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Studying the mechanical responses of GFRP and aluminum samples under varying loads is crucial for developing methods to enhance their mechanical properties. This research investigates the impact of z-pinning on single-lap adhesive joints through low-velocity shear impact tests. The study involves testing two types of joints: single-lap adhesive joints and single-lap hybrid pin-adhesive joints with six reinforcing pins, subjected to drop weight tests at load levels of 22.5, 27.5, and 32.4 J. The findings demonstrate that z-pinning can increase the joints' load-bearing capacity by up to 18.87% and energy absorption by 20.58%. This enhancement is attributed to the additional composite substrate layers in the hybrid joint, which help absorb impact loads. In contrast, in the single-lap adhesive joint, only the layer adjacent to the adhesive bears the impact load. Observations from the tests indicate that in the single-lap adhesive joint, the first composite layer next to the adhesive undergoes complete delamination, whereas in the hybrid joint, all laminates fracture at the steel pins. In summary, this study underscores the significant potential of z-pinning to improve single-lap adhesive joints, providing an innovative approach to enhance their load-bearing capacity and energy absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for high-performance and low-power hardware in artificial intelligence (AI) applications, such as speech recognition, facial recognition, and object detection, has driven the exploration of advanced memory designs. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and deep neural networks (DNNs) require intensive computational resources, leading to memory access times and power consumption challenges. To address these challenges, we propose the application of computing-in-memory (CIM) within FinFET-based 8T SRAM structures, specifically utilizing P-latch N-access (PLNA) and single-ended (SE) configurations. Our design significantly reduces power consumption by up to 56% in the PLNA configuration and 60% in the SEconfiguration compared to traditional FinFET SRAM designs. These reductions are achieved while maintaining competitive delay performance, making our approach a promising solution for implementing efficient and low-power AI hardware. Detailed simulations in 7 nm FinFET technology underscore the potential of these CIM-based SRAM structures in overcoming the computational bottlenecks associated with DNNs and CNNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By applying an aluminum coating to the copper-nickel alloy resistor, we successfully utilized air sintering. At 800 and 850°C, the alloy was sintered within an aluminum layer. This coating of aluminum serves as a protective layer. The copper-nickel was not oxidized as a result. After wet etching, the protective coating of aluminum was removed, leaving alloy resistors with Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR) values of 417.86 ppm/°C. We produced an alloy paste using copper-nickel alloy (7:3) and then used screen printing to create thick-film alloy resistors. Therefore, it is feasible to create copper-nickel alloy resistors by air sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, it is demonstrated that a synergistic effect on the CO oxidation reaction can be achieved depending on the cobalt loading and deposition order of metal precursors employed in the synthesis of Au-Co3O4/Al2O3 catalysts by the deposition precipitation with urea method. The atomic arrangement of Au and Co3O4 exerts an important influence on the catalytic activity. Intermediate reaction species in the studied systems were identified through DRIFTS spectroscopy, which provided insights into the reaction mechanism. The formation of Au0 and Auδ− as active sites for CO oxidation, along with mono- and bidentate bicarbonate ligands as active reaction intermediates, was elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atropine is an effective medicine for myopia prevention and control. This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of atropine on choroidal thickness (ChT) in children with myopia. Methods: Between its inception and 1 June 2023, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were all searched, and only English literature was included. The choroidal thickness was the primary study outcome. Axial length, standardized equivalent refraction were examined as secondary outcomes. STATA 12.0 was used for data extraction and analysis. Results: A total of 307 eyes were involved in this study to evaluate the effect of atropine on ChT, axial length (AL) and standardized equivalent refraction (SER) in myopic children. Choroidal thickening was significantly higher in the atropine group than in the control group at 1 month (WMD, 6.87 mm, 95% CI, 0.04 to 13.10, P = 0.049), whereas it was significantly higher in the atropine group than in the control group at months 6 (WMD, 10.37 mm, 95% CI, −3.21 to 23.95, P = 0.135), 12 (WMD, 15.10 mm, 95% CI, −5.08 to 35.27, P = 0.143) and at final follow-up (WMD, 11.52 mm, 95% CI, −3.26 to 26.31, P = 0.127), the differences were not statistically significant. At months 1 (WMD, −0.03 mm, 95% CI, −0.04 to −0.01, P = 0.003), 6 (WMD, −0.07 mm, 95% CI, −0.01 to −0.03, P = 0.000), 12 (WMD, −0.13mm, 95% CI, −0.15 to −0.11, P = 0.843), and at final follow-up (WMD, −0.08 mm, 95% CI, −0.16 to −0.01, P = 0.127), atropine treatment was able to delay the axial elongation. At 1-month follow-up, there was no significant difference in the effect of atropine on SER in myopic children compared with the control group (WMD, 0.01D, 95% CI, −0.07 to 26.31, P = 0.127), whereas it was able to control the progression of refractive status at final follow-up (WMD, 11.52 mm, 95% CI, −3.26 to 26.31, P = 0.127). Conclusion: Limited evidence suggests that 0.01% atropine causes choroidal thickening in myopic children at 1 month of treatment. In the short term, choroidal thickness may be a predictor of the effectiveness of atropine in controlling myopia in children. 0.01% atropine is effective in controlling myopic progression in terms of SER and AL. Systematic Review Registration: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier, CRD42022381195. