Search Results (80,281)

The prompt and reliable detection of NH₃ leakage at room temperature (RT) is considered important for safety assurance and sustainable production. Although chemiresistive NH₃ sensors feature low cost and structural simplicity, their practical application is hindered by high operating temperatures and inadequate selectivity. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives offer a promising approach to address these limitations. In this work, Ce-BDC precursors with tunable particle sizes and crystallinity were synthesized by adjusting the raw material concentration. Controlled pyrolysis yielded a series of CeO₂-C-X (X = 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2) materials with nanosized particles. Among them, the CeO₂-C-1 sensor delivered a high response of 82% toward NH₃ under 40% relative humidity at RT. Moreover, it possessed excellent selectivity, repeatability, and rapid response-recovery behavior compared with the other samples. CeO₂-C-1 also remained stable under varying oxygen and humidity conditions, demonstrating high applicability. The superior sensing properties may be attributed to its high specific surface area and optimized mesoporous structure, which facilitated efficient gas adsorption and reaction. These findings demonstrated that precise control of MOF precursors and the structure in CeO₂ nanomaterials was critical for achieving high-performance gas sensing and established Ce-MOF-derived CeO₂ as a promising sensing material for NH₃ detection at RT. Full article

In the context of contemporary climate change, drought is widely recognized as a major stressor affecting plant growth. While numerous studies have demonstrated that Serendipita indica enhances stress resistance in host plants and is widely used in agriculture, research on its symbiotic interactions with woody plants for improving drought tolerance remains limited. This study investigated the effects of S. indica inoculation on the growth of Phoebe sheareri seedlings under varying drought conditions—well-watered (WW), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD)—and explored the physiological mechanisms underlying improved drought resistance. The results showed that under WW conditions, S. indica inoculation promoted seedling growth and development. Under MD and SD conditions, although drought stress inhibited growth, inoculation significantly increased plant biomass, root parameters, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic efficiency. Additionally, it alleviated drought-induced damage by reducing REC, MDA, H₂O₂, and O₂⁻ levels, while enhancing SOD, POD, and CAT activities, and increasing root ABA, GA, IAA, and CTK content. Under MD stress, adaptive changes in root architecture and hormone levels were observed, including increases in total root length, surface area, volume, average diameter, and elevated IAA and CTK levels—all of which were further enhanced by S. indica inoculation. In conclusion, symbiosis with S. indica improved drought tolerance in P. sheareri seedlings likely through enhanced photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activity, and hormone regulation. Full article

In recent years, Christian language and symbols have played an increasingly prominent role in right-wing populist rhetoric across many western countries. The form of religious expression in right-wing populist rhetoric corresponds to the kind of religiousness that characterizes the contextual factors under which rhetorical communication occurs. In making this case, this article analyzes salient themes found in speeches, interviews, and manifesto content to uncover dynamic similarities and dissimilarities between right-wing populist parties in two religiously different contexts: the Alternative für Deutschland (“Alternative for Germany”) and Fratelli d’Italia (“Brothers of Italy”). First, I discuss how the vertical and horizontal tensions within the populist framework combine with notions of civilizational identity and show the extent to which positive references to Christianity are combined with negative references to Islam. Next, I demonstrate how these parties differ in their treatment of the transcendent and doctrinal qualities of religious commitment. Lastly, I show the ways in which religion is used to help brighten symbolic boundaries, as well as the functions served by the dramatic and emotional elements that are embedded in the process of boundary formation. In light of the respective contextual factors that mediate the nature of religious expression, I discuss how understanding the social logic of this rhetoric can grant valuable insight into what has become such a critical feature of populism’s social character. 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

Citrus creasing is a physiological rind disorder. Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) is the most widely cultivated mandarin variety worldwide and exhibits a high susceptibility to creasing. To investigate the physiological mechanisms underlying creasing, satsuma mandarin trees were treated with different drought stress during fruit expansion, then the relationship between the soil water content and creasing incidence was analyzed, while also examining the rind morphology, oil gland distribution in the flavedo, antioxidant enzyme activities, hormone concentrations, cell wall components, mineral content of creasing fruit, and the impact of creasing on fruit quality. Results showed that severe water stress (35% SRWC) increased the creasing incidence rate by 28% compared to well-irrigated treatments (80% SRWC). The creasing fruit oil gland diameter reduced by 35.7% and the density increased by 149.7% compared to healthy fruits. Simultaneously, the content of H₂O₂ and proline elevated by 47.1% and 8.3% respectively, and the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT of the creasing rind were enhanced significantly. Additionally, the content of IAA, ZR, and MeJA decreased by 17.2%, 7.8%, and 50.2%, respectively. Cell wall components such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and protopectin content reduced by 44.6%, 31.7%, and 33.1%, while soluble pectin increased by 36.3%. Significant alterations were observed in several minerals (Al, Fe, Na, Ni, V, Ga, Zn, Ba, Sn, Hg, Sc, Y, and La). However, fruit quality remained unaffected by creasing. These results demonstrate that drought is a key factor inducing creasing. Increased oil gland density, the degradation of cell wall components, elevated oxidative stress, reductions in phytohormones, and altered mineral element content work together to contribute to rind cells’ structural instability and lead to creasing in the satsuma mandarin. Full article

