Wet Type Research Articles

Spatial Distribution of Bioavailable Inorganic Nitrogen From Thawing Permafrost

AbstractArctic permafrost contains large amounts of nitrogen (N), which may be bioavailable upon permafrost thaw. Here, we have compiled inorganic N data from published studies on the active layer and permafrost layers combined with new data to quantify the spatial variability of bioavailable inorganic N in permafrost‐affected ecosystems across the Northern Hemisphere. Ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) are typically extracted from samples using different agents and strength. The results of an extraction experiment are here used to recalculate published concentrations on NH4+ and NO3− to a “water extractable fraction.” The results show that upper permafrost across all sites and samples contains significantly more NH4+ compared to the root zone and was significantly and positively correlated with an increasing water/ice content despite a surprisingly high variation within and between sites. Based on the average reported permafrost thaw rates (0.4–0.8 cm y−1) for wet and dry landscape types, the average release of inorganic N (NH4+ and NO3−) from wet tundra ecosystems was calculated to be 2.0 [1.13–2.61] kg N ha−1 decade−1 and 1.3 [0.78–1.81] kg N ha−1 decade−1 for dry ecosystems. This brings permafrost‐derived inorganic N on the same order of magnitude as biological nitrogen fixation in relatively dry tundra ecosystems but only marginally compared to nitrogen fixation in wet ecosystems. These landscape‐specific variations highlight the need for improving the understanding of N mobilization linked to permafrost thawing, but also that N transfer from well‐drained slopes to lower parts of the landscape can be important for the potential plant growth (greening) downslope from surrounding landscape types with faster permafrost thawing.

Sanded Wheel–Rail Contacts: Experiments on Sand Crushing Behaviour

In railway operation, the sanding process is used to overcome low adhesion conditions in the wheel–rail contact. In the literature, previously conducted research has been experimental, e.g., measuring adhesion coefficients (ACs) under different contact conditions (dry, wet, …) or applying different sands. Under dry conditions, sanding can reduce measured ACs, while under wet conditions different types of rail sand can leave ACs unchanged or increase adhesion. Despite active research, the physical mechanisms causing the change in ACs under sanded conditions are still poorly understood. A possible remedy is the development of advanced models of sanding including local effects. As a basis for such a model, this study presents experimental results concerning single grain crushing behaviour of two types of rail sand under dry and wet contact conditions. Firstly, initial breakage behaviour is investigated with focus on the particle fragments’ size and spread as only fragments within the running band are available to influence the AC during roll-over. Secondly, single grain crushing tests are conducted under realistic wheel–rail load showing the formation of solidified clusters of sand fragments, as well as their size and thickness. This information is important for understanding mechanisms and for future physics-based modelling of the sanding process in wheel–rail contacts.

COLONIZATION OF PATHOGENIC AEROBIC BACTERIA IN THE EXTERNAL EAR AND EFFECTS OF CERUMEN TYPES, AGE, AND GENDER ON COLONIZATION

Aims: The study aimed to study the prevalence of pathogenic aerobic bacteria colonization in the outer ear and to determine the prevalence of cerumen types among different ages and sex of selected individuals in Sana'a city. Also determined the effects of cerumen types, age, and sex on the incidence of pathogenic aerobic bacterial colonization. Methods: The current study was carried out in the Department of Medical Microbiology and ENT Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana’a University. The study proposal was permitted by the ethics committee of the Faculty. Written informed consent was taken from the chosen participants. Families of the study sample members residing in the various sectors of Sana'a city were visited at home in which participants were randomly selected from all age groups and sexes. Households were reviewed on time and clinical examination of the ear was done and results were recorded and ear swab samples were collected. The rapid visual identification of cerumen was performed. The culture samples were collected and transferred to the laboratory then culture and bacterial growth was identified by standard bacteriological methods. Results: The study included 246 healthy persons, 33.3% of them male and 66.7% were females. The age ranged from 1 -80 years with mean age equal to 34.2±18.7 years, 96.3% of the study subjects have the wet type and only 3.7% have the dry type of cerumen, 2.03% had impacted cerumen. The most prevalent isolate from the outer ear was Staphylococcus aureus with 35 strains (14.2%), followed by Psedumonas aureginosa with 14 strains (5.7%). Klebsiella spp, Streptococcus pyogenes and Hemophilus influenzae isolates were less frequent with 7 (2.8%), 6 (2.4%) and 5 (2.03%) isolates, respectively. Positive growth for bacterial pathogens was significantly associated with males (OR=1.8, p=0.03), ≤15 years group (OR=2.5, p=0.01), and dry-type cerumen (OR=8.9, p=0.001). Conclusion: There are two distinct and specific types of cerumen, wet and dry, of which the wet type appears to be the most common in Yemen, and of the subspecies of the wet type, honey brown was dominant. The present study concluded that some pathogenic bacteria that can cause otitis externa are naturally present in the normal external auditory canal. The most prevalent isolate was Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Psedumonas aureginosa, Klebsiella spp, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Hemophilus influenzae. Hence clinicians must find a history of any predisposing factors before interpreting laboratory culture reports. Peer Review History: Received: 4 November 2022; Revised: 8 December; Accepted: 5 January 2023, Available online: 15 January 2023 Academic Editor: Ahmad Najib, Universitas Muslim Indonesia, Indonesia, ahmad.najib@umi.ac.id Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Dr. George Zhu, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, sansan4240732@163.com Dr. A.A. Mgbahurike, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, amaka_mgbahurike@yahoo.com

