mesopores and macropores in MKG-WER, MKG-SCA, and MKG-WER-SCA decreased by 11.5%, 8.7%, and 3.8%, respectively. In particular, the silanol hydrolyzed from the SCA can react with the opened epoxy ring of the WER and the aluminosilicate oligomers simultaneously to form a compact network and resist shrinkage during the hardening and continuous reaction of the geopolymer. Furthermore, the apparently lowered chloride ion diffusion coefficient of concrete (i.e., reduction of 51.4% to 59.5%) by the WER- and SCA-modified MKG coatings verified their improved shrinkage resistance. The findings in this study provide promising methods to essentially solve the shrinkage problem of MKGs at the microscale and shed light on the modification mechanism by WERs and SCAs, and they also suggest the applicability of MKG composites in protective coatings for marine concrete.

Characterization of spatiotemporal distribution of gas in the goaf of W-type ventilated working face

In order to solve the problem of gas over limit near the return air trough of W-type ventilated working face, a method combining numerical simulation and on-site measurement was used to study the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of gas in the goaf under the W-type ventilated mode, and the reliability of the model was verified. Delineate the gas-rich area and suitable pumping area in the goaf, by analyzing the pumping of the top plate high-level directional borehole in the area, optimize the best layout of the top plate high-level directional borehole. The results show: The gas concentration in the goaf gradually increases from shallow to deep in the direction, and increases rapidly in the range of 0–75 m; in the direction of inclination, it is approximately symmetrically distributed along the axis of the return air trough, and gradually decreases toward the air inlets on both sides. The gas concentration in the middle area of the working face is higher than 0.85%; in the vertical direction, the further away from the coal seam roof, the higher the gas concentration, but the growth rate decreases, and the range of high gas concentration gradually expands. The gas concentration of the goaf reflected by the changes in the concentration of the working face has gradually increased in the early stages of mining. and then changes periodically with the cycle of roof pressure in the later stage. There is a strong correlation between the amount of gas emission the goaf and the mining speed of the working face. The regularity of the simulation result is the same as the regularity of the measured results, and the absolute value of the relative error is within 10%, that the concentration of extraction from high-level directional borehole increases with the height of the arrangement, mixed and pure volume decreases with the height of the arrangement. Comparison of the average mixed volume, concentration, pure volume and total extraction volume of each high-level directional borehole, it can be seen that the average pure volume from 3#holes is 3.9 times higher than that from 1#holes, and the total extraction volume accounts for 29% of the total extraction volume from the drill site, it is obtained that the best layout of the high-level directional boreholes of the 3203 working face is between 25 and 35 m above the top board. During the high-level drilling period, the gas concentration in the return air trough was between 0.42% and 0.75%, which effectively prevented the occurrence of gas over limit accidents.

Foam control in lakes and sewage receiving water bodies: A pre-emptive approach using decentralized inline water treatment design

Hideous and persistent foams on surface water bodies are global issues with far-reaching environmental consequences. This study examines Bellandur Lake (Bengaluru, India) plagued by foam since 2005 due to surfactant-laden untreated sewage ingress. Bellandur Lake receives 258 million liters of inadequately treated sewage daily, constituting 47% of its total volume. Yearlong water quality monitoring reveals that a) high surfactant levels (up to 17.8 ± 1 ppm) and b) prevalent anoxic conditions at lake inlets. Laboratory experiments show that controlled aeration achieved >90% surfactant degradation within 30 h at 3.5 ppm of dissolved oxygen conditions, indicating the need for an aeration chamber design based on the required residence time for inline water treatment. Based on these findings, a design of an inline wastewater treatment system to be installed at sewage entry points into the lake is presented in this work. The inline system was based on experimentally validated BioWin software. Simulations show that recirculating sludge enhances treatment efficiency, achieving effective surfactant degradation in 20 h (2/3rd original time) of residence time. Predictions suggest <1 ppm surfactant levels in the receiving water body, meeting local discharge norms to prevent frothing. This holistic approach, proposed for the first time, could serve as a blueprint for managing foam-related challenges in other waterbodies, offering insights into design, stakeholder engagement, and process optimization.

