Search Results (162)

Hydrogen, as a renewable and clean energy with a high energy density, is of great significance to the realization of carbon neutrality. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by splitting water, with a focus on developing efficient electrocatalysts that can perform the HER at an overpotential with minimal power consumption. Tungsten oxide (WO₃), a non-noble-metal-based material, has great potential in hydrogen evolution due to its excellent redox capability, low cost, and high stability. However, it cannot meet practical needs because of its poor electrical conductivity and the limited number of active sites; thus, it is necessary to further improve HER performance. In this review, recent advances related to WO3-based electrocatalysts for the HER are introduced. Most importantly, several tactics for optimizing the electrocatalytic HER activity of WO₃ are summarized, such as controlling its morphology, phase transition, defect engineering (anion vacancies, cation doping, and interstitial atoms), constructing a heterostructure, and the microenvironment effect. This review can provide insight into the development of novel catalysts with high activity for the HER and other renewable energy applications. Full article

Fluid dispersion directly influences the transport, mixing, and efficiency of hydrogen storage in depleted gas reservoirs. Pore structure parameters, such as pore size, throat geometry, and connectivity, influence the complexity of flow pathways and the interplay between advective and diffusive transport mechanisms. Hence, these factors are critical for predicting and controlling flow behavior in the reservoirs. Despite its importance, the relationship between pore structure and dispersion remains poorly quantified, particularly under elevated flow conditions. To address this gap, this study employs pore network modeling (PNM) to investigate the influence of sandstone and carbonate structures on fluid flow properties at the micro-scale. Eleven rock samples, comprising seven sandstone and four carbonate, were analyzed. Pore network extraction from CT images was used to obtain detailed pore structure parameters and their statistical measures. Pore-scale simulations were conducted across 60 scenarios with varying average interstitial velocities and water as the injected fluid. Effluent hydrogen concentrations were measured to generate elution curves as a function of injected pore volumes (PV). This approach enables the assessment of the relationship between the dispersion coefficient and pore structure parameters across all rock samples at consistent average interstitial velocities. Additionally, dispersivity and n-exponent values were calculated and correlated with pore structure parameters. Full article

Background and Objectives: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a specific form of chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease with an unknown etiology. It is often accompanied by skeletal muscle mass loss. Chest wall muscles play a crucial role in respiratory movements and form part of the skeletal muscles. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between chest wall muscle thickness and pulmonary function test (PFT) results, as well as other prognostic markers, in patients with IPF. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 108 patients diagnosed with IPF and 53 control subjects. Chest wall muscle thickness was measured on thoracic computed tomography (CT) images at specific anatomical levels. PFT parameters, the Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) index, number of acute exacerbations, and mortality data were evaluated in relation to muscle thickness. Results: IPF patients had significantly reduced thickness in the bilateral external scapular muscles at both the aortic and pulmonary trunk levels compared to controls. Bilateral pectoral muscle thickness at the aortic level was positively correlated with forced vital capacity (FVC) and negatively correlated with the number of exacerbations. Internal scapular muscle thickness at the aortic level showed a significant positive correlation with diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and a negative correlation with both GAP scores and exacerbation frequency. External scapular muscle thickness at the pulmonary trunk level was positively associated with PFT parameters and inversely correlated with the GAP index, exacerbations, and mortality. Conclusions: In patients with IPF, the bilateral external scapular muscle thickness at the aortic and pulmonary trunk levels was significantly reduced compared to controls. Significant associations were found between some chest wall muscle thicknesses and the GAP index, pulmonary function, acute exacerbations, and mortality, underscoring the prognostic value of baseline muscle measurements. Measurement of chest wall muscle thickness using routine thoracic CT scans may offer additional prognostic value in IPF. Incorporating this parameter into clinical evaluation may help identify patients who could benefit from supportive interventions, such as nutritional therapy or pulmonary rehabilitation. Full article