Intraocular neutralizing antibodies against aflibercept in patients with age related macular degeneration

PurposeTo detect immunoglobulins in aqueous humour of AMD patients after repeated administration of intravitreal aflibercept.Patients and methodsTwenty-one patients (age: 77.85 ± 9.21 years) previously treated with intravitreal aflibercept due to wet type age-related macular degeneration (AMD group) and 18 age-matched control subjects (age: 69.75 ± 12.67 years) were included in this study. Patients in the AMD group received a mean of 5 intravitreal injections (min: 1 max: 17) prior to the cataract surgery. Samples of aqueous humour (50 μl) were obtained by anterior chamber paracentesis as the first step of routine cataract surgery. The IgG content of the samples was analysed by an in-house developed ELISA system.ResultsA significant increase in nonspecific IgG levels in the AMD group was detected compared to the control group (13.37 ± 6.65 vs. 9.44 ± 6.55 μg/ml; p = 0.03). In 11 patients, intraocular anti-aflibercept immunoglobulins could be detected (0.05 ± 0.01 μg/ml) which was significantly higher than the limit of detection for anti-aflibercept (0.04 μg/ml; p = 0.001). No correlation was found between the number of injections or the type of CNV and the aqueous level of anti-aflibercept (r = 0.02; p = 0.95).ConclusionAccording to our results, penetration of non-specific systemic antibodies through the impaired blood-retinal barrier is higher in patients with neovascular AMD than in subjects with an intact structural barrier. Evaluation of neutralizing antibodies to anti-VEGF agents in the aqueous humour can lead us to understanding tachyphylaxis and changes in intraocular immune mechanisms due to AMD.

Based on the Real-Life Data of Türkiye; Comparison of Anatomical and Functional Outcomes of Phakic and Pseudophakic Patients in Wet Type Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

The aim of the study was comparison of wet-type age-related macular degeneration in phakic and pseudophakic patients in terms of anatomical and functional success based on the real-life data of Türkiye. The multicenter retrospective real-life study data of the. retinal study group were used in this study. Among 867 eyes of 867 patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the status of the lens; phakic group and pseudophakic group. The follow-up period of the two groups, the number of injections at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years, and changes in the central macular thickness (CMT, μ) and visual acuity (VA, logMAR) of the patients at the beginning, 6th, 12th, 24th, and 36th months were examined. In our study, the number of injections in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years, respectively, was 4.2±2.0, 1.8±1.9, and 1.0±1.7 in the phakic group, and 3.9±2.0, 1.7±1.9, and 0.8±1.4 in the pseudophakic group. When the two groups were compared in terms of the number of injections, there was a statistically significant difference in the 1st year, but there was no significant difference in the 2nd and 3rd years (p=0.001, p=0.350, and p=0.288, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of CMT in the baseline, 6th, 12th, 24th, and 36th months (p=0.991, p=0.327, p=0.652, p=0.599, and p=0.873, respectively). Although there was no difference in VA between groups at the beginning (p=0.052), the phakic group showed statistically better VA in controls at 3rd, 6th, 12th, 24th, and 36th months (p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.000, p=0.000, and p=0.003, respectively). Differences in the number of injections and visual results between phakic and pseudophakic patients in wet type AMD may necessitate the creation of different treatment and follow-up protocols.

