Search Results (1,475)

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans L., is one of the most damaging blood-feeding pests of livestock. Stable flies use odors associated with vertebrate hosts and their environments to locate blood meal and suitable oviposition and larval-development sites. Previous studies have identified behaviorally active gases, phenolic compounds, short-chain fatty acids, alcohols, and sulfur-containing compounds from cattle-associated odor sources, but ketones have received limited behavioral investigation. We first evaluated stable-fly attraction to host- and resource-associated substrates, including chicken manure, wet blood meal and sheep blood and characterized volatile compounds from attractive materials using SPME-GC-MS. We then tested ketones detected in the headspace of these substrates or reported in published studies. Three ketones, 1-octen-3-one, 3-octanone, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, significantly attracted adult stable flies. Following blend evaluation, 3-octanone and 1-octen-3-one were selected as the two-component K-lure blend which was significantly more attractive than the control in choice assays. Combining K-lure with the previously reported phenol-m-cresol blend elicited the highest response among the treatments tested. In a subsequent sticky-card trapping assay, traps baited with K-lure captured significantly more stable flies than the control traps. These results identify ketones as stable fly attractants and support further evaluation of K-lure in trap-based monitoring and management. Full article

Thermosetting unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) is difficult to reprocess because curing generates an irreversible three-dimensional network. Here, cured UPR was treated in a microwave-assisted hydrazine hydrate/NaOH medium at 70 °C for 30 min to produce a water-swellable UPR-derived product (NUPR). NUPR was combined with glutaraldehyde, subjected to freeze–thaw processing and freeze-drying, and subsequently modified with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to fabricate porous aerogels. FTIR results were consistent with partial cleavage of ester-containing structures, while TGA and SEM revealed changes in thermal behavior and morphology. Among the tested aerogels, AAS-6 exhibited a density of approximately 0.036 g cm⁻³ and a porosity of 96.6%. After HDPE treatment, the aerogel exhibited a water contact angle of 135.2° while maintaining rapid oil wetting. Its 5 min liquid uptake for the tested oils and organic solvents ranged from 20.14 to 38.31 g g⁻¹. After ten adsorption–regeneration cycles, 89–96% of the initial oil uptake was retained, depending on the oil, whereas uptake of the tested volatile solvents remained comparatively unchanged under the respective regeneration conditions. H-6 also enabled free-oil uptake from water and gravity-driven treatment of surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, yielding high separation efficiencies and markedly reduced dispersed-droplet signals after filtration. These results demonstrate a route for coupling the chemical conversion of cured UPR with fabrication of porous materials for oil uptake and W/O emulsion separation. Full article

To promote the utilization of industrial solid waste in subgrade filling, this study investigated desulfurization ash foamed lightweight soil (DA-FLS) with a high ash content. Various binder proportions, target wet densities (600–1500 kg/m³) and activator types were used to examine molding behavior, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and free swell. Among the activator systems tested, only the cement–GGBS–DA binder produced mixtures that could be demolded and subsequently tested. Mixes of cement and DA without GGBS, and mixes activated by RS-W-S, calcium hydroxide or carbide slag, gave slow molding or molding failure. Mix proportion, foam dosage and target density were not varied independently. Among the mixtures investigated, the 1:4:5 blend designed at 600 kg/m³ gave a measured wet density of 638.95 kg/m³. In the 1:4:5 foamed series, 28 d UCS increased with measured wet density and reached 3.3 MPa in the densest mix tested. For several types of cement-activated mixtures with a 1:4:5 mix ratio (design dosage of 600–800 kg/m³), the 28-day free vertical expansion rate remained below 0.7%. These low values of short-term expansion indicate the potential to meet the limit requirements for lightweight roadbed fill in the Chinese standard Specifications for Design of Highway Subgrades. This study provides a laboratory basis for the preparation of lightweight roadbed fill using high dosages of desulfurization ash, indicating that the material holds potential for further engineering evaluation. Full article

