Does Anatomic Phenotype of Mitral Annular Disjunction Impact Survival? An Autopsy-Based Retrospective Study

Controversies have been raised regarding the prevalence and potential clinical significance of mitral annular disjunction (MAD). We aim to address the anatomic characteristics of MAD and their association, if any, on survival. We retrospectively reviewed 1373 consecutive dissected hearts (1017 men, mean age at death 44.9 ± 0.4 y) and frequently detected MAD (median disjunctional length: 2.0 mm, range: 1.5 mm~8.5 mm), with the prevalence of 92.1% over the entire mitral annulus and 74.9% within the posterior annulus (pMAD). The presence of pMAD was associated with increased all-cause mortality (45 y vs. 49 y, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11~1.47, p < 0.001), which persisted in the context of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs; 46 y vs. 51 y, HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.14~1.56, p < 0.001) but was insignificant in those without CVDs. Compared to those without pMAD, individuals with pMAD affecting the entire posterior annulus or having a mean standardized length of ≥1.78 showed other clinically significant cardiovascular phenotypes, including the enlargement of aortic annular circumferences and a higher occurrence of thoracic aortic aneurysm/dissection. This largest series of autopsies show that MAD is a common phenotype that may exert additive influence on the survival of individuals. It is necessary to establish a precise classification and stratification of MAD.

The Progress of Additive Engineering for CH3NH3PbI3 Photo-Active Layer in the Context of Perovskite Solar Cells

Methylammonium lead triiodide (CH3NH3PbI3/MAPbI3) is the most intensively explored perovskite light-absorbing material for hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite photovoltaics due to its unique optoelectronic properties and advantages. This includes tunable bandgap, a higher absorption coefficient than conventional materials used in photovoltaics, ease of manufacturing due to solution processability, and low fabrication costs. In addition, the MAPbI3 absorber layer provides one of the highest open-circuit voltages (Voc), low Voc loss/deficit, and low exciton binding energy, resulting in better charge transport with decent charge carrier mobilities and long diffusion lengths of charge carriers, making it a suitable candidate for photovoltaic applications. Unfortunately, MAPbI3 suffers from poor photochemical stability, which is the main problem to commercialize MAPbI3-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, researchers frequently adopt additive engineering to overcome the issue of poor stability. Therefore, in this review, we have classified additives as organic and inorganic additives. Organic additives are subclassified based on functional groups associated with N/O/S donor atoms; whereas, inorganic additives are subcategorized as metals and non-metal halide salts. Further, we discussed their role and mechanism in terms of improving the performance and stability of MAPbI3-based PSCs. In addition, we scrutinized the additive influence on the morphology and optoelectronic properties to gain a deeper understanding of the crosslinking mechanism into the MAPbI3 framework. Our review aims to help the research community, by providing a glance of the advancement in additive engineering for the MAPbI3 light-absorbing layer, so that new additives can be designed and experimented with to overcome stability challenges. This, in turn, might pave the way for wide scale commercial use.

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

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.

Look at what I can do: Object affordances guide visual attention while speakers describe potential actions

As we act on the world around us, our eyes seek out objects we plan to interact with. A growing body of evidence suggests that overt visual attention selects objects in the environment that could be interacted with, even when the task precludes physical interaction. Our previous work showed objects that afford grasping interactions influenced attention when static scenes depicted reachable spaces, and attention was otherwise better explained by general meaning (Rehrig, Peacock, et al., 2021). Because grasping is but one of many object interactions, our previous work may have downplayed the influence of object affordances on attention. The current study investigated the relationship between overt visual attention and object affordances versus broadly construed semantic information in scenes as speakers describe possible actions. In addition to meaning and grasp maps—which capture informativeness and grasping object affordances in scenes, respectively—we introduce interact maps, which capture affordances more broadly. In a mixed-effects analysis of 3 eyetracking experiments, interact map values predicted fixated regions in all experiments, whereas there was no main effect of meaning, and grasp maps marginally predicted fixated locations for scenes that depicted reachable spaces only. Our findings suggest speakers consistently allocate attention to scene regions that could be readily interacted with when describing the possible actions in a scene, while the other variants of semantic information tested (graspability and general meaning) have a compensatory or additive influence on attention. The current study clarifies the importance of object affordances in guiding visual attention in scenes.

