Search Results (15,697)

Objectives: This study aims to define three-dimensional (3D) parameters for the inclination of the distal radius joint surface. The goal is to develop standardized parameters for fracture reduction through comprehensive 3D evaluations of the joint surfaces. Methods: We analyzed 112 CT scans of unaffected wrists (56 males and 56 females) to construct 3D models of the distal radius. Using 3D coordinates, the normal vectors and angles were calculated based on three reference points on the distal radius joint surface. These normal vector components were then converted into unit vector components A, B, and C for the x, y, and z axes, respectively. Additionally, the angles of these unit vectors were assessed in the xy, yz, and xz planes. The 3D measurements were compared between males and females and against traditional two-dimensional (2D) parameters such as palmar tilt and radial inclination. Results: For males, the unit vector components were as follows: A: −0.14 ± 0.09, B: −0.92 ± 0.02, and C: −0.36 ± 0.07; for females, A: −0.21 ± 0.08, B: −0.90 ± 0.03, and C: −0.36 ± 0.05. Significant differences were found between males and females for the A and B vector components (representing the palmar–dorsal and proximal–distal axes, p < 0.01). The angles of the unit vectors in the xy, yz, and xz planes were 8.9 ± 5.4°/12.9 ± 5.0°, 21.3 ± 4.1°/22.1 ± 3.2°, and 22.2 ± 14.8°/28.8 ± 10.1° for males and females, respectively. There were significant differences between males and females in the angles of the xy and xz planes (sagittal and axial planes, p < 0.01). Strong correlations were observed between the xy-plane vectors and palmar tilt (r = 0.96), as well as between the yz-plane vectors and radial inclination (r = 0.88). Conclusions: This study evaluated the 3D inclination of the distal radius joint surface, revealing significant gender differences. This method, which also allows for the assessment of rotational alignment—difficult with conventional techniques—is expected to be a key 3D parameter in treating distal radius fractures. Full article

Isovaleraldehyde is an important chemical raw material for the production of flavors, which is volatile and flammable and poses a health risk to humans. It is, therefore, essential to develop a rapid assay for the identification of isovaleraldehyde. In this study, octahedral NiCo₂O₄/MIL-Fe₅₃ nanocomposites were successfully fabricated for the rapid detection of isovaleraldehyde. The prepared NiCo₂O₄/MIL-Fe₅₃ nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, and XPS to analyze the material properties. The effects of temperature, carrier gas flow rate, selectivity, and stability on the cataluminescence performance of this sensor were investigated. The results showed that NiCo₂O₄/MIL-Fe₅₃ nanocomposites have excellent selectivity to isovaleraldehyde with response and recovery times of 6 and 8 s, respectively. A linear relationship was found between the CTL signal and isovaleraldehyde concentration Y = 9.56X − 23.3 (R² = 0.99) over the concentration range of 13.66 to 437.22 ppm with a detection limit of 2.44 ppm. The relative deviation RSD = 4.18% for multiple tests of the sensor indicates good stability and longevity. Mechanistic studies have shown that the heterojunction formed by NiCo₂O₄/MIL-Fe₅₃ nanocomposites has the advantage of improving CTL sensing performance. This study may advance the application of cataluminescence sensors in the detection of isovaleraldehyde. Full article

Pathogenic Y. enterocolitica’s contamination of cheeks, tongues, and other pork meats at retail was assessed in 2023, over 9 months. A total of 111 samples of cheeks, 104 of tongues, and 160 of fresh meat were taken at retail from the 13 regions of mainland France. The level of contamination was 16.0%, with a higher contamination in tongues (39.4%), followed by cheeks (16.4%). Only one meat sample was contaminated. Of the 128 isolated strains, 97.6% were of the BT4 biotype. Depending on the method used to check the presence of the plasmid—yadA-PCR, CR-MOX testing, or sequencing—the results were not consistent for some strains, but most of the strains (≥ to 65%) had the virulent plasmid pYV. All the BT4 strains (except two strains) carried the sequence ST18; they were distributed in 54 cgMLST genotypes. The genetic diversity of the strains was very high, whatever the typing method used, including cgMLST, wgMLST, and cgSNP. There was higher contamination in tongues and cheeks, and lower contamination in meat, suggesting that the head deboning step is riskier than the evisceration step for contamination by pathogenic Y. enterocolitica. This pathogen remains a zoonotic agent of public health importance to be monitored in pigs. Full article

