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Purpose: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has revived the debate on the optimal tidal volume during acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Some experts recommend 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight (PBW) for all patients, while others suggest 7–9 mL/kg PBW for those with compliance >50 mL/cmH2O. We investigated whether a tidal volume ≥ 7 ml/kg PBW may be safe in COVID-19 patients, particularly those with compliance >50 mL/cmH2O. Materials and methods: This secondary analysis of a multicenter study compares the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) mortality among 600 patients ventilated with <7 or ≥ 7 mL/kg PBW. Compliance was categorized as <40, 40–50, or > 50 mL/cmH2O. Results: 346 patients were ventilated with <7 (6.2 ± 0.5) mL/kg PBW and 254 with ≥7 (7.9 ± 0.9) mL/kg PBW. ICU mortality was 33 % and 29 % in the two groups (p = 0.272). At multivariable regression analysis, tidal volume ≥ 7 mL/kg PBW was associated with lower ICU mortality in the overall population (odds ratio: 0.62 [95 %-confidence interval: 0.40–0.95]) and in each compliance category. Conclusions: A tidal volume ≥ 7 (up to 9) mL/kg PBW was associated with lower ICU mortality in these COVID-19 patients, including those with compliance <40 mL/cmH2O. This finding should be interpreted cautiously due to the retrospective study design. Trial registration: ClinicalTrails.gov NCT04388670.

Hypothesis: Passive low ice-adhesion surfaces are frequently composed of soft materials; however, soft materials potentially present durability issues, which could be overcome by fabricating composite surfaces with patterned rigid and soft areas. Here we propose the innovative concept of discontinuity-enhanced icephobic surfaces, where the stress concentration at the edge between rigid and soft areas, i.e. where discontinuities in elasticity are located, facilitates ice detachment. Experiments: Composite model surfaces were fabricated with controlled rigid-soft ratios and discontinuity line lengths. The ice adhesion values were measured while recording the ice/substrate interface, to unravel the underpinning ice detachment mechanism. The experiments were complemented by numerical simulations that provided a better understanding of the ice detachment mechanism. Findings: It was found that when a surface contains rigid and soft areas, stress is concentrated at the edge between soft and hard areas, i.e. at the discontinuity line, rather than all over the soft or rigid areas. An unexpected non-unidirectional crack propagation was observed for the first time and elucidated. When rigid and deformable materials are present, the crack occurs on the discontinuity line and propagates first on rigid and then on soft areas. Moreover, it was demonstrated that an increase in discontinuities promotes crack initiation and leads to a reduction of ice adhesion.

Quantum sensing is a rapidly expanding research field that finds one of its applications in fundamental physics, as the detection of light Dark Matter. Qubit-based superconducting devices have already been successfully applied in detecting few-GHz single photons via Quantum Non-Demolition measurements. The optimization and new design schemes of circuits embedding qubits will yield notable enhancements in sensitivity and suppression of dark count rates in experiments involving high-precision microwave photon detection, particularly in the search for Axions and Dark Photons. The Qub-It collaboration is developing a novel microwave photon detection scheme based on two qubits coupled to the same resonator, both in 2D and 3D formats.

The transition from a linear to a circular production system involves transforming waste into valuable resources. Insect-mediated bioconversion, particularly using black soldier fly (BSF) larvae, can offer a promising opportunity to convert the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) into protein-rich biomass. However, current regulatory restrictions do not allow the use of this substrate to obtain insect proteins for animal feed, prompting the exploration of other applications, such as the production of bioplastics. Here, we explored at laboratory scale an innovative and integrated circular supply chain which aims to valorize the OFMSW through BSF larvae for the production of biobased materials with high technological value. BSF larvae reared on this organic waste showed excellent growth performance and bioconversion rate of the substrate. The use of well-suited extraction methods allowed the isolation of high-purity lipids, proteins, and chitin fractions, which are building blocks to produce biobased materials. In particular, the protein fraction was used to develop biodegradable plastic films which showed potential for replacing traditional petroleum-based materials, with the possibility to be fully recycled back to amino acids. Socioeconomic analysis highlighted values generated along the entire supply chain, and life cycle assessment pointed out that lipid extraction was the most challenging step: implementation of more sustainable methods is thus needed to reduce the overall environmental impact of the proposed chain. In conclusion, this study represents a proof of concept gathering evidence to support the feasibility of an alternative supply chain that can promote circular economy while valorising organic waste.