Nanoarchitectonics of zinc nickel ferrites by the hydrothermal method for improved structural and magnetic properties

We report the structural and magnetic properties of zinc-nickel ferrites (ZNF), Zn1−xNixFe2O4, nanoparticles synthesized by the hydrothermal method with 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0. The X-ray powder diffraction of Zn1−xNixFe2O4 shows the formation of a single spinel phase of ZnFe2O4 or NiFe2O4. The lattice parameter and unit cell volume decreased slightly as the x ratio increased, whereas the average crystallite size ranged from 9.55 to 22.7 nm. The nanoparticles’ morphology consists of small cubic and spherical particles with an average size increasing up to x = 0.6 and dropping at further increases of x. The assigned peaks obtained by the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy at 556–592 cm−1 verified the formation of metal (Zn, Ni, and Fe) oxides. The surface area, pore radius, and total pore volume were estimated using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) theories and found to be dependent on the composition of the synthesized nanoferrites. Interestingly, we observed the largest surface area, SBET, of 264 ± 28 m2 g−1 at x = 0.6, which is three times higher than the other samples. The Zn1−xNixFe2O4 nanoferrites exhibited ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature with a saturation magnetization between 30.3 ± 0.01 and 126 ± 0.07 emu g−1. We found a possible link between maximum retentivity, corrective filed, and squareness with the surface area, especially at x = 0.6. The magnetic behavior at x = 0.4 could be attributed to the sample’s larger crystallite/particle sizes as compared to the other samples. Our results of the synthesized Zn1−xNixFe2O4 nanoparticles demonstrate the wide applicability of the ZNF nanostructures in magnetic storage as well as other applications that demand ferrite materials with a larger surface area.

Unravelling upright events: a descriptive epidemiology of the behavioural composition and temporal distribution of upright events in participants from the 1970 British Cohort Study

BackgroundContinued proliferation of accelerometers in physical activity research has opened new avenues for understanding activity behaviours beyond simple aggregate measures of frequency and duration. This study explores the standing and stepping composition, and the temporal distribution, of upright events, and investigates their associations with sociodemographic and health factors.MethodsParticipants from the 1970 British Cohort Study wore activPAL3 accelerometers for seven days. Event-based analysis was used to extract a time series of upright, standing, and stepping events. Derived metrics included daily number of upright and stepping events, total upright and stepping time, the burstiness of upright events and burstiness of sedentary events (burstiness refers to the pattern of how physical activity and sedentary behaviour are distributed throughout a given time period), within-event stepping proportion, within-event step count, and stepping cadence. Generalized linear regression models, adjusted for total step count, were employed to explore associations between derived metrics and sociodemographic and health-related factors.ResultsA total of 4527 participants, provided 30992 valid days (≥ 10 h of waking wear) and 1.64 million upright events. Upright event composition and temporal distribution varied across a range of sociodemographic and health-related factors. Females had more upright events than males (4.39 [3.41,5.38] n), spent more time upright, and exhibited burstier patterns of upright events (0.05 [0.04,0.05] Bn). Individuals with higher BMI had fewer upright events and a lower daily step count, but their temporal distribution of upright events was less bursty (overweight -0.02 [-0.02,-0.01] Bn; obese -0.03 [-0.04,-0.02] Bn), and upright events had a higher step count. People in active occupations were upright for longer, displayed burstier patterns of upright events (standing 0.04 [0.03,0.05] Bn; physical work 0.05 [0.04,0.05] Bn; heavy manual 0.06 [0.04,0.07] Bn), with more variable durations and shorter, slower paced stepping events compared with sedentary occupations.ConclusionsThis study has revealed novel phenotypes of standing and sitting that go beyond simple aggregate measures of total steps, step event duration or time between events. People with the same volume of stepping and frequency of gaps between upright events can accumulate their steps in very different ways. These differences and associations with population sub-groups, which persisted after adjustment for total stepping volume, may have important relations with functional and health outcomes. The findings lay the groundwork for future studies to investigate how different sitting and standing phenotypes can add to our understanding of the relationship between physical activity and health.

