Total Weight Research Articles

Exploring the diverse modifiers influence on the structural, physical, and mechanical properties of a zinc oxide-based boro-tellurite glass system for enhancing radiation shielding performance

This work is meant to fabricate zinc boro-tellurite (ZnO–TeO2–B2O3) glass systems with various modifiers, including MoO3, Bi2O3, and PbO, using the melt quench technique. Four glass samples were produced, each comprising 20 % of a specific modifier from the total weight percent of the neat glass system. Each glass sample is given a code: TBZn, TBZMo, TBZBi, and TBZPb. The XRD results showed an amorphous nature for all glass samples. The FTIR results showed the functional groups for borate and tellurite oxide. The mechanical properties were reduced when different oxides were added instead of ZnO. For example, Young's modulus decreased for glass samples; their recorded values for Young's modulus are 74.516, 72.569, 60.526, and 59.272 GPa for TBZn, TBZMo, TBZBi, and TBZPb, respectively. On the other hand, adding Bi2O3 and PbO led to enhanced shielding properties. For instance, the linear attenuation coefficient values for TBZn, TBZMo, TBZBi, and TBZPb at 0.015 MeV are 168.739, 115.656, 380.711, and 279.162, respectively. Also, the radiation protection efficiency (RPE) at 5 cm and 600 keV is 83.220 %, 79.299 %, 93.919 %, and 90.222 % for TBZn, TBZMo, TBZBi, and TBZPb, respectively. While adding different oxides decreased stability in the current glasses, it also enhanced their shielding properties, recommending their use in the radiation shielding field.

Effect of Crop Geometry and Weed Management Practices on Yield and Yield Attributes of Spring Maize in Banke, Nepal

The experiment was conducted in Banke, Nepal, from February 2021 to May 2021 to find suitable spacing and weed management practices for spring maize. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design in which main plots consisting of two spacings (S1:60 cm × 25 cm and S2:60 cm × 30 cm) and subplots consisting of five weed management practices as, W1: weedy check, W2: weed free, W3: atrazine @ 2 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence herbicide, W4: atrazine as pre-emergence herbicide followed by single-hand weeding at 30 DAS, and W5: straw mulch. Observations were taken for different parameters, that are, cob length, cob circumference, number of grains per cob, number of ears per hectare, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield. Based on spacing non-significant variations were found for all traits except for the number of ears per hectare. The highest number of ears per hectare (61667 ears ha-1) was found in S1 (60 cm × 25 cm). Based on weed management practices all the traits were significantly different, except the number of ears per hectare and thousand grain weight. The highest value of grain yield (6.15 mt ha-1) was found in straw mulch, and the lowest grain yield (3.72 mt ha-1) was found in the weedy check. A positive correlation was observed between yield and different weed management practices (WEM) (r = 0.5**) and other yield-attributing traits, that are, number of ears per hectare (NE) (r = 0.62**), the number of grains per cob (NK) (r = 0.82**), cob length (CL) (r = 0.47**), cob diameter (CD) (r = 0.68**), and total grain weight (TGW) (r = 0.52**). A negative correlation was observed between yield and spacing (S) (r = -0.41*).

Modal analysis of the 63 Square Building in Seoul, South Korea and its impact of subsidence and soil-structure interactions (SSI)

We conduct vibration analyses of 63 Building in Seoul, South Korea, using modal analysis and finite element modeling. The building is modeled as a solid structure having the shape of the real structure and with total weight and stiffness consistent with those of the real building. To better understand the fundamental periods of vibration of this structure and the associated mode shapes, we also consider structures with simplified geometry and perform modal analyses of them.