Lung involvement is the most common extraglandular manifestation of primary Sjögren’s Disease (pSjD). There is an increasing interest in finding the clinical/serological risk predictors of this feature. A cross-sectional study evaluating anti-SSA/Ro antibodies, anti-SSB/La antibodies, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies, and the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in 26 pSjD patients who presented interstitial changes on the chest CT scan was performed. The titres and positivity rates for anti-SSA/Ro (p = 0.02, p = 0.02) and anti-SSB/La antibodies (p = 0.01, p = 0.001) proved to be significantly increased in patients with abnormal DLCO. Anti-SSB/La antibodies’ titres seemed to be the best predictor for decreased DLCO–AUC 0.791 (0.587–0.994), p = 0.016. A close-to-significance decrease was found in the titres (p = 0.07) and positivity rates—p = 0.09 and OR of 0.15 (0.01–1.63)—of anti-SSB/La antibodies in patients with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), indicating their possible protective role against UIP. The lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) pattern on lung CT scan was significantly associated with the simultaneous positivity of the four examined serological markers (p = 0.03). The increase in anti-SSB/La antibody positivity rate in patients with LIP patterns was situated close to the significance level (p = 0.09). Quadruple positivity, as well as isolated anti-SSB/La positivity, could be risk factors for developing LIP in pSjD patients. Thus, anti-SSB/La antibodies might represent a marker of lung involvement in pSjD patients. Full article

The objective of the proposed work was to investigate the electrical performance of a 250 µm-thick 4H-SiC p-n junction detector after irradiation with DT neutrons (14.1 MeV energy) at high temperature (500 °C). The results showed that the current–voltage (I-V) characteristics of the unirradiated SiC detector were ideal, with an ideality factor close to 1.5. A high electron mobility (µ_n) and built-in voltage (V_bi) were also observed. Additionally, the leakage current remained very low in the temperature range of 298–523 K. High-temperature irradiation caused a deviation from ideal behaviour, leading to an increase in the ideality factor, decreases in the µ_n and V_bi values, and a significant rise in the leakage current. Studying the capacitance–voltage (C-V) characteristics, it was observed that neutron irradiation induced reductions in both Al-doped (p⁺-type) and N-doped (n⁻-type) 4H-SiC carrier concentrations. A comprehensive investigation of the deep defect states and impurities was carried out using deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) in the temperature range of 85–750 K. In particular, high-temperature neutron irradiation influenced the behaviours of both the Z_1/2 and EH_6/7 traps, which were related to carbon interstitials, silicon vacancies, or anti-site pairs. Full article

A monocentric cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the role of serum calprotectin as a biomarker for disease severity and activity in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Serum calprotectin was measured in 74 consecutive SSc patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Rome, and in 50 healthy controls (HCs) who were healthcare workers, using Aptiva’s particle-based multianalyte technology. In SSc patients, a statistically significant correlation was found between calprotectin and the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) (r = 0.402, p < 0.001), disease activity index (DAI) (r = 0.420, p < 0.001), disease severity scale (DSS) (r = 0.365, p < 0.01), forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = −0.459, p < 0.001), and diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) (r = −0.445, p < 0.001). Calprotectin was higher in SSc patients with digital ulcers (DUs) than in SSc patients without DUs [2.98 mcg/mL (IQR 2.07;4.29) vs. 2.08 mcg/mL (IQR 1.71;2.45), p < 0.01] and in SSc patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) compared to SSc patients without ILD [2.56 mcg/mL (IQR 1.94;3.03) vs. 1.96 mcg/mL (IQR 1.7;2.35), p < 0.01]. The multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis showed calprotectin to be independently associated with DUs [OR 2.531 (CI 95%: 1.074;5.961), p < 0.05] and ILD [OR 3.687 (CI 95%: 1.336;10.170), p < 0.05] in SSc patients. Serum calprotectin is associated with DUs and ILD in SSc patients. Full article