The role of halogen bonding (HaB) in the reactions of N-chlorosuccinimide (SimCl), a versatile reagent in organic synthesis, was investigated through experimental and computational analyses of its interactions with halides. The reactions of SimCl with Br⁻ or I⁻ resulted in the crystallization of HaB complexes of chloride with N-iodosuccinimide (SimI) or N-bromosuccinimide (SimBr). Computational analysis revealed that halogen rearrangements, which occurred even at −73 °C, were facilitated by halogen bonding. The dissociation of SimCl∙Y⁻ (Y = I or Br) complexes into a Sim⁻ + ClY pair (followed by the rotation and re-binding of the interhalogen molecules) bypassed the formation of the high-energy Sim⁻ + Cl⁺ pair and drastically (about tenfold) reduced the dissociation energy of the N–Cl bond. Furthermore, while the dissociation energy of individual SimCl is higher (and its HaB is weaker) compared to that of SimI or SimBr, the dissociation of the N-Cl bond in SimCl∙Y⁻ requires less energy than in the complexes of SimBr or SimI. The facile cleavage of such bonds in HaB complexes explains the high reactivity of SimCl and its effectiveness as a halogenating agent. Full article

A two-dimensional coupled dynamics model for a moored autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) was developed using the lumped mass method for mooring cable dynamics and the Newton-Euler method for rigid body dynamics. This model enables the integrated simulation of AUV motion, flow field interactions, and mooring cable behavior. The study investigates the effects of varying ocean current velocities and mooring cable lengths on AUV motion responses. The results indicate that under the influence of mooring forces, the AUV stabilizes near its equilibrium position after release and undergoes periodic oscillatory motion. Specifically, when the X-direction oscillation completes two cycles and the Y-direction oscillation completes four cycles, the AUV demonstrates an 8-shaped trajectory, with maximum motion amplitudes observed. These findings provide insights into the dynamic behavior of moored AUVs in ocean environments, contributing to the design and operation of long-term underwater monitoring systems. Full article

This paper investigated the hysteresis performance of multi-story Y-shaped eccentrically bare braced steel frames with block slit dampers (BSDs). After validating existing models through finite element (FE) analysis, an FE model of Y-shaped eccentrically bare braced steel frames (YEBFs) with BSD (BSD-YEBFs) was established. The influences of different types of BSDs on the hysteresis performance of YEBFs were subsequently analysed, as were the seismic performances of YEBFs with BSD (BSDF) and traditional Y-shaped eccentrically bare braced steel frames (TEBF) under cyclic loading, including the stress failure mode, hysteresis curve, stiffness, strength, and energy dissipation capacity. The results showed that: (1) compared with those of BASE-Y, the ductility coefficients of YEBFs with one level BSD (BSD-1) and two level BSD (BSD-2) increased by 59.57% and 39.47%, respectively, and the lateral bearing capacity decreased by 3.26% and 2.78%, respectively. (2) Compared with those of TEBF, the yield bearing capacity and ultimate bearing capacity of BSDF increased by 3.13% and 11.12%, respectively, and the ductility coefficient increased by 56.7%. Moreover, BSDF possesses higher initial stiffness and more sustained energy dissipation capabilities. Full article

This study is focused on the fabrication and characterization of various dual waveguides through femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation of GeO₂-based glass samples. The objective of the present work is to develop diverse waveguide configurations, namely straight, S-bend and Y-shaped waveguides within GeO₂–PbO glasses embedded with silver nanoparticles, utilizing a double-guide platform, for photonic applications such as resonant rings and beam splitters. Enhanced guidance was observed with a larger radius of curvature (80 mm) among the two distinct S-bend waveguides produced. The maximum relative propagation loss was recorded for the S-bend waveguide with a 40 mm radius, while the minimum loss was noted for the Y-shaped waveguide. In the latter configuration, with an opening angle of 5° and a separation of 300 µm between the two arms, an output power ratio of 50.5/49.5 between the left and right arms indicated promising potential for beam splitter applications. During the study, the quality factor (M²) of the proposed architectures was measured and the 80 mm S-bend configuration presented the best symmetry between the x and y axes; in the case of the Y configuration the similarity between the M² values in both axes, for the first and second arms, indicates comparable light guidance. Full article

