Search Results (3,978)

Heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) water–steam chemical dosing involves transport delays, multivariable coupling, measurable disturbances, measurement uncertainty, and operating constraints. This study develops an engineering-inspired constrained dynamic matrix control (DMC) benchmark for HRSG feedwater and condensate ammonia dosing using a three-controlled-variable (CV), two-manipulated-variable (MV), and five-measurable-disturbance-variable (DV) first-order-plus-dead-time (FOPDT) model. The controller incorporates measurement-based prediction correction, current measurable-disturbance compensation, quadratic programming (QP), receding-horizon optimization, and predefined proportional–integral (PI) fallback logic. Performance is evaluated using 30 matched Monte Carlo scenarios against independently tuned diagonal- and cross-paired PI baselines, with additional centralized-PI, disturbance-channel, measurement-quality, constraint-feasibility, and soft-CV diagnostic audits. DMC with zero-order-hold disturbance prediction reduces high-pressure (HP) and intermediate-pressure (IP) pH integral absolute error by 9.61%/13.61% relative to PI-diagonal and by 18.32%/10.17% relative to PI-cross. Explicit use of current measurable disturbances further reduces HP/IP pH error by 3.11%/2.02% compared with DMC without disturbance-variable information, whereas short-window trend extrapolation provides no statistically supported additional tracking benefit after Holm adjustment and increases MV1/MV2 total variation by 16.59%/86.06%. Under an extreme conductivity-pressure condition, the original hard-constrained DMC becomes finite-horizon infeasible for most attempted QPs even though separate steady-state feasibility checks are satisfied; a diagnostic soft-CV formulation largely removes Phase-I infeasibility by accepting penalized prediction-domain slack. The FOPDT dynamics are engineering-inspired benchmark assumptions rather than parameters identified from plant historian or step-test data. Full article

Sucker rods operate under long-term cyclic loading while being exposed to produced fluids, making corrosion–fatigue damage an important integrity concern in rod-pumped wells. This study applied a field-scale multi-source evidence framework to produced-fluid samples from 16 sucker-rod failure wells and 16 corresponding failed rods from a Daqing oil production plant. Ionic-composition analysis, SEM/EDS, bulk chemical analysis, metallography, axial tensile testing, exploratory fatigue testing, and field rod-string load analysis were integrated. The produced fluids exhibited an HCO₃⁻-dominated ionic background, with average HCO₃⁻, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻ concentrations of 345.7, 0.129, and 2.55 mg/L, respectively. Representative fracture surfaces contained corrosion pits, corrosion products, secondary cracks, and lamellar or step-like features, while local EDS analyses showed substantial O, together with detectable Cl and S. Residual tensile strength varied markedly among rods with different service histories. The exploratory fatigue dataset exhibited a non-monotonic stress–life response and, with only one specimen per source-rod/loading-level combination, was insufficient to establish a conventional S–N relationship or fatigue limit. For well X9-D2-149, the actual fracture location did not coincide with the position of maximum calculated nominal axial stress. Integration of the field, microstructural, fractographic, mechanical, and loading evidence supports a representative damage pathway from localized corrosion and pit formation to crack initiation, cyclic propagation, crack coalescence, and final rapid fracture. Full article

Accurate monitoring of leaf chlorophyll-related status (SPAD) and water status is important for evaluating apple growth and supporting orchard management. In this study, SPAD and leaf water content (LWC) were considered complementary indicators of chlorophyll-related and water-related physiological characteristics, respectively. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery and field measurements were collected during the flowering, fruit-setting, fruit-expansion, and fruit-coloring stages of Aksu red Fuji apples. Sensitive spectral features were screened using correlation analysis, and k-nearest neighbor (KNN), extreme learning machine (ELM), random forest (RF), and backpropagation neural network (BPNN) models were developed for SPAD and LWC estimation. The results showed clear relationships between multispectral features and both traits, with the RF model combining vegetation indices and band reflectance achieving the best overall performance. During the fruit-expansion stage, the optimal RF models achieved independent test-set R² values of 0.767 for SPAD and 0.768 for LWC. These results demonstrate the potential of UAV multispectral remote sensing combined with machine learning for orchard-scale spatial monitoring of apple leaf chlorophyll and water status. Full article

