Search Results (1,334)

Mealybugs are high-priority quarantine pests in fresh-produce trade due to cryptic habits, broad host ranges, and market-access risks. Phytosanitary irradiation (PI) provides a non-residual, process-controlled option that is increasingly integrated with modified-atmosphere (MA/MAP) logistics. Because molecular oxygen enhances indirect radiation damage (oxygen enhancement ratio, OER), oxygen limitation may modulate PI outcomes in mealybugs. The Jack Beardsley mealybug (Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi) has an IPPC-adopted PI treatment of 166 Gy (ISPM 28, PT 45). We exposed adult females to 166 Gy under air and 1% O₂ and generated whole-transcriptome profiles across treatments. Differentially expressed genes and co-differentially expressed genes (co-DEGs) were integrated with protein–protein interaction (PPI) and regulatory networks, and ten hubs were validated by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Hypoxia attenuated irradiation-induced transcriptional disruption. Expression programs shifted toward transport, redox buffering, and immune readiness, while morphogen signaling (Wnt, Hedgehog, BMP) was coherently suppressed; hubs including wg, hh, dpp, and ptc showed stronger down-regulation under hypoxia + irradiation than under irradiation alone. Despite these molecular differences, confirmatory bioassays at 166 Gy under both atmospheres (air and 1% O₂) achieved complete control. These results clarify how oxygen limitation modulates PI responses in a quarantine mealybug while confirming the operational efficacy of the prescribed 166 Gy dose. Practically, they support the current international standard and highlight the value of documenting oxygen atmospheres and managing dose margins when PI is applied within MA/MAP supply chains. Full article

Background: Transcutaneous PCO₂ (TcPCO₂) effectively represents the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in deep tissues, providing us with more accurate information regarding deep tissue perfusion and oxygen metabolism. Based on this, we aimed to explore the clinical value of TcPCO₂ in assessing free flap blood supply during oral cancer surgery. Methods: A total of 27 patients undergoing oral cancer reconstruction with free flap reconstruction were enrolled. For enrolled patients, continuous monitoring was conducted before, during, and after free flap transplantation surgery. Results: A total of 121 measurements were taken, comprising 93 instances in the normal flap group and 28 instances in the insufficient flap group. The TcPCO₂ levels were significantly higher and transcutaneous PO₂ (TcPO₂) levels were lower in the insufficient group (p < 0.001). The cutoff values for TcPCO₂ and TcPO₂, calculated using the Youden index, were 66 mmHg and 16 mmHg, respectively. TcPCO₂ exhibits high specificity in monitoring the blood supply of free flaps. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for TcPCO₂ in predicting insufficient flap perfusion was calculated to be 0.912. Conclusions: TcPCO₂ demonstrates high specificity in assessing blood supply in free flaps for patients undergoing oral cancer surgery and has diagnostic significance for early identification of insufficient flap. Full article

Coal blending has become a common practice in large-scale boilers due to fluctuations in fuel supply, and it has an important impact on combustion and nitric oxide (NO) formation. To clarify these effects, this study numerically investigates the combustion characteristics and NO generation in a 130 t/h tangentially fired pulverized-coal boiler under boiler maximum continuous rating (BMCR) conditions. A three-dimensional furnace model was developed based on the actual boiler geometry, and combustion was simulated using coal combustion sub-models coupled with the discrete phase model (DPM). The results indicate that increasing the proportion of bituminous coal raises the peak furnace temperature from 1856 K under unblended firing to 1959 K at 80% blending and increases the outlet NO concentration from 357 mg/m³ to 457 mg/m³. Furthermore, coal blending shifts flame intensity toward the furnace wall, enhances carbon monoxide (CO) formation in oxygen-deficient near-wall regions, and promotes NO generation in wall-adjacent high-temperature zones. These findings demonstrate that coal blending significantly influences combustion performance and pollutant emissions, highlighting the need for optimized air distribution and blending strategies in tangentially fired boilers. Full article

