Search Results (28,267)

Semiconducting clathrates are a distinct class of inclusion compounds with considerable interest for thermoelectric applications. We report here the synthesis, crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of Sn₃₈Sb₈I₈. The compound was synthesized via planetary ball milling of the corresponding elements for 6 h and then sintering of amorphous mixture at 620 K for 3 days. The crystal structure of the polycrystalline product was determined via X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld refinement as a type-I clathrate (a = 12.0390(2), space group Pm-3n, No. 223) with mixed-occupied Sn/Sb framework sites and fully occupied I guest sites. Further analysis on the chemical composition, nanomorphology and vibrational modes of the material was carried out via Induced-Coupled-Plasma–Mass Spectrometry, SEM/EDX microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Thermoelectric measurements were performed on hot-pressed samples with ca. 98% of the crystallographic density. The clathrate compound behaves as an n-type semiconductor with a band gap of 0.737 eV and exhibits a maximum ZT of 0.0016 at 473 K. Theoretical calculations on the formation enthalpy, electron density of states and transport properties provide insights into the experimentally observed physical behavior. Full article

Background and Objectives: Effective perioperative pain management remains a key goal of enhanced recovery protocols, especially in minimally invasive urologic surgery, where optimizing comfort while limiting opioid exposure is essential. Intravenous lidocaine has gained attention for its multimodal analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, yet evidence in robotic prostatectomy remains limited. This study evaluated whether intraoperative lidocaine infusion was associated with lower early postoperative pain scores and reduced opioid use in patients undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, single-center analysis was conducted at Pelican Clinical Hospital, Oradea, Romania, including 112 patients operated on between January 2020 and December 2023. All procedures were performed by the same surgical and anesthetic teams using standardized ERAS-based protocols. Patients were divided into two groups: the Lidocaine Group (LG, n = 51), who received a bolus of 1.5 mg/kg lidocaine followed by an infusion of 1.5 mg/kg/h during surgery, and the Control Group (CG, n = 61), who received standard anesthesia without lidocaine. Postoperative pain was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) at 0, 4, 12, and 24 h, and opioid use was converted into morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Secondary outcomes included time to ambulation, gastrointestinal recovery, oral intake, hospital stay, and complications. Results: Pain intensity was significantly lower in the lidocaine group at 4 h postoperatively (VAS 3.5 ± 1.1 vs. 4.3 ± 1.3; p = 0.01), with similar scores later. Total opioid use was reduced by about 18% in the lidocaine group (25.7 ± 9.4 vs. 31.2 ± 10.5 MME; p = 0.03). Recovery parameters and complication rates were comparable between groups, and no lidocaine-related adverse events were recorded. Conclusions: Intraoperative intravenous lidocaine was associated with lower early postoperative pain scores and reduced opioid requirements after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy without affecting recovery or safety. Its favorable profile and low cost support its inclusion as a practical adjunct in multimodal analgesia within ERAS pathways. Full article

In this work, the effect of aqueous dispersions of graphene oxide (GO) and nanosized graphene oxide (nGO) on the enzymatic polymerization of polyaniline (PANI) was studied. The enzymatic polymerization of PANI was carried out in aqueous medium using toluenesulfonic acid (TSA) as the dopant, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as the catalyst, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as the oxidant, using 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 wt% of GO and nGO. The morphology of PANI-GO/nGO composites was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further characterization was performed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and spectroscopic techniques such as ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), Raman and X-ray photoelectronics (XPS). SEM images showed that during enzymatic polymerization, PANI completely covers the GO/nGO sheets. Furthermore, physicochemical results confirmed the production of a hybrid PANI-GO/nGO material with Van der Waals-type interactions between the oxygen-based functional groups of GO and the secondary amino bond (-NH-) of PANI. Also, cyclic voltammetry experiments were carried out in situ during the polymerization of PANI-GO/nGO films. The electrochemical response of PANI-GO/nGO composites reflects two broad oxidation peaks around 300 mV and 500 mV during anodic scanning, with reversible oxidation during cathodic scanning. Classical molecular dynamics simulations were used to understand the mechanism of the composite film’s growth. Full article