This study investigated the hydrogeochemical and mineralogical factors governing the occurrence of U and Rn in a fractured granitic aquifer. A 120-m-deep borehole was drilled, and depth-discrete groundwater samples were collected during wet and dry seasons for analyses of water quality and naturally occurring radioactive materials; petrographic and mineralogical analyses were conducted on the recovered drill core. U and Rn concentrations reached 488.1 μg L⁻¹ and 1549.8 Bq L⁻¹, respectively, exceeding Korean drinking-water criteria. Both generally increased with depth and were lower in the dry season than in the wet season. Oxic, mildly alkaline groundwater with elevated HCO₃⁻ favored U mobilization through uranyl–carbonate complexation, whereas Rn was primarily controlled by fracture connectivity and mixing between shallow and deep groundwater. Microfractures and pores in metamict U–Th-bearing minerals provided reactive surfaces and release pathways that promoted U leaching and Rn emanation. The occurrence of U and Rn therefore reflects the coupled effects of hydrogeochemical conditions, fracture development, groundwater mixing, and the susceptibility of radioactive minerals to alteration. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for interpreting and predicting naturally occurring radionuclide behavior in fractured granitic aquifers. Full article

Perianal ulcers remain challenging to treat because of persistent moisture, high mobility, recurrent infection, and prolonged inflammation at the lesion site. Herein, we developed a mussel-inspired, paintable hydrogel dressing loaded with ginsenoside Rh1 for multifunctional perianal ulcer management. The hydrogel was constructed from dopamine, chitosan, graphene oxide (GO), and polyvinyl alcohol, forming a physically and chemically dual-crosslinked network with robust wet-tissue adhesion, shear-thinning behavior, and structural stability. Optimization of the GO content revealed that the formulation with 0.5 mg/mL GO exhibited the best overall balance of mechanical properties, drug release behavior, and biocompatibility. The hydrogel showed pH-responsive sustained release of Rh1, low hemolysis (<2.45%), good cytocompatibility, antioxidant activity, and rapid hemostatic capability. Under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, the GO-containing hydrogel also displayed stable photothermal responsiveness and effective antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In a rat perianal ulcer model, the Rh1-loaded hydrogel significantly accelerated wound repair, achieving a healing rate of 96.78% by day 14. Histological analyses further confirmed enhanced re-epithelialisation, collagen deposition, and tissue remodeling after treatment. These results indicate that the DA/CS/GO/PVA-Rh1 hydrogel is a promising multifunctional dressing for the treatment of difficult-to-heal perianal ulcers. Full article

Soy protein isolate (SPI) is a highly nutritious plant-based protein essential for preventing age-related conditions like sarcopenia; however, its application is severely hindered by inherent hydrophobicity and poor water dispersibility, which causes severe lumping. This study aimed to develop dispersible SPI granules by applying pharmaceutical excipients via wet granulation. SPI was granulated using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC; 0.5–1.5%) as a binder and crospovidone (1.0–2.0%) as a superdisintegrant. The physicochemical and reconstitution properties were evaluated. The granulation process successfully transformed fine SPI powder into large, highly porous agglomerates. The optimized formulation (1.5% HPMC and 2.0% crospovidone) significantly reduced the dispersing time to 5.33 s and lowered the equilibrium contact angle (32.08°), promoting fast capillary water uptake. FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed the protein’s chemical and structural integrity remained unaltered, indicating purely physical interactions. DSC revealed a binder-concentration-dependent decrease in denaturation temperature due to plasticization. Furthermore, the reconstituted formulations exhibited shear-thinning rheological behavior. This study shows that the application of HPMC and crospovidone as modifying excipients in wet granulation presented a chemically inert granulation approach that overcomes hydrophobic lumping and improves plant protein dispersibility. This strategy highlights a strong potential for creating convenient nutritional supplements for the elderly. Full article