Активність і залишкове енерговиділення ядерного палива під час експлуатації і зберігання

General information on the amount of accumulated spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at NPPs in the world is presented. An analysis of the rates of SNF accumulation was carried out, and forecasts of SNF accumulation in the world and in Ukraine for the next decade were made. Information is given on the technologies for SNF handling, as well as some characteristics of SNF storage systems of wet and dry types. Radiation characteristics of SNF — radioactivity and residual energy release of nuclear fuel — largely determine both possible accident scenarios and possible radiation consequences of accidents at nuclear facilities. The article presents the results of modeling in the SCALE program code of changes in radioactivity and residual energy release of VVER-1000 nuclear fuel after period of operation of the fuel assembly in the VVER-1000 core. The model of VVER-1000 fuel assembly with 4.4% enrichment, which is used in the mode of stationary refueling, was chosen for simulation. The simulation results were compared with the data given in the relevant reference books regarding the change in the radiation characteristics of nuclear fuel during its operation in the VVER-1000. The results of comparison of the radiation characteristics of VVER-1000 fuel assemblies with the same burnup, but with different fuel loading schedules in the last year of operation are presented for a four-year fuel campaign. A significant influence on the radiation characteristics (radioactivity and residual energy release) of the fuel assembly load mode has been demonstrated. The simulation results show that the specific radioactivity and, accordingly, the total radioactivity of nuclear fuel in the VVER-1000 cores at the Zaporizhzhia NPP after ~1 year of forced outage decreased by ~100 times. Therefore, the possible radiation consequences in case of damage of nuclear fuel located in the core or unloaded into the spent fuel pools will be much lower than in the case of an accident at an operating reactor. The same applies to comparisons of the consequences of a possible accident at the ZNPP with the consequences of the accident at the Chornobyl NPP in 1986, which occurred at a working reactor with the release of at least ~3–5 % of nuclear fuel.

The impact of climate change and wildfire on decadal alpine vegetation dynamics

Context Climate-induced changes of alpine vegetation diversity, cover and composition have been recorded globally, but most insights have been gleaned from field studies over small spatiotemporal scales. Aims We assess dynamics in climate and vegetation of Australia’s highest and most biologically diverse alpine area that surrounds Mount Kosciuszko (~455 km2), as well as recovery following the 2003 wildfires. Methods Climatic changes were analysed using gridded climate data for mean annual temperature (1910–2019) and seasonal precipitation (1900–2019), and changes in snow cover were assessed from snow course records (1954–2021). A vegetation cover time series (1990, 2000, 2010, 2020) was modelled with an optimised random forest classification using recursive feature selection, and the LandTrendr algorithm was used to detect areas burnt during wildfires. Key results Over time, temperatures and summer precipitation increased, whereas snow cover and winter precipitation decreased. Subsequently, vegetation dynamics were dominated by the densification of subalpine woodlands at lower elevations, replacing dry and wet heathlands. There was treeline stasis but upslope advancement of dry and wet shrublines but grassland vegetation types were relatively stable. However, in burnt areas there was suppressed upslope advancement of shrublines, treeline recession and relatively less expansion of subalpine woodlands. Conclusions Alpine vegetation may be impacted by climate change incrementally through relatively gradual changes in climatic conditions, and transformatively through landscape-level disturbance from wildfires. Implications Higher temperatures and altered precipitation regimes increase the frequency and severity of wildfires, which may be amplified by increasing fuel loads and dryness from the proliferation and advance of woody vegetation in alpine areas.

Evaluation of Washing and Screening for Upgrading the Calcium Content of Oyster Shells Using a Simulated Wet-Type Trommel

The oyster shells produced at shucking sites contain various organic and inorganic impurities and are discharged without proper pretreatment. In the present study, we confirmed a process for removing organic/inorganic impurities and salts from abandoned shells using a wet type of trommel. A particle size analysis showed that the inorganic impurities in the studied shells were Si, Fe, Al, etc. derived from sediment, and their contents were relatively rich in fine particles. Dissolved ions (Cl−, SO42−, and NO3−) and organic matter (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) can be removed concurrently for a short period (<5 min) by a trommel. The higher removal efficiencies for total organic carbon (TOC, ~93.4%), total nitrogen (TN, ~59.9%), and total phosphorous (TP, ~92.9%) in the washing wastewaters after filtration not only indicate increased organic matter in the fine particles derived from crushed shells during trommel operation, but also that a certain portion could be removed by precipitation. However, considering that a small amount of salt compounds (Na and Cl) still remains in the shell even after calcination followed by washing, the scope of shell use must be considered.