Dilatometry was used to simulate and analyze martensite formation in the grain-coarsened heat-affected zone (GCHAZ) of P91 steel for high inter-pass temperatures during multi-pass welding. The inter-pass temperature of 360 °C was within the dual-phase temperature range (~400 °C to 240 °C), but because of the unexpected formation of isothermal martensite, the microstructure at the inter-pass temperature was substantially martensitic and similar in microstructure and hardness to those obtained using lower, conventional inter-pass temperatures (about 250 °C). The results for martensite formation indicate that kinetic classifications for transformation in carbon and alloyed steels should take into account the overlapping effects of the diffusionless transformation and thermally activated processes associated with dislocation motion and the diffusion of interstitial elements. Furthermore, the M_S temperature was found to be highly sensitive to the microstructural state of the austenite and the availability of nucleating sites for martensite formation. The data for the kinetics of martensite formation were inconsistent with the widely used Koistinen and Marburger (KM) equation for predicting the volume fraction of martensite as a function of quench temperature. It is concluded that the KM equation has limited applicability Full article

Tuffaceous fillings are a significant component of the Permian Kuishan sandstone in the North China Platform, and their complex diagenetic processes have a notable impact on the development of clastic rock reservoirs. This study, based on microscopic analysis of reservoirs and combined with quantitative analytical techniques such as electron probe microanalysis, homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions, micro-area carbon-oxygen isotope analysis, and laser Raman spectroscopy, investigates the influence of tuffaceous interstitial material dissolution on reservoir development in the Permian Kuishan sandstone of the Gaoqing buried hill in the Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin. The results indicate that the dissolution intensity of tuffaceous interstitial materials can be classified into three levels: strong, moderate, and weak. In the strong dissolution zone, associated fractures and dissolution pores significantly contribute to reservoir porosity, with a positive correlation between dissolution plane porosity and total plane porosity. The reservoir space is characterized by a network of dissolution pores and fractures. The moderate dissolution zone is marked by the development of authigenic quartz, feldspar, and clay minerals, which do not effectively enhance porosity and permeability. The weak dissolution zone contains well-preserved volcanic glass shards, crystal fragments, and clay minerals, representing non-reservoir development sections. Lithology, sedimentary facies, diagenesis, and fractures collectively control the quality of the Permian Kuishan sandstone reservoir in the Gaoqing buried hill of the Jiyang Depression, Bohai Bay Basin. The advantageous zones for reservoir development in this area can be effectively predicted using thickness maps of the Kuishan sandstone, planar distribution maps of sedimentary facies, and fracture prediction maps derived from ant-tracking and coherence algorithms. Full article

Background/Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) significantly affects disease prognosis and patient survival. The impact of conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) and biologic/targeted synthetic DMARDs (b/tsDMARDs) on RA-ILD prognoses remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of csDMARDs and b/tsDMARDs on RA-ILD progression and prognosis based on pulmonary function tests (PFTs), high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and symptom changes. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective, observational study included patients with RA-ILD at 13 referral hospitals in South Korea. The participants were categorized into csDMARD-only and b/tsDMARD-exposed groups. RA-ILD prognosis was assessed over a 24-month follow-up period using serial PFTs (the forced vital capacity [FVC] and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide [DLCO]), HRCT findings, and clinical symptom changes. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare disease progression risk while adjusting for baseline lung function, RA disease activity, and glucocorticoid use. Results: Among 127 eligible patients, 22 (17.3%) were exposed to b/tsDMARDs, predominantly abatacept and tocilizumab. During a mean follow-up of 2.8 years, 65 (51.2%) patients experienced RA-ILD progression. A higher baseline Disease Activity Score-28 with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.344, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.136–1.590, p = 0.001) and initially prescribed prednisone dose (aHR: 1.078, 95% CI: 1.011–1.151, p = 0.023) were significant prognostic factors for ILD progression. No statistically significant difference in progression risk was observed between the csDMARD-only and b/tsDMARD-exposed groups (aHR: 0.937, p = 0.851). Conclusions: The RA-ILD prognosis was more strongly influenced by disease activity, rather than the type of DMARD used. These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining low RA disease activity to improve RA-ILD prognosis. Full article