The Effects of Different Grazing Periods on the Functional Traits of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvelev in a Typical Inner Mongolia Steppe

Plant functional traits are effective indicators and predictors of environmental change, revealing plants’ ecological countermeasures and adaptability through phenotypic plasticity. We conducted a 6-year grazing experiment on typical temperate grassland to assess the impact of different grazing periods on the plasticity and variability of the functional traits of Leymus chinensis and the relationship between traits and individual plant biomass. Our study included four treatments: CK (enclosure), T1 (grazing in May and July), T2 (grazing in June and August), and T3 (grazing in July and September). The results for 13 functional traits indicated that the T3 treatment showed the smallest reduction in individual plant biomass, plant height, leaf area, stem length, and leaf length, making it the most effective type of grassland management and optimal for the maintenance and restoration of L. chinensis traits. Under T1, T2, and T3, the plasticity of stem weight, total leaf weight, total leaf area, and stem length was higher and crucial for regulating individual plant biomass. The results underscore that the changes and plasticity of dominant species under grazing treatments are key to understanding the relationship between ecosystem function and grassland management. This study provides a theoretical basis and data support for the adaptive utilization and restoration management of typical grassland resources.

Problematic behaviors at mealtimes and the nutritional status of Brazilian children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The aim of this study was to explore problematic behaviors and their association with the food consumption and nutritional status of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This is a cross-sectional study which enrolled 90 Brazilian children (aged 2-10 years) with ASD. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the ASD Eating Behavior Assessment Scale, and the 24-h recall were used. Age, height, total body weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) were accessed to estimate nutritional status (BMI/Age). Consumption of fruits, vegetables, total calories, macro and micronutrients (calcium, iron, zinc, omega 3 and omega 6), and Body Mass Index (BMI) were assessed. The regression models were adjusted for covariates (prevalence ratio - PR, α = 0.05). All studied children presented problematic behaviors at mealtimes, with a predominance of food selectivity (57.8%), followed by changes in mealtime skills (34.4%), changes in masticatory motor skills (25.6%), oppositional eating behaviors (20.4%), and rigid eating behaviors (20.0%). Food selectivity was associated with excess body weight (PR: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.08-3.51) and absence of vegetable consumption (PR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.46-0.81). Rigid eating behaviors was associated with low consumption of fiber (PR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.15-1.75) and zinc (PR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.33-3.45), and with excessive caloric (PR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.29) and lower calcium intake (PR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.29-0.91). Selectivity and rigidity behaviors have different relationships with food consumption and are associated with a higher prevalence of inadequacies, which may lead to nutritional risks for children. Further studies may investigate the influence of problematic behaviors and excess body weight in ASD.

Modeling and Performance Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power Generation System for Hypersonic Vehicles

Advanced airborne power generation technology represents one of the most effective solutions for meeting the electricity requirements of hypersonic vehicles during long-endurance flights. This paper proposes a power generation system that integrates a high-temperature fuel cell to tackle the challenges associated with power generation in the hypersonic field, utilizing techniques such as inlet pressurization, autothermal reforming, and anode recirculation. Firstly, the power generation system is modeled modularly. Secondly, the influence of key parameters on the system’s performance is analyzed. Thirdly, the performance of the power generation system under the design conditions is simulated and evaluated. Finally, the weight distribution and exergy loss of the system’s components under the design conditions are calculated. The results indicate that the system’s electrical efficiency increases with fuel utilization, decreases with rising current density and steam-to-carbon ratio (SCR), and initially increases before declining with increasing fuel cell operating temperature. Under the design conditions, the system’s power output is 48.08 kW, with an electrical efficiency of 51.77%. The total weight of the power generation system is 77.09 kg, with the fuel cell comprising 69.60% of this weight, resulting in a power density of 0.62 kW/kg. The exergy efficiency of the system is 55.86%, with the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) exhibiting the highest exergy loss, while the mixer demonstrates the greatest exergy efficiency. This study supports the application of high-temperature fuel cells in the hypersonic field.