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor fibers represent the dominant feedstock for manufacturing high-performance carbon fibers, and the hierarchical molecular orientation established during precursor processing fundamentally determines the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the final products. However, the precise regulation of multiscale orientational structures across spinning, hot-drawing, and thermal treatment stages remains a long-standing bottleneck for breaking the performance ceiling of carbon fibers. This review systematically elucidates the formation and evolution mechanisms of oriented structures at four hierarchical levels: molecular chains, crystalline domains, microfibrils, and fiber assemblies. Flow-induced orientation behaviors in three mainstream spinning routes (conventional wet spinning, dry-jet wet spinning, and electrospinning) are comparatively analyzed, followed by a discussion on crystallization-driven orientation during hot stretching and orientation inheritance throughout pre-oxidation and carbonization processes. Quantitative evidence from reported PAN precursor datasets confirms that increasing the orientation factor from 0.7 to 0.9 is associated with a tensile-strength gain from approximately 2.4 to 4.7 GPa and a modulus gain from 230 to 550 GPa in the corresponding carbon fibers, illustrating the magnitude of the orientation-performance relationship within specific material systems. We critically appraise widely used characterization techniques including X-ray scattering, polarized spectroscopy, optical birefringence, and electron microscopy, with particular focus on their spatial resolution, applicable scenarios, and inherent limitations, and propose combined characterization strategies for multiscale orientation analysis. Critical bottlenecks, including cross-scale modeling gaps, dynamic orientation kinetics under multi-field coupling, and industrial scalability limitations, are identified, and future research directions such as in situ synchrotron characterization and machine learning-assisted process optimization are outlined. This review builds a systematic framework linking molecular-level orientation control to macroscopic carbon fiber properties, providing theoretical guidance for the rational design of high-performance PAN precursors. Full article

The summer of 2012 in Europe was characterized by sharp contrasts in precipitation. The United Kingdom recorded its wettest summer season (June–August) since 1912. Spain faced drought and wildfires, as summer precipitation levels there were the second lowest in the last 60 years. These anomalies demonstrate an unexpectedly rapid northward shift of the precipitation zone across Europe. The shift contradicted, however, prevailing climate change projections, according to which severe summer drying across the continent and a slower trend toward increased wetting of northern Europe have been expected. The physical mechanisms responsible for the extreme trend remain not clear. It is worth noting that a significant part of 2012 summer precipitation occurred from mid-June to mid-July. Hurricane Chris and Tropical Storm Debby also formed in the North Atlantic in June of that year. This paper presents evidence that the extreme climate behavior of the summer of 2012 and the anomalous summer precipitation distribution in Europe could have been largely determined by the intense transport of moist air from the tropical Atlantic associated with the formation of Tropical Storm Debby, which should be considered among the main drivers of intense flooding events over northwestern and southeastern Europe during the 2012 summer season. Full article

To address the practical requirement for controllable wettability design of additively manufactured nickel-based superalloy surfaces, this paper systematically examines how laser processing techniques influence and regulate their wettability. Using a full factorial design combined with analysis of variance (ANOVA), we investigated how laser power, scanning speed, and spot diameter affect groove morphology at different scanning pitches and quantitatively assessed the main and two-way interaction effects of these parameters on wettability. To elucidate the intrinsic “laser parameters–surface morphology–wetting behavior” relationship, we adopted a progressive characterization approach, advancing from static water contact angles (WCAs) and contact angle hysteresis (CAH) to dynamic droplet bouncing behavior. The results indicate that: (1) Under the premise of forming stable grooves, increasing laser power, decreasing scanning speed, or reducing spot diameter promotes the formation of deep and narrow grooves, thereby enhancing the WCA (up to 158.8°) and reducing CAH (as low as 3.7° on engineered wedge structures). (2) CAH is identified as the key parameter characterizing dynamic droplet bouncing performance since lowering CAH effectively results in low adhesion and easy droplet shedding. (3) The WCA and CAH exhibit different sensitivity patterns to parameter coupling; consequently, parameter mismatch can lead to morphological degradation and loss of hydrophobicity, making multi-parameter synergistic optimization essential for maintaining highly stable surface hydrophobicity. This paper provides practical guidance for the surface functional design of additively manufactured superalloy components, holding significant application value for engineering surfaces in aerospace, energy, and other fields that require controllable droplet shedding, anti-icing, and self-cleaning properties. Full article