The development of a fibrous-structured meat alternative that can perfectly mimic the tribology of the meat is considered to be extremely challenging. In this study, a bottom-up technique, wet spinning, was used to produce a fiber-like structure similar to muscle fiber. Different protein concentrations (0% to 16%) of wheat protein, pea protein isolates, and sodium alginate (2%) were used as an emulsifier and compared with the conventional meat (longissimus dorsi muscle) from a barrow in terms of physicochemical (pH, color, moisture content, cooking loss), textural (Texture profile and Warner–Bratzler Shear Force), and sensory parameters. The results from the study showed that the ratio of protein concentration significantly affected the solution behavior, leading to change in the spinnability of solution. The combined protein formulations displayed by a greater range of physicochemical and textural properties, especially hardness and WBSF, ranged from 22 N to 32.20 N and 4.26 to 4.71 kg/cm² in comparison to each other (p < 0.05). However, principal component analysis has shown that the overall profiling was significantly different than that of conventional meat (p < 0.05). The overall results suggested that the blend of wheat protein and pea protein isolate shows great potential for preparing a variety of structured meat alternatives by optimizing the concentration based on the desired product profiling. Full article

Soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loss in watersheds is a critical source of water pollution. This study explores the spatial distribution, release potential, and environmental impacts of soil N and P in the downstream Daliao River basin by integrating field investigations and simulation experiments. Results showed that total nitrogen content in soils ranged from 256.09 to 3362.75 mg/kg, while that in sediments ranged from 114.85 to 1640.54 mg/kg. Total phosphorus content in soils varied from 250.18 to 1142.69 mg/kg, whereas in sediments it ranged from 327.23 to 586.24 mg/kg. The ammonia nitrogen release potentials of soils collected from rice paddies, corn farmlands, roadsides, and reed wetlands were 0.75, 0.86, 0.70, and 8.65 mg/L, respectively, with corresponding total phosphorus release potentials of 0.61, 1.01, 0.31, and 1.52 mg/L. For sediments, ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus release potentials ranged from 0.96 to 1.21 mg/L and 0.44 to 0.52 mg/L, respectively. Temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen were important factors influencing nitrogen and phosphorus release from soils and sediments. The export of nitrogen and phosphorus from soil reached 50.50 t/a and 21.63 t/a, respectively. During the soil erosion process in the Daliao River Basin, phosphorus exhibited a high release potential and served as the primary pollutant, whereas the release mechanism of ammonia nitrogen was more complex, showing seasonal variability. Soils in the downstream Daliao River basin have large specific surface areas and may pose a high pollution risk after discharge into water bodies due to prolonged adsorption of pollutants. It is recommended to propose promoting soil testing-based fertilization, constructing ecological engineering projects, developing sponge cities, and conducting environmental dredging to reduce N and P release from agricultural lands, construction areas, natural wastelands, and sediments. Full article

A study on the selective solvent extraction (SX) of molybdenum (Mo) and rhenium (Re) from two industrial pregnant leach solutions (PLSs) was carried out using Alamine 336 as the extractant and the ionic liquid (IL) 1-octyl-3-methyl Imidazolium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide [Omim][Tf₂N] as the diluent. One industrial PLS was rich in Mo (VI) (PLS-Mo) and the second one rich in Re (VII) (PLS-Re). Experiments were carried out in open vials in which the concentration of Alamine336 in the diluent, the aqueous-to-organic ratio (A/O), and the stripping with ammonium carbonate (${\left(\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_4\right)}_2\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_3$) were carried out systematically. Results indicate that decreasing the aqueous-to-organic (A/O) ratio led to an enhancement in the extraction performances of both Mo (VI) and Re (VII), reaching recoveries of 95%–98% at an A/O ratio of 1:1. However, differences between PLSs became evident at higher ratios, as Re extraction declined more sharply than Mo. Third-phase formation was observed only in the Mo-containing PLS. The PLS–Re system did not exhibit the formation of a third phase due to a lower concentration of metal (1 g/L Mo). The use of ammonium carbonate for stripping led to enhanced recoveries, achieving 84.4% for Re and 46.8% for Mo. A total of 50 extraction-stripping cycles were carried out in this work. These demonstrated nearly total initial extraction, but performance decreased over the cycles because of insufficient stripping and solvent loading. Overall, [Omim][Tf₂N] proved to be an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional diluents for Mo and Re separation and recovery from industrial leach solutions. Full article

