176 results match your criteria: "Applied Research Institute[Affiliation]"

Optimized mesopore design in ginkgo nuts-derived hyper-crosslinked porous carbon for enhancing supercapacitor capacitance performance.

J Colloid Interface Sci

December 2024

Key Laboratory of Coal Processing and Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Education, China University of Mining & Technology, Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Fine Utilization of Carbon Resources, China University of Mining & Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China. Electronic address:

The capacitance performance of a co-doped carbon-based supercapacitor derived from Ginkgo nuts was significantly enhanced by optimizing the mesoporous structure through high-temperature pyrolysis combined with KOH activation. The precisely engineered GBHHPC-750-4 is characterized by a hyper-crosslinked 3D hierarchical porous structure, with an exceptionally high specific surface area of 3163.9 m/g, a substantial mesopore proportion (Vmeso/Vt = 74.

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Background: Inflammaging and physical performance were investigated in older adults before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Older women ( = 18) and men ( = 7) (mean age = 73.8 ± 7.

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Deposition of low-cost, efficient, and environmentally friendly graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) films as photoanodes is a crucial step for constructing photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells and exploring their PEC performance. Currently, the improvement of the photocurrent density of g-CN films is badly needed for their practical applications in PEC water splitting. Enhancing the g-CN crystallinity by optimizing their synthesis conditions only through screening appropriate reactant precursors is insufficient for this purpose.

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Background: Online weight loss programs have ambiguous efficacy. There is a growing body of evidence that weight loss programs when combined with apps have better outcomes; however, many apps lack an evidence-based approach to dietary changes for weight loss and do not rely on a theoretical framework for behavior change.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the development and the preliminary usability and acceptability testing of a web app that uses behavior change techniques (BCTs) to support users of a comprehensive online weight loss program.

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The present work consist of the synthesis of photo-cross-linkable materials, based on unsaturated polyesters (UPs), synthesized from biobased monomers from renewable sources such as itaconic acid and 1,4-butanediol. The UPs were characterized to assess the influence of polycondensation reaction temperature and cross-linking time on their final properties. For this purpose, different UV irradiation exposure periods were tested.

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Orthoses are commonly used for treating injuries to improve the quality of life of patients, with customized orthoses offering significant benefits. Additive manufacturing, especially fused deposition modelling, enhances these benefits by providing faster, more precise, and more comfortable orthoses. The present study evaluates nine polymeric materials printed in horizontal and vertical directions by assessing their performance through compressive, flexural, and tensile tests.

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Global distribution patterns of siphonophores across horizontal and vertical oceanic gradients.

Open Res Eur

August 2024

Marine Research Division, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), AZTI Foundation Sukarrieta, Sukarrieta, Vizcaya, 48395, Spain.

Background: Siphonophores are diverse, globally distributed hydrozoans that play a central role in marine trophic webs worldwide. However, they still constitute an understudied fraction of the open ocean gelatinous taxa, mainly due to challenges related to siphonophore sampling and identification, which have led to a general knowledge gap about their diversity, distribution and abundance.

Methods: Here, we provide a global overview of the oceanic vertical distribution of siphonophores using DNA metabarcoding data from 77 bulk mesozooplankton samples collected at four different depth ranges (0-200, 200-500, 500-1000, 1000-3000 m depth) along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans during the MALASPINA-2010 circumnavigation expedition.

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Production of biofuels from biological feedstocks, such as soybean oil, is an important piece of the transition to renewable energy sources. Processes have been developed to co-refine these feedstocks with traditional feedstocks, however, the high concentration of polar functional groups in biofeedstocks can cause a wide range of intermediate chemical reactions and interactions. An improved understanding of the interactions of biofeedstocks and their degradation products is needed to continue to expand the usage of biofeedstocks in fuel production.

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This article explores deep learning model design, drawing inspiration from the omnigenic model and genetic heterogeneity concepts, to improve schizophrenia prediction using genotype data. It introduces an innovative three-step approach leveraging neural networks' capabilities to efficiently handle genetic interactions. A locally connected network initially routes input data from variants to their corresponding genes.