Nitrous oxide (N₂O), a potent greenhouse gas, is an important environmental concern associated with biological nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment plants. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), recognized as an advanced carbon-neutral nitrogen removal technology, requires a continuous supply of nitrite, which also serves as a key precursor for N₂O generation. However, the regulation of the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio to minimize N₂O emission in mainstream anammox systems remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we evaluated the long-term nitrogen removal performance and N₂O emission potential of an oxygen-limited anammox biofilm reactor treating synthetic municipal wastewater with a typical C/N range of 4.0–6.0. Experimental results demonstrated that the highest nitrogen removal efficiency (95.3%), achieved through coupled anammox and denitrification, and the lowest N₂O emission factor (0.73%) occurred at a C/N ratio of 5.0. As the C/N ratio increased from 4.0 to 5.0, N₂O emissions decreased progressively, but rose slightly when the ratio was further increased to 6.0. High-throughput sequencing revealed that microbial community composition and the abundance of key functional taxa were significantly influenced by the C/N ratio. At a C/N ratio of 5.0, proliferation of anammox bacteria and the disappearance of Acinetobacter populations appeared to contribute to the significant reduction in N₂O emission. Furthermore, gene annotation analysis indicated higher abundances of anammox-associated genes (hzs, hdh) and N₂O reductase gene (nosZ) at this ratio compared with others. Overall, this study identifies a C/N-dependent strategy for mitigating N₂O emissions in mainstream anammox systems and provides new insights into advancing carbon-neutral wastewater treatment. Full article

The decarbonization of hard-to-defossilize sectors, such as international maritime transport, requires innovative, and at times disruptive, energy solutions that combine efficiency, scalability, and climate benefits. Therefore, power-to-liquid (PtL) routes have stood out for their potential to use low-emission electricity for the production of synthetic fuels, via electrolytic hydrogen and CO₂ capture. However, the high energy demand inherent to these routes poses significant challenges to large-scale implementation. Moreover, PtL routes are usually at most neutral in terms of CO₂ emissions. This study evaluates, from a thermo-energetic perspective, the optimization potential of an e-methanol synthesis route through integration with a biomass oxy-fuel combustion process, making use of electrolytic oxygen as the oxidizing agent and the captured CO₂ as the carbon source. From the standpoint of a first-law thermodynamic analysis, mass and energy balances were developed considering the full oxygen supply for oxy-fuel combustion to be met through alkaline electrolysis, thus eliminating the energy penalty associated with conventional oxygen production via air separation units. The balance closure was based on a small-scale plant with a capacity of around 100 kta of methanol. In this integrated configuration, additional CO₂ surpluses beyond methanol synthesis demand can be directed to geological storage, which, when combined with bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) strategies, may lead to net negative CO₂ emissions. The results demonstrate that electrolytic oxygen valorization is a promising pathway to enhance the efficiency and climate performance of PtL processes. Full article

Exercise activates many metabolic and signaling pathways in skeletal muscle and other tissues and cells, causing numerous systemic beneficial metabolic effects. Traditionally recognized for their principal role in oxygen (O₂) transport, erythrocytes have emerged as dynamic regulators of vascular homeostasis. Beyond their respiratory function, erythrocytes modulate vascular tone through crosstalk with other cells and tissues, particularly under hypoxia and physical exercise. This regulatory capacity is primarily mediated through the controlled release in the bloodstream of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nitric oxide (NO), two potent vasodilators that contribute significantly to matching oxygen supply with tissue metabolic demand. Emerging evidence suggests that many other erythrocyte-released molecules may act as additional factors involved in tissue-erythrocyte crosstalk. This review highlights erythrocytes as active contributors to exercise-induced adaptations through their exocrine signaling. Full article

This study explores the combustion behavior of three biomass pellet types—wood (W), sunflower husk (SH), and a mixture of wood and sunflower husks (W/SH)—in a residential hot water boiler. Experiments were carried out under two air supply regimes (40%/60% and 60%/40% primary to secondary air) to measure flue gas concentrations of oxygen (O₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NO_x). The results indicate that SH pellets generate the highest emissions (CO: 1095.3 mg/m³, NO_x: 679.3 mg/m³), while W pellets achieve the lowest (CO: 0.3 mg/m³, NO_x: 194.1 mg/m³). The mixed W/SH pellets produce intermediate values (CO: 148.7 mg/m³, NO_x: 201.8 mg/m³). Overall boiler efficiency for all tested fuels ranged from 90.3% to 91.4%. Numerical simulations using ANSYS CFX (2024 R2 (24.2)) were performed to analyze temperature distribution, flue gas composition, and flow fields, showing good agreement with experimental outlet temperature and emission trends. These findings emphasize that both pellet composition and air distribution significantly influence efficiency and emissions, offering guidance for optimizing small-scale biomass boiler operation. Full article

Safe drinking water is essential, yet millions of people remain exposed to contaminated supplies. Conventional treatments such as chlorination and UV light can kill microbes, but they also create harmful byproducts, face resistance issues, and are not always sustainable. Green-synthesized nanomaterials (GSNMs) are emerging as an eco-friendly alternative. Produced with plants, microbes, algae, and natural polymers, these materials merge nanotechnology with green chemistry. Among them, silver, zinc oxide, copper oxide, titanium dioxide, and graphene-based nanomaterials show strong antimicrobial effects by disrupting membranes, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), and damaging genetic material. Compared with chemically made nanoparticles, GSNMs are often safer, cheaper, and more environmentally compatible. Nevertheless, concerns about toxicity, environmental fate, and large-scale use remain. This review highlights recent progress in GSNM synthesis, antimicrobial mechanisms, and safety considerations, highlighting their potential to enable sustainable water disinfection while identifying critical areas for further research. Full article

