Survival Rate and Short-Term Outcomes of Periviable Preterm Infants: A Single-Center Experience From the United Arab Emirates.

The limit of periviability is constantly changing as infants born at 22-25 weeks of gestation increasingly survive. The data from our region are limited due to the small numbers of these infants among the NICU population. In this study, we evaluated the survival rates and short-term outcomes among preterm neonates between 22 and 24 weeks of gestation admitted to Tawam Hospital, United Arab Emirates.

Broadly tunable continuous-wave Tm,Ho:SrF and Tm,Ho:BaF lasers.

We report on the first, to our knowledge, room-temperature continuous-wave laser operation of Tm,Ho-codoped barium and strontium fluoride crystals at ∼2.1 µm. The 3 at.

Probing Surface Dynamics of SiO Thin-Film Electrodes during Cycling through X-Ray Photoemission Spectroscopy and Operando X-Ray Reflectivity.

SiO electrodes are promising for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their ability to mitigate volume expansion-induced degradation. Here, we investigate the surface dynamics of SiO thin-film electrodes cycled in different carbonate-based electrolytes using a combination of ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and operando synchrotron X-ray reflectivity analyses. The thin-film geometry allows us to probe the depth-dependent chemical composition and electron density from surface to current collector through the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), the active material, and the thickness evolution during cycling.

Tuning Ceramic Surface to Minimize the Ionic Resistance at the Interface between PEO- and LATP-Based Ceramic Electrolyte.

New battery technologies are currently under development, and among them, all-solid-state batteries should deliver better electrochemical performance and enhanced safety. Composite solid electrolytes, combining a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) and a ceramic electrolyte (CE), should then provide high ionic conductivity coupled to high mechanical stability. To date, this synergy has not yet been reached due to the complexity of the Li-ion transport within the hybrid solid electrolyte, especially at the SPE/CE interface currently considered the limiting step.

Exploring food consumption patterns in the province of Kenitra, Northwest of Morocco.

Background: Morocco is currently undergoing rapid changes in diets and lifestyles, influenced by globalization and urbanization, leading to a shift away from the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) toward Western diets.

Objective: Describe and explore the food consumption patterns of the population of Kenitra province and their adherence to the MedDiet using a validated survey.

Method: The current cross-sectional study involved 442 respondents from Kenitra province, comprising individuals aged 18 and above.

Orange surface waveguide laser in Pr:LiYF produced by a femtosecond laser writing.

Depressed-cladding surface channel waveguides were inscribed in a 0.5 at.% Pr:LiYF crystal by femtosecond Direct Laser Writing.

Effect of Surface Chemistry on the Electrical Double Layer in a Long-Chain Ionic Liquid.

Room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) can create a strong accumulation of charges at solid interfaces by forming a very thin and dense electrical double layer (EDL). The structure of this EDL has important consequences in numerous applications involving ILs, for example, in supercapacitors, sensors, and lubricants, by impacting the interfacial capacitance, the charge carrier density of semiconductors, as well as the frictional properties of the interfaces. We have studied the interfacial structure of a long chain imidazolium-based IL (1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide) on several substrates: mica, silica, silicon, and molybdenum disulfide (MoS), using atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.

Efficient continuous-wave Tm,Ho:CaF laser at 2.1µm.

We report on the first, to the best of our knowledge, continuous-wave laser operation of a Tm,Ho-codoped calcium fluoride crystal at ∼2.1 µm. Tm,Ho:CaF crystals were grown by the Bridgman method, and their spectroscopic properties were studied.

Sub-50 fs diode-pumped SESAM mode-locked Yb:SrF laser.

We report on sub-50 fs pulse generation from a passively mode-locked Yb:SrF laser pumped with a spatially single-mode, fiber-coupled laser diode at 976 nm. In the continuous-wave regime, the Yb:SrF laser generated a maximum output power of 704 mW at 1048 nm with a threshold of 64 mW and a slope efficiency of 77.2%.

ZIF-8 thin films by a vapor-phase process: limits to growth.

Metal-organic frameworks are a class of porous materials that show promising properties in the field of microelectronics. To reach industrial use of these materials, gas phase techniques are often preferred and were recently introduced. However, the thicknesses achieved are not sufficient, limiting further development.

Toward the Improvement of Silicon-Based Composite Electrodes via an In-Situ Si@C-Graphene Composite Synthesis for Li-Ion Battery Applications.

Using Si as anode materials for Li-ion batteries remain challenging due to its morphological evolution and SEI modification upon cycling. The present work aims at developing a composite consisting of carbon-coated Si nanoparticles (Si@C NPs) intimately embedded in a three-dimensional (3D) graphene hydrogel (GHG) architecture to stabilize Si inside LiB electrodes. Instead of simply mixing both components, the novelty of the synthesis procedure lies in the in situ hydrothermal process, which was shown to successfully yield graphene oxide reduction, 3D graphene assembly production, and homogeneous distribution of Si@C NPs in the GHG matrix.