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, flexible polymeric nanocomposite film of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PVA–PEG) blend filled with aluminum (Al)-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanoparticles has been successfully synthetized and characterized. The solution casting technique was used to prepare pure PVA–PEG polymeric blend and polymeric blend nanocomposite (PNC) films filled with different concentrations of AZO nanoparticles. The morphological, structural and optical properties of AZO NPs and PNC films were investigated using different techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) spectroscopy and UV–VIS–NIR spectrophotometer. The XRD results shows that nanoparticles are well distributed in the host blend matrix. TEM observation reveals an average particle size about 49 nm. The contact angle analysis was carried out for PNC films to investigate the effect of AZO filling upon the nanocomposite water wettability. Loading PNC with nanopowder AZO influences their electrical optical properties. The addition of AZO nanoparticles in the polymeric blend reduces its band gap and increases its DC electrical conductivity. The antibacterial activity of the prepared nanocomposite films was tested against various pathogenic bacteria including two types of gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Bacillus) and two types of gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Escherichia coli (E. coli)). The assay results suggested that the pure blend film has no activity against all types of bacteria. While filled PNC films exhibit a significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus, Bacillus and P. aeruginosa bacteria, they have no any activity against E. coli bacteria. This activity is improved with increasing the filler concentrations in blend matrix. Finally, the obtained results suggest that the prepared PNC films can be a potential multifunctional candidate for different applications, especially optoelectronic devices and biomedical uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active learning (AL) algorithms are increasingly being used to train models with limited data for annotation tasks. However, the selection of data for AL is a complex issue due to the restricted information on unseen data. To tackle this problem, a technique we refer to as Partial Image Active Annotation (PIAA) employs the edge information of unseen images as prior knowledge to gauge uncertainty. This uncertainty is determined by examining the divergence and entropy in model predictions across edges. The resulting measure is then applied to choose superpixels from input images for active annotation. We demonstrate the effectiveness of PIAA in multi-class Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) segmentation tasks, attaining a Dice score comparable to state-of-the-art OCT segmentation algorithms trained with extensive annotated data. Concurrently, we successfully reduce annotation label costs to 12%, 2.3%, and 3%, respectively, across three publicly accessible datasets (Duke, AROI, and UMN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to identify the most important news frames related to humanitarian aid in the Al-Aqsa Flood crisis, and to reveal the different framing mechanisms that appeared on the Egyptian Al-Ahram Daily and the American USA Today websites in the period from May 1 to June 30, 2024 AD. This study is one of the descriptive studies that used the media survey method. The study also relied on the content analysis tool for a sample of news materials amounting to (644) newspaper articles. The study used the theory of news frames, and concluded with the following results: -The category of the art of the press report topped the list of news arts that were analyzed on the Al-Ahram Daily and the American USA Today websites, where it obtained a percentage of (68.37%) compared to (31.62%) for the category of the art of the press news. -Journalists came in first place in the sources that the two study websites relied on, with a percentage of (66.11%), and the category "without a source" came in a weak percentage of (1.65%), declining to the last place. -The nature of the actors agreed with the nature of the coverage trends of each newspaper, as the Arab actors came in first place in the "Al-Ahram Daily" newspaper with a percentage of (29.28%). As for the American "USA Today", the international actors came in first place with a percentage of (29.16%). -Al-Ahram Daily relied on the "targeting civilians" framework as the forefront of the conflict frameworks, which came in at a percentage of (29.72%), unlike the USA Today website, which issued the "Israel's right to defense" framework in first place with a percentage of (33.33%). -The continuation of the outcome frameworks according to the familiar context of the crisis between the two parties, as the "spread of famine and epidemics" framework presented the outcome frameworks related to the "Al-Aqsa Flood" with a percentage of (23.21%), and the recognition of the State of Palestine as a member of the United Nations declined to last place with a percentage of (3.26%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyloidosis with cardiac involvement is a fatal disease leading to progressive heart failure. The most common forms of amyloidosis with cardiac involvement are light chain (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis. To allow effective specific treatment for both forms, precise and early diagnosis is important. This review focuses on diagnostic approaches for AL and ATTR amyloidosis with cardiac involvement, including different strategies, the role of imaging and biomarkers and possible pitfalls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The pace of teclitiological advancement over tile last three decades has led to a slew of new companies adopting the latest teclitiologies mid 1 / tari'ying them to i/i//opative//ew business models to threaten more traditional businesses. Start-tips sitch as Goode, Meta aild Amazon, to name a few, have revollitionised tile way Collsilmers engage with service providers, consume illformation and purchase goods. Fintech start-tips have also threatened to dialige the way.fittaticial services are provided, albeit with varying degrees of success due to barriers such as consumer tnist in new brands, reetilatory colitplialice aild thefinancia| stre}Wth of banks to build those scime services internally. There is 110 denying, however, tliat ctistodian batiks today.face many challinges that are slowly croding margins. Regulators are dematiding shorter settlebanks. ment times, clients are dellialiding greater control over tlicir accomits, staff costs are rising and cyber security threats are increasine. This paper seeks to highlight some of tile threats tile indlistry is.facing while exploring the role that artificial intelligence (AI) may be able to play