Range Of Values Research Articles

Multi-Ancestry Polygenic Risk Score for Coronary Heart Disease Based on an Ancestrally Diverse Genome-Wide Association Study and Population-Specific Optimization.

Predictive performance of polygenic risk scores (PRS) varies across populations. To facilitate equitable clinical use, we developed PRS for coronary heart disease (CHD; PRSCHD) for 5 genetic ancestry groups. We derived ancestry-specific and multi-ancestry PRSCHD based on pruning and thresholding and continuous shrinkage priors (polygenic risk score for CHD developed using ancestry-based continuous shrinkage methods) applied to summary statistics from the largest multi-ancestry genome-wide association study meta-analysis for CHD to date, including 1.1 million participants from 5 major genetic ancestry groups. Following training and optimization in the Million Veteran Program, we evaluated the best-performing PRSCHD in 176 988 individuals across 9 diverse cohorts. Multi-ancestry polygenic risk score for CHD developed using pruning and thresholding methods and polygenic risk score for CHD developed using ancestry-based continuous shrinkage methods outperformed ancestry-specific Polygenic risk score for CHD developed using pruning and thresholding methods and polygenic risk score for CHD developed using ancestry-based continuous shrinkage methods across a range of tuning values. Two best-performing multi-ancestry PRSCHD (ie, polygenic risk score for CHD developed using pruning and thresholding methods optimized using a multi-ancestry population and polygenic risk score for CHD developed using ancestry-based continuous shrinkage methods optimized using a multi-ancestry population) and 1 ancestry-specific (PRSCSxEUR) were taken forward for validation. Polygenic risk score for CHD developed using pruning and thresholding methods (PT) optimized using a multi-ancestry population demonstrated the strongest association with CHD in individuals of South Asian genetic ancestry and European genetic ancestry (odds ratio per 1 SD [95% CI, 2.75 [2.41-3.14], 1.65 [1.59-1.72]), followed by East Asian genetic ancestry (1.56 [1.50-1.61]), Hispanic/Latino genetic ancestry (1.38 [1.24-1.54]), and African genetic ancestry (1.16 [1.11-1.21]). Polygenic risk score for CHD developed using ancestry-based continuous shrinkage methods optimized using a multi-ancestry population showed the strongest associations in South Asian genetic ancestry (2.67 [2.38-3.00]) and European genetic ancestry (1.65 [1.59-1.71]), lower in East Asian genetic ancestry (1.59 [1.54-1.64]), Hispanic/Latino genetic ancestry (1.51 [1.35-1.69]), and the lowest in African genetic ancestry (1.20 [1.15-1.26]). The use of summary statistics from a large multi-ancestry genome-wide meta-analysis improved the performance of PRSCHD in most ancestry groups compared with single-ancestry methods. Despite the use of one of the largest and most diverse sets of training and validation cohorts to date, improvement of predictive performance was limited in African genetic ancestry. This highlights the need for larger Genome-wide association study datasets of underrepresented populations to enhance the performance of PRSCHD.

Endogenous crude Scutellaria baicalensis polysaccharide robustly enhances one-pot extraction and deglycosylation of baicalin

With the extensive application of baicalein in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, its clinical and market demand has gradually expanded. But the natural yield of baicalein is very low, and it is mainly prepared by the deglycosylation of baicalin. However, the insolubility of baicalin in water significantly limits the deglycosylation of it under biocatalysis. To make biocatalysis of baicalin more efficient and environmental, a strategy was designed to enhance its water solubility through the solubilization mechanism of endogenous biological macromolecules, and the effect on the activity of glucuronidase was further explored. The results showed that wrapping with Scutellaria baicalensis polysaccharide (SBP) significantly improved the solubility of baicalin in water (the water solubility of baicalin increased by 23 times, BI/SBP = 1/12, w/w). It was not only contributed to the efficient production of baicalein by one-pot method, but also effectively improved the deglycosylation rate of baicalin (increase by 47.04 % in aqueous solution). With the help of the solubilization of endogenous polysaccharide on baicalin in aqueous solution, a green, low-cost and efficient method (one-pot method) was designed to simultaneously extract and enzymatic hydrolyze baicalin to prepare baicalein. Under the same conditions, the yield of one-pot method is 87.17 %, which was much higher than that of the conventional method (29.38 %). In addition, one-pot method with the aid of endogenous polysaccharide could simply and conveniently prepare aglycone of other insoluble natural flavonoids, which has a wide range of industrial application value.