Research on the Structural Design of a Pressurized Cabin for Civil High-Speed Rotorcraft and the Multi-Dimensional Comprehensive Evaluation Method

For civil high-speed rotorcraft designed to operate at specific cruising altitudes, this study proposes nine structural design schemes for pressurized cabins. These schemes integrate commonly used materials and processing technologies in the aviation industry with advanced PRSEUS (Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure) technology. An analysis of the structural composition reveals that frames constitute 8–19% of the total structural weight, while stringers and beams make up 15–50%, and skins account for 11–25%, with thicknesses ranging from 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm. The separating interface of the pressurized cabin contributes 4–29% of the total structural weight. The weight distribution of each component in the pressurized cabin structure varies significantly depending on the chosen materials and processing technologies. Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), along with Gray Relational Analysis (GRA) and Dempster–Shafer (D-S) evidence theory, this study compares the simulation results of the nine schemes across multiple dimensions. The findings indicate that the configuration combining 7075 aluminum alloy and T300 composite material has the greatest advantages in terms of the high structural reliability of the configuration, light weight, mature processing technology, and low production cost. This comprehensive evaluation method quantitatively analyzes the factors influencing the structural configuration design of the pressurized cabin for civil high-speed rotorcraft, offering a valuable reference for the design of similar structures in related fields.

Food Preference of Purple‐Spotted Bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus Richardson 1846) in Northern Coast of Java, Indonesia

ABSTRACTDiet is one of the essential information used in the management of fisheries resource. The objective of this study was to assess the dietary preferences, index of preponderance, trophic level, food niche breadth, and food overlap of purple‐spotted bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus) caught from the northern coast of Java, Indonesia. A total of 407 fish samples were collected from July to October 2023. Each fish sample was measured for total length and body weight. Fish were then dissected to determine sex, gut length, gut volume, and diet composition. Data analysis included relative gut length, diet composition, frequency of occurrence, trophic level, index of preponderance, food niche breadth, and food overlap. The result showed that the purple‐spotted bigeye is a carnivorous fish (trophic level ranges from 3.88 to 4.18), whose main food is fish and shrimp. Based on the niche breadth value, purple‐spotted bigeye from East Java were more diverse in finding food (niche breadth = 0.26) than from West Java (niche breadth = 0.06) and Central Java (niche breadth = 0.09). The purple‐spotted bigeye species from West Java and Central Java exhibited a high level of competition in their search for food, as indicated by a food overlap value of 0.998.

Energy Constrained Depth First Search

AbstractDepth first search is a natural algorithmic technique for constructing a closed route that visits all vertices of a graph. The length of such a route equals, in an edge-weighted tree, twice the total weight of all edges of the tree and this is asymptotically optimal over all exploration strategies. This paper considers a variant of such search strategies where the length of each route is bounded by a positive integer B (e.g. due to limited energy resources of the searcher). The objective is to cover all the edges of a tree T using the minimum number of routes, each starting and ending at the root and each being of length at most B. To this end, we analyze the following natural greedy tree traversal process that is based on decomposing a depth first search traversal into a sequence of limited length routes. Given any arbitrary depth first search traversal R of the tree T, we cover R with routes $$R_1,\ldots ,R_l$$ R 1 , … , R l , each of length at most B such that: $$R_i$$ R i starts at the root, reaches directly the farthest point of R visited by $$R_{i-1}$$ R i - 1 , then $$R_i$$ R i continues along the path R as far as possible, and finally $$R_i$$ R i returns to the root. We call the above algorithm piecemeal-DFS and we prove that it achieves the asymptotically minimal number of routes l, regardless of the choice of R. Our analysis also shows that the total length of the traversal (and thus the traversal time) of piecemeal-DFS is asymptotically minimum over all energy-constrained exploration strategies. The fact that R can be chosen arbitrarily means that the exploration strategy can be constructed in an online fashion when the input tree T is not known in advance. Each route $$R_i$$ R i can be constructed without any knowledge of the yet unvisited part of T. Surprisingly, our results show that depth first search is efficient for energy constrained exploration of trees, even though it is known that the same does not hold for energy constrained exploration of arbitrary graphs.

Effects of Specially Designed Energy-Restricted Diet on Anthropometric Parameters and Cardiometabolic Risk in Overweight and Obese Adults: Pilot Study.