Numerical simulation study of the effect of nonlinear side blowing on the flow of gas-liquid two-phase flow

Abstract The hydrodynamic and stirring characteristics of gas-slag-copper matte three-phase in side-blowing melt pool melting were numerically simulated using a combination of the volume of fluid (VOF) model in computational fluid dynamics and the realizable k-ε turbulence model. The study obtained macroscopic flow and gas-liquid two-phase distribution information of the flow field in the melting process. It also examined the effects of isokinetic blowing and nonlinear blowing on the fluid velocity, penetration depth, gas content, and turbulent eddy volume of the flow field, and compared the results. The results indicate that, for the same total gas volume, constant velocity blowing (CVS) inadequately agitates the molten pool, resulting in a large stirring dead zone within the flow field. In contrast, nonlinear blowing enhances the fluid velocity overall. Specifically, sinusoidal variable speed blowing (SWS) and rectangular variable speed blowing (RWS) reduce the stirring dead zone area by 79  and 73.5 %, respectively. This is attributed to the increase in maximum penetration depth and slag phase gas content, as well as the decrease in gas escape during nonlinear blowing. The vortex volume over the total calculated time for the three conditions is enhanced by 6.7  and 1.1 % for SWS and RWS, respectively. Additionally, the turbulent kinetic energy of the fluids is increased by 18.7  and 17 %, respectively.

Correction of lower limb lymphedema in patients with cervical cancer after combination treatment: A case report

Lymphedema is the tissue fluid accumulation that arises as a consequence of impaired lymphatic drainage. Secondary lower limb lymphedema after surgery in cervical cancer is a result of combined antitumor treatment and significantly reduces the quality of life. The management of lymphedema by physical therapists usually includes a combination of skin care, physiotherapy, external pressure, exercise, and massage. This case report describes the course of treatment for a 53-year-old female with stages IIIB secondary lymphedema. The goal of physical therapy intervention was as restoration of the functionality of the affected lower limb. The rehabilitation tasks were as to reduce total limb volume, return of the stereotype of gait, decrease in the level of anxiety. Decongestive lymphedema therapy was effective in treating this patient with secondary lymphedema of the lower extremities. Although the goal of rehabilitation was partially achieved, the patient was discharged from the hospital in a good mood, her anxiety level decreased, her gait stereotype improved, and her endurance increased. Improving the functionality of the limb, improving its appearance had a positive impact on the quality of life and allowed her to return to work. This case report testifies to the effectiveness of complete decongestive therapy even in the case of severe lymphedema. The clinical result of such rehabilitation programs makes it possible to increase the adaptive potential and social independence of cancer patients.

[Association between the change in the job facilitating and inhibiting factors of care staff due to the employment of older assistant workers and the emotional exhaustion among care staff].