Thermal management of square light emitting diode arrays: modeling and parametric analysis

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of three parameters such as: number of LED chips, pitch and LED power on the junction temperature of LEDs using a best heat sink configuration selected according to a lower temperature. This study provides valuable insights into how to design LED arrays with lower junction temperatures.Design/methodology/approachTo determine the best configuration of a heat sink, a numerical study was conducted in Comsol Multiphysics on 10 different configurations. The configuration with the lowest junction temperature was selected for further analysis. The number of LED chips, pitch and LED power were then varied to determine the optimal configuration for this heat sink. A general equation for the average LED temperature as a function of these three factors was derived using Minitab software.FindingsAmong 10 configurations of the rectangular heat sink, we deduce that the best configuration corresponds to the first design having 1 mm of width, 0.5 mm of height and 45 mm of length. The average temperature for this design is 50.5 C. For the power of LED equal to 50 W–200 W, the average temperature of this LED drops when the number of LED chips reduces and the pitch size decreases. Indeed, the best array-LED corresponds to 64 LED chips and a pitch size of 0.5 mm. In addition, a generalization equation for average temperature is determined as a function of the number of LED chips, pitch and power of LED which are key factors for reducing the Junction temperature.Originality/valueThe study is original in its focus on three factors that have not been studied together in previous research. A numerical simulation method is used to investigate the impact of the three factors, which is more accurate and reliable than experimental methods. The study considers a wide range of values for the three factors, which allows for a more comprehensive understanding of their impact. It derives a general equation for the average temperature of the LED, which can be used to design LED arrays with desired junction temperatures.

Excited state lifetime of electron trapping centres in alkali feldspars

The development of the infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) signal enables the direct non-destructive probing of the trapped electron population in feldspars. Whilst IRPL offers new perspectives for luminescence dating, it also enables detailed, site-selective measurements of the dosimetric defects emitting IRPL at 880 nm (IRPL880) and 955 nm (IRPL955), allowing improved understanding of luminescence phenomena in feldspars.We perform time-resolved IRPL measurements to investigate the excited state lifetimes of IRPL880 and IRPL955 electron trapping centres in chemically and structurally different feldspars. We analyse the time-resolved off-time data with three exponentially decaying components. The contribution of the fast component (τ1) fitted to the IRPL880 data is minor and its lifetime is consistent with the switch off time of the 830 nm excitation laser. The two longer lifetimes (τ2 and τ3) dominate the IRPL880 and IRPL955 signals. The τ2 values range from 2 μs to 6 μs for IRPL880 and from 2 μs to 7 μs for IRPL955, whereas τ3 ranges from 7 μs to 25 μs for IRPL880 and from 8 μs to 22 μs for IRPL955, with an average cluster value of ∼20 μs. We observe a weak decreasing trend in τ3 lifetime with decreasing K-feldspar content. Systematic thermal depletion of the trapped electron population results in decreasing τ2 lifetimes with increasing preheat temperature, but a negligible change in τ3. We suggest that time-resolved-IRPL lifetimes not only reflect the exited state lifetime of the electron trapping centre, affected by excited-to-ground state transition as well as tunnelling, but also a direct recombination from the band-tail states. The long excited-state lifetime of the order of 20 ∼ μs (the average cluster value) allows for tunnelling induced recombination from the excited state, which is supported by the fact that reported lifetimes for time-resolved-IRSL (infra-red stimulated luminescence) are shorter than those of time-resolved-IRPL.

Microexpression recognition model based on non negative matrix decomposition in intelligent classroom

At present, intelligent systems with the function of automatic micro expression recognition are gradually applied in intelligent classrooms, but there is still a problem of low recognition rate. Therefore, based on the dual graph regularization, the research constructs a joint non negative matrix decomposition algorithm model for micro expression recognition, and verifies its effectiveness. The experimental results showed that the research algorithm had the highest performance in both micro and macro expression (micro) databases, at 75.4 %. In algorithm comparison, the recognition rates of algorithm L and algorithm M in different databases were higher than those of group A and B algorithms. Among them, Algorithm 6 in Group A had the highest recognition rate in all three databases, with the highest being 57.4 %; Algorithm 12 in Group B had the highest recognition rate in Zhongke Microexpression 2 and micro and macro expression databases, with 61.1 % and 59.4 %; Algorithm 11 had the highest recognition rate in self generated micro expression databases, with 54.0 %. And algorithm L and algorithm M had a minimum of 58.5 % and a maximum of 75.4 %. In parameter sensitivity analysis, the recognition rates of parameters η, χ, and γ in all databases showed good recognition results within a certain range of values, but they would decrease when they exceeded a specific value. Overall, the algorithm model proposed in the study has high effectiveness in improving the recognition rate of micro expressions, which is significant for the micro expression recognition of students in practical intelligent classrooms.

