Search

It can be confidently stated that there is limited research on the usability of nanoparticles as alternative fuel additives for diesel fuel (DF), particularly those produced from organic substances through the green synthesis method. On this basis, the present research focused on the usability of the fuels formed by adding metal-based titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles produced through green synthesis technique at different ratios to safflower oil biodiesel and commercial DF blends considering the thermodynamic, economic, and environmental analyses. In this sense, performance and emission tests were carried out in a single-cylinder diesel engine at four ranging loads (25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 %) at a fixed speed of 1500 rpm. To conclude, the exergy efficiency enhanced as the load increased. Actually, for B10Si50 blend at 25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 % loads, the exergy efficiency was calculated to be 16.46 %, 19.48 %, 21.08 %, and 21.95 %, respectively. As the amount of biodiesel infused to DF increased, the cost of losses went up gradually. In this context, the cost of losses for DF was calculated as 2.099 USD/h at the maximum engine load, meanwhile the cost of losses for B10 and B20 was figured out to be 2.326 USD/h and 2.487 USD/h, respectively. At the peak load, the ratio of the power taken from the engine shaft to the cost achieved for DF was 129.76 USD/GJ, while it was found to be 151.55 USD/GJ for B20. In addition, it was determined as 191.21 USD/GJ for B20Si250 fuel and 197.97 USD/GJ for B20Ti250. As stated in the exergoenviroeconomic analysis findings, the cost of monthly CO2emissions ascended as the amount of nanoparticles augmented regardless of the type of fuel blends. At 75 % engine load, the cost of CO2emissions for B20Si50 fuel was notified as 43.89 USD/month whereas it was found to be 47.74 USD/month for B20Si250.

To evaluate the effects of dry eye on conjunctival immune cell number and transcriptional profiles with attention to mononuclear phagocytes.

AbstractBackgroundCabozantinib, a new first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC), targets essential tyrosine kinases and outperforms the established comparator (sunitinib) in various efficacy outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of cabozantinib compared to other aRCC treatments.MethodsFollowing PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines, our protocol was registered in PROSPERO. A systematic search, without date limits, was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and EMBASE until October 8, 2023. Data extraction encompassed study details, baseline information, and outcomes. Hazard ratios (HR) and risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals were employed for each outcome, and a random-effects model was applied to account for expected heterogeneity.ResultsThree studies, encompassing 967 patients, were included in our analysis. In terms of efficacy, the pooled rate for overall survival significantly favored cabozantinib. However, in subgroup analyses, cabozantinib was only statistically superior to everolimus. For progression-free survival and tumor objective response rate, cabozantinib outperformed both everolimus and sunitinib. In adverse events, compared to sunitinib, cabozantinib exhibited inferiority in nearly all evaluated aspects, except for nausea and stomatitis, which showed no difference between the two groups. Conversely, it demonstrated a comparable risk profile with everolimus across various side effects.ConclusionCabozantinib shows significant efficacy in extending overall survival, progression-free survival, and tumor objective response rate despite a potentially higher risk of adverse events compared to sunitinib. These findings support cabozantinib as a first-line therapy for aRCC, either as an initial treatment or after prior VEGFR-targeted therapies.

With the growth in the wearable device market, wearable sensor-based human activity recognition (HAR) systems have been gaining increasing interest in research because of their rising demands in many areas. This article presents a novel sensor-based HAR system that utilizes a unique feature extraction technique associated with a deep learning (DL) method for classification. One of the main contributions of this work is dividing the sensor sequences timewise into nonoverlapping 2-D segments. Then, statistical features are computed from each 2-D segment using two approaches; the first approach computes features from the raw sensor readings, while the second approach applies time-series differencing to sensor readings prior to feature calculations. Applying time-series differencing to 2-D segments helps in identifying the underlying structure and dynamics of the sensor reading across time. This work experiments with different numbers of 2-D segments of sensor reading sequences. Also, it reports results with and without the use of different components of the proposed system. Additionally, it analyses the best-performing models’ complexity, comparing them with other models trained by integrating the proposed method with an existing transformer network. All of these arrangements are tested with different DL architectures supported by an attention layer to enhance the model. Four benchmark datasets are used to perform several experiments, namely, Mobile Health (mHealth), ubiquitous computing human activity dataset (USC-HAD), University of California Irvine HAR (UCI-HAR) dataset, and daily and sports activities (DSA). The experimental results revealed that the proposed system outperforms HAR rates reported in the most recent studies. Specifically, this work reports recognition rates of 99.17%, 81.07%, 99.44%, and 94.03% for the four datasets, respectively.

Dilated and transposed convolutions are widely used in modern convolutional neural networks (CNNs). These kernels are used extensively during CNN training and inference of applications such as image segmentation and high-resolution image generation. We find that commonly-used low-power CNN inference accelerators are not optimized for both these convolutional kernels. Dilated and transposed convolutions introduce significant zero padding when mapped to the underlying spatial architecture, significantly degrading performance and energy efficiency. Existing approaches that address this issue require significant design changes to the otherwise simple, efficient, and well-adopted architectures used to compute direct convolutions. To address this challenge, we propose EcoFlow, a new set of dataflows and mapping algorithms for dilated and transposed convolutions. These algorithms are tailored to execute efficiently on existing low-cost, small-scale spatial architectures and requires minimal changes to existing accelerators. At its core, EcoFlow eliminates zero padding through careful dataflow orchestration and data mapping tailored to the spatial architecture. We evaluate EcoFlow on CNN training workloads and Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) workloads. Experiments in SASiML, our new cycle-accurate simulator, show that, using a common CNN inference accelerator, EcoFlow 1) reduces end-to-end CNN training time between 7-85%, and 2) improves end-to-end GAN training performance between 29-42%, compared to state-of-the-art CNN dataflows. SASiML is publicly and freely available at https://github.com/CMU-SAFARI/sasiml.

Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a rarely diagnosed and treated etiology of abdominal pain with no established diagnostic approach. The effectiveness of our institutional protocol in identifying these patients was investigated by analyzing their surgical outcomes.

During preclinical training, dental students take radiographs of acrylic (plastic) blocks containing extracted patient teeth. With the digitisation of medical records, a central archiving system was created to store and retrieve all x-ray images, regardless of whether they were images of teeth on acrylic blocks, or those from patients. In the early stage of the digitisation process, and due to the immaturity of the data management system, numerous images were mixed up and stored in random locations within a unified archiving system, including patient record files. Filtering out and expunging the undesired training images is imperative as manual searching for such images is problematic. Hence the aim of this stidy was to differentiate intraoral images from artificial images on acrylic blocks.

Hydrophobic and oleophilic carbon fiber aerogel (CFA) was produced from lignocellulosic biomass such as black locust, hybrid polar, and chestnut shell. The biomasses were treated by some chemicals to prepare hydrophilic cellulose aerogel (CA). Successive freeze-shaping in liquid nitrogen (− 196 °C) and freeze-drying at − 53 °C and 0.113 mbar formed the hydrophilic cellulose aerogel (CA). Then, carbonization of CA at 900 °C yielded ultralight (0.011 g/cm3) and mesopore-rich (38 nm) hydrophobic/oleophilic CFA with moderate surface area (110–533 m2/g) and pore volumes (0.25–0.73 cm3/g). Water contact angle, surface functionalities, cellulose crystallinity, morphology, surface area, and thermal stability of CFA were characterized. Water contact angle of CFA reached 141° that indicates highly hydrophobic nature. Although no chemical activation was applied, the oil sorption capacities of 76.0, 81.6, and 81.8 g/g were achieved for diesel oil, crude oil, and sunflower oil, respectively.

Processing cellulose from 4-methyl morpholine n-oxide (NMMO)-water solutions is a completely circular route that produces biodegradable cellulose fibers or films while recovering reusable NMMO [Guo, Y.; Cai, J.; Sun, T.; Xing, L.; Cheng, C.; Chi, K.; Xu, J.; Li, T. The purification process and side reactions in the N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) recovery system. Cellulose2021, 28(12), 7609–7617]. Despite proven success in two-dimensional applications, challenges in transitioning to three-dimensional objects arise from the critical changes that cellulose undergoes during deposition, regeneration, and postregeneration stages. While emphasizing the critical diffusion-driven precipitation during regeneration, this investigation explores the influence of extrusion temperature, printing alignment, regeneration, and drying processes on interfilament fusion, bonding, shape integrity, and mechanical properties. Three distinct drying processes: ambient, vacuum, and freeze-drying were investigated. Tensile and flexural bending tests provided insight into the delamination of dried specimens. Ambient and vacuum drying enhanced the properties of specimens, while freeze-drying resulted in a more stable shape. The findings contribute to advancing the understanding of 3D-printing cellulose from NMMO solutions, addressing crucial aspects of the extrusion, regeneration, and drying stages for enhanced applications in sustainable manufacturing.

AbstractThis study analyzes the existing literature on ISO 9001 to identify trends, key scholars, influential journals, significant papers, and this body of work’s overall intellectual, social, and conceptual landscape. The study also proposes potential avenues for further research based on its findings. Bibliometric and content analysis were used to examine 929 relevant journal articles published between 1987 and 2023 and indexed by Scopus or Web of Science (WoS). Bibliometric analysis and visualization of results were conducted using the Bibliometrix R package and Biblioshiny application. This investigation unveils the intellectual, social, and conceptual structures within the literature concerning ISO 9001, shedding light on bibliographic features such as prominent scholars, leading journals, and noteworthy papers. Nine distinct research clusters were identified: integrated management systems; the effects of ISO 9001 implementation and certification; the diffusion of management system standards; ISO 9001:2015; the effective implementation of ISO 9001; levels and difficulties in management system integration; internalization of ISO 9001, withdrawal of ISO 9001 certification, and critical success factor of ISO 9001 implementation; ISO 9001 implementation and lessons learned; and diffusion of ISO 9001-based quality management systems. Key findings from each cluster were synthesized. This research is a valuable resource for scholars and practitioners seeking insights into the current state of ISO 9001 research and areas that warrant further exploration.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rotation frequency (rpm) of different polishing discs on the surface roughness of a nanohybrid resin composite material. 126 specimens were prepared in metal molds of 10 mm diameter and 2 mm depth using a nanohybrid resin composite material. The prepared specimens were kept in distilled water for 24 hours. Polishing treatments at 5k, 10k, 15k, and 20k rpm were applied to the nanohybrid resin composite material by grouping different brand polishing discs: Sof-Lex Contouring and Polishing Discs (3M Espe, USA) (3M Group), Optidisc (Kerr Corporation, USA) (Kerr Group), Super-Snap Rainbow Technique Kit (Shofu Dental, Japan) (Shofu Group), Finishing Disc (Bisco Dental, USA) (Bisco Group). The surface roughness was evaluated at three different points by atomic force microscopy for all specimens and scanning electron microscopy was used for visual assessment. Data were evaluated by Two Way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD Test. The mean surface roughness (Ra, μm) of all prepared samples showed significant differences (α = 0.05). According to Two-Way ANOVA, there is a statistically significant relationship between the rpm values and the discs. The 3M group showed the highest roughness value at all rpm speeds. Shofu group at 15k, 20k rpm, Bisco group at 10k, 15k, 20k rpm, the Kerr group at 15k, 20k rpm showed the lowest roughness value and had roughness close to the surfaces finished with a mylar strip. The smoothest surfaces were obtained at 15k rpm, even though polishing discs from different brands were used. It was also observed that 5k and 20k rpm polishing speeds can increase the surface roughness of the nanohybrid resin composite material.

