Size reduction

Hereunder, we pioneered the synthesis of Copper Oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) utilizing Tragacanth gum (TG). The NPs were characterized using advanced techniques and assessed for different pharmaceutical and environmental perspectives. The successful formation of a colloidal NPs solution was confirmed by the appearance of a distinct black color and a distinct peak at 260 nm in UV-Visible spectrophotometry. The FTIR analysis unveiled a spectrum of functional groups responsible for the reduction and stabilization of CuO NPs...

The effect of ultrasonic intensity (28.14, 70.35, and 112.56 W/cm2 ) on Lignosus rhinocerotis polysaccharide (LRP) degraded by ultrasound assisted H2 O2 /Vc system (U-H/V) was investigated. U-H/V broke the molecular chain of LRP and improved the conformational flexibility, decreasing the molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity ([η]) and particle size. The functional groups and hyperbranched structure of LRP were almost stable after U-H/V treatment, however, the triple helix structure of LRP was partially disrupted...

Domains as functional protein units and their rearrangements along the phylogeny can shed light on the functional changes of proteomes associated with the evolution of complex traits like eusociality. This complex trait is associated with sterile soldiers and workers, and long-lived, highly fecund reproductives. Unlike in Hymenotpera (ants, bees, and wasps), the evolution of eusociality within Blattodea, where termites evolved from within cockroaches, was accompanied by a reduction in proteome size, raising the question of whether functional novelty was achieved with existing rather than novel proteins...

We present a generalization of the connectivity-based hierarchy (CBH) of isodesmic-based correction schemes to a multilayered fragmentation platform for overall cost reduction while retaining high accuracy. The newly developed multilayered CBH approach, called stepping-stone CBH (SSCBH), is benchmarked on a diverse set of 959 medium-sized organic molecules. Applying SSCBH corrections to the PBEh-D3 density functional resulted in an average error of 0.76 kcal/mol for the full test set compared to accurate CCSD(T)-quality enthalpies and an even lower error of 0...

OBJECTIVE: To explore the suitability of conservative management for neonatal ovarian cysts in newborns. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, involving infants diagnosed with neonatal abdominal/pelvic cysts at two separate medical institutions from January 2015 through July 2021. Data collection included clinical characteristics, imaging results, pathological findings, and postnatal outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed using the Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve...

Introduction: Undergoing complex diagnostic investigation of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans is associated with high levels of distress, fear, and anxiety in oncological patients. This study evaluated the effects of a single 20-min session of an innovative mindfulness-based swinging technique (MBST) intervention on emotional distress in cancer patients scheduled for PET-CT scans. Material and Methods: Adult cancer patients undergoing PET-CT scans ( n = 57) were assigned to the intervention group ( n = 27) or the control group ( n = 30)...

The semiconductor industry is undergoing a transformative phase, marked by the relentless drive for miniaturization and a constant demand for higher performance and energy efficiency. However, the reduction of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor sizes for advanced technology nodes below 10 nm presents several challenges. In response, strained silicon technology has emerged as a key player, exploiting strain induction in the silicon crystal lattice to improve device performance. At the same time, there has been a growing need for characterization techniques that allow in-line monitoring of sample conditions during semiconductor manufacturing, as an alternative to traditional methods such as transmission electron microscopy or high-resolution X-ray diffraction, which have several limitations in terms of measurement time and sample destructiveness...

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) has a multifactorial etiology. Vitamin E and vitamin D play an important role in lung development and can potentially be beneficial in the prevention of BPD. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to compare the risk of BPD occurrence in preterm neonates supplemented with vitamin D or E versus those who did not get supplementation. METHODS: The literature search was conducted for this systematic review by searching the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to December 2022...

<b><br>Introduction:</b> Skin cancers constitute a group of medical disorders remaining a field of interest for surgeons and dermatologists. Currently, this group is typically divided into malignant melanoma (MM) and keratinocyte cancers (KC).</br> <b><br>Aim:</b> The aim of this study is to analyze the cases of skin cancers treated in the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery in Lodz (Poland) during the COVID-19 pandemic (from 2020 to 2022) and then compare the results with the ones from the pre-pandemic period (from 2017 to 2019)...

The reactivity of the reduction of NO pre-adsorbed on Rh2-9 + clusters by CO was investigated using a combination of an alternate on-off gas injection method and thermal desorption spectrometry. The reduction of Rh n N x O y + clusters by CO was evaluated by varying the CO concentration at T = 903 K. Among the Rh n N x O x + clusters, the Rh3 N2 O2 + cluster exhibited the highest reduction activity, whereas the other clusters, Rh2,4-9 N x O x + , showed lower reactivity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for Rh3 + and Rh6 + revealed that the rate-determining step for NO reduction in the presence of CO was NO bond dissociation through the kinetics analysis using the RRKM theory...