Background/Objectives: Formulating high-dose metformin hydrochloride film-coated tablets is challenging due to the poor flowability and compressibility inherent to high drug loading. To ensure process robustness and consistent product quality, understanding the impact of manufacturing variables is crucial. This study evaluated the effects of key process parameters on the quality attributes of 1000 mg metformin hydrochloride tablets to establish optimal processing conditions for reliable production. Methods: The manufacturing process, comprising wet granulation, compression, and film coating, was investigated to evaluate the influence of key process parameters on tablet quality attributes. Granules were characterized for bulk density, tapped density, and compressibility index. Core tablets were evaluated for physical appearance, weight variation, hardness, and dissolution at a 45 min sampling point across various compression forces and tableting speeds. Film-coating efficiency was assessed based on coating quality, dissolution behavior, and stability. Favorable manufacturing conditions were empirically identified through single-variable optimization and statistical analysis. Results: Wet granulation conducted at a chopper speed of 1400 rpm for 7 min yielded granules with the lowest compressibility index (11.88%), demonstrating significantly improved flowability. Compression at a force of 10 kN and a speed of 40 rpm produced core tablets with acceptable appearance, robust hardness (7.06–7.37 kP), and complete drug release (100%). Tablet hardness was governed by a strong interaction between compression force and tableting speed (partial η² = 0.929, p < 0.001) rather than by either factor alone: at 20 kN, hardness collapsed sharply once tableting speed reached 30 rpm, coincident with mild capping, identifying this force–speed combination as a process-failure condition. For the coating process, maintaining a tablet bed surface temperature of 40 °C ensured optimal coating uniformity without compromising product quality. Dissolution profile comparison against a coated reference product in the primary dissolution medium (pH 6.8) yielded f2 similarity values above 50 for all eight core tablet conditions, and stability testing under accelerated/thermal-stress conditions (up to 65 °C) confirmed maintained dissolution, assay, and related-substance (1-cyanoguanidine) compliance for both the test and reference products. The optimized manufacturing conditions successfully produced film-coated tablets that conformed to all predetermined quality specifications. Conclusions: Manufacturing process parameters significantly influenced the quality attributes of high-dose metformin hydrochloride film-coated tablets. Proper selection and control of these processing conditions ensured consistent granule properties, optimal tablet quality, and enhanced manufacturing robustness. Full article

This study investigates the wetting behavior of artificial substrates: polymers, metals, and glass, and natural freshwater-submerged substrata represented by Potamogeton lucens leaves, collected from shallow eutrophic lakes in northern Poland. Surface interactions were quantified by contact angle measurements and interpreted using the dynamic contact angle hysteresis formalism, with particular emphasis on the apparent surface free energy γ_SV, its polar and dispersive components, adhesive spreading pressure Π, work of adhesion W_A, and spreading W_S. These parameters characterize substrate-specific surface differences associated with aging and biofouling. Contact angles were measured using a previously developed captive bubble system, enabling the characterization of fully hydrated, heterogeneous submerged surfaces. Potential relationships between selected lake water characteristics and macrophyte surface wettability parameters were explored using Spearman’s rank correlation. Measurements of young and old leaves from three lakes revealed consistent age-associated changes in advancing contact angle and apparent surface energetic parameters. Exploratory analysis revealed potential relationships between the advancing contact angle and Secchi depth in both leaf-age groups, as well as between age-associated changes in wettability and ammonium concentration or conductivity. The results suggest that wettability analysis may help characterize submerged surface conditions and identify environmental relationships that warrant further investigation. Full article

Water-induced electrical responses were investigated using porous electrospun PAN-based composite membranes containing CNTs and CNCs. Following the injection of 20 μL of a 2 wt% NaCl solution, transient open-circuit voltage responses were observed from the PAN, PAN–CNT, and PAN–CNT–CNC devices, with maximum values of approximately 47, 42, and 68 mV, respectively, in the tested devices. Three successive injection–drying cycles demonstrated repeated transient responses within individual devices but did not establish device-to-device reproducibility or long-term stability. Raman and FTIR analyses supported the incorporation of CNTs and the modification of the water-interacting environment following CNC addition, respectively. The voltage waveform depended on the liquid type, NaCl concentration, and wetting–drying history, including a transient reverse-voltage response during drying. These results provide a proof-of-concept observation of wetting–drying-dependent electrical behavior in electrospun PAN-based porous membranes. Load-dependent power, long-term durability, and device-to-device reproducibility remain to be established. Full article