This study examines how preservice science teachers (PSTs) use multiple levels of representation in chemistry (macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic, and algebraic) as a result of engaging in argument-based inquiry in three different conditions: laboratory-only, technology-only, and a combination of technology and laboratory. The Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach was used to provide an argument-based inquiry environment under each condition. This study was conducted over the course of one semester, lasting 14 weeks in total, in a Chemistry I course. The study used an embedded single-case study design, and the participants consisted of 20 PSTs. Data included vignettes and video recordings. Video recordings of each of the PSTs’ discussions were analyzed for multiple levels of representation in chemistry in the design and claims and evidence components of the SWH approach for each week. Vignettes were analyzed by using content analysis. The results reveal that the PSTs prefer engaging in the combination of laboratory and technology conditions in terms of representational use, with this condition being the most beneficial in promoting development of representational competency. The results also highlight that the PSTs tend to consider technology beneficial for understanding the microscopic level of representation. Through a combination of laboratory and technology, PSTs are able to create arguments by utilizing and linking the multiple levels of representation necessary for building an understanding of chemistry.

In this study, the performance and exhaust emissions of a spark-ignition (SI) engine were simulated using AVL program, and the outcomes were compared with the results coming from experiments. The simulated engine was operated at a constant speed (1600 rpm) and various engine powers with gasoline (G100), and it blends with different higher-order alcohols such as 1-hexanol (HEX) and 1-heptanol (HP) as new fuel combinations. The proportions of tests fuel combinations were G100, G100 + HEX (5, 10, 15, and 20%) and G100 + HP (5, 10, 15, and 20%). The experimental study showed that the highest brake-specific fuel consumption was calculated to be 0.625 kg/kWh using HP20 fuel at 1 kW of engine power, while it was found to be 0.598 kg/kWh in the numerical study. The experimental research indicated that the lowest CO emission was emitted to be 0.28% in HEX20 fuel at 5 kW of engine power. Under the same condition, it was found 0.26% in the simulation study. The highest NOx emission was measured to be 1349.8 ppm in HEX20 fuel at 5 kW of the engine power. Meanwhile, 1318.3 ppm was found in the simulation. When the simulation outcomes were compared with the experimental study results, the simulation results were in valid. The difference in brake-specific fuel consumption results between experimental and numerical research ascended as the engine power jumped up. Furthermore, reductions were observed in the amount of difference in the results related to emissions between experimental and simulation studies at higher engine powers.

* The AAAI 2018 Fall Symposium Series was held Thursday through Saturday, October 18-20, at the Westin Arlington Gateway in Arlington, Virginia, adjacent to Washington, D.C. The titles of the [...]

ABSTRACT This paper reports a study to characterize the effect of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) on the microstructure within hydrating oil well cement paste and correlate them to the mechanical performance [...]

Doppler radar systems have an essential role in various applications, including aviation, weather forecasting, and military surveillance. However, their high fabrication costs and heavy weight may limit their utilization in rapid prototyping, small-scale applications, and seamless transportation. To address these challenges, a novel papercraft-based approach for producing the entire Doppler radar system’s horn antenna, hybrid tee, and short termination components in the X-band was investigated with details in this study, alongside conventional aluminum and 3-D printing methods. This article presents the first attempt to develop a Doppler radar using papercraft-based manufacturing. The papercraft-based approach is cost-effective, lightweight, flexible, and readily available, offering a promising route for improving and fabricating Doppler radar systems that are both affordable and accessible, particularly in resource-limited settings. The experimental results show that the papercraft-based components can perform comparably to conventional aluminum-based and 3-D-printed components, making it an innovative and cost-effective solution for fabricating Doppler radar systems.

Genital lymphoedema is a rare but debilitating and disfiguring complication of longstanding hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Despite the existence of medical and surgical methods that offer varying success rates in a limited number of cases, no data exist about the use of complex decongestive therapy (CDT) in HS-related genital lymphoedema. This case report describes the treatment and outcome of a 56-year-old male patient with severe scrotal lymphoedema due to underlying HS (Hurley stage 3). The patient was unresponsive to various topical and systemic antibiotics and biological agents, including adalimumab and certolizumab pegol. When the patient was assessed, ixekizumab treatment for his HS was planned. He had progressive oedema in the genital area for two years with difficulty in wearing trousers and having sexual intercourse, and painful urination. CDT was recommended for three days a week concurrently with ixekizumab treatment. The patient and his wife were also educated about self-drainage techniques and skincare maintenance. After six sessions of CDT over 14 days, the patient demonstrated a significant reduction in scrotal measurements. He achieved a better scrotal contour, the degree of the buried penis was decreased, and urination was easier and painless. The findings of this case report showed that CDT was an easily applicable, practical and promising method that offered a rapid treatment response for HS-related genital lymphoedema.