Soil Seed Banks of Continental Grasslands with Different Water Regimes—A Comparative Study from the Aspect of Recovery Potential

Due to the threats posed by climate change and landscape alteration, there is an increasing need to better understand using seed banks of continental grasslands as a possible aid to conservation and restoration. Here, the soil seed bank of a wet grassland type, an ecotone and a semi-dry grassland type, all formed along a slope in NE Hungary, were compared from the aspect of recovery potential. For this, a vegetation survey and a seedling emergence examination were performed. The seed banks of the three grassland types differed significantly in terms of density. It was significantly higher in both the wet and the ecotone grassland types than in the semi-dry one. The seed banks of the three grassland types proved to be very similar in terms of diversity. The floristic similarity between the vegetation and the seed banks was much higher in both the wet and the ecotone grassland types than in the semi-dry one. Most of the abundant species of the vegetation had transient seed banks, but more of the characteristic species of the wet and the ecotone grassland types maintained dense and/or persistent seed banks than those of the semi-dry one. In the case of degradation, a complete recovery is not ensured by the seed bank of either studied grassland type; however, compared to that of the semi-dry grassland, the wet grassland’s seed bank better supports an increase in diversity within a limited period. In the case of restoration, within five years after destruction, it could be more rewarding to deal with wet grassland types prior to dry ones.

Determination of the Agricultural Land Potential Index Using a Geographic Information System: A Case Study of Aceh Tengah Regency, Indonesia

Agricultural problems that often arise are due to a lack of suitable and strategic agricultural land for its use, which results in poor agricultural production in the area. A land potential index that classifies existing land potentials from high to low class can be used to overcome this. This study aims to build an agricultural land potential index using a geographic information system in the Regency of Aceh Tengah, Indonesia, using a geographic information system. The method used in this research is a survey approach to collect information in the form of rainfall data, slope, lithology, soil type, land use and administrative maps of the Aceh Tengah Regency. The land potential index is obtained by overlaying the slope parameters, lithology, soil type, hydrology, and susceptibility to erosion into a land map unit that can classify it into five classes of a land potential index. The results of this study indicate that the Regency of Aceh Tengah is included in the very wet climate type. Maximum erosion was 1,213.6 tons per ha per year. The land potential index with very low criteria was 23.38% (102,002.42 ha) with a slope greater than 40%. The land potential index with very high criteria has an area of 3,807.80 ha (0.87%) with a maximum slope of 15%. A land potential index with very high criteria was found in the Linge, Atu Lintang, Lut Tawar, Pegasing, Bintang, Jagong Jeget, Kebayakan, Ketol, and Celala districts with an area of 2,014.26 ha, 1,266.33 ha, 174.81 ha, 148.07 ha, 77.86 ha, 73.63 ha, 46.77 ha, 4.14 ha and 1.94 ha, respectively. Meanwhile, the land potential index with very low criteria is found in all districts except Kute Panang and Atu Lintang.

Nanocomposite-Based Electrode Structures for EEG Signal Acquisition

Objective: To fabricate a lightweight, breathable, comfortable, and able to contour to the curvilinear body shape, electrodes built on a flexible substrate are a significant growth in wearable health monitoring. This research aims to create a GNP/FE electrode-based EEG signal acquisition system that is both efficient and inexpensive. Methodology: Three distinct electrode concentrations were developed for EEG signal acquisition, three distinct electrode concentrations (1.5:1.5, 2:1, and 3:0). The high strength-to-weight ratio to form the tribofilm in the fabrication of the electrode will provide good efficiency. The EEG signal is first subjected to a wavelet transform, which serves as a preliminary analysis. The use of biopotential signals in wearable systems as biofeedback or control commands is expected to substantially impact point-of-care health monitoring systems, rehabilitation devices, human–computer/machine interfaces (HCI/HMI), and brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). The graphene oxide (GO), glycerol (GL), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) GO/GL/PVA plastic electrodes were measured and compared to that of a commercially available electrode using the biopic equipment. The GO/GL/PVA plastic electrode was able to detect EEG signals satisfactorily after being used for two months, demonstrating good conductivity and lower noise than the commercial electrode. The GO/GL/PVA nanocomposite mixture was put into the electrode mold as soon as it was ready and then rapidly chilled. Results: The quality of an acquired EEG signal could be measured in several ways including by its error percentage, correlation coefficient, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The fabricated electrode yield detection ranged from 0.81 kPa−1 % to 34.90 kPa−1%. The performance was estimated up to the response of 54 ms. Linear heating at the rate of 40 °C per minute was implemented on the sample ranges from 0 °C to 240 °C. During the sample electrode testing in EEG signal analysis, it obtained low impedance with a good quality of signal acquisition when compared to a conventional wet type of electrode. Conclusions: A large database was frequently built from all of the simulated signals in MATLAB code. Through the experiment, all of the required data were collected, checked against all other signals, and proven that they were accurate representations of the intended database. Evidence suggests that graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) hematite (FE2O3) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) GNP/FE2O3@PVDF electrodes with a 3:0 concentration yielded the best outcomes.

