Baseline tritium measurements in Thailand's water bodies: Supporting sustainable nuclear energy development.

Tritium, a radioactive isotope produced naturally through cosmic radiation interactions and anthropogenically through nuclear weapons testing, poses potential environmental risks, particularly within the water cycle. This study measured tritium concentrations in surface water across Thailand to establish a baseline dataset for monitoring potential contamination from nuclear activities and accidents. Surface water samples were collected from 14 large reservoirs during the wet season in October 2023 and the dry season in February 2024, providing a total of 28 samples.

Monitoring of tritium concentrations in tap water and rainwater collected in Thailand.

This study aimed to measure tritium (3H) concentrations in Thailand. Nationwide tap water samples were collected in July 2021. Rainwater samples were collected monthly during May-October 2020, April-October 2021, and February-March 2022 in Chonburi province and in Chiang Mai province during July-November 2021, January 2022, and March-June 2022.

Expansion Control of Alkali-Activated Materials Using Waste Glass Cullet from Photovoltaic Panels as Fine Aggregates.

Glass cullet (GC) generated from the disposal of photovoltaic (PV) panels are typically landfilled, and effective GC utilization methods must be established for PV generation. In this study, alkali-activated material (AAM) mortars were prepared from the paste of fine blast-furnace slag powder, fly ash, and sodium orthosilicate (SO) and mixed with crushed sand and GC to investigate the potential use of GC as a fine aggregate in AAM. The replacement of crushed sand with GC did not considerably affect the flowability of the mortar, whereas the compressive strength decreased with the increasing GC replacement rates.

Input-size dependence of the baroreflex neural arc transfer characteristics during Gaussian white noise inputs.

Although Gaussian white noise (GWN) inputs offer a theoretical framework for identifying higher-order nonlinearity, an actual application to the data of the neural arc of the carotid sinus baroreflex did not succeed in fully predicting the well-known sigmoidal nonlinearity. In the present study, we assumed that the neural arc can be approximated by a cascade of a linear dynamic (LD) component and a nonlinear static (NS) component. We analyzed the data obtained using GWN inputs with a mean of 120 mmHg and standard deviations (SDs) of 10, 20, and 30 mmHg for 15 min each in anesthetized rats ( = 7).

Determining the Relationship between Mechanical Properties and Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Joint Soft Tissues Using Patient-Specific Templates.

To determine whether the mechanical properties of joint soft tissues such as cartilage can be calculated from quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, we investigated whether the mechanical properties of articular cartilage and meniscus scheduled to be resected during arthroplasty are correlated with the T2 relaxation time on quantitative MRI at the same location. Six patients who had undergone knee arthroplasty and seven who had undergone hip arthroplasty were examined. For the knee joint, the articular cartilage and lateral meniscus of the distal lateral condyle of the femur and proximal lateral tibia were examined, while for the hip joint, the articular cartilage above the femoral head was studied.

Horseradish Peroxidase-Mediated Bioprinting via Bioink Gelation by Alternately Extruded Support Material.

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-mediated extrusion bioprinting has a significant potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, they often face challenges in terms of printing fidelity and structural integrity when using low-viscosity inks. To address this issue, a method that alternately extrudes bioinks and support material was developed in this study.

Effect of mastication evaluation and intervention on body composition and biochemical indices in female patients with obesity: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: A limited number of studies have evaluated the masticatory indices of individuals with obesity who only chew their food a few times and for shorter duration or who were provided with an instructional intervention. This study aimed to examine the effects of a 6-month instructional mastication intervention on the body composition and biochemical indices in female patients with obesity.

Methods: Female patients with obesity were randomly classified into a conventional treatment group (CTG; 12 individuals), which only received normal nutritional and exercise guidance, and a mastication intervention group (MIG; 16 individuals), which received an additional mastication guidance.

Phase behaviour of mixtures of charged soft disks and spheres.

We have investigated the phase behaviour of mixtures of soft disks (Gay-Berne oblate ellipsoids, GB) and soft spheres (Lennard-Jones, LJ) with opposite charge as a model of ionic liquid crystals and colloidal suspensions. We have used constant volume Molecular Dynamics simulations and fixed the stoichiometry of the mixture in order to have electroneutrality; three systems have been selected GB : LJ = 1 : 2, GB : LJ = 1 : 1 and GB : LJ = 2 : 1. For each system we have selected three values of the scaled point charge * of the GB particles, namely 0.

Assessing tritium contamination in Thailand's rainwater: A study of environmental monitoring and nuclear surveillance.

Tritium, whether naturally occurring or caused by human nuclear activity, can result in a large amount of tritium contamination in the environment, especially in the water cycle, causing a high concentration of tritium in rainfall. The objective of this research was to measure the level of tritium in the environment from rainfall in two different areas as a basis for monitoring tritium contamination in the environment. Rainwater samples were collected in Thailand every 24 h for a period of 1 year during 2021-2022 at the Kasetsart University Station, Sriracha Campus, Chonburi province and at the Mae Hia Agricultural Meteorological Station, Chiang Mai province.

Influences of age-related positivity effect on characteristics of odor-evoked autobiographical memories in older Japanese adults.