Graphical abstract:

•A simulation-based TBM operation support strategy is presented.•A Finite Cell 3D model for simulations of soil-structure interactions in soft soils.•The POD-RBF surrogate models predict accurately 2 millions outputs in only 5 to 10 s.•A real-time assistant system (SMART) has been developed for tunnel engineers.

Transition to electric vehicles is becoming increasingly significant due to climate change crisis, but it may follow different paths for developing countries as motorization rates have not reached saturation. This study introduces a novel approach for forecasting electric vehicle market penetration under increasing motorization rates. Motorization rate growth and electric vehicle market penetration are concurrently forecasted using a three-step process including estimation of (i) motorization rate based on gross domestic product forecasts by Gompertz model, (ii) number of passenger cars using population projections, and (iii) electric vehicle market penetration rate using a logistic growth model. The numerical analysis used gross domestic product estimates, population projections, and passenger car data for Turkey; the results reveals exponential growth in electric vehicle numbers until 2040, followed by a slower increase until 2060. Under different economic growth scenarios, the estimated number of electric passenger cars ranges from 19.2 to 51 million by 2060, showing a great difference due to variations in expected motorization rates. Sensitivity analyses highlight that gross domestic product per capita significantly influences electric vehicle penetration more than motorization rate saturation rates. These findings show that targeted strategies for supporting electric vehicle adoption in countries with unsaturated vehicle fleets can help policymakers shape incentives and policies. This study has a unique contribution by the methodology filling a critical modeling gap in electric vehicle penetration studies for markets with rising motorization rates. Thus, an accurate and consistent framework for predicting and planning electric vehicle adoption in different economic contexts is presented.

The common cellular process of chromium and similar toxic elements are oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, apoptosis, and cell death. Their cations have strong affinity for sulfur found in proteins, and thus they can deactivate the enzymes and stop or alter metabolic processes. In this study, absorption and toxicity of Cr were discussed taking into consider its solubility in water as well as chemical species and way of intake into body. Further, concentrations of total Cr and sulfur in cereal foods consumed commonly in Turkey were evaluated by a physiological approach. Among the studied 29 cereal samples, Cr concentrations in 17 of them (60%) were found to be higher (p< 0.5) than the MCL of 0.30 mg kg−1. Total estimated daily intake (∑EDI) from cereal foods was found to be 0.0330 mg/day/prs, that is, 66% of lower band and 16% of upper band of the RDA. Among other total mean values, ∑EWI = 0.231 (max. EWI:1.4 mg/week/prs), ∑EED = 1.8 × 10−4, and HICr(III)= ∑HQ = 1.2 × 10−4(lower than 1) reveal that the probability of an individual developing cancer over a lifetime as a result of exposure to Cr through consumption of rice was higher (p< 0.5) than acceptable risk levels (EED > 10−4). This evaluation is based on that chromium found in food and supplements is Cr(III).

In dielectric measurements within resonant cavities, analytical perturbation methods encounter limitations, particularly with nonstandard cavity shapes and lossy materials under test (MUTs) having high dielectric constant. In such cases, the demand for iterative techniques to improve accuracy and flexibility is evident, but the efficiency of the existing iterative techniques, relying on numerical electromagnetic solvers, is often compromised, particularly in terms of time. Therefore, we introduce a novel methodology for measuring the permittivity of dielectric materials using liquid mixtures. This novel method employs a rapid iterative technique in which effective permittivity values are reconstructed at each iteration step based on the volume fraction of liquid mixtures, thus eliminating the dependence on time-consuming 3-D numerical solvers. In addition, we aim to achieve dual-band measurements at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz, enhancing precision by separating mode frequencies. Introducing a re-entrant cavity-like structure, we position the first mode at 2.45 GHz and the second at 5.8 GHz, effectively mitigating intermodal crosstalk and ensuring measurement accuracy. Also, for the first time in the literature, determining which mode will be excited in a cavity by the coupler probe made of gallium can be achieved through the displacement of the liquid metal, which enables measurements to be taken exclusively at the desired frequency.

Urban rail transit (URT) systems are particularly favoured by planners due to their potential in attracting car users. However, a URT investment must be complemented by land-use characteristics at macroscale (whole city) and design parameters at microscale (vicinity of the station). Despite the common referencing to key concepts (i.e. density, diversity and connectivity), the variability in their definitions and scales causes ambiguity in the determination of their quantified impact on URT ridership. Furthermore, their impact may be different in developing countries, where more mesoscale (corridor-based) effects are expected in the early stages of the URT network. This study aimed to evaluate mathematically the impact of eight selected station design and public transit supply variables on ridership, based on data collected at 14 stations of two existing rail system corridors, both metro (M1) and light rail transit (A1) lines in Ankara, Turkey. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated three major groups of parameters: (1) land use, (2) public transit supply and (3) connectivity around stations. In single-variable regression models, density and diversity were not found to be statistically significant factors despite the commonly accepted conceptual relation to ridership. A multiple regression model with bus frequency and density (R2= 0.902) explained the ridership in Ankara URT systems more significantly at its early development stage. There was a significant difference between developed factor relations for both M1 and A1 lines, suggesting that mesolevel impacts should be considered in the evaluation of URT systems.

