Search Results (1,303)

Post-fire soil and vegetation changes can intensify erosion and sediment yield by altering the factors controlling the runoff–infiltration balance. Erosion barriers (EBs) are widely used in hydrological and forest restoration to mitigate erosion, reduce sediment transport, and promote vegetation recovery. However, precise spatial assessments of their effectiveness remain scarce, requiring validation through operational methodologies. This study evaluates the impact of EB on post-fire vegetation recovery at two temporal and spatial scales: (1) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) imagery, acquired at high spatial resolution but limited to a single acquisition date coinciding with the field flight. These data were captured using a MicaSense RedEdge-MX multispectral camera and an RGB optical sensor (SODA), from which NDVI and vegetation height were derived through aerial photogrammetry and digital surface models (DSMs). (2) Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, offering coarser spatial resolution but enabling multi-temporal analysis, through NDVI time series spanning four consecutive years. The study was conducted in the area of the Luna Fire (northern Spain), which burned in July 2015. A paired sampling design compared upstream and downstream areas of burned wood stacks and control sites using NDVI values and vegetation height. Results showed slightly higher NDVI values (0.45) upstream of the EB (p < 0.05), while vegetation height was, on average, ~8 cm lower than in control sites (p > 0.05). Sentinel-2 analysis revealed significant differences in NDVI distributions between treatments (p < 0.05), although mean values were similar (~0.32), both showing positive trends over four years. This study offers indirect insight into the functioning and effectiveness of EB in post-fire recovery. The findings highlight the need for continued monitoring of treated areas to better understand environmental responses over time and to inform more effective land management strategies. Full article

Distressed fabric is a popular fashion trend that adds a distinct visual appeal to garments. Distressing involves acid washing with pumice stones containing potassium permanganate. This approach is inappropriate for knitted textiles, which can generate holes and reduce quality. This project seeks to create an Elasto Ball (EB) as an alternative to pumice stones in the acid-washing procedure of knitted materials. The Elasto Ball consists of natural rubber foam filled with silica and a silica–lignin hybrid derived from rice husks. The efficacy of the filler is enhanced during the manufacturing of Elasto Ball by employing the NXT silane coupling agent throughout the silanization process. The silanized elasto ball exhibits thermal stability up to 400 °C and a porosity of up to 5%. In garment washing assessments, the Elasto Ball can diminish the fabric’s color by 40–50% without causing damage. The findings of this study indicate that Elasto Ball can function as an efficient, eco-friendly substitute for washing balls in garment washing procedures. Full article

The smoke toxicity of epoxy resin limits the application of its carbon fiber composites in marine interior structures. To address this issue, a novel epoxy resin (EZ) was synthesized by grafting phenyl propyl polysiloxane (PPPS) onto ortho-cresol novolac epoxy resin (EOCN), building upon the group’s earlier work on polysiloxane-modified epoxy resin (EB). The results confirmed successful grafting of PPPS onto EOCN, which significantly enhanced the thermal stability and char residue of EZ. Specifically, the peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), peak smoke production rate (PSPR), and total smoke production (TSP) of EZ were reduced by 68.5%, 35%, 73.1%, and 48.3%, respectively, attributable to the formation of a stable and compact char layer that suppressed smoke generation. By blending EZ with EB resin, a low-smoke epoxy system (LJF-2) was developed for prepreg applications. Carbon fiber composites (LJF-CF) prepared from LJF-2 exhibited minimal smoke emission and a unique bilayer char structure: a dense inner layer that hindered smoke transport and a thick outer layer that provided thermal insulation, delaying further resin decomposition. Silicon was uniformly distributed in the char residue as silicon oxides, improving its stability and compactness. Without adding any flame retardants or smoke suppressants, LJF-CF achieved a maximum smoke density (Ds,max) of 276.9, meeting the requirements of the FTP Code for ship deck materials (Ds,max < 400). These findings indicate that LJF-CF holds great promise for use in marine interior components where low smoke toxicity is critical. Full article