Pachychoroid neovasculopathy can mimic wet type age-related macular degeneration

Purposeto determine the percentage of patients with pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) among patients who have been misdiagnosed and treated with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).MethodsIn this retrospective cross-sectional study, patients over 55 years old, who were diagnosed with wet AMD, were re-evaluated. All patients were recalled for examination and imaging. Patients with PNV were differentiated form wet AMD based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.ResultsOverall, 120 patients (137 eyes) were recorded with wet AMD in the clinic. Finally, after complete re-evaluation, 94 (106 eyes) and 26 patients (31 eyes) were assigned to the AMD and the PNV group, respectively. Thus, a total of 20% of patients with primary mistake diagnosis of wet AMD, actually had PNV. The mean sub field choroidal thickness (SFCT) in the AMD and PNV groups was 173.8 ± 69 μm and 342 ± 27 μm, respectively. Drusen and pachydrusen were found in 69.9% and 24% of the cases with AMD and PNV, respectively (P = 0.001). The average number of intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) required in the AMD and PNV groups was about 5 and 3, respectively, which was statistically significant (P-value 0.02).ConclusionThis study revealed that about a one-fifth of wet AMD patients are actually pachychoroid neovasculopathy. These patients were younger and had thicker SFCT, and developed less subretinal scarring. Thus, the disorder must be considered as an important differential diagnosis of AMD-CNV.

Pinch point determination and Multi-Objective optimization for working parameters of an ORC by using numerical analyses optimization method

In parallel with Kyoto, Paris and the green production agreements, the nowadays crucial subject is minimising energy consumption, increasing renewable energy usage and recovering waste heat. When it comes to waste heat, the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology comes fore. However, although the presence of many studies on the ORC in the literature, there is still an intense gap related to information on ORC working conditions, pinch point detection and numerical design and analysis methods. In this respect, the present paper suggests a multi-objective optimization model for an ORC by considering many parameters that affect the performance of the ORC like fluid type, thermodynamic properties of the organic fluids, pinch point temperature etc. For the analyses, experimentally recorded exhaust gas parameters for a reheat furnace located in the iron and steel plant were used. By considering all these, all performance-affecting parameters were included through the development of the multi-objective model. For the analyses, two wet types (ethanol, methanol), two isentropic (acetone, butene), and two dry types (cyclohexane, benzene) working fluids were selected to develop the multi-objective design and optimising method. After comprehensive analyses, it was seen that the developed mathematical model was valid for the designing and analysing of the ORC. In addition, it was observed that the system performance increases as the pinch point temperature difference decreases. In addition, it was seen that isentropic fluids have low efficiency in medium-temperature heat sources. Considering the system performance, initial investment cost and payback periods, it was seen that a waste heat recovery plant using Benzene, Methanol and Ethanol as working fluids is more feasible.

Priz Hızlandırıcı Katkılı Betonun Mekanik ve Dayanıklılık Özelliklerinin Taguchi Optimizasyonu

It is very important to save time during the assembly of prefabricated elements. In wet connection types, the setting time of the concrete might lead time lose. There are many studies investigates the methods to shorten the setting time of concrete. Especially in the recent years, there are accelerators developed to shorten concrete setting time without causing corrosion. However, the negative effect of accelerators on fresh concrete properties such as workability makes them difficult to use. In this study, it is aimed to produce a concrete mixture with high initial strength and workability by using an accelerator. However, it is highly difficult to determine proper ratio of the accelerator for the mixture without precasting significant number of concrete samples which requires time, manpower and material consumption. Therefore, Taguchi optimization is very useful method in order to reduce this number of samples and effort. The optimum mixture has been achieved by performing the required tests applied to mixture designs obtained from Taguchi optimization.