This study examined the effects of a specially designed energy-restricted diet with alternate carbohydrate intake on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults. The aim was to assess whether the intervention could lead to significant weight loss, improve body composition, and reduce cardiometabolic risks. Sixty-five participants (34 women, 31 men) with an average BMI of 31.8 ± 9.1 kg/m2 (women) and 34.1 ± 6.4 kg/m2 (men) participated in a 14-week intervention. The diet included different days of carbohydrate intake and a 20% reduction in total daily energy consumption. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters, including predictive indices of cardiometabolic risk, were determined at baseline and after the intervention. The intervention resulted in a significant reduction in body weight (mean weight loss of 17%, p < 0.001), with 64.6% of participants achieving a weight loss of at least 10%. Muscle mass as a percentage of total body weight increased. Cardiometabolic improvements were observed in fasting blood glucose (from 5.4 to 4.9 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and LDL cholesterol (from 3.38 to 2.81 mmol/L, p < 0.001). Gender-specific differences were found, particularly in HDL-C, which decreased significantly in women (p = 0.013), while there was a non-significant increase in men. Cardiometabolic indices, including the Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) and the Cardiometabolic Index (CMI), also improved significantly. The alternate carbohydrate diet improved body composition, cardiometabolic health, and treatment adherence through metabolic flexibility. However, the short duration of this study and the lack of a control group suggest that further research is needed to assess long-term sustainability.

Dietary superdosing of phytase positively affects growth, mineral utilization and amino acid availability of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

The present study investigated the effects of supplementing high levels (superdosing) of dietary phytase on growth performance, mineral utilization and digestibility of amino acids in different regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of fingerling channel catfish. The negative control (NC) diet was formulated with primarily soybean meal as a protein feedstuff which contributed 0.61 % total phosphorus (P) but was deficient in available P at 0.11 % of diet. Five other diets were formulated either with supplemental monocalcium phosphate at 1 % of diet in the positive control (PC), or supplemented with Quantum Blue phytase (AB Vista, Plantation, Florida) at 1000, 2000, 4000, or 8000 phytase units (FTU)/kg of diet. Groups of 20 catfish were each stocked into 24 aquaria operated as a closed, recirculating system with biological and mechanical filtration. All dietary treatments were assigned randomly to quadruplicate aquaria and initially fed at 6 % of total body weight per day. Feed quantities were adjusted weekly after weighing all fish in each aquarium as a group, and feeding levels were maintained close to apparent satiation throughout the 8-week feeding trial. Phytase supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) increased various responses of channel catfish including weight gain, feed efficiency, and protein retention compared to catfish fed the NC diet, resulting in values that were similar to catfish fed the PC diet. Moreover, catfish fed the phytase-supplemented diets had higher bone ash, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), P, manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), as well as retention of Ca, Mg, P, iron (Fe), Mn, and Zn in whole-body tissues. Additionally, apparent availability of P from the posterior intestinal region increased with dietary phytase supplementation, with reduced excretion of nitrogen, Ca, Mg, P, copper (Cu), Mn, and Zn observed in comparison to fish fed the NC diet. Apparent digestibility coefficients for many of the indispensable and dispensable amino acids were increased by phytase supplementation, except for histidine, methionine, threonine, and taurine. This improvement in amino acid availability occurred only in the posterior region of the gastrointestinal tract. Channel catfish fed the diet containing 4000 FTU/kg diet had the highest postprandial plasma phosphorus level most of the time, except at 24 h after feeding. Based on these various responses, the optimal dietary phytase dosage was determined to average 5492 FTU/kg diet.

