Análise do diâmetro de cones acessórios calibrados por réguas calibradoras / Diameter analysis of accessory cones calibrated by calibrating rulers

O objetivo do presente estudo foi de comparar o diâmetro dos cones acessórios FM EL calibrados por duas réguas calibradoras com seus respectivos diâmetros nominais. Foram calibrados 80 cones de guta percha FM EL (Odous de Deus) utilizando duas réguas calibradoras das seguintes marcas: Prisma e Denco. Os cones foram divididos em 8 grupos (n=10) de acordo com a régua e com o diâmetro em que foram calibrados. Posteriormente, os cones foram fotografados e tiveram seus D0 mensurados através do software ImageJ. Após a realização da análise estatística utilizando-se os testes de Normalidade de Shapiro-Wilk e o teste t Student (Distribuição Normal), obteve-se os seguintes resultados: não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa com o valor de referência na régua prisma nos cones 40, isto é, em todas as outras situações encontrou-se diferença com os valores de referência. Quando foram comparados os valores das medianas e desvio padrão das duas réguas calibradoras também houve diferença estatisticamente significativa (p<0,05) nos cones 25, 35 e 40. Os cones acessórios FM EL (Odous de Deus) calibrados com a régua Denco diferiram dos diâmetros nominais da régua. Assim, deve-se estar atento à exatidão e precisão desses instrumentos a fim de se evitar possíveis erros de mensuração e interpretação capazes de comprometer o êxito da obturação no tratamento endodôntico.

The aim of the present study was to compare the diameter of the FM EL accessory cones calibrated by two calibrating rulers with their respective nominal diameters 80 FM EL gutta percha cones (Odous of God) were calibrated using two calibrating culers of the following brands: Prisma and Denco. The cones were divided in 8 groups (n=10) according to the ruler and the diameter in which they were calibrated. Posteriorly, the cones were photographed and nad their D0 neasured through the software ImageJ. After performing the statistical analysis using the Shapiro- Wilk Normality tests and the Student T test (Normal Distribution), the following results were obtained: there was no stastistically significant difference with the reference value in the prism rule in the cones 40, that is, in all other situations, a difference was found with the reference values. When the median values and standard deviation of the two calibrating rulers were compared, there was also a statistically significant difference (p<0,05) in cones 25, 35 and 40. The FM EL (Odous of God) accessory cones calibrated eita the Denco ruler differed from the nominal diameters of the ruler. Thus, one must pay attention to the accuracy and precision of these instruments in order to avoid possible errors of measurement and interpretation capable of compromising the success of filling in endodontic treatment.

Research on optimization of mining methods for broken ore bodies based on interval-valued pythagorean fuzzy sets and TOPSIS-GRA.

Identifying the optimal mining methods plays a pivotal role in ensuring both economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. This study aims to propose a model that combines interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy sets (IVPFS) and TOPSIS-GRA to select the optimal mining method for broken ore bodies. First, a multi-factor comprehensive evaluation system, including economic, safety, and technical aspects, was established. IVPFS was introduced to express the fuzzy information of the decision-making process within the evaluation system. Additionally, an objective method combining the principle of fuzzy entropy measurement with EWM was proposed to determine the weights of fuzzy information. This method distinguished the importance of decision-makers and indicators. Then, an integration of distance and similarity (TOPSIS-GRA) was employed for ranking alternative solutions to select the optimal one. This model was applied to the decision-making problem of mining methods for the broken and difficult-to-mine ore bodies in the Tanyaokou mining area. Initial fuzzy evaluation information was obtained by having decision-makers score the mining methods. Results showed that the comprehensive scores of four alternatives are 0.5172, 0.4683, 0.5192, and 0.5465, respectively. The optimal method was the point-pillar upward horizontal layered filling mining method. Finally, the sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of the model. The comparative results under different fuzzy environments (PFS and TFS) demonstrated the strong capability of IVPFS in handling fuzzy information for optimizing mining methods.