Powder bed fusion of copper has been extensively investigated using both laser-based (PBF-LB/M) and electron beam-based (PBF-EB/M) additive manufacturing technologies. Each technique offers unique benefits as well as specific limitations. Near-infrared (NIR) laser-based LPBF is widely accessible; however, the high reflectivity of copper limits energy absorption, thereby resulting in a narrow processing window. Although optimized parameters can yield relative densities above 97%, issues such as keyhole porosity, incomplete melting, and anisotropy remain concerns. Green lasers, with higher absorptivity in copper, offer broader process windows and enable more consistent fabrication of high-density parts with superior electrical conductivity, often reaching or exceeding 99% relative density and 100% International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS). Mechanical properties, including tensile and yield strength, are also improved, though challenges remain in surface finish and geometrical resolution. In contrast, Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (EB-PBF) uses high-energy electron beams in a vacuum, eliminating oxidation and leveraging copper’s high conductivity to achieve high energy absorption at lower volumetric energy densities (~80 J/mm³). This results in consistently high relative densities (>99.5%) and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, with additional benefits including faster scanning speeds and in situ monitoring capabilities. However, EB-PBF faces its own limitations, such as surface roughness and powder smoking. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current state of laser-based (PBF-LB/M) and electron beam-based (PBF-EB/M) powder bed fusion processes for the additive manufacturing of copper, summarizing key trends, material properties, and process innovations. Both approaches continue to evolve, with ongoing research aimed at refining these technologies to enable the reliable and efficient additive manufacturing of high-performance copper components. Full article

Survival rates for those with metastatic osteosarcoma (OS) have not improved over the last four decades. It is imperative that novel approaches to treating and curing OS be sought. We, therefore, turned our attention to Brusatol (Bru), a naturally occurring Nrf2 inhibitor reported to elicit anti-cancer effects in a multitude of tumour models. Importantly there is emerging evidence that Nrf2 is implicated in chemoradiotherapy resistance in OS and that inhibiting Nrf2 may represent a desirable route to treating OS. Surprisingly, using the human OS cell line, MG63, we actually found that Bru promoted cell growth. Compared to control, normoxic cultures, the application of Bru (50 nM) over 3 days led to an increase in cell number by approximately 1.7-fold. A similar outcome occurred for cells under hypoxic conditions, although the extent of cell growth was significantly less at around 1.3-fold. Furthermore, Bru prevented MG63 differentiation in response to co-treatment with the calcitriol analogue, EB1089, and the lipid growth factor, lysophosphatidic acid. The extent of inhibition was profound at approximately 2.8-fold. The application of the Nrf2 activator, dimethyl fumarate, did not rescue these phenotypes. Whilst Bru has shown promise in other cancer models, it would appear, from our findings, that this agent may not be suitable for the treatment of OS. Full article

1,3-butadiene (BD) is a volatile organic pollutant. Upon inhalation, it is metabolically activated to reactive epoxides which alkylate genomic DNA and form potentially mutagenic monoadducts and DNA–DNA crosslinks including N7-(1-hydroxyl-3-buten-1-yl)guanine (EB-GII) and 1,4-bis-(guan-7-yl)-2,3-butanediol (bis-N7G-BD). While metabolic activation resulting in mutagenicity is a well-established mode of action for 1,3-butadiene, characterization of the extent of inter-individual variability in response to BD exposure is a gap in our knowledge. Previous studies showed that population-wide mouse models can be used to evaluate variability in 1,3-butadiene DNA adducts; therefore, we hypothesized that this approach can be used to also study variability in the formation and loss of BD DNA adducts across tissues and between sexes. To test this hypothesis, female and male mice from five genetically diverse Collaborative Cross (CC) strains were exposed to filtered air or 1,3-butadiene (600 ppm, 6 h/day, 5 days/week for 2 weeks) by inhalation. Some animals were kept for two additional weeks after exposure to study DNA adduct persistence. EB-GII and bis-N7G-BD adducts were quantified in liver, lungs and kidney using established isotope dilution ESI-MS/MS methods. We observed strain- and sex-specific effects on both the accumulation and loss of both DNA adducts, indicating that both factors play important roles in the mutagenicity of 1,3-butadiene. In addition, we quantified the intra-species variability for each adduct and found that for most tissues/adducts, variability values across strains were modest compared to default uncertainty factors. Full article