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease characterized by the disruption of the alveolar and interstitial architecture due to extracellular matrix deposition. Emerging evidence suggests that genetic susceptibility plays a crucial role in IPF development. This study explores the role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and haplotypes in IPF susceptibility and progression within the genetically distinct Sardinian population. Genotypic data were analyzed for associations with disease onset and progression, focusing on allele and haplotype frequencies in patients exhibiting slow (S) or rapid (R) progression. While no significant differences in HLA allele frequencies were observed between IPF patients and controls, the HLA-DRB1*04:05 allele and the extended haplotype (HLA-A*30:02, B*18:01, C*05:01, DQA1*05:01, DQB1*02:01, DRB1*03:01) were associated with a slower disease progression and improved survival (log-rank = 0.032 and 0.01, respectively). At 36 months, carriers of these variants demonstrated significantly better pulmonary function, measured with single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO%p) (p = 0.005 and 0.02, respectively). Multivariate analysis confirmed these findings as being independent of confounding factors. These results highlight the impact of HLA alleles and haplotypes on IPF outcomes and underscore the potential of the Sardinian genetic landscape to illuminate immunological mechanisms, paving the way for predictive biomarkers and personalized therapies. Full article

Carbon materials have been employed in many applications in flue gas purification due to their high specific surface area, good chemical inertness, and tunable surface chemistry. However, traditional methods such as adsorption or metal-loaded catalysis can be financially burdensome. The surface of carbon materials contains abundant vacancies, interstitial atoms, boundaries, and other defects. These structural defects are often modified with saturated or unsaturated functional groups containing heteroatoms such as oxygen, nitrogen, etc., thus possessing a certain acid–base property and redox ability, which makes the carbon materials themselves have some catalytic activity. The metal-free carbon catalytic purification of flue gas pollutants offers a promising solution to improve removal efficiency while reducing costs significantly. This review examines the research on carbon materials for the removal of flue gas pollutants, presenting recent advancements in carbon catalysis purification of NO_x, SO₂, and VOCs. It analyzes the critical properties of carbon materials that govern carbon catalytic efficiency, such as surface functional groups, surface defects, and pore structure. Finally, it summarizes methods for regulating these properties to achieve higher efficiencies in the metal-free carbon-catalyzed purification of flue gas pollutants. Full article

The rapid and timely evaluation of the mental health of emergency rescuers can effectively improve the quality of emergency rescues. However, biosensors for mental health evaluation are now facing challenges, such as the rapid and portable detection of multiple mental biomarkers. In this study, a non-invasive, flexible, wearable electrochemical biosensor was constructed based on the self-assembly of nanomagnetic beads for the rapid detection of cortisol in interstitial fluid (ISF) to assess the mental stress of emergency rescuers. Based on a one-step reduction, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were functionally modified on a screen-printed electrode to improve the detection of electrochemical properties. Afterwards, nanocomposites of MXene and multi-wall carbon nanotubes were coated onto the AuNPs layer through a physical deposition to enhance the electron transfer rate. The carboxylated nanomagnetic beads immobilized with a cortisol antibody were treated as sensing elements for the specific recognition of the mental stress marker, cortisol. With the rapid attraction of magnets to nanomagnetic beads, the sensing element can be rapidly replaced on the electrode uniformly, which can lead to extreme improvements in detection efficiency. The detected linear response to cortisol was 0–32 ng/mL. With the integrated reverse iontophoresis technique on a flexible printed circuit board, the ISF can be extracted non-invasively for wearable cortisol detection. The stimulating current was set to be under 1 mA for the extraction, which was within the safe and acceptable range for human bodies. Therefore, based on the positive correlation between cortisol concentration and mental stress, the mental stress of emergency rescuers can be evaluated, which will provide feedback on the psychological statuses of rescuers and effectively improve rescuer safety and rescue efficiency. Full article