Objectives　The mental health condition of care staff in Japan is becoming problematic. Older assistant workers are currently being employed to assist care staff with their jobs and alleviate their job burden. This employment of older assistant workers is drawing attention; however, their influence on the job facilitating and inhibiting factors of care staff and the association with the care staff's emotional exhaustion remains unclear. In this study, we aim to examine how the employment of older care assistant workers relates to the job-facilitating and job-inhibiting factors of care staff and explore that association with the care staff's emotional exhaustion.Methods　Data from a mail survey of geriatric health services facilities with older assistant workers were analyzed. Among the answers obtained from the care staff, answers from 5,185 who reported working in facilities that employ older assistant workers (over the age of 60) were analyzed. The Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Japanese Version of the Burnout Questionnaire was used as the dependent variable. The change in job-facilitating and job-inhibiting factors of care staff due to the employment of older assistant workers (improve, maintain/exacerbate) was explored for nine contents.Results　Care staff reported a decrease in the total volume of the task (63.6%), less stress during daily tasks (39.8%), and more concentration on the tasks that require expert care knowledge (38.0%). The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the emotional exhaustion score of care staff was low when the total volume of tasks decreased (β=－0.383, 95%CI=－0.719, －0.047), when less stress was perceived during daily tasks (β=－0.432, 95%CI=－0.796, －0.068), when concentration on tasks that required expert care knowledge increased (β=－0.574, 95%CI=－0.937, －0.210), and when human relationships among staff improved (β=－0.871, 95%CI=－1.263, －0.480). Conversely, an increase in tasks requiring work with regional personnel and organizations (β=0.800, 95%CI=0.162, 1.437) was associated with a high emotional exhaustion score.Conclusion　The employment of older care workers was related to the job-facilitating or job-inhibiting factors of care staff, and the change in these factors was associated with lower emotional exhaustion. The employment of older personnel may lower the risk of burnout among care staff.

Method of parametric optimization of hydraulic structures for subzero temperatures

A method for optimizing design and geometric parameters using a "simplified" simulation of the water-cooling process is presented. This method allows solving the issues of operational manufacturability in the aspect of creating energy- and resource-saving constructions of water storage tanks. In the study to determine the size of underground and above-ground parts of the water storage tank the criterion of heat loss minimization is accepted and the mathematical model of water heat exchange with the ground under the condition of its homogeneity and stationarity of the thermal regime is compiled. The relationship between the height and the radius of the underground part at the minimum value of the heat transfer coefficient from water to the ground through the metal wall is established. Using the heat balance equation, an analytical expression is found that determines the aboveground fluid temperature for any instant of time. On the basis of the theory of differential calculus the condition of minimality of the cooling rate of water, which gives up heat through the side walls to the environment and air space under the roof of the vessel, was revealed, which made possible to optimize the size of its above-ground part. The relationship of the radius and the total volume of the water holding capacity was determined for the average values of ambient temperature and wind speed recorded in the region of the research. The developed algorithm of the method of "simplified" modeling and its representation in the form of a block diagram can be implemented at digitalization of calculation-analytical procedures for selection of structural and geometrical parameters of the vessel according to the criterion of minimum heat losses. The functions of the radius and the height of the underground and above-ground parts of the vessel from the argument of its total volume are graphically illustrated.

Effects of ingesting beverages containing glycerol and sodium with isomaltulose or sucrose on fluid retention in young adults: a single-blind, randomized crossover trial.

We evaluated changes in hyperhydration and beverage hydration index (BHI, a composite measure of fluid balance after consuming a test beverage relative to water) during resting, induced by the consumption of beverages containing glycerol and sodium supplemented with fast-absorbing sucrose or slow-absorbing isomaltulose. In a randomized crossover, single-blinded protocol (clinical trials registry: UMIN000042644), 14 young physically active adults (three women) consumed 1L of beverage containing either 7% glycerol+0.5% sodium (Gly+Na), Gly+Na plus 7% sucrose (Gly+Na+Suc), Gly+Na plus 7% isomaltulose (Gly+Na+Iso), or water (CON) over a 40min period. We assessed the change in plasma volume (ΔPV), BHI (calculated from cumulative urine output following consumption of water relative to that of the beverage), and blood glucose and sodiumfor 180min after initiating ingestion. Total urine volume was reduced in all beverages containing glycerol and sodium compared to CON (all P≤0.002). The addition of isomaltulose increased BHI by ∼45% (3.43±1.0vs. 2.50±0.7 for Gly+Na, P=0.011) whereas sucrose did not (2.6±0.6, P=0.826). The PV expansion was earliest for Gly+Na (30min), slower for Gly+Na+Suc (90min), and slowest for Gly+Na+Iso (120min) with a concomitant lag in the increase of blood glucose and sodium concentrations. Supplementation of beverages containing glycerol and sodium with isomaltulose but not sucrose enhances BHI from those of glycerol and sodium only under a resting state, likely due to the slow absorption of isomaltulose-derived monosaccharides (i.e., glucose and fructose).

