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Various cloud systems responsible for snowfall along the western coast of Japan are formed over the Sea of Japan. In the present study, stratiform snow clouds associated with a mid-level trough were investigated using an instrumented aircraft and dual Doppler radars. The snow clouds exhibited a double-layer structure with thermodynamically and kinematically different characteristics. The top height and base height of the clouds were 4.5 km and 0.9 km at temperatures of -29 °C and -5 °C, respectively. The layer below 2 km mean sea level (MSL) had turbulent air, which reflected its convectively unstable stratification. The maximum updraft exceeded 4 m s-1 at approximately 1 km MSL, and the maximum cloud water content was 0.6 g m-3. The layer above 2 km was less turbulent and characterized by a weak updraft of < 2 m s-1 and maximum cloud water content of 0.1 g m-3. These values were considerably lower than those in the lower layer. The weak updraft was likely caused by an approaching mid-level trough. Ice crystal and precipitation particle concentrations, measured using two-dimensional cloud and precipitation optical array probes, respectively, were almost constant with height and measured several tens of particles L-1 and several particles L-1, respectively. Precipitation particles grew by the seeder-feeder mechanism in the two-layer stratiform snow cloud. In the upper layer (2 - 4.5 km), precipitation particles increased in size by vapor deposition and showed a remarkable broadening of size distributions toward large sizes. In the lower layer (0.9 - 2 km MSL), the precipitation particles grew further via accretion of supercooled cloud droplets and produced denser particles like graupel with no substantial change in the size distribution. Below 0.9 km MSL, particle concentrations decreased at all sizes due to sublimation and melting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to study the influence of microparticles on the surface cavitation behavior of 2Cr3WMoV steel; microparticle suspensions of different concentration, particle size, material and shape were prepared based on ultrasonic vibration cavitation experimental device. Design/methodology/approach: 2Cr3WMoV steel was taken as the research object for ultrasonic cavitation experiment. The morphology, quantity and distribution of cavitation pits were observed and analyzed by metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope. Findings: The study findings showed that the surface cavitation process produced pinhole cavitation pits on the surface of 2Cr3WMoV steel. High temperature in the process led to oxidation and carbon precipitation on the material surface, resulting in the "rainbow ring" cavitation morphology. Both the concentration and size of microparticles affected the number of pits on the material surface. When the concentration of microparticles was 1 g/L, the number of pits reached the maximum, and when the size of microparticles was 20 µm, the number of pits reached the minimum. The microparticles of Fe3O4, Al2O3, SiC and SiO2 all increased the number of pits on the surface of 2Cr3WMoV steel. In addition, the distribution of pits of spherical microparticles was more concentrated than that of irregularly shaped microparticles in turbidity. Originality/value: Most of the current studies have not systematically focused on the effect of each factor of microparticles on the cavitation behavior when they act separately, and the results of the studies are more scattered and varied. At the same time, it has not been found to carry out the study of microparticle cavitation with 2Cr3WMoV steel as the research material, and there is a lack of relevant cavitation morphology and experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microphysical observations of precipitating particles are critical data sources for numerical weather prediction models and remote sensing retrieval algorithms. However, obtaining coherent data sets of particle microphysics is challenging as they are often unindexed, distributed across disparate institutions, and have not undergone a uniform quality control process. This work introduces a unified, comprehensive Northern Hemisphere particle microphysical data set from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration precipitation imaging package (PIP), accessible in a standardized data format and stored in a centralized, public repository. Data is collected from 10 measurement sites spanning 34° latitude (37°N–71°N) over 10 years (2014–2023), which comprise a set of 1,070,000 precipitating minutes. The provided data set includes measurements of a suite of microphysical attributes for both rain and snow, including distributions of particle size, vertical velocity, and effective density, along with higher‐order products including an approximation of volume‐weighted equivalent particle densities, liquid equivalent snowfall, and rainfall rate estimates. The data underwent a rigorous standardization and quality assurance process to filter out erroneous observations to produce a self‐describing, scalable, and achievable data set. Case study analyses demonstrate the capabilities of the data set in identifying physical processes like precipitation phase‐changes at high temporal resolution. Bulk precipitation characteristics from a multi‐site intercomparison also highlight distinct microphysical properties unique to each location. This curated PIP data set is a robust database of high‐quality particle microphysical observations for constraining future precipitation retrieval algorithms, and offers new insights toward better understanding regional and seasonal differences in bulk precipitation characteristics. Plain Language Summary: This work introduces a new particle microphysics data set that is useful for improving weather prediction models and in enhancing precipitation estimation techniques. The data set, produced from National Aeronautics and Space Administration's precipitation imaging package, is comprehensive, well documented, and easy to access. It includes observations from 10 locations across the Northern Hemisphere over 10 years, providing information on both rain and snow. This information includes details like particle size, speed, and density, as well as estimates of rainfall and snowfall rates. The data has been standardized and checked for quality, making it reliable and easy to use. This product is a valuable resource for refining methods to measure precipitation, and offers new insights into regional and seasonal precipitation patterns. Key Points: This data set contains high temporal resolution, disdrometer‐derived precipitation microphysics observations from 10 sites over 10 yearsRigorous quality control practices yield a scalable, self‐describing data set packaged into a common, standardized NetCDF formatThe data's diverse geographic and environmental coverage offers new insights into regional and seasonal precipitation processes and patterns [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, composite structures have been used in a large number of applications in aerospace, machinery, marine, and civil engineering. However, there are inevitably many uncertainties in the whole life cycle of composite structures, which can easily lead to structural damage and failure. Therefore, it is important to analyze the reliability and sensitivity of composite structures. At present, most of the contributions use the first-order reliability method (FORM) and the second-order reliability method (SORM) to study the reliability of composite structures and compare them with the results of the Monte Carlo simulation. However, both methods have their limitations. FORM cannot guarantee the calculation accuracy for the highly nonlinear limit state equation, and the calculation efficiency of SORM is too low. Therefore, this paper proposes to use importance sampling (IS) and backpropagation neural network-based Monte Carlo (MC-BPNN) to study the reliability, sensitivity, and dispersion of delamination growth of composite laminates. The results show that compared with FORM and SORM, IS and MC-BPNN have higher calculation accuracy and efficiency and can more accurately evaluate the failure degree of composite structures and ensure their safe operation