Older adults tend to remember past life events more positively than younger adults. This tendency is the . The present study examined whether this effect occurred for odor-evoked autobiographical memories.

Effect of salinity on nest building behaviour in the nine-spined stickleback Pungitius sinensis.

The authors evaluated the adaptability of male nine-spined sticklebacks (Pungitius sinensis) at three salinity levels (0, 5 and 10 psu) by comparing nest building success rates with nest structures. Successful nest building decreased as salinity increased. In addition, nests built in fresh water (i.

Uniformity evaluation of laser-induced periodic surface structures formed by two-color double-pulse femtosecond laser irradiation.

The Perpendicular Period and Phase Scanning (PS) method can evaluate the uniformity of a laser-induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS). PS assesses the uniformity of LIPSS using the standard deviation of the peak period and the average of the phase difference in the direction perpendicular to LIPSS. The PS method demonstrates that LIPSS formed by two-color double-pulse irradiation is reduced to a quarter of the period dispersion, and the average phase difference of LIPSS is also reduced compared to the single-pulse irradiation.

Validation of a Method to Measure the T2 Value from the Color Mapping by Hue Value.

Background: Color mapping using quantitative MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is now being reported in various medical fields to be useful in showing tissue conditions and morphological perspectives. Specifically, T2 mapping, as one of the color mapping has been used to describe cartilage conditions in orthopedics. However, for orthopedic physicians in outpatient clinics, the color mapping shows only the colors on the mapping to patients without explaining their numerical values.

Development of the function of autobiographical memories evoked by odor scale for older Japanese people.

Odor-evoked autobiographical memory and related psychological changes have been evaluated based on several factors, such as emotionality, clarity, and re-experience. We developed the Function of Autobiographical Memories Evoked by Odor Scale (FAMOS) for older Japanese people as a new method for comprehensively evaluating the functions of odor-evoked autobiographical memory. We used the diary method; participants were instructed to record the contents of everyday involuntary autobiographical memories triggered by odor and complete the FAMOS.

Masticatory Behaviors and Gender Differences in People with Obesity as Measured via an Earphone-Style Light-Sensor-Based Mastication Meter.

While people with obesity have been found to chew fewer times and for shorter durations, few studies have quantitatively evaluated mastication among this group. This study examined the relationship between the mastication characteristics of people with obesity and the factors correlated with obesity. To this end, 46 people with obesity and 41 healthy participants placed an earphone-style light sensor in the aperture of their outer ear.

Linear and nonlinear identification of the carotid sinus baroreflex in the very low-frequency range.

Since the arterial baroreflex system is classified as an immediate control system, the focus has been on analyzing its dynamic characteristics in the frequency range between 0.01 and 1 Hz. Although the dynamic characteristics in the frequency range below 0.

The effects of vertical trunk supportability improvement on one-leg rebound jump efficiency.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of vertical trunk supportability improvement on activities. The study participants were 36 people. Trunk function and physical performance were evaluated using the following tests: trunk righting test (TRT), maximal isometric knee extensor strength test, side hop test, triple hop distance test, stabilometry of one-leg standing, and one-leg rebound jump.

A differential equation, deduced from a DNA-type genetic algorithm with the lagging-strand-biased mutagenesis.

Recent evidence indicated that the significant fidelity difference existed between the leading and lagging-strand. Using a 2-D DNA-type genetic algorithm (GA), we have shown that the lagging-stand-biased mutagenesis (disparity mutagenesis) has a significant advantage in the promotion of evolution, compared with the traditional parity mutagenesis model. Our aim of the present study was to deduce a differential equation which well reflected the result of simulations.

2-Dimensional genetic algorithm exhibited an essentiality of gene interaction for evolution.

Organisms consist of several genetic factors differing between species. However, the evolutionary effects of gene interactions on the evolutionary rate, adaptation, and divergence of organisms remain unknown. In a previous study, the 2-dimensional genetic algorithm (2DGA) program, including a gene interaction parameter, could simulate punctuated equilibrium under the disparity mode.

Correlation between the elastic modulus of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and quantitative ultrashort echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging.

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) often acquires no signal in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) due to the short apparent transverse relaxation time of ACL. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI is capable of imaging ACL with high signal which enables quantitative ACL assessment. This study aimed to investigate the correlations of the mechanical and microstructural properties of human ACL specimens with quantitative three-dimensional UTE Cones (3D-UTE-Cones) MRI measures.

The Resistance Force of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament during Pull Probing Is Related to the Mechanical Property.

There are various methods for reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) from other muscles or tendons. Initial tension of the reconstructed ACL is one of the key elements affecting postoperative outcomes. However, tension cannot be measured after graft fixation.

Quantitative assessment of the central versus peripheral effect of intravenous clonidine using baroreflex equilibrium diagrams.

Clonidine is a first-generation central antihypertensive that reduces sympathetic nerve activity (SNA). Although clonidine also exerts peripheral vasoconstriction, the extent to which this vasoconstriction offsets the centrally mediated arterial pressure (AP)-lowering effect remains unknown. In anesthetized rats (n = 8), we examined SNA and AP responses to stepwise changes in carotid sinus pressure under control conditions and after intravenous low-dose (2 μg/kg) and high-dose clonidine (5 μg/kg).