in addressing some 01 these Cliallenges. It offrrs a broad overview of Hot just areas of applicatioll init also weaknesses of the ter|mology that the bank needs to be aware of and also possible issues with imp / ementation. It also seeks to highliglit the fict that Al is not a single technology, imlike distributed ledger systems. There are inany imances to Al, such as convolit tion licitral iletworks, natural laitguage processing mid generative AI, and the judicious application of the rig|It Ittiatice of Al to the prob le}}1 wil be lecy to a success-ful implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To evaluate different cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) parameters for the differentiation of light chain amyloidosis (AL) and transthyretin-related amyloidosis (ATTR). Methods and results In total, 75 patients, 53 with cardiac amyloidosis {20 patients with AL [66 ± 12 years, 14 males (70%)] and 33 patients with ATTR [78 ± 5 years, 28 males (88%)]} were retrospectively analysed regarding CMR parameters such as T1 and T2 mapping, extracellular volume (ECV), late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) distribution patterns, and myocardial strain, and compared to a control cohort with other causes of left ventricular hypertrophy {LVH; 22 patients [53 ± 16 years, 17 males (85%)]}. One-way ANOVA and receiver operating characteristic analysis were used for statistical analysis. ECV was the single best parameter to differentiate between cardiac amyloidosis and controls [area under the curve (AUC): 0.97, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.89–0.99, P < 0.0001, cut-off: >30%]. T2 mapping was the best single parameter to differentiate between AL and ATTR amyloidosis (AL: 63 ± 4 ms, ATTR: 58 ± 2 ms, P < 0.001, AUC: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.74–0.94, cut-off: >61 ms). Subendocardial LGE was predominantly observed in AL patients (10/20 [50%] vs. 5/33 [15%]; P = 0.002). Transmural LGE was predominantly observed in ATTR patients (23/33 [70%] vs. 2/20 [10%]; P < 0.001). The diagnostic performance of T2 mapping to differentiate between AL and ATTR amyloidosis was further increased with the inclusion of LGE patterns [AUC: 0.96, 95% CI: (0.86–0.99); P = 0.05]. Conclusion ECV differentiates cardiac amyloidosis from other causes of LVH. T2 mapping combined with LGE differentiates AL from ATTR amyloidosis with high accuracy on a patient level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet of Things (IoT) devices and small robots would benefit from higher-energy-density and disposable primary Al–air batteries, but corrosion and side reactions on the Al anode limit the widespread application of this chemistry. This paper studies how the physical and chemical characteristics of double-network hydrogel (DNH) electrolytes affect the anode oxidation, discharge morphology, and performance of Al–air batteries. The chemically crosslinked and physical–chemical crosslinked DNHs were made from biodegradable materials and showed enhanced corrosion inhibition compared to aqueous KOH solution, reducing the corrosion rate by 58% to 21 mmpy. An Al–air battery with a PVA-PAAM DNH extracted over 300 mAh cm−2 from Al at 10 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhalation of nanosized metal oxides may occur at the workplace. Thus, information on potential hazardous effects is needed for risk assessment. We report an investigation of the genotoxic potential of different metal oxide nanomaterials. Acellular and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were determined for all the studied nanomaterials. Moreover, mice were exposed by intratracheal instillation to copper oxide (CuO) at 2, 6, and 12 μg/mouse, tin oxide (SnO2) at 54 and 162 μg/mouse, aluminum oxide (Al2O3) at 18 and 54 μg/mouse, zinc oxide (ZnO) at 0.7 and 2 μg/mouse, titanium dioxide (TiO2) and the benchmark carbon black at 162 μg/mouse. The doses were selected based on pilot studies. Post‐exposure time points were 1 or 28 days. Genotoxicity, assessed as DNA strand breaks by the comet assay, was measured in lung and liver tissue. The acellular and intracellular ROS measurements were fairly consistent. The CuO and the carbon black bench mark particle were potent ROS generators in both assays, followed by TiO2. Al2O3, ZnO, and SnO2 generated low levels of ROS. We detected no increased genotoxicity in this study using occupationally relevant dose levels of metal oxide nanomaterials after pulmonary exposure in mice, except for a slight increase in DNA damage in liver tissue at the highest dose of CuO. The present data add to the body of evidence for risk assessment of these metal oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main causes of visual impairment in children is visual impairment (myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism), which are associated with refraction, and affect visual performance and school performance of children, as well as have a negative impact of binocular vision disorders.Purpose: To study the peculiarities of the development of individual eye structures in preschool and school-age children.Materials and methods. 5896 children (11 582 eyes) of preschool and school age (1–14 years old) were examined. Healthy children were examined. All children underwent a comprehensive clinical and instrumental ophthalmological examination, which included: visometry, biomicroscopy, refractometry, ophthalmoscopy, tonometry, pachymetry, ultrasound biometry and ophthalmometry.Results. As a result of the study, the dynamics of eye development in children was studied depending on age, the eye parameters, clearly change and the growth of the eyeball ends by the age of 14. It was found that in children aged from 1 to 14 years vision, refraction, anterior-posterior axis length, lens thickness, anterior chamber depth and vitreous volume significantly increased, and accurate indicators were obtained.Conclusion. The data obtained make it possible to understand the dynamics of the development of the eyeball in preschool children and help in predicting the occurrence of various pathologies and their prevention. The conducted studies have shown some differences in the anatomical and optical environments of the eyes in children of Turkmenistan, whose climatic conditions in evolution led to the development of an adaptive mechanism that determined the corresponding parameters of the organ of vision and its ethnic peculiarity. Based on a large number of studies (5896 children), specific sizes of anatomical and optical eye media in children of Turkmenistan have been established.

