Search Results (16,157)

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is widely consumed in South America and is valued for its bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and methylxanthines. However, during traditional processing, mainly in the fire-based scorch and drying steps, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and anthraquinone (AQ), substances with carcinogenic potential, may be formed. This study aimed to develop and validate an analytical method based on the balls-in-tube matrix solid-phase dispersion technique (BiT-MSPD) and analysis by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the simultaneous determination of 16 priority PAHs and AQ in yerba mate. Parameters such as sorbent type, solvent, sample-to-sorbent ratio, and extraction time were optimized. The method showed good linearity (r² > 0.99), detection limits between 1.8 and 3.6 µg·kg⁻¹, recoveries ranging from 70 to 120%, and acceptable precision (RSD ≤ 20%). The method was applied to 31 yerba mate samples, including 20 commercial samples and 11 collected at different stages of processing. Most commercial samples showed detectable levels of PAHs, with some exceeding the limits established by the European Union. AQ was detected in 40% of the samples, with some values above the permitted limit of 20 µg·kg⁻¹. The results confirm that scorch (sapeco) and drying contribute to contaminant formation, highlighting the need to modernize industrial processing practices. The proposed method proved to be effective, rapid, and sustainable, representing a promising tool for the quality control and food safety monitoring of yerba mate. Full article

Background and Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM) in combination with a coronally advanced flap (CAF) in the management of multiple gingival recessions and to compare its outcomes with those achieved using the conventional connective tissue graft (CTG) + CAF approach. Materials and Methods: After searching and reviewing the literature in the electronic databases PubMed/PMC, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and LILACS, 601 publications were found. The titles and abstracts of 543 publications were screened. After evaluating the full text of 290 publications, based on the inclusion criteria, four randomized controlled clinical trials were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. In all the studies, the test group was treated with XCM + CAF, whereas in the control group, CTG + CAF was used. Results: Clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival recession depth (GR), keratinized tissue width (KTW), and complete root coverage (CRC) statistically significantly (p < 0.05) improved in both groups in all of the studies. Inter-group comparison showed better results in the control group in individual studies. All clinical trials reported a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in surgery time and less postoperative pain in the test group. The meta-analysis of KTW (−0.438 [95% CI, −0.714 to −0.163], p < 0.002) and GR (0.35 [95% CI, 0.098 to 0.602], p < 0.001) showed a significant difference between the test and the control groups in all of the studies. CAL (0.78 [95% CI, −0.305 to 0.461], p > 0.05) showed no statistically significant difference between test and control groups. Conclusions: CTG + CAF remains the gold standard in root coverage procedures. However, XCM offers a less invasive alternative with improved patient comfort, less postoperative pain, shorter surgical time, and acceptable clinical outcomes. Full article

This study examines the effects of three polymer binders—polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polyacrylic acid (PAA) on the mechanical properties and dry–wet cycle corrosion resistance of cement mortar at different dosages (1–4%). Mechanical testing combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was conducted to validate the experimental findings and reveal the underlying mechanisms. Results show that polymers reduce early-age strength but improve flexural performance, and at low dosage, enhance compressive strength. PVA and PAA exhibited a pronounced improvement in mechanical strength while PVA and PEG showed a significant improvement in wet cycle corrosion resistance. SEM observations indicated that polymers encapsulate cement particles, enhancing interfacial bonding while partially inhibiting hydration. MD simulations revealed that PVA and PAA interact with Ca²⁺ via Ca-O coordination, while PEG primarily forms hydrogen bonds, resulting in distinct water-binding capacities (PEG > PVA > PAA). These interactions explain the enhanced mechanism of mechanical and dry–wet cycle resistance properties. This work combined experimental and molecular-level validation to clarify how polymer–matrix and polymer–water interactions govern mechanical and durability, respectively. The findings provide theoretical and practical guidance for designing advanced polymer binders with tailored interfacial adhesion and water absorption properties to improve cementitious materials. Full article