Mid-infrared laser operation of Er-doped BaF and (Sr,Ba)F crystals.

We report on the first, to our knowledge, mid-infrared laser operation of two Er-doped barium-containing fluorite-type crystals, BaF and (Sr,Ba)F, featuring a low-phonon energy behavior. A continuous wave 4.9 at.

Addition of Chickpea Flour in Durum Wheat Flour Makes Tortilla More Nutritious and Palatable, and Technologically Acceptable.

In order to contribute to the reduction of nutritional deficiencies in Morocco, this study was undertaken to develop a healthier tortilla with higher iron and protein, while maintaining adequate technological and sensory qualities. Composite durum wheat flour enriched with 20, 25, 30, and 35% chickpea flour was assessed for nutritional, functional, and technological properties. Then, we selected two composite blends of 75:25 and 70:30 of durum wheat and chickpea flours for making tortillas to study nutritional, technological, and sensorial qualities.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in the Logistics of Pandemic Vaccination: An Exact Analytical Approach for Any Number of Vaccination Centres.

While the development and manufacture of pandemic vaccines is a daunting task, the greatest challenge lies in how to deliver these vaccines to billions of people around the world. This requires an efficient strategy of deliveries, at constrained costs and deadlines. This paper proposes an exact analytical approach and operational strategy to the logistics of any pandemic vaccination efforts, applicable both to sparsely populated areas or deficient infrastructure, and to very dense urban fabrics where mobility is highly constrained.

Diode-pumped mode-locked Yb:BaF laser.

We report on a continuous-wave (CW) and passively mode-locked operation of a fluorite-type Yb:BaF crystal. Pumped with a spatially single-mode, fiber-coupled InGaAs laser diode at 976 nm, the Yb:BaF laser generated a maximum CW output power of 512 mW at 1054.4 nm, corresponding to a laser threshold of 36.

Thermal lensing, heat loading and power scaling of mid-infrared Er:CaF lasers.

Mid-infrared Er:CaF laser operating on the I → I transition is developed. Its power scaling capabilities and thermo-optics (fractional heat loading and thermal lensing) are compared under pumping into the I and I states. Using a 4.

Picosecond ultrasonics with a free-running dual-comb laser.

We present a free-running 80-MHz dual-comb polarization-multiplexed solid-state laser which delivers 1.8 W of average power with 110-fs pulse duration per comb. With a high-sensitivity pump-probe setup, we apply this free-running dual-comb laser to picosecond ultrasonic measurements.

Er:KYF laser at 2.80 µm.

We report on the mid-infrared laser operation of a cubic 15 at.% : crystal. In the quasi-continuous-wave regime, the peak power reaches 255 mW at 2.

Operando XPS: A Novel Approach for Probing the Lithium/Electrolyte Interphase Dynamic Evolution.

The coupling protocols combining photoemission spectroscopy and other characterization methods such as electrochemical, electrical, optical, thermal, or magnetic paved the way to considerable progress in the field of materials science. Access to complementary data on the same object is relevant, but in the vast majority of cases, it is carried out sequentially and separately. This raises the complex question of the equivalence of the analyzed surfaces subjected to these different characterizations.

Nutritional and technological assessment of durum wheat-faba bean enriched flours, and sensory quality of developed composite bread.

Faba beans are acknowledged as a good source of proteins, minerals, fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. A blending study was undertaken in order to prepare naturally bread from enriched flours with added nutritional value, mainly in terms of Iron and proteins. Enriched flours were prepared with varied levels (25, 30, 35 and 40%) of whole faba bean flour to assess the effects of this substitution on their nutritional and technological properties.

Channel waveguide lasers in bulk Tm:LiYF produced by deep diamond-saw dicing.

We report on a novel approach to fabricate channel (ridge) waveguides (WGs) in bulk crystals using precision diamond saw dicing. The channels feature a high depth-to-width aspect ratio (deep dicing). The proof-of-the-concept is shown for a Tm:LiYF fluoride crystal.

New Interpretation of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Imidazolium Ionic Liquid Electrolytes Based on Ionic Transport Analyses.

We reported a new perspective on the correlation between the electronic structure of an ionic liquid (IL)-based electrolyte probed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the transport properties analyzed by impedance spectroscopy. We highlighted the core level chemical shifts of 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium (bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide) (CCImTFSI), 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (CCImFSI), and 1-hexyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (CCCImTFSI) laden with LiTFSI salt and vinylene carbonate (VC) or fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) with regard to the transport properties of cations and anions. We pointed out based on detailed binding energy shift analyses a clear effect of the anion on the local organization of Li ions.