As global climate change intensifies, the question of what makes a place habitable or uninhabitable is critical, particularly in the context of a potential future climate outside the realm of lived experience, and the possible concurrent redistribution of populations partly associated with such climatic shifts. The concept of habitability holds the potential for advancing the understanding of the societal consequences of climate change, as well as for integrating systemic understandings and rights-based approaches. However, most ways of analyzing habitability have shortcomings in terms of in-depth integration of socio-cultural aspects and human agency in shaping habitability, in failing to address spatial inequalities and power dynamics, and in an underemphasis of the connectedness of places. Here we elaborate habitability as an emergent property of the relations between people and a given place that results from people’s interactions with the material and immaterial properties of a place. From this, we identify four axes that are necessary to go beyond environmental changes, and to encompass socio-cultural, economic, and political dynamics: First the processes that influence habitability require a systemic approach, viewing habitability as an outcome of ecological, economic, and political processes. Second, the role of socio-cultural dimensions of habitability requires special consideration, given their own operational logics and functioning of social systems. Third, habitability is not the same for everyone, thus a comprehensive understanding of habitability requires an intersectionally differentiated view on social inequalities. Forth, the influence of external factors necessitates a spatially relational perspective on places in the context of their connections to distant places across scales. We identify key principles that should guide an equitable and responsible research agenda on habitability. Analysis should be based on disciplinary and methodological plura

Muridae such as rats and mice are important hosts of (zoonotic) pathogens in urbanized environments. Controlling their population size is an important component of public health policies to reduce human disease risk. Recent studies suggest that rodent populations may increase due to urban greening, but this could also be counteracted by domestic cats and wild predators that inhabit urban greenspaces. Here, we assessed how the presence of brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice (i.e., the house mouse (Mus musculus), wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), and voles (Microtus spp.)) in urban environments relates to neighbourhood greenness and the occurrence of predators. We used camera traps to survey the occurrence of rats, mice, and their predators in 758 private gardens located along gradients of greenness in 25 municipalities across the Netherlands. Detection and occupancy were modelled using logistic mixed models and occupancy models. Mice were detected in 40.6% of the gardens and rats in 9.6%. Detection of rats and mice could not be explained by greenness but was negatively related to the presence of domestic cats. Rat detection was positively associated with the availability of open water and negatively associated with neighborhood wealth. Mice occupancy was positively associated with the presence of mustelids and brown rats, greenness, the availability of open water and human population density. Our results suggest that greenness is a less important driver than the presence of domestic cats for the mere presence of rats and mice in private gardens in urban environments.

The Radio Neutrino Observatory – Greenland (RNO-G) seeks discovery of ultra-high energy neutrinos from the cosmos through their interactions in ice. The science program extends beyond particle astrophysics to include radioglaciology and, as we show herein, solar observations, as well. Currently seven of 35 planned radio-receiver stations (24 antennas/station) are operational. These stations are sensitive to impulsive radio signals with frequencies between 80 and 700 MHz and feature a neutrino trigger threshold for recording data close to the thermal floor. RNO-G can also trigger on elevated signals from the Sun, resulting in nanosecond resolution time-domain flare data; such temporal resolution is significantly shorter than from most dedicated solar observatories. In addition to possible RNO-G solar flare polarization measurements, the Sun also represents an extremely useful above-surface calibration source. Using RNO-G data recorded during the summers of 2022 and 2023, we find signal excesses during solar flares reported by the solar-observing Callisto network and also in coincidence with ∼2/3 of the brightest excesses recorded by the SWAVES satellite. These observed flares are characterized by significant time-domain impulsivity. Using the known position of the Sun, the flare sample is used to calibrate the RNO-G absolute pointing on the radio signal arrival direction to sub-degree resolution. We thus establish the Sun as a regularly observed astronomical calibration source to provide the accurate absolute pointing required for neutrino astronomy.

This paper focuses on enhancing temporal color constancy in video sequences, ensuring that the result not only achieves color accuracy frame-by-frame but is also consistent over time. Our approach consists of a three-step process: per-frame illuminant estimation and correction, video stabilization to ensure temporal consistency, and consensus-based illuminant correction. By employing consensus-driven illuminant estimation over the result of temporal stabilization, we effectively mitigate spatial artifacts and concurrently enhance the overall stability of the sequence. Our method is tested using the Gray Ball and BCC datasets, showing the potential of integrating temporal stabilization with color correction processes to enhance the visual continuity of video content. While our primary objective is to reduce temporal flickering, a significant side effect of our approach is the improvement of color constancy accuracy across frames.