The impacts of CaCO3 deposition in natural wood on its viscoelastic properties

In this study, we discuss the methods used for depositing calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and the resulting 2D and 3D particle distributions of CaCO3 in two types of wood, which were quantified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray computed tomography (CT). We also present the results of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), which was used to measure the impact of CaCO3 deposition on the viscoelastic properties of the wood. X-ray CT scanning showed that CaCO3 deposits inside the wood scaffold with increased amounts as the deposition cycles were iterated. However, DMA results did not indicate significant improvement in storage moduli (E′) of CaCO3 deposited wood. SEM images revealed that the particles did not fill all the voids to provide stress transfer between the wood scaffold and the particles, indicating a lack of composite action between the wood and CaCO3 components. To address this issue, we hypothesized that heat-pressing would lead to a mechanical bond between the particles and the matrix. After heat-pressing, DMA results showed a dramatic increase in E′ not only in CaCO3 deposited wood samples but also in control wood samples. In other words, the densification of the structure led to significant increases in E′, primarily due to densification, while the impact of the presence of CaCO3 particles was minimal. This is mainly because the volume fraction of the deposited CaCO3 particles is small as compared to the total volume of the composite.

Effect of silica fume on fracture analysis, durability performance and embodied carbon of fiber-reinforced self-healed concrete

Nowadays concrete industry is trying to develop sustainable and energy efficient materials. One of the techniques is to develop crack free concrete. Therefore, this study focusses on the use of different supplementary materials like silica fume as substitute of cement to characterize the self-healing capacity of fiber-reinforced concrete in order to produce crack free concrete. The employed concrete consists of cement Type-I, synthetic fibers of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) type with 0.5 % by the total volume of the mix, and two different types of self-healing materials. Cement was replaced by silica fume (SF) up to 15 % with an increment of 2.5 %, sand passing from sieve # 16 and CA of size 12 mm was used to produce high-strength concrete. Three-point bending test and microscopic examination were used to investigate the role of fibers on the self-healing efficiency of fiber-reinforced concrete specimens. Specimens were pre-cracked in the range of 50–100 μm at 14 days of curing and then, placed in water for 14, 56-days water condition to assess the effect of self-healing. Digital high-range microscope was used to measure crack width after pre-cracking and at the end of every exposure duration. After the specified exposure duration, specimens were microscopically observed again to check the crack healing and re-loaded up to final failure. Outcomes were taken in terms of peak load increase value after healing stage (FCPL), controlling crack propagation due to healing effect termed as (IFTR), effect of cracking on fracture energy in terms of (IFER) and Embodied Carbon and Embodied Energy. It was found from test results that the healing efficiency in terms of FCPL, IFTR, and IFER was improved, due to the use of silica fume as it has lower surface area then OPC, which triggers healing rate faster by accumulation of healed produces near crack surface in early age. Furthermore, durability performance in terms of embodied carbon and embodied energy is also reduced because of full-crack healing, which shows profound healing effect.

Hard and soft tissue alterations using dual-zone concept versus connective tissue graft at maxillary immediate implant placement: A 1-year randomized clinical and volumetric trial.

