Search Results (25)

Hydrogen energy offers high energy density and carbon-free combustion, making it a promising fuel for next-generation propulsion and power generation systems. Hydrogen offers approximately three times more energy per unit mass than natural gas, and its combustion yields only water as a byproduct, making it an exceptionally clean and efficient energy source. Materials used in hydrogen-fueled combustion engines must exhibit high thermal stability as well as resistance to corrosion caused by high-temperature water vapor. This study introduces a novel ceramic matrix composite (CMC) designed for such harsh environments. The composite is made of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) fiber-reinforced silicoboron carbonitride [Si(B)CN]. CMCs were fabricated via the polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) method. Multiple PIP cycles, which help to reduce the porosity of the composite and enhance its properties, were utilized for CMC fabrication. The Si(B)CN precursor formed an amorphous ceramic matrix, where the presence of boron effectively suppressed crystallization and enhanced oxidation resistance, offering superior performance than their counter part. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed negligible mass loss (≤3%) after 30 min at 1350 °C. The real-time ablation performance of the CMC sample was assessed using a hydrogen torch test. The material withstood a constant heat flux of 185 W/cm² for 10 min, resulting in a front-surface temperature of ~1400 °C and a rear-surface temperature near 700 °C. No delamination, burn-through, or erosion was observed. A temperature gradient of more than 700 °C between the front and back surfaces confirmed the material’s effective thermal insulation performance during the hydrogen torch test. Post-hydrogen torch test X-ray diffraction indicated enhanced crystallinity, suggesting a synergistic effect of the oxidation-resistant amorphous Si(B)CN matrix and the thermally stable crystalline YSZ fibers. These results highlight the potential of YSZ/Si(B)CN composites as high-performance materials for hydrogen combustion environments and aerospace thermal protection systems. Full article

To shorten the development cycle of integrated circuit (IC) chips, third-party IP cores (3PIPs) are widely used in the design phase; however, these 3PIPs may be untrusted, creating potential vulnerabilities. Attackers may insert hardware Trojans (HTs) into 3PIPs, resulting in the leakage of critical information, alteration of circuit functions, or even physical damage to circuits. This has attracted considerable attention, leading to increased research efforts focusing on detection methods for HTs. This paper proposes a K-Hypergraph model construction methodology oriented towards the abstraction of HT characteristics, aiming at detecting HTs. This method employs the K-nearest neighbors (K-NN) algorithm to construct a hypergraph model of gate-level netlists based on the extracted features. To ensure data balance, the SMOTE algorithm is employed before constructing the K-Hypergraph model. Then, the K-Hypergraph model is trained, and the weights of the K-Hypergraph are updated to accomplish the classification task of distinguishing between Trojan nodes and normal nodes. The experimental results demonstrate that, when evaluating Trust-Hub benchmark performance indicators, the proposed method has average balanced accuracy of 91.18% in classifying Trojan nodes, with a true positive rate (TPR) of 92.12%. Full article

Background: Chronic stress, characterized by sustained activation of physiological stress response systems, is a key risk factor for numerous health conditions. Allostatic load (AL), a biomarker of cumulative physiological stress, offers a quantitative measure of this burden. Lifestyle habits such as alcohol consumption and smoking, alongside environmental exposures to toxic metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury, were individually implicated in increasing AL. However, the combined impact of these lifestyle habits and environmental factors remains underexplored, particularly in populations facing co-occurring exposures. This study aims to investigate the joint effects of lifestyle habits and environmental factors on AL, using data from the NHANES 2017–2018 cycle. By employing linear regression and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR), we identify key predictors and explore interaction effects, providing new insights into how cumulative exposures contribute to chronic stress. Results from BKMR analysis underscore the importance of addressing combined exposures, particularly the synergistic effects of cadmium and alcohol consumption, in managing physiological stress. Methods: Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize the dataset, and multivariate linear regression was performed to assess associations between exposures and AL. BKMR was employed to estimate exposure–response functions and posterior inclusion probabilities (PIPs), focusing on identifying key predictors of AL. Results: Descriptive analysis indicated that the mean levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury were 1.23 µg/dL, 0.49 µg/dL, and 1.37 µg/L, respectively. The mean allostatic load was 3.57. Linear regression indicated that alcohol consumption was significantly associated with increased AL (β = 0.0933; 95% CI [0.0369, 0.1497]; p = 0.001). Other exposures, including lead (β = −0.1056; 95% CI [−0.2518 to 0.0408]; p = 0.157), cadmium (β = −0.0001, 95% CI [−0.2037 to 0.2036], p = 0.999), mercury (β = −0.0149; 95% CI [−0.1175 to 0.0877]; p = 0.773), and smoking (β = 0.0129; 95% CI [−0.0086 to 0.0345]; p = 0.508), were not significant. BKMR analysis confirmed alcohol’s strong importance for AL, with a PIP of 0.9996, and highlighted a non-linear effect of cadmium (PIP = 0.7526). The interaction between alcohol and cadmium showed a stronger effect on AL at higher exposure levels. In contrast, lead, mercury, and smoking demonstrated minimal effects on AL. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption and cadmium exposure were identified as key contributors to increased allostatic load, while other exposures showed no significant associations. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing lifestyle habits and environmental factors in managing physiological stress. Full article