The layer interface, which is vital for the performance and longevity of 3D printed cement-based materials (3DPCM), is very sensitive to the environmental conditions because of the lack of formwork. Nevertheless, the current limited understanding of how temperature affects the layer interface has restricted the application of 3D printing in different construction scenarios. Here, we revealed the effects of temperature on the multi-scale phase distribution features of the layer interface through mercury intrusion porosimetry, X-ray computed tomography, nanoindentation and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy techniques. Additionally, the interlayer bond strength of 3DPCM was evaluated via the splitting tensile test. Small amplitude oscillation, surface roughness and isothermal calorimetry measurements were employed for an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms. Results indicate that an increase in temperature post-printing reduces the discrepancies in aggregate volume fraction between the layer interface and bulk matrix due to the increasing structuration rate and the amount of cement paste at the interface due to the reduced settlement of aggregates. The porosity difference between the layer interface and bulk matrix decreased with increasing temperature due to the pore size refinement by faster filling with hydrates. In addition, a more concentrated distribution of atomic ratios and elastic modulus of hydrates were observed at the layer interface of 3DPCM hardened at higher temperatures. Increased curing temperature improves the interlayer bond strength of 3DPCM owing to the enhanced aggregate interlocking, reduced porosity and improved high-density CSH content.

Background and purpose: In recent years, ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) irradiation has emerged as a promising innovative approach to cancer treatment. Characteristic feature of this regimen, commonly referred to as FLASH effect, demonstrated primarily for electrons, photons or protons, is the improved normal tissue sparing, while the tumor control is similar to the one of the conventional dose-rate (CDR) treatments. The FLASH mechanism is, however, unknown. One major question is whether this effect is maintained when using densely ionizing (high-LET) heavy nuclei. Materials and Methods: Here we report the effects of 20 Gy UHDR heavy ion irradiation in clinically relevant conditions, i.e., at high-LET in the spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) of a 12C beam using an osteosarcoma mouse model. Results: We show that UHDR irradiation was less toxic in the normal tissue compared to CDR while maintaining tumor control. The immune activation was also comparable in UHDR and CDR groups. Both UHDR and CDR exposures steered the metagenome toward a balanced state. Conclusions: These results suggest that the UHDR irradiations can improve the safety and effectiveness of heavy ion therapy, and provide a crucial benchmark for current mechanistic FLASH models. However, additional experiments are needed to validate these findings across other animal and tumor models.

A new class of ligands, N,N’-dialkyl-2,6-pyridinediamide (DRPDA), has been designed with the specific intention of exhibiting interchangeable diversity in coordination modes, including organometallic interactions, for the purpose of solvent extraction of elements relevant to the proper treatment of high-level radioactive liquid waste (HLLW) generated after nuclear fuel reprocessing. Consequently, DRPDA has been observed to extract Pd(II) and Zr(IV) from HNO3(aq) to 1-octanol in nearly quantitative yields when the selected ligand is sufficiently hydrophobic. However, concomitance of some of other HLLW components were also found. The extraction selectivity towards Pd(II) and Zr(IV) was markedly enhanced by employing ndodecane instead of 1-octanol as evidenced by good distribution ratios (DM) of Pd(II) (DPd = 72.5) and Zr(IV) (DZr = 12.9), which is several orders of magnitude greater than DM’s of other HLLW components (10−3-10−2), where addition of 20 vol% 1-octanol is still required to accelerate the extraction kinetics. Despite direct contact with the highly acidic aqueous phase, deprotonation from one of the amide NH moieties of DRPDA proceeds to form [Pd(DRPDA−)(NO3)] as a good extractables in the current biphasic system. This Pd(II) complex with a rather unique asymmetric N−^N^O tridentate coordination was characterized by SCXRD, elemental analysis and 1H NMR, and theoretically corroborated by DFT calculations and NBO analysis. In contrast, DRPDA also interacts with Zr4+ in different tridentate O^N^O mode without any deprotonation. Based on mechanistic differences in the extraction chemistry we clarified, Pd(II) and Zr(IV) co-extracted to the organic phase were recovered stepwise by using appropriate stripping agents such as 1.0 M HCl(aq) and 0.10 M HNO3(aq), respectively.

