In this work, we revise the preparation procedure and conduct an in depth characterization of optical properties for the recently proposed silicone-based tissue-mimicking optical phantoms in the ...spectral range from 475 to 925 nm. The optical properties are characterized in terms of refractive index and its temperature dependence, absorption and reduced scattering coefficients and scattering phase function related quantifiers. The scattering phase function and related quantifiers of the optical phantoms are first assessed within the framework of the Mie theory by using the measured refractive index of SiliGlass and size distribution of the hollow silica spherical particles that serve as scatterers. A set of purely absorbing optical phantoms in cuvettes is used to evaluate the linearity of the absorption coefficient with respect to the concentration of black pigment that serves as the absorber. Finally, the optical properties in terms of the absorption and reduced scattering coefficients and the subdiffusive scattering phase function quantifier
are estimated for a subset of phantoms from spatially resolved reflectance using deep learning aided inverse models. To this end, an optical fiber probe with six linearly arranged optical fibers is used to collect the backscattered light at small and large distances from the source fiber. The underlying light propagation modeling is based on the stochastic Monte Carlo method that accounts for all the details of the optical fiber probe.
Several bird species utilize artificial structures for communal roosting. Between 26 May and 28 Jun 2012, the selection of buoys and times of departure by Mediterranean Shags Phalacrocorax ...aristotelis desmarestii were studied at three communal roosts within shellfish farms in the Bays of Sv. Jernej (Debeli rtic), Strunjan and Piran (Secovlje). A total of 3,110 buoys were counted and categorized into two groups according to their shape (horizontal and vertical) and colours. The black horizontally floating buoys were of two types (barrelshaped and oval). The Shags chose to utilize the horizontally floating buoys only, most often black and white in colour. Owing to their poorer stability and smaller standing surface, the vertically floating buoys are clearly unsuitable for them. The highest share of Shags with regard to the number of buoys of separate types was registered on black barrel-shaped buoys. As the percentage of occupied buoys was similar at all roost sites (36-39%), it was deduced that Shags distribute evenly among roosts, regardless of the number of individuals present in the Slovenian sea. At the larger roost at Debeli rtic, the percentage of adult individuals (73.5%) was greater than at Strunjan (42.5%). This could be due to the competition for better places, given that competitively stronger individuals select safer larger roosts. Between 5.42 and 9.00 hrs, 53.3% and 69.1% of Shags departed from the roost sites at Debeli rtic and Strunjan, respectively, with the majority of departures recorded between 7.50 and 8.30 hrs. They left their roosts mostly individually (48.7%) or in pairs (23.3%), at Debeli rtic predominantly in the SW (58.9%) and W (16.9%) directions, and at Strunjan in the NE (42.3%) and N (38.5%) directions.
Despite the known effects of diet on gut microbiota composition, not many studies have evaluated the relationship between distinct dietary patterns and gut microbiota. The aim of our study was to ...determine whether gut microbiota composition could be a useful indicator of a long-term dietary pattern. We collected data from 89 subjects adhering to omnivorous, vegetarian, vegan, and low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that were equally distributed between groups and homogenous by age, gender, and BMI. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed with a metabarcoding approach using V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. K-means clustering of gut microbiota at the genus level was performed and the nearest neighbor classifier was applied to predict microbiota clustering classes. Our results suggest that gut microbiota composition at the genus level is not a useful indicator of a subject's dietary pattern, with the exception of a vegan diet that is represented by a high abundance of
. Based on our model, a combination of 26 variables (anthropometric measurements, serum biomarkers, lifestyle factors, gastrointestinal symptoms, psychological factors, specific nutrients intake) is more important to predict an individual's microbiota composition cluster, with 91% accuracy, than the dietary intake alone. Our findings could serve to develop strategies to educate individuals about changes of some modifiable lifestyle factors, aiming to classify them into clusters with favorable health markers, independent of their dietary pattern.
