Search Results (3,008)

The flash vacuum expansion (FVE) process is an unconventional technology that enables the generation of fruit purees by altering the state of the water stored in the vacuoles. The plant tissue is subjected to an increase in temperature (from 25 to 54 °C) while maintaining a constant pressure (101.3 kPa). The temperature and pressure are then rapidly reduced (25 °C and 5 kPa, respectively). This promotes the conversion of water from liquid to gas, increasing its volume, which causes cell rupture and efficiently releases cellular components, including compounds stored in the vacuole. Furthermore, fermentation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a biotechnological strategy that allows the generation of beverages with specific characteristics derived from the metabolism of LAB. LAB are capable of consuming sugars as an energy source and producing organic acids as a means of defense against microbial competitors. This research analyzes the effect of the FVE process and the genetics of Limosilactobacillus fermentum J24 on sugars and organic acids in a papaya-based beverage. During the production of papaya puree, FVE affects the concentration of sugars and organic acids, leading the bacteria to a different metabolic response than when FVE is not used for papaya puree production. Limosilactobacillus fermentum J24 was found to activate genes that confer high potential for use in the fermentation of plant-based matrices, although it was isolated from cheese. Full article

This paper presents a comparative study on the transdisciplinary design of resilient urban subcenters, examining the interplay between human-led and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated design approaches. By employing holistic design methods, we prepare and present revitalization projects for two areas of urban space. Our goal was to create a resilient urban subcenter that contributes to the development of a resident. The first revitalized site reflects the multicultural past of the city. The second project addresses the need to revitalize a subcenter reserved for residents. In the non-AI approach, holistic design is implemented across various universities, fields, and academic disciplines—the humanities, social sciences, engineering, and the arts. Transdisciplinary teams of sociologists, engineers, interior designers, architects, urban geographers, and acousticians transcend workshop limitations as well as cognitive boundaries, promoting the creation of new, unconventional knowledge. The AI-integrated approach employs artificial intelligence in a dual capacity: both as a generator of alternative design visions and as an analytical tool for assessing technological readiness. The findings contribute to the evolving discourse on sustainable urban development and the transformative potential of technology in transdisciplinary design practices. Full article

In the shale oil reservoirs, sandstone and shale often overlie each other. This significantly affects the vertical propagation of hydraulic fractures (HFs); however, the underlying mechanisms still remain unclear. This study employs Xsite software to investigate the influence of rock fracture toughness, tensile strength, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, interlayer stress contrast, and the flow rate and viscosity of fracturing fluid on the propagation behaviour of HFs in sandstone–shale interbeds. As the type-I fracture toughness of the shale layer increases, the area of the vertical HF decreases and the average HF width becomes smaller. As the tensile strength of the sandstone layer increases, the distribution range of fluid pressure at the interface expands. The HF prefers to propagate in the softer rock rather than the harder one. A relatively narrower HF width is created in the layer with a higher elastic modulus resulting in a higher flow resistance to fracturing fluid. A shale layer with a high Poisson’s ratio is more likely to undergo a lateral expansion, causing stress at the fracture tip to be dispersed. When the effect of lithological interfaces is considered, an increasing interlayer stress contrast causes HFs to gradually transition from penetrating the interfaces to becoming confined between the two interfaces. When the influence of the lithological interface is not considered, an increasing interlayer stress contrast causes the HF to gradually transition from a penny-shaped fracture to a blade-shaped fracture. The HF penetrates the interfaces more easily at a higher injection rate and fluid viscosity, because most of the injected energy is used to create new fractures rather than leakoff into the interfaces. Understanding the influence of these factors on the HF propagation behaviour is of great significance for optimising hydraulic fracturing design. Full article