Self-characterization of irradiation facility using synthetic multi-element standard for determination of k0-factors of seven radionuclides of interest

In this study, the k0 factors of 7 short and medium-lived radionuclides (i.e. 66Cu, 52V, 38Cl, 134mCs, 128I, 140La and 56Mn) were experimentally determined at the Dalat nuclear research reactor (DNRR). The synthetic multi-element standard (SMELS) samples were irradiated at Channel 7-1 installed at the DNRR. SMELS Type III contains Au and Zr, thus also allowing the self-characterization of the irradiation facility (i.e. the direct determination of f and a with only this material). The k0 factors of 7 short and medium-lived radionuclides obtained in this work are a good agreement with the reference k0 factors. The ratio values between the experimental and reference k0 values were 66Cu of 1.004, 52V of 1.004, 38Cl of 0.961 and 0.976 (1642.7 keV and 2167.4keV, respectively), 134mCs of 0.831, 128I of 1.022, 140La of 0.936, 0.955 and 0.955 (328.8 keV, 487.0 keV and 1596.2keV, respectively), 56Mn of 0.985 and 0.973 (846.8 keV and 1810.7keV, respectively). The radionuclides range of uncertainty values were lower than 7%. The present result indicates that the k0 factors can be determined by using synthetic multi-element standards (SMELS).

Reliability between the two-colour chewing gum and the gummy-jelly tests used for the assessment of masticatory performance.

This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of two methods used to assess masticatory performance and attempt to correlate them to achieve interchangeability between the methods. Twelve healthy dentate volunteers (men = 6, women = 6; mean age = 28.3 ± 4.1) with no known dental or medical pathologies were requested to participate in this study. Each participant completed three masticatory performance assessments, including two two-colour mixing-ability tests using chewing-gums(CG: gum#1 and gum#2) and the gummy-jelly (GJ) test. For each method, participants created five samples each (total = 15 measurements per participant, gum#1 = 5, gum#2 = 5, GJ = 5). For the gum#1 and gum#2 methods, the predetermined chewing cycles were fixed at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cycles, and for the GJ method, the time duration was fixed at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 s. The parameter measures were submitted to Z-score transformation, and Bland-Altman plots were generated to graphically compare the differences between two techniques against their means. Additionally, mountain plot was used to assess the cumulative distribution of measurement error between the methods. A total of 180 measurements were recorded. There were significant correlations between the number of chewing cycles/chewing time and masticatory performance using the gum#1 (r = -.753; p < .001), gum#2 (r = -.838; p < .001) and GJ (r = .730). When all tests were considered together for each method, significant correlations were found (p < .001). A descriptive range of mean values aiming to produce reference value ranges for predictive purposes was achieved considering the interchangeably among the methods [CG = GJ (VoH-mg = dL): 10 cycle = 10 s: 0.329 = 110; 15 cycles = 15 s: 0.177 = 164; 20 cycles = 20 s: 0.130 = 205; 25 cycles = 25 s: 0.086 = 200; 30 cycles = 30 s: 0.077 = 267]. The strong correlations and high consistency between the two masticatory performance methods found in this study conclude that the two assessment methods are reliable and interchangeable. Further evaluations are warranted to arrive at a conversion formula for translation of the results between the two methods.

Predicting the efficiency of luminescent solar concentrators for solar energy harvesting using machine learning

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is an emerging technology in the solar energy field. It involves using luminescent solar concentrators to convert traditional windows into energy generators by utilizing light harvesting and conversion materials. This study investigates the application of machine learning (ML) to advance the fundamental understanding of optical material design. By leveraging accessible photoluminescent measurements, ML models estimate optical properties, streamlining the process of developing novel materials, offering a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional methods, and facilitating the selection of competitive materials. Regression and clustering methods were used to estimate the optical conversion efficiency and power conversion efficiency. The regression models achieved a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 10%, which demonstrates accuracy within a 10% range of possible values. Both regression and clustering models showed high agreement, with a minimal MAE of 7%, highlighting the efficacy of ML in predicting optical properties of luminescent materials for BIPV.