Advanced exergy analysis of an integrated solid waste fueled cogeneration system based on organic Rankine Cycle for different working fluids

In this study, the performance evaluation of an ORC-based solid waste-powered cogeneration system was carried out using conventional and advanced exergy analysis methods. Eight different working fluids including dry (isopentane, n-pentane, n-octane, n-heptane), isentropic (R141b, R123), and wet (methanol, water) types were selected for the evaluation. The total capacity of the heat source was determined with the data obtained from the assessment of municipal solid wastes with different calorific values ​​by the characterization method. Energy and exergy analyses were carried out for each component to examine the effect of selected cycle parameters, including evaporator pressure, intermediate pressure, and condenser pressure, and determine the optimum working fluid for the system. The exergy destruction in the components was split into avoidable/unavoidable and endogenous/exogenous parts in the advanced exergy analysis to identify the improvement potentials and the interaction between the components. The thermal and exergy efficiency values ​​reach the highest values ​​of 81.36 % and 40.76 %, respectively. R141b performs as the best working fluid, while the lowest performance is obtained from water. About 121.3 kW of power generation and 918.2 kW of process heat were obtained from the ORC-CHP system using R141b at 1400 kPa evaporator pressure. Conventional exergy analysis states that the evaporator, process heater, and turbine are the most critical components, accounting for 67.94 %, 19 %, and 4.92 % of the total exergy destruction rate, respectively. The advanced exergy analysis shows that the priority should be on the turbine having the largest share of the avoidable part. The avoidable part, which accounts for 14.5 % of the total exergy destruction, can be reduced by system improvements.

Toward Ideal VOCs and Nanoparticle Emission Control Technology Using a Wet-Type Catalysis Nonthermal Plasma Reactor

Several exhaust gas regulations are being implemented to prevent the hazardous emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM) from paint and print factories. The VOCs generate photochemical oxidants and suspended PM, such as PM <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2.5</sub> , which has become a global environmental problem. We evaluate the catalytic nonthermal plasma (NTP) technique for controlling the emission of VOCs. The article proposes a wet-type catalysis plasma reactor to extend the treatment of water-soluble VOCs. Initial evaluation of the proposed technique involves simultaneous removal of nanoparticles along with individual VOCs, toluene, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, and ammonia, at a relatively high gas flow rate of 10 L/min. Further, pellets of <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">α</i> -alumina and TiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> spheres are employed in the NTP reactors for assessing their catalytic performance. We install an MnO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> catalytic reactor downstream of the plasma reactor for ozone removal. Simultaneous treatment of typical VOCs and nanoparticles using dry and wet-type catalytic NTP reactors shows that the wet-type reactor has superior average particle collection efficiency of 100%. However, the dry-type NTP with <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">α</i> -alumina shows a higher toluene removal efficiency of 91% compared to 73% in the wet type. Further, the respective removal efficiencies for acetaldehyde, acetic acid, and ammonia are 100%, 100%, and 95%. Notably, the toluene removal efficiency drops to 65% with the TiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> catalyst.

PROYEKSI PERGESERAN TIPE IKLIM OLDEMAN DI WILAYAH KALIMANTAN SELATAN PADA AKHIR ABAD 21 BERDASARKAN SIMULASI CORDEX-SEA

Climate change has the potential to alter the spatial pattern of rainfall, which is the primary variable in climate classification. The Oldeman method is one of climate classification techniques focused on agricultural management. This study's objective is to evaluate the spatial changes of the Oldeman climatic type in South Kalimantan, Indonesia assificationt of climate change. The climate in the late 21st century is simulated using data from one of the CORDEX-SEA project's products using the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. The shift in climate type was assesed based on the difference of the total area covered by the Oldeman climate classification during the projection period (2071-2095) and that covered during the reference period (1981-2005). The simulation data was corrected first using the linear scaling method to reduce the bias. The skill of model in reproducing Oldeman climate type was evaluated against the surface observation data from 35 sites using the percent of correct (PoC) score method. We found that the bias correction procedure successfully reduced the bias, as evidenced by a 22% rise in the correlation value of monthly rainfall and a -79% reduction in RMSE. By the end of the 21st century, both under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, the South Kalimantan climate is projected to be dryer, characterized by a decrease in the area covered by wet climate types (type B) and an increase in the area covered by dry and extremely dry climate types (type D and E). We discovered that the RCP8.5 scenario could result in a more tremendous shift in climate type than the RCP4.5 scenario. This study demonstrates that climate change has the potential to result in a shift in the climate classification that must be considered in agriculture policymaking.