Background: Clinical and experimental evidence suggests comorbidity between diabetes mellitus (DM) and epilepsy, including a higher incidence of status epilepticus (SE). However, the association between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and epilepsy is not fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the severity of SE and the consequent brain injury in male Wistar rats with T2DM. Methods: To induce T2DM, postnatal day (P) 3 rats were injected with streptozocin (STZ, 100 mg/kg, s.c.; n = 18); control rats received an equal volume of citrate buffer (pH 4.5) used as vehicle (n = 16). Glycemia was monitored at P30, P40, P60, and P90 in both experimental groups. Subsequently, rats were injected intraperitoneally with lithium chloride (LiCl, 3 mEq/kg, i.p.), and 18 h later, at P90, SE was induced by pilocarpine hydrochloride (30 mg/kg, s.c.). Matched control rats were injected with LiCl and physiological saline solution. The severity of SE, the neurodegeneration, cell and tissue loss, and microglia and glial responses were evaluated in the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, the piriform cortex. Results: Hyperglycemia was evident at P90 in STZ rats compared with vehicle (p < 0.05). T2DM rats had a higher frequency of stage V seizures and increased latency to the first stage V seizure and to SE compared with control rats (p < 0.05). T2DM rats showed an increased number of Fluoro-Jade B-positive cells, a reduction in cell density, and tissue loss, associated with an increased microglia density but a reduced glial cell count after SE (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that T2DM is associated with greater seizure severity and increased brain injury following SE. Full article

Obesity and overweight conditions, frequently accompanied by hypercholesterolemia, are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle interventions remain the cornerstone of non-pharmacological treatment; however, their effectiveness in improving lipid profiles is limited. Intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) has recently emerged as a potential strategy to enhance metabolic outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 4-week intensive IHT program combined with a calorie-restricted diet on lipid profile and body composition in men with overweight or obesity and secondary hypercholesterolemia. Twenty physically inactive men (35.3 ± 5.4 years) were randomly assigned to either a hypoxic group (H, n = 10) or a normoxic control group (C, n = 10). Both groups followed the same training protocol and diet, differing only in environmental training conditions. Body composition, resting metabolic rate, and blood lipid parameters (total cholesterol, TC; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL-C; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C; non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-HDL-C; Triglycerides, TG) were assessed before and after the intervention. Compared with the C group, participants in the H group achieved significantly greater reductions in body mass (−5.4% vs. −2.6%, p < 0.05) and fat mass (−14.7% vs. −7%, p < 0.01). IHT also induced marked decreases in TC (−22.6%, p < 0.001), LDL-C (−25.8%, p < 0.001), non-HDL-C (−26.5%, p < 0.001), and TG (−31.4%, p < 0.01), along with a significant improvement in the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP, −24.4%, p < 0.05). In contrast, the C group showed only non-significant downward trends. No significant changes in HDL-C were observed in either group. These findings suggest that IHT combined with dietary restriction produces more favorable changes in lipid profile and body composition than normoxic training. IHT may therefore represent a promising adjunct to conventional lifestyle-based interventions in the management of obesity-related hypercholesterolemia. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of olive cake (OC) supplementation on buffalo performance and meat quality. Sixty Italian Mediterranean Buffalo males (thirty/group) were enrolled for 90 days before slaughter and allocated into two homogeneous groups according to body weight and age. The Innova group received concentrate with a 7% inclusion of OC, whereas the Ctrl group received no supplementation. Animal performances were recorded at the beginning and at the end of the trial to assess average daily gain (ADG), final live weight, and carcass weight. The Longissimus thoracis muscle samples were harvested and analyzed for chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and total polyphenols content. Dietary inclusion of OC improved animal performances, with greater ADG, final live weight, and carcass weight than the Ctrl group. Furthermore, the Innova meat exhibited a greater polyphenols content and a better acidic profile, represented by greater monounsaturated fatty acids and lower saturated fatty acids. Innova meat had a greater n-3/n-6 ratio, lower atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic index (TI), and greater hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (H/H) compared with Ctrl meat. These results suggest that inclusion of OC in buffalo diet improved the meat’s fatty acid profile and nutritional value, contributing to healthier, higher-quality products while supporting circular economy principles. Full article