Exhaled breath (EB) contains numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can reflect pathological metabolic processes, making breath analysis a promising non-invasive diagnostic approach. In particular, volatile aldehydes and ketones have been identified as disease biomarkers in EB. Gas sensors are expected to play a crucial role in the diagnosis of numerous diseases at an early stage. Among the various available approaches, sensors stand out as especially attractive tools for diagnosing diseases such as lung cancer (LC) and diabetes, due to their affordability and operational simplicity. There is an urgent need in the field of disease detection for the development of affordable, non-invasive, and user-friendly sensors capable of detecting various biomarkers. Devices of the new generation should also demonstrate high repeatability of measurements and extended operational stability of the employed sensors. Due to these demands, the past few years have seen significant advancements in the development and implementation of electronic noses (ENs), which are composed of an array of sensors for the determination of VOCs present in EB. To meet these requirements, the development and integration of advanced receptor coatings on sensor transducers is essential. These coatings include nanostructured materials, molecularly imprinted polymers, and bioreceptors, which collectively enhance selectivity, sensitivity, and operational stability. However, reliable biomarker detection in point-of-care (PoC) mode remains a significant challenge, constrained by several factors. This review provides a comprehensive and critical evaluation of recent studies demonstrating that the detection of VOCs using gas sensor platforms enables disease detection and can be implemented in PoC mode. Full article

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of debilitating, genetic skin disorders characterized by excessive skin fragility, blistering, and ulcerations that cause a cyclical wound healing process. EB presents itself in various subtypes, such as EB simplex (EBS), junctional EB (JEB), dystrophic (DEB), and Kindler Syndrome (KS), which all differ in their genetic cause, severity, and harbor different causes of mortality. Of these variants, JEB and DEB are the most severe, with EBS being the mildest form of the disease and KS presenting in extremely rare cases. The JEB variant tends to cause mortality early on in children less than two years of age due to failure to thrive, sepsis from wound infections, and airway obstruction. In the recessive form of DEB (RDEB), cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the major cause of death in patients, with one study reporting a mere 4-year survival after the first EB-cSCC diagnosis. Cutaneous SCCs in the setting of RDEB are particularly concerning because they are often more aggressive and show greater metastatic potential, as compared to ultraviolet-induced SCCs. This review aims to explore the pathophysiology of these EB variants as well as their implications for developing cSCCs. It will also discuss elements of the clinical presentation of such lesions in EB patients and the challenges associated with making a definitive diagnosis. Additionally, we will illuminate various diagnostic techniques, current and future management and treatment strategies for both cSCC and EB, and the importance of early screening and education for patients with EB to maximize patient lifespan and quality of life. Full article