in the field of aerospace equipment. The universality of this method can make it being widely used in the reliability and sensitivity analysis of different composite materials as well as dispersion analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultra-high temperature coordinate bonding oligomer thinner AA-AMPS-TA (named PAAT) is synthesized as a way of dealing with the problems encountered in using high density water-based drilling fluids at elevated temperatures. These problems involve high filtration rate, high ECD and internal friction, poor mobility or even complete loss of the mobility of the drilling fluids. The thinner PAAT is synthesized through radical polymerization by introducing the molecules of tanning acids (TA) which are rich in catechol groups into the poly organic acid thinner AA-AMPS. The optimal synthesis condition of the thinner PAAT is determined through orthogonal experiment, and the thinning performance of the thinner is evaluated. The evaluation results show that after introducing TA into the molecules of the AA-AMPS, the IR spectrum of the product PAAT shows an intra-molecule hydrogen bond absorption peak, and the thermal stability of the PAAT molecules is greatly improved because of the introduction of large number of phenol groups; the decomposition temperature of the PAAT molecules is close to 500 ℃. PAAT has the ability to reduce the viscosity of low-concentration bentonite slurry and high clay concentration slurry such as one formulated with 7% bentonite and 8% kaolinite. Using PAAT, the viscosity of a high density water-based drilling fluid can be reduced by 26.5%, and after hot-rolling the water-based drilling fluid at 240 ℃, its viscosity can be reduced by 44.4%. The PAAT thinner reduces viscosity by molecule adsorption, as is verified by Zeta-potential measurement and particle size analysis. This thinner has been used in drilling the well Pengshen-101, and the viscosity and gel strengths of the drilling fluid were both satisfactorily under control at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gain factor of the optical parametric amplification (OPA) process is known to be negligible in the small scale due to low‐interaction‐medium length. Hence, in the nanoscale, OPA is deemed as infeasible. Therefore, in small‐scale‐integrated optical devices, stimulated‐emission‐based amplifiers (lasers) are employed instead of OPAs. In contrast, the major advantage of OPAs over lasers is that unlike lasers which only provide amplification over a narrow spectral band, OPAs provide high‐gain amplification over a very large, user‐controlled spectral band. In this article, it is shown that OPA can yield wideband high‐gain amplification over a nanoscale beam propagation distance through dispersion engineering. This is achieved by a proper tuning of the pump (source) wave frequency, which can maximize the effective medium nonlinearity by a few orders of magnitude, while concurrently maximizing the intracavity energy density, thereby compensating for the small co‐propagation distance for the input (signal) and pump beams. In this study, it is shown that an input wave can be amplified by a factor 108$\left(10\right)^{8}$ in a nanoscale cavity via precise dispersion engineering. Both empirical and computational formulations are used for the investigation, which display a reasonable agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a meticulously edited article that assesses the uncertainty associated with contamination dispersion in a porous aquifer environment. The article employs a conceptual model incorporating finite difference flow modeling and particle tracking methods grounded in particle movement theory within groundwater flow. The groundwater flow model utilizes an automatic calibration technique, PES, and independent verification, to minimize statistical discrepancies in the optimized parameters. The statistical summary of the model output reveals the average pollution concentration in the study area, specifically the landfill aquifer in northern Iran. The results indicate that the initial contamination value at the boundaries is zero, whereas 91,802 units are discharged into the sea. Moreover, approximately 3,317,290,003 pollution units have been extracted from pumping wells along the contamination plume over 10 years. Furthermore, the drainage network releases 1,778,680,001 pollution units, resulting in a net outflow of 5,082,740,007 units from the same drainage network. Additionally, 9,912,180,003 units were discharged from the leaky boundaries. It should be noted that these statistics can be reversed depending on the specified period. The difference between the input and output pollution values in the study area indicates a net accumulation of 8192 units. To analyze the sensitivity of contamination dispersion in the porous aquifer environment and the variations in coastal drainage patterns obtained from the finite difference simulation, the explicit and implicit methods, as well as the random walk particle tracking method, were investigated in a portion of the basin area using the South Side Implicit method. One of the main objectives of this sensitivity analysis is to evaluate the results of the uncalibrated qualitative model and examine the particle dispersion in the adjacent area of the contaminated landfill region to assess the error of the proposed model by developing a limited test. The calculated error or computational difference between the explicit and implicit methods and the applet model is considered negligible. For example, the calculated error between the explicit and backward methods and the applet model ranges from 0.086 to 0.372 units for a concentration interval of 0.512 units and 0.680 units for a time interval 0.537. Therefore, the computational differences are not significant. Furthermore, based on theoretical sensitivity analysis of contamination dispersion, the laboratory model demonstrates that the flow direction in this modeling is from west to east, as expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal systems are peculiar mixtures formed by the uniform dispersion of sub-micro sized particles of one substance through another substance. In this framework, a particular colloidal system, known as sol, is a colloid in which the dispersed particles are solid, and the dispersing medium is fluid. Sols have extensive applications in industries ranging from material science to food to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The size and size distribution of colloidal particles within these systems play a pivotal role in determining their stability, rheological properties, and overall functionality (which in turn directly influence material quality, performance, and shelf life). As a result, this study is aimed at devising a new method to analyze the dimensions of the colloidal particles (dispersed phase) of a colloidal system (sol), like bitumen, by (i) a cheap and common technique, optical microscopy, and (ii) the more complex confocal laser scanning microscopy. To do so, a validation by comparison with a standard technique—in this case, atomic force microscopy is presented. Both optical and confocal microscopies turned out to be suitable, valid, and effective for particle size determination. Both techniques effectively revealed, upon bitumen aging, a shift of the size distribution to slightly larger sizes. Large particles, whose abundance did not increase significantly, appeared to be more inert than small ones. A huge advantage of optical microscopy is its popularity and cost-effectiveness as it is commonly featured in laboratories independently of the research topic. On the other hand, confocal microscopy can observe more particles, thus providing better statistics. It also appears to be more efficient for particles smaller than 1 µm2. These microscopy techniques were used to evaluate the dimensions of the asphaltenes present in a complex colloidal system; bitumen; the model colloidal system for this study, which was examined before and after an aging process which is expected to change the size distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Assimilative Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Model (A‐CHAIM) is a near‐real‐time data assimilation model of the high latitude ionosphere, incorporating