To evaluate the esthetic outcome, as well as clinical, radiographic, and volumetric tissue alterations 1 year after immediate implant placement (IIP) with connective tissue grafting (CTG) versus dual-zone concept (DZ) at sites with thin labial bone in the esthetic zone. This randomized clinical trial included 30 patients treated with IIP simultaneous with either CTG or DZ (n = 15 each). Pink esthetic score (PES) was assessed 6 months after crown placement as the primary outcome. Amount of bone labial to the implant, labio-palatal ridge reduction, and crestal bone changes were measured via CBCT after 1 year. Volumetric analysis of linear labial soft tissue contour, interdental, and mid-facial soft tissue level changes, and total volume loss (mm3 ) were measured after 1 year. Similar PES was observed in the CTG (12.53 ± 1.13) and DZ (12.13 ± 1.55) groups, with no significant difference (p = 0.42). Likewise, there were no statistically significant differences found between the two groups in labio-palatal bone reduction (mm&%), interdental papillae, and mid-facial gingival levels (p > 0.05). However, the mean vertical crestal bone changes in the CTG and DZ groups were -1.1 ± 0.6 mm and 0.2 ± 1.0 mm, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0002). Moreover, CTG revealed less linear and total volume (mm3 ) loss in the labial soft tissue which was statistically significant compared to DZ (p = 0.007). Both groups demonstrated the same PES, nevertheless, volumetric analysis revealed twice total labial volume loss in DZ compared to CTG. It might be concluded that the use of CTG with IIP caused less horizontal reduction in the supra-implant complex compared to the DZ.

Evaluation of therapeutic effect and prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in different treatment nodes of DLBCL patients.

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the role of baseline (B), interim (I) and end-of-treatment (Eot) 18F-FDG PET/CT in assessing the prognosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), so as to identify patients who need intensive treatment at an early stage. A total of 127 DLBCL patients (62 men; 65 women; median age 62years) were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Baseline (n = 127), interim (n = 127, after 3-4 cycles) and end-of-treatment (n = 53, after 6-8 cycles) PET/CT images were re-evaluated; semi-quantitative parameters such as maximum standardized uptake value of lesion-to-liver ratio (SUVmax(LLR)) and lesion-to-mediastinum ratio (SUVmax(LMR)), total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) and total metabolic tumor volume (TLG) were recorded. ΔTLG1 was the change of interim relative to baseline TLG (I to B), ΔTLG2 (Eot to B). ΔSUVmax and ΔTMTV were the same algorithm. The visual Deauville 5-point scale (D-5PS) has been adopted as the major criterion for PET evaluation. Visual analysis (VA) and semi-quantitative parameters were assessed for the ability to predict progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) by using Kaplan-Meier method, cox regression and logistic regression analysis. When visual and semi-quantitative analysis are combined, the result is only positive if both are positive. At a median follow-up of 34months, the median PFS and OS were 20 and 32months. The survival curve analysis showed that advanced stage and IPI score with poor prognosis, ΔSUVmax(LLR)1 < 89.2%, ΔTMTV1 < 91.8% and ΔTLG1 < 98.8%, ΔSUVmax(LLR)2 < 86.4% were significantly related to the shortening of PFS in patient (p < 0.05). ΔSUVmax(LLR)1 < 83.2% and ΔTLG1 < 97.6% were significantly correlated with the shortening of OS in patients (p < 0.05). Visual analysis showed that incomplete metabolic remission at I-PET and Eot-PET increased the risk of progress and death. In terms of predicting recurrence by I-PET, the combination of visual and semi-quantitative parameters showed higher positive predictive value (PPV) and specificity than a single index. Three to four cycles of R-CHOP treatment may be a time point for early prediction of early recurrence/refractory (R/R) patients and active preemptive treatment. Combined visual analysis with semi-quantitative parameters of 18F-FDG PET/CT at interim can improve prognostic accuracy and may allow for more precise screening of patients requiring early intensive therapy.