Chemical and 87Sr/86Sr signatures of rainwaters at two active central volcanoes in São Miguel (Azores) – first survey

Rainwater samples were collected during final of February and early March of 2022, at Furnas and Fogo volcanoes, São Miguel (Azores), both of which display secondary manifestations of volcanism. The major-ion composition reveals that marine aerosols contribute significantly to the chemistry of these rainwaters, showed by the proximity of some samples to the Na/Cl ratio of the seawater. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70849–0.71027) presented by the rainwater samples are similar to the seawater, indicating that marine sprays are possibly the major source of dissolved Sr, with values within the range of values presented by rainwater on the Portuguese mainland. However, other sources, such as volcanic emissions and mineral dust components showed to have also an impact. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios depicted by one sample (CC) deviates from the above mentioned values, exhibiting a lower strontium isotopic ratio (0.70701), which suggests the influence of the fumarolic fluids. Some trace elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba and REE) content also confirms the influence of the fumarolic emissions, at least in samples collected near Furnas Village fumarolic field (Furnas volcano), and the influence of mineral dust from the surrounding continents (positive anomalies in Eu). Overall, the proximity to an active fumarolic field had a significant impact on the chemistry of meteoric waters, as seen not only in the major-ions, but also in trace elements and in the Sr isotopic ratios.

Effective dose evaluation for external exposure from surface soil by using resrad-onsite code

An annual effective dose evaluation from Dong Nai surface soil (45 samples) to humans was carried out in this work. ResRad-Onsite software has been applied to estimate the maximum exposure dose by considering different exposure levels across an area of ​​5905.7 km2 with a topsoil thickness of 20 cm. The calculation grid used in ResRad Onsite software is divided in the form of a circle of radius 3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 km, respectively, calculated from the circle center in terms of 16 wind directions. A high-purity germanium detector (HPGe) was used to determine 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, 137Cs, and 40K isotopes. The range activity concentrations of them were found to be 6.46 ÷ 48.11; 13.95 ÷ 58.75; 5.71 ÷ 35.27; 0.15 ÷ 1.23 and 6.7 ÷ 222; mBq/g, respectively. The isotope 239,240Pu was determined by the radiochemical separation method, measured on the alpha spectrometer system, and the calculated value range is 0.009 ÷ 0.073 mBq/g. The activity of 90Sr was determined by separation technique, measured on a low-background alpha/beta total counting system (MPC 9300) with a calculated value range of 0.10 ÷ 0.83 mBq/g. By ResRad-Onsite code, the external effective dose derived from the ground (excluding Radon’s contribution) is calculated to be 170 ÷ 658 µSv/year with an average value is 368.6 µSv/year. The external dose from the soil is 136.5 µSv/year (accounting for 37%). The results showed that the annual radiation dose distribution derived from the ground equivalent to the average of some different regions in the territory of Vietnam and the world. In addition, the external effective dose from the ResRad-Onsite code tended to be about 1.36 times smaller than the practical measured due to the library’s different dose conversion coefficients.

Decoding seasonal changes: soil parameters and microbial communities in tropical dry deciduous forests.

In dry deciduous tropical forests, both seasons (winter and summer) offer habitats that are essential ecologically. How these seasonal changes affect soil properties and microbial communities is not yet fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the influence of seasonal fluctuations on soil characteristics and microbial populations. The soil moisture content dramatically increases in the summer. However, the soil pH only gradually shifts from acidic to slightly neutral. During the summer, electrical conductivity (EC) values range from 0.62 to 1.03 ds m-1, in contrast to their decline in the winter. The levels of soil macronutrients and micronutrients increase during the summer, as does the quantity of soil organic carbon (SOC). A two-way ANOVA analysis reveals limited impacts of seasonal fluctuations and specific geographic locations on the amounts of accessible nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Moreover, dehydrogenase, nitrate reductase, and urease activities rise in the summer, while chitinase, protease, and acid phosphatase activities are more pronounced in the winter. The soil microbes were identified in both seasons through 16S rRNA and ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) gene sequencing. Results revealed Proteobacteria and Ascomycota as predominant bacterial and fungal phyla. However, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Burkholderia are dominant bacterial genera, and Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Trichoderma are dominant fungal genera in the forest soil samples. Dominant bacterial and fungal genera may play a role in essential ecosystem services such as soil health management and nutrient cycling. In both seasons, clear relationships exist between soil properties, including pH, moisture, iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and microbial diversity. Enzymatic activities and microbial shift relate positively with soil parameters. This study highlights robust soil-microbial interactions that persist mainly in the top layers of tropical dry deciduous forests in the summer and winter seasons. It provides insights into the responses of soil-microbial communities to seasonal changes, advancing our understanding of ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity preservation.