measurements from many instruments, including slant Total Electron Content measurements from ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers. These measurements have receiver‐specific Differential Code Biases (DCB) which must be resolved to produce an absolute measurement, which are resolved simultaneously with the ionospheric state using Rao‐Blackwellized particle filtering. These DCBs are compared to published values and to DCBs determined using eight different Global Ionospheric Maps (GIM), which show small but consistent systematic differences. The potential cause of these systematic biases is investigated using multiple experimental A‐CHAIM test runs, including the effect of plasmaspheric electron content. By running tests using the GIM‐derived DCBs, it is shown that using A‐CHAIM DCBs produces the lowest overall error, and that using GIM DCBs causes an overestimation of the topside electron density which can exceed 100% when compared to in situ measurements from DMSP. Plain Language Summary: The Assimilative Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Model (A‐CHAIM) is a near‐real‐time space weather model of the high latitude ionosphere. A‐CHAIM combines measurements from many different kinds of instruments, including from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers. These GNSS receivers require calibration in order to produce useful data, and a poor calibration can cause A‐CHAIM to produce incorrect results. A‐CHAIM uses a unique technique to calibrate the GNSS receivers self‐consistently without needing outside references. This new technique results in significantly improved performance in the weather model, but produces different calibration results than other GNSS calibration techniques. It is shown that if the other common calibration techniques were used, the weather model would produce large errors when compared to satellite measurements. Key Points: Rao‐Blackwellized particle filtering is used to solve for GNSS Differential Code Biases (DCBs) in a near‐real‐time data assimilation modelThis method produces DCBs with systematic differences when compared to Global Ionospheric Maps, due in part to plasmaspheric effectsDCBs determined using Global Ionospheric Maps can cause significant errors in reconstructed electron density when used in data assimilation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability index of petroleum disperse systems can be calculated using continuous scanning of the optical profile of the asphaltene precipitation, taking into account the induction period of the asphaltene particle aggregation under the preset external conditions. Modification of the ASTM D7061 procedure allows taking into account the induction period of the asphaltene aggregation and different aggregation mechanisms (diffusion- and reaction-limited aggregation). This opens prospects for improving the procedures for express analysis of asphaltene-containing dispersions in the future. The control of the stability of asphaltene-containing systems is the base element for developing of a mathematical model of the kinetics of chemical processes occurring in a stratum, pipeline, or reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an overview of a special issue of the journal "Applied Sciences" focused on advances in wood processing technology. The special issue aims to showcase innovative research and development in the field of wood-based materials, with a focus on addressing the challenges and limitations of traditional wood-based materials. The articles in the special issue cover a range of topics, including the effects of wood density on hardness and deformation, the application of thin hard layers to increase the lifetime of woodworking tools, the optimization of CO2 laser cutting processes for wood, the performance of edge banding modules in wooden door production, the determination of wood dust particle size using an optical method, the use of vibration monitoring for adaptive control in milling processes, the production of glulam from Portuguese eucalyptus forests, the improvement of black poplar wood properties through impregnation with calcium oxide solutions, the reinforcement of cross-laminated timber with glass fiber-reinforced polymer or densified wood, and the influence of wood grain orientation on surface roughness in chestnut wood. The document concludes with acknowledgments and a declaration of no conflicts of interest. [Extracted from the article]

We analytically predict and numerically demonstrate the existence of a family of bound modes in the continuum (BICs) in bi-layered spring-mass chains. A coupled array of such chains is then used to illustrate transversely bound waves propagating along a channel in a lattice. We start by considering the compact region formed by coupling two spring-mass chains with defects and predict bound modes arising due to reflection symmetries in this region. Dispersion analysis of a waveguide consisting of an array of appropriately coupled bi-layered chains reveals the presence of a branch having bound modes in the passband. Finally, detailed numerical analyses verify the existence of a BIC and its propagation through the waveguide at passband frequencies without energy leakage. The framework allows us to achieve BICs and their propagation for any arbitrary size and location of the compact region. Such BICs open avenues for novel classes of resonators with extremely high Q factors due to zero energy leakage and allow for guiding confined waves in structures without requiring bandgaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hour‐to‐hour variability of 388 nm aerosol optical depth (AOD) and single scattering albedo (SSA) derived from near UV observations by the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) on the Deep Space Climate Observatory has been evaluated at multiple locations around the world. AOD retrievals by the EPIC near UV algorithm (EPICAERUV) have been compared to ground based AOD measurements at 16 Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) stations representative of the most commonly observed aerosol types over geographic regions in three continents. Obtained results show that, in general, the EPICAERUV algorithm reproduces closely the hour‐to‐hour AOD variability reported by AERONET ground‐truth observations. Although most sites in the analysis show high correlation between the AOD hourly measurements by the ground‐based and space‐borne measuring techniques. Best algorithm performance is observed in the presence of carbonaceous and desert dust aerosols. The diurnal cycle of the retrieved SSA product was also analyzed. Although, a direct comparison of hourly EPICAERUV retrievals to equivalent ground‐based observations was not possible, the satellite result shows that diurnal SSA variability as large as 0.05 can be observed mostly associated with carbonaceous aerosols. EPICAERUV observed diurnal cycle of retrieved AOD on a regional basis was examined for the unusually active seasons of aerosol production of Saharan desert dust aerosols in 2020, and during the 2023 Canadian wildfires. Results presented in this study confirm the EPIC near UV aerosol product is well suited for observing diurnal variability of aerosols and, therefore, it is an important resource for climate and air quality studies. Plain Language Summary: Solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere (aerosols) can be measured from space. The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) sensor on the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite, placed about 1 million miles between the Earth and Sun and beyond the Moon (Lagrangian one point), measures the daytime multi‐spectral upwelling radiation emanating from the Earth's sunlit disk on a quasi‐hourly basis. Those measurements combined with accurate radiative transfer modeling and educated assumptions on aerosol particle size distribution and composition allow the determination of the aerosol amount (reported as aerosol optical depth). In this work we evaluate the performance of the EPIC sensor in measuring the diurnal variability of the aerosol load, by direct comparison with ground‐based observations. Reported results show a remarkable level of agreement between two fundamentally different measuring techniques. Applications