Objective: This study systematically evaluated the nutritional compositions and bioactive compounds of six unconventional feed resources (Pepper residue (PR), Grape marc (MC), Pepper straw (PS), Lycium barbarum branches and leaves (LBBL), Licorice straw (LS), and Cyperus esculentus leaves (CES)). It also assessed the rumen degradability and rumen fermentation characteristics at different substitution levels through in vitro and in situ methods, to explore their potential application in sheep diets. Methods: Samples were analyzed considering nutrient composition, amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and bioactive compounds. In situ degradation was measured using rumen-fistulated sheep, and in vitro batch fermentation culture was conducted at varying substitution levels (0–100%) to measure gas production, pH, VFAs, NH₃-N, and microbial crude protein (MCP). Results: The six unconventional feed resources showed significant differences in nutrient composition, bioactive compounds, and fermentation performance. Crude protein (CP) ranged from 4.45% to 15.76%, with LS highest in total amino acids. LBBL contained 4.24 g/kg Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, LS had 9.24 g/kg liquiritin, GM was richest in proanthocyanidins, and PS had more capsaicin than PR. PR exhibited the highest DM degradation (74.77%, p < 0.001), followed by LS; CEL was lowest. PR and LS also had the highest CP degradation. In vitro fermentation revealed significant differences in fermentation characteristics among the six feeds. At 100% replacement, PR and LS exhibited high cumulative gas production, elevated MCP concentrations, and total VFAs of 54.41 and 64.02 mmol/L (p < 0.001), respectively. At 25% replacement, GM and CEL achieved high concentrations of VFAs and maintained MCP levels of 27.84 and 31.57 mg/dL (p < 0.001). PS reached its maximum total VFAs and MCP at 50% replacement, while LBBL reached 64.90 mmol/L total VFAs and 32.63 mg/dL MCP at 75% replacement. Conclusions: Nutrient composition and degradation kinetics varied significantly among substrates. PR had the highest DM degradability, while CEL had the lowest. PR and LS maintained stable fermentation at 100% substitution. GM and CEL were most effective at 25%; PS at 50%; and LBBL at 75% substitution levels. Full article

There is increasing awareness about the adverse environmental and ‘food’ animal welfare impacts associated with the production of meat-based pet food. However, little is known about cat guardians’ acceptance of more sustainable food choices for the global population of approximately 476 million pet cats. By surveying 1380 cat guardians, this study explored feeding patterns used by guardians, determinants of their cat food choices, and their acceptance levels of more sustainable cat food alternatives. The sources of information used by cat guardians to obtain information about the cat diets they chose were also investigated. Key results included: (1) 51% (620/1211) of cat guardians currently feeding meat-based cat food (raw or conventional) considered at least one or more sustainable alternatives to be acceptable, with cultivated meat-based cat food being the most popular alternative, followed by nutritionally sound vegan cat food; (2) the top five characteristics alternative diets needed to offer to be considered viable were good health outcomes, nutritional soundness, palatability, quality, and environmental sustainability; (3) diet types consumed by cat guardians and their cats were strongly associated; and (4) labels/packaging and veterinarians were the information sources most used, although veterinary staff may have been less trusted as reliable sources of dietary advice by guardians feeding unconventional diets. It should be noted that, due to the reliance on convenience sampling and the overrepresentation of respondents from the UK, of female guardians, of respondents with higher education and of vegan guardians, the reported relative frequencies of subgroups were not fully representative of the global cat guardian population. Association estimates were based on regression analyses to minimize any resultant bias effects. Full article

Unconventional yeasts, most notably those belonging to the genus Yarrowia, are garnering mounting interest from the scientific community due to their considerable promise in biotechnological applications. In the scientific literature, most attention is devoted to the species Y. lipolytica. The present work focuses on presenting the detailed phenotypic and metabolic characteristics of other less studied species, such as Y. bubula, Y. deformans, Y. phangngensis, and Y. alimentaria. The review includes a comprehensive analysis of Yarrowia species, focusing on their taxonomy, ecology, physiology, and industrial potential. These yeasts demonstrate significant variability in terms of temperature tolerance, substrate utilization, enzymatic activity, and lipid accumulation. A comparative analysis of strain collections, genomic features, and published biochemical studies is conducted. Several described species possess characteristics that are suitable for many applications, including protease production, adaptation to low temperatures, and synthesis of valuable lipids and sugar alcohols. This review also presents a regulatory framework supporting the safe use of Yarrowia yeast species in food, feed, and pharmaceuticals, and discusses the genetic background of those microorganisms. Although Y. lipolytica is the most prevalent species in current applications, the growing knowledge of other Yarrowia species suggests significant untapped potential. It is imperative that further comparative, safety application, and genomic studies be conducted in order to fully exploit this diversity for the purpose of sustainable biotechnological innovation. Full article

To address the decision-making requirements for drainage gas recovery in horizontal gas wells within low-permeability tight reservoirs, this study proposes an intelligent classification approach that integrates supervised and unsupervised learning techniques. Initially, the static and dynamic performance characteristics of gas wells are characterized across multiple dimensions, including static performance, liquid production intensity, liquid drainage capacity, and liquid carrying efficiency. These features are then quantitatively categorized using Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Subsequently, a hybrid classification framework is developed by integrating LDA with the K-means clustering algorithm. The effectiveness of this supervised–unsupervised fusion method is validated through comparative analysis against direct K-means clustering, demonstrating enhanced classification accuracy and interpretability. Key findings are summarized as follows: (1) Classification based on individual dynamic or static parameters exhibits low consistency, indicating that single-parameter approaches are insufficient to fully capture the complexity of actual production conditions. (2) By incorporating both dynamic and static parameters and applying a strategy combining LDA-based dimensionality reduction with K-means clustering, gas wells are precisely classified into five distinct categories. (3) Tailored optimization strategies are proposed for each well type, including production allocation optimization, continuous production (without the need for drainage gas production measures), mandatory drainage measures, foam-assisted drainage, and optimal tubing or plunger lift systems. The methodologies and findings of this study offer theoretical insights and technical guidance applicable to the classification and management of horizontal gas wells in other unconventional reservoirs, such as shale gas formations. Full article