Impact of foreign trade and foreign direct investment on economic growth: Empirical insights from Nepal

This study aims to examine the impact of foreign trade and foreign direct investment on Nepal’s long-term economic growth. It uses secondary data from 1989/90 to 2021/22 collected from various economic surveys of the Ministry of Finance of Nepal. Descriptive and explanatory research designs are used in this study. The trace, max-eigen tests, and fully modified least square methods search the long-run co-integration and impact between response and predictor variables. Trace and max-eigen tests consistently point toward the long-run co-integration between dependent (gross domestic product) and independent (import, export, total trade, and foreign direct investment) variables. Exports and imports are found to be negative and statistically significant to explain Nepal’s economic growth. One unit increase in exports results in a 0.748 unit decrease in Nepal’s economic growth. Similarly, total trade volume and foreign direct investment positively impact economic growth. Each unit increase in foreign direct investment results in a 0.0036 unit increase in GDP in Nepal. Foreign trade has a multiplier effect on Nepal’s GDP growth. The 76.35 percent variation in economic growth depends upon total foreign trade volume, exports, imports, and foreign direct investment. To promote sustainable economic growth, policymakers should prioritize policies encouraging increased total foreign trade and foreign direct investment while carefully managing the potential negative impact of excessive reliance on import dynamics.

Trends in Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Prescriptions in a Large Dialysis Organization in the United States.

Changes in health care policies and recognition of patient benefit have contributed to increases in home-based dialysis, including peritoneal dialysis (PD). Frequent monitoring and early individualization of PD prescriptions are key prerequisites for the delivery of high-quality PD. The present analysis aimed to assess variations in PD prescriptions among incident automated PD (APD) patients who remain on PD for 120+ days. This retrospective analysis examined data from patients within a large dialysis organization that initiated PD with APD between 2015 and 2019. PD prescription data was described by calendar year, timing of PD, and residual renal function categories. Changes in prescriptions from PD initiation (day 1) to day 120 were assessed descriptively. The cohort included 11,659 patients. The mean age at PD initiation increased from 2015 (56 (15) years) through 2019 (58 (15) years), whereas most other variables demonstrated no clear temporal change. Most patients (86%) had nighttime PD prescribed, with an average of 4.9 (1.3) cycles per day, a mean total treatment volume of 9.3 (2.5) L, and a median daily total dwell time of 7 (6,9.5) hours. Relative to day 1 nighttime prescriptions, there were 1) small increases in the proportion of patients receiving 3 or fewer cycles per day and those receiving 6+ cycles per day, 2) a 100 ml mean increase in fill volume per exchange, and 3) a mean 0.5 L increase in total nighttime treatment volume at day 120. When changes in nighttime APD prescriptions were examined at the patient level, 49% of patients had day 120 prescriptions that were unchanged from their initial prescription. In the largest analysis of incident APD prescriptions conducted in the United States to date, the vast majority of patients were prescribed nocturnal PD only with limited variability across the first 4 months of therapy.

Effect of surface activity of recycled fine aggregates from clay bricks on the hydration, microstructure and chloride transport of concrete

Use of recycled fine aggregates from clay bricks (RFCB) in the preparation of eco-friendly concrete was proposed to tackle the river sand (RS) shortage and satisfy the construction demand. This study explored the surface activity of RFCB influenced by additional water and particle size distribution (PSD) on the hydration, microstructure and chloride transport of concrete. Compared to the RS, more silica and alumina released from RFCB depending on its PSD under alkaline environment was noted, which verified its appreciable surface activity. Overall, the presence of RFCB could hinder early hydration process because of the higher additional water, while the surface activity and nucleation effect supplied from finer RFCB were beneficial for the improvement of the hydration kinetics. Furthermore, inclusion of RFCB increased the total pore volume and porosity but performed better in refining the pore size distribution, thus decreased the average pore diameter. The surface activity of RFCB decreased CH content while increased chemical bond water and additional hydrates, thereby leading to enhancement of the compactness of interface, cement matrix and surface rim. More importantly, RFCB helped to decrease the chloride migration coefficient and electric flux. Though the surface activity of RFCB was beneficial in the strength development, it could not offset a deteriorated influence of porous RFCB with a higher replacement.