to observation of the diurnal cycle of aerosols generated by the 2020 flow of desert dust aerosols over the North Atlantic and by the 2023 wildfires season in Canada are also discussed. Key Points: The diurnal variability of aerosol optical depth retrieved from L1 point satellite radiance measurements closely matches surface observationsSeasonal variability of retrieved single scattering albedo is in good qualitative agreement with equivalent ground‐based observationsEarth Polychromatic Imaging Camera aerosol products can be used in the qualitative and quantitative monitoring of extraordinary aerosol events resulting from wildfires and desert dust storms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene allotropes with varied carbon configurations have attracted significant attention for their unique properties and chemical activities. This study introduces a novel two-dimensional carbon-based material, termed Graphsene (GrS), through theoretical study. Comprising tetra-, penta-, and dodeca-carbon rings, GrS's cohesive energy calculations demonstrate its superior structural stability over existing graphene allotropes, including graphyne and graphdiyne families. Phonon dispersion analysis confirms GrS's dynamic stability and its relatively low thermal conductivity. All calculated GrS elastic constants meet the Born criteria, ensuring mechanical stability. Ab-initio molecular dynamic simulations show GrS maintains its structure at 300 K. HSE06 calculations reveal a narrow electronic bandgap of 20 meV, with the electronic band structure featuring a highly anisotropic Dirac-like cone due to its intrinsic structural anisotropy along armchair and zigzag directions. Notably, GrS is predicted to offer exceptional catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction, favoring the four-electron reduction pathway with high selectivity under both acidic and alkaline conditions. This discovery opens promising avenues for developing metal-free catalyst materials in clean energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The recycling potential of waste wood could increase when knowing its composition. • The best recycling option is defined dividing waste wood into three categories. • To this aim three different classification models were developed and compared. • Results suggest the best setting for getting good classification accuracy. • Near Infrared Spectroscopy can be used as a tool for waste wood real-time sorting. Recycling of post-consumer waste wood material is becoming an increasingly appealing alternative to disposal. However, its huge heterogeneity is calling for an assessment of the material characteristics in order to define the best recycling option and intended reuse. In fact, waste wood comes into a variety of uses/types of wood, along with several levels of contamination, and it can be divided into different categories based on its composition and quality grade. This study provides the measurement of more than a hundred waste wood samples and their characterisation using a hand-held NIR spectrophotometer. Three classification methods, i.e. K-nearest Neighbours (KNN), Principal Component Analysis – Linear Discriminant Analysis (PCA-LDA) and PCA-KNN, have been compared to develop models for the sorting of waste wood in quality categories according to the best-suited reuse. In addition, the classification performance has been investigated as a function of the number of the spectral measurements of the sample and as the average of the spectral measurements. The results showed that PCA-KNN performs better than the other classification methods, especially when the material is ground to 5 cm of particle size and the spectral measurements are averaged across replicates (classification accuracy: 90.9 %). NIR spectroscopy, coupled with chemometrics, turned out to be a promising tool for the real-time sorting of waste wood material, ensuring a more accurate and sustainable waste wood management. Obtaining real-time information about the quality and characteristics of waste wood material translates into a decision of the best recycling option, increasing its recycling potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) both represent significant concerns in environmental sciences. This paper aims to develop a convenient and efficient methodology for the detection and measurement of MPs and nanoparticles from surface seawater and to apply it to the water samples collected from the UNESCO site of Venice and its lagoon, more precisely in the Venice-Lido Port Inlet, Grand Canal under Rialto Bridge, and Saint Marc basin. In this study, MPs were analyzed through optical microscopy for their relative abundance and characterized based on their color, shape, and size classes, while the concentration and the mean of nanoparticles were estimated via the Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis technique. Bulk seawater sampling, combined with filtration through a cascade of stainless-steel sieves and subsequent digestion, facilitates the detection of MPs of relatively small sizes (size classes distribution: >1 mm, 1000–250 μm, 250–125 μm, 125–90 μm, and 90–32 μm), similar to the size of MPs ingested by marine invertebrates and fishes. A protocol for minimizing interference from non-plastic nanoparticles through evaporation, digestion, and filtration processes was proposed to enrich the sample for NPs. The findings contribute to the understanding of the extent and characteristics of MPs and nanoparticle pollution in the Venice Lagoon seawater, highlighting the potential environmental risks associated with these pollutants and the need for coordinated approaches to mitigate them. This article is based on scientific research carried out within the framework of the H2020 In-No-Plastic—Innovative approaches towards prevention, removal and reuse of marine plastic litter project (G.A. ID no. 101000612). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al–Fe alloys have drawn attention of researchers for many decades since Fe is the most common impurity in Al that, because of its low solid solubility, forms brittle aluminides that affect the mechanical properties. Thus, it is interesting to provide microstructure control of these intermetallics and achieve high strength, thermal stability, and high electrical conductivity. High-pressure torsion (HPT) has been applied to an Al–2%Fe alloy with two different eutectic phases containing Al6Fe and Al3Fe intermetallics, to refine, disperse and partially dissolve them. The microstructure after HPT processing at different levels of imposed strain was observed using aberration-corrected high-resolution scanning/transmission electron microscopy (HR-S/TEM) to perform a detailed analysis of the dispersion of intermetallic phases and their orientation relationships with the Al matrix. The precipitates from the supersaturated solid solution achieved by post HPT aging, responsible for age-hardening were also studied in detail. Fragmentation of secondary Al3Fe and Al6Fe phases occurs down to sizes in the nano-scale and a fine dispersion of particles with coherency with the matrix in lattice planes with similar spacing (low misfit strain) was observed even after high straining by HPT. Semi-coherent Al6Fe is the dominant precipitate in the peak-aged condition and phase transformation of the particles from Al6Fe to Al3Fe occurs with aging. The Al3Fe particles loose coherency as they grow in size. It was possible to explain the age hardening effect with respect to the coherency and orientation relationship of the Fe-containing particles in the nano-scale, by a similar mechanism for Al alloys with miscible elements, which has not been reported for ultrafine-grained Al–Fe alloys to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-fire changes to the transport regime of dry ravel, which describes the transport of individual particles downslope, are poorly constrained on a regional level but critical to understand as ravel may contribute to elevated sediment fluxes and associated debris-flow activity observed post-fire in the western United States. In this study, we evaluated post-fire variability in dry ravel travel distance exceedance probabilities and disentrainment rates through a series of field experiments simulating ravel with particles collected