Laser-assisted Root Canal Filling Removal of Lower Incisors - A Micro-CT Study.

Aim: To compare the efficiency of root canal filling removal from oval-shaped root canals with high-energy Er:YAG laser and additional instrumentation with a rotary Ni-Ti XP-Endo Finisher R system. Materials and Methods: The in vitro study was accomplished on 12 freshly extracted single-rooted mandibular incisors with one straight oval-shaped root canal, shaped with XP-Endo Shaper 30/.04 and obturated by using the warm vertical condensation technique subjected to further endodontic orthograde retreatment. Group 1: the first retreatment was carried out using a high-energy Er:YAG laser (n = 12). Group 2: the additional retreatment of the same specimens was performed with the XP-Endo Finisher-R system (n = 12). The effectiveness of the retreatment techniques was evaluated by a threefold micro-CT examination. The amount of the remaining root canal filling material was analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test and Friedman tests. Results: A significant decrease in the quantity of the root canal filling was found following the first and after the second retreatment, compared to the initial values in all examined sections (P < 0.001). Within groups, additional application of the Ni-Ti system resulted in no significant removal of the filling materials (P > 0.05). Conclusions: None of the systems resulted in complete root canal filling removal. Despite the improved results after the application of the supplementary retreatment protocol, none of the root canal walls were completely clean in the apical area. The high-energy Er:YAG laser and XP-Endo Finisher R rotary system can be successfully used in endodontic orthograde retreatment under relevant operating parameters.

Comparative Evaluation of Different Obturation Techniques for Root Canal Filling of Permanent Teeth: An In-Vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION: Achieving success in root canal (RC) therapy relies on three key components: comprehensive cleaning of the canal, efficient disinfection, and proper filling of the canal space. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of four obturation techniques: single cone (SC), GuttaCore (GC), cold lateral condensation (LC), and C Point system for RC filling of permanent teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 76 extracted human mandibular first premolars were divided into four groups, with 19 teeth in each group (group A, obturation with SC technique; group B, obturation with GC; group C, obturation with LC; and group D, obturation with C Point system). The samples were marked at 4 mm and 8 mm from the root apex using a marker and calliper, sectioned horizontally, and analyzed under a stereomicroscope at 20x magnification. The mean percentage (%) of gutta-percha (GP)-filled area was compared using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Bonferroni post-hoc test. RESULTS: The mean percentage of GP-filled area at a distance of 4 mm from the apex was highest in group B (0.86±0.04; 95% CI: 0.845-0.881), followed by group D (0.70±0.07; 95% CI: 0.664-0.736), group A (0.61±0.05; 95% CI: 0.595-0.642), and least in group C (0.58±0.09; 95% CI: 0.543-0.627), and the difference was statistically significant (p≤0.05). The post-hoc pairwise comparison of groups at 4 mm revealed that there were statistically significant differences between group D and groups B, C, and A (p ≤ 0.001). The mean percentage of the GP area at a distance of 8 mm from the apex was highest in group B (0.81±0.10; 95% CI: 0.761-0.861), followed by group D (0.75±0.07; 95% CI: 0.725-0.792), group A (0.69±0.07; 95% CI: 0.658-0.729), and lowest in group C (0.65±0.10; 95% CI: 0.607-0.709), and this difference was statistically significant (p≤0.05). Post-hoc pairwise comparison of groups at 8 mm revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between groups D and C (p=0.006), whereas no statistically significant differences were noted between groups D and B (p=0.473). Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were noted between groups C and A at 4 mm and 8 mm (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Obturation with the GC system provided the best results in terms of the percentage of GP-filled area at 4 mm. However, at 8 mm from the apical region, both the GC and C Point systems provided similar results.