Paediatric Leigh syndrome (LS) is an early-onset and fatal neurodegenerative disorder lacking treatment options. LS is frequently caused by mutations in the NDUFS4 gene, encoding an accessory subunit of mitochondrial complex I (CI), the first complex of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system. Whole-body Ndufs4 knockout (KO) mice (WB-KO mice) are widely used to study isolated CI deficiency, LS pathology and interventions. These animals develop a brain-specific phenotype via an incompletely understood pathomechanism. Here we performed a quantitative analysis of the sub-brain proteome in six-weeks old WB-KO mice vs. wildtype (WT) mice. Brain regions comprised of a brain slice (BrSl), cerebellum (CB), cerebral cortex (CC), hippocampus (HC), inferior colliculus (IC), and superior colliculus (SC). Proteome analysis demonstrated similarities between CC/HC, and between IC/SC, whereas BrSl and CB differed from these two groups and each other. All brain regions displayed greatly reduced levels of two CI structural subunits (NDUFS4, NDUFA12) and an increased level of the CI assembly factor NDUFAF2. The level of CI-Q module subunits was significantly more reduced in IC/SC than in BrSl/CB/CC/HC, whereas other OXPHOS complex levels were not reduced. Gene ontology and pathway analysis demonstrated specific and common proteome changes between brain regions. Across brain regions, upregulation of cold-shock-associated proteins, mitochondrial fatty acid (FA) oxidation and synthesis (mtFAS) were the most prominent. FA-related pathways were predominantly upregulated in CB and HC. Based upon these results, we argue that stimulation of these pathways is futile and pro-pathological and discuss alternative strategies for therapeutic intervention in LS. Significance: The Ndufs4 knockout mouse model is currently the most relevant and most widely used animal model to study the brain-linked pathophysiology of human Leigh Syndrome (LS) and intervention strategies. We demonstrate that the

Muridae such as rats and mice are important hosts of (zoonotic) pathogens in urbanized environments. Controlling their population size is an important component of public health policies to reduce human disease risk. Recent studies suggest that rodent populations may increase due to urban greening, but this could also be counteracted by domestic cats and wild predators that inhabit urban greenspaces. Here, we assessed how the presence of brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice (i.e., the house mouse (Mus musculus), wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), and voles (Microtus spp.)) in urban environments relates to neighbourhood greenness and the occurrence of predators. We used camera traps to survey the occurrence of rats, mice, and their predators in 758 private gardens located along gradients of greenness in 25 municipalities across the Netherlands. Detection and occupancy were modelled using logistic mixed models and occupancy models. Mice were detected in 40.6% of the gardens and rats in 9.6%. Detection of rats and mice could not be explained by greenness but was negatively related to the presence of domestic cats. Rat detection was positively associated with the availability of open water and negatively associated with neighborhood wealth. Mice occupancy was positively associated with the presence of mustelids and brown rats, greenness, the availability of open water and human population density. Our results suggest that greenness is a less important driver than the presence of domestic cats for the mere presence of rats and mice in private gardens in urban environments.

Natural resource management networks cohere due to mutual dependencies and fragment, in part, due to the perceived risks of interaction. However, research on these networks has tended to accept coherence a priori rather than problematizing dependence, and few studies exist on interorganizational risk perception. This article presents the results of a study operationalizing these concepts and measuring the distribution of three types of dependence (capital, legitimacy, and regulatory) and two types of perceived risk (performance and sanction) among nearly fifty stakeholder groups and organizations participating in the management of fisheries in the binational Gulf of Maine. The analysis reveals an organizationally diverse network with several stakeholder types participating, with communications clustered binationally, with low levels of perceived risk in interacting, and interdependencies cohering the network. The types of interorganizational dependence present varied across dyadic relationships, but legitimacy dependence, based on shared understandings that organizations should work together, was the most present and had the largest effect on collaboration-oriented network traits. Sanction risk was more common than performance risk but had the most substantial negative effect. The results suggest an opportunity for additional studies of interorganizational dependance and perceived risk to operationalize and measure the sources of network coherence and fragmentation and their effect on collaboration.