Purpose: Invasive methods such as lumbar puncture and intraventricular catheters are commonly used to measure intracranial pressure (ICP). This study aims to develop quantitative and non-invasive techniques to measure ICP in patients with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Methods: MRI data obtained from 50 patients with IIH and 30 age- and sex- matched controls were analyzed and optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), eyeball transverse diameter (ETD) and optic nerve diameter (OND) were measured. ONSD, ONSD/ETD and OND/ONSD indexes were calculated according to different ONSD measurement distances. Correlations of MRI findings with ICP were calculated. Sensitivity and specificity of all methods were analyzed. Results: ONSD and ONSD/ETD index at 3 mm and 10 mm behind the eyeball were significantly higher (p&lt; 0.001) and OND/ONSD index at 3 mm behind the eyeball was significantly lower (p&lt; 0.001) in the IIH group. The ONSD/ETD index at 3 mm had the highest area under the curve (AUC) value (0.898) with a cut-off of 0.27 mm (82% sensitivity and 91.67% specificity) for predicting high cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, followed by ONSD measurements at 3 mm (AUC = 0.886) with a cut-off of 6.17 mm (83% sensitivity and 86.67% specificity). The OND/ONSD index at 3 mm posterior to the eyeball decreased significantly as ICP increased, and the strength of the relationship was moderate (p&lt; 0.001; r= -0.358). Conclusions: ONSD and ONSD/ETD index measured on MRI sequences are potentially useful in detecting elevated ICP. The OND/ONSD index correlates with CSF pressure and these techniques may be helpful in diagnosing IIH.

Aluminum alloys are widely used in industry due to their light weight. These alloys are generally exposed to abrasive wear, which diminishes their effective lifespan. The wear resistance of these alloys is enhanced by adding various reinforcements, however, this enhancement comes at the cost of reduced fracture toughness. This paradox of increased wear resistance versus decreased fracture toughness in aluminum alloys can be resolved by using functionally graded materials (FGMs). This study focuses on the abrasive wear behavior of functional graded aluminum matrix composites reinforced with Al3Ti particles. The wear properties of the composites were investigated by considering the characteristics of the composite such as matrix type and various composite zones, as well as the wear parameters such as abrasive particle diameter, load, sliding speed and distance. Taguchi method was used in the abrasive wear tests in order to get more reliable results in a time-efficient manner. Experiment recipes were created based on the L27(63) orthogonal series. As a result of the study, it is observed that the wear resistance of the composites increases with an increase in Al3Ti reinforcement content and hardness of the matrix. In addition, the size of abrasive particles and the applied load are significant factors affecting abrasive wear.

Hintergrund: Das primäre Vaginalkarzinom ist eine Rarität, Metastasen von anderen gynäkologischen Karzinomen treten dagegen häufiger in der Vagina auf. Zur Entstehung eines Karzinoms am Vaginalgewebe führen u. a. auch chronische Reizzustände. Ein hochgradiger Descensus genitalis stellt insbesondere wegen seiner hohen Prävalenz in der alternden Population und seiner komplexen Behandlung in dieser besonderen Patientengruppe eine Herausforderung dar. Sowohl ein langanhaltender Deszensus als auch die längere konservative Behandlung mittels Pessaren sind mit Entstehung eines Vaginalkarzinoms vergesellschaftet. Schlussfolgerung: Bei Patientinnen mit einer langen Deszensusanamnese sollte in der Behandlung besonders berücksichtigt werden, dass das Risiko für maligne Veränderungen besteht. Die Behandlung des Vaginalkarzinoms bei hochgradigem Deszensus unterscheidet sich nicht von der üblichen Behandlung ohne Descensus genitalis. Wenn möglich, sollte die Therapie des Vaginalkarzinoms auch die Beseitigung des Deszensus und die Wiederherstellung der Funktionalität der Beckenorgane umfassen.

The oleaster plant is a species used in afforestation of areas not suitable for agriculture due to its resistance to drought, salinity, and alkaline conditions. In addition, different parts of the oleaster plant (leaves, flowers, and fruits) can be used in different ways in the medicine, cosmetics, and food sectors. It can also be used as an ornamental plant due to its herbal appearance and the pleasant scent of oleaster flowers. This study was conducted to determine morphological and biochemical characteristics of oleaster genotypes grown in the Middle Kelkit Valley, Türkiye. A wide variation among oleaster genotypes was observed in the examined traits. Fruit weight ranged from 0.59 to 3.23 g, fruit width from 9.70 to 17.28 mm, fruit length from 15.33 to 25.77 mm, and seed weight from 0.23 to 0.71 g. Among the examined genotypes, the G‑6 genotype exhibited superior characteristics in various pomological aspects compared to other genotypes. The G‑3 genotype had the highest total phenolic and antioxidant content (546.64 mg 100 g−1and 64.50 mg 100 g−1, respectively). The highest flavonoid (217.31 mg 100 g−1) and anthocyanin (494.46 mg 100 g−1) content was found in the G‑10 genotype. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the examined traits effectively explained the variation among oleaster genotypes. According to the results of the PCA, seven main components accounted for 75.43% of the total variation. A strong positive correlation (0.91***) was found between fruit length and seed length. Similarly, strong positive correlations were observed between fruit weight and seed weight (0.89***), as well as between fruit width (0.84**) and seed width. These genotypes with superior morphological and biochemical contents could be considered valuable genetic materials for the development of new varieties.