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Fabrication and Characterization of Porous PEGDA Hydrogels for Articular Cartilage Regeneration.

Gels

June 2024

Department of Bioengineering, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.

Functional articular cartilage regeneration remains an unmet medical challenge, increasing the interest for innovative biomaterial-based tissue engineering (TE) strategies. Hydrogels, 3D macromolecular networks with hydrophilic groups, present articular cartilage-like features such as high water content and load-bearing capacity. In this study, 3D porous polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels were fabricated combining the gas foaming technique and a UV-based crosslinking strategy.

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Detecting outliers in case-control cohorts for improving deep learning networks on Schizophrenia prediction.

J Integr Bioinform

June 2024

Centre for Informatics and Systems, Department of Informatics Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.

This study delves into the intricate genetic and clinical aspects of Schizophrenia, a complex mental disorder with uncertain etiology. Deep Learning (DL) holds promise for analyzing large genomic datasets to uncover new risk factors. However, based on reports of non-negligible misdiagnosis rates for SCZ, case-control cohorts may contain outlying genetic profiles, hindering compelling performances of classification models.

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The study presented herein concerns the mechanical properties of two common polymers for potential biomedical applications, PLA and PETG, processed through fused filament fabrication (FFF)-Material Extrusion (ME). For the uniaxial tension tests carried out, two printing orientations-XY (Horizontal, H) and YZ (Vertical, V)-were considered according to the general principles for part positioning, coordinates, and orientation typically used in additive manufacturing (AM). In addition, six specimens were tested for each printing orientation and material, providing insights into mechanical properties such as Tensile Strength, Young's Modulus, and Ultimate Strain, suggesting the materials' potential for biomedical applications.

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Comparative Analysis of Impact Strength among Various Polymeric Materials for Orthotic Production.

Polymers (Basel)

June 2024

CEMMPRE-ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Luis Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal.

Orthotic devices play an important role in medical treatment, addressing various pathologies and promoting patient recovery. Customization of orthoses to fit individual patient morphologies and needs is essential for optimal functionality and patient comfort. The advent of additive manufacturing has revolutionized the biomedical field, offering advantages such as cost reduction, increased personalization, and enhanced dimensional adaptability for orthotics manufacturing.

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The minimization of the commutator of the Fock and density matrices as the error matrix in the direct inversion of the iterative subspace (CDIIS) developed by Pulay is a powerful self-consistent field (SCF) acceleration technique for the construction of optimum Fock matrix, if initiated with a fair initial guess. In this work, we present an alternative minimized error matrix to the commutator in the CDIIS, namely the residual or the gradient of the energy-functional for a Slater determinant subject to the orthonormality constraints among orbitals, representing the search for a newly improved Fock matrix in the direction of the residual in the direct inversion of the iterative subspace (RDIIS). Implemented in the computational chemistry package GAMESS, the RDIIS is compared with the standard CDIIS and the second order SCF orbital optimization (SOSCF) for tested molecules started with a crude guess.

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The EISI study protocol aims to address the low participation rate in physical exercise programs among older individuals, emphasizing its significance as a non-pharmacological therapeutic approach for overall health and increased physical activity. The objectives include implementing physical activity (PA) and educational health programs in Jequié, Bahia, Brazil, targeting the Family Health Strategy population to enhance local physical activity levels among older individuals. The study also seeks to evaluate the program's feasibility, safety, and sustainability for large-scale implementation, along with assessing its impact on immune and inflammatory response biomarkers to the SARS-CoV virus, as well as physical-functional and brain health.

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Objective: This study evaluated the methodological quality of published systematic reviews on randomized and non-randomized clinical trials to synthesize evidence on the association between IL-6, immunosenescence, and aerobic and/or resistance exercise.

Method: The Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Systematic Reviews (PRIO-harms) guideline was used, with registration number CRD42022346142-PROSPERO. Relevant databases such as Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched using English Medical Subject Headings terms.

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Preparation of Gel Forming Polymer-Based Sprays for First Aid Care of Skin Injuries.