This study investigates the combined effects of environmental pollutants (lead, cadmium, total mercury) and behavioral factors (alcohol consumption, smoking) on depressive symptoms in women. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2018 cycle, specifically exposure levels of heavy metals in blood samples, were used in this study. The analysis of these data included the application of descriptive statistics, linear regression, and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) to explore associations between environmental exposures, behavioral factors, and depression. The PHQ-9, a well-validated tool that assesses nine items for depressive symptoms, was used to evaluate depression severity over the prior two weeks on a 0–3 scale, with total scores ranging from 0 to 27. Exposure levels of heavy metals were measured in blood samples. BKMR was used to estimate the exposure–response relationship, while posterior inclusion probability (PIP) in BKMR was used to quantify the likelihood that a given exposure was included in the model, reflecting its relative importance in explaining the outcome (depression) within the context of other predictors in the mixture. A descriptive analysis showed mean total levels of lead, cadmium, and total mercury at 1.21 µg/dL, 1.47 µg/L, and 0.80 µg/L, respectively, with a mean PHQ-9 score of 5.94, which corresponds to mild depressive symptoms based on the PHQ-9 scoring. Linear regression indicated positive associations between depression and lead as well as cadmium, while total mercury had a negative association. Alcohol and smoking were also positively associated with depression. These findings were not significant, but limitations in linear regression prompted a BKMR analysis. BKMR posterior inclusion probability (PIP) analysis revealed alcohol and cadmium as significant contributors to depressive symptoms, with cadmium (PIP = 0.447) and alcohol (PIP = 0.565) showing notable effects. Univariate and bivariate analyses revealed lead and total mercury’s strong relationship with depression, with cadmium showing a complex pattern in the bivariate analysis. A cumulative exposure analysis of all metals and behavioral factors concurrently demonstrated that higher quantile levels of combined exposures were associated with an increased risk of depression. Finally, a single variable-effects analysis in BKMR revealed lead, cadmium, and alcohol had a stronger impact on depression. Overall, the study findings suggest that from exposure to lead, cadmium, mercury, alcohol, and smoking, cadmium and alcohol consumption emerge as key contributors to depressive symptoms. These results highlight the need to address both environmental and lifestyle choices in efforts to mitigate depression. Full article

During long-duration dynamic loads, such as wind loads or seismic effects, the internal temperature and pressure of a damping cylinder escalate rapidly, which induce shifts in the mechanical attributes of viscous fluid dampers (VFDs). This study investigated the mechanical performance of VFD considering the coupling effects of temperature and pressure under long-duration loads. First, we analyzed the mechanical and energy-dissipation performances of the dampers based on the dynamic mechanical tests considering different loading frequencies, displacement amplitude, and loading cycles. The experimental results indicated that both temperature and pressure influenced the output of the dampers, and in the sealed environment of the damper pip, temperature and pressure exerted mutual influence. Furthermore, the relationship between the damping coefficient and temperature–pressure coupling effects was obtained. Subsequently, an improved mathematical model for the mechanical performance of a gap-type VFD was proposed by considering the macroscopic energy balance of the entire fluid within the damper. Finally, the accuracy of the mathematical model for VFD under long-duration dynamic loads was validated by comparing the computational results with the experimental data. Full article