Doppler radars, which are critical instruments for velocity measurement, may need to be reconfigured to adapt to different environmental conditions or for ease of use. However, conventional electrical, optical, and physical reconfiguration methods often come with several disadvantages such as deteriorated radiation pattern, reduced radiation efficiency, and high cost. Therefore, the aim of this article is to integrate microwave components that can be controlled using liquid metal (LM) displacement into a Doppler radar to adjust its main lobe direction and operating frequency to the desired values and enhance the measurement capacity of the respective radar. Through this study, multiple parameters of an operational Doppler radar have been simultaneously adjusted using LM displacement exploitation for the first time, thus avoiding the shortcomings associated with conventional reconfiguration methods. To achieve this objective, initially, a back-to-back Vivaldi antenna operating at 2.45 GHz is designed, and beam switching ability is imparted to the structure using the LM displacement method. Subsequently, various techniques are used to convert the structure into a dual-band antenna capable of simultaneous operation at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz, ensuring the desired beam switching feature at both the frequencies. In addition, a power divider capable of switching between the two operating frequencies through LM assistance is proposed, and its integration into the radar system enables the control of both main lobe direction and frequency using the proposed method.

Graphical abstract:

Enhancing measurement accuracy or reducing the effect of the neighboring modes in resonant cavities may necessitate the separation of mode frequencies. However, in ISM-band measurement configurations utilizing a rectangular or cylindrical cavity, the placement of the first two modes at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz is unattainable, necessitating the presence of additional modes in between that would potentially degrade measurement accuracy. This article begins with an analytical approach, employing Lagrange multipliers for the first time to reveal the level of separation achievable in the frequency domain between the initial two modes within these types of conventional cavities. The analytical results were also verified with a numerical grid search. Subsequently, innovative strategies have been introduced to surpass this intrinsic constraint that reduces the measurement accuracy in various applications. A novel miniaturized cavity configuration has been proposed to operate bimodally at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz and manufactured with a 3-D printer. It has been ensured that there are no physical modes present in between, and measurements of the structure have been conducted. Another notable innovation of the article is the capability of tuning the proposed cavity structure by means of liquid metal displacement. Thus, a more flexible tuning method compared to mechanical tuning techniques can be achieved, enabling precise adjustment of the desired measurement frequency. Good agreement between the simulation and measurement results has been reported.

Background: Doxorubicin is an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent that causes cardiomyopathy as a side effect. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of linagliptin and bisoprolol on the management of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in rats. Methods: Wistar rats were divided into six groups (n?=?8). Group I received saline for 4 weeks; group II received 1 mg/kg bisoprolol for 8 weeks; group III received 3 mg/kg linagliptin for 8 weeks; group IV received 1.25 mg/kg doxorubicin for 4 weeks for the induction of cardiomyopathy; group V received 1.25 mg/kg doxorubicin for 4 weeks plus 1 mg/kg bisoprolol for 8 weeks; and group VI received 1.25 mg/kg doxorubicin for 4 weeks plus 3 mg/kg linagliptin for 8 weeks. Electrocardiography and isometric mechanography were conducted to measure ventricular contractile responses. Myocardial tissue and serum samples were analyzed for oxidative and cardiotoxic markers by ELISA. Results: Electrocardiography revealed that QRS, QT and Tp intervals were longer in group IV than group I. Doxorubicin caused a significant decrease in ventricular contraction, which was significantly prevented by bisoprolol. Doxorubicin resulted in myocardial fiber disorganization and disruption, but bisoprolol or linagliptin improved this myocardial damage. Glutathione peroxidase was significantly decreased in groups IV and V. Bisoprolol or linagliptin treatment attenuated the significant doxorubicin-mediated increase in malondialdehyde. Doxorubicin and linagliptin provided significant elevations in CK-MB activity and troponin-I levels. Conclusions: Doxorubicin resulted in pronounced oxidative stress. The beneficial effects of bisoprolol and linagliptin on myocardial functional, histopathological and biochemical changes could be related to the attenuation of oxidative load.