This study explores the mechanical and corrosion properties of yttria-reinforced 316L stainless steel. Powder precursor materials were prepared using mechanical alloying. Varying yttria (Y₂O₃) contents (1, 3, and 5 wt%) were used to assess its impact on the steel’s properties. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the successful dispersion of Y₂O₃ within the matrix, with the formation of chromium carbides during spark plasma sintering (SPS). The mechanical properties, including hardness and compressive yield strength, improved with increasing Y₂O₃ contents, with the highest strength observed in the 316L-5Y₂O₃ sample. However, corrosion resistance decreased with higher yttria concentrations. The 3 wt% Y₂O₃ sample exhibited the highest corrosion rate due to localized corrosion in areas enriched with oxide particles and chromium carbides. Electrochemical testing revealed that carbide formation and Cr-depleted regions from SPS processing contributed to the corrosion behaviour. These findings suggest that while yttria reinforcement enhances mechanical strength, optimizing the Y₂O₃ content and processing methods is crucial to balance both mechanical and corrosion performance in ODS 316L stainless steel. Full article

Background: Nut consumption has been considered a potential protective factor against cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to test whether higher total and specific nut intake was associated with better cognitive status in a sample of older Italian adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis on 883 older adults (>50 y) was conducted. A 110-item food frequency questionnaire was used to collect information on the consumption of various types of nuts. The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire was used to assess cognitive status. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between nut intake and cognitive status after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results: The median intake of total nuts was 11.7 g/day and served as a cut-off to categorize low and high consumers (mean intake 4.3 g/day vs. 39.7 g/day, respectively). Higher total nut intake was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of impaired cognitive status among older individuals (OR = 0.35, CI 95%: 0.15, 0.84) after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Notably, this association remained significant after additional adjustment for adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern as an indicator of diet quality, (OR = 0.32, CI 95%: 0.13, 0.77). No significant associations were found between cognitive status and specific types of nuts. Conclusions: Habitual nut intake is associated with better cognitive status in older adults. Full article

In this study, we analyzed changes in flow characteristics and energy-dissipation characteristics due to changes in hydrogen temperature and inlet/outlet differential pressure in a check valve, which affect the storage safety and reliability of high-pressure hydrogen refueling systems. The effects of flow separation and recirculation flow generation at the back end of the valve were investigated, and the pressure, flow rate, pressure coefficient, and energy dissipation at the core part (where the hydrogen inflow is blocked) and the outlet part (where the hydrogen is discharged) were numerically analyzed. The hydrogen-inlet temperature (T_in) was selected as 233 K, 293 K, and 363 K, and the differential pressure (∆P) was selected in the range of 2 to 10 MPa in 2 MPa steps. To ensure the reliability of the numerical results, mesh dependence was performed, and the effect of the mesh geometry on the results was less than 2%. The numerical simulation results showed that the hydrogen introduced into the core part is discharged into the discharge part, and the pressure decreases by up to 6% and the velocity increases by up to 16% at the 95 mm position of the L-shaped curved tube. In addition, for the hydrogen-inlet temperature of 233 K in the L-shaped curved tube, the flow velocity decreases by up to 60% and the pressure coefficient increases at the 2.3 mm point in the Y-axis direction, indicating that the main flow area is biased towards the bottom of the valve due to the constriction of the veins caused by flow separation. The TDR results showed that the hydrogen discharge to the discharge region increased by 96% at 95 mm compared to 90 mm, and the turbulent kinetic energy of the hydrogen was dissipated, resulting in a temperature increase of up to 4.5 K. The exergy destruction was maximized in the core region where flow separation occurs, indicating that the pressure, velocity, and TDR changes due to flow separation and recombination have a significant impact on the energy loss of the flow in the check valve. Full article

Although the application of biochar to soils has been proposed as a method of carbon sequestration for climate mitigation while improving crop yields, losses of biochar carbon (BC) through mineralization may reduce these benefits. However, few field studies have been conducted that control for biochar migration so that the rates and processes of BC remineralization from soils, as well as the effects of biochar on native soil organic carbon, can be accurately determined. Here, biochar made from different biomass types (oak, pine wood, and grass) and temperatures (lightly charred at 250 °C and pyrolyzed at 400 and 650 °C) were added to fine sandy Entisol in an open agricultural field and Spodosol in a shaded forested site in North Central Florida. After 15 months, BC losses, determined by the Kurth–Mackenzie–Deluca chemical–thermal oxidation method, ranged from 17.5 to 93.3% y⁻¹ (14.0–51.5% y⁻¹ for the 650 °C biochar). These losses were correlated with but much greater than the 0.4–3% y⁻¹ BC losses recorded in a one-year laboratory study using the same biochars and those of several previous field studies (1–14% y⁻¹). The losses of non-BC native carbon stocks (i.e., positive priming) also varied with biochar and soil type and ranged from 1.5 to 15.8% y⁻¹. The high BC losses observed in this study may be attributed to the subtropical and temporally variable climate conditions at the study site. Greater efforts should be made to base BC long-term stability estimates on field studies that monitor or control for biochar migration rather than reliance only upon laboratory incubations. Full article

