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PET bottles are widely used for drinking water. PET bottles’ quality depends on their thickness. The aim of this study is to find design variables and optimal parameters of the stretching blow molding (SBM) process of PET bottles in order to increase the uniformity of bottle thickness by using the simulation technique and Taguchi method. The finite element method is used to predict the results of the SBM process. The Taguchi method is performed with six variables that belong to two main factors, which are temperature positions and parison thickness. Through the analysis process, the optimal parameters are determined and verified, with a minimum objective function result of 0.000265. On the other hand, the temperature at T4 positions and the preform thickness at Th2 sections are the main influences on the uniformity of PET bottle thickness.

Abstract Background Hemophilia A (HEMA) is an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by reduced/absent coagulation factor VIII expression, as a result of pathogenic variants in the F8 gene. Preimplantation prevention of HEMA should ideally include direct pathogenic F8 variant detection, complemented by linkage analysis of flanking markers to identify the high-risk F8 allele. Linkage analysis is particularly indispensable when the pathogenic variant cannot be detected directly or identified. This study evaluated the suitability of a panel of F8 intragenic and extragenic short tandem repeat markers for standalone linkage-based preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorder (PGT-M) of the Inv22 pathogenic variant, an almost 600 kb paracentric inversion responsible for almost half of all severe HEMA globally, for which direct detection is challenging. Methods Thirteen markers spanning 1 Mb and encompassing both F8 and the Inv22 inversion interval were genotyped in 153 unrelated females of Viet Kinh ethnicity. Results All individuals were heterozygous for ≥ 1 marker, ~ 90% were heterozygous for ≥ 1 of the five F8 intragenic markers, and almost 98% were heterozygous for ≥ 1 upstream (telomeric) and ≥ 1 downstream (centromeric) markers. A prospective PGT-M couple at risk of transmitting F8 Inv22 were fully informative at four marker loci (2 intra-inversion, 1 centromeric, 1 telomeric) and partially informative at another five (2 intra-inversion, 3 centromeric), allowing robust phasing of low- and high-risk haplotypes. In vitro fertilization produced three embryos, all of which clearly inherited the low-risk maternal allele, enabling reliable unaffected diagnoses. A single embryo transfer produced a clinical pregnancy, which was confirmed as unaffected by amniocentesis and long-range PCR, and a healthy baby girl was delivered at term. Conclusion Robust and reliable PGT-M of HEMA, including the common F8 Inv22 pathogenic variant, can be achieved with sufficient informative intragenic and flanking markers.

This paper proposes a novel algorithm, termed Mixed Riccati–Lyapunov Balanced Truncation (MRLBT), tailored for order reduction of Linear Time-Invariant Continuous-Time Descriptor Systems (LTI-CTD), commonly encountered in electrical and electronic circuit modeling. The MRLBT approach synergistically combines the advantages of balanced truncation (BT) and positive-real balanced truncation (PRBT) techniques while mitigating their limitations. Unlike BT, which preserves stability but not passivity, and PRBT, which retains passivity at the expense of larger reduction errors, MRLBT ensures the preservation of both stability and passivity inherent in the original system. Additionally, MRLBT achieves reduced computational complexity and minimized order reduction errors compared to PRBT. The proposed algorithm transforms the system into an equivalent Mixed Riccati–Lyapunov Balanced form, enabling the construction of a reduced-order model that retains the critical physical properties. Theoretical analysis and proofs are provided, establishing an upper bound on the global order reduction error. The efficacy of MRLBT is demonstrated through a numerical example involving an RLC ladder network, showcasing its superior performance over BT and PRBT in terms of reduced errors in the time and frequency domains.

In this study, hydrogen, hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amine, epoxy functional groups are introduced into various pore structures of activated carbon, to investigate their effect on the adsorption of 4-chlorophenol by molecular simulation. Adsorption isotherm of 4-chlorophenol is then calculated by sing Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation. The simulation results showed that, on the none structure, the 4-chlorophenol adsorption capacity reached the maximum value with a pore size of 1.5 nm. In contrast, when a functional group is present on the surface, activated carbon with a 4 nm pore is more dominant in terms of adsorption capacity. All functional groups exert a great influence on the threshold pressure and reduce the adsorption capacity at high pressure. But at medium and low pressures, the adsorption capacity of activated carbon increases rapidly in the presence of functional groups. The simulation results also showed that the carboxyl functional group gives superior adsorption capacity at medium and low pressures. The ability of activated carbon to form adsorption bonds with 4-chlorophenol was further investigated by comparing the adsorption energy between them. It can be seen that the surface functionalization has provided additional information during the synthesis of carbon materials for the treatment of organic compounds.