An effective and robust lattice Boltzmann model guided by atlas for hippocampal subregions segmentation.

Given the varying vulnerability of the rostral and caudal regions of the hippocampus to neuropathology in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum, accurately assessing structural changes in these subregions is crucial for early AD detection. The development of reliable and robust automatic segmentation methods for hippocampal subregions (HS) is of utmostimportance. Our aim is to propose and validate a HS segmentation model that is both training-free and highly generalizable. This method should exhibit comparable accuracy and efficiency to state-of-the-art techniques. The segmented HS can serve as a biomarker for studying the progression ofAD. We utilized the functional magnetic resonance imaging of the Brain's Integrated Registration and Segmentation Tool (FIRST) to segment the entire hippocampus. By intersecting the segmentation results with the Brainnetome (BN) atlas, we obtained coarse segmentation of the four HS regions. This coarse segmentation was then employed as a shape prior term in the lattice Boltzmann (LB) model, as well as for initializing contours. Additionally, image gradients and local gray levels were integrated into the external force terms of the LB model to refine the coarse segmentation results. We assessed the segmentation accuracy of the model using the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset and evaluated the potential of the segmentation results as AD biomarkers on both the ADNI and Xuanwudatasets. The median Dice similarity coefficients (DSC) for the left caudal, right caudal, left rostral, and right rostral hippocampus were 0.87, 0.88, 0.88, and 0.89, respectively. The proportion of segmentation results with a DSC exceeding 0.8 was 77%, 78%, 77%, and 94% for the respective regions. In terms of volume, the correlation coefficients between the segmentation results of the four HS regions and the gold standard were 0.95, 0.93, 0.96, and 0.96, respectively. Regarding asymmetry, the correlation coefficient between the segmentation result's right caudal minus left caudal and the corresponding gold standard was 0.91, while for right rostral minus left rostral, it was 0.93. Over time, we observed a decline in the volumes of the four HS regions and the total hippocampal volume of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) converters. Analysis of inter-group differences revealed that, except for the right rostral region in the ADNI dataset, the p-values for the four HS regions in the normal controls (NC), MCI, and AD groups from both datasets were all below 0.05. The right caudal hippocampal volume demonstrated correlation coefficients of 0.47 and 0.43 with the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), respectively. Similarly, the left rostral hippocampal volume showed correlation coefficients of 0.50 and 0.58 with MMSE and MoCA,respectively. Our framework allows for direct application to different brain magnetic resonance (MR) datasets without the need for training. It eliminates the requirement for complex image preprocessing steps while achieving segmentation accuracy comparable to deep learning (DL) methods even with small sample sizes. Compared to traditional active contour models (ACM) and atlas-based methods, our approach exhibits significant speed advantages. The segmented HS regions hold promise as potential biomarkers for studying the progression ofAD.

Cotton knitted fabric waste as reinforcement in cement screed

Cement screed consists of cement, sharp sand and water, laid as a thin layer over the concrete subfloor. Although the screed is strong, it can be additionally reinforced with fibres, most often polypropylene fibres. In this study, cotton knitted fabric waste (CKFW) was obtained from a local factory producing underwear to reinforce the cement screed. A total of eight mixtures were made: reference mixture, screed reinforced with polypropylene fibres and six mixtures reinforced with CKFW. CKFW was added in 1,25 %, 2,50 % and 5,00 % of the total volume. Before adding to the mixtures, the first CKFW group was saturated with tap water, whereas, the second CKFW group was saturated with dispersion that improves adhesion. The density and air content of the fresh mixtures were tested, and the compressive strength and flexural strength were determined when the specimens were 28 days old. The specific fracture energy is determined based on the curve from the plot of load vs. displacement. The CKFW increases the ductility of cement screeds, although it has no significant effect on the compressive and flexural strength of the specimens. The CKFW that was saturated with tap water achieved better results.