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34 pages, 11046 KB

Open AccessArticle

Essential Oils from Seed-Depleted Infructescences of Industrial Hemp: Chemical Diversity and Biological Potential

by Piotr Sugier, Aleksandra Nurzyńska, Małgorzata Miazga-Karska, Danuta Sugier, Radosław Kowalski, Karolina Jaros-Tsoj, Dawid Świstak, Jolanta Jaroszuk-Ściseł, Jaco Vangronsveld, Andrzej Plak and Małgorzata Wójcik

Molecules 2026, 31(16), 2886; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31162886 (registering DOI) - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Industrial hemp is a chemically rich plant increasingly explored within sustainable production systems aimed at the full utilization of all plant fractions. While hemp inflorescences have been extensively investigated, the biological potential of seed-depleted infructescences remains largely underexplored. This study compared essential oils [...] Read more.

Industrial hemp is a chemically rich plant increasingly explored within sustainable production systems aimed at the full utilization of all plant fractions. While hemp inflorescences have been extensively investigated, the biological potential of seed-depleted infructescences remains largely underexplored. This study compared essential oils (EOs) distilled from inflorescences and seed-depleted infructescences of hemp (Cannabis sativa L. cv. Futura 75). Their chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and their cytotoxicity, hemocompatibility, effects on blood coagulation, and antibacterial activity against a panel of 11 Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and microaerophilic bacterial strains were evaluated. The major EO constituents included α-Pinene, (E)-Caryophyllene, Myrcene, α-Humulene, Caryophyllene oxide, and Cannabidiol. EOs obtained from seed-depleted infructescences exhibited distinct chemical profiles, low cytotoxicity toward BJ human skin fibroblasts, minimal haemolytic activity, no significant effects on blood coagulation, and, in most cases, stronger antibacterial activity than inflorescence-derived EOs. Particularly high activity was observed against skin- and oral-associated bacteria, including Cutibacterium acnes and Streptococcus species. These findings demonstrate that seed-depleted infructescences represent underutilized post-harvest biomass and a valuable and sustainable source of biologically active EOs, supporting their further investigation for potential pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and oral healthcare applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Cannabis and Hemp Research—2nd Edition)

19 pages, 8438 KB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Characterization of the WIP Transcription Factor Gene Family in Soybean and Physiological Responses to Salt Stress

by Tianjiao Gao, Shuping Yan, Sobhi F. Lamlom, Huilong Hong, Tiantian Huang, Guoqing Li, Narentuya Chen, Chunlei Zhang, Honglei Ren, Qiang Qiu and Lichun Huang

Genes 2026, 17(8), 968; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17080968 (registering DOI) - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Soybean (Glycine max) productivity is increasingly constrained by soil salinity. WIP transcription factors, a subfamily of C2H2-type zinc finger proteins, regulate cell division, differentiation, and tissue patterning in several plant species, but this gene family had not previously been systematically [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Soybean (Glycine max) productivity is increasingly constrained by soil salinity. WIP transcription factors, a subfamily of C2H2-type zinc finger proteins, regulate cell division, differentiation, and tissue patterning in several plant species, but this gene family had not previously been systematically characterized in soybean or any other major legume crop. This study aimed to identify and characterize the GmWIP gene family genome-wide and evaluate its potential involvement in the soybean salt-stress response. Methods: Genome-wide identification of GmWIP genes was performed using sequence similarity and domain-based searches against the Wm82.gnm4.ann1 reference genome, followed by characterization of physicochemical properties, chromosomal distribution, phylogenetic relationships, gene duplication, conserved motifs, gene structure, and promoter cis-acting elements. Tissue-specific expression was examined using transcriptome data, and GmWIP responses to salt stress were profiled by RT-qPCR in roots, stems, and leaves of a salt-tolerant cultivar (HN531) and a salt-sensitive cultivar (HN563), alongside physiological measurements of oxidative stress and osmotic adjustment. Results: Thirty GmWIP genes were identified, with molecular weights from 26.90 to 57.52 kDa, distributed unevenly across 15 soybean chromosomes, with chromosomes 11, 12, and 13 forming a major hotspot (53.3% of the family). Duplication analysis detected 54 reconciled segmental duplicate gene pairs, all exhibiting Ka/Ks values < 1 (ranging from 0.0351 to 0.4471; mean 0.214), consistent with purifying selection acting on this gene set. GmWIP promoters were enriched for ABRE, MBS, and MeJA cis-acting elements. RT-qPCR showed genotype- and tissue-dependent differential expression under salt stress (e.g., up to 14.9-fold induction of GmWIP22 in HN531 stems), paralleled by superior proline accumulation (+45%), soluble sugars, and CAT activity (+38%) alongside reduced MDA accumulation in the tolerant cultivar. Conclusions: The GmWIP gene family has expanded substantially in soybean relative to previously characterized species and shows genotype-dependent transcriptional responses to salt stress, suggesting that specific GmWIP members are candidate regulators of salt tolerance and warrant further functional investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: Molecular Genetics and Genomics)