This study analyzes the compressive behavior and reliability of Al-Mg-Si (6061) metal matrix composites reinforced with different weight fractions of Al₂O₃ and SiC ceramics and cast with graphite and steel molds. Compression tests were carried out according to ASTM E9 with 0–8 wt.% reinforcement. The mold material significantly influenced the strength due to the cooling rate and interfacial adhesion. A two-parameter Weibull model assessed statistical reliability and extracted the shape (β) and scale (η) parameters using linear regression. Advanced models—lifelines (frequentist) and Bayesian models—were also applied. Graphite molds yielded composites with higher shape parameters (β = 6.27 for Al₂O₃; 5.49 for SiC) than steel molds (β = 4.66 for Al₂O₃; 4.79 for SiC). The scale values ranged from 490–523 MPa. The lifelines showed similar trends, with the graphite molds exhibiting higher consistency and scale (ρ = 7.45–9.36, λ = 479.71–517.49 MPa). Bayesian modeling using PyMC provided posterior distributions that better captured the uncertainty. Graphite mold samples had higher shape parameters (α = 6.98 for Al₂O₃; 8.46 for SiC) and scale values of 489.07–530.64 MPa. Bayesian models provided wider reliability limits, especially for SiC steel. Both methods confirmed the Weibull behavior. Lifelines proved to be computationally efficient, while Bayesian analysis provided deeper insight into reliability and variability. Full article

Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with carotid atherosclerosis being its key etiological factor. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) regulates intracellular signal pathways responsible for vascular changes and ischemic brain injury, and is recognized as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. It modifies the activity of macrophages (MΦ) and vascular smooth muscle cells, causing inflammation and affecting the stability of atherosclerotic plaques. A deficiency of miR-21 in macrophages stimulates the inflammatory response and plaque growth. It promotes both the synthesis of extracellular matrix, stabilizing the plaque, and the degradation of the fibrin cap, which leads to plaque instability. The effect of miR-21 on endothelial cells differs: it stimulates both NO· synthesis and inflammation. During ischemic stroke, miR-21 demonstrates neuroprotective effects by modulating post-ischemic inflammation and protecting the integrity of the blood–brain barrier. Therapy targeting miR-21 shows potential in experimental models, but it requires cell-specific delivery and precise timing. Further research efforts should focus on the effects of miR-21 on different cell types, as well as the development of new technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Full article

Materials with the characteristics of lightweight, thinness, flexibility, strong absorption, and broad bandwidth are of great concern in the microwave absorption field. Herein, a novel and facile technique, the vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS) method, was adopted to fabricate flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites with a three-dimensional (3D) porous structure. The microstructure and electromagnetic wave absorption properties of the composites were tuned by varying the CNT weight ratio. The results show that the CNT established strong interfacial bonding with the TPU matrix. Different CNT weight ratios had a significant effect on the microstructure and electromagnetic parameters of the composites. The TPU/CNT composites achieved the minimum reflection loss (RL_min) of −25.33 dB at 2.35 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.89 GHz at 1.6 mm with a relatively low CNT weight ratio of 1 wt%. The conductive loss, dielectric loss, and multiple scattering synergistically contribute to favorable microwave absorption performances. This study showcases the use of a facile fabrication approach for the generation of flexible and porous TPU-based or other polymer counterparts-based functional composites via the VIPS method; it also paves the way for the large-scale application of high-performance microwave absorption materials. Full article

Curcumin is a natural bioactive compound of plant origin, characterised by a wide variety of properties that make it useful in numerous industries. Furthermore, due to its health-promoting properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects, it has found applications in medicine and animal husbandry. Unfortunately, curcumin has low bioavailability; its hydrophobic nature means it is poorly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, and it is rapidly metabolised in the liver. In recent years, research has been conducted into adding nanoencapsulated active ingredients, such as curcumin, to animal feed. This research aims to improve the bioavailability and stability of these ingredients, extend their shelf life, and enhance their absorption. These effects are expected to improve overall animal health, increase production efficiency, and enhance the quality of animal products. However, a significant challenge remains: the irreversible aggregation and chemical instability of bioactive substances due to the hydrolysis of their polymeric encapsulants, which can lead to toxic effects. This study utilised peripheral whole blood from five Blanc de Termonde rabbits. In vitro cell exposure was conducted using three distinct concentrations of nanoencapsulated curcumin (C1–C3: 10, 5.0, and 2.5 µg/mL) and a control. Cytotoxicity was determined by assessing viability using trypan blue exclusion, the comet assay, and the micronucleus assay. The results indicated that all tested concentrations of nanocurcumin significantly decreased the viability of blood cells to approximately 1–9%. In contrast, the encapsulation matrices themselves were not toxic (results were statistically significant). In the comet assay, the nanocurcumin formulations were toxic at all concentrations, and the results were statistically significant. Following exposure, the micronucleus assay revealed cell damage and a high percentage of apoptotic cells (up to 30% for Cur1 at 10 ug/mL). A significant number of binucleated cells with two micronuclei (BNCs + 2MN) were also observed, again for Cur1. In view of the considerable variation in the results from the individual tests, it is advisable to repeat the research using different matrix forms and concentrations of curcumin. Full article