Advanced coupled resonance sensors (ACRS), built by integrating micropillar arrays onto quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) substrates, have emerged as a powerful platform for high-sensitivity measurement of viscosity, water contamination, temperature, and purification in liquid environments. Despite their demonstrated performance, the systematic role of pillar geometry, material properties, and fabrication tolerances on device behavior has not been investigated. This work presents a three-dimensional finite element digital twin of an ACRS device operating in air and liquid, in which pillar height, cross-sectional shape, elastic modulus, density, and internal loss factor are treated as independent input parameters. The model resolves the full coupled fluid–structure interaction using the linearized Navier–Stokes equations in the liquid domain, viscoelastic damping inside the pillar, and the periodic acoustic loading imposed by the QCM substrate. The framework was validated against pillar-height-dependent response in air and in deionized water for square (critical height 15 µm in air, 13 µm in water) and circular (11 µm in air, 9.5 µm in water) cross-sections, and against bulk-liquid viscosity loading across a sucrose–water series spanning approximately 1–15 cP, in which the model reproduced frequency shifts up to 85 kHz. Sensitivity enhancement exceeded a factor of 22 for both geometries near their critical heights, and the normalized peak shear displacement peaked at the critical height for both cross-sections in air and in water, exceeding the substrate amplitude by more than an order of magnitude. A Monte Carlo uncertainty propagation analysis demonstrated that operation at the critical height amplifies the standard uncertainty in resonance frequency by more than an order of magnitude relative to sub-critical operation, with geometric tolerances dominating over material property variability by a factor of two to four. The analysis recommends sub-critical operation for quantitative measurement, where the fabrication-driven combined coefficient of variation stays below 0.2% under realistic fabrication conditions. The model is validated for Newtonian liquids under fully wetted conditions and against the frequency response only. The viscosity response is validated over approximately 1–15 cP, and use outside this interval is an extrapolation of the calibration. The digital twin provides a metrologically grounded basis for ACRS design and material selection. Full article

Planing-hull dynamics differ markedly from those of displacement vessels because, at high speeds, hydrodynamic lift dominates and pressure forces depend strongly on the instantaneous wetted surface—even small heave and pitch motions can introduce non-linearities that invalidate conventional linear seakeeping methods. Moreover, modern hull forms compound this complexity through geometric features such as transverse steps, spray rails, and variable deadrise, whose unsteady hydrodynamic behavior remains largely unquantified in the experimental literature. This paper presents results of a Vertical Planar Motion Mechanism (VPMM) experimental campaign for a double-stepped hard chine hull in the high-speed planing regime corresponding to a volumetric Froude number of $F{r}_{\nabla }=4.0$. Forced heave, forced pitch, and novel combined heave–pitch harmonic motions were imposed to the model towed in calm water across four frequencies and two amplitudes. Time-histories of heave force and pitching moment reveal clear non-linearities with respect to the imposed regular harmonic motion. Linear added mass, damping, and restoring coefficients are identified via first-order Fourier decomposition. The identified coefficients provide first-order estimates for stability and porpoising-onset prediction, and the shared time-series data support development of higher-fidelity, data-driven force models. Time series of heave force and pitch moment are also provided as a benchmark for CFD validation and data-driven modeling. Full article

The inherent brittleness of silica aerogels severely limits their practical application in thermal protection. To address this issue, polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) wet gels were fabricated via an aqueous sol–gel method, and polyimide (PI) was introduced through in situ polymerization to construct an inorganic–organic continuous framework with PI in situ bridging and interfacial coating, thus successfully preparing the Si/PI composite aerogel. This composite achieves synergistic enhancements in mechanical, thermal insulation, hydrophobic and flame-retardant properties. The flexible PI network effectively alleviates stress concentration, and the compressive modulus of the composite aerogels increased with the PI content, reaching 7.52 MPa for Si/PI-80 and 23.78 MPa for Si/PI-100. The thermal conductivity stays below 0.036 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ with favorable low thermal conduction stability. The Si–CH₃ groups in PMSQ provide excellent hydrophobicity with a maximum water contact angle of 145.6°. Meanwhile, the char-forming effect of PI at high temperatures counteracts the negative impact of methyl groups on flame retardancy, endowing the aerogel with self-extinguishing behavior and high thermal stability. This work offers a novel strategy for designing high-strength multifunctional silica-based aerogels, which exhibit promising application prospects in aerospace, building energy conservation and high-end thermal protection. Full article