in situ. We conducted experiments between March 2021 and March 2022 on soil-mantled hillslopes in the Diablo Range of central coastal California following the Santa Clara Unit Lightning Complex fire of August 2020 with the goal of identifying a regime of "bounded" (light-tailed) or "runaway" (heavy-tailed or nonlocal) motion for different particle sizes between 3 and 35 mm. We conducted this study on both grassy south-facing slopes and oak woodland north-facing slopes. We tracked the post-fire evolution of particle transport regimes by fitting a probabilistic Lomax distribution model to the empirical travel distance exceedance probabilities of different particle sizes on a range of experimental slopes. Our experimental results indicated that a general transition from more runaway to more bounded transport occurred for our largest experimental particles (median intermediate axis of 28 mm) on south-facing slopes as vegetation recovered within the first year post-fire, while small and medium particles (median intermediate axes of 6 and 13 mm respectively) on south- or north-facing slopes and large particles on north-facing slopes did not experience notable changes in transport behavior. After the first year, seasonal variation in vegetation characteristics, such as grass density, appeared to control particle motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive stratospheric aerosol microphysical parameters from Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite Limb Profiler (OMPS-LP) satellite measurements using aerosol extinction coefficient ratios at two wavelengths (the color ratio), which is sensitive to the particle radius, and concentration. We estimate various sources of uncertainty in this technique including extinction coefficient measurement error, sensitivity to the size distribution width assumption, and the OMPS-LP algorithm phase function error. We apply our algorithm to extinction coefficient measurements made by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment on the International Space Station (SAGE III/ISS) to verify our approach and find that our results are in good agreement. Our results also compare favorably to balloon borne particle size measurements and concentrations under ambient condition and 2019 Raikoke volcanic eruption assuming a log-normal particle size distribution width of 1.6. We also estimate the changes in aerosol median radius and concentration following the 2019 Raikoke and 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruptions and the result is consistent with other retrievals published in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, experiments on laser ablation of ZnS in atmospheric air using laser pulses with different energies and durations have been carried out. In the process of ablation processing, zinc sulfide nanoparticles with different stoichiometric ratio of elements were obtained. By varying the parameters, it is possible to control changes in the size of nanoparticles and their composition. As a result of studies of synthesized nanoparticles, Raman scattering spectra, energy dispersion analysis results, and images of deposited nanoparticles were obtained. Conclusions are drawn about the suitability of nanopowder synthesis approaches for the subsequent production of stable colloidal solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A trigger system is typically employed in active seismic testing to trigger and synchronize multichannel surface wave data acquisition. The effect of the trigger system on the dispersion image of surface waves is empirically known to be negligible, however, theoretical explanation regarding the effect of the trigger system is insufficient. This study systematically examines the theory for surface wave dispersion analysis and proves that the effect of the trigger system on a dispersion image is negligible via a solid theoretical explanation. Subsequently, based on the new theoretical explanation, an alternative method that uses only the relative phase difference between sensors to extract dispersion characteristics with better conceptual clarity is proposed. Two active surface wave testing cases are considered to validate the theory and method. The results indicate that (1) an accurate trigger system is not necessary for surface wave data acquisition, and (2) it is unnecessary to assume that the impact point is the generation point of the surface waves for the experimental dispersion analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, the dispersion of elastic waves in natural fiber-strengthened composite high-order beam rested on an elastic substrate is probed in the current article. Furthermore, a theoretical damage model is used to describe the mechanical degradation of natural fiber-strengthened composite beam during hygrothermal aging. Different three types of Winkler foundations are considered as a linear layer of the elastic foundation. To derive the equations of motion of natural fiber-strengthened composite beam, principle of Hamilton is implemented. In addition, the analytical solution is utilized to solve the derived governing equation of natural fiber-strengthened composite beam rested on Winkler–Pasternak substrate. The accuracy of using methodology is verified by those reported in the literature. The impacts of various parameters, i.e., wave number, aging time, fiber content, different types of Winkler foundation, Winkler and Pasternak parameters, α parameter and slenderness ratio on the variation of wave propagation of natural fiber strengthened composite beam are explored. Some tables and figures are provided to illustrate the obtained outcomes. The obtained results indicate that elastic foundation coefficient and wave number have an increasing effect and slenderness ratio and α parameter have decreasing effect. Furthermore, the effect of fiber content on change in wave propagation behavior depends on aging time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scenarios of deposition on the sea surface around the Korean Peninsula following hypothetical release at Kori NPP were studied by application of the atmospheric transport model FLEXPART. The series of 1460 dispersion scenarios was calculated, covering the time period of 1 year. The total depositions on the surfaces of the East/Japan Sea (EJS), Yellow Sea (YS), East China Sea (ECS), and near-coast zone of 200-km vicinity around the Korean Peninsula, normalized on the total emission inventory were analyzed. The normalized deposition on the total area of 3 seas varied by more than 2 orders of magnitude from 0.003 to 0.59. The fraction of wet deposition in total deposition varied from 0 to 0.99. The selected most heavy deposition scenarios were divided into those dominated by dry deposition and wet deposition. The most conservative release scenarios (7 August 2020 and 2 September 2020) were dominated by wet deposition and were caused by the monsoon rainband and passage of the typhoon. In the scenario of 7 August 2020, 96% of deposition appeared in the near-coast zone. Cluster analysis of dispersion scenarios confirmed strong seasonal dependence of deposition patterns. For EJS and YS, the maximum average deposition was reached in the 'Summer' cluster. For ECS the maximum average normalized deposition was reached in the 'Spring + Fall' cluster ( D r = 0.055 ). Minimum average deposition on all seas was obtained for the 'Winter' cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The near surface is characterized by using different numerical techniques, among them seismic techniques that are non-destructive. More particularly, for a better understanding of acoustic and seismic measurements in unconsolidated granular media that can constitute the near surface, many studies have been conducted in situ and also at the laboratory scale where theoretical models have been developed. In this article, we want to model such granular media that are difficult to characterize. At the laboratory scale, dry granular media can be modelled with a homogenized power-law elastic model that depends on depth. In this context, we validate numerically a similar power-law elastic model for such media by applying it to a homogenized elastic medium or to the solid frame of a poroelastic medium that consists of solid and air components. By