For the construction of metal-semiconductor heterojunctions, the rational regulation of Schottky barriers has an important impact on their photocatalytic activity. Here, we successfully constructed Pd-loaded Al: SrTiO 3 (ASTO) photocatalysts by an in situ strategy, and the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance was conducted under simulated solar light irradiation. The results show that the optimal Pd-ASTO-1.5% photocatalyst exhibits a hydrogen production performance of 1.43 mmol g−1 h−1, which is a 140-fold improvement compared to pure ASTO. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that Pd nanoparticles (NPs) could reduce the energy barrier for hydrogen adsorption. In addition, the optimal Schottky barrier not only accelerates the charge dynamics through the driving force of the Schottky junction but also prevents the flow of electrons trapped by Pd NPs back to ASTO, which greatly improves the interfacial carrier separation efficiency for photocatalytic hydrogen production under simulated solar light irradiation. This work reveals key insights into the construction of Schottky heterojunctions in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • Pd-loaded Al: SrTiO 3 (ASTO) photocatalysts were prepared by an in situ strategy. • The optimal Schottky barrier accelerates the charge dynamics from ASTO to Pd NPs. • The optimal Pd-ASTO-1.5% photocatalyst exhibited a hydrogen rate of 1.43 mmol g−1 h−1. • DFT calculations showed that Pd NPs reduced the energy barrier for hydrogen adsorption. • The Schottky junction prevents the flow of electrons trapped by Pd NPs back to ASTO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explosives containing Al powder have higher detonation energy and heat. However, while pursuing detonation performances, the thermal safety of explosives with Al is equally important. To research the effect of Al on the thermal stability of dihydroxylammonium 5,5'-bistetrazole-1,1'-diolate (HATO), the thermal decomposition of HATO and mixtures of HATO with Al were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and accelerating rate calorimeter. Under non-isothermal conditions, Al has a catalytic effect on the decomposition of HATO, manifested by the lower apparent activation energies (Ea) of the three mixtures compared to that of HATO. The thermal stability for the mixtures of HATO with Al was the best when the Al content was 30%. Besides, the onset temperatures of the mixtures were jointly affected by the heating rate and Al content. Furthermore, at the adiabatic conditions, the addition of Al increased the thermal conductivity of the mixtures, resulting in faster heat dissipation of the mixtures compared to HATO. This led to the mixtures having higher values of Ea than HATO and when the Al content was 25%, the mixture had the highest Ea. Additionally, the addition of Al prolonged the reaction time of HATO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is one of the most promising methods for creating complex metal parts and structures. It has already become a widespread industrial method in the production of coatings or various details of constructions and mechanisms made of pure metals and alloys. In this work, the mechanisms of the formation of intermetallic compounds based on nickel, aluminum and chromium by a dual-wire electron beam additive manufacturing were studied. The microstructure, phase composition, and microhardness of the intermetallic material strongly depend on the ratio of NiCr and Al wires deposited during the electron-beam melting. The intermetallic material based on the NiAl phase was obtained by the deposition of wires in the equal ratio NiCr:Al = 1:1. In the material obtained with a wire ratio of NiCr:Al = 3:1, ordered Ni3Al(Cr) and disordered Ni3Cr(Al) intermetallic compounds are predominantly observed, but the fraction of the Ni3Cr-based phase prevails. The microhardness of the NiAl-based alloy turns out to be higher (5.1 GPa) than that of the Ni3Al(Cr)-based material (4.3 GPa). These intermetallic alloys are developed for the production of intermetallic coatings using electron beam additive manufacturing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal oxide nanostructures (MONSTRs) have become popular in various fields. This study investigates the durability of MONSTRs synthesized through hot water treatment (HWT) using copper, aluminum, and zinc as the source metals of choice. The physical durability tests include pressure, scratch, and scotch tape adhesion tests, and chemical durability tests such as corrosion resistance tests, heat resistance, and solar exposure tests. Results showed that MONSTRs synthesized from HWT are highly durable under the tested conditions except for NaOH and HCl immersion tests for copper oxide and zinc oxide. The study concluded that HWT is a sustainable synthesis method for MONSTRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from heterogeneous nucleation of nanoscale hardening S-phase precipitates on dislocation lines in cold-rolled aluminium alloy 2024 (Al–Cu–Mg) to a spatially homogeneous distribution during artificial ageing is studied by means of in situ and ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three stages of precipitate evolution following nucleation on dislocation lines are established: (i) Growth and coalescence on dislocation lines, (ii) Ostwald ripening controlled by pipe diffusion, and (iii) Ostwald ripening controlled by volume diffusion. Whilst Ostwald ripening controlled by pipe diffusion is active (stage (ii) and transition from stage (ii) to stage (iii)) dislocation annihilation and/or re-arrangement can occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum (Al) ion implantation is one of the most important technologies in SiC device manufacturing processes due to its ability to produce the p-type doping effect, which is essential to building p–n junctions and blocking high voltages. However, besides the doping effect, defects are also probably induced by the implantation. Here, the impacts of Al ion implantation-induced defects on 4H-SiC MOSFET channel transport behaviors are studied using a multiscale simulation flow, including the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, density functional theory (DFT) calculation, and tight-binding (TB) model-based quantum transport simulation. The simulation results show that an Al ion can not only replace a Si lattice site to realize the p-doping effect, but it can also replace the C lattice site to induce mid-gap trap levels or become an interstitial to induce the n-doping effect. Moreover, the implantation tends to bring additional point defects to the 4H-SiC body region near the Al ions, which will lead to more complicated coupling effects between them, such as degrading the p-type