We applied an interdisciplinary approach to analyze the late Quaternary activity of the Sava Fault in the Slovenian Southern Alps. The Sava Fault is an active strike-slip fault, and part of the ...Periadriatic Fault System that accommodated the convergence of Adria and Europe. It is one of the longest faults in the Southern Alps. Using high-resolution digital elevation models from lidar and photogrammetric surveys, we were able to overcome the challenges of assessing fault activity in a region with intense surface processes, dense vegetation, and relatively low fault slip rates. By integrating remote sensing analysis, geomorphological mapping, structural geological investigations, and near-surface geophysics (electrical resistivity tomography and ground penetrating radar), we were able to find subtle geomorphological indicators, detect near-surface deformation, and show distributed surface deformation and a complex fault pattern. Using optically stimulated luminescence dating, we tentatively estimated a slip rate of 1.8 ± 0.4 mm/a for the last 27 ka, which exceeds previous estimates and suggests temporal variability in fault behavior. Our study highlights the importance of modern high-resolution remote sensing techniques and interdisciplinary approaches in detecting tectonic deformation in relatively low-strain rate environments with intense surface processes. We show that slip rates can vary significantly depending on the studied time window. This is a critical piece of information since slip rates are a key input parameter for seismic hazard studies.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the corrosion properties of three different grades of high-speed steel following a heat treatment procedure involving deep cryogenic treatment after quenching and ...to investigate how these properties are connected to the microstructure and hardness of the material. The hardness of steels was measured, and microstructural properties were determined through observation of the metallographically prepared steels using scanning electron microscopy. These studies were complemented corrosion evaluation by the use of corrosion potential measurement and linear polarization measurement of steels in a sodium tetraborate buffer at pH 10. The results showed that the deep cryogenic procedure of high-speed steel changed the microstructure and consequently affected the hardness of the investigated steels to different extents, depending on their chemical composition. Corrosion studies have confirmed that some high-speed steels have improved corrosion properties after deep cryogenic treatment. The most important improvement in corrosion resistance was observed for deep cryogenically treated high-speed steel EN 1.3395 (M3:2) by 31% when hardened to high hardness values and by 116% under lower hardness conditions. The test procedure for differentiating corrosion properties of differently heat-treated tool steels was established alongside the investigation.
We present the compilation of a new database of active faults in Slovenia, aiming at introducing geological data for the first time as input for a new national seismic hazard model. The area at the ...junction of the Alps, the Dinarides, and the Pannonian Basin is moderately seismically active. About a dozen
M
w
> 5.5 earthquakes have occurred across the national territory in the last millennium, four of which in the instrumental era. The relative paucity of major earthquakes and low to moderate fault slip rates necessitate the use of geologic input for a more representative assessment of seismic hazard. Active fault identification is complicated by complex regional structural setting due to overprinting of different tectonic phases. Additionally, overall high rates of erosion, denudation and slope mass movement processes with rates up to several orders of magnitude larger than fault slip rates obscure the surface definition of faults and traces of activity, making fault parametrization difficult. The presented database includes active, probably active and potentially active faults with trace lengths >5 km, systematically compiled and cataloged from a vast and highly heterogeneous dataset. Input data was mined from published papers, reports, studies, maps, unpublished reports and data from the Geological Survey of Slovenia archives and dedicated studies. All faults in the database are fully parametrized with spatial, geometric, kinematic and activity data with parameter descriptors including data origin and data quality for full traceability of input data. The input dataset was compiled through an extended questionnaire and a set of criteria into a homogenous database. The final database includes 96 faults with 240 segments and is optimized for maximum compatibility with other current maps of active faults at national and EU levels. It is by far the most detailed and advanced map of active faults in Slovenia.
The synthesis of U-shaped conformationally constrained analogues of peptides based on the 3-amino-2-oxo-1,5-diazabicyclo3.3.0octane-8-carboxylic acid scaffold was developed. 3+2 Cycloadditions of ...(1Z,4R*,5R*)-1-arylmethylidene-4-benzyloxycarbonylamino-3-oxo-5-phenylpyrazolidin-1-ium-2-ides to tert-butyl acrylate and tert-butyl methacrylate gave the corresponding racemic cycloadducts, in most cases as mixtures of isomers, which were separated by preparative chromatography. Selective deprotection of the C- and the N-terminal of these heterocyclic dipeptides followed by coupling with (S)-alanine derivatives and chromatographic separation furnished the non-racemic tripeptides as target compounds. The structures of racemic cycloadducts and non-racemic final products were determined by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The synthesized compounds were also evaluated for inhibition of MurD ligase and d-alanine:d-alanine ligase.
Display omitted
PDF