In the research, a total of 12 olive varieties, three foreigner and nine local, were used. In 2021, the beginning of inflorescence was determined between the 27 March (‘Memecik’) and 19 April (‘Domat’), while the beginning of black (harvest) maturity was determined between 30 September (‘Gemlik-21’) and 28 November (‘Domat’). In 2022, the beginning of inflorescence was determined between 2 April (‘Memecik’) and 17 April (‘Domat’), while the beginning of black (harvest) maturity was determined between 4 October (‘Ayvalık’) and 30 November (‘Domat’). In 2021, the effective temperature total duration between the beginning of inflorescence and the beginning of black (harvest) maturity varied between 2300 (‘Edincik Su’) and 2736 degree-days (‘As Topakaşı’), while in 2022 this period varied between 2403 (‘Ayvalık’) and 2685 degree-days (‘As Topakaşı’). In 2021, the passing time between the beginning of inflorescence and the beginning of black (harvest) maturity was determined to vary between 182 (‘Gemlik-21’) and 224 days (‘Domat’), while in 2022, this period was determined to vary between 183 (‘Ayvalık’) and 228 days (‘Domat’). According to the correlation analysis, a positive correlation was found between the beginning of inflorescence and the beginning of black (harvest) maturity effective temperature sum and the beginning of inflorescence and the beginning of black (harvest) maturity passing time (r = 0.91, p< 0.001); the beginning of flowering to the beginning of black (harvest) maturity effective temperature sum and beginning of flowering to the beginning of black (harvest) maturity passing time (r = 0.92, p< 0.001). According to principal component analysis, the first three principal components account for 78.50% of total variation. This study, which will be recorded as the first detailed research in the literature in terms of olive cultivation, will greatly assist those concerned in planning the basin-based plant production model.

This work describes the application of semantic web standards to data quality governance of data production pipelines in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) domain for Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi). It illustrates a new approach to data quality governance based on establishing a unified knowledge graph for data quality measurements across a complex, heterogeneous, quality-centric data production pipeline. It provides the first comprehensive formal mappings between semantic models of data quality dimensions defined by the four International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) data quality standards applied by different tools and stakeholders. It provides an approach to uplift rule-based data quality reports into quality metrics suitable for aggregation and end-to-end analysis. Current industrial practice tends towards stove-piped, vendor-specific and domain-dependent tools to process data quality observations however there is a lack of open techniques and methodologies for combining quality measurements derived from different data quality standards to provide end-to-end data quality reporting, root cause analysis or visualisation. This work demonstrated that it is effective to use a knowledge graph and semantic web standards to unify distributed data quality monitoring in an organisation and present the results in an end-to-end data dashboard in a data quality standards-agnostic fashion for the Ordnance Survey Ireland data publishing pipeline.

Biomass-based carbonaceous materials have a great deal of promise for usage as anode material in lithium-ion batteries, which are one of the safest and most energy-dense energy storage technologies. The scientific community has assigned considerable focus on sustainable carbon production methods because of their low cost and eco-friendly features. Sustainable materials were produced as a result of selecting the renewable resource, and it also contributed to waste management since the feedstock was furniture industry waste. Herein, it was aimed to produce silicon-doped carbonaceous materials under different activation and doping conditions by using biomass and biochar support. Spruce wood sawdust, which had a carbon content of 46.55 wt.%, lignin content of 35.21 wt.%, and lower ash content (1.41 wt.%), was a suitable raw material to be evaluated by the pyrolysis method. Since the highest char yield was achieved in the pyrolysis reactions performed at 400 °C, silicon-doping experiments were executed with the biochar sample obtained at this temperature. Acidic and alkaline activations were applied to samples to specify the impacts of various activation conditions on the characteristics of the silicon-doped carbonaceous materials. In order to examine the effect of doping conditions on the crystalline structure, the reaction medium was changed to air and nitrogen. The produced silicon-doped carbon materials were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and EDX-mapping techniques. According to the characterization results, no crystalline silicon peaks were observed in the sample produced at 700 °C, 8 h. The porous structure of the biochar was preserved in each synthesis condition and silicon was homogeneously distributed in the carbon structure. The highest silicon content of 27.43% was obtained as a result of applying the heating process at 550 °C for 6 h after silicon loading to the biomass. The preparation of silicon-doped porous carbonaceous materials from spruce sawdust and char via thermochemical and chemical methods with appropriate properties reveals an important potential in terms of evaluating them in supercapacitors, which are among the developing electrochemical energy stores.

Rootstocks are commonly used in modern fruit nursery practices due to their distinctive features. In addition to eliminating the limiting factors in fruit growing, rootstocks have benefits such as increasing productivity, fruit quality, dwarfness and increasing the efficiency of nutrients. This study was carried out to determine the effects of apricot varieties (‘Mikado’, ‘Mogador’ and ‘Flopria’) from Prunusspecies which have earliness, on leaf micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B) and macronutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg and Na). A total of 17 rootstocks belonging to Prunus cerasifera, P. domestica and P. persicaspecies were used as study material. The effect of rootstock–cultivar combinations on nutrients (except P and Na) was determined to be statistically significant. The effect of each rootstock on plant nutrients was different. It has been determined that there is a positive correlation between micro- and macronutrients. In the study, the highest macro-element content in cultivars was determined in KL-45 for P (0.45) and Ca (1.90) element, KL-21 for K (4.53) and Mg (0.70) element. As a result, it is suggested that KL rootstocks can be used as rootstocks in modern apricot cultivation.

Protein crystallization plays a central role in structural biology. Despite this, the process of crystallization remains poorly understood and highly empirical, with crystal contacts, lattice packing arrangements and space group preferences being largely unpredictable. Programming protein crystallization through precisely engineered side-chain–side-chain interactions across protein–protein interfaces is an outstanding challenge. Here we develop a general computational approach for designing three-dimensional protein crystals with prespecified lattice architectures at atomic accuracy that hierarchically constrains the overall number of degrees of freedom of the system. We design three pairs of oligomers that can be individually purified, and upon mixing, spontaneously self-assemble into >100 µm three-dimensional crystals. The structures of these crystals are nearly identical to the computational design models, closely corresponding in both overall architecture and the specific protein–protein interactions. The dimensions of the crystal unit cell can be systematically redesigned while retaining the space group symmetry and overall architecture, and the crystals are extremely porous and highly stable. Our approach enables the computational design of protein crystals with high accuracy, and the designed protein crystals, which have both structural and assembly information encoded in their primary sequences, provide a powerful platform for biological materials engineering.