The capture and separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) has been the focus of a plethora of research in order to mitigate its emissions and contribute to global development. Given that CO2 is commonly found in natural gas streams, there have been efforts to seek more efficient materials to separate gaseous mixtures such as CO2/CH4. However, there are only a few reports regarding adsorption processes within pressurized systems. In the offshore scenario, natural gas streams still exhibit high moisture content, necessitating a greater understanding of processes in moist systems. In this article, a metal-organic framework synthesis based on zirconium (MOF-808) was carried out through a conventional solvothermal method and autoclave for the adsorption of CO2 and CH4 under different temperatures (45–65 °C) and pressures up to 100 bar. Furthermore, the adsorption of humid CO2 was evaluated using thermal analyses. The MOF-808 synthesized in autoclave showed a high surface area (1502 m2/g), a high capacity for CO2 adsorption at 50 bar and 45 °C and had a low selectivity to capture CH4 molecules. It also exhibited a fine stability after five cycles of CO2 adsorption and desorption at 50 bar and 45 °C − as confirmed by structural post-adsorption analyses while maintaining its adsorption capacity and crystallinity. Furthermore, it can be observed that the adsorption capacity increased in a humid environment, and that the adsorbent remained stable after adsorption cycles in the presence of moisture. Finally, it was possible to confirm the occurrence of physisorption processes through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, thus validating the choice of mild temperatures for regeneration and contributing to the reduction of energy consumption in processing plants.

The layered structure of MAX phases is associated with a number of functional properties and is the subject of extensive research. While the unit-cell layers of these structures have been well studied, much less is known about the distribution and manipulation of point defects within them. Here, we selected the prototype Cr2AlC system and, using variable energy positron beams, observed Doppler broadening and positron annihilation lifetimes to track the evolution of defects caused by the penetration of energetic transition metal ions (Co+ and Mn+) and noble gas ions (Ar+ and Ne+). In all cases an overall reduction of the open-volume defect concentration is observed post-irradiation. Atomic displacements induced by the penetrating ions drastically modify the defect distribution: the concentration of agglomerates of 9–15 vacancies (corresponding to positron lifetimes of 335–450 ps) in the precursor [Cr2C/Al]n layers is suppressed, whereas Al mono- and Al-Cr di-vacancy (lifetimes 217–231 ps) concentrations are enhanced. This breakdown of large defects into point defects scales with atomic displacements and is largely independent of the penetrating ion species, providing insights into the manipulation of point defects in nano-layered systems.

Background: Paediatric kidney transplantation has an increased risk of surgical and vascular complications, with intensive care monitoring required postoperatively. This study aimed to determine if perioperative management affects early graft function in living donor paediatric kidney transplantation. Methods: Clinical data was extracted from the electronic medical record for living donor kidney transplants at two paediatric centres covering the state of New South Wales (NSW), Australia from 2009 to 2021. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 7 days and 1-month post-transplant were calculated as measures of early graft function. Results: Thirty-nine eligible patients (female n (%) 13 (33%)) with a median (IQR) age of 6 (3–9) years and pre-transplant eGFR of 7 (6–10) mL/min/1.73 m2 were analysed. Mean (SD) central venous pressure (CVP) after revascularisation was 11 (4) mmHg. Intraoperatively, mean volume of fluid administered was 84 (39) mL/kg, and 34 (87%) patients received vasoactive agents. Average systolic blood pressure (BP) in the first 24-h post-transplant was 117 (12) mmHg. Postoperatively, median volume of fluid administered in the first 24 h was 224 (159–313) mL/kg, and 17 (44%) patients received vasoactive agents. Median eGFR 7 days and 1-month post-transplant were 115 (79–148) and 103 (83–115) mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively. Linear regression analyses demonstrated that after adjusting for age, the average CVP after revascularisation and average systolic BP in the first 24-h post-transplant were not associated with eGFR in the first month post-transplant. Conclusions: Targeted intraoperative and postoperative fluid and haemodynamic characteristics were achieved but did not correlate with early graft function. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)