To enhance the anti-corrosion performance of storage tanks, Ni–SiC composites were successfully fabricated on the surface of Q345 steel substrate via the ultrasonic electrodeposition technique. The influence of ultrasonic power on the surface morphology, element content, phase structure, and anti-corrosion performance of Ni–SiC composites were explored utilizing a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and an electrochemical workstation, respectively. SEM images showed that the Ni–SiC composites obtained at 120 W had a flat, dense surface morphology, with a uniform distribution of SiC nanoparticles (NPs) and a refined size of nickel grains. Meanwhile, the Si content (7.3 wt.%) of Ni–SiC composites prepared at 120 W was obviously higher than those obtained at 0 W (4.8 wt.%) and 60 W (6.1 wt.%). The thicknesses and adhesion force of Ni–SiC composites manufactured at 120 W were the largest of 103.5 μm and 51.2 N, respectively. XRD patterns presented that the diffraction peaks intensity and width of Ni–SiC composites manufactured at 120 W were lower and broader than that of Ni–SiC composites manufactured at 0 W and 60 W. A corrosion test illustrated that the Ni–SiC composites prepared at 120 W had the lowest corrosion current of 3.5 × 10⁻³ mA/cm², the lowest corrosive weight loss (4.2 mg) and corrosion rate (0.06 mg/h), while the corrosion potential was the highest of −0.41 V, which demonstrated the best anti-corrosion performance. In addition, the co-deposition mechanism of SiC NPs and Ni²⁺ ions was also analyzed. Full article

Integrating phase change materials (PCMs) into buildings and HVAC systems improves thermal comfort and energy efficiency. This study presents a climate-responsive methodology for selecting optimal PCMs using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework. AHP was employed to determine the relative importance of key thermophysical properties, including melting point (47.5%), latent heat of fusion (25.7%), volumetric latent heat (13.5%), thermal conductivity (6.8%), specific heat capacity (3.3%), and density (3.3%). These weights were applied across five MCDM techniques—COPRAS, VIKOR, TOPSIS, MOORA, and PROMETHEE II—to evaluate 16 PCM alternatives for three representative climate zones: temperate (18 °C), subtropical (23 °C), and tropical hot/desert (28 °C). The results consistently identified n-Heptadecane (C17) as the most suitable PCM for temperate and subtropical climates, while n-Octadecane (C18) and hydrated salts such as CaCl₂·6H₂O and Na₂CO₃·10H₂O were optimal for tropical zones. Results show that n-Heptadecane (C17) is optimal for temperate and subtropical zones (COPRAS K = 1.00; TOPSIS C = 0.79–0.82; PROMETHEE φ = 0.21–0.22), while n-Octadecane (C18) and hydrated salts such as CaCl₂·6H₂O and Na₂CO₃·10H₂O perform best in tropical climates (TOPSIS C = 0.85; PROMETHEE φ = 0.26). These PCMs offer high latent heat (up to 254 kJ·kg⁻¹) and volumetric storage (up to 381 MJ·m⁻³), enabling significant reductions in HVAC loads and improved indoor temperature stability. The convergence of rankings across methods and alignment with existing literature validate the robustness of the proposed approach. This framework supports informed material selection for sustainable building design and can be adapted to other climate-sensitive engineering applications. The framework introduces methodological innovations by explicitly mapping PCM melting points to climate-specific comfort bands, incorporating volumetric latent heat, and validating rankings through cross-method convergence (Spearman ρ > 0.99). Sensitivity analysis confirms robustness against weight perturbations. The approach supports practical PCM selection for both new and retrofit buildings, contributing to EU and US energy goals (e.g., 40% building energy use, DOE’s 50% reduction target). Full article

Since 1975, it has been known that the Hurwitz zeta-function has a unique property to approximate by its shifts all analytic functions defined in the strip $\mathfrak{D}=\{s=\sigma +it:1/2<\sigma <1\}$. However, such an approximation causes efficiency problems, and applying short intervals is one of the measures to make that approximation more effective. In this paper, we consider the simultaneous approximation of a tuple of analytic functions in the strip $\mathfrak{D}$ by discrete shifts $(\zeta (s+ik{h}_1,{\alpha }_1),\dots ,\zeta (s+ik{h}_r,{\alpha }_r))$ with positive $h_1,\dots ,h_r$ of Hurwitz zeta-functions in the interval $[N,N+M]$ with $M={max}_{1⩽j⩽r}\left(h_j^{-1}{\left(N{h}_j\right)}^{23/70}\right)$. Two cases are considered: $1^{°}$ the set $\{(h_{j}log(m+{\alpha }_j),m\in {\mathbb{N}}_0,j=1,\dots ,r),2\pi \}$ is linearly independent over $\mathbb{Q}$; and $2^{°}$ a general case, where ${\alpha }_j$ and $h_j$ are arbitrary. In case $1^{°}$, we obtain that the set of approximating shifts has a positive lower density (and density) for every tuple of analytic functions. In case $2^{°}$, the set of approximated functions forms a certain closed set. For the proof, an approach based on new limit theorems on weakly convergent probability measures in the space of analytic functions in short intervals is applied. The power $\eta =23/70$ comes from a new mean square estimate for the Hurwitz zeta-function. Full article