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder marked by impaired social communication and restricted repetitive behaviors. Metabolic dysregulation is increasingly recognized as a key intermediate mechanism linking genetic and environmental factors to abnormal neurodevelopment in ASD. This review summarizes ASD-related metabolic abnormalities involving gut microbial metabolites, energy metabolism, neurotransmitter pathways, and immune–metabolic crosstalk. Such metabolic disturbances affect neurodevelopment via immune activation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupted neurotransmitter homeostasis, ultimately impairing synaptic plasticity and neural connectivity. We also outline the preclinical and clinical progress of metabolite-targeted interventions, which show potential to modulate relevant metabolic pathways. However, it should be noted that improvements in specific metabolic biomarkers may only be associated with, rather than definitively drive, behavioral changes. However, current studies are constrained by inconsistent trial designs, small cohorts, and inadequate mechanistic verification; furthermore, interindividual metabolic heterogeneity limits universal intervention efficacy. We discuss clinical translation barriers and propose future priorities: defining metabolic subtypes, validating biomarkers, and developing precision metabolic interventions. Elucidating these metabolic mechanisms will advance targeted, personalized therapies to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in ASD. Full article

Reliable prediction of provincial energy consumption is essential for translating national energy-saving and carbon-neutrality objectives into differentiated provincial action. National estimates can obscure regional heterogeneity, whereas prediction studies that focus only on accuracy provide limited guidance on which industrial, electricity, and emissions conditions require intervention. Using 1003 observations from 31 provincial-level regions for 1990–2025, this study develops an interpretable artificial-intelligence-assisted framework combining six tree-ensemble models, Optuna optimisation, Shapley additive explanations (SHAP), and partial dependence analysis. On the original random test split, the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) achieved a coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.9890 and root mean square error (RMSE) = 1011.59. Across 30 repeated random seeds using Optuna-optimised hyperparameters, categorical boosting (CatBoost) and GBDT obtained mean R² values of 0.9871 and 0.9865, respectively. In a blocked temporal holdout using 1990–2017 for training and 2018–2025 for testing, adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) and GBDT retained R² values of 0.9202 and 0.9131. SHAP and partial dependence results identify industrial value added, electricity generation, carbon emissions, industrial structure, population, and regional context as the principal sources of differentiated energy consumption pressure; the highest predictions occur when industrial output, electricity supply, and carbon emissions are jointly elevated. These results support a result-linked policy framework: provinces dominated by industrial activity should strengthen sector-specific efficiency benchmarks and technological retrofits; provinces with high industrial and electricity contributions should coordinate industrial load management with green electricity use and power-sector decarbonisation; and provinces with strong carbon emission contributions should implement joint energy–carbon monitoring and fossil fuel structure reviews. Regional and population signals further support zoned energy budgets and infrastructure planning. The framework therefore provides interpretable quantitative evidence for differentiated energy-saving and carbon-reduction policy under China’s low-carbon transition. Full article

Three two-dimensional Tp-based covalent organic frameworks, namely TpPa-1, TpPa-2, and TpBD, were synthesized and incorporated into Shell Helix H6 lubricating oil (SO) to investigate their potential as lubricant additives in commercial lubricating oils. Tribological tests demonstrated that all three Tp-based frameworks enhanced lubrication performance, with TpPa-1 exhibiting the best overall performance. Under a 5 N load, the coefficient of friction (μ) and wear rate decreased by 35.5% (to 0.091) and 55.9% (to 4.1 × 10⁻⁶ mm³/(N·m)), respectively. Under a 10 N load, μ and wear rate decreased by 38.3% (to 0.095) and 60.9% (to 4.8 × 10⁻⁶ mm³/(N·m)), respectively. The lubrication mechanism was attributed to interlayer sliding of the Tp-based framework nanosheets and the formation of a protective tribofilm containing iron oxides and deposited Tp-based frameworks, which filled wear pits and reduced wear volume. Full article

