Small change, big change – Increasing attention with product package variations

Sangihe-Moluccas region is the most active seismicity in Indonesia. Between 2015 to 2018 there is four M6 class earthquake occurred close to the Sangihe-Moluccas region. These seismic active regions representing active deformation which is recorded on installed GPS for both campaign and continuous station. However, the origin of those frequent earthquakes has not been well understood especially related to GPS-derived secular motion. Therefore, we intend to estimate the secular motion inside and around Sangihe island. On the other hand, we also evaluate the effect of seismicity on GPS sites. Since our GPS data were conducted on yearly basis, we used an empirical global model of surface displacement due to coseismic activity. We calculate the offset that may be contained in the GPS site during its period. We remove the offset and estimate again the secular motion using linear least square. Hence, in comparison with the secular motion without considering the seismicity, we observe small change but systematically shifting the motion. We concluded the seismicity in the Molucca sea from 2015 to 2018 systematically change the secular motion around Sangihe Island at the sub-mm level. Finally, we obtained the secular motion toward each other between the east and west side within 1 to 5.5 cm/year displacement.

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The Influence of Nitrogen Position on Charge Carrier Mobility in Enantiopure Aza[6]helicene Crystals

10.26434/chemrxiv.7458719.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Francesco Salerno ◽

Beth Rice ◽

Julia Schmidt ◽

Matthew J. Fuchter ◽

Jenny Nelson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solid State ◽

Charge Carrier ◽

Carrier Mobility ◽

Chemical Structure ◽

Crystal Packing ◽

Charge Carrier Mobility ◽

Individual Factor ◽

Charge Mobility ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Small Change

The properties of an organic semiconductor are dependent on both the chemical structure of the molecule involved, and how it is arranged in the solid-state. It is challenging to extract the influence of each individual factor, as small changes in the molecular structure often dramatically change the crystal packing and hence solid-state structure. Here, we use calculations to explore the influence of the nitrogen position on the charge mobility of a chiral organic molecule when the crystal packing is kept constant. The transfer integrals for a series of enantiopure aza[6]helicene crystals sharing the same packing were analysed in order to identify the best supramolecular motifs to promote charge carrier mobility. The regioisomers considered differ only in the positioning of the nitrogen atom in the aromatic scaffold. The simulations showed that even this small change in the chemical structure has a strong effect on the charge transport in the crystal, leading to differences in charge mobility of up to one order of magnitude. Some aza[6]helicene isomers that were packed interlocked with each other showed high HOMO-HOMO integrals (up to 70 meV), whilst molecules arranged with translational symmetry generally afforded the highest LUMO-LUMO integrals (40 - 70 meV). As many of the results are not intuitively obvious, a computational approach provides additional insight into the design of new semiconducting organic materials.

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Product package labels for electronic components using bar code and two-dimensional symbologies

10.3403/02785817u ◽

2015 ◽

Keyword(s):

Two Dimensional ◽

Electronic Components ◽

Bar Code ◽

Product Package

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Health informatics. Requirements for international machine-readable coding of medicinal product package identifiers

10.3403/30376065 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Product ◽

Health Informatics ◽

Machine Readable ◽

Product Package

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The Additive Influence of Propane-1,2-Diol on SDS Micellar Structure and Properties

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26123773 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (12) ◽

pp. 3773

Author(s):

Martina Gudelj ◽

Paola Šurina ◽

Lucija Jurko ◽

Ante Prkić ◽

Perica Bošković

Keyword(s):

Mixed Solvents ◽

Sodium Dodecyl ◽

Shielding Effect ◽

Bulk Solution ◽

Structure And Properties ◽

Micellar Structure ◽

Related Substances ◽

Micellar Systems ◽

Small Change ◽

Additive Influence

Micellar systems are colloids with significant properties for pharmaceutical and food applications. They can be used to formulate thermodynamically stable mixtures to solubilize hydrophobic food-related substances. Furthermore, micellar formation is a complex process in which a variety of intermolecular interactions determine the course of formation and most important are the hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions between surfactant–solvent and solvent–solvent. Glycols are organic compounds that belong to the group of alcohols. Among them, propane-1,2-diol (PG) is a substance commonly used as a food additive or ingredient in many cosmetic and hygiene products. The nature of the additive influences the micellar structure and properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). When increasing the mass fraction of propane-1,2-diol in binary mixtures, the c.m.c. values decrease because propane-1,2-diol is a polar solvent, which gives it the ability to form hydrogen bonds, decreasing the cohesivity of water and reducing the dielectric constant of the aqueous phase. The values of ΔGm0 are negative in all mixed solvents according to the reduction in solvophobic interactions and increase in electrostatic interaction. With the rising concentration of cosolvent, the equilibrium between cosolvent in bulk solution and in the formed micelles is on the side of micelles, leading to the formation of micelles at a lower concentration with a small change in micellar size. According to the 1H NMR, with the addition of propylene glycol, there is a slight shift of SDS peaks towards lower ppm regions in comparison to the D2O peak. The shift is more evident with the increase in the amount of added propane-1,2-diol in comparison to the NMR spectra of pure SDS. Addition of propane-1,2-diol causes the upfield shift of the protons associated with hydrophilic groups, causing the shielding effect. This signifies that the alcohol is linked with the polar head groups of SDS due to its proximity to the SDS molecules.