doping effect by trapping free hole carriers and inducing new trap states at the 4H-SiC bandgap. The quantum transport simulations indicate that these coupling effects will impede local electron transports, compensating for the doping effect and increasing the leakage current of the 4H-SiC MOSFET. In this study, the complicated coupling effects between the implanted Al ions and the implantation-induced point defects are revealed, which provides new references for experiments to increase the accepter activation rate and restrain the defect effect in SiC devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to investigate the design, fabrication, and characterization of a novel photodetector for light-sensing applications. The photodetector is based on Tb/Al/Cr/p-Si heterostructure and was integrated using the E-beam evaporation fabrication technique. The performance of the photodetector was evaluated through various experiments, including I–V characteristics, responsivity, and photo-transient time analysis. The I–V characteristics were measured under dark and different irradiance levels. The experimental results showed that the structure has a good and fast response to the light confirming its photodiode behavior where the photocurrent increases with increasing illumination intensity due to the formation of electron–hole pairs. The electrical parameters were explained according to the thermionic emission (TE) theory. Moreover, Cheung and Nord's methods were used to determine the diode electronic parameters such as ideality factor (n), barrier height (Φ0), and series resistance (Rs). The photo-transient characteristics of the heterostructure diode carried out under irradiance of about 1000 W/m2 have shown a fast response to light. The uncertainty budget for the I–V curves was estimated and tabulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the correlation between afterimages induced by repeated low-level red light (RLRL) and changes in refraction. Method: Patients who used RLRL for myopia control from 2023.02 to 2024.06 were included in this study. The afterimage appeared on a gray background (RGB 217,217,217; Lab 87,0,0). Afterimage color was recorded with CIELAB nomenclature (R, G, B; L, a, b), and afterimage duration (T) was recorded in seconds. Axial length (AL) and axial length-to-corneal radius ratio (AL/CR) were followed up at 1-, and 3-month. Participants were divided into groups based on a = 0 for GroupR (a>0,red bias in afterimage) and GroupG (a0,yellow bias in afterimage) and GroupB (b50.50,longer afterimage duration). Results: A total of 52 participants were included in this study, with an age of 9.25 (1.75) years, 27 (51.92 %) males. The T median (P25, P75) was 50.50 (31.25,85.50) s. After RLRL treatment, divided by a = 0, GroupG showed significantly more shortening in the AL changes than GroupR at 1month and 3months (both P0.05). Conclusion: The change of AL after RLRL treatment showed a correlation to the afterimage. Patients with green afterimage and shorter afterimage duration have a better AL shortening after RLRL treatment. Afterimage may serve as a biomarker for more effective myopia control.

In this study, the influence of Al-doping concentration on the thermal and rheological characteristics of pristine zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofluids was investigated across a range of temperatures and nanoparticle concentrations. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network (ANN) with an optimized topology was employed to model the thermal conductivity and viscosity of nanofluids. The addition of 0.13 M of Al-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles at 1 % rate led to a remarkable 64 % increase in the thermal conductivity of the base fluid (50:50 ratio water + ethylene glycol mixture). Furthermore, incorporating 1 % of these Al-doped nanoparticles outperformed pure zinc oxide, resulting in a 44 % boost in thermal conductivity. The enhanced heat transfer capabilities of Al-doped zinc oxide were evident across different doping and nanoparticle concentrations. The viscosity of nanofluids increases with an increase in nanoparticle concentration and decreases with an increase in temperature. ZnO and Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles have been prepared and studied their structural, morphological and elemental properties using XRD, SEM and EDS respectively. The predicted thermal and rheological behaviours are in close agreement with the experimental values.

BackgroundAtropine is an effective medicine for myopia prevention and control. This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of atropine on choroidal thickness (ChT) in children with myopia.MethodsBetween its inception and 1 June 2023, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were all searched, and only English literature was included. The choroidal thickness was the primary study outcome. Axial length, standardized equivalent refraction were examined as secondary outcomes. STATA 12.0 was used for data extraction and analysis.ResultsA total of 307 eyes were involved in this study to evaluate the effect of atropine on ChT, axial length (AL) and standardized equivalent refraction (SER) in myopic children. Choroidal thickening was significantly higher in the atropine group than in the control group at 1 month (WMD, 6.87 mm, 95% CI, 0.04 to 13.10, P = 0.049), whereas it was significantly higher in the atropine group than in the control group at months 6 (WMD, 10.37 mm, 95% CI, −3.21 to 23.95, P = 0.135), 12 (WMD, 15.10 mm, 95% CI, −5.08 to 35.27, P = 0.143) and at final follow-up (WMD, 11.52 mm, 95% CI, −3.26 to 26.31, P = 0.127), the differences were not statistically significant. At months 1 (WMD, −0.03 mm, 95% CI, −0.04 to −0.01, P = 0.003), 6 (WMD, −0.07 mm, 95% CI, −0.01 to −0.03, P = 0.000), 12 (WMD, −0.13mm, 95% CI, −0.15 to −0.11, P = 0.843), and at final follow-up (WMD, −0.08 mm, 95% CI, −0.16 to −0.01, P = 0.127), atropine treatment was able to delay the axial elongation. At 1-month follow-up, there was no significant difference in the effect of atropine on SER in myopic children compared with the control group (WMD, 0.01D, 95% CI, −0.07 to 26.31, P = 0.127), whereas it was able to control the progression of refractive status at final follow-up (WMD, 11.52 mm, 95% CI, −3.26 to 26.31, P = 0.127).ConclusionLimited evidence suggests that 0.01% atropine causes choroidal thickening in myopic children at 1 month of treatment. In the short term, choroidal thickness may be a predictor of the effectiveness of atropine in controlling myopia in children. 0.01% atropine is effective in controlling myopic progression in terms of SER and AL.Systematic Review Registrationhttp://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier, CRD42022381195.