comparing the response of both rheologies, we want to highlight what poroelastic media can bring to better reproduce the experimental data in the time and frequency domains. To achieve this objective, we revisit studies carried out on unconsolidated granular media at the laboratory scale and we compare different models with different rheologies (elastic or poroelastic), dimensions (2D or 3D), boundary conditions (perfectly matched layer/PML, or Dirichlet) and locations of the source (modelled as a vibratory stick or a point force) in order to reproduce the experimental data. We show here that a poroelastic model describes better the amplitudes of the seismograms. Furthermore, we study the sensitivity of the seismic data to the source location, which is crucial to improve the amplitude of the signals and the detection of the different seismic modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article main objective was eco-innovation in the field of utilization and creation of a complex waste-free technology for the separation of components during ore extraction with subsequent processing, recovery of mine tailings in combination with available energy. The article deals with the topic of production and preparation of base layers for road construction in the form of silicate filer after separation of ore mining. The chemical and mineralogical composition on the fine fraction of the separated tailings was carried out by XRD analysis, filer particle size followed up by Laser Granulometry and other comprehensive measurements and the development of basic parameters by individual standard tests. The results determined on the functional sample demonstrated that it is possible to create an almost completely waste-free technology in the field of separation of components during ore extraction and its subsequent processing and use for the base layers of linear road construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a method for measuring solute particle size in solution. The working principle of this method is to characterize the particle size by using the ultrasonic extended coupled phase model combined with the acoustic attenuation coefficient of the solution. In the ultrasonic detection of highly concentrated emulsion particles, the inter-particle interaction, namely the structural loss, becomes the main factor affecting the ultrasonic attenuation. In this study, micron-sized emulsions with 10, 15, and 20% concentration were experimentally detected by the extended coupled-phase model, and the inverse calculation of the particle size distribution was carried out using a differential evolutionary algorithm. The detection results showed an average error of 4.266% compared with those of laser particle sizer. The results show that ultrasonic detection based on the extended coupled phase model combined with differential evolution inversion algorithm can achieve accurate measurement of particle size distribution of emulsions with high concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) are the two main active surface wave methods, and their common inversion schemes are effective mode (EM) inversion and fundamental mode (FM) inversion, respectively. The former has a more rigorous inversion scheme, which considers receiver locations and dynamic response, while the latter has a more convenient dispersion analysis and fast inversion process. This paper introduces an improved dynamic response solution for elastic layered media subjected to vertical load. It is fast, accurate, and unconditionally stable, facilitating the full-wavefield inversion in terms of the frequency–velocity spectrum (FVS). The MASW FVS inversion merges the convenience and robustness of MASW dispersion analysis with the rigorous inversion scheme adopted by SASW. It is based on the actual dynamic response at receiver locations and takes into account possible higher modes and nonRayleigh waves. In this study, various types of synthetic velocity profiles are used to compare the inversion results among three different inverted schemes (SASW EM, MASW FM, and MASW FVS inversion). The results indicate that, when phase-unwrapping in SASW is not problematic, SASW EM inversion and MASW FVS inversion are theoretically sounder and produce better inverted results than the MASW FM inversion, while the process of MASW FVS inversion is more convenient and robust. Finally, a field example is used to further demonstrate the advantages of FVS inversion and its applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of process mineralogy plays a very important role in the field of mineral processing and metallurgy, in which the measurement of mineral-embedded particle size is one of the main research areas. The manual measurement method using a microscope has many problems, such as heavy workload and low measurement accuracy. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes a Gaussian mixture model based on an expectation maximization (EM) algorithm to measure the embedded particle sizes of minerals of polished metal sections. Experiments are here performed on the polished section images of ilmenite and pyrite, and we compared the results with a microscope. The experimental results show that the proposed method has higher precision and accuracy in measuring the embedded particle sizes of metal minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle size measurement is crucial in various applications, be it sizing droplets in inkjet printing or respiratory events, tracking particulate ejection in hypersonic impacts or detecting floating target markers in free-surface flows. Such systems are characterised by extracting quantitative information like size, position, velocity and number density of the dispersed particles, which is typically non-trivial. The existing methods like phase Doppler or digital holography offer precise estimates at the expense of complicated systems, demanding significant expertise. We present a novel volumetric measurement approach for estimating the size and position of dispersed spherical particles that utilises a unique 'Depth from Defocus' (DFD) technique with a single camera. The calibration-free sizing enables in situ examination of hard to measure systems, including naturally occurring phenomena like pathogenic aerosols, pollen dispersion or raindrops. The efficacy of the technique is demonstrated for diverse sparse dispersions, including dots, glass beads and spray droplets. The simple optical configuration and semi-autonomous calibration procedure make the method readily deployable and accessible, with a scope of applicability across vast research horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion error analysis can help to assess the performance of finite-element discretizations of the wave equation. Although less general than the convergence estimates offered by standard finite-element error analysis, it can provide more detailed insight as well as practical guidelines in terms of the number of elements per wavelength needed for acceptable results. We present eigenvalue and eigenvector error estimates for cubic Hermite elements on an equidistant 1-D mesh and on a regular structured 2-D triangular mesh consisting of squares cut in half. The results show that in 1D, the spectrum consists of 2 modes. If these are unwrapped, the spectrum is effectively doubled. The eigenvalue or dispersion error stays below 7% across the entire spectrum. The error in the corresponding eigenvectors, however, increases rapidly once the number of elements per wavelength decreases to one. In terms of element size, the dispersion error is of order 6 and the eigenvector error of order 4. The latter is consistent with the classic finite-element error estimate. In 2D, we provide eigenvalue and eigenvector errors as a series expansion in the element size and obtain the same orders. 