Reconstruction of proximal hamstring ruptures restores joint biomechanics during various walking conditions.

We aimed to examine the functional outcome in different walking conditions in elderly adults who underwent surgical repair after a non-contact hamstring injury. Our objective was to compare lower limb kinematics and kinetics over the entire gait cycle between the injured and contralateral leg in overground and level and uphill treadmill walking. 12 patients (mean ± SD, age: 65 ± 9 years; body mass index: 30 ± 6 kg/m2) walked at self-selected speed in overground (0% slope) and treadmill conditions (0% and 10% slope). We measured spatiotemporal parameters, joint angles (normalised to gait cycle) and joint moments (normalised to stance phase) of the hip, knee and ankle. Data between sides were compared using paired sample t-tests (p < 0.05) and continuous 95% confidence intervals of the paired difference between trajectories. Patients walked at an average speed of 1.31 ± 0.26 m/second overground and 0.92 ± 0.31 m/second on the treadmill. Spatiotemporal parameters were comparable between the injured and contralateral leg (p > 0.05). Joint kinematic and joint kinetic trajectories were comparable between sides for all walking conditions. Refixation of the proximal hamstring tendons resulted in comparable ambulatory mechanics at least 1 year after surgery in the injured leg and the contralateral leg, which were all within the range of normative values reported in the literature. These results complement our previous findings on hamstring repair in terms of clinical outcomes and muscle strength and support that surgical repair achieves good functional outcomes in terms of ambulation in an elderly population. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04867746).

Non-radiative configurations of a few quantum emitters ensembles: Evolutionary optimization approach

Suppressing the spontaneous emission in quantum emitters ensembles (atoms) is one of the topical problems in quantum optics and quantum technology. While many approaches are based on utilizing the subradiance effect in ordered quantum emitters arrays, the ensemble configurations providing the minimal spontaneous emission rate are yet unknown. In this work, we employ the differential evolution algorithm to identify the optimal configurations of a few atomic ensembles that support quantum states with maximal radiative lifetime. We demonstrate that atoms tend to assemble mostly in quasi-regular structures with specific geometry, which strongly depends on the minimally allowed interatomic distance rmin. While the discovered specific non-radiative realizations of small ensembles cannot be immediately predicted, there is particular correspondence to the non-radiative states in the atomic lattices. In particular, we have found that states inheriting their properties either from the bound states in the continuum or band edge states of infinite lattices dominate across a wide range of rmin values. Additionally, we show that for small interatomic distances, the linear arrays with modulated spacing have the smallest radiative losses exponentially decreasing as the size of the ensemble increases.

Generation of High-Quality African Swine Fever Virus Complete Genome from Field Samples by Next-Generation Sequencing.

African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal contagious viral disease of domestic pigs and wild boars caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). The pandemic spread of ASF has caused severe effects on the global pig industry. Whole-genome sequencing provides crucial information for virus strain characterization, epidemiology analysis and vaccine development. Here, we evaluated the performance of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in generating ASFV genome sequences from clinical samples. Thirty-four ASFV-positive field samples including spleen, lymph node, lung, liver and blood with a range of Ct values from 14.73 to 25.95 were sequenced. For different tissue samples collected from the same sick pigs, the proportion of ASFV reads obtained from the spleen samples was 3.69-9.86 times higher than other tissues. For the high-viral-load spleen samples (Ct < 20), a minimum of a 99.8% breadth of ≥10× coverage was revealed for all the samples. For the spleen samples with Ct ≥ 20, 6/12 samples had a minimum of a 99.8% breadth of ≥10× coverage. A high average depth of sequencing coverage was also achieved from the blood samples. According to our results, high-quality ASFV whole-genome sequences could be obtained from the spleen or blood samples with Ct < 20. The high-quality ASFV genome sequence generated in this study was further used for the high-resolution phylogenetic analysis of the ASFV genomes in the early stage of the ASF epidemic in China. Our study demonstrates that NGS may act as a useful tool for efficient ASFV genome characterization, providing valuable information for disease control.