Purpose PI4KA-related disorder is a highly clinically variable condition characterized by neurological (limb spasticity, developmental delay, intellectual disability, seizures, ataxia, nystagmus) and gastrointestinal (inflammatory bowel disease and multiple intestinal atresia) manifestations. Although features consistent with immunodeficiency (autoimmunity/autoinflammation and recurrent infections) have been reported in a subset of patients, the burden of B-cell deficiency and hypogammaglobulinemia has not been extensively investigated. We sought to describe the clinical presentation and manifestations of patients with PI4KA-related disorder and to investigate the metabolic consequences of biallelic PI4KA variants in B cells. Methods Clinical data from patients with PI4KA variants were obtained. Multi-omics analyses combining transcriptome, proteome, lipidome and metabolome analyses in conjunction with functional assays were performed in EBV-transformed B cells. Results Clinical and laboratory data of 13 patients were collected. Recurrent infections (7/13), autoimmune/autoinflammatory manifestations (5/13), B-cell deficiency (8/13) and hypogammaglobulinemia (8/13) were frequently observed. Patients' B cells frequently showed increased transitional and decreased switched memory B-cell subsets. Pathway analyses based on differentially expressed transcripts and proteins confirmed the central role of PI4KA in B cell differentiation with altered B-cell receptor (BCR) complex and signalling. By altering lipids production and tricarboxylic acid cycle regulation, and causing increased endoplasmic reticulum stress, biallelic PI4KA mutations disrupt B cell metabolism inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. As a result, B cells show hyperactive PI3K/mTOR pathway, increased autophagy and deranged cytoskeleton organization. Conclusion By altering lipid metabolism and TCA cycle, impairing mitochondrial activity, hyperactivating mTOR pathway and increasing autophagy, PI4KA-related dis

While abundant literature suggests that both performing congruent actions and emotional stimuli can enhance memory, their combined impact on memory for action phrases remains underexplored. This study investigated the effects of enactment with emotionally charged stimuli on memory performance. Sixty participants encoded action sentences with negative, neutral, or positive emotional connotations using either enactment or verbal-reading methods. Memory performance was assessed through immediate free recall tasks and a delayed yes-no recognition task. Results demonstrated a significant memory advantage for action-enacted sentences compared to verbal reading in recall and recognition tasks. Moreover, recall accuracy was higher for negative action sentences, while recognition performance was enhanced for negative and positive sentences. No interaction was found between encoding type and emotional connotation in memory tasks. Our findings revealed that both enactment and valence independently enhance memory performance, extending the benefits of enactment to emotional stimuli. Furthermore, our results highlight the differential effects of valence on free recall and recognition tasks, suggesting task-specific processes related to memory for negative and positive stimuli.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a well-known cause of hip pain deter-mined by morphological abnormalities between the femoral neck and the acetabular rim. In this work, we studied the pain location and distribution in subjects affected by FAI, in order to evaluate and identify the most common anatomical areas associated to this pathology. Fifty-two subjects, 29 females and 23 males, with an average age of 42 ± 13 years with clinical and radio-graphic confirmed FAI, were enrolled. Twenty-eight patients without signs of hip impingements were used as control group. The most frequent body areas where the pain was felt were lumbarpelvic (41 %), knee (16 %), groin (14 %), and cervical shoulder region (12 %). Analyzing the data obtained among the two genders, the prevalence of pain in lumbar-pelvic region was observed both in males and females. Moreover, the males aged older than 40 years predominantly reported pain in lumbar-pelvic region, while females presented a higher variability in pain distribution, although pain in cervical-shoulder region was the most common. Collectively, a heterogeneous pain location and distribution was observed, and no specific was reported as distinctive of this pathology. However, the correlation between the pain location and the radiological findings could be useful to clinicians to implement early optimal conservative treatments and work/sport restrictions in order to monitor the evolution of pathology and improve patient’s outcomes before a possible surgical treatment.

Capacity expansion optimisation is a widely used techno-economic analysis particularly on topics related to climate change mitigation and renewable energy transition. Using optimisation models to investigate capacity expansion in regions that potentially require significant grid infrastructure development requires incorporation of grid expansion problem within the optimisation. This study presents the development of SELARU, a spatially explicit optimisation model that incorporates the economies of scale of grid expansion using contextualized geographical feature to form the model's high-resolution spatial units. The model is used to investigate the case study of Indonesia using various spatial treatments to demonstrate the impact of detailed spatial depiction of grid expansion. Results reveal significant difference in renewable energy deployment trajectory (up to 2272 % increase in new generation capacity) between high-resolution spatial depiction of grid expansion vis-à-vis non spatially explicit energy system optimisation. Due to its high-resolution, SELARU also generates detailed information on the geographical extent of grid expansion requirement, which provides more realistic insights on governance challenges of renewable energy transition. Careful consideration of spatial representation is crucial when optimisation model is used to evaluate scenarios that concern technology selection such as renewable energy deployment or climate change mitigation.