New type desktop head-up display (HUD) can reduce visual fatigue and protect vision through long viewing distance. In this study, participants evaluated visual performance, fatigue, and discomfort of desktop HUD under two contrast polarity (N = 36) and five display luminance levels (N = 21). A positive polarity advantage was found over negative in visual fatigue and discomfort ( p  < .05). Statistically significant effect of luminance was found on visual performance, fatigue, and discomfort ( p  < ...

INTRODUCTION: Recent research has uncovered a wide prevalence variation of suicidal ideation in university students ranging from 9.7% to 58.3%. India has witnessed a 4.5% increase in suicide rates in the year 2021. The interplay between cognitive reappraisal of a stressful situation, suppression of emotional expression, and coping strategies for suicidal ideation of Indian University students is yet to be explored. We aim to determine whether suicidal ideation would differ across different types of family units, and to predict the extent to which perceived social support and avoidant coping could mediate the relation between emotion regulation processes and suicidal ideation...

OBJECTIVE: Structural support for depressed tibial plateau fractures is receiving increasing attention. Currently, there has been little biomechanical evaluation of structural support. This work aimed to investigate the effect of structural support size and position on fracture fixation stability. METHODS: A split-depressed tibial plateau fracture model was created according to the fracture map. Cortical screws combined with structural filler were used for fracture fixation...

The issue of global climate change has garnered increasing attention, with carbon emissions emerging as a significant challenge confronting the world today. As an important means of environmental management, river basin ecological compensation must break through the traditional thinking of "water-centric" and move towards the coordinated development of "pollution reduction". Therefore, the study chooses the watershed scale ecological compensation experiment carried out in the Yangtze River Economic Belt as a natural experiment...

Background and study aims Symptomatic simple hepatic cysts require treatment, with several guidelines recommending laparoscopic deroofing. However, cysts located in the posterosuperior segments are considered poor candidates for this procedure. Gastrointestinal endoscopes are more flexible and able to reach less accessible areas than laparoscopes. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of endoscopic transgastric hepatic cyst deroofing (ETGHCD) for treatment of simple hepatic cysts. Patients and methods Seven patients with simple hepatic cysts were evaluated between June 2021 and October 2023...

The global expansion of Aedes albopictus has stimulated the development of environmentally friendly methods aiming to control disease transmission through the suppression of natural vector populations. Sterile male release programmes are currently being deployed worldwide, and are challenged by the availability of an efficient sex separation which can be achieved mechanically at the pupal stage and/or by artificial intelligence at the adult stage, or through genetic sexing, which allows separating males and females at an early development stage...

In current five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machining, the use of minute linear path segments as an approximation for the ideal cutter contacting (CC) point trajectory is still prevalent. However, introducing rotation axes leads to a deviation of the actual CC point trajectory from the ideal, resulting in nonlinear errors. An integrated method is proposed in this paper for compensating and correcting both the contour error, associated with the approximation of the part surface by the ideal CC point trajectory and the nonlinear error of the CC point trajectory based on the information in the CC point data...

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) to produce fuels and chemicals has garnered significant attention. However, achieving control over the selectivity of the resulting products remains a challenging task, particularly within molecular systems. In this study, we employed a molecular silver complex immobilized on graphitized mesoporous carbon (GMC) as a catalyst for converting CO2 into CO, achieving an impressive selectivity of over 90% at -1.05 V vs RHE. Notably, the newly formed silver nanoparticles emerged as the active sites responsible for this high CO selectivity rather than the molecular system...

RATIONAL: Patients experience post-stroke cognitive impairment during aging. To date, no specific treatment solution has been reported for this disorder. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise training and coenzyme Q10 supplementation on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induced behavioral impairment, long-term potentiation inhibition and cerebral infarction size in aging rats. METHODS: Fifty aging male rats underwent MCAO surgery and were randomly distributed in to the following groups: 1-Sham, 2- control, 3- Coenzyme Q10, 4- Exercise training and 5- Exercise training with Q10 supplementation (Ex + Q10)...

BACKGROUND: Device-related bacterial infections account for a large proportion of hospital-acquired infections. The ability of bacteria to form a biofilm as a protective shield usually makes treatment impossible without removal of the implant. Topographic surfaces have attracted considerable attention in studies seeking antibacterial properties without the need for additional antimicrobial substances. As there are still no valid rules for the design of antibacterial microstructured surfaces, a fast, reproducible production technique with good resolution is required to produce test surfaces and to examine their effectiveness with regard to their antibacterial properties...