Global environmental challenges, including eutrophication and hypoxia in enclosed water bodies, require innovative solutions for sustainable water quality management. Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, suffers from hypoxia in its bottom layers due to strong summer stratification that inhibits vertical mixing. To address this issue, the present study employed a three-dimensional hydrodynamic–ecosystem model to numerically evaluate the effectiveness of training walls (guiding dikes) at river mouths in enhancing vertical mixing and improving bottom-layer oxygenation. Simulations revealed that the installation of guiding dikes significantly altered horizontal advection and promoted vertical mixing, particularly during winter, when weakened stratification allowed snowmelt inflows to sink along the dikes. As a result, local increases in dissolved oxygen concentrations of up to 0.4 mg/L were observed in the bottom layer. These findings demonstrate that guiding dikes can effectively improve oxygen supply to hypoxic zones, especially during periods of low stratification, providing a promising strategy for lake management in temperate regions experiencing seasonal snowmelt. Full article

Background/Objectives: Biochemical processes such as the glycolytic pathway and Kreb’s cycle are important in producing ATP for the brain. Without a sufficient supply of glucose for energy metabolism, the brain cannot efficiently regulate or coordinate the actions and reactions of the body. It is well documented that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with reduced energy metabolism through the production of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. Antioxidants, such as glutathione (GSH), have been shown to combat the deleterious effects of oxidation by scavenging ROS/RNS, inhibiting propagation, and removing neurotoxic byproducts. Gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester (GCEE), an ethyl ester moiety of gamma-glutamylcysteine, exhibits antioxidant activity by increasing GSH production. This therapeutic has protective effects against oxidative stress through the elevation of glutathione. Methods: This study investigates the enzymatic activities of several key energy-related proteins that have been identified as nitrated in treated Wistar rats with moderate TBI. To test the hypothesis that the elevation of GSH production upon administration of GCEE will normalize enzymatic activity post-TBI, adult male Wistar rats were equally divided into three groups: sham, saline, and GCEE. Rats were treated with 150 mg/kg saline or GCEE at 30 and 60 min post-TBI. Upon sacrifice, brains were harvested and enzymatic activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Results: An increase in enzymatic activity upon GSH elevation via GCEE administration in several key enzymes was observed. Conclusions: GCEE is a potential therapeutic strategy to restore energy-related proteins in the brain post-TBI via GSH elevation. Full article

Oxygen-deficient tungsten oxide W₁₈O₄₉ was synthesized through lattice oxygen escaping at high temperature in N₂ atmosphere. The temperature and inert atmosphere were critical conditions to initiate the lattice oxygen escaping to obtain W₁₈O₄₉. The large amount of oxygen vacancies supports its performance in photothermal conversion. The synthesized tungsten oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The composite gel was fabricated by the insertion of oxygen-deficient tungsten oxide into PVA-based gel, which was cross-linked by glutaraldehyde. The PVA-based gel ensures a matched water supply speed with that of the evaporation rate due to its hydrophilic nature. The result of the solar steam generation shows that the W₁₈O₄₉-PVA gel (steam generation rate 2.65 kg m⁻² h⁻¹) was faster than that of the pure PVA gel. Full article

In producing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with Schizochytrium sp., the production yield of DHA can be effectively increased through using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and controlling its concentration at the desired level, since H₂O₂ is a common regulatory mediator for lipid accumulation in oleaginous microorganisms. However, when exposed to the environment of oxidative stress induced by the long-term exogenous addition of H₂O₂ over an extended time span, cells’ metabolic activity would be gradually decreased or even stopped, which ultimately results in a limited duration for producing DHA efficiently. In fact, the severe accumulation of ROS cannot be avoided when implementing the normal DHA fermentation batch without the use of exogenous H₂O₂ because of the necessity of supplying a mass of oxygen for cell respiration. Aiming to overcome these issues, a novel periodic feeding strategy for H₂O₂ and p-aminobenzoate was proposed, and the underlying principle of this strategy is that the substantial harm inflicted on cells due to their continuous exposure to the oxidative stress environment can be effectively alleviated through the implementation of a recovery treatment (p-aminobenzoate, reducing agent) subsequent to the environmental stimulus. When using this strategy, it was achieved that, concurrently, activities of the vital enzymes participating in lipid biosynthesis were maintained at their maximum levels and the maintenance coefficient of glucose reduced to its minimum level (0.0034 1/h vs. 0.0027 1/h) by controlling ROS concentration at lower and desired levels, and thus DHA concentration reached the maximum value of 1.49 ± 0.20 g/L, with a 49% increase compared to the control group. Full article