2-D numerical tests in the time- and frequency-domain are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment deposition significantly impacts soil erosion processes, consequently influencing the geographical morphology and surrounding environments of reservoirs and estuaries. Given the intricate nature of sediment deposition, it is imperative to consolidate and analyze existing research findings. Presently, studies on sediment settling velocity primarily employ theoretical, laboratory, and field experimentation methods. Theoretical approaches, rooted in mechanics, examine the various forces acting on sediment particles in water to derive settling velocity equations. However, they often overlook external factors like temperature, salinity, organic matter, and pH. Although laboratory experiments scrutinize the influence of these external factors on sedimentation velocity, sediment settling is not solely influenced by individual factors but rather by their collective interplay. Field observations offer the most accurate depiction of sediment deposition rates. However, the equipment used in such experiments may disrupt the natural sedimentation process and damage flocs. Moreover, measurements of sediment particle size from different instruments yield varied results. Additionally, this paper synthesizes the impact of suspended sediment concentration, particle size, shape, temperature, salinity, and organic matter on sediment settling velocity. Future research should focus on innovating new laboratory observation methods for sediment settling velocity and utilizing advanced scientific and technological tools for on-site measurements to provide valuable insights for further investigation into sediment settling velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River confluences are the key elements within fluvial systems, where three-dimensional flow fields and sedimentation patterns can have a substantial effect on the hydraulics, bed morphology of stream courses, and environments. The present study is configured to realize the alterations in bedload transportation and in bedform at confluence channel in relation to particular hydrological occurrences. It is anticipated that the patterns of the flow attributes following the confluence to be different from those in the conditions reported in other publication. Therefore, this article concisely reports the various flow aspects, examines the corresponding river bed patterns, and provides a brief description of the different flow properties. On the basis of field findings in response to fluctuation in the flow of contributory tributaries, the recorded morphological and sedimentological changes are explained. To accomplish this, bedload transport, bed surveys, and particle size distribution measurements were carried out at the study site during different hydrological seasons at intervals of two months from January 2018 to March 2019. The three major goals of this work were to comprehend the symmetry between two confluence channels, estimate bedload transport, and investigate the consequences of net fluvial behavior on bedform dynamics. The short-term impacts of stream flow irregularity on channel morphology and particle structures were discovered by repeated transect studies and bed material sampling at a small asymmetrical river junction. Results show that the confluence involves the shifting in the scour region, frequent erosion and deposition of sediments, and bar development at the downstream confluence as flow rate fluctuates following the hydrological changeability in the confluence channels. The average bedload at the confluence appears to be irregular in favor of the tributary, since two-thirds of the total bedload was carried across the shallow zone of the cross-section. A high speed digital camera was used to detect sand ripples, and video technique was utilized to obtain statistics on the presence of ripple geometries. Asymmetric two-dimensional ripples were observed in relatively calm weather conditions and in moderate winds. It was discovered that ripples generated by the two-dimensional flow were supplanted by flatbed circumstances and the normal two-dimensional wash-out ripples after the medium wind periods, demonstrating that the presence of a combined flow increases the induced bed shear stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many simulation methods have been developed for P-waves in vertically transversely isotropic (VTI) media. These methods are based on the acoustic approximation. The finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) method stands out for its ability to simulate multi-shot or narrowband seismic data. It has no temporal dispersion, facilitates attenuation modelling, and enables parallelization. The optimal FDFD method is commonly used to simulate the acoustic VTI wave equation, but it applies the same FDFD coefficients for different frequencies and model velocities, which cannot fully minimize the numerical dispersion error. To enhance its accuracy and effectiveness, we develop an adaptive-coefficient FDFD method specifically for the acoustic VTI wave equation. The FDFD coefficients depend on two factors: the number of wavelengths in each grid and the Thomsen parameters. The dispersion analysis reveals that the proposed FDFD method can achieve a reduction in the necessary number of grid points from 4 to 2.5 compared to the optimal nine-point average derivative method (ADM), while maintaining a maximum dispersion error of 1%. From three numerical examples, the developed FDFD method can obtain more accurate wavefield results than the ADM optimal FDFD method, while taking comparable computational time and memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusive viscous (DV) model is a useful tool for interpreting low-frequency seismic attenuation and the influence of fluid saturation on frequency-dependent reflections. Among present methods for the numerical solution of the corresponding DV wave equation, the finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) method with complex-valued adaptive coefficients (CVAC) has the advantage of efficiently suppressing both numerical dispersion and numerical attenuation. In this research, the FDFD method with CVAC is first generalized to a 3D DV equation. In addition, the current calculation of CVAC involves the numerical integration of propagation angles, conjugate gradient (CG) iterative optimization, and the sequential selection of initial values, which is difficult and inefficient for implementation. An improved method is developed for calculating CVAC, in which a complex-valued least-squares problem is constructed by substituting the 3D complex-valued plane-wave solutions into the FDFD scheme. The QR-decomposition method is used to efficiently solve the least-squares problem. Numerical dispersion and attenuation analyses reveal that the FDFD method with CVAC requires ∼2.5 spatial points in a wavelength within a dispersion deviation of 1% and an attenuation deviation of 10% for the 3D DV equation. An analytic solution for 3D DV wave equation in homogeneous media is proposed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Numerical examples also demonstrate that the FDFD method with CVAC can obtain accurate wavefield modelling results for 3D DV models with a limited number of spatial points in a wavelength, and the FDFD method with QR-based CVAC requires less computational time than the FDFD method with CG-based CVAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to assess the impact of each of the factors that affect the quality and uniformity of grinding coffee beans and to compare the impact of these factors, it is worth establishing a quantitative indicator of this impact. To solve this problem, dispersion analysis was used as a method of organizing sample data according to possible sources of dispersion. The chosen method made it possible to decompose the total dispersion into components caused by the influence of factor levels. Grinding time, geometric dimensions of the grain, moisture content of the grain, speed of rotation of the motor shaft were selected as factors influencing the homogeneity of grinding. The justification and assessment of the reliability of statistical conclusions about the informational significance of indicators affecting the homogeneity of coffee grinding was carried out to ensure the highest possible probability of the obtained result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Mg1-xCoxFe2O4 (0