Oral/Perioral Reactions to Injectable Soft Tissue Fillers: A Clinicopathological Multicentric Study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of a series of oral reactions to injectable soft tissue fillers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases diagnosed as oral reactions to injectable soft tissue fillers were selected from eight Pathology laboratories. Information was retrieved from the laboratory charts and from the review of the hematoxylin and eosin-stained histological slides. RESULTS: The 151 patients showed a mean age of 54.9 years, and 136 (90.1%) were females. Mean time of onset was 20.4 months, and the lips were the most frequent location (72.8%). Most cases presented as asymptomatic isolated nodules, with a mean size of 17.4 mm. Silicone (38.5%), polymethylmetacrylate (33%), and hyaluronic acid (11.9%) were the three most common fillers. Granulomas, foamy macrophages, and multinucleated giant cells were observed in 44%, 51.5%, and 65.3% of the cases, respectively. Time of onset was shorter for males (p = 0.033), and symptoms were common in the upper lip, buccal mucosa, and lower vestibule (p = 0.010). Foamy macrophages were more common in association with silicone and collagen (p < 0.001), whereas multinucleated giant cells were more common in association with polymethylmetacrylate, hydroxiapatite, and polylactic acid (p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Clinicians should consider reactions to injectable soft tissue fillers when evaluating asymptomatic submucosal nodules affecting the lips of adult/older females.

Optical microscopy evaluation of root canal filling removal by beginner operators in posterior teeth.

This study analyzed the effectiveness of root canal filling removal in lower molars performed by beginner operators using optical microscopy. A total of 55 mandibular first and second molars with mesial roots exhibiting an average curvature of 10-20° were selected based on preoperative radiographs. Instrumentation was done with ProTaper Gold (Dentsply Sirona) up to F2 (25/.08), using 2ml of 2.5% NaOCl irrigation solution after each file. Root canal obturation was performed using gutta-percha points with cold lateral condensation and Sealapex (Kerr Dental). Coronal fillings were made with composite resin and stored in distilled water for two years. Removal of the root canal fillings was performed with AF Retreatment Rotary (AFRR) and AF Blue R3 (AFBR3) (Fanta Dental Materials) under reciprocating motion with 2.5% NaOCl irrigation. Cross-sections of the coronal, middle, and apical thirds were analyzed at 40x magnification using a STEINDORFF POL microscope with a digital camera. Image analysis was conducted using Image J software, version 1.54, to determine the efficiency of root canal filling removal by percentage. Statistical analysis via one-way ANOVA revealed significant differences between distal and mesial roots (P < 0.05). Specifically, for mesial roots, the removal efficiency was 70.65% in the coronal third, 54.66% in the middle third, and 21.32% in the apical third. Significant difficulties were noted due to fractured files, calcifications, and debris accumulation in the isthmuses. The study concluded that the protocol using Fanta files demonstrated significant differences in removal efficiency correlated with root curvature, compounded by the inexperience of beginner operators. The findings highlight the challenges faced by novice practitioners in achieving effective root canal filling removal.

Strategic Design and Mechanistic Understanding of Vacancy-Filling Heusler Thermoelectric Semiconductors.

Doping narrow-gap semiconductors is a well-established approach for designing efficient thermoelectric materials. Semiconducting half-Heusler (HH) and full-Heusler (FH) compounds have garnered significant interest within the thermoelectric field, yet the number of exceptional candidates remains relatively small. It is recently shown that the vacancy-filling approach is a viable strategy for expanding the Heusler family. Here, a range of near-semiconducting Heuslers, TiFexCuySb, creating a composition continuum that adheres to the Slater-Pauling electron counting rule are theoretically designed and experimentally synthesized. The stochastic and incomplete occupation of vacancy sites within these materials imparts continuously changing electrical conductivities, ranging from a good semiconductor with low carrier concentration in the endpoint TiFe0.67Cu0.33Sb to a heavily doped p-type semiconductor with a stoichiometry of TiFe1.00Cu0.20Sb. The optimal thermoelectric performance is experimentally observed in the intermediate compound TiFe0.80Cu0.28Sb, achieving a peak figure of merit of 0.87 at 923 K. These findings demonstrate that vacancy-filling Heusler compounds offer substantial opportunities for developing advanced thermoelectric materials.