Heterogeneous multi-robot task allocation (MRTA) requires the efficient coordination of robots with different capabilities while balancing task benefits, travel costs, and completion time. To address the challenges of complex constraints and premature convergence in conventional optimization methods, this paper proposes a heterogeneous MRTA algorithm based on chaotic adaptive dung beetle optimization algorithm, termed t-SDBO. First, a task allocation model is established by incorporating time-dependent task benefits, robot resource requirements, and task execution constraints into a weighted combinatorial optimization formulation. A real-valued encoding–decoding mechanism and constraint-repair strategy are then employed to transform continuous search positions into feasible discrete task assignments and execution sequences. To improve the optimization performance of the dung beetle optimizer, Sine chaotic mapping is introduced to enhance initial population diversity, while adaptive t-distribution mutation is used to strengthen exploration and alleviate premature convergence. Furthermore, a dynamic selection strategy adjusts the application of mutation to balance solution quality and computational overhead. Comparative experiments show that t-SDBO achieves an average fitness value of 4.3556 and a best fitness value of 4.3213 in the four-robot, twelve-task scenario, outperforming PSO, SSA, standard DBO, and SDBO in solution quality. In the ROS/Gazebo multi-robot navigation benchmark, t-SDBO reduces the total navigation time by 3.50% and 14.17%, and the total travel distance by 4.72% and 8.36%, compared with DBO and PSO, respectively, while maintaining a 100% task completion success rate. These results demonstrate that the proposed method can improve both optimization quality and multi-robot execution efficiency, providing a practical solution for constrained heterogeneous multi-robot task allocation. Full article

Hysteresis is widely observed in vehicle suspension shock absorbers and can significantly influence vehicle dynamic responses. Although various hysteresis models have been developed to reproduce experimentally observed force–velocity loops, the effects of damper hysteresis on the overall dynamic performance of passive and semi-active suspension systems remain insufficiently quantified. In this study, a parameterized physics-based damper model is developed by incorporating hydraulic-oil compressibility and pressure-dependent gas dissolution and release. The model is experimentally validated using the force–velocity characteristics of a commercial twin-tube hydraulic shock absorber and is subsequently integrated into passive and semi-active suspension systems. Suspension performance is evaluated under bump and random road excitations in terms of settling time, body acceleration (BA), suspension working space (SWS), and dynamic tire deflection (DTD). The results show that the influence of damper hysteresis depends on both the excitation condition and the suspension configuration. Under bump-road excitation, hysteresis reduces the peak BA and DTD while increasing the peak SWS for both passive and semi-active suspensions, and it shortens the corresponding settling times. The variations are more pronounced in the semi-active suspension. Under random road excitation, hysteresis increases the RMS values of BA and DTD by 6.10% and 4.70%, respectively, for the passive suspension, and by 11.09% and 6.86%, respectively, for the semi-active suspension employing skyhook control. The RMS value of SWS also increases, although its variation is comparatively smaller. These results demonstrate that damper hysteresis produces excitation- and response-dependent effects rather than a uniformly detrimental influence on suspension performance. The proposed modeling framework provides a physically interpretable basis for high-fidelity suspension simulation and for the design and evaluation of suspension control strategies considering damper hysteresis. Full article