This study experimentally investigates the boiling heat transfer characteristics of R32 and R410A refrigerants in heat exchangers, systematically analyzing the effects of tube thickness, saturation temperature, latent heat, liquid-phase density, and viscosity. The average boiling heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) of R32 and R410A were compared across varying mass flow rates and saturation temperatures. The results reveal that, independent of tube thickness, the boiling HTC of R32 exhibits a non-monotonic increase followed by a decrease with rising mass flow rate. Additionally, elevated saturation temperatures reduced vaporization latent heat, liquid-phase density, and gas-phase viscosity, while the flow pattern may also change. Meanwhile, R32 demonstrated superior boiling heat transfer performance compared to R410A under equivalent conditions. Furthermore, the correlation is proposed to predict the HTCs, indicating ±10% prediction error. This study provides critical insights for optimizing refrigeration systems and advancing heat exchanger modeling frameworks. Full article

The acceleration of climate change and increasing weather-related disasters require more active utilization of renewable energy. To maximize the use of renewable energy, energy storage is an essential part. Liquid piston gas compressors have recently drawn attention because of their applicability to compressed air-based energy storage. Aqueous foam can be used to enhance the efficiency of liquid piston gas compression by boosting heat transfer. To validate the effectiveness of the combination of liquid piston and aqueous foam in a multi-stage compression system, which can contribute to higher efficiency, the present work performed experimental study at various pressure levels. Compressions were performed with and without aqueous foam at three different initial pressure levels of 1, 2, and 3 bars. For each cycle of compression, a pressure ratio of 2 was used, and the impact of pressure levels on compression efficiency was measured. With the use of foam, isothermal efficiencies of 91.4, 88.2, and 86.6% were observed at 1, 2, and 3 bar(s), which improved by 2.2, 2.1, and 1.3% compared to the baseline compressions. To identify the cause of the effectiveness variations, the volume changes in the foam at the different pressure levels were visually compared. In higher-pressure tests, a significant reduction in the foam amount was observed, and this change may contribute to the decreased effectiveness of the technique. Full article

Tracing the source of air pollution presents a significant challenge, especially in densely populated urban areas, because of the unpredictable and complex nature of aerodynamics. To address this issue, intelligent lamp posts have been developed with smart sensors and edge computing capabilities. These lamp posts serve as nodes in the EIPA (Edge Intelligent Perception Agent) network within urban campuses. These lamp posts aim to track air pollutants by employing a tracking algorithm that utilizes big data learning and Gaussian diffusion models. This approach focuses on monitoring the quality of urban air and identifying pollution sources, rather than relying solely on traditional CFD simulations for air pollution dispersion. The algorithm comprises three primary components: (1) the Federated Learning framework built on the EIPA system; (2) the LSTM model implemented on the edge nodes of the EIPA system; and (3) a genetic algorithm utilized for optimizing the model parameters. By using CFD simulations in a simulated city park, training data on air dynamic movements is gathered. The usefulness of the method for tracing air pollutants based on federated learning of edge intelligent perception agents is demonstrated by the outcomes of algorithm training. Experimental results show that, compared to the traditional genetic algorithm (GA) and LSTM + genetic algorithm, the proposed FL + LSTM + GA method significantly improves the pollution source positioning accuracy to 99.5% and reduces the average absolute error (MAE) of Gaussian model parameter estimation to 0.20. Full article

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a drop-in alternative to conventional jet fuels, designed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while requiring minimal infrastructure changes and certification under the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D7566 standard. This study assesses recently identified high-energy-density (HED) strained polycycloalkanes as SAF candidates. Strain energy (E_se) was calculated using density functional theory (DFT), while operational properties such as boiling point (BP) and flash point (FP) were predicted using support vector regression (SVR) models. The models demonstrated strong predictive performance (R² > 0.96) with mean absolute errors of 6.92 K for BP and 9.58 K for FP, with robustness sensitivity analysis. It is found that approximately 65% of these studied polycycloalkanes fall within the Jet A fuel property boundaries. The polycycloalkanes (C₉–C₁₅) with strain energies below approximately 60 kcal/mol achieve an balance between energy density and ignition safety, aligning with the specifications of Jet A. The majority of structures were dominated by five-membered rings, with a few three- or four-membered rings enhancing favorable trade-offs among BP, FP, and HED. This early pre-screening indicates that moderately strained polycycloalkanes are safe, energy-dense candidates for next-generation sustainable jet fuels and provide a framework for designing high-performance SAFs. Full article