Eliciting expert judgements to underpin our understanding of faecal indicator organism loss from septic tank systems

Septic tank systems (STS) in rural catchments represent a potential source of microbial pollution to watercourses; however, data concerning the risk of faecal indicator organism (FIO) export from STS to surface waters are scarce. In the absence of empirical data, elicitation of expert judgements can provide an alternative approach to aid understanding of FIO pollution risk from STS. Our study employed a structured elicitation process using the Sheffield Elicitation Framework to obtain expert judgements on the proportion of FIOs likely to be delivered from STS to watercourses, based on 36 scenarios combining: (i) septic tank effluent movement risk, driven by soil hydro-morphological characteristics; (ii) distance of septic tank to watercourse; and (iii) degree of slope. Experts used the tertile method to elicit a range of values representing their beliefs of the proportion of FIOs likely to be delivered to a watercourse for each scenario. The experts judged that 93 % of FIOs would likely be delivered from an STS to a watercourse under the highest risk scenario that combined (i) very high STS effluent movement risk, (ii) STS distance to watercourse <10 m, and (iii) a location on a steep slope with gradient >25 %. Under the lowest risk scenario, the proportion of FIOs reaching a watercourse would likely reduce to 5 %. Expert confidence was high for scenarios that represented extremes of risk, while uncertainty increased for scenarios depicting intermediate risk conditions. The behavioural aggregation process employed to obtain a consensus among the experts proved to be useful for highlighting both areas of strong consensus and high uncertainty. The latter therefore represent priorities for future empirical research to further improve our understanding of potential pollution risk from septic tanks and in turn enable better assessments of potential threats to water quality in rural catchments throughout the world where decentralised wastewater systems are common.

Sustainable Innovation: Fabrication and Characterization of Mycelium-Based Green Composites for Modern Interior Materials Using Agro-Industrial Wastes and Different Species of Fungi.

Mycelium-based bio-composites (MBCs) represent a sustainable and innovative material with high potential for contemporary applications, particularly in the field of modern interior design. This research investigates the fabrication of MBCs for modern interior materials using agro-industrial wastes (bamboo sawdust and corn pericarp) and different fungal species. The study focuses on determining physical properties, including moisture content, shrinkage, density, water absorption, volumetric swelling, thermal degradation, and mechanical properties (bending, compression, impact, and tensile strength). The results indicate variations in moisture content and shrinkage based on fungal species and substrate types, with bamboo sawdust exhibiting lower shrinkage. The obtained density values range from 212.31 to 282.09 kg/m3, comparable to traditional materials, suggesting MBCs potential in diverse fields, especially as modern interior elements. Water absorption and volumetric swelling demonstrate the influence of substrate and fungal species, although they do not significantly impact the characteristics of interior decoration materials. Thermal degradation analysis aligns with established patterns, showcasing the suitability of MBCs for various applications. Scanning electron microscope observations reveal the morphological features of MBCs, emphasizing the role of fungal mycelia in binding substrate particles. Mechanical properties exhibit variations in bending, compression, impact, and tensile strength, with MBCs demonstrating compatibility with traditional materials used in interior elements. Those produced from L. sajor-caju and G. fornicatum show especially promising characteristics in this context. Particularly noteworthy are their superior compression and impact strength, surpassing values observed in certain synthetic foams multiple times. Moreover, this study reveals the biodegradability of MBCs, reaching standards for environmentally friendly materials. A comprehensive comparison with traditional materials further supports the potential of MBCs in sustainable material. Challenges in standardization, production scalability, and market adoption are identified, emphasizing the need for ongoing research, material engineering advancements, and biotechnological innovations. These efforts aim to enhance MBC properties, promoting sustainability in modern interior applications, while also facilitating their expansion into mass production within the innovative construction materials market.

Compensation behavior for a mixed spin-3 and spin-7/2 Blume–Capel system with crystal field interaction

In this article, we studied compensation points in a spins system represented by the Hamiltonian of Blume–Capel of spin-3 and spin-7/2 in a square lattice. Free energy and equations of state were obtained using mean field theory via Bogoliubov inequality. The second-order phase transition was studied in a narrow range of temperature values and single ion anisotropies, in addition to the existence of compensation points within this range. We used the mean-field theory approximation to study compensation points through total magnetization and performed a Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). In this way, we show the existence of compensation points via mean field and MCS.