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Trends and Inequalities in Overall and Abdominal Obesity by Sociodemographic Factors in Korean Adults, 1998–2018

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084162 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4162

Author(s):

Ha-Jin Jang ◽

Hannah Oh

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Abdominal Obesity ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Nutrition Examination Survey ◽

Obesity Prevalence ◽

Korean Adults ◽

Health And Nutrition ◽

Education College ◽

Small Change ◽

Over Time

Few studies have comprehensively examined the nationwide trends in overall and abdominal obesity prevalence and related sociodemographic inequalities in Korea. In the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1998–2018, we estimated the age-standardized prevalence of overall (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2) and abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥ 90 cm men, ≥85 cm women) in each sociodemographic subgroup of Korean adults (aged 19–79 years). For each survey year, weighted logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between obesity prevalence and sociodemographic factors. During the study period, the prevalence of overall and abdominal obesity increased in men (24.8% to 42.4%; 20.1% to 32.1%; respectively) but only a small change was observed in women (26.5% to 26.0%; 22.7% to 20.9%; respectively). Obesity prevalence increased in all sociodemographic groups of men but varied across groups in women. In women, income (4th vs. 1st quartiles in 2016–2018: OR (95% CI) = 0.66 (0.56–0.78) overall obesity; 0.60 (0.51–0.71) abdominal obesity) and education (college or higher vs. high school or less: 0.62 (0.54–0.72) overall obesity; 0.58 (0.50–0.68) abdominal obesity) were inversely associated with obesity prevalence, and the gaps became more pronounced since 2007. Our data suggest that the inequalities in obesity prevalence by sex and by socioeconomic status have become more apparent over time in Korea.

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An Anti-Counterfeiting Architecture for Traceability System Based on Modified Two-Level Quick Response Codes

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics10030320 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 320

Author(s):

Shundao Xie ◽

Hong-Zhou Tan

Keyword(s):

Product Life Cycle ◽

Low Cost ◽

Prototype System ◽

Qr Code ◽

Quick Response ◽

Copy Detection ◽

Traceability System ◽

Scanned Image ◽

Promising Solution ◽

Product Package

Traceability is considered a promising solution for product safety. However, the data in the traceability system is only a claim rather than a fact. Therefore, the quality and safety of the product cannot be guaranteed since we cannot ensure the authenticity of products (aka counterfeit detection) in the real world. In this paper, we focus on counterfeit detection for the traceability system. The risk of counterfeiting throughout a typical product life cycle in the supply chain is analyzed, and the corresponding requirements for the tags, packages, and traceability system are given to eliminate these risks. Based on the analysis, an anti-counterfeiting architecture for traceability system based on two-level quick response codes (2LQR codes) is proposed, where the problem of counterfeit detection for a product is transformed into the problem of copy detection for the 2LQR code tag. According to the characteristics of the traceability system, the generation progress of the 2LQR code is modified, and there is a corresponding improved algorithm to estimate the actual location of patterns in the scanned image of the modified 2LQR code tag to improve the performance of copy detection. A prototype system based on the proposed architecture is implemented, where the consumers can perform traceability information queries by scanning the 2LQR code on the product package with any QR code reader. They can also scan the 2LQR code with a home-scanner or office-scanner, and send the scanned image to the system to perform counterfeit detection. Compared with other anti-counterfeiting solutions, the proposed architecture has advantages of low cost, generality, and good performance. Therefore, it is a promising solution to replace the existing anti-counterfeiting system.