Driven by the demands of artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things, non-volatile memory has become the cornerstone of modern computing. However, at present, most of the preparation processes are quite complex and have high requirements for the materials. Here, we discovered that hydrazine (N₂H₄) molecules can be efficiently intercalated into the MoTe₂, acting as stable charge-trapping centers. This intercalation not only induces a controllable reversible polar conversion but also causes a huge hysteretic window (>60 V) lasting over one hour in air. Leveraging this giant hysteresis, we fabricated a simplified memory device. The device demonstrates a large erase/program current ratio of ~10⁴ and excellent retention characteristics. Our work pioneers the use of interlayer molecular intercalation for electronic modulation in 2D semiconductors, offering a new paradigm for developing memory devices with fabrication processes. Full article

Background: Mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal tumors constitute 5% of metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC). Immunotherapy is a new standard, but it is difficult to provide for all patients. 5-Flurouracil-based treatment with anti-EGFRs (cetuximab and panitumumab) in RAS/BRAF-wild or anti-VEGF (bevacizumab) is used in mCRC. Data is limited for the efficacy of anti-VEGF or anti-EGFRs in dMMR/MSI-H mCRC due to the small number of cases in the colorectal cancer population in trials. Aims: To evaluate prognostic factors in dMMR/MSI-H mCRC and compare progression-free survival time of patients receiving anti-VEGF and anti-EGFR combined with first-line 5FU-based therapy. Methods: Patients with metastatic dMMR/MSI-H colorectal cancer diagnosed between January 2015 and January 2023 were included in this cohort study. Progression-free survival times of patients treated with first-line therapy were compared. Prognostic factors associated with overall survival were investigated. Results: A total of 132 patients were included. Mutation rates were 35.6% (n:47) for RAS and 12.1% (n: 16) for BRAF (. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10.9 (95% CI: 9.2–12.6) months. Median overall survival (OS) was 44 months (95% CI: 26.23–63.03). 82 (62.1%) patients had primary tumor resection (PTR), 26 (19.7%) had PTR and metastasectomy. A total of 17 (12.8%) de novo mCRC patients had maximal cytoreductive surgery (MCS). A total of 14 (10.6%) patients had subsequent immunotherapy (IO). In multivariate analysis, RAS/BRAF mutation status, MCS, and subsequent IO are defined as prognostic factors for OS (p < 0.01, p: 0.022, and p: 0.005, respectively). No statistically significant difference (PFS, OS) was found in patients receiving first-line anti-VEGF or anti-EGFR therapy. Conclusions: dMMR/MSI-H mCRC is an entity with different tumor biology. We consider that dMMR/MSI-H mCRC patients with BRAF wild, MCS and subsequent IO have better outcomes with 1st line 5FU-based treatment with anti-VEGF/anti-EGFRs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Awake procedures performed under spinal anesthesia (SA) have been associated with reduced hospitalization, costs, and postoperative complications compared with general anesthesia (GA). Endocan, an endothelial cell-specific proteoglycan, serves as a biomarker of endothelial activation and vascular dysfunction and may reflect the differential vascular and immunomodulatory effects of anesthetic techniques. This prospective observational study aimed to compare perioperative changes in circulating endocan levels between patients undergoing surgery under GA and SA. Methods: Eighty adult patients (aged 18–65 years, ASA I–II) scheduled for elective surgery were included and assigned to GA (n = 42) or SA (n = 38) based on standard clinical indications. Serum endocan levels were measured preoperatively, at 6 h, and at 24 h postoperatively using an ELISA assay. Results: In the GA group, endocan levels increased significantly from baseline (304.5 ± 80.7 pg/mL) to 6 h (511.5 ± 88.7 pg/mL, p < 0.001), and although partially decreased by 24 h (427.5 ± 87.9 pg/mL, p < 0.001), remained above baseline. In the SA group, endocan rose from baseline (320.7 ± 72.5 pg/mL) to 6 h (415.2 ± 79.5 pg/mL, p < 0.001) but returned near baseline at 24 h (352.6 ± 84.7 pg/mL, p = 0.233). Conclusions: These findings suggest that while surgery induces endothelial activation in both groups, GA is associated with a more sustained endothelial response than SA. Full article