Unveiling LoRa's Oceanic Reach: Assessing the Coverage of the Azores LoRaWAN Network from an Island.

In maritime settings, effective communication between vessels and land infrastructure is crucial, but existing technologies often prove impractical for energy-sensitive IoT applications, like deploying sensors at sea. In this study, we explore the viability of a low-power, cost-effective wireless communication solution for maritime sensing data. Specifically, we conduct an experimental assessment of the Azorean Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) coverage.

Sub-Bandgap Sensitization of Perovskite Semiconductors via Colloidal Quantum Dots Incorporation.

By taking advantage of the outstanding intrinsic optoelectronic properties of perovskite-based photovoltaic materials, together with the strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption and electronic confinement in PbS quantum dots (QDs), sub-bandgap photocurrent generation is possible, opening the way for solar cell efficiencies surpassing the classical limits. The present study shows an effective methodology for the inclusion of high densities of colloidal PbS QDs in a MAPbI (methylammonium lead iodide) perovskite matrix as a means to enhance the spectral window of photon absorption of the perovskite host film and allow photocurrent production below its bandgap. The QDs were introduced in the perovskite matrix in different sizes and concentrations to study the formation of quantum-confined levels within the host bandgap and the potential formation of a delocalized intermediate mini-band (IB).

Gum-based nanocomposites for the removal of metals and dyes from waste water.

The importance of water for all living organisms is unquestionable and protecting its sources is crucial. In order to reduce water contaminants, like toxic metals and organic dyes, researchers are exploring different techniques, such as adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, and electrolysis. Novel materials are also being sought.

Strong Protein Adhesives through Lanthanide-enhanced Structure Folding and Stack Density.

Generating strong adhesion by engineered proteins has the potential for high technical applications. Current studies of adhesive proteins are primarily limited to marine organisms, e.g.

Development of recycled and miniaturized electroanalytical sensor: Probing isoniazid determination in environmental water matrices.

Surface water pollution has become relevant because growing population and intense industrial activities. Thus, to protect the environment from contamination, recently the electroanalytical sensors that require small sample volume and easy preparation have shown a prominent performance for pharmaceuticals monitoring. For this purpose, a miniaturized electrochemical platform was developed based on recycling obsolete computer integrated circuits (microchips), fitting with the ideals of green chemistry and circular economy.

Buried-Metal-Grid Electrodes for Efficient Parallel-Connected Perovskite Solar Cells.

The limited conductivity of existing transparent conducting oxide (TCO) greatly restricts the further performance improvement of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), especially for large-area devices. Herein, buried-metal-grid tin-doped indium oxide (BMG ITO) electrodes are developed to minimize the power loss caused by the undesirable high sheet resistance of TCOs. By burying 140-nm-thick metal grids into ITO using a photolithography technique, the sheet resistance of ITO is reduced from 15.

Self-adaptive amorphous CoOCl electrocatalyst for sustainable chlorine evolution in acidic brine.

Electrochemical chlorine evolution reaction is of central importance in the chlor-alkali industry, but the chlorine evolution anode is largely limited by water oxidation side reaction and corrosion-induced performance decay in strong acids. Here we present an amorphous CoOCl catalyst that has been deposited in situ in an acidic saline electrolyte containing Co and Cl ions to adapt to the given electrochemical condition and exhibits ~100% chlorine evolution selectivity with an overpotential of ~0.1 V at 10 mA cm and high stability over 500 h.

Ancient DNA reveals genetic admixture in China during tiger evolution.

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is a charismatic megafauna species that originated and diversified in Asia and probably experienced population contraction and expansion during the Pleistocene, resulting in low genetic diversity of modern tigers. However, little is known about patterns of genomic diversity in ancient populations. Here we generated whole-genome sequences from ancient or historical (100-10,000 yr old) specimens collected across mainland Asia, including a 10,600-yr-old Russian Far East specimen (RUSA21, 8× coverage) plus six ancient mitogenomes, 14 South China tigers (0.

A decade of urban fires: Portuguese events between 2013 and 2022.

This study describes a dataset containing urban fire events that took place in mainland Portugal between 2013 and 2022. The Regulation n.º3317-A/2018, established by the Portuguese National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil, ANEPC), defines the Operations Management System (Sistema de Gestão de Operações, SGO).

Preparation of TiO/SnO Electron Transport Layer for Performance Enhancement of All-Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells Using Electron Beam Evaporation at Low Temperature.

SnO has attracted much attention due to its low-temperature synthesis (ca. 140 °C), high electron mobility, and low-cost manufacturing. However, lattice mismatch and oxygen vacancies at the SnO/CsPbIBr interface generally lead to undesirable nonradiative recombination in optoelectronic devices.

Assessing the Genotoxicity of Cellulose Nanomaterials in a Co-Culture of Human Lung Epithelial Cells and Monocyte-Derived Macrophages.

Cellulose micro/nanomaterials (CMNMs) are innovative materials with a wide spectrum of industrial and biomedical applications. Although cellulose has been recognized as a safe material, the unique properties of its nanosized forms have raised concerns about their safety for human health. Genotoxicity is an endpoint that must be assessed to ensure that no carcinogenic risks are associated with exposure to nanomaterials.