α1-Acid glycoprotein (AGP) is a heavily glycosylated acute-phase protein whose N-linked glycan microheterogeneity plays an important regulatory role in pathophysiological processes. This review synthesizes decades of basic and clinical research, focusing on the five conserved N-glycosylation sites of AGP. Specifically, it summarizes disease-specific patterns of glycan remodeling in inflammation, cancer, and autoimmune diseases; discusses the molecular effects through which glycosylation modulates AGP conformation, receptor-binding properties, and downstream signaling pathways; examines disease-associated molecular fingerprints arising from site-specific glycosylation and their relationships with disease onset and progression; and highlights the translational potential of AGP glycosylation for early diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and targeted drug development. Current evidence indicates that most abnormalities in AGP glycosylation are associated with disease, whereas direct causal evidence for the involvement of glycosylation in disease progression remains incomplete. Important limitations also remain: the precise molecular mechanisms regulating AGP glycosylation under different pathological conditions have not been fully elucidated; experimental findings are inconsistent across cohorts and analytical platforms; and standardized analytical systems suitable for clinical application have yet to be established. By integrating the available evidence, this review provides a theoretical framework for advancing the translation of AGP glycosylation features into precision medicine. Full article

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common after cardiac surgery. We assessed the association between the preoperative advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) and postoperative AKI. This retrospective cohort included adults undergoing cardiac surgery from 2 January 2019 to 16 March 2026. The primary outcome was the first in-hospital AKI recorded within 168 h using stored Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes creatinine and kidney-replacement-therapy classifications. Among 11,890 adults, AKI was recorded in 3380 (28.4%). Each ALI doubling was associated with a lower adjusted AKI rate (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.80–0.86; p < 0.001); the fixed-horizon risk ratio was 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.88; p < 0.001). Adjustment for available preoperative shock, resuscitation, intubation, infective endocarditis, acute aortic disease, and catecholamine indicators attenuated the hazard ratio to 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.87–0.94). Association magnitude differed across mutually exclusive procedure categories (interaction p < 0.001). The coefficient constraints imposed by ALI were rejected, and the positive BMI association persisted with flexible modeling. Lower ALI was associated with more recorded AKI, but differential monitoring, residual confounding, and unsupported component constraints limit interpretation of the composite. Full article

Long-term continuous monocropping of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) in China has increased crop vulnerability to emerging diseases and threatens yield stability and grain quality. This practice may also influence inoculum carryover and host–pathogen interactions, making foxtail millet health a central issue for sustainable production. This study reports the first occurrence in China of a previously undescribed bacterial leaf disease of foxtail millet. Early symptoms are characterized by water-soaked lesions at leaf tips that spread basipetally along the veins and gradually desiccate as the tissue dehydrates. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled to isolate and identify the causal agent. Multilocus sequence analysis of three concatenated housekeeping genes (gyrB, infB, and rpoB) classified the pathogen as Pantoea ananatis. The isolate was further characterized for metabolic profile; its colonization pattern and spatial distribution within foxtail millet tissues were elucidated, revealing features of host–pathogen interaction. A high-quality de novo whole-genome assembly was generated, and candidate virulence determinants were identified by integrated genome annotation and cell wall hydrolase activity assays. This genomic resource is intended as a supporting tool for plant protection research, including disease surveillance, resistance breeding, and management. Collectively, this study represents the first report of P. ananatis causing bacterial leaf disease on foxtail millet in China. It clarifies the colonization and distribution of the pathogen in host tissues, reveales reveals its interaction characteristics with foxtail millet, and provided genomic resources to support research on foxtail millet health protection and plant protection under continuous cropping conditions. Full article

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are important components of plant photosynthetic carbon products and play key roles in carbon allocation and stress adaptation. We hypothesized that elevational gradients and organ functional differences jointly shape NSC concentrations in Picea crassifolia. We measured NSC, soluble sugar, and starch in leaves, trunks, and fine roots at three elevations (2500, 2900, 3300 m) in the Qilian Mountains. NSC and its components decreased with elevation in all organs, while the soluble sugar-to-starch ratio increased. NSC concentrations ranked leaves > fine roots > trunks, and the relative distribution of starch shifted from trunks at low elevations to leaves at high elevations. Climate and soil jointly explained 79.70% of NSC variation, with the elevational-climate gradient being the dominant driver. These findings enhance understanding of carbon allocation strategies in alpine coniferous forests. Full article