The World Bank uses getting credit as a measurement of a country’s economic development, and a common approach to bolstering economic activity is to carry out necessary reforms on secured transactions laws.1Amongst many legal systems, a non-possessory security interest over movable assets subject to registration is prominent.2While the number of security instruments has drastically increased within the last century, one of the most sophisticated ones was invented more than 150 years ago: floating charge.3Many of its features have been modified in line with the evolving needs of the market, yet its constitutive specialties stayed the same to provide sufficient flexibility for borrowers and creditors. In this paper, we analyze the role of registration and its effects, while examining the functioning of the debtor’s (borrower’s) right to dispose of encumbered assets by identifying the limits imposed on their withdrawal from the ambit of creditors’ security interests, exploring diverging implementations given the different restrictions deployed by various legislators.

Background: Although athletes are mostly allowed to return to play 6 months after shoulder stabilization surgery, there are inadequate data about their functional status during this period.Hypotheses: Performance tests would reveal insufficiency in the functional capacity of shoulder 6 months after stabilization surgery.Study Design: Prospective cohort study.Level of Evidence: Level 3.Methods: A total of 32 male athletes with arthroscopic anterior capsulolabral repair (AACR) were included in the study. Shoulder internal and external rotator (IR-ER) strength was assessed using isokinetic dynamometer at 60°/s and 180°/s angular velocities preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Shoulder function was assessed with closed kinetic chain upper extremity stability (CKCUES) test, Y balance test-upper quarter (YBT-UQ), and unilateral seated shot-put test (USSPT) at 6 months postoperation. Western Ontario shoulder instability index (WOSI) and Tampa scale of kinesiophobia (TSK) were used for the self-assessment of the shoulder. Mixed-model ANOVA was used to analyze the changes in the IR-ER strength on both shoulders. Limb symmetry index (LSI) was calculated for the IR-ER strength, YBT-UQ, and USSPT scores.Results: Shoulder IR strength was higher at 6 months postoperatively compared with preoperatively. The LSI was 76.4% and 76.6% for ER strength, and 94.2% and 94% for IR strength at 60°/s and 180°/s angular velocities, respectively, at the postoperative 6 month timepoint. The mean CKCUES test score was 21.8 ± 2.6 touches and the LSI was 94.7% for the YBT-UQ and 102.5% for the USSPT. WOSI (P< 0.001) and TSK (P= 0.001) scores were significantly lower at 6 months postoperatively.Conclusion: Functional status of the patients with shoulder stabilization surgery improved considerably 6 months after surgery, yet they did not fully recover function.Clinical Relevance: Exercise programs focusing on shoulder ER strength and shoulder performance should be emphasized after stabilization surgery.

Spatially charting molecular cell types at single-cell resolution across the 3D volume is critical for illustrating the molecular basis of brain anatomy and functions. Single-cell RNA sequencing has profiled molecular cell types in the mouse brain1,2, but cannot capture their spatial organization. Here we used an in situ sequencing method, STARmap PLUS3,4, to profile 1,022 genes in 3D at a voxel size of 194 × 194 × 345 nm3, mapping 1.09 million high-quality cells across the adult mouse brain and spinal cord. We developed computational pipelines to segment, cluster and annotate 230 molecular cell types by single-cell gene expression and 106 molecular tissue regions by spatial niche gene expression. Joint analysis of molecular cell types and molecular tissue regions enabled a systematic molecular spatial cell-type nomenclature and identification of tissue architectures that were undefined in established brain anatomy. To create a transcriptome-wide spatial atlas, we integrated STARmap PLUS measurements with a published single-cell RNA-sequencing atlas1, imputing single-cell expression profiles of 11,844 genes. Finally, we delineated viral tropisms of a brain-wide transgene delivery tool, AAV-PHP.eB5,6. Together, this annotated dataset provides a single-cell resource that integrates the molecular spatial atlas, brain anatomy and the accessibility to genetic manipulation of the mammalian central nervous system.

Fibre metal laminate (FML) composites are hybrid structures made of various metal sheets and fibre reinforced polymer matrix composites. These materials are preferred in the aircraft, automobile, and aerospace industries due to their high performance. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the vibration behaviour in the design process. In this study, the vibration behaviours of FMLs are examined numerically and experimentally. Firstly, the governing equations of the FML plate are determined based on classical plate theory. The generalized differential quadrature method (GDQ) is used in numerical analysis. Then, to prove the accuracy of the numerical model, the natural frequencies are compared with the experimental results. It is seen that the numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental results. Finally, the effects of material properties, geometry, and different boundary conditions on the dynamic properties of the FML composites are investigated. The results indicate that as the number of aluminium layers in the structure increases, natural frequencies are also significantly affected. When the Al layers are moved from the surface to the centre, it causes a reduction in the first natural frequencies of the structure. Morever, the boundary conditions substantially impact the natural frequency of the FML plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]