Gels

April 2024

Chemical Engineering and Renewable Resources for Sustainability (CERES), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal.

Currently, there are several types of materials for the treatment of wounds, burns, and other topical injuries available on the market. The most used are gauzes and compresses due to their fluid absorption capacity; however, these materials adhere to the surface of the lesions, which can lead to further bleeding and tissue damage upon removal. In the present study, the development of a polymer-based gel that can be applied as a spray provides a new vision in injury protection, respecting the requirements of safety, ease, and quickness of both applicability and removal.

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Introduction: Implementing a self-refereeing system presents a unique challenge in sports education, particularly in academic and training settings where officiated sports prevail. However, Ultimate Frisbee stands out by entrusting players with both athlete and referee roles, introducing distinctive ethical complexities. This manuscript is intended to evaluate ethical behavior and self-control within the Spirit of the Game (SOTG) scoring system in Elite Ultimate.

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Predicting drug activity against cancer through genomic profiles and SMILES.

Artif Intell Med

April 2024

Centre for Informatics and Systems of the University of Coimbra, Department of Informatics Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.

Due to the constant increase in cancer rates, the disease has become a leading cause of death worldwide, enhancing the need for its detection and treatment. In the era of personalized medicine, the main goal is to incorporate individual variability in order to choose more precisely which therapy and prevention strategies suit each person. However, predicting the sensitivity of tumors to anticancer treatments remains a challenge.

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Listening Effort, An Overview of App Validation and Testing by the Audiology 4 all Project.

Int Tinnitus J

March 2024

Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Health School, Department of Audiology, Physiotherapy and Environmental Health, Rua 5 de Outubro - S. Martinho do Bispo, Apartado, Coimbra, Portugal.

Objective: To describe an application's development and validation process that aims to track hearing difficulties in adverse environments (a listening effort application).

Design: 71 subjects were evaluated, divided into two groups: 30 subjects aged between 18 and 30, and 41 subjects aged between 40 and 65. All subjects had European Portuguese as their native language; the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) scored above 24, and all could read and write.

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Phytoremediation by trees as a nature-based solution for mitigating metal contamination in urban soils.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int

April 2024

Department of Spatial Regulation, GIS and Forest Policy, Institute of Forestry, Kneza Višeslava 3, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia.

Trace metals in the environment are important pollutants affecting human health, particularly in urban areas worldwide. Phytoremediation as a nature-based solution (NBS) and environmentally friendly technology may decrease high concentrations of trace metals in urban soils, protecting public health (especially children) and contributing to urban sustainability. This study examined trace metal contamination of urban soils and trees in six cities in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and investigated the potential of selected tree species for phytoremediation as a NBS for metal-polluted urban soils.

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Dextran-Based Injectable Hydrogel Composites for Bone Regeneration.

Polymers (Basel)

November 2023

University of Coimbra, CIEPQPF, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Rua Sílvio Lima, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal.

Currently, bone infections caused by diseases or injuries are a major health issue. In addition, the conventional therapeutic approaches used to treat bone diseases or injuries present several drawbacks. In the area of tissue engineering, researchers have been developing new alternative therapeutic approaches, such as scaffolds, to promote the regeneration of injured tissues.

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In addition to moiré superlattices, twisting can also generate moiré magnetic exchange interactions (MMEIs) in van der Waals magnets. However, owing to the extreme complexity and twist-angle-dependent sensitivity, all existing models fail to fully capture MMEIs and thus cannot provide an understanding of MMEI-induced physics. Here, we develop a microscopic moiré spin Hamiltonian that enables the effective description of MMEIs via a sliding-mapping approach in twisted magnets, as demonstrated in twisted bilayer CrI.

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Several systematic review studies highlight exercise's positive impact on brain health outcomes for frail individuals. This study adopts a Comprehensive Review of reviews (CRs) approach to amalgamate data from existing reviews, focusing on exercise's influence on brain health outcomes in older frail and pre-frail adults. The methodology involves a thorough search of Portuguese, Spanish, and English-indexed databases (i.

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