Designing hollow-core PCF sensors for high-performance terahertz detection of NaCN and KCN.

Cyanide is very poisonous and raises environmental problems because of its industrial application and potential as a terrorist weapon. Given CN's toxicity and possible hazard to people, an effective and adaptive detection approach is needed. This specification suggests using a PCF to build a terahertz Hexagonal Core and Curved rectangular air holes sensor to detect NaCN and KCN. The recently created PCF analysis, which was promptly delivered, reveals an RS concentration of 99.62 % for NaCN and a maximum concentration of KCN is 99.08 %. In addition, we analyzed the Confinement Loss (CL) at a value of 5.88 × 10-09 dB/m and 2.07 × 10-05 dB/m, as well as EML at values of 0.0020 cm-1 and 0.0026 cm-1, accordingly, about these hazardous substances. The designed detector can identify NaCN and KCN at low concentrations even with small RI shifts due to its high sensitivity. Real-time NaCN and KCN detection and monitoring through nerve reflexes is essential for life-threatening conditions. It can selectively work in NaCN and KCN, ensuring accurate detection even in complex chemical compositions. Additionally, its tiny size allows for emergency use.

Sodium stress-induced oxidative damage and antioxidant responses during grain filling in Indica rice.

KEY MESSAGE: Sodium treatment caused the sodium ion accumulation at the milk stage of immature rice grains which in turn triggered the overproduction of reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage. The tolerant cultivar showed an enhanced antioxidative response and induced expressions of OsNHX and OsHKT ion-transporters. Sodium chloride-(NaCl) induced soil salinity is a major constraint hindering global rice production. Amongst its constituent ions, sodium (Na+) is known to be the main driver of toxicity under salt stress. The present investigation aims to measure the impacts of excess Na+ during rice grain filling using two Indica rice cultivars with opposite tolerances to salt (salt tolerant: Panvel-3, salt-sensitive: Sahyadri-3) mainly via oxidative and responsive antioxidative pathways. Plants were treated with Na+-specific treatments and NaCl with equimolar Na+ levels (100 mM) at the initiation of the reproductive phase. Stressed and control plants were harvested at three different grain-filling stages- early milk, milk, and dough and assessed for ion accumulation and oxidative damage/antioxidant responses under Na+ stress. Na+ toxicity triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and upregulated the responsive enzymatic antioxidants. Na+ stress also increased the nitric oxide (NO) levels and the activity of nitrate reductase in immature grains. Differential expression levels of OsNHX and OsHKT transporters were observed in response to Na+ stress. Mature grains displayed a high accumulation of Na+ along with reduced K+ content and elevated Na+/K+ under high Na+ availability. The alterations in mature grains' sugar, starch, and protein content were also observed in response to the Na+ stress. Overall, the salt-tolerant cultivar displayed higher antioxidant activities and a lower rate of ROS generation in response to the Na+ stress. Results suggested a link between Na+ accumulation, Na+-mediated stress responses via anti/-oxidant pathways, and the grain-filling process in both rice cultivars.

Machine learning and structural equation modeling for revealing the influence factors and pathways of different water management regimes acting on brown rice cadmium.