Ammonium (NH₄⁺) toxicity is ubiquitous in plants. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of this toxicity and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻)-dependent alleviation, wheat plants were hydroponically cultivated in half-strength Hoagland nutrient solution containing 7.5 mM NO₃⁻ (CK), 7.5 mM NH₄⁺ (SA), or 7.5 mM NH₄⁺ + 3 mM HCO₃⁻ (AC). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that compared to CK, SA treatment at 48 h significantly upregulated the expression of genes encoding fermentation enzymes (pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) and oxygen consumption enzymes (respiratory burst oxidase homologs, dioxygenases, and alternative oxidases), downregulated the expression of genes encoding oxygen transporters (PIP-type aquaporins, non-symbiotic hemoglobins), and those involved in energy metabolism, including tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes and ATP synthases, but upregulated the glycolytic enzymes in the roots and downregulated the expression of genes involved in the cell cycle and elongation. The physiological assay showed that SA treatment significantly increased PDC, ADH, and LDH activity by 36.69%, 43.66%, and 61.60%, respectively; root ethanol concentration by 62.95%; and lactate efflux by 23.20%, and significantly decreased the concentrations of pyruvate and most TCA cycle intermediates, the complex V activity, ATP content, and ATP/ADP ratio. As a consequence, SA significantly inhibited root growth. AC treatment reversed the changes caused by SA and alleviated the inhibition of root growth. In conclusion, NH₄⁺ treatment alone may cause hypoxic stress in the roots, inhibit energy generation, suppress cell division and elongation, and ultimately inhibit root growth, and adding HCO₃⁻ remarkably alleviates the NH₄⁺-induced inhibitory effects on root growth largely by attenuating the hypoxic stress. Full article

The thermomechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (C_f/SiC CMCs) were studied up to 2000 °C using high-temperature in situ flexural testing in argon. The CMC specimens were fabricated using an ultrahigh concentration (66 vol%) aqueous slurry containing nano-sized silicon carbide powder. The SiC powder compacts were obtained by drying the slurry and were densified using the precursor impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) method with field assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering (FAST/SPS). The high relative density of the SiC green body (77.6%) enabled densification within 2.5 days using four PIP cycles. In contrast, conventional PIP processes take over 7 days. The in situ flexural strength of the C_f/SiC CMC was 434 MPa at 1750 °C, which was 84% higher than the room temperature value. The value further increased to 542 MPa at 2000 °C. Possible mechanisms to explain the excellent strength of the CMC at elevated temperatures are discussed. Full article

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor with one of the highest morbidity and mortality rates in the world. Approximately 80–85% of lung cancer is diagnosed as non-small lung cancer (NSCLC), and its 5-year survival rate is only 21%. Cisplatin is a commonly used chemotherapy drug for the treatment of NSCLC. Its efficacy is often limited by the development of drug resistance after long-term treatment. Therefore, determining how to overcome cisplatin resistance, enhancing the sensitivity of cancer cells to cisplatin, and developing new therapeutic strategies are urgent clinical problems. Z-ligustilide is the main active ingredient of the Chinese medicine Angelica sinensis, and has anti-tumor activity. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the combination of Z-ligustilide and cisplatin (Z-ligustilide+cisplatin) on the resistance of cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells and its mechanism of action. We found that Z-ligustilide+cisplatin decreased the cell viability, induced cell cycle arrest, and promoted the cell apoptosis of cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells. Metabolomics combined with transcriptomics revealed that Z-ligustilide+cisplatin inhibited phospholipid synthesis by upregulating the expression of phospholipid phosphatase 1 (PLPP1). A further study showed that PLPP1 expression was positively correlated with good prognosis, whereas the knockdown of PLPP1 abolished the effects of Z-ligustilide+cisplatin on cell cycle and apoptosis. Specifically, Z-ligustilide+cisplatin inhibited the activation of protein kinase B (AKT) by reducing the levels of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP₃). Z-ligustilide+cisplatin induced cell cycle arrest and promoted the cell apoptosis of cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells by inhibiting PLPP1-mediated phospholipid synthesis. Our findings demonstrate that the combination of Z-Ligustilide and cisplatin is a promising approach to the chemotherapy of malignant tumors that are resistant to cisplatin. Full article

This article relates personal recollections and starts with the origin of electron microscopy in the sixties of the previous century at the University of Amsterdam. Novel fixation and embedding techniques marked the discovery of the internal bacterial structures not visible by light microscopy. A special status became reserved for the freeze-fracture technique. By freeze-fracturing chemically fixed cells, it proved possible to examine the morphological effects of fixation. From there on, the focus switched from bacterial structure as such to their cell cycle. This invoked bacterial physiology and steady-state growth combined with electron microscopy. Electron-microscopic autoradiography with pulses of [³H] Dap revealed that segregation of replicating DNA cannot proceed according to a model of zonal growth (with envelope-attached DNA). This stimulated us to further investigate the sacculus, the peptidoglycan macromolecule. In particular, we focused on the involvement of penicillin-binding proteins such as PBP2 and PBP3, and their role in division. Adding aztreonam (an inhibitor of PBP3) blocked ongoing divisions but not the initiation of new ones. A PBP3-independent peptidoglycan synthesis (PIPS) appeared to precede a PBP3-dependent step. The possible chemical nature of PIPS is discussed. Full article