This study investigated the thermophysical properties of TWIP steel with respect to grain size. The coefficient of thermal expansion (β) of TWIP steel was approximately 22.4 × 10⁻⁶ °C⁻¹, and this value was hardly affected by the grain size. Therefore the density of TWIP steel was also unaffected by grain size within the tested range. The β in TWIP steel was higher than that of plain carbon steels (13–15 × 10⁻⁶ °C⁻¹) such as interstitial free (IF) steel and low-carbon steel, and stainless steels (18–21 × 10⁻⁶ °C⁻¹) such as X10NiCrMoTiB1515 steel and 18Cr-9Ni-2.95Cu-0.58Nb-0.1C steel. The specific heat capacity (c_p) increased with temperature because the major factor affecting c_p is the lattice vibrations. As the temperature increases, atomic vibrations become more active, allowing the material to store more thermal energy. Meanwhile, c_p slightly increased with increasing grain size since grain boundaries can suppress lattice vibrations and reduce the material’s ability to store thermal energy. The thermal conductivity (k) in TWIP steel gradually increased with temperature, consistent with the behavior observed in other high-alloy metals. k slightly increased with grain size, especially at lower temperatures, due to the increased grain boundary scattering of free electrons and phonons. This trend aligns with the Kapitza resistance model. While TWIP steel with refined grains exhibited higher yield and tensile strengths, this came with a decrease in total elongation and k. Thus, optimizing grain size to enhance both mechanical and thermal properties presents a challenge. The k in TWIP steel was substantially lower compared with that of plain carbon steels such as AISI 4340 steel, especially at low temperatures, due to its higher alloy content. At room temperature, the k of TWIP steels and plain carbon steels were approximately 13 W/m°C and 45 W/m°C, respectively. However, in higher temperature ranges where face centered cubic structures are predominant, the difference in k of the two steels became less pronounced. At 800 °C, for example, TWIP and plain carbon steels exhibited k values of approximately 24 W/m°C and 29 W/m°C, respectively. Full article

Cement is one of the most widely used structural materials and serves as the primary component of concrete. Among the various types, Portland cement is the most commonly utilized due to its excellent strength and corrosion resistance. Recently, efforts have been made to incorporate various functional additives into Portland cement to impart new properties; however, studies on the resulting changes in corrosion resistance remain insufficient. While the existing research has largely focused on impurities in cement, systematic studies on the effects of interstitial elements on the crystallization and electrochemical behavior of cement are scarce. This study investigates the influence of carbon (C) addition on the crystallographic structure and electrochemical properties of Portland cement. C concentrations from 0 to 10 wt.% were added. The microstructure and crystallographic structure with different C concentrations were analyzed using FE-SEM and XRD. The bonding characteristics of cement components according to the C composition were measured using XPS, hardness was measured using Vickers hardness, and electroconductivity was calculated using a 4-point probe. The electrochemical behavior was evaluated according to the ASTM G 61 standards through OCP, EIS, and potentiodynamic polarization tests. As the composition of C increased, the number of voids and cracks decreased, while the electrical conductivity increased from 1.7 × 10⁻⁴ to 4.3 × 10⁻². Additionally, the resistance tended to decrease with the increase in C composition. Therefore, the concentration of C needs to be controlled depending on the required function of the cement. Full article

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a severe complication of certain connective tissue diseases (CTDs) such as systemic sclerosis (SSc), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and it is associated with nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) changes and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Early diagnosis is crucial in order to prevent the progression of ILD, prevent respiratory failure and enhance the patient’s overall quality of life. The most common paraclinical investigations are high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and functional respiratory tests such as forced vital capacity (FVC) and the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO). The most frequent CTD associated with both ILD and NVC changes is systemic sclerosis. The “late” scleroderma pattern was the most common abnormality identified in NVC results in SSc patients. Other autoimmune diseases were also correlated with ILD and NVC changes, especially when the Raynaud phenomenon was present. Low capillary density was associated with the presence and severity of ILD and a reduction in FVC and DLCO. NVC can also differentiate the capillaroscopic changes in some particular types of ILD, such as the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern from the non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) pattern. Nevertheless, further extensive research is necessary in order to establish the diagnostic value of NVC in CTD-ILD in clinical practice. Full article