Excessive cadmium (Cd) in brown rice has detrimental effects on rice growth and human health. Water management is a cost-effective, eco-friendly measure to suppress Cd accumulation in rice. However, there is no acknowledged water management regime that reduces Cd accumulation in brown rice without compromising the yield. Meanwhile, the major factors affecting brown rice Cd and the pathways of water management affecting rice Cd are not clear. This study explored major factors affecting brown rice Cd using machine learning (ML) and examined the pathways of water management affecting rice Cd using a structural equation model (SEM). Three water management systems were set up, namely flooding, water-saving, and wetting irrigation. Results showed that water-saving irrigation increased dry matter and reduced Cd content and translocation. Root uptake during the grain filling stage and Cd remobilization before the grain filling stage contributed 36 % and 64 % of the Cd accumulation in brown rice, respectively. ML explained 97 % of the variance, suggesting that crop covariates were the most important (e.g., the brown rice bioconcentration factor (12 %), stem Cd (9 %), root-to-stem translocation factor (7 %)), followed by soil covariates (e.g., reducing substances 12 %) and water management (3 %). All SEM explanatory variables collectively explained 94 % of the variation, with a predictive power of 76 %. Water treatments indirectly affected soil available Fe and Mn (indirect effect coefficient = 0.909), iron plaques (indirect effect coefficient = 0.866), soil available Cd (indirect effect coefficient = -0.671), and Cd intensity of xylem sap (BICd, indirect effect coefficient = -0.664) via pH and reducing substances. BICd significantly positively affected stem Cd (path coefficient = 0.445). These findings provide insight into the agronomic and environmental effects of water management on brown rice Cd and influence pathways in soil-rice systems, suggesting that water-saving irrigation may alleviate Cd contamination in the paddy soil.

Explanation of puzzling FQHE at the filling fraction 3/4 in a band-hole 2D system in GaAs.

A recent experiment revealed an unexpected FQHE at filling fraction 3/4 in a GaAs 2D hole system, which contradicts the composite fermion model prediction and the observation of a compressible Hall metal-type state in a twin 2D electron system in GaAs at the same filling fraction 3/4 at almost same other conditions. This finding challenges conventional effective single-quasiparticle model for FQHE exposing its limitations. We explain this experimental observation within a multiparticle approach based on a topological cyclotron commensurability criterion. This allows to generalize Laughlin function for filling fractions from the complete FQHE hierarchy including observable FQHE states at even denominator fractions. The topological multiparticle approach helps to decipher a structure of composite fermions and provides their generalization for so-called enigmatic states including even denominator filling fractions, and also for quantum fractional Hall-type behavior in Chern topological insulators without a magnetic field.

[Biomechanical study of three-dimensional printed filler block design in open wedge high tibial osteotomy].

The use of a filling block can improve the initial stability of the fixation plate in the open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO), and promote bone healing. However, the biomechanical effects of filling block structures and materials on OWHTO remain unclear. OWHTO anatomical filling block model was designed and built. The finite element analysis method was adopted to study the influence of six filling block structure designs and four different materials on the stress of the fixed plate, tibia, screw, and filling block, and the micro-displacement at the wedge gap of the OWHTO fixation system. After the filling block was introduced in the OWHTO, the maximum von Mises stress of the fixation plate was reduced by more than 30%, the maximum von Mises stress of the tibia decreased by more than 15%, and the lateral hinge decreased by 81%. When the filling block was designed to be filled in the posterior position of the wedge gap, the maximum von Mises stress of the fixation system was 97.8 MPa, which was smaller than other filling methods. The minimum micro-displacement of osteotomy space was -2.9 µm, which was larger than that of other filling methods. Compared with titanium alloy and tantalum metal materials, porous hydroxyapatite material could obtain larger micro-displacement in the osteotomy cavity, which is conducive to stimulating bone healing. The results demonstrate that OWHTO with a filling block can better balance the stress distribution of the fixation system, and a better fixation effect can be obtained by using a filling block filled in the posterior position. Porous HA used as the material of the filling block can obtain a better bone healing effect.