Extending the lower bound of attainable load-independent voltage gain values range in contactless, feedbackless and sensorless power delivery links

It is well-known that series(capacitive)-series(capacitive) compensated inductive wireless power transfer links (SS(CC)-IWPTL) operating at fixed frequency with constant coupling coefficient may be designed to attain arbitrary load independent voltage gain (LIVG) value, residing within a region defined only by loosely coupled transformer (LCT) parameters. Such a characteristic allows designing the system to be sensorless and operate without feedback, which is an extremely useful feature in hostile environment applications. Unfortunately, LCT parameters are not selected arbitrarily in practice; hence, the desired LIVG value may reside outside the attainable region, calling for an additional power conversion stage. In particular, region of attainable LIVG values is especially narrow when LCT inductances ratio is imposed by the application and thus cannot be freely selected. One of existing challenges is regulating the system output to low DC voltage while it is being fed from a much higher valued voltage source, i.e. calling for an extremely low LIVG value. The paper demonstrates that adopting an inductor rather than a capacitor as primary series compensation element allows to extend the lower bound of attainable LIVG values region for given LCT and operating frequency, potentially eliminating the need for an additional step-down power converter. Resulting coil-to-coil efficiency is quantified and guidelines for sizing corresponding compensation elements pair are established as well. Simulations and experiments accurately verify the proposed methodology.

Lithium Content and Its Nutritional Beneficence, Dietary Intake, and Impact on Human Health in Edibles from the Romanian Market.

Lithium (Li) is present in human nutrition based on food intake, and several studies recommend it for treating mood disorders, even if the biological proprieties and biochemical mechanisms represent the basis for its use as an essential element. The Li content was evaluated using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique (ICP-MS) in 1071 food and beverage samples from the Romanian market. The results show that Li had a decreasing mean concentration in the food samples as follows: vegetables leafy > bulbous > fructose > leguminous > egg whites > root vegetables > milk products > egg yolks > meats. Approximately a quarter of all data from each dataset category was extreme values (range between the third quartile and maximum value), with only 10% below the detection limit. Mean Li concentration indicated higher values in red wine, white wines, beers, and fruit juice and lower in ciders and bottled waters. A particular interest was addressed to plants for teas and coffee seeds, which showed narrow amounts of Li. For both food and beverages, two similar matrices, including egg whites and yolks and white and red wines, were found to have significant differences, which explains the high variability of Li uptake in various matrices. For 99.65% of the analyzed samples, the estimated daily intake of Li was below the provisional subchronic and chronic reference dose (2 µg/kgbw/day) for adverse effects in several organs and systems. Even so, a risk occurs in consuming bulbous vegetables (Li > 13.47 mg/kg) and fructose solano vegetables (Li > 11.33 mg/kg). The present study's findings indicate that ingesting most of the analyzed beverages and food samples could be considered safe, even if future studies regarding Li content, nutritional aspects, and human cohort diseases must be conducted.

Impact of fully rotating steel casing bored pile on adjacent tunnels

Abstract Based on the theoretical model of a soil plug column, the stress analysis of the soil plug column during the spinning process of steel casing is carried out, and the critical depth of the soil column is determined using the stress and torsional shear ratio of the soil column. The effect of factors such as casing wall thickness, surface load, and steel casing spinning speed on the critical depth of soil columns has been explored, and more reasonable construction process parameters have been obtained quantitatively. Combined with the construction of small net distance test piles at a distance of 2.5 m from the tunnel, the impact of the construction process on the existing shield tunnel has been explored. The results indicate that during the construction process, when the wall thickness of the steel casing does not exceed 0.012 m, the surface load does not exceed 15 kPa, the spinning speed of the steel casing is maintained at 5/4/2/4 m/h or 5/3/2/3 m/h (corresponding to soil depths of 2.5/9.5/6/14 m), and the soil height of the soil column is controlled within 11 m, it is not easy to generate soil plug inside the steel casing, and the soil column has strong torsional shear resistance. According to the measured data of adjacent tunnels, it has been found that the construction method of fully rotating steel casing bored pile can effectively reduce the impact on adjacent shield tunnels, and has a good microdisturbance effect, which can control tunnel deformation not exceeding 1 mm and maintain within the warning value range.