COVID-19 demonstrated the extent to which a pandemic can affect billions of lives worldwide. Vaccinations are an effective intervention that reduces the burden of the disease on the population. However, the low availability of vaccine doses coupled with an emerging infection wave calls for efficient dose allocation. We study the tradeoffs between prioritization of partial or full immunization while allocating limited doses with the help of an augmented SIR model. We define the term allocation ratio as the ratio of doses allocated for partial immunization as a proportion of the total available doses. Optimal control theory is used to derive the path traversed by the allocation ratio throughout the vaccine administration program. Numerical insights are obtained by introducing the case study of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Results indicate a preference towards full immunization when the active infections are low, while a switch to exclusive partial immunization is observed as the infection wave grows. Sensitivity analysis shows that factors like reduced vaccine availability, higher transmission rate, and high first-dose efficacy promote a quicker switch. The results also indicate significant potential savings of around ₹710 billion (∼ $8.46 billion) in mortality losses compared to the more widely followed pro-rata allocation policies. Hence, our study contributes to the growing discussion around the optimal strategy for vaccine administration with a focus on dose prioritization. The results of our research can help policymakers determine the allocation of limited available doses when faced with rising infection numbers during future pandemics.

Triacylglycerols (TAGs), a major lipid class in foods and the human body, consist of three fatty acids esterified to a glycerol backbone. They can occur in various isomeric forms, including sn-positional, cis/trans configurational, acyl chain length, double bond positional, and mixed type isomers. Separating isomeric mixtures is of great interest as different isomers can have distinct influence on mechanisms, such as digestibility, oxidative stability, or lipid metabolism. However, TAG isomer separation remains challenging with established analytical methodologies such as liquid-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In this study, we developed a method with cyclic ion mobility mass spectrometry (cIMS-MS) for the separation and identification of all types of TAG isomers. First, the influence of different adducts (Li+, NH4+, Na+, and K+) on the separation was studied. Overall, it was concluded that the sodium adduct is the best choice to efficiently separate all types of TAG isomers. In addition, trends were found in the influence of specific structural features on the drift time order. An order of relative influence (from high to low) was established; (1) degree of unsaturation of the fatty acid(s) on an exterior position (if the total degree of unsaturation(s) is equal in both TAGs), (2) acyl chain length on the exterior positions, (3) cis/trans configuration, and (4) double bond (DB)-position. Finally, various cIMS-MS strategies were developed for the separation of mixtures containing four, five, and six isomers. To conclude, the developed methods can be used for separation of complex mixtures of TAG isomers and have great potential to be expanded to isomers of similar types of lipids such as di- and monoacylglycerols. This study also shows the potential of cIMS-MS to be used for the application on real TAG samples.

The effects of the post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the microstructure and hardness of the underwater wet welding (UWW) SS400 steel have been evaluated. The UWW was performed using Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) in water depth of 5.0 m, while PWHT was carried out on underwater welded specimen with temperature of 660 oC for 75 minutes. The result showed that the PWHT caused increasing the grain size of the microstructure and decreasing in hardness.

Given the length of the structure, extruded products are occasionally joined to reach the desired length. To minimize production costs, this joint is achieved through extrusion welding, where it takes place while the workpiece is still a heated billet inside a chamber. As extrusion structures differ in complexity, this study seeks to identify the traits of extrusion welding outcomes across various structural designs. Research findings suggest that structural design significantly impacts both the physical and mechanical properties of the extruded plate and the extrusion joints.

Investigation was conducted on the failure of the crankshaft made from 48MnV alloy steel used in automotive engines. Magnetic flaw defects were detected at the transition fillet between the third main journal and the counterweight of the crankshaft. Macroscopic examination, chemical composition analysis, metallographic analysis, and scanning electron microscopy observation were performed on the crankshaft samples. The testing results were summarized, and the causes of the crankshaft cracking were systematically analyzed. The results indicate that longitudinal cracks occurred on the surface of the crankshaft journal due to the combined effect of thermal stress and normal operating stress, exceeding its load-bearing capacity. These cracks propagated inward, forming magnetic flaw cracks, ultimately leading to crankshaft failure.