Left atrial deformation analysis in patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy in atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common comorbidity in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) affecting conventional measures of left atrial (LA) function. We aimed to determine whether LA function analysis could identify patients at higher risk of major cardiovascular events (MACEs). Methods and results: A retrospective study of patients with NIDCM in AF referred to a single centre for transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) between 2015 and 2019. Peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) was measured along with LA emptying fraction and LA filling index (LAFI = E wave/PALS). Cox regression analysis was conducted. A total of 153 patients were included [median age 74 years, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 35%], and 57 (37.3%) had MACE after a median follow-up of 3.2 years. LAFI was the only independent TTE parameter associated with MACE after adjustment for age, diabetes, LVEF, left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS), and LA volume index [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.02 per point increase, P = 0.024], with the best cut-off at ≥15. LAFI ≥15 predicted each of MACE components when separately analysed: MACE HR = 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16-3.30; cardiovascular death HR = 3.68, 95% CI 1.41-9.56, heart failure admission HR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.19-3.80, and ventricular arrhythmia HR = 4.72, 95% CI 1.52-14.67. Higher LAFI was associated with worsening LV-GLS, E/e', systolic pulmonary artery (PA) pressure, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and right ventricular to PA coupling. Conclusion: LA deformation analysis is feasible in patients with NIDCM presenting with AF. LAFI may identify patients at higher risk of MACE and correlates with higher pulmonary pressures and worse right ventricular function, suggesting an elevation of left-sided ventricular pressures in patients with higher LAFI.

Correlates of sleep-disordered breathing and Cheyne-Stokes respiration in patients with atrial fibrillation who have undergone pulmonary vein isolation.

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a common comorbidity in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for AF have a high prevalence of SDB. In previous studies, some patients with AF had Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR). The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of SDB and the correlates of SDB severity and CSR in AF patients who have undergone PVI. The study was conducted using a single-center observational design. All participants underwent a home sleep apnea test (ApneaLink Air, ResMed, Australia), which could determine the severity of SDB as assessed by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the percentage of CSR (%CSR) pattern. 139 AF patients who underwent PVI were included in the study. Overall, 38 (27.3%) patients had no SDB (AHI < 5), 53 (38.1%) had mild SDB (5 ≤ AHI < 15), 33 (23.7%) had moderate SDB (15 ≤ AHI < 30), and 15 (10.8%) had severe SDB (AHI ≥ 30). Correlates of the increased AHI included male sex (ß = 0.23, p = 0.004), age (ß = 0.19, p = 0.020), high body mass index (ß = 0.31, p < 0.001), and ß blockers usage (ß = 0.18, p = 0.024). Conversely, correlates with the %CSR rate included male sex (ß = 0.18, p = 0.020), age (ß = 0.19, p = 0.015), non-paroxysmal AF (ß = 0.22, p = 0.008), and high glycohemoglobin A1c (ß = 0.36, p < 0.001) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (ß = 0.24, p = 0.005) levels. SDB is prevalent in patients with AF who have undergone PVI; predisposing factors for SDB include male sex, older age, and obesity. CSR occurs in patients with AF who have undergone PVI; predisposing factors for CSR include male sex, older age, high left ventricular filling pressure, and abnormal blood glucose level.

The Impact of Secondary Structure on the Base-Filling of N-Methoxy-1,3-Oxazinane (MOANA) and N-Methoxy-1,3-Oxazolidine Glycol Nucleic Acid (MOGNA) Oligonucleotides.

Various single-stranded and hairpin-forming DNA and 2´-O-methyl-RNA oligonucleotides bearing a single (2R,3S)-4-(methoxyamino)butane-1,2,3-triol residue esterified from either O1 and O2 or O1 and O3 were synthesized. Incubation of these oligonucleotides with equimolar mixtures of formylmethyl derivatives of the canonical nucleobases and 2-methylbenzimidazole under mildly acidic conditions revealed base-filling of the modified site to be strongly favored by base stacking of a double-helix, especially an A-type one. In 2´-O-methyl-RNA hairpin oligonucleotides, base-filling of the (2R,3S)-4-(methoxyamino)butane-1,2,3-triol residue with nucleobase aldehydes followed the rules of Watson-Crick base pairing, thymine being the only exception. In single-stranded oligonucleotides or the Hoogsteen strand of triple helices, both the yield and selectivity of base-filling were much more modest.