Unlike conventional T cells, which express a highly diverse repertoire of dimeric αβ T-cell receptors (TCRs) restricted by classical, polymorphic MHC class I molecules (MHC-Ia), a distinct group of T cells—collectively termed “innate-like T (iT) cells”—exhibits limited TCR diversity and depends instead on nonclassical, nonpolymorphic MHC class I molecules (MHC-Ib) for their development and function. While mounting evidence supports the role of iT cells as pivotal regulators and effectors in both innate and adaptive immune responses, many aspects of their biology remain incompletely understood. In humans, iT cells represent a significant fraction of the total T cell population, and evolutionarily conserved subsets have also been identified in other mammals and amphibians. Moreover, the expanding catalog of nonpolymorphic MHC-Ib genes and lineages—distinct from polymorphic MHC-Ia genes—across jawed vertebrate genomes suggests a broader and potentially more integral role for MHC-Ib molecules in T cell function and immune surveillance. In this review, we explore the immunological significance of MHC-Ib molecules and iT cells through an evolutionary lens, highlighting recent advances that shed light on their contributions to immune homeostasis and defense. Full article

Aiming at unclear imbibition replacement mechanisms and flowback/production strategies in unconventional reservoirs of the Erlian Block, this study proposes a systematic approach integrating “imbibition-flowback-productivity synergy” to optimize post-fracturing shut-in and production regimes. By developing numerical models incorporating geological and engineering factors, we analyzed fluid dynamics during both the shut-in and production phases. Concurrently, crude oil displacement-fracturing fluid imbibition replacement experiments were conducted to guide parameter optimization. The results indicate that optimized shut-in time and production rates substantially increase recovery efficiency while mitigating reservoir damage and proppant flowback. The well shut-in time of the Erlian Block can achieve the optimal shut-in replacement effect in about 20–25 days. The optimized flowback rate of the unconventional reservoir in the Erlian Block is 25–30 m³/d. The findings offer theoretical insights and practical recommendations for the efficient development of unconventional resources. Full article

This article presents an innovative chaotic communication scheme that integrates the multiuser access technique known as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) with the chaos-based selective strategy Chaos-Based Selective Symbol (CSS) and the unconventional modulation Chaos Parameter Shift Keying (CPSK). The system is designed to operate in the 2.45 GHz band and provides a robust and efficient alternative to conventional schemes such as Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM). The proposed CPSK modulation enables the encoding of information for multiple users by regulating the 36 parameters of a Reconfigurable Chaotic Oscillator (RCO), theoretically allowing the simultaneous transmission of up to $2^{24}$ independent users over the same channel. The CSS technique encodes each user’s information using a unique chaotic segment configuration generated by the RCO; this serves as a reference for binary symbol encoding. W-CDMA further supports the concurrent transmission of data from multiple users through orthogonal sequences, minimizing inter-user interference. The system was digitally implemented on the Artix-7 AC701 FPGA (XC7A200TFBG676-2) to evaluate logic-resource requirements, while RF validation was carried out using a ZedBoard FPGA equipped with an AD9361 transceiver. Experimental results demonstrate optimal performance in the 2.45 GHz band, confirming the effectiveness of the chaos-based W-CDMA approach as a multiuser access technique for high-spectral-density environments and its potential for use in 5G applications. Full article

The Chang 7 member of the Ordos Basin hosts abundant shale oil and gas resources and plays a vital role in the development of unconventional energy. This study investigates differences in damage evolution and underlying mechanisms between representative shale oil and shale gas reservoir cores from the Chang 7 member under fracturing fluid hydration. A combination of high-temperature expansion tests, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) was used to systematically characterize macroscopic expansion behavior and microscopic pore structure evolution. Results indicate that shale gas cores undergo faster expansion and higher imbibition rates during hydration (reaching stability in 10 h vs. 23 h for shale oil cores), making them more vulnerable to water-lock damage, while shale oil cores exhibit slower hydration but more pronounced pore structure reconstruction. After 72 h of immersion in fracturing fluid, both core types experienced reduced pore volumes and structural reorganization; however, shale oil cores demonstrated greater capacity for pore reconstruction, with a newly formed pore volume fraction of 34.5% compared to 24.6% for shale gas cores. NMR and Micro-CT analyses reveal that hydration is not merely a destructive process but a dynamic “damage–reconstruction” evolution. Furthermore, the addition of clay stabilizers effectively mitigates water sensitivity and preserves pore structure, with 0.7% identified as the optimal concentration. The research results not only reveal the differential response law of fracturing fluid damage in the Chang 7 shale reservoir but also provide a theoretical basis and technical support for optimizing fracturing fluid systems and achieving differential production increases. Full article