Integration of aluminum (Al) and titanium (Ti) alloys offers an effective approach to sustainable and high-quality development of the automotive and aviation industries. However, challenges arise when welding Al alloys to Ti alloys due to the formation of detrimental intermetallic compounds at the interface. With the implementation of ultrasonic vibrations, the temperature and strain rate were both increased during Al/Ti friction stir welding (FSW), leading to the formation of an amorphous interlayer, instead of intermetallic compound (IMC), at the interface. The interfacial microcracks were eliminated in the ultrasonic vibrations assisted friction stir welding (UVFSW). There were Ti particles separated from the Ti substrate and dispersed in the Al alloy, thereby resulting in a more gradual and moderate evolution of the interfacial microstructure. Due to the improved interfacial microstructure with ultrasonic vibrations, the lap shear strength was almost twice that of the conventional FSW welds within same welding conditions. Meanwhile, ultrasonic vibrations also improved the fabrication efficiency with a higher optimal traversing speed. The failure mode shifted from interface separation of FSW welds to a shear dimple fracture of the UVFSW welds, demonstrating the better plasticity and reliability of the UVFSW Al/Ti dissimilar joints.

Objectives: Knowing the marketing trends for cement and phosphate factories, as Ramadi, Fallujah, and Hit districts accounted for (81%) the highest percentage of consumption of cement factory products, given the large population size and concentration of construction industries, along with the urban aspect in terms of population. Method: Analytical, descriptive, and deductive approaches. The research relied on collecting information, data, and field study. Results: The compound fertilizer product (N.p.) had the highest marketing rate in the governorates of Nineveh, Salah al-Din, and Wasit (11%), while Basra and Karbala governorates had the lowest percentage (1%). As for the marketing of the single superphosphate product, the highest percentage In the governorates of Baghdad and Wasit, at a rate of (14%), while the lowest rates were in the governorates of Karbala, Najaf, and Babil, at rates reaching (4%, 5%, and 6%) respectively, where the Ministry of Water Resources (30%) was the rate that contributed to preparing the bridges. Water projects, dam building, etc. While the percentage of the Ministry of Municipalities reached (15%), while the Ministry of Electricity reached (9%), while the percentage of all ministries benefited from the factory, while the percentage of the Ministry of Education reached (13%), while the Ministry of Commerce reached (14%), while the percentage benefited from The Ministry of Transport benefited from the factory products (5%) of the total beneficiary ministries, and the Ministry of Agriculture benefited from the factory products at a rate of (2%) of the total beneficiary ministries. Conclusion: Rehabilitating and improving the production of Al-Qaim Cement Plant in terms of quantity and quality in order to compete with imported cement. This necessitates the need to improve the quality of production in a way that pleases consumers, as well as new production lines and design capacity characteristics, “in order to prove the worthiness of self-sufficiency, especially since Al-Qaim cement is distinguished by the quality of production.” Reasonable prices, in addition to the abundance of local raw materials in Al-Qaim district.

The modern electrical engineering industry requires cheap and easily reproducible aluminum alloys with advanced mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. This work studies the influence of small (up to 0.3 wt. %) copper additions on the microstructure and physical and mechanical properties, as well as phase transformations in the Al–Fe system alloys with an iron content of 0.5 and 1.7 wt. %, produced by continuous casting into electromagnetic crystallizer. Alloys of the above chemical compositions were produced, and subsequently annealed at 450 °C for 2 h. In all states, the microstructure (via SEM), yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, elongation to failure, and electrical conductivity were studied. It has been shown that copper additions lead to an increase in the strength of both alloys and a slight decrease in their ductility compared to similar materials without copper. An increase in strength and a decrease in ductility due to the copper addition is associated with the formation of more dispersed intermetallic particles in copper-containing Al–Fe system alloys. Additional spheroidizing annealing leads to a decrease in the length of the interphase boundary between the aluminum matrix and iron aluminide particles due to a change in their morphology, which leads to an increase in electrical conductivity. In general, copper-containing alloys showed higher mechanical strength with lower electrical conductivity, as well as higher thermal stability.

Aluminum (Al) and its alloys are widely used in various fields due to their excellent physical properties. Although many efforts have been made to fabricate an Al-based composite, they usually results in a significant decrease in electrical conductivity. Herein, a special layer-structured Al/graphene (Gr)/Al composite was successfully designed and fabricated through a facile method using the ultrasonic spraying of graphene powder with alumina removal and a subsequent vacuum hot-pressing process. The as-obtained Al/Gr/Al composite presents a significantly enhanced electrical conductivity of 66% IACS, which is much higher than that of other reported Al-based composites, while it still maintains similar mechanical properties. This work provides a new strategy for the development of highly conductive Al-based composites, which would be very useful and important for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac amyloidosis, a condition characterized by abnormal protein deposition in the heart, leads to restrictive cardiomyopathy and is notably associated with an increased risk of arrhythmias and conduction disorders. This article reviews the current understanding and management strategies for these cardiac complications, with a focus on recent advancements and clinical challenges. The prevalence and impact of atrial arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation, are examined, along with considerations for stroke risk and anticoagulation therapy. The article also addresses the complexities of managing rate and rhythm control, outlining the utility and limitations of pharmacological agents and interventions such as catheter ablation. Furthermore, it reviews the challenges in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias, including the contentious use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for primary and secondary prevention. Individualized approaches, considering the unique characteristics of cardiac amyloidosis, are paramount. Continuous research and clinical exploration are essential to refine treatment strategies and improve outcomes in this challenging patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiMo ductile cast iron combines ease of part fabrication with good mechanical properties, including a usable plasticity range. Its poor corrosion resistance inherited from grey cast iron could be alleviated through alloying