Experimental Investigation on the Acoustic Insulation Properties of Filled Paper Honeycomb-Core Wallboards.

Honeycomb plates, due to their multi-cavity structure, exhibit excellent mechanical properties and sound insulation. Previous studies have demonstrated that altering the cell size and arrangement of honeycomb structures impacts their acoustic performance. Based on these findings, this study developed a wallboard structure with enhanced sound insulation by filling the cavities with paper fiber/cement facesheets and designing a stacked core structure. Through the reverberation chamber-anechoic chamber sound insulation experiment under 100-6300 Hz excitation and conducting orthogonal experiments from three dimensions, it was found that: (1) Compared to no filling, the filling with straw and glazed hollow bead can increase the sound transmission loss (STL) by more than 50% in the frequency bandwidth above 2000 Hz. This indicates that both types of fillings can significantly enhance the sound insulation performance of the honeycomb structure without a significant increase in economic costs. (2) The increase in paper fiber/cement facesheets improves the STL across the entire experimental bandwidth, with a maximum improvement exceeding 70%. This structural design not only offers superior sound insulation performance but also better suits practical engineering applications. (3) Increasing the number of core stacking units (from one to three), taking straw-filled paper honeycomb-core wallboards as an example, effectively increased the STL bandwidth. (4) This test enriches the application of honeycomb plates in sound insulation. Introducing fiber paper fiber/cement facesheets and eco-friendly, low-cost straw improves sound insulation and enhances the strength of honeycomb, making them more suitable for construction, particularly as non-load-bearing structures.

Enhanced High-Temperature Thermoelectric Performance in Te-Doped Electronegative Element-Filled Skutterudites via Suppressing Bipolar Effects and Enhanced Phonon Scattering.

CoSb3-based skutterudites have great potential as midtemperature thermoelectric (TE) materials due to their low cost and excellent electrical and mechanical properties. Their application, however, is limited by the high thermal conductivity and the degradation of TE performance at elevated temperatures, attributed to the adverse effects of bipolar diffusion. Herein, a series of SeyCo4Sb12-xTex compounds were successfully synthesized by combining a solid-state reaction and spark plasma sintering techniques to mitigate these challenges. It was found that doping Te at the Sb sites effectively enhanced the carrier concentration and suppressed the bipolar effect to obtain a superior power factor of ∼43 µW cm-1 K-2. Furthermore, due to the low resonant frequency of Se, filling voids of CoSb3 with Se achieved a low lattice thermal conductivity of 1.55 W m-1 K-1. Nevertheless, Se filling introduced additional holes, reducing the carrier concentration without a significant detriment of the carrier mobility. As a result, a maximum figure of merit of 1.23 was achieved for Se0.1Co4Sb11.55Te0.45 at 773 K. This work provides a valuable guidance for selecting appropriate filling and doping components to achieve synergistic optimization of the acoustics and electronics of CoSb3-based skutterudites.

Evaluation of the systemic effect of bone formation marker released by endodontic calcium silicate-based sealers in local tissues, the bloodstream, and body organs.

Calcium silicate-based sealers are bioactive materials that release ions when in contact with body fluids. Therefore, this study aims mapping/trace bone formation markers released by MTA Fillapex, BioRoot RCS, and experimental tricalcium silicate-based sealer (CEO) into subcutaneous tissues, bloodstream and body organs. Toward, polyethylene tubes filled with sealers were implanted into connective tissue of Wistar rats. On days 7, 15, 30, and 45 after implantation, blood samples were collected to measure calcium (Ca2+), phosphorus (P), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels. Thereafter, the animals were killed, and the brain, liver, kidneys, and subcutaneous tissue were removed and processed to determine the concentrations of Ca2+ and P by ICP-OES. Similar Ca2+ levels were observed in subcutaneous tissue for all groups, although, at 45 days, it was identified a reduction in Ca2+ serum levels of CEO compared to those two other sealers and an increase in Ca2+ levels in the liver compared to those released by MTA Fillapex. In contrast, no trace of P was detected in any tissue; moreover, plasma P and ALP serum levels of MTA Fillapex were higher at day 30. Our findings showed that Ca2+ were identified in local tissues, bloodstream, and organs from all sealers. The up-regulation of bone marker levels promoted by sealers can modify body homeostasis and induce tissue damage. Besides, MTA Fillapex was associated with a raise of bone marker levels, suggesting a possible systemic effect. The sealer composition can affect not only the local repair process but also the systemic health.