The implementation of autonomous haulage trucks in open-pit mines represents a progressive advancement in the mining industry, but it poses potential safety risks that require thorough assessment. This study proposes an integrated model that combines discrete-event simulation (DES) with a risk matrix to assess collisions associated with three different operational scenarios, including non-autonomous, hybrid, and fully autonomous truck operations. To achieve these objectives, a comprehensive dataset was collected and analyzed using statistical models and natural language processing (NLP) techniques. Multiple scenarios were then developed and simulated to compare the risks of collision and evaluate the impact of eliminating human intervention in hauling operations. A risk matrix was designed to assess the collision likelihood and risk severity of collisions in each scenario, emphasizing the impact on both human safety and project operations. The results revealed an inverse relationship between the number of autonomous trucks and the frequency of collisions, underscoring the potential safety advantages of fully autonomous operations. The collision probabilities show an improvement of approximately 91.7% and 90.7% in the third scenario compared to the first and second scenarios, respectively. Furthermore, high-risk areas were identified at intersections with high traffic. These findings offer valuable insights into enhancing safety protocols and integrating advanced monitoring technologies in open-pit mining operations, particularly those utilizing autonomous haulage truck fleets. Full article

Staphylococcal bacterial biofilm plays an important role in the pathogenesis and bacterial persistence of chronic rhinosinusitis. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) has an inhibitory role in biofilm formation, suppressing adhesion and matrix production or favoring dispersal of preformed biofilm. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro effect of NAC on Staphylococcal biofilm formation by bacterial strains isolated from tissue samples of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyps (CRSwNP and CRSsNP). Prospective study included 75 patients with CRS. The biofilm-forming capacity of isolated strains was detected by microtiter-plate method and the effects of sub-inhibitory (1/2x, 1/4x, and 1/8x minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC) and supra-inhibitory minimal concentrations (2x, 4x, and 8xMIC) of NAC on biofilm production were investigated. Staphylococcal bacterial strains were isolated in 54 (72%) patients, and the most frequently isolated species were Staphylococcus aureus (40.7%). Coagulase-negative Staphylococci species were weak producers of biofilm, while S. aureus was a strong biofilm producer. Concentration of 3.1 mg/mL (1/2 MIC) was sufficient to completely prevent biofilm formation in 77.8% of the isolates, where 49.6 mg/mL (8xMIC) led to the complete eradication of formed biofilm in 81.5% of the isolates. The subinhibitory and eradication effects were dose- and strain-dependent. There were no significant differences in MIC values between isolates from patients with CRSwNP and CRSsNP isolates. NAC proved to be effective in inhibiting biofilm formation and reducing formed biofilm by Staphylococcal isolates from patients with CRS. A comparable antibiofilm effect was exhibited in both phenotypes of CRS, indicating that NAC’s antibiofilm activity was independent of the underlying clinical phenotype, and more targeted on biofilm matrix components. Full article