Thrombosis is one of the most prevalent and serious health issues amongst humans. A key component of thrombotic events is the activation and aggregation of platelets, of which the P2Y₁ and P2Y₁₂ receptors play a crucial role in this process. Despite a breadth of knowledge on thrombosis and its mechanisms and treatment in various disorders in humans, there is less of an understanding of the expression and exact role of these receptors in companion animals such as dogs and cats. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate P2Y₁ and P2Y₁₂ receptors on dog and cat platelets in platelet-rich plasma and compare them to human platelets. Immunoblotting revealed the presence of P2Y₁ and P2Y₁₂ receptor proteins on dog and cat platelets, although relative amounts of each receptor appeared to contrast those of human platelets, with increased amounts of P2Y₁ compared to P2Y₁₂ receptors in dogs and cats. Using a modified 384-well plate aggregation assay, designed for use with small volumes, the human P2Y₁ and P2Y₁₂ receptor agonists adenosine 5′-diphosphate and 2-methylthio-adenosine 5′-diphosphate caused aggregation of dog and cat platelets. This aggregation was near-completely inhibited by the selective P2Y₁₂ antagonist ticagrelor. Aggregation of dog and cat platelets was partly inhibited by the human P2Y₁ receptor antagonist MRS2179. The agonist and antagonist responses in dog and cat platelets were like those of human platelets. In contrast, the aggregation of dog platelets in the absence of added nucleotides was two-fold greater than that of cats and humans. This study indicates that platelets of cats and dogs possess functional P2Y₁ and P2Y₁₂ receptors that can be inhibited by human antagonists. The data presented suggest differing roles or responses of the platelet P2Y receptors in dogs and cats compared to humans but also highlight the potential of using currently available P2Y₁ or P2Y₁₂ antiplatelet drugs such as ticagrelor for the treatment of thrombosis in these companion animals. Full article

Optical sensors are a promising technology in structural and health monitoring due to their high sensitivity and immunity to electromagnetic interference. Because of their high sensitivity, they can register the responses of buildings to a wide range of motions, including those induced by ambient noise, or detect small structural changes caused by aging or environmental factors. In previous work, an FBG-based accelerometer was introduced that is suitable for use as an autonomous unit since it does not make use of any interrogator equipment. In this paper, we present the results of the characterization of this device, which yielded the best precision and accuracy. The results show the following: (i) improvements in the orthogonality of the sensor axes, which impact their cross-axis sensitivity; (ii) reductions in the electronic noise, which increase the signal-to-noise ratio. The results of our static characterization show that, in the worst case, we can obtain a correlation coefficient R² of 0.9999 when comparing the output voltage with the input acceleration for the X- and Y-axes of the sensor. We developed an analytical, non-iterative, 12-parameter matrix calibration approach based on the least-squares method, which allows compensation for different gains in its axes, offset, and cross-axis. To improve the accuracy of our sensor, we propose a table with correction terms that can be subtracted from the estimated acceleration. The mean error of each estimated acceleration component of the sensor is zero, with a maximum standard deviation of 0.018 m/s². The maximum RMSE for all tested positions is 6.7 × 10⁻³ m/s². Full article