The high-salinity wastewater from the textile industry faces a significant challenge in effectively separating dyes and salts. In this study, a CeZnFe-layered double hydroxide (LDH)-incorporated nanofiltration (LNF) membrane was fabricated using the conventional interfacial polymerization (IP) technique to fractionate dyes and salts within the wastewater. The impact of CeZnFe LDH on various aspects of membrane performance was examined, including water flux, dye removal efficiency, dye/salt separation capability, self-cleaning ability, and membrane integrity. The addition of LDHs resulted in improved membrane surface hydrophilicity, thereby enhancing water flux. The optimized TFN membrane (0.050 wt% LDH in PIP solution) significantly improved pure water flux, exceeding 150%. All TFN membranes exhibited excellent performance in dye and salt fractionation (93% for Congo red, 2.6% for NaCl, and 40.7% for Na₂SO₄). Also, excellent self-cleaning ability was observed for the optimized membrane, exhibiting a remarkable water flux recovery rate after three operation cycles. Moreover, including CeZnFe LDH in the optimized TFN membrane played a significant role in enhancing membrane integrity. This study provides new inspiration for fabricating self-cleaning loose NF membranes using CeZnFe LDH for effective dye/salt separation. Full article

A novel nanoscale approach was developed for the improved cellular internalization of hybrid bovine serum albumin–lipid nanocarriers loaded with piperine (NLC-Pip–BSA) in different tumor cells. The effect of the BSA-targeted–NLC-Pip and untargeted-NLC-Pip on the viability, proliferation, and levels of cell-cycle damage and apoptosis in the colon (LoVo), ovarian (SKOV3) and breast (MCF7) adenocarcinoma cell lines was comparatively discussed. NLCs were characterized concerning particle size, morphology, zeta potential, phytochemical encapsulation efficiency, ATR-FTIR, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that NLC-Pip–BSA showed a mean size below 140 nm, a zeta potential of −60 mV, and an entrapment efficiency of 81.94% for NLC-Pip and 80.45% for NLC-Pip–BSA. Fluorescence spectroscopy confirmed the coating of the NLC with the albumin. By MTS and RTCA assays, NLC-Pip–BSA showed a more pronounced response against the LoVo colon cell line and MCF-7 breast tumor cell lines than against the ovarian SKOV-3 cell line. Flow cytometry assay demonstrated that the targeted NLC-Pip had more cytotoxicity and improved apoptosis than the untargeted ones in MCF-7 tumor cells (p < 0.05). NLC-Pip caused a significant increase in MCF-7 breast tumor cell apoptosis of ~8X, while NLC-Pip–BSA has shown an 11-fold increase in apoptosis. Full article

Textiles are important components for the development of lightweight and flexible displays useful in smart materials. In particular, halochromic textiles are fibrous materials with a color-changing ability triggered by pH variations mainly based on pH-sensitive dye molecules. Recently, a novel class of 2-aminoimidazole azo dyes was developed with distinct substituent patterns. In this work, silk fabric was functionalized through exhaustion for the first time with one of these dyes (AzoIz.Pip). The halochromic properties of the dye were assessed in an aqueous solution and after silk functionalization. The solutions and the fabrics were thoroughly analyzed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectra, color strength (K/S), color difference (∆E), CIE L*a*b* coordinates, and the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF). The dyeing process was optimized, and the halochromic performance (and reversibility) was assessed in universal Britton–Robinson buffers (ranging from pH 3 to 12) and artificial body fluids (acid and alkaline perspiration, and wound exudate). AzoIz.Pip showed vibrant colors and attractive halochromic properties with a hypsochromic shift from blue (557 nm) to magenta (536 nm) in aqueous buffered solutions. Similarly, the functionalized silk showed a shift in wavelength of the maximum K/S value from 590 nm to 560 nm when pH increases. The silk fabric showed a high affinity to AzoIz.Pip, and promoted additional color stabilization of the dye, avoiding color loss as observed when the dye is in solution at alkaline pH after 24 h. The color reversibility was effective up to the fourth cycle and the fastness tests denoted suitable results, except washing fastness. The cytotoxicity of the silk fabric extracts was assessed, depicting reduced viability of HaCaT cells to <70% only when the dye concentration in the fabric is higher or equal to 64 μg·mL⁻¹. Nevertheless, lower concentrations were also very effective for the halochromic performance in silk. These materials can thus be a helpful tool for developing sensors in several sectors such as biomedicine, packaging, filtration, agriculture, protective apparel, sports, camouflage, architecture, and design. Full article