Preferential flow in coal mining subsidence areas leads to shallow soil moisture loss, vegetation reducing and ecological degradation. However, the factors influencing the development of preferential flow remain unclear. This study analyzed the morphological characteristics of preferential flow using a staining tracer test in coal mining subsidence areas along the middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin. Characteristic parameters including the dye-stained area ratio, preferential flow ratio, length index, variation coefficient were comparatively evaluated under different initial soil moisture conditions. Results showed that shallow soils exhibited substrate flow, while preferential flow occurred in deeper soil layers below the matrix flow. As initial soil moisture increased, the extent of both substrate flow and preferential flow decreased. The dye-stained area ratio declined with increasing soil depth, and the relationship between dye-stained area and soil layer depth was best described by a cubic function. Higher initial soil moisture reduced maximum infiltration depth and length indices while increasing the coefficient of the stained pattern. Furthermore, a higher of initial soil water content corresponded to a lower preferential flow index. Overall, increased initial soil moisture may reduce the extent of preferential flow and the rapid infiltration of water into soil. These findings provides a basis for further hydrological studies in coal mining subsidence areas in arid and semi-arid regions and offer scientific support for ecological restoration efforts in mining areas. Full article

Fish condition detection, including the identification of feeding desire, biological attachments, fence breaches, and dead fishes, has become an important research frontier in fishery aquaculture. However, perception in underwater conditions is less satisfactory and remains a tricky problem. Firstly, we have developed a multimodal dataset based on Neuromorphic vision (NeuroVI) and RGB images, encompassing challenging fishery aquaculture scenarios. Within the fishery aquaculture dataset, a spike neural network (SNN) method is designed to filter NeuroVI images, and the sift feature points are leveraged to select the optimal image. Next, we propose a dual-image cross-attention learning network that achieves scene segmentation in a fishery aquaculture cage. This network comprises double-channels feature extraction and guided attention learning modules. In detail, the feature matrix of NeuroVI images serves as the query matrix for RGB images, generating attention for calculating key and value matrices. Then, to alleviate the computational burden of the dual-channel network, we replace dot-product multiplication with element-wise multiplication, thereby reducing the computational load among different matrices. Finally, our experimental results from the fishery cage demonstrate that the proposed method achieves the state-of-the-art segmentation performance in the management process of fishery aquaculture. Full article

The jostaberry (Ribes × nidigrolaria) hybrid is a rich source of phytochemicals with high antioxidant activity (AA). However, due to the thick skin and seeds, the whole fruits are rejected by some consumers, and their incorporation into food products may negatively affect the sensory properties. Furthermore, after drying, including freeze-drying, jostaberries become sticky and gummy, making them unsuitable for grinding into powder. In this context, the present study aims to improve the handling properties and evaluate the biological value, antioxidant potential, physicochemical characteristics, and color parameters of biopolymer microparticles enriched with biologically active compounds (BACs) from jostaberry during freeze-drying and subsequent storage in the dark under ambient conditions (22 ± 1 °C, relative humidity ≤ 75%). For this, jostaberry extract (JE) was encapsulated using combinations of biocompatible carriers: maltodextrin-nutriose (resistant dextrin)-pectin and maltodextrin-nutriose-sodium alginate. The encapsulated products were freeze-dried to obtain microparticles (MNPJ and MNAJ) with yields of 87.7% and 88.9%, respectively. It was found that the biopolymer matrix provided superior protection for the encapsulated BACs during freeze-drying compared to the fruit matrix. The AA determined in MNPJ and MNAJ microparticles by DPPH and ABTS assays decreased only 1.1 and 1.5 times, respectively, while in freeze-dried jostaberry, AA showed a decrease of 3.7 times (DPPH) and 2.3 times (ABTS), respectively. Tukey’s post hoc HSD analysis revealed multiple significant differences (p < 0.05) between storage intervals for all measured parameters. While DPPH and ABTS values progressively decreased, total polyphenols (TPC) and anthocyanins concentration (TAC) and their retention efficiency showed changes after specific storage intervals (3, 6 and 12 months). After 12 months of storage, TPC and TAC decreased by 8.2% and 12.2% in MNPJ and by 3.3% and 3.9% in MNAJ, respectively. Therefore, microparticles containing sodium alginate showed the lowest BAC loss during storage. The obtained results reveal that after 12 months of storage, the color and physicochemical properties of the microparticles remained largely stable. Full article