An inverse-square probability mass function (PMF) is at the Newcomb–Benford law (NBL)’s root and ultimately at the origin of positional notation and conformality. $Pr\left(Z\right)={\left(2Z\right)}^{-2}$, where $Z\in {\mathbb{Z}}^{+}$. Under its tail, we find information as harmonic likelihood $\mathcal{L}\left(\left[s,t\right)\right)=H_{t-1}-H_{s-1}$, where $H_n$ is the nth harmonic number. The global $\mathbb{Q}$-NBL is $Pr\left(b,q\right)=\raisebox{1ex}{$\mathcal{L}\left(\left[q,q+1\right)\right)$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$\mathcal{L}\left(\left[1,b\right)\right)$}\right.={\left(q{H}_{b-1}\right)}^{-1}$, where b is the base and q is a quantum ($1\le q<b$). Under its tail, we find information as logarithmic likelihood $\ell \left(\left[i,j\right)\right)=ln\raisebox{1ex}{$j$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$i$}\right.$. The fiducial $\mathbb{R}$-NBL is $Pr\left(r,d\right)=\raisebox{1ex}{$\ell \left(\left[d,d+1\right)\right)$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$\ell \left(\left[1,r\right)\right)$}\right.={log}_r\left(1+\raisebox{1ex}{$1$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$d$}\right.\right)$, where $r\ll b$ is the radix of a local complex system. The global Bayesian rule multiplies the correlation between two numbers, s and t, by a likelihood ratio that is the NBL probability of bucket $\left[s,t\right)$ relative to b’s support. To encode the odds of quantum j against i locally, we multiply the prior odds $\raisebox{1ex}{$Pr\left(b,j\right)$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$Pr\left(b,i\right)$}\right.$ by a likelihood ratio, which is the NBL probability of bin $\left[i,j\right)$ relative to r’s support; the local Bayesian coding rule is $\tilde{o}\left(j:i|r\right)=\raisebox{1ex}{$i$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$j$}\right.{log}_r\raisebox{1ex}{$j$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$i$}\right.$. The Bayesian rule to recode local data is $\tilde{o}\left(j:i|r^{\prime }\right)=\tilde{o}\left(j:i|r\right)\raisebox{1ex}{$lnr$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$ln{r}^{\prime }$}\right.$. Global and local Bayesian data are elements of the algebraic field of “gap ratios”, $\frac{A-B}{C-D}$. The cross-ratio, the central tool in conformal geometry, is a subclass of gap ratio. A one-dimensional coding source reflects the global Bayesian data of the harmonic external world, the annulus $\left\{x\in \mathbb{Q}|1\le \left|x\right|<b\right\}$, into the local Bayesian data of its logarithmic coding space, the ball $\left\{x\in \mathbb{Q}|\left|x\right|<1-\raisebox{1ex}{$1$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$b$}\right.\right\}$. The source’s conformal encoding function is $y={log}_r\left(2x-1\right)$, where x is the observed Euclidean distance to an object’s position. The conformal decoding function is $x=\frac{1}{2}\left(1+r^y\right)$. Both functions, unique under basic requirements, enable information- and granularity-invariant recursion to model the multiscale reality. Full article

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of adherence to the ACC/AHA 2018 dyslipidemia guidelines on patient management of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with ischemic heart diseases (IHD) and its correlation with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), including non-fatal MI, stroke, death, hospitalization for revascularization, and peripheral arterial disease. Methods: A multi-center retrospective observational study was conducted in patients with IHD between January 2019 and December 2020, who were followed for two years. The primary objective was to assess statin utilization and adherence to the 2018 ACC/AHA guidelines and the associated influence on MACE outcomes. Inferential statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and the Mann–Whitney test, were conducted to assess the associations between adherence to the guidelines, MACE rates, and LDL-C goal achievement. Results: The study included 1011 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), predominantly male (78.2%), with a mean age of 59 ± 10.9 years. Non-adherent patients had higher baseline LDL-C levels (3.0 ± 1.1 mmol/L vs. 2.7 ± 1.2 mmol/L; p = 0.0005), while adherent patients were more likely to be on cardiovascular medications, including statins (78.4% vs. 57.4%), aspirin (74.2% vs. 56.3%), and P2Y12 inhibitors (69.5% vs. 48.4%), compared to non-adherent patients. Adherence was associated with lower non-fatal MI rates (9.3% vs. 21.1%, p < 0.0001) and fewer revascularizations (9.3% vs. 16.8%; p = 0.0024). Additionally, 49.2% of adherent patients achieved target LDL-C goals, compared to 30.5% of the non-adherent patients (p < 0.0001). Notably, there were no significant differences in stroke, peripheral arterial disease, or mortality rates. Conclusions: The achievement of target LDL-C goals and reduced MACEs was observed with adherence to the 2018 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guidelines. However, lipid management in IHD patients remains sub-optimal, highlighting opportunities for further enhancement. Full article