Sulfur filling activates vacancy-induced C-C bond cleavage in polyol electrooxidation.

Using the electrochemical polyol oxidation reaction (POR) to produce formic acid over nickel-based oxides/hydroxides (NiO x H y ) is an attractive strategy for the electrochemical upgrading of biomass-derived polyols. The key step in the POR, i.e. the cleavage of the C-C bond, depends on an oxygen-vacancy-induced mechanism. However, a high-energy oxygen vacancy is usually ineffective for Schottky-type oxygen-vacancy-rich ß-Ni(OH)2 (VSO-ß-Ni(OH)2). As a result, both ß-Ni(OH)2 and VSO-ß-Ni(OH)2 cannot continuously catalyze oxygen-vacancy-induced C-C bond cleavage during PORs. Here, we report a strategy of oxygen-vacancy-filling with sulfur to synthesize a ß-Ni(OH)2 (S-VO-ß-Ni(OH)2) catalyst, whose oxygen vacancies are protected by filling with sulfur atoms. During PORs over S-VO-ß-Ni(OH)2, the pre-electrooxidation-induced loss of sulfur and structural self-reconstruction cause the in-situ generation of stable Frenkel-type oxygen vacancies for activating vacancy-induced C-C bond cleavage, thus leading to excellent POR performances. This work provides an intelligent approach for guaranteeing the sustaining action of the oxygen-vacancy-induced catalytic mechanism in electrooxidation reactions.

Modulation optimization when using a splitter pump after the first dimension in comprehensive two- dimensional liquid chromatography.

The rapid growth in the use of two dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) applied to the analysis of moderately to highly complex mixtures, has been fueled by continuous improvements in performance and robustness of the instrument components, as well as the ease-of-use of software necessary for controlling the 2D-LC instrument hardware, and analysis of the large data files that result from this type of work. This work has focused on the evaluation of the performance of an online full comprehensive mode (LC×LC), when an active modulation is implemented using a flow splitter pump placed after the 1D effluent. Two different types of splitting pumps were evaluated: a binary ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) pump and a high precision syringe pump. We analyzed the performance (reproducibility in peak area and retention times and the 2D peak dispersion) as a function of the location of the active pump Before or After the modulation valve, and the influence of connecting tubes (based on internal diameter and length) necessary between the interface, waste, and the splitting pump. The effect on the flow direction on the filling and flushing of the injection loops at the modulation valve was also analyzed for each pump. In this study, we demonstrate that flow-splitting LCxLC assembly can be performed using either a UHPLC binary pump or a simple syringe pump. Flow splitting after the first dimension is a straightforward strategy to: (i) independently select the 1D column and flow rates with respect to the second dimension; (ii) consciously dilute the eluate according to the solvent characteristics of the second dimension, thereby avoiding 2D peak distortions; and (iii) adapt the injected amount to the second column according to the relative concentration of the components in a complex sample. However, careful consideration of the system setup is necessary. It is demonstrated how experimental results can be significantly affected in terms of peak broadening and reproducibility if optimization of the interface is not taken into account. In addition, under the optimized conditions, the reproducibility in peak area and dispersion in the 2D dimension were evaluated as a function of the amount of sample transferred in terms of percentage of filled loop.