Targeting the Complement Cascade for Treatment of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the elderly population. AMD is characterized in its late form by neovascularization (wet type) or geographic atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium cell layer (dry type). Regarding the latter type, there is growing evidence supporting an association between the pathophysiology of dry AMD and key proteins in the complement cascade. The complement cascade works as a central part of the innate immune system by defending against foreign pathogens and modified self-tissues. Through three distinct pathways, a series of plasma and membrane-associated serum proteins are activated upon identification of a foreign entity. Several of these proteins have been implicated in the development and progression of dry AMD. Potential therapeutic targets include C1q, C3, C5, complement factors (B, D, H, I), membrane attack complex, and properdin. In this review, we provide an understanding of the role of the complement system in dry AMD and discuss the emerging therapies in early phase clinical trials. The tentative hope is that these drugs may offer the potential to intervene at earlier stages in dry AMD pathogenesis, thereby preventing progression to late disease.

A universal, high-performance ECG signal processing engine to reduce clinical burden.

BackgroundElectrocardiogram (ECG) signal conditioning is a vital step in the ECG signal processing chain that ensures effective noise removal and accurate feature extraction.ObjectiveThis study evaluates the performance of the FDA 510 (k) cleared HeartKey Signal Conditioning and QRS peak detection algorithms on a range of annotated public and proprietary ECG databases (HeartKey is a UK Registered Trademark of B‐Secur Ltd).MethodsSeven hundred fifty‐one raw ECG files from a broad range of use cases were individually passed through the HeartKey signal processing engine. The algorithms include several advanced filtering steps to enable significant noise removal and accurate identification of the QRS complex. QRS detection statistics were generated against the annotated ECG files.ResultsHeartKey displayed robust performance across 14 ECG databases (seven public, seven proprietary), covering a range of healthy and unhealthy patient data, wet and dry electrode types, various lead configurations, hardware sources, and stationary/ambulatory recordings from clinical and non‐clinical settings. Over the NSR, MIT‐BIH, AHA, and MIT‐AF public databases, average QRS Se and PPV values of 98.90% and 99.08% were achieved. Adaptable performance (Se 93.26%, PPV 90.53%) was similarly observed on the challenging NST database. Crucially, HeartKey's performance effectively translated to the dry electrode space, with an average QRS Se of 99.22% and PPV of 99.00% observed over eight dry electrode databases representing various use cases, including two challenging motion‐based collection protocols.ConclusionHeartKey demonstrated robust signal conditioning and QRS detection performance across the broad range of tested ECG signals. It should be emphasized that in no way have the algorithms been altered or trained to optimize performance on a given database, meaning that HeartKey is potentially a universal solution capable of maintaining a high level of performance across a broad range of clinical and everyday use cases.

Impact of wetting and drying cycles on the mechanical behaviour of a cement-treated soil

The core objective of this study is to analyse the impact of the wetting/drying protocol on the mechanical behaviour of a cement-treated sand. The impact of two types of wetting and drying cycles of different magnitudes was evaluated with a quantitative approach based on the stress-dilatancy approach. The main effect of the wetting/drying cycles is to alter the bonds and consequently diminish the mechanical performance. The weathering effect is shown to be dependent on the cement dosage but also on the intensity of the cycles. For the samples treated with 4% cement, the very first cycles seem to bring the most alteration of the mechanical performance. For those treated with 1% cement, however, the accumulation of multiple cycles leads to more progressive degradation. The evaluation of the bonding ratio permitted the quantitative assessment of the treatment effect and the weathering progress with cycles. The results highlight the role of the imposed wetting/drying cycle technique for a better assessment of the long-term performance of treated soils, even if the definition of an adequate weathering protocol that makes sense with regard to the real solicitation endured by engineered structures deserves additional investigation.