In this study, a novel superabsorbent polymer tapioca starch-g-poly(acrylic acid-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid)/ammonium polyphosphate (TS-g-AA-AMPS/APP) was synthesized based on the graft copolymerization of tapioca starch (TS) with acrylic acid (AA) and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) via free radical polymerization in aqueous solution with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) additive added for study. The synthesized superabsorbent polymer material was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Research investigating the material synthesis conditions to absorbance in distilled water and 0.9 wt% NaCl solution has also been studied. Under optimal synthesis conditions, the absorbance in distilled water and 0.9 wt% NaCl solution were 416 g g ^−1 and 61 g g ^−1 , respectively, for the sample with 3 wt% APP content. The introduction of APP units has improved the absorption properties of the material such as the water retention capacity reaching 55.25% in 10 h at 60 °C. TS-AA-AMPS/APP exhibits reversible swelling ability, with the swelling level not being reduced compared to the initial after 5 swelling-drying cycles at 60 °C, and water absorption reaches swelling equilibrium after about 270 min. Additionally, TGA thermogravimetric analysis results showed an improvement in the thermal stability of TS-AA-AMPS/APP compared to the pure polymer. These results show that the TS-AA-AMPS/APP polymer with excellent swelling properties, low production cost, and environmentally friendly has the potential for practical applications in agriculture, gardening, and water retention materials.

English language assumes a pivotal position in the socioeconomic advancement of Vietnam. The adoption of extracurricular mechanisms for English language acquisition is recognized as an innovative and potent overhaul of the pedagogical framework for English learners in Vietnam. This study was executed employing a quantitative methodology to ascertain the perceptions of tertiary level students regarding the advantages and obstacles encountered in their engagement with extracurricular activities directed at English language acquisition. Data was accumulated from 1,032 students pursuing higher education in an institution situated in the Mekong delta, facilitated by a questionnaire. The findings highlighted significant expectations students harbored for these activities. Particularly, they anticipated that engagement in these extracurricular endeavors would yield a positive influence on their linguistic competencies, while also fostering a conducive and collaborative environment for English language acquisition, thereby expanding their social networks with fellow participants. Nevertheless, the participants also acknowledged potential drawbacks. They expressed concern that participation in these activities might be time-consuming and could potentially diminish their motivation to partake, especially if the activities were not in alignment with their individual competencies and areas of interest. The findings of this study propose implications for enhancing the effectiveness of extracurricular activities for English language acquisition. Specifically, adequate financial and human capital investment is crucial, and the activities need to be meticulously planned to avoid an excessive time commitment from the students.

Introduction: Acne is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit with differential pathogenesis. To elucidate the roles of hormones in acne pathogenesis, we conducted a study to evaluate the plasma testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone levels in women with acne vulgaris. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study, and 140 women with acne vulgaris were examined; their plasma estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone were analyzed by chemiluminescence technique and compared with the healthy control group. Results: Increased plasma hormone levels in women with acne vulgaris accounted for 33.57%, and hyperandrogenism accounted for 20.71% of cases. We found significant differences in testosterone levels (mean value, 56.92 ± 27.64ng/dL, 60.71± 25.85ng/dL versus 38.35 ± 10.09ng/dL, p Conclusion: Female patients with moderate to severe acne vulgaris had abnormalities in plasma testosterone and estradiol levels. These abnormalities might be part roles in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris, even when the mean levels were in the normal range.

Background: To assess the relationship between oocytes with smooth endoplasmic reticulum cluster (SERc) and embryological and birth outcomes in infertile couples. Methods: This was a descriptive study that included 231 infertile patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a total of 2447 mature oocytes (MII), of which 279 oocytes with SERc(+) from 100 patients, the remaining 2168 oocytes with SERc(-). Oocytes were evaluated for the presence or absence of the SERc simultaneously with intracytoplasmic sperm injection at 200x magnification using inverted microscopy – Observe D1. Results: The mean age of patients was 32.05 ± 5.56 years. One hundred patients had at least one SERc(+) oocyte (with 279 SERc(+) and 956 SERc(-) oocytes). One hundred and thirty-one patients had 1212 SERc(-) oocytes. Fertilization outcomes and the rates of good-quality embryos on day 2 and day 5 did not differ between the SERc(+) and the SERc(-) groups. In the first frozen embryo transfer cycles, the clinical pregnancy rate in the group of patients with SERc(+) was not different with the SERc(-) group (61.1% vs 48.78%, p = 0.074, respectively). The live birth rate in the SERc(+) group was statistically significantly higher than the SERc(-) group (57.7% vs 43.9%, p = 0.045, respectively). Conclusion: The fertilization rate, the quality of embryos on days 2 and 5 from oocytes with SERc(+) are similar to those with SERc(-). The live birth rate in the patients with SERc(+) group is statistically significantly higher than the SERc(-) group. There is no difference in clinical pregnancy rate between patients with and without SERc. Therefore, the exclusion of oocytes with SERc should not be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance sequences are generating increasingly comprehensive catalogs of crop genetic variation. To make optimal use of this vast collection of data for research purposes, a robust and reproducible analytical pipeline discipline is required that is capable of accurately detecting and favoring variants. The entire genome sequencing data from the rice variety Nang Thom Cho Dao was analyzed using the appropriate bioinformatic pipeline. A total of 21 million reads with 6,6 GB of data were analyzed. SNPs and indels from the Nang Thom Cho Dao genome were found to be variable when compared to the Nipponbare reference rice genome. The result showed that the novel Indel of BADH2 gene in Nang Thom Cho Dao genome. The study will contribute valuable information to the development of genetic markers for rice breeding strategies using Nang Thom Cho Dao rice varieties.