This study investigated the degradation and disintegration behavior of novel biobased multilayered films composed of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) during controlled composting tests performed at the laboratory scale. The compostability of monolayer PLA and PHBV films, hot-pressed bilayers, and coextruded multilayer films produced in industrial or semi-industrial settings was systematically evaluated. Materials supplied by Fraunhofer LBF (Darmstadt, Germany) were tested as specified by the EVS-EN standard ISO 14855-1:2012 and EVS-EN ISO 20200:2016 standards. Composting took place in sealed, aerated vessels at 58 ± 2 °C with 50 ± 5% moisture and >6% oxygen. Biodegradation was measured via CO₂ evolution, and disintegration was assessed visually and physically. PLA-1OLA films achieved 98.59% biodegradation and 91.13% disintegration. PHBV-5OLA and multilayer PLA-1OLA/PHBV-5OLA films showed biodegradation rates of 85.49% and 73.14%, with disintegration degrees of 89.93% and 79.18%, respectively. However, modified multilayer structures displayed slightly reduced compostability compared with pure compounds, likely due to the influence of additional components. To meet the 90% biodegradability threshold required by EVS-EN 13432:2003, increasing the PLA-1OLA content is recommended. This study introduces a novel combination of biobased polymers and plasticizers in multilayer formats, offering a deeper understanding of structure–property–degradation relationships. Its significance lies in advancing the design of sustainable packaging materials that balance functionality with environmental compatibility. Full article

Background/Objectives: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibits pronounced biological heterogeneity, aggressive behavior, and a high risk of recurrence and metastasis. The conventional treatments for TNBC have notable limitations: surgical resection may leave residual tumor cells; chemotherapy (CT) frequently induces systemic toxicity and drug resistance; and radiotherapy damages surrounding organs and compromises the patients’ immune function. Methods: Herein, we designed a carrier-free nanodrug delivery system composed of self-assembled Curcumin nanoparticles (NPs) coated with a tannic acid (TA)/Fe(III) network (denoted as CUR@TA-Fe(III) NPs). We systematically evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity and photothermal–ferroptosis synergistic therapeutic efficacy of CUR@TA-Fe(III) NPs in 4T1 breast cancer cells, as well as the in vivo antitumor activity using 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse models. Results: CUR@TA-Fe(III) NPs had high drug loading efficiency (LE) of 27.99%, good dispersion stability, and photothermal properties. Curcumin could inhibit the growth of 4T1 cancer cells, while TA-Fe(III) efficiently converted light energy into heat upon exposure to near-infrared (NIR) light, leading to direct thermal ablation of 4T1 cells. Additionally, TA-Fe(III) could supply Fe(II) via TA, increase intracellular Fe(II) content, and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the Fenton reaction, in turn inducing lipid peroxidation (LPO), a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and glutathione depletion, eventually triggering ferroptosis. Conclusions: This treatment strategy, which integrates CT, PTT, and ferroptosis, is expected to overcome the limitations of traditional single-treatment methods and provide a more effective method for the treatment of TNBC. Full article

The development of a prototype of a cooking device based on catalytic hydrogen combustion (CHC) is presented in this research. CHC is the catalytic reaction between hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂), generating heat and water vapour as the only by-product. In the developed prototype, only H₂ gas is fed to the catalytic surface while air is entrained from the environment by convection (i.e., passive approach). Therefore, the convective mass transfer during the exothermic reaction between H₂ and O₂ allows a continuous H₂/air mixture supply to the catalytic surface. In this prototype, 30 g of Pt/Al₂O₃ (0.5 wt% Pt) catalyst is used for the H₂ combustion. The developed prototype performance was evaluated by determining its combustion temperature, H₂ slip (amount of unreacted H₂ in the flue gas), and flue gas composition with respect to NO_x formation. Tests were performed at inlet H₂ flows of 1–5 normal (N) L/min, which equates to a power output of 0.18–0.90 kW, respectively. The observed combustion temperature of the catalyst surface, determined using an IR camera, was in the range of 324.5 °C (at 1 NL/min) to 611.2 °C (at 5 NL/min). The H₂ slip of <1.75 vol% was observed during CHC at 1–5 NL/min H₂ flow. The maximum efficiency of 42% was determined at 1 NL/min H₂ flow and a power output of 0.18 kW. Full article