EFFICIENCY OF PORK PRODUCTION AT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF PIGS REARING AND THEIR RESISTANCE

It was found that sows fed by Hliutam 1M for 3 days from the second day of insemination had 96.6% fertility, it was by 13.3% more than in the control. The feed additive effect on energy metabolism of piglets in the period of weaning from sows was studied. It was found that the supplement Humilid causes an increased glucose concentration, increased activity of alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase within the physiological norm in the blood plasma of experimental group animals. These data indicate the intensification of energy metabolism and stimulation of phosphorylation processes under the feed additive influence of the addition. The obtained results are relevant for increasing the adaptability of piglets. The efficiency of soybean meal was proved due to the increase of its relative amount in the structure of the diet, it leads to an increase in the average daily gain of live weight of pigs by 1 kg or more reducing the time of their fattening. Resistance and productivity of replacement pigs brought from other farms of Vinnytsia region and reared in the industrial complex is genetically feasible and increases the resistance of offspring and their productivity.

COMPOSITE BINDING MINERAL ADDITIVE INFLUENCE ON THE PLASTICIZER EFFICIENCY

replacing portland cement with composite binders in many construction spheres is becoming increasingly reasonable. A prerequisite for this is the ability to provide the binder with set of properties necessary for the most effective implementation of a particular practical task at minimum expense. Such optimization allows in some cases to achieve higher performance than the original cement, in others – to form new properties of the material, as well as provide direct or indirect savings of various resources. One of the most important parameters determining the strength characteristics of composites and their durability is the used binder water requirement. Furthermore in some cases the mixture must have certain rheological characteristics. Various types and generations plasticizing and water reducing additives are widely used to regulate these parameters. The article discusses relation of fine components electrosurface properties – the clinker component and various genetic types mineral additives for the main types of plasticizers magnitude diluting effect. The basic mechanisms and regularities are described, recommendations that allow to optimize the consumption of expensive additives or increasing their effectiveness in solving various practical problems are formulated.

Additive Influence of Carbon and Carbides of Vanadium and Chrome in Anodic Tungsten-Cobalt Materials on their Erosive Fragility and Formation of the Alloyed Layer at ESA of Steels 35

The effect of electric-spark deposition (ESD) on carbon steel 35 by functional-gradient electrode materials based on tungsten carbide with additions of chromium and vanadium carbides is shown. These dopants increase the total weight gain of the cathode and the mass transfer coefficient at ESD. The change of anode material erosion resistance parameters and roughness of alloyed layers using Ra, Rz, Rp, Rq, Tn parameters were studied. It is shown that an increase in the roughness parameters is observed with a decrease in the duty cycle and with an increase in the duration of the pulses in the period of the electric-spark discharge, as well as with an increase in the total gain of the cathode and with mass transfer coefficient. For the studied anode materials, an averaged series of increasing erosion resistance was obtained for ESA: M1→ BK15→ BK8→ M210% → M28%. and a series of increasing roughness parameters Ra, Rz, Rp, Rq, Tn: BK8→ BK15→ M28%→ M210%→ M1. With a long-term ESD up to t = 20 min, the dependence of the roughness parameter growth on the increase of ΣΔк, Кср and processing regimes and processing modes tsк, tр remains the same. It has been established that the addition of grain growth inhibitors 0.4Cr3C2 + 0.4VC and 0.4VC-0.4Cr3C2 + 0.4C to anodic W-Co materials significantly increases the total cathode weight ΣΔк, mass transfer coefficient Kp and the thickness of the alloyed layer in ESA steel 35, at the same time, the microhardness of the alloyed layer remains almost the same.

Research of vibrocast corundum periclase granular masses structural and rheological properties depending on type and quantity of dispersing additives

For melting of heat­resistant alloys in induction furnaces high refractory vibroсast crucibles are used. Their technology was developed and implemented in JSC “URIR named after A. S. Berezhnoy”. For manufacturing of high refractory corundum periclase crucibles fused corundum and periclase, alumina, and ADS­1 + ADW­1 dispersing additive are used, wherein moisture of vibrocast mass is 4.5—4.6 % and their flowability is 80 %. Along with ADS­1 + ADW­1 additive it is possible to use Castament FS 10 + Castament FW 10 dispersing additive which provides almost the same moisture of masses. Also a new dispersant Castament FS 65 was developed. Therefore researches of Castament FS 65 dispersing additive influence on the structural and rheological properties of vibrocast corundum periclase granular masses in order to establish the possibility of further reducing their moisture is relevant. Influence of dispersing additive Castament FS 65 in the quantity of 0.05; 0.1; 0.2 and 0.3 % on flowability of corundum periclase mass in comparison with influence of optimal quantity (0.2 %) dispersing additive Castament FS 10 + FW 10 (in the ratio 3:1) was studied. Castament FS 65 additive optimal quantity, which significantly increases flowability of mass in comparison to Castament FS 10 + FW 10 additive and can provide decreasing mass moisture from 4.0—4.5 % to 3.5—4.0 % was found as 0.2 %.