Optimizing propylene production via acetone hydrodeoxygenation: Insights from catalytic studies with Cu/γ-Al2O3 and Hβ zeolite

Propylene is a crucial light olefin in the petrochemical industry and can be produced via acetone hydrodeoxygenation, which involves two sequential reactions: first, acetone undergoes hydrogenation catalyzed by metallic sites, followed by the dehydration of the resulting isopropanol catalyzed by acidic sites. In this study, propylene production through acetone hydrodeoxygenation was investigated using a physical mixture of 35 wt% Cu/γ-Al2O3 and Hβ zeolite to investigate how various reaction parameters affect acetone conversion and propylene yield. Using the experimental design methodology, empirical models were developed to correlate acetone conversion (Xacet) and propylene yield (Yprop) with the ratio of 35 wt% Cu/γ-Al2O3 to Hβ (CR), total catalyst weight (Cw), hydrogen volumetric flow rate (FH2) and reaction temperature (T). The maximum propylene yield achieved in the catalytic tests was 73.46 %. A long-term test demonstrated the catalyst's reusability, remaining active even after 22 hours of reaction with only a slight decrease in propylene yield. Analysis of the experimental data revealed that increasing T and Cw positively affected propylene yield, whereas higher CR and FH2 had negative effects. According to the Pareto chart, reaction temperature was the most influential variable for propylene yield, followed by CR, FH2 and Cw. For acetone conversion, the order of significance among the variables was T >CR >Cw >FH2.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE HYBRID GRADED FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE BY CONSUMING LATHE WASTE STEEL FIBERS WITH GLASS FIBERS FOR ENHANCED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

Local workshops generate large quantities of industrial lathe waste steel fibers, which the steel manufacturing industries find difficult to recycle because of their sharp edges. The utilization of lathe waste steel fibers as fiber reinforcement is sustainable in concrete because these fibers have the same properties as steel fibers. Furthermore, using combinations of ductile and elastic fibers improves strain capacity and resistance to pre- and post-cracking. This research employs hybrid fiber reinforcement technology, utilizing industrial lathe waste steel fibers and glass fibers in varying proportions, to bridge the micro and macro cracks in concrete specimens. This research was done to examine the physical (workability) and mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strength) of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete. In this research different mixtures of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete were cast and designated as M0, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6. The mixtures included lathe waste steel fibers at 0%, 0.50%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3%, and glass fibers at 0%, 0.15%, 0.25%, 0.45%, 0.60%, 0.75%, and 0.90%, respectively. The ASTM-standardised protocols were followed for all laboratory testing. The physical property results showed a decrease in the workability of concrete mixes as the percentage of lathe waste steel and glass fiber increased. This suggests that a higher percentage of lathe waste steel and glass fibers leads to a lower slump value. Consequently, the mechanical property results showed a gradual enhancement in the compressive and flexural strengths of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete up to 2.5% lathe waste steel fibers and 0.75% (M5). Further incorporation causes a reduction in strength. The physical examination of fractured samples of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete confirms that the lathe waste steel fibers yield a maximum strain before breaking down in the concrete matrix. Furthermore, lathe waste steel fibers broke rather than being pulled out, indicating a good bond with the concrete. It is recommended that up to 2.5% lathe waste steel fibers and 0.75% of glass fibers by the total weight of the concrete can be used as hybrid fiber reinforcement for optimum strength achievement.

Long-Term Weight Loss and Attendance Outcomes Following Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: An Evaluation of The Cleveland Clinic Behavioral Rating System.

Interdisciplinary guidelines recommend preoperative psychological evaluation before metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS). The Cleveland Clinic Behavioral Rating System (CCBRS) has been developed to evaluate the psychological state of individuals undergoing MBS. However, its predictive value concerning long-term weight loss and follow-up attendance has not been extensively studied. This study aims to assess the predictive value of the CCBRS regarding weight loss and follow-up attendance up to 5years after MBS. In this cohort study (n = 1236), psychologists administered the CCBRS to each patient prior to MBS in addition to the standard psychosocial-behavioral screening. The CCBRS consists of nine psychological domains and is scored on a five-point Likert scale, from "poor" to "excellent." Linear mixed models and ordinal regression analysis were used to analyze the percentage total weight loss over time and follow-up attendance up to 5years after surgery. A total of 1086 patients underwent subsequent MBS. Significant differences in weight loss and follow-up attendance were observed between some CCBRS groups compared to the reference group "excellent." However, these differences were not consistent across all groups within any given domain. In this cohort, the predictive value of the CCBRS for weight loss and follow-up attendance up to 5years after MBS was limited. It is important to consider certain limitations, such as considerable loss to follow-up. Nevertheless, the CCBRS remains valuable for structured psychological assessments by helping to identify patients' strengths and areas needing improvement.