The stretch blowing process for PET bottle induces the anisotropic mechanical properties due to the different elongation of macromolecular chains. For example, the Young's modulus can be multiplied by almost two in the longitudinal direction and more than 3 times in the hoop direction of the plastic bottle. However, the process is complex and the elastic properties present dispersions which depend on the process condition. Therefore, it is necessary that the 5 parameters from the orthotropic elastic properties can be all obtained during a single realization. The symmetry of the elasticity tensor reduces to 4 characteristics to be determined. To achieve this identification process, firstly, the displacement field is measured using image correlation and biaxial tests are carried out on a machine developed in our laboratory. Then, the virtual field method on a specific cruciform specimen with a hole is managed to identify the orthotropic elastic properties. The optimal position of the hole is also studied. Finally, the identified orthotropic constitutive parameters from this method are compared to the results obtained by classical methods.

The objective of this work was to study the effects of different plasticisers [glycerol (G), propylene glycol (PG), polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400)] at different contents (10-30% compared to hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)) on the properties of HPMC/shellac composite films. Sensory, mechanical properties, and surface morphology were used to evaluate changes in the composite films by adding different plasticisers. The results showed that with the addition of plasticisers, the films became more transparent and flexible. As the plasticiser content increased, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the films decreased. At a plasticiser content of 20%, the water vapor permeability (WVP) of the composite films reached its minimum value. The SEM images showed that the HPMC/shellac composite film containing 20% G had the smoothest surface, and the components of this film were uniformly distributed.

Characterization of polymer behavior over or near the glass transition temperature in condition close to industrial process remains a scientific goal. In particular being able to manage multiaxial loading at high strain rate and large strains is particularly interesting to understand Poly Ethylene Terephthalate (PET for short) behavior at condition near to the blowing process. In this paper, we present a new vertical biaxial tensile machine that has been designed and built up in our laboratory. In particular, (i) thermal regulation enables a fast and homogeneous heating of the specimen at temperature close to Tg, (ii) strain rate up to 5s−1 can be reached and (iii) a cruciform specimen geometry has been optimized to ensure large biaxial strain up to 2 or more in each direction. These two last are lower but close to the strain rate and elongation observed in stretch blow molding. The digital image correlation technique is used to obtain the displacement field and a thermal camera gives the evolution of the temperature field during the test. Dimension and height enables this apparatus to be transportable for mechanical tests under SAXS or WAXS. Here we present results of tests managed on PET and the identification procedure that is carried out to fit parameters of our orthotropic thermo-visco-hyperelastic model. Results are presented, discussed and compared to previous measures obtained from apparatus that are more complex.

Introduction: Acne is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit with differential pathogenesis. To elucidate the roles of hormones in acne pathogenesis, we conducted a study to evaluate the serum testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone levels in women with acne vulgaris. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study, and 175 women with acne vulgaris were examined; their serum estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone were analyzed by chemiluminescence technique and compared with the healthy control group. Results: Increased serum hormone levels in women with acne vulgaris accounted for 29.7%, and hyperandrogenism accounted for 16.0% of cases. We found significant differences in testosterone levels (mean value, 55.67±25.56 versus 38.37±10.16 ng/dL, p0.05) levels. Moreover, we did not find the relationship between serum hormone levels and the severity of acne vulgaris. Conclusion: This study showed that female acne vulgaris patients may have high serum testosterone levels and low serum estradiol levels compared with those of female controls. However, hormone alterations had no correlation with acne severity.

Introduction: Acne is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit with differential pathogenesis. To elucidate the roles of hormones in acne pathogenesis, we conducted a study to evaluate the serum testosterone, estradiol, progesterone levels in women with acne vulgaris. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study, and 175 women with acne vulgaris were examined; their serum estradiol, progesterone, testosterone were analyzed by chemiluminescence technique and compared with the healthy control group. Results: Increased serum hormone levels in women with acne vulgaris were accounted for 29.7%, and hyperandrogenism was accounted for 16.0% of cases. We found significant differences in testosterone levels (mean value, 55.67±25.56 versus 38.37±10.16 ng/dL, p0.05) levels. Moreover, we did not find the relationship between serum hormone levels and the severity of acne vulgaris. Conclusion: This study showed that the female acne vulgaris patients may have high serum testosterone levels and low serum estradiol levels compared with those of female controls. However, hormone alterations had no correlation with the acne grades.