Edible composite coatings represent an alternative approach to reducing postharvest losses and extending the shelf life of perishable fruits. This study developed a nano-biopolymer coating by integrating pullulan (PUL), nano-silica (Nano-SiO₂), and tea polyphenols (TP) to retard deterioration in cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). Optimized through response surface methodology (0.06% Nano-SiO₂, 0.1% TP, 1.8% PUL, 0.77% glycerol), the resulting Nano-SiO₂/PUL/TP composite film showed improved barrier properties (water vapor permeability, WVP: 0.2063 g·mm·m⁻²·h⁻¹·kPa⁻¹) and increased mechanical strength (tensile strength, TS: 2.62 MPa; elongation at break, EB: 67.67%), which may be attributed to a homogeneous microstructure stabilized via intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The composite coating exhibited significant (p < 0.05) antioxidant activity (59.04% DPPH·scavenging) compared to the PUL film (1.17%) and showed efficacy against S. aureus. When applied to cherry tomatoes stored at 4 °C for 15 days, the coating contributed to improved postharvest quality by reducing weight loss (−27.6%) and decay incidence (−32.3%), delaying firmness loss (2.40 vs. 0.54 N in uncoated group, CK), suppressing respiration rate (−38.8%), and enhancing the retention of total acidity (+9.7%), vitamin C (+49.6%), and total soluble solids (+48.6%) compared to the CK (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis supported sensory evaluation results, indicating the coating helped maintain sensory quality (scores > 6.0) and commercial value while extending shelf life from 9 to 15 days. These results suggest that the Nano-SiO₂/TP/PUL composite coating may serve as a preservative for extending the shelf-life of cherry tomatoes by effectively reducing decay and mitigating quality degradation. Full article

The 316L stainless steel, uncoated and coated with two types of EB-PVD thin-film deposits, was tested in liquid lead both under oxygen-saturated conditions (~10⁻³ wt.%) for exposure times of 1000 and 2000 h and under low-oxygen conditions (~10⁸ wt.%) for 1000 h. The first coating consisted of a ~1 µm NiCrAlY thin film. At the same time, the second was a NiCrAlY/Al₂O₃ multilayer with a total thickness of ~3 µm, on top of which an additional 100–200 nm metallic Cr layer was deposited. Uncoated specimens tested under oxygen-saturated conditions developed a duplex oxide layer on their surface. SEM-EDS analyses revealed that the inner layer was denser and contained Fe, Cr, and O, whereas the outer layer was more porous and composed mainly of Fe and O. Microscopic examinations indicated that the multilayer-coated specimens exposed to low-oxygen conditions exhibited no signs of material degradation. In contrast, both the uncoated samples and those coated only with a single NiCrAlY layer showed generalised corrosion over the entire surface after exposure to liquid lead at low oxygen concentrations. The austenitic microstructure was degraded to a depth of 100–200 µm. Vickers microhardness indentations performed on the structurally altered regions revealed two distinct corrosion zones with markedly different hardness values. Full article

Enzymatic browning (EB) is a physiological alteration that compromises the sensory and commercial quality of tree nuts, significantly reducing their market value and functional compound content. Due to its complexity and economic impact, this review compiles updated information on mechanisms and factors driving EB in tree nut species, as well as strategies for its prevention. The EB in tree nuts results from the oxidation of phenolic compounds (PCs) to brown pigments. This process is driven by enzymatic activity such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL) and strongly enhanced by cellular stress and associated regulation of gene expression. The EB has been documented in several tree nut species, including almonds, betel nuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. This alteration developed both pre-harvest and post-harvest and was influenced by agronomic factors (such as cultivar, nutritional status, climatic conditions, and altitude) and handling (including shelling, storage, and processing). Mitigation strategies include the use of synthetic inhibitors, physical treatments, and the use of plant extracts rich in natural antioxidants, the latter perceived as more sustainable and safer alternatives. Full article

No studies have induced maternal behavior in goats through hormonal treatment. We evaluated whether ovariectomized goats treated with estradiol benzoate (EB2; n = 7 nulliparous and 10 multiparous goats) or progesterone + estradiol benzoate (P4 + EB2; n = 7 nulliparous and 7 multiparous goats), before or after vagino-cervical stimulation (VCS), displayed maternal behavior. When all goats were measured within treatments, in the EB2 group, low-pitch bleats were more frequent, and the time spent cleaning the kids was longer after VCS (p < 0.01), while location changes were more frequent before VCS. In nulliparous goats, those in the EB2 group emitted more low-pitch bleats after VCS than before (p = 0.04). The frequency of location changes was higher before VCS than after (p = 0.05). In multiparous goats, the frequency of smelling the kids and aggression toward the kids before VCS was higher in the EB2 group than in the P4 + EB2 group (p < 0.01). Within treatments, the EB2 group emitted more low-pitch bleats after VCS than before (p = 0.01), and the duration of cleaning the kids was longer after VCS than before (p = 0.028). Within the P4 + EB2 group, the kids were smelled more frequently after VCS than before (p = 0.03). The maternal index after vagino-cervical stimulation was higher in goats with EB2 (p = 0.002). Nulliparous goats treated with P4 + EB2 had a higher maternal index compared with those treated with EB2 alone (p = 0.04). In conclusion, regardless of parity, maternal behavior induced with the EB2 treatment was better when VCS was applied. Likewise, maternal experience altered the response. In multiparous females, any of the treatments were better after VCS, while in nulliparous females, this was only evident with the EB2 treatment. Full article

Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis is an important medicinal and edible resource. The fruit of Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis contains a natural iridoid called geniposide, which has the ability to dramatically suppress the growth of a number of cancer cell lines. This work examined the impact and potential mechanism of action of geniposide on oral squamous cell carcinoma using network pharmacology, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and cellular experiments. Based on network pharmacology, 145 potential targets of geniposide in the treatment of OSCC were found. The top five core targets were selected according to the degree values of the nodes, AKT1, EGFR, SRC, HSP90AA1, and PIK3R1, which involved signaling pathways and biological processes, such as the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, phosphorylation, and the regulation of the apoptotic process. Molecular docking showed that geniposide exhibited good binding ability with the core targets AKT1 and EGFR. Molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed the stability of the binding between geniposide and the targets. The results of cell experiments showed that the activity of HSC-3 cells was dose-dependently inhibited by geniposide, and AO/EB staining showed that geniposide was able to induce programmed apoptosis. Meanwhile, it was found that the expressions of p-EGFR, p-AKT, and Bcl-2 were downregulated in HSC-3, and the expressions of PTEN, Bax, and Caspase-3 were upregulated. Geniposide may inhibit OSCC by affecting the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and apoptotic process by regulating the expressions of p-EGFR, p-AKT, Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, and PTEN. Full article

Background: Erythroblasts have recently been identified as host cells for malarial parasites, revealing a previously underappreciated host–parasite interaction. However, their extremely low abundance in peripheral blood has hindered progress, especially in elucidating the biological significance of parasitized erythroblasts (pEBs) in vivo. Methods: Here, we visualized pEBs in a murine model and established a method to increase their number in peripheral blood by immunizing mice with live Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL, followed by challenge with P. berghei ANKA. Results: Immunized mice were protected from cerebral malaria and survived longer, during which pEBs appeared in circulation and were detected using Giemsa-stained smears. All blood-stage parasite forms were identified within pEBs, including enucleating erythroblasts. Conclusions: This model enables in vivo/ex vivo analysis of pEB biology without bone marrow/spleen isolation, thus lowering technical/ethical barriers for the field. Full article

With the integration of numerous distributed energy resources (DERs) and buildings with diverse energy demands, the inherent vulnerability of agricultural microgrids poses escalating security threats. Harnessing the regulatory capabilities of diverse building loads and energy storage systems to mitigate voltage excursions caused by DER generation in microgrids is of significant importance. Therefore, a data mechanism fusion-driven microgrid planning method is proposed in this paper, aiming to enhance the security of microgrids and optimize the utilization of DERs. A comprehensive agricultural microgrid model that incorporates intricate constraints of various types of buildings is established, including greenhouses, refrigeration houses and residences. Based on this model, a site selection and capacity determination planning methodology is proposed, taking into account wind turbines (WTs), photovoltaics (PVs), electric boilers (EBs), battery energy storage systems (BESSs), and heat storage devices. To address the limitations of traditional greenhouse models in accurately predicting indoor temperatures, a temperature field prediction method for greenhouses is proposed by leveraging a generalized regression neural network (GRNN) to train and modify the model indicators. Case studies based on a modified IEEE 33-bus system verified the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed method. Full article