Increasing nutritional value using alternative protein from sago worm in gluten-free biscuit products

Abstract This research aimed to study the nutritional value of sago worm (Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus) powder, evaluate quantity of protein supplementation derived from sago worm in gluten-free biscuit and determine the nutritional value of the gluten-free biscuit products supplemented with protein from sago worm. It was found that the nutritional value in sago worm powder consisting of carbohydrates (11.14%), protein (24.65%), fat (54.18 %), and ash (2.41%) based on total weight. Dietary fibre content was 6.61% and the total energy was 699.99 kilocalories/100 g. As regards physical and chemical properties, increase in inclusion of sago worm powder led to a decrease in moisture content and an increase in quantity of protein. Increasing the sago worm powder resulting to the colour of the biscuits became darker. The results showed that an increase in sago worm hardness and fracturability to decreased. Sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale showed that the gluten-free biscuit with 5% sago worm powder of the total weight had the highest score. In addition, the developed products contained moisture content, carbohydrate, fat, protein, dietary fibre and ash of 58.86, 32.56, 6.34, 6.61 and 1.02%. The energy value was found to 567.42 Kcal/100 g.

Obtaining Lignin from Nutshells under Mild Extraction Conditions and Its Use as a Biostimulant in Tomato Seedlings

Biostimulants are an important alternative to improve and promote higher efficiency in cropping systems. Although the biostimulant industry has been developing for several years, there are still areas of opportunity for new sources of biostimulants as well as new ecofriendly extraction techniques that allow for a circular economy and the reuse of waste. Lignin is a heteropolymer that constitutes about 40% of the plant cell wall. A great source of lignin is agrowastes, giving it added value. Recently, its use has been tested in agronomy as a carrier of nutrients and pesticides. Walnuts are produced on a large scale in Northern Mexico, and the shell represents between 15 and 40% of its total weight. However, to obtain this biopolymer, to date, non-environmentally friendly techniques have been used; for this reason, it is necessary to find extraction alternatives to make this proposal sustainable. In this work, the obtaining and characterization of lignin through mild extraction conditions from nutshells and its evaluation as a biostimulant on the growth of tomato seedlings are reported. Lignin was extracted by hydrolysis with a mixture of acetic acid and distilled water (65:35 v/v). The results showed that it was possible to obtain 15% (w/w) lignin using mild solvents, evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), proton magnetic nuclear resonance (H-RMN), and infrared (IR). Subsequently, lignin solutions were prepared at different concentrations, 0, 10, 50, and 100 ppm, and applied via foliar weekly to tomato seedlings. A greater fresh weight of the stem was found with 10 and 50 ppm, and the height and the fresh biomass increased with the three concentrations (10, 50, and 100 ppm), concluding that lignin extracted from nutshells using mild conditions can act as a plant biostimulant.

Exploiting inhalable microparticles incorporating hybrid polymer-lipid nanoparticles loaded with Iloprost manages lung hyper-inflammation

This study focuses on developing of a novel inhalation therapy for managing lung hyper-inflammation, producing hybrid polymer-lipid nanoparticles loaded with Iloprost (Ilo). These nanoparticles showed a size of approximately 100 nm with a core–shell structure and provided prolonged drug release, reaching 28 wt% after 6 h of incubation. The phospholipid composition and quantity (64 wt% on the total sample weight) result in minimal interaction with mucin and a significant effect on the rheology of a cystic fibrosis mucus model, in terms of reducing complex viscosity.To obtain an inhalable microparticulate matrix suitable for incorporating Ilo@PEG-LPHNPs, the qualitative and quantitative composition of the feed fluid for the spray drying (SD) process was optimized. The selected composition (10 % wt/vol of mannitol and 10 % wt of ammonium bicarbonate relative to the weight of mannitol) was used to produce Nano-into Microparticles (NiM). The characterization of NiM revealed excellent aerodynamic properties, with a Mass Median Aerodynamic Diameter (MMAD) of 4.34 μm and a Fine Particle Fraction (FPF) of approximately 57 %. Biological characterization revealed that the particles are non-toxic to 16-HBE cells and can effectively evade macrophage uptake, likely due to the presence of PEG in their composition. Moreover, the delivered Iloprost significantly downregulates the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, showing the therapeutic potential of this drug delivery system.