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23 pages, 5726 KB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling Farmers’ Coping Responses to Climate Change Stress: An Application of Cognitive Stress Theory

by Tahereh Zobeidi and Masoud Yazdanpanah

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8480; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168480 (registering DOI) - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

This study aims to develop and examine Lazarus and Folkman’s psychological stress and coping theory, utilizing scales that measure problem-focused and emotion-focused coping in the context of environmental issues, as defined by Homburg and colleagues, to predict adaptation behavior in agriculture. The goal [...] Read more.

This study aims to develop and examine Lazarus and Folkman’s psychological stress and coping theory, utilizing scales that measure problem-focused and emotion-focused coping in the context of environmental issues, as defined by Homburg and colleagues, to predict adaptation behavior in agriculture. The goal is to analyze Iranian farmers’ problem-focused and emotion-focused coping styles in response to climate change stress. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we examined the effects of cognitive appraisals, including demand appraisal and self-efficacy, along with collective efficacy, on problem- and emotion-focused coping. The data for this study were collected through paper-based questionnaires from 250 farmers in Iran. Our results indicate that the perception of increased threat and harm posed by water scarcity to agricultural income and health (demand appraisal), the belief in one’s ability to adapt (self-efficacy), and the perception of the effectiveness of collaborative efforts among farmers in enhancing adaptation (collective efficacy) are associated with both problem- and emotion-focused coping responses. Notably, the Cognitive Theory of Stress model was a stronger predictor of problem-focused coping, accounting for 91% of the variance, compared to just 15% for emotion-focused coping. The results from this study shed light on the cognitive processes most associated with particular types of coping styles. Our findings may inform and guide climate change policy and programs that aim to target and enhance farmers’ climate change adaptation and resilience. Full article

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6 pages, 562 KB

Open AccessInteresting Images

Primary Intramedullary Histiocytic Sarcoma with Leptomeningeal Dissemination: Imaging, Pathologic, and Molecular Correlation

by Su Hong Kim, Hee Jung Kwon, Mi Jin Gu and Wook Tae Park

Diagnostics 2026, 16(16), 2623; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16162623 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Central nervous system histiocytic sarcoma is exceedingly uncommon, particularly with intramedullary spinal cord involvement. We describe a 27-year-old man presenting with motor weakness and radiating pain. MRI revealed a homogeneously enhancing intramedullary mass at the C2–3 level with diffuse leptomeningeal dissemination, raising suspicion [...] Read more.

Central nervous system histiocytic sarcoma is exceedingly uncommon, particularly with intramedullary spinal cord involvement. We describe a 27-year-old man presenting with motor weakness and radiating pain. MRI revealed a homogeneously enhancing intramedullary mass at the C2–3 level with diffuse leptomeningeal dissemination, raising suspicion for a disseminated neoplastic process. Histopathology demonstrated pleomorphic large histiocyte-like cells with strong CD163, CD68, and lysozyme expression, confirming histiocytic sarcoma. Targeted next-generation sequencing detected a TP53 hotspot mutation (p.Arg273His), classified as a Tier II variant according to the joint AMP/ASCO/CAP guidelines, while additional variants were of uncertain clinical significance. This case highlights the rare intramedullary presentation of histiocytic sarcoma with leptomeningeal dissemination and emphasizes the importance of radiologic–pathologic correlation for accurate diagnosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Interesting Images)

25 pages, 856 KB

Open AccessReview

Translating Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics into Clinical Decision-Making: A Practical Guide to the Use of Risperidone ISM^® in Schizophrenia

by Marco Solmi, Olivier Corbeil, Maïa Miguelez, Ric M. Procyshyn, Pierre Blier, Maxime Barakat and Christoph U. Correll

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(16), 6393; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15166393 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Nonadherence to medications for psychosis is a major challenge in the management of schizophrenia and is associated with an increased risk of relapse, hospitalization, functional deterioration, and premature death. Although long-acting injectable (LAI) medications for psychosis improve treatment continuity, important differences exist among [...] Read more.