In this work, the use of N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium difluoro(oxalato)borate Pip₁₃DFOB ionic liquid (IL), originally synthesized in our laboratory, as an additive for liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), is proposed. The synthesized IL exhibits glass and melting transitions at −70.9 °C and 17.1 °C, respectively, and a thermal decomposition temperature over 230 °C. A mixture based on 1.0 M LiPF₆ in 1:1 v/v ethylene carbonate (EC): dimethyl carbonate (DMC) electrolyte solution (so called LP30) and the IL was prepared and tested in lithium metal cells versus two different commercially available carbonaceous electrodes, i.e., graphite (KS6) and graphene (GnP), and versus a high voltage LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ (LNMO) cathode. A noticeable improvement was observed for Li|LNMO cells with an IL-added electrolyte, which exhibited a high specific capacity above 120 mAh g⁻¹ with a Coulombic efficiency above 93% throughout 200 cycles, while the efficiency fell below 80% after 80 cycles with the absence of IL. The results confirm that the IL is promising additive for the electrolyte, especially for a longer cycle life of high-voltage cells. Full article

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen that requires a better understanding of its interaction with host cells. There is a close association of HCV life cycle with host lipid metabolism. Lipid droplets (LDs) have been found to be crucial organelles that support HCV replication and virion assembly. In addition to their role in replication, LDs also have protein-mediated antiviral properties that are activated during HCV infection. Studies have shown that HCV replicates well in cholesterol and sphingolipid-rich membranes, but the ways in which HCV alters host cell lipid dynamics are not yet known. In this study, we performed a kinetic study to check the enrichment of LDs at different time points of HCV infection. Based on the LD enrichment results, we selected early and later time points of HCV infection for global lipidomic study. Early infection represents the window period for HCV sensing and host immune response while later infection represents the establishment of viral RNA replication, virion assembly, and egress. We identified the dynamic profile of lipid species at early and later time points of HCV infection by global lipidomic study using mass spectrometry. At early HCV infection, phosphatidylinositol phospholipids (PIPs), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), triacyl glycerols (TAG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and trihexosylceramides (Hex3Cer) were observed to be enriched. Similarly, free fatty acids (FFA), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPE), and tri acylglycerols were enriched at later time points of HCV infection. Lipids enriched at early time of infection may have role in HCV sensing, viral attachment, and immune response as LPA and PIPs are important for immune response and viral attachment, respectively. Moreover, lipid species observed at later infection may contribute to HCV replication and virion assembly as PE, FFA, and triacylglycerols are known for the similar function. In conclusion, we identified lipid species that exhibited dynamic profile across early and later time points of HCV infection compared to mock cells, which could be therapeutically relevant in the design of more specific and effective anti-viral therapies. Full article

Since most of the root metabolic activities as well as root elongation and the uptake of water and mineral nutrients take place in the distal parts of roots, we aimed to gain insight into the physiological and transcriptional changes induced by root hypoxia in the distal parts of roots in canola (Brassica napus) plants, which are relatively sensitive to flooding conditions. Plants were subject to three days of root hypoxia via lowering oxygen content in hydroponic medium, and various physiological and anatomical features were examined to characterize plant responses. Untargeted transcriptomic profiling approaches were also applied to investigate changes in gene expression that took place in the distal root tissues in response to hypoxia. Plants responded to three days of root hypoxia by reducing growth and gas exchange rates. These changes were accompanied by decreases in leaf water potential (Ψ_leaf) and root hydraulic conductivity (L_pr). Increased deposition of lignin and suberin was also observed in the root tissues of hypoxic plants. The transcriptomic data demonstrated that the effect of hypoxia on plant water relations involved downregulation of most BnPIPs in the root tissues with the exception of BnPIP1;3 and BnPIP2;7, which were upregulated. Since some members of the PIP1 subfamily of aquaporins are known to transport oxygen, the increase in BnPIP1;3 may represent an important hypoxia tolerance strategy in plants. The results also demonstrated substantial rearrangements of different signaling pathways and transcription factors (TFs), which resulted in alterations of genes involved in the regulation of L_pr, TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle-related enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, and cell wall modifications. An integration of these data enabled us to draft a comprehensive model of the molecular pathways involved in the responses of distal parts of roots in B. napus. The model highlights systematic transcriptomic reprogramming aimed at explaining the relative sensitivity of Brassica napus to root hypoxia. Full article