There is growing interest in using hydrogen (H 2) as a marine fuel. Fire and explosion risks depend on hydrogen release and dispersion characteristics. Based on a validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, this study performed hydrogen release and dispersion analysis on an under-deck compressed H 2 storage system for a Live-Fish Carrier. A realistic, under-deck H 2 storage room was modelled based on the ship's main dimensions and operational profile. Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Rules and Regulations for natural gas storage as a marine fuel were employed as base design guidelines. Case studies were developed to study the effect of two ceiling types (flat and slanted) in terms of flammable cloud formation and dissipation. During the leak's duration, it was found that the recommended ventilation rate was insufficient to dilute the average H 2 concentration below 25% of the flammable range as required by DNV (1.2% required against 1.3% slanted and 1.4% flat). However, after 35 s of gas extraction, the H 2 concentration was reduced to 0.5% and 0.6% in the slanted and flat cases, respectively. The proposed methodology remains valid to improve the ventilation system and assess mitigation alternatives or other leakage scenarios in confined or semi-confined spaces containing compressed hydrogen gas. • DNV Rules for compressed CH 4 provide initial guidelines for H 2 storage design. • The shape and size of the H 2 cloud is rapidly limited under the effects of ventilation. • During release, it's not possible to dilute H 2 concentration as required by rule. • A slanted Ceiling geometry exhibits faster H 2 extraction but also residual H 2 pockets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical mechanical polishing/planarization (CMP) slurry contains mainly abrasive grains (primary particles) with few aggregations (secondary particles). Measuring the particle size distribution (PSD) of CMP slurry is crucial for improving the productivity of the CMP process. For the quality management of CMP slurry, it is necessary to evaluate both the sizes and quantities of both the primary and secondary particles. Conventional PSD analysis methods, except for image analysis, face challenges in identifying primary and secondary particles for PSD measurements. For image analysis, the particles must be transferred from a suspension to a substrate using the conventional sampling method; however, this creates aggregates, resulting in a change in the PSD of the particles on the substrate compared to that in suspension under poly-dispersed conditions. Thus, this study proposed a novel particle sizing method using nanoparticle chip (NPC) to assist in the image analysis of the PSD. The NPC can pick up a single particle in a small volume droplet to avoid aggregation and maintain the poly-dispersed condition of the particles in suspension. The primary and secondary particles can be identified using scanning electron microscope (SEM) or atomic force microscope (AFM), and the PSD can be evaluated by measuring the area and height of the particles. Further, the quantities of both the primary and secondary particles can be counted from the substrate. This study presented a comparison of the diameter measurements using NPC and the conventional method. The results show that the NPC identified the primary and secondary particles and decreased the measurement error of the particle diameters. Consequently, the NPC proves to be superior to the conventional method for use in the PSD analysis of CMP slurry. • Nanoparticle chip (NPC) sizing for CMP slurry particle size distribution (PSD). • NPC avoids particle aggregation, maintains PSD in poly-dispersed suspension. • Primary and secondary particles separated to lower equivalent height diameter error. • PSD of primary particles and number of secondary particles measured using NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug delivery through transdermal route is one of the effective methods for the application of drugs. It overcomes many drawbacks which are encountered with the oral route. Moreover, many drugs are not able to pass through the stratum corneum, which is the main barrier for the transdermal drug delivery. Formation of ultra-deformable vesicles (UDVs) is a novel technique for the transdermal applications of the drugs. Transethosomes (TEs), ethosomes, and transferosomes are all part of the UDV. Because of the presence of increased concentrations of ethanol, phospholipids, and edge activators, TEs provide improved drug permeation through the stratum corneum. Because of the elasticity of TEs, drug penetration into the deeper layer of skin also increases. TEs can be prepared using a variety of techniques, including the cold method, hot method, thin film hydration method, and the ethanol injection method. It increases patient adherence and compliance because it is a non-invasive procedure of administering drugs. Characterization of the TEs includes pH determination, size and shape, zeta potential, particle size determination, transition temperature, drug content, vesicle stability, and skin permeation studies. These vesicular systems can be utilized to deliver a variety of medications transdermally, including analgesics, antibiotics, antivirals, and anticancer and arthritis medications. This review aims to describe vesicular approaches that had been used to overcome the barrier for the transdermal delivery of drug and also describes brief composition, method of preparation, characterization tests, mechanism of penetration of TEs, as well as highlighted various applications of TEs in medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) has been used for particle size measurement of diverse types of individual nanoparticles and micrometer-sized carbon-based particles such as microplastics. However, its applicability to the measurement of micrometer-sized non-carbon-based particles such as silica (SiO2) particles is unclear. In this study, the applicability of spICP-MS to particle size measurement of non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 microspheres with a nominal diameter of 5.0 µm or smaller was investigated. Particle sizes of these microspheres were measured using both spICP-MS based on a conventional calibration approach using an ion standard solution and scanning electron microscopy as a reference technique, and the results were compared. The particle size distributions obtained using both techniques were in agreement within analytical uncertainty. The applicability of this technique to the detection of metal-containing protein-binding mesoporous SiO2 microspheres was also investigated. Bound iron (Fe)-containing proteins (i.e., lactoferrin and transferrin) of mesoporous SiO2 microspheres were detected using Fe as a presence marker for the proteins. Thus, spICP-MS is applicable to the particle size measurement of large-sized and non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 microspheres. It has considerable potential for element-based detection and qualification of bound proteins of mesoporous SiO2 microspheres in a variety of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation used a tubular microreactor to produce Vildagliptin (VLG) loaded ethyl cellulose (EC) nanoparticles (NPs) for sustained delivery of a drug. A central composite design was used to quantify the influence of independent variables on the desired responses. The independent factors selected to achieve the desired entrapment efficiency and sustained drug release were EC concentration and sodium lauryl sulfate concentration. On the other hand, the dependent variables chosen for assessment were particle size (Y1) and encapsulation efficiency (Y2). The nanoparticles produced were analyzed, which included particle size measurement, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, encapsulation efficiency (EE) determination, and in vitro drug release study. The optimized samples TEM investigation verified the nanoparticles' spherical shape and particle size distribution, ranging from 160 to 250 nm. The entrapment efficiency (EE) fell within the range of 63–87%. In the in-vitro drug release study, VLG-loaded EC nanoparticles exhibited sustained release over 12 h. Applying various kinetic equations to the in-vitro drug release data demonstrated that the drug release mechanism involved diffusion. This comprehensive study concluded that the VLG-EC-NPs achieved optimal particle size, EE, and desirable level of sustained drug release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]