White tea quality is primarily determined by its chemical composition, which varies significantly among cultivars. This study aimed to elucidate the chemical basis underlying quality differentiation in Baimudan white tea produced from three major Fujian tea cultivars: “Zhenghe Dabaicha” (ZHDB), “Fuan Dabaicha” (FADB), and “Fuding Dahaocha” (FDDH). Headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) were employed to characterize volatile compounds, amino acids, and saccharides. Odor Activity Values (OAVs) and Taste Activity Values (TAVs) were calculated to identify key contributors to sensory perception. Results showed that theanine, glutamic acid, asparagine, and serine were the primary contributors to umami taste, especially in ZHDB and FADB. Sweetness differences were largely due to sucrose, serine, and asparagine. OAV analysis further identified 22 critical aroma compounds: methyl salicylate, linalool, and β-ionone predominantly imparted floral notes, while β-ocimene, benzaldehyde, and geraniol enhanced sweet and fruity aromas. In contrast, (Z)-3-hexenol, (Z)-3-hexenal, and (E)-2-hexenal contributed grassy and refreshing characteristics, together defining the unique aroma profiles of each cultivar. This study provides an integrated chemical and sensory framework for understanding white tea quality variation, offering a theoretical basis for targeted flavor modulation. Full article

Introduction: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) alterations exist in 15–50% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnoses. Although effective therapeutics have been developed in the form of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), various mechanisms of resistance lead to treatment failure after exposure to EGFR TKI-based therapy. Of these, histologic transformation (HT) into small cell lung cancer (SCLC) represents approximately 14% of cases. Methods: Within a single institution, we retrospectively reviewed longitudinal data from both tissue and liquid biopsies of patients with histologic transformation after a diagnosis of EGFR-mutant NSCLC. We sought to further characterize the baseline and emergent genomic alterations after HT to SCLC in the context of TKI exposure, along with germline alterations that may contribute to lineage plasticity and outcomes. Results: Fifteen patients were included in our analysis. Of these, EGFR exon 19 deletions were the most frequent (n = 11, 73.3%), followed by L858R (n = 3, 20%) and L861Q (n = 1, 6.7%). The median time for transformation was 17 months (95%CI, 8.9–41.9 months). The median OS of our cohort was 51.6 months (95%CI, 26.3—NE) with a median OS post-transformation of 13.4 months. Recurrent genomic alterations included TP53, Rb1, PIK3CA, and BRAF. Germline testing revealed a pathogenic alteration in FBN1, with a recurrent variant of unknown significance (VUS) in PALLD. Conclusion: Post-transformation somatic mutation testing and germline testing at presentation revealed unique mutational profiles not previously reported in the setting of HT to SCLC. Further investigations are required to determine the optimal treatment and sequencing following HT. Full article

Group 1 of PAH patients encompasses patients with a diverse underlying etiological condition, having histological modifications that can affect gas exchange across the alveolar-capillary membrane, as reflected by decreased DLCO. Values of DLCO did not identify the exact reason for their decrease, but they can provide insights into the underlying pathobiology and prognosis of PAH patients. Our aim was to explore whether PAH patients with low DLCO constitute a different subpopulation and describe their characteristics and response to treatment. A total of 69 PAH patients were studied retrospectively and divided into two groups: group 1: DLCO ≥ 45% and group 2: DLCO < 45%. IPAH and PAH-CTD mainly constituted our population. The proportion of IPAH to PAH-CTD was almost the same between the two groups. Patients in group 2 were older (66.83 ± 11.61 vs. 59.27 ± 111.90, p = 0.035), mostly male (47.5% vs. 11.5% p = 0.008), and ever smokers (59% vs. 22%, p = 0.049). They mainly had WHO-FC III (68% vs. 32%) and had received more advanced therapy (40% on triple combination therapy vs. 16%). The two groups had similar mean PAP (group 1 = 32 (22.00–38.00) vs. group 2 = 35 (28.50–48.50) mmHg), while PVR was higher in group 2 (6.49 (4.10–9.52) vs. 3.61 (2.95–5.22) WU). In group 2, neither IPAH nor PAH-CTD patients improved WHO-FC, 6MWD, or NT-proBNP after treatment. In our center, PAH patients with low DLCO had some distinct clinical characteristics, such as poor prognosis and poor treatment response to vasodilatory therapy. Understanding the role of DLCO in both phenotyping PAH patients and in treatment response would be useful in guiding therapeutic approaches, especially now that new therapeutic targets are involved in PAH treatment. Full article