The landscape of marketing is rapidly evolving as companies adapt to new societal dynamics and technological advancements. Guerrilla marketing, characterized by its unconventional, creative, and cost-effective tactics, has proven effective in capturing consumer attention. When integrated with social media platforms, these tactics gain amplified reach, immediacy, and interactive potential, fostering viral spread and deeper consumer engagement. This research seeks to answer the pivotal question: “How does guerrilla marketing on social media influence consumer behavior and brand awareness?” To address this, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to provide an in-depth analysis of relevant studies in the field. Our findings reveal that this integration significantly enhances consumer engagement, boosts brand awareness, and positively influences purchasing behavior. Moreover, it provides firms with competitive advantages in dynamic, resource-constrained markets. The results highlight the importance of leveraging creative marketing approaches alongside digital platforms to shape consumer choices and drive successful marketing outcomes in the digital age. Full article

Hydraulic fracturing is a core stimulation technology for enhancing hydrocarbon production. However, it faces significant technical bottlenecks in unconventional reservoirs. These bottlenecks include poor adaptability to high-temperature and high-salinity environments, water-sensitive formation damage, and insufficient long-term fracture conductivity. Nanotechnology leverages unique properties of nanomaterials, such as surface effects, quantum size effects, and designability. Nanotechnology offers systematic solutions for optimizing fracturing fluids, enhancing proppant performance, and innovating waterless fracturing techniques. This review outlines the current status of fracturing technology, exploring the role of nanoparticles in improving fluid rheology, proppant strength, and interface regulation, and discusses future challenges. Studies show that nanomodified fracturing fluids can increase high-temperature viscosity retention by over 300%. Meanwhile, waterless fracturing reduces water consumption by 80%. Despite challenges in particle agglomeration and cost, nanotechnology demonstrates significant potential in boosting recovery and reducing environmental impact. Nanotechnology is positioned as a transformative technology for future unconventional resource development. Full article

With the rapid economic and social development and the increasingly severe water shortage situation, the sustainable utilization of unconventional water resources is of great significance. As one of the “second water sources”, the full utilization of highly mineralized mine water (HMMW) is a key strategy for promoting sustainable development in water-scarce regions. It has obvious resource, environmental, and economic benefits that are central to sustainability. However, the mechanism of the impact of HMMW utilization on water utilization, the environment, and the economy is still unclear, making it difficult to evaluate its overall sustainability performance and to provide scientific data support to promote HMMW utilization. Therefore, this paper develops a novel sustainability-oriented accounting framework to assess the environmental–economic sustainability of HMMW utilization. Firstly, this paper proposes the method of calculating the HMMW utilization environmental benefits, proposes a novel integrated environmental–economic input–output accounting framework, which refines the HMMW sector from the traditional water industry and integrates the environmental benefits into a balanced input–output table. Secondly, taking Ningdong Energy Chemical Industry Base (NECI Base) as an example, this paper conducts applied research on the integrated environmental–economic accounting of HMMW utilization: (I) The HMMW environmental benefits of NECI Base are calculated, the utilization of 22.69 million m³ of HMMW generated environmental benefits, valued at 233.69 million CNY, demonstrating its substantial contribution to environmental sustainability. The compiled environmental–economic input–output table passed the balance verification, confirming the robustness and practicality of the accounting method. Full article

This paper explores how trauma functions not only as a mark of suffering but as a generative force of memory, agency, and resistance. Traditional trauma narratives often confine queer bodies to sites of pain, overlooking their role in reshaping history and reclaiming identity. Drawing on Ann Cvetkovich’s concept of queer trauma as an anti-pathological force, this study examines how Rainbow Milk portrays distress not as an individual affliction requiring clinical intervention but as an insidious, intergenerational experience that circulates through familial silence and socio-cultural marginalization. At the same time, the novel illustrates how trauma can open pathways to self-expression and historical reclamation. By uncovering his family’s hidden past, the protagonist embarks on an unconventional healing process that links personal memory with collective histories of exclusion. In doing so, Rainbow Milk reframes trauma not as a fixed wound but as a dynamic, lived experience that enables identity reconstruction through remembrance, connection, and resilience. Full article