Economic dispatch using wind power plants plays a role in reducing the price of electricity production by dispatching power among different generating units for thermal and wind power plants, and supplying load demand while meeting the power system equality and inequality constraints. Adding wind power plants to the economic dispatch model can significantly reduce electricity production costs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In this paper, fuel cost and emission minimization are considered as the objective function of the economic dispatch problem, taking into account transmission loss using the B matrix. The quadratic model of the fuel cost and emission criterion functions is modeled without considering a valve-point loading effect. The real power generation limits for both wind and conventional generating units are considered. In addition, a closed-form expression based on the incomplete gamma function is provided to define the impact of wind power, which includes the cost of wind energy, including overestimation and underestimation of available wind power using a Weibull-based probability density function. In this research work, Lagrange’s algorithm is proposed to solve the Wind–Thermal Economic Emission Dispatch (WTEED) problem. The developed Lagrange classical optimization algorithm for the WTEED problem is validated using the IEEE test systems with 6-, 10-, and 40-generation unit systems. The proposed Lagrange optimization method for WTEED problem solutions demonstrates a notable improvement in both economic and environmental performance compared to other heuristic optimization methods reported in the literature. Specifically, the fuel cost was reduced by an average of 4.27% in the IEEE 6-unit system, indicating more economical power dispatch. Additionally, the emission cost was lowered by an average 22% in the IEEE 40-unit system, reflecting better environmental compliance and sustainability. These results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed approach in achieving a balanced trade-off between cost minimization and emission reduction, outperforming several existing heuristic techniques such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Differential Evolution (DE) under similar test conditions. The research findings report that the proposed Lagrange classical method is efficient and accurate for the convex wind–thermal economic emission dispatch problem. Full article

Robots play a crucial role in experimental smart cities and are ubiquitous in daily life, especially in complex environments where multiple robots are often needed to solve problems collaboratively. Researchers have found that the swarm intelligence optimization algorithm has a better performance in planning robot paths, but the traditional swarm intelligence algorithm cannot be targeted to solve the robot path planning problem in difficult problem. Therefore, this paper aims to introduce a fuzzy controller, mutation factor, exponential noise, and other strategies on the basis of particle swarm optimization to solve this problem. By judging the moving speed of different particles at different periods of the algorithm, the individual learning factor and social learning factor of the particles are obtained by fuzzy controller, and using the leader particle and random particle, designing a new dynamic balance of mutation factor, with the iterative process of the adaptation value of continuous non-updating counter and continuous updating counter to control the proportion of the elite individuals and random individuals. Finally, using exponential noise to update the matrix of the population every 50 iterations is a way to balance the local search ability and global exploration ability of the algorithm. In order to test the proposed algorithm, the main method of this paper is simulated on simple scenarios, complex scenarios, and random maps consisting of different numbers of static obstacles and dynamic obstacles, and the algorithm proposed in this paper is compared with eight other algorithms. The average path deviation error of the planned paths is smaller; the average distance of untraveled target is shorter; the number of steps of the robot movements is smaller, and the path is shorter, which is superior to the other eight algorithms. This superiority in solving multi-robot cooperative path planning has good practicality in many fields such as logistics and distribution, industrial automation operation, and so on. Full article

This manuscript continues a series of papers devoted to the study of bio-optical characteristics of the Volga River waters in the context of development of regional bio-optical models. A particularly weak point in this effort is the limited knowledge of dissolved organic matter (DOM): its component composition, spectral absorption characteristics, and the lack of satellite-based assessment algorithms. Using excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy, we examined the fluorescent fraction of DOM of surface water layer of the Volga River and its tributaries in the area from the Gorky Reservoir to the Volgograd Reservoir, a stretch spanning over 1500 km, in the period from May to September 2022–2024. Four fluorescent components were validated in parallel factor analysis. The ratio of fluorescent components was mostly stable, while their fluorescence intensities varied a lot. For example, the fluorescence intensity of the DOM of the Gorky Reservoir and the Kama River differed by more than 2.5-fold. The highest FDOM fluorescence was found in the Gorky Reservoir. Downstream, it decreased due to the inflow of the Oka and Kama rivers. The influence of small rivers such as Kerzhenets, Sundovik, Sura, and Vetluga was insignificant. It is demonstrated that neither conventional remote sensing techniques (LiDAR) plus in situ measurements of DOM with a probe nor DOM absorption at 440 nm allows probing all the fluorescent components, so their efficiency is determined by the correlation of fluorophore group content. Full article