with Al or Cr additions capable of forming a dense oxide scale protecting the substrate. However, the presence of Al and Cr in cast iron tends to make the material brittle, and their optimum alloying additions need to be studied further. The present work was aimed at investigating the effect of crystallization rates on microstructure changes during directional crystallization of SiMo-type alloys with up to 3.5% Al and 2.4% Cr. The experiment was performed using the Bridgman–Stockbarger method. The tubular crucible was transferred from the hot section to cold section at rates ranging from 5 mm/h to 30 mm/h with a 4/5 crucible length and then quenched. The introduced Al promoted graphitization up to a point, wherein, at the highest applied addition, the graphite precipitation preceded crystallization of the rest of the melt. A rising level of Cr in these alloys from 1% to 2.4% resulted in the formation of low and high contents of pearlite, respectively. The higher crystallization rates proved effective in increasing the ferrite content at the expense of pearlite. In the investigated cast iron samples with smaller applied alloying additions, Widmanstätten ferrite or ausferrite, i.e., fine acircular phase, were often found. The switch from directional crystallization to quenching caused a transition from a liquid to solid state, which started with nucleation of islands of fine austenite dendrites with chunky graphite eutectic separating them. As these islands expanded, they pushed alloying additions to their sides, promoting carbide or pearlite formation in these places and forming a super-cell-like structure. The performed experiments helped gather information concerning the sensitivity of the microstructure of SiMo cast iron modified with Al and Cr to crystallization rates prevailing in heavy cast structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heteroatom doping of graphitic carbon is of high interest for tuning its physicochemical properties. Aluminum is commonly reported as a high-interest dopant, but few synthetic strategies have been reported owing to the low equilibrium solubility of Al within graphite. Herein we report several strategies to achieve metastable aluminum-substituted turbostratic graphitic carbon materials with aluminum contents up to ~ 0.5 at%, via co-pyrolysis of two molecular precursors between 800 and 1100°C. The resulting materials exhibit turbostratic graphitic structure and a previously unreported aluminum environment detectable by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), a likely signature of trigonal planar or puckered AlC3-type sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the potential for enhancing SrTiO3 (STO)'s photocatalytic efficiency, particularly in the visible light region, a study is conducted on Al, N codoping in STO herein using first‐principles calculations. The effect of oxygen vacancy (VO) is also considered. It is found that AlSr, NO can significantly reduce the bandgap; however, their formation energies are rather high, and the defect levels they brought in may induce recombination centers. Under O‐deficient conditions, VO can facilitate Al, N doping in STO. When Al, N codope in STO, AlTi, NO, and VO would tend to combine, and formation of complex defect AlTi + NO + VO can further enhance N dopability in STO. Moreover, AlTi + NO + VO can simultaneously reduce the bandgap and eliminate the defect levels induced by NO. However, AlTi + NO + VO may not fully realize the potential for the photocatalytic activity due to the low optical absorption and unsuitable band alignment. The work provides a theoretical guidance for the photocatalytic performance of STO in the visible light region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the potential for enhancing SrTiO3 (STO)'s photocatalytic efficiency, particularly in the visible light region, a study is conducted on Al, N codoping in STO herein using first‐principles calculations. The effect of oxygen vacancy (VO) is also considered. It is found that AlSr, NO can significantly reduce the bandgap; however, their formation energies are rather high, and the defect levels they brought in may induce recombination centers. Under O‐deficient conditions, VO can facilitate Al, N doping in STO. When Al, N codope in STO, AlTi, NO, and VO would tend to combine, and formation of complex defect AlTi + NO + VO can further enhance N dopability in STO. Moreover, AlTi + NO + VO can simultaneously reduce the bandgap and eliminate the defect levels induced by NO. However, AlTi + NO + VO may not fully realize the potential for the photocatalytic activity due to the low optical absorption and unsuitable band alignment. The work provides a theoretical guidance for the photocatalytic performance of STO in the visible light region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the effects of soil acidification on degradation of Chinese hickory forest under field experimental conditions. Responses of plant nutrient absorption and non-targeted metabolomics based on LC-MS were analyzed to understand the mechanisms of Chinese hickory plant to acid resistance and susceptibility. In this field experiment, Chinese hickory plants were treated with CK (T1, control), nitrogen application (urea) (T2), and aluminum application (aluminum sulfate) (T3). Results showed that Al is the key toxic factor of acidification of soils planted with Chinese hickory. T2 and T3 treatments significantly inhibited absorption of nutrient elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, B and Zn) by Chinese hickory (except N in T2). The metabolomics data analysis showed that there were differences in plant metabolites between the experimental group (T2 and T3) and the control (T1), including p-coumaroyl quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, (+) germacrene A, myricetin 3-galactoside, and neoglucobrassicin. These metabolites may be the main regulators of Chinese hickory to soil acid stress or related to the effect of soil acidification on Chinese hickory resistance. KEGG metabolic pathway enrichment analysis showed that these differential metabolites were mainly enriched in four metabolic pathways: Flavonoid biosynthesis, Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, Tyrosine metabolism, Stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid, and gingerol biosynthesis. This study provides a reference for metabolomics studies in Chinese hickory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers/Al + Ag, Al + ZnO, and Ag + ZnO nanocomposites will receive much attention in their optical characterization due to their wide range of applications in optical devices. So, it is imperative to enhance their optical capabilities. This work uses the casting method to create flexible foil from nanocomposites made of three different polymer types: Al + Ag, Al + ZnO, and Ag + ZnO nanoparticles. Al + Ag, Ag + ZnO, and Al + ZnO nanoparticles are fillers, whereas polymers such as poly (methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, and polyvinyl alcohol are used as the polymer matrix. The exceptional purity of the materials as prepared is confirmed by the examination of chemical mapping (EDS) spectroscopy. High absorption in the UV region has been seen in UV–visible absorption spectra, which is inversely related to the presence of Al + Ag, Al + ZnO, and Ag + ZnO nanocomposites. A linear absorption coefficient (α) has been used to show that absorption edges exist. The energy band gaps of all nanocomposites are found to be redshifted upon determination of the energy gap. The energy gap values for all samples decreased when Al + Ag, Al + ZnO, and Ag + ZnO nanoparticles were mixed with polymers. However, there is a noticeable reduction in the energy band gap in all nanocomposite samples. The created foil nanocomposites offer great potential for producing extremely efficient optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the reaction kinetics of HMX/AP/Al ternary system, the different distribution of AP in HMX/AP/Al explosives was realized by two different preparation techniques. Detonation test results show that the detonation velocity, explosion heat and detonation pressure of HAP samples are higher than those of HAl samples, but the extent of improvement is not high, not more than 5 %. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that AP in HAP samples was distributed on the surface of HMX crystal. AP were dispersed around HMX crystals in HAl samples. The experimental results of explosive fireball performance show that the fireball expansion speed of HAP samples is better than that of HAl samples, demonstrating a good fireball effect. Underwater test results show that the shock wave peak pressure and bubble pulsation period of HAP samples increase by 3.06 % and 7.95 % respectively, and shock wave energy and bubble energy increase by 9.8 % and 25.42 % compared with bubble energy. The experimental results show that HAP samples are superior to HAl samples in accelerating ability of Al flies. The dispersion of AP on the HMX crystal surface promotes the energy release of HMX/AP/Al explosives more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background and Objectives: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has become an essential instrument in the study of cardiomyopathies; it has recently been integrated into the diagnostic workflow for cardiac amyloidosis (CA) with remarkable results. An additional emerging role is the stratification of the arrhythmogenic risk by scar analysis and the possibility of merging these data with electro-anatomical maps. This is made possible by using a software (ADAS 3D, Galgo Medical, Barcelona, Spain) able to provide 3D heart models by detecting fibrosis along the whole thickness of the myocardial walls. Little is known regarding the applications of this software in the wide spectrum of cardiomyopathies and the potential benefits have yet to be discovered. In this study, we tried to apply the ADAS 3D in the context of CA. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospectively analysis of consecutive CMR imaging of patients affected by CA that were treated in our center (Marche University Hospital). Wherever possible, the data were processed with the ADAS 3D software and analyzed for a correlation between the morphometric parameters and follow-up events. The outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, unplanned cardiovascular hospitalizations, sustained ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), permanent reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction, and pacemaker implantation. The secondary outcomes were the need for a pacemaker implantation and sustained VAs. Results: A total of 14 patients were deemed eligible for the software analysis: 8 patients with wild type transthyretin CA, 5 with light chain CA, and 1 with transthyretin hereditary CA. The vast majority of imaging features was not related to the composite outcome, but atrial wall thickening displayed a significant association with both the primary (p = 0.003) and the secondary outcome of pacemaker implantation (p = 0.003). The software was able to differentiate between core zones and border zones of scars, with the latter being the most extensively represented in all patients. Interestingly, in a huge percentage of CMR images, the software identified the highest degree of core zone fibrosis among the epicardial layers and, in those patients, we found a higher incidence of the primary outcome, without reaching statistical significance (p = 0.18). Channels were found in the scar zones in a substantial percentage of patients without a clear correlation with follow-up events. Conclusions: CMR imaging plays a pivotal role in cardiovascular diagnostics. Our analysis shows the feasibility and applicability of such instrument for all types of CA. We could not only differentiate between different layers of scars, but we were also able to identify the presence of fibrosis channels among the different scar zones. None of the data derived from the ADAS 3D software seemed to be related to cardiac events in the follow-up, but this might be imputable to the restricted number of patients enrolled in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polskie Forum Psychologiczne is the property of Kazimierza Wielki University in Bydgoszcz and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Selected area electrochemical etching (EE) and electrochemical deposition (ED) are widely used for fabricating microstructures and devices, but they require complex processes and expensive equipment and generate significant electrolyte waste. This study demonstrates a novel single-droplet electrochemical system using a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for self-powered selected area EE and ED reactions. Utilizing TENG's pulsed power, Al nanostructures were created by EE, while nano-Ag and Cu2O nanocubes were synthesized by ED. The generated nanomaterials were applied to detect trace chemicals through the Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering effect. The electrochemical reaction area can be controlled by droplet size, and patterns can be created using a needle movement platform. The size and density of nanostructures can be adjusted by the TENG's current, collision frequency, and electrolyte concentration. The deposition gradient from the center to the edge of the droplet is controlled by the distance between the needle and the substrate. COMSOL Multiphysics calculations show that a smaller D creates a larger electric field gradient. However, the varied deposition gradients were attributed to competition of electric field, diffusion effects, and capillary flow. This proposed green technology offers low cost, simplicity, no waste electrolyte, and self-powering capabilities, pioneering new research directions in EE and ED.

The current work involves producing the functionally graded material (Al-PTFE) utilizing the powder metallurgy technique. The proposed graded materials include three, four, and five layers. Each layer consists of PTFE and Al particles with an average diameter of 200nm and 25 micrometers, respectively. The powders were blended, formed into cylindrical shapes, and then sintered in an inert environment furnace. The microstructural and morphological properties of the graded materials are studied using XRD and SEM images. The prepared graded materials' porosity density and hardness are measured experimentally. The results of XRD and SEM images reveal that the FGMs are successfully developed without any separation or crack formation and that PTFE was uniformly dispersed throughout the layers with particle concentrations of 25 and 50 wt%. Al. The obtained results also reveal that the density of various FGMs was comparable to that of PTFE.