Exploring the Multifaceted Potential of a Peptide Fraction Derived from Metabolism: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

The rising demand for minimally processed, natural, and healthier food products has led to the search for alternative and multifunctional bioactive food components. Therefore, the present study focuses on the functional proprieties of a peptide fraction derived from metabolism. The antimicrobial activity of the peptide fraction is evaluated against various foodborne pathogens, including , , , , and sp.

Biochemical Characterization of the Copper Nitrite Reductase from .

The copper-containing nitrite reductase from has been shown to play a critical role in the infection mechanism of this microorganism by producing NO and abolishing epithelial exfoliation. This enzyme is a trimer with a type 1 copper center per subunit and a type 2 copper center in the subunits interface, with the latter being the catalytic site. The two centers were characterized for the first time by EPR and CD spectroscopy, showing that the type 1 copper center has a high rhombicity due to its lower symmetry and more tetragonal structure, while the type 2 copper center has the usual properties, but with a smaller hyperfine coupling constant (A = 10.

Suitability of Short- and Long-Term Storage of Volatile Organic Compounds Samples in Syringe-Based Containers: A Comparison Study.

The employment of advanced analytical techniques and instrumentation enables the tracing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in vestigial concentrations (ppbv-pptv range) for several emerging applications, such as the research of disease biomarkers in exhaled air, the detection of metabolites in several biological processes, and the detection of pollutants for air quality control. In this scope, the storage of gaseous samples is crucial for preserving the integrity and stability of the collected set of analytes. This study aims to assess the suitability of three commercially available syringes as air containers (AC) that are commonly used for the collection, storage, isolation, and transportation of samples: glass syringes with glass plungers (AC1), and two plastic syringes, one with plastic plungers (AC2), and one with rubbered plungers (AC3).

State of the Art Membrane Science and Technology in the Iberian Peninsula 2021-2022.

This Special Issue of the journal arises from the need to highlight the developments in the field of membrane research and membrane processes that have been emerging in recent years by researchers and research groups based in the Iberian Peninsula [...

Graphene Oxide/Polyethyleneimine-Modified Cation Exchange Membrane for Efficient Selective Recovery of Ammonia Nitrogen from Wastewater.

Competition for the migration of interfering cations limits the scale-up and implementation of the Donnan dialysis process for the recovery of ammonia nitrogen (NH-N) from wastewater in practice. Highly efficient selective permeation of NH through a cation exchange membrane (CEM) is expected to be modulated via tuning the surface charge and structure of CEM. In this work, a novel CEM was designed to form a graphene oxide (GO)-polyethyleneimine (PEI) cross-linked layer by introducing self-assembling layers of GO and PEI on the surface of a commercial CEM, which rationally regulates the surface charge and structure of the membrane.

Measurements of jet multiplicity and jet transverse momentum in multijet events in proton-proton collisions at .

Multijet events at large transverse momentum () are measured at using data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of . The multiplicity of jets with that are produced in association with a high- dijet system is measured in various ranges of the of the jet with the highest transverse momentum and as a function of the azimuthal angle difference between the two highest jets in the dijet system. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momenta of the four highest jets.

Abnormal white matter structural network topological property in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have demonstrated white matter (WM) abnormalities in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, alterations in the topological properties of the WM structural network in patients with TLE remain unclear. Graph theoretical analysis provides a new perspective for evaluating the connectivity of WM structural networks.

Assessing the recovery of Y chromosome microsatellites with population genomic data using Papio and Theropithecus genomes.

Y chromosome markers can shed light on male-specific population dynamics but for many species no such markers have been discovered and are available yet, despite the potential for recovering Y-linked loci from available genome sequences. Here, we investigated how effective available bioinformatic tools are in recovering informative Y chromosome microsatellites from whole genome sequence data. In order to do so, we initially explored a large dataset of whole genome sequences comprising individuals at various coverages belonging to different species of baboons (genus: Papio) using Y chromosome references belonging to the same genus and more distantly related species (Macaca mulatta).

Short-Range Graphitic Nanodomains in Hypocrystalline Carbon Nanotubes Realize Fast Potassium Ion Migration and Multidirection Stress Release.

Defect-rich carbon materials are considered as one of the most promising anodes for potassium-ion batteries due to their enormous adsorption sites of K , while the realization of both rate capability and cycling stability is still greatly limited by unstable electrochemical kinetics and inevitable structure degradation. Herein, an Fe -induced hydrothermal-pyrolysis strategy is reported to construct well-tailored hybrid carbon nanotubes network architecture (PP-CNT), in which the short-range graphitic nanodomains are in-situ localized in the pea pod shape hypocrystalline carbon. The N,O codoped hypocrystalline carbon region contributes to abundant defect sites for potassium ion storage, ensuring high reversible capacity.

Native diversity buffers against severity of non-native tree invasions.

Determining the drivers of non-native plant invasions is critical for managing native ecosystems and limiting the spread of invasive species. Tree invasions in particular have been relatively overlooked, even though they have the potential to transform ecosystems and economies. Here, leveraging global tree databases, we explore how the phylogenetic and functional diversity of native tree communities, human pressure and the environment influence the establishment of non-native tree species and the subsequent invasion severity.

Regeneration of starfish radial nerve cord restores animal mobility and unveils a new coelomocyte population.

The potential to regenerate a damaged body part is expressed to a different extent in animals. Echinoderms, in particular starfish, are known for their outstanding regenerating potential. Differently, humans have restricted abilities to restore organ systems being dependent on limited sources of stem cells.