In this study, cottonseed oil biodiesel and waste lard biodiesel were produced through a transesterification process and blended with conventional diesel at different ratios (B10 and B20). The performance and emission characteristics of these fuels were systematically evaluated in a single-cylinder, four-stroke, water-cooled diesel engine operating at speeds of 1000–1800 rpm under a constant 50% load. The physicochemical properties of the fuels were analyzed, and engine parameters including brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), brake thermal efficiency (BTE), exhaust gas temperature (EGT), and emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were measured. The results demonstrated that, compared with diesel, biodiesel blends significantly reduced CO, HC, and CO₂ emissions. At 1800 rpm, the LB20 blend showed reductions of 31.03% in CO, 47.06% in HCs, and 19.14% in CO₂ relative to diesel. These reductions are mainly attributed to the higher oxygen content and lower hydrogen-to-carbon ratio of biodiesel, which promote more complete combustion. However, all biodiesel blends exhibited higher NOx emissions than diesel, with the increase being more pronounced at higher blend ratios. At 1800 rpm, the LB20 blend recorded the highest NOx emissions, which were 20.63% higher than those of diesel under the same condition. In terms of performance, biodiesel blends showed higher BSFC and lower BTE compared with diesel, mainly due to their lower calorific value and higher viscosity. The lowest BTE and the highest BSFC were both observed with the LB20 blend, at 22.64% and 358.11 g/kWh, respectively. Full article

Background: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a functional imaging modality that can quantify tissue permeability and blood flow. Due to vasculature changes resulting from radiation therapy (RT), DCE-MRI quantitative parameters should be significantly different in regions receiving a high radiation dose compared to regions receiving a low radiation dose. This study sought to determine whether a significant difference exists in post-head-and-neck-cancer (HNC)-RT DCE-MRI quantitative parameters (K^trans and v_e) between regions of the mandible receiving a high radiation dose and regions of the mandible receiving a low radiation dose. Methods: DCE-MRI was acquired from HNC subjects post-RT. The DCE-MRI quantitative parameters K^trans and v_e were obtained through Tofts model fitting. Four mandible sections (left ramus, left body, right ramus, and right body) were delineated on subject mandible contours. Two Friedman tests comparing the mean K^trans and v_e in low-dose (≤60 Gy) areas of the four mandible regions were computed. If the Friedman test determined that a significant difference for a parameter between mandible regions exists, post hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were completed comparing the four mandible regions. If the Friedman test determined that there was no significant difference between mandible regions, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine whether a significant difference exists in the parameter between high-dose (>60 Gy) and low-dose (≤60 Gy) mandible regions. Results: 48 HNC subjects were included in the analysis. The Friedman tests showed no significant difference in v_e means between mandible regions (${\chi }_{\left(3\right)}^2$ = 1.63, p = 0.44) and a significant difference in K^trans means between mandible regions (${\chi }_{\left(3\right)}^2$ = 10.29, p = 0.005). Post hoc testing between K^trans mandible regions found that the left body and right body differed significantly from the left ramus and right ramus. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test comparing the mean v_e between high- and low-dose mandible regions found a significant difference (W = 214, p = 0.00013). Conclusions: no inherent difference in the DCE-MRI quantitative parameter v_e was observed within subject mandibles, but a significant difference was observed between v_e means in high- and low-radiation-dose mandible regions. These results provide evidence of the utility of DCE-MRI to monitor mandible vasculature changes resulting from head and neck cancer radiation therapy. Monitoring post-HNC-RT mandible vasculature changes is important to initiate earlier toxicity management and ultimately improve HNC survivors’ quality of life. Full article

The submarine topography in the canyon area of the Qiongdongnan Basin is complex, with severe risks of shallow gas hazards threatening marine engineering safety. To accurately characterize seabed morphology and assess shallow gas risks, this study employed multi-source data fusion technology, integrating 3D seismic data, shipborne multibeam bathymetry data, and high-precision AUV topographic data from key areas to construct a refined seabed terrain inversion model. For the first time, the spatial distribution characteristics of complex geomorphological features such as scarps, mounds, fissures, faults, and mass transport deposits (MTDs) were systematically delineated. Based on attribute analysis of 3D seismic data and geostatistical methods, the enrichment intensity of shallow gas was quantified, its distribution patterns were systematically identified, and risk level evaluations were conducted. The results indicate: (1) multi-source data fusion significantly improved the resolution and accuracy of terrain inversion, revealing intricate geomorphological details in deep-water regions; and (2) seismic attribute analysis effectively delineated shallow gas enrichment zones, clarifying their spatial distribution patterns and risk levels. This study provides critical technical support for deep-water drilling platform site selection, submarine pipeline route optimization, and engineering geohazard prevention, offering significant practical implications for ensuring the safety of deep-water energy development in the South China Sea. Full article