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A prospective study to establish the minimal clinically important difference of the Mini-BESTest in individuals with stroke

Clinical Rehabilitation ◽

10.1177/02692155211025131 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026921552110251

Author(s):

Marla K Beauchamp ◽

Rudy Niebuhr ◽

Patricia Roche ◽

Renata Kirkwood ◽

Kathryn M Sibley

Keyword(s):

Stroke Rehabilitation ◽

Minimal Clinically Important Difference ◽

Clinical Importance ◽

Minimal Detectable Change ◽

Global Rating ◽

Detectable Change ◽

Clinically Important Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

Small Change ◽

A Prospective Study

Objective: To determine the minimal clinically important difference of the Mini-BESTest in individuals’ post-stroke. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Outpatient stroke rehabilitation. Subjects: Fifty outpatients with stroke with a mean (SD) age of 60.8 (9.4). Intervention: Outpatients with stroke were assessed with the Mini-BESTest before and after a course of conventional rehabilitation. Rehabilitation sessions occurred one to two times/week for one hour and treatment duration was 1.3–42 weeks (mean (SD) = 17.4(10.6)). Main measures: We used a combination of anchor- and distribution-based approaches including a global rating of change in balance scale completed by physiotherapists and patients, the minimal detectable change with 95% confidence, and the optimal cut-point from receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: The average (SD) Mini-BESTest score at admission was 18.2 (6.5) and 22.4 (5.2) at discharge (effect size: 0.7) ( P = 0.001). Mean change scores on the Mini-BESTest for patient and physiotherapist ratings of small change were 4.2 and 4.3 points, and 4.7 and 5.3 points for substantial change, respectively. The minimal detectable change with 95% confidence for the Mini-BESTest was 3.2 points. The minimally clinical importance difference was determined to be 4 points for detecting small changes and 5 points for detecting substantial changes. Conclusions: A change of 4–5 points on the Mini-BEST is required to be perceptible to clinicians and patients, and beyond measurement error. These values can be used to interpret changes in balance in stroke rehabilitation research and practice.

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Analysis and Mapping of Detailed Inner Information of Crystalline Grain by Wavelength-Resolved Neutron Transmission Imaging with Individual Bragg-Dip Profile-Fitting Analysis

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11115219 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 5219

Author(s):

Yosuke Sakurai ◽

Hirotaka Sato ◽

Nozomu Adachi ◽

Satoshi Morooka ◽

Yoshikazu Todaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crystal Orientation ◽

Perfect Crystal ◽

Imaging Method ◽

Transmission Imaging ◽

Profile Fitting ◽

Imaging Results ◽

Integrated Intensity ◽

Small Change ◽

Integrated Intensities ◽

Pulsed Neutron

As a new method for evaluating single crystals and oligocrystals, pulsed neutron Bragg-dip transmission analysis/imaging method is being developed. In this study, a single Bragg-dip profile-fitting analysis method was newly developed, and applied for analyzing detailed inner information in a crystalline grain position-dependently. In the method, the spectrum profile of a single Bragg-dip is analyzed at each position over a grain. As a result, it is expected that changes in crystal orientation, mosaic spread angle and thickness of a perfect crystal can be evaluated from the wavelength, the width and the integrated intensity of the Bragg-dip, respectively. For confirming this effectiveness, the method was applied to experimental data of position-dependent Bragg-dip transmission spectra of a Si-steel plate consisting of oligocrystals. As a result, inner information of multiple crystalline grains could be visualized and evaluated. The small change in crystal orientation in a grain, about 0.4°, could be observed by imaging the Bragg-dip wavelengths. By imaging the Bragg-dip widths, both another grain and mosaic block in a grain were detected. Furthermore, imaging results of the integrated intensities of Bragg-dips were consistent with the results of Bragg-dip width imaging. These small crystallographic changes have not been observed and visualized by previous Bragg-dip analysis methods.

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All-Dielectric Metasurface for Sensing Microcystin-LR

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics10111363 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1363

Author(s):

Binze Ma ◽

Ao Ouyang ◽

Juechen Zhong ◽

Pavel A. Belov ◽

Ravindra Kumar Sinha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Factor ◽

Bound States ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Concentration Limit ◽

Specific Recognition ◽

Low Concentrations ◽

Freshwater Bodies ◽

Toxic Pollutant ◽

Small Change ◽

Dielectric Metasurface

Sensing Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is an important issue for environmental monitoring, as the MC-LR is a common toxic pollutant found in freshwater bodies. The demand for sensitive detection method of MC-LR at low concentrations can be addressed by metasurface-based sensors, which are feasible and highly efficient. Here, we demonstrate an all-dielectric metasurface for sensing MC-LR. Its working principle is based on quasi-bound states in the continuum mode (QBIC), and it manifests a high-quality factor and high sensitivity. The dielectric metasurface can detect a small change in the refractive index of the surrounding environment with a quality factor of ~170 and a sensitivity of ~788 nm/RIU. MC-LR can be specifically identified in mixed water with a concentration limit of as low as 0.002 μg/L by a specific recognition technique for combined antigen and antibody. Furthermore, the demonstrated detection of MC-LR can be extended to the identification and monitoring of other analytes, such as viruses, and the designed dielectric metasurface can serve as a monitor platform with high sensitivity and high specific recognition capability.

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