Expansive soils pose a severe geotechnical hazard to infrastructure construction in the southern Shaanxi region of China. However, the combined effects of initial water content and dry density on the swelling characteristics of this regional soil, and particularly the temporal evolution of swelling, remain insufficiently quantified. The primary objective of this study is to quantify the effects of initial water content and dry density on swelling characteristics, and to characterize the temporal evolution of swelling in expansive soils from southern Shaanxi. In this work, a series of laboratory swelling tests were carried out using a WZ-2 swelling apparatus and a WG type triplex low-to-medium-pressure consolidometer to systematically investigate the swelling characteristics of expansive soils under initial water contents of 15–24% for the free swelling ratio tests and 14–22% for the swelling pressure tests, and dry densities of 1.50–1.65 g/cm³. The temporal evolution of the free swelling ratio and the variation characteristics of swelling pressure were analyzed, and the coupled influencing mechanisms of dry density and initial water content on the swelling properties were discussed. The results indicate that the free swelling ratio exhibits a distinct three-stage temporal evolution: rapid increase (0–10 min), decelerating increase (10–40 min), and onset of stabilization (after 40 min), with stable state reached after 100 min, with the rapid swelling phase contributing 65–75% of the total swelling. At a constant dry density, the free swelling ratio decreases with increasing initial water content, while the swelling pressure also decreases monotonically with increasing initial water content. At a constant water content, the free swelling ratio increases with increasing dry density, whereas the swelling pressure increases linearly (R² ≥ 0.87). The sensitivity analysis indicates that, within the investigated ranges, swelling pressure shows greater relative sensitivity to dry density than to initial water content, with sensitivity coefficients of 5.47 and 1.48, respectively. These findings demonstrate that dry density governs the swelling behavior of the tested expansive soil, while initial water content modulates the response within the investigated range. Full article

The narrow edible window period of kiwifruit poses significant challenges for the high-value fresh fruit industry. This study comparatively evaluated the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), melatonin (MT), and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on “Guichang” kiwifruit by analyzing their physiology, energy metabolism, and transcriptomic profiles. The results indicated that 0.5 μL/L 1-MCP, 1.0 mmol/L MT, and 2.0 mmol/L ASA were the optimal concentrations, all of which significantly inhibited ethylene production and respiration intensity. These treatments effectively maintained fruit firmness, vitamin C content, and high energy status by preserving ATP levels and the activities of H⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-ATPase while suppressing the activities of CCO, SDH, 6-PGDH, and G-6-PDH. Transcriptomic analysis and RT-qPCR verification revealed that these preservatives re-programmed key respiratory pathways, including glycolysis, the TCA cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway, and oxidative phosphorylation. MT exhibited transcriptomic responses highly similar to 1-MCP (sharing 13 KEGG pathways) and resulted in the lowest decay rate among treatments, whereas 1-MCP showed the strongest maintenance of core firmness. Our findings suggested that MT exhibited promising performance across multiple quality- and energy-related parameters and may serve as a potential alternative treatment for maintaining kiwifruit quality during the edible window period. Future studies should functionally validate the identified candidate genes and evaluate the effects of MT on sensory and flavor attributes under commercial storage and distribution conditions. Full article

Fibrosis is a major vision-threatening complication of neovascular retinal diseases, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Although vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition effectively suppresses vascular leakage and neovascularization, some patients still develop fibrosis and experience irreversible vision loss. Recent studies have identified multiple interconnected signaling pathways that contribute to fibrotic progression, highlighting the potential need for combination or multitargeted therapeutic strategies. This review summarizes the cellular origins of myofibroblasts, the molecular mechanisms underlying fibrosis, and recent advances in antifibrotic therapies. We particularly highlight the angio-fibrotic switch, mesenchymal transition, cellular stress responses, extracellular matrix remodeling, mechanotransduction, and emerging therapeutic approaches for ocular fibrosis. Relevant preclinical and clinical studies were identified through searches of PubMed and clinical trial registries. Full article