Algorithms for the thief orienteering problem on directed acyclic graphs

We consider the scenario of routing an agent called a thief through a weighted graph G=(V,E) from a start vertex s to an end vertex t. A set I of items each with weight wi and profit pi is distributed among V∖{s,t}. The thief, who has a knapsack of capacity W, must follow a simple path from s to t within a given time T while packing in the knapsack a set of items taken from the vertices along the path of total weight at most W and maximum profit. The travel time across an edge depends on the edge length and current knapsack load.The thief orienteering problem (ThOP) is a generalization of the orienteering problem, the longest path problem, and the 0-1 knapsack problem. We prove that there exists no approximation algorithm for ThOP with constant approximation ratio unless P=NP, and we present a polynomial-time approximation scheme (PTAS) for a relaxed version of ThOP when G is directed and acyclic that produces solutions that use time at most T(1+ϵ) for any constant ϵ>0. We also present a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS) for ThOP on arbitrary undirected graphs where the travel time depends only on the lengths of the edges and T is the length of a shortest path from s to t plus a constant K. Finally, we present a FPTAS for a restricted version of the problem where the input graph is a clique.

Current Status of Laser Welding for Bipolar Plates in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Hydrogen fuel cells have become a hot research topic in recent years. Bipolar plates are the core components of fuel cells and the bipolar plate accounts for 70% of the total weight of the fuel cell, and laser welding is considered one of the most suitable technologies for fuel cell bipolar plate welding. This article summarizes the current research status in the field of fuel cell bipolar plate laser welding, which can clearly represent the latest achievements in the field of fuel cell bipolar plate welding. This article's research on fuel cell bipolar plates can serve as a fundamental understanding and reference, providing background guidance for future research. However, current research on bipolar plates is still too idealistic and has not been combined with engineering practice. Future researchers can study the welding of fuel cell bipolar plates from the perspective of engineering practice.

Diet and biological characteristics of Atlantic Tomcod or Punamu, Microgadus tomcod (Walbaum, 1792) in Minas Basin, Nova Scotia

Atlantic tomcod are abundant in the Bay of Fundy, but their diet is unreported for Minas Basin. In this study prey content and biological characteristics of tomcod collected in the Avon River estuary of Minas Basin were examined. Their diet was numerically dominated by the amphipod Corophium volutator (Pallas, 1766) (Rate of Occurrence (RO) = 73.2%). Other major prey taxa consumed included Crangon septemspinosa Say, 1818 (29.3%), Gammarus spp. (19.5%), Polychaeta (14.6%), Portunidae (12.2%), Teleostei (9.8%), Isopoda (7.3%), andMollusca (3.3%). Of stomachs examined only 8.9% contained unidentifiable prey items. Every tomcod examined except one contained prey and the fullness index (HI) varied between 0.01-5.85%. Both mean total length and total body weight of females was significantly greater than for males (254 mm vs 202 mm; 143 g vs 78 g), and the condition factor (K) of both sexes was similar throughout the sampling period (Mean ± SD; 0.79 ± 0.13). Both mean male and female gonadosomatic index (GSI) increased significantly when approaching the winter spawning period, rising from 1.2 in early October to 11.6 by mid-December.The diversity of prey consumed indicated that tomcod fed opportunis-tically, but their predominate consumption of C. volutator was likely linked to the large populations of this amphipod on the intertidal mudflats of Minas Basin. Keywords: Atlantic tomcod, Bay of Fundy, condition factor, Corophium volutator, fullness index, gonadosomatic index