Nonadherence to medications for psychosis is a major challenge in the management of schizophrenia and is associated with an increased risk of relapse, hospitalization, functional deterioration, and premature death. Although long-acting injectable (LAI) medications for psychosis improve treatment continuity, important differences exist among LAIs regarding initiation regimen, attainment of therapeutic blood level exposure, and steady state, dosing, and switching. Risperidone ISM^® is an intramuscular LAI administered every four weeks, designed to provide rapid and sustained therapeutic exposure without the need for loading doses or oral supplementation. This narrative review translates the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profile of risperidone ISM^® into expert-informed guidance for treatment initiation, dose optimization, switching, and ongoing schizophrenia management. Risperidone ISM^® achieves therapeutic exposure within hours of administration and maintains plasma concentrations and dopamine D2 receptor occupancy at levels associated with antipsychotic efficacy throughout the dosing interval, supporting continuous antipsychotic coverage and stability. Its PK profile, as characterized in clinical studies, and simplified initiation regimen may facilitate clinical decision-making across treatment settings, including transitions from oral risperidone or other medications for psychosis and continuity of care following hospitalization or relapse, while supporting symptom stability, functioning, and patient engagement. By translating PK/PD characteristics into practical clinical implications, this review aims to support clinicians in optimizing the use of risperidone ISM^® as part of individualized, recovery-oriented care in the short- and long-term management of people living with schizophrenia across settings. The recommendations presented reflect expert interpretation of the available PK/PD, clinical trial, observational, and product-label evidence, supplemented by clinical experience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances and New Perspectives in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Schizophrenia)

25 pages, 4537 KB

Open AccessArticle

Clash Categorization and Optimization in a Federated BIM Workflow for Integrating Temporary Shoring Systems and Permanent Structures in High-Rise Excavations

by Mohammadsoroush Tafazzoli, Sahar Falegari and Ali Akbar Shirzadi Javid

Buildings 2026, 16(16), 3290; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16163290 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

The integration of temporary support systems with permanent structural frameworks remains a complex challenge in high-rise construction, where traditional building information modeling (BIM) workflows often lack the coordination needed to optimize both simultaneously. This study addresses that gap through a federated BIM workflow [...] Read more.

The integration of temporary support systems with permanent structural frameworks remains a complex challenge in high-rise construction, where traditional building information modeling (BIM) workflows often lack the coordination needed to optimize both simultaneously. This study addresses that gap through a federated BIM workflow using Tekla Structures, Revit, Navisworks, and Dynamo on a fourteen-story building with a five-level basement. The temporary shoring, permanent concrete frame, and formwork were modeled at Level of Development (LOD) 300–350. A parameter-driven methodology in Dynamo managed large-scale clash detection. Steel cutting-list optimization reduced sheet-cutting waste from 4.5% to below 3% across 18 tons of steel. Clash detection between the truss guard and permanent rebar initially returned over 6000 conflicts; categorizing these via Dynamo made resolution tractable. This data optimized plywood formwork, reducing requirements by 15% (3350 to 2850 square meters), and refined rebar scheduling, recovering 51 of 103 additional tons, 32.8 tons of which are directly attributable to the truss-rebar interaction-zone workflow presented in this study. The study demonstrates that federating temporary and permanent models generates reusable coordination data, yielding savings beyond simple clash avoidance. It offers a transferable workflow for temporary-to-permanent structural integration that the current literature has not yet examined quantitatively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization)

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48 pages, 1979 KB

Open AccessArticle

Verifiable and Accountable Multi-Authority CP-ABE with Consent Binding and Revocation for Cloud EHR

by Noshaba Naeem and Mohsen Toorani

Cryptography 2026, 10(4), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryptography10040059 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

In regulated cross-institution electronic health record (EHR) sharing, access control may need to respect patient consent while also providing issuance accountability and revocation correctness. Existing multi-authority ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (MA-CP-ABE) schemes provide decentralized attribute management but generally do not bind key issuance and [...] Read more.

In regulated cross-institution electronic health record (EHR) sharing, access control may need to respect patient consent while also providing issuance accountability and revocation correctness. Existing multi-authority ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (MA-CP-ABE) schemes provide decentralized attribute management but generally do not bind key issuance and ciphertext use to explicit patient-authorized sharing episodes, nor do they provide proactive verification that accepted key packages are consistent with authenticated user requests and the current revocation state. In this paper, we propose a verifiable, consent-bound MA-CP-ABE scheme for cloud-assisted EHR sharing. The scheme binds ciphertexts and attribute key packages issued to a patient-signed consent identifier, supports request-consistent and verifiable key issuance, integrates revocation freshness and stale-key detection, and provides a two-layer accountability framework consisting of proactive issuance verification together with reactive tracing and audit. In addition, each issued package is bound to the enrolled user public key and to a user-originated commitment, supporting restricted designated-user delivery. Theoretical and experimental evaluations indicate that, under the stated trust and non-collusion assumptions, the proposed design strengthens consent-scoped access control and accountability while maintaining competitive computational efficiency for cloud-based EHR systems. Full article

24 pages, 1947 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Clinical Outcomes of Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Endodontic Microsurgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Carlos Valdivieso del Pueblo, Paloma Montero-Miralles, María León-López, Juan J. Segura-Sampedro, Daniel Cabanillas-Balsera, Jenifer Martín-González and Juan J. Segura-Egea

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(16), 6392; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15166392 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and its derivatives have been proposed as biological adjuncts to enhance tissue healing following endodontic microsurgery (EMS). However, current evidence regarding their effects on postoperative recovery and long-term bone regeneration remains inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and its derivatives have been proposed as biological adjuncts to enhance tissue healing following endodontic microsurgery (EMS). However, current evidence regarding their effects on postoperative recovery and long-term bone regeneration remains inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PRF and its derivatives as adjuncts in endodontic microsurgery by separately assessing patient-centered postoperative outcomes and radiographic and volumetric bone-healing outcomes through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261400163). Randomized controlled trials and comparative clinical studies evaluating PRF or its derivatives as adjuncts to EMS were eligible. MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and reference lists were searched from inception to April 2026. Outcomes included postoperative pain, edema, quality of life, clinical–radiographic healing, CBCT volumetric bone regeneration, bone density, and outcomes in complex defects. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed where appropriate, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Results: Seventeen clinical reports corresponding to sixteen independent datasets were included. PRF and its derivatives improved early postoperative recovery, particularly postoperative pain during the first postoperative week. Meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in early postoperative pain favoring PRF-based interventions (SMD/Hedges g = −0.62; 95% CI, −1.03 to −0.21; p = 0.003). Evidence regarding long-term bone regeneration and clinical–radiographic healing remained heterogeneous and inconclusive. CBCT-based studies suggested accelerated early bone healing, although no consistent superiority was demonstrated at 6–12 months. The certainty of evidence ranged from moderate for postoperative pain to very low for volumetric bone regeneration. Interpretation of the findings is limited by clinical and methodological heterogeneity and the small number of studies available for several outcomes. Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that PRF may improve early postoperative recovery and soft-tissue healing after endodontic microsurgery. However, current evidence does not support PRF as a predictable substitute for bone grafts or regenerative biomaterials in large or non-contained defects. Well-designed CBCT-based randomized clinical trials with standardized outcome measures are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Root Canal Treatment and Healing Outcomes: Clinical Application of Endodontic Biomaterials and Postoperative Management)

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35 pages, 4570 KB

Open AccessArticle

On Presence, Three Artists and Their Practice (1938 to 2026)

by Maureen Kendal and Alana Lake

Arts 2026, 15(8), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15080191 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

This paper examines the practices of three women artists working across the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Drawing on Martin Buber’s philosophy of relation and Vilém Flusser’s analysis of technological mediation, it considers how their practices respond to changing conditions of production across [...] Read more.

This paper examines the practices of three women artists working across the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Drawing on Martin Buber’s philosophy of relation and Vilém Flusser’s analysis of technological mediation, it considers how their practices respond to changing conditions of production across analogue and digital technologies. The methodological approach is informed by autoethnography, using situated first-person experience to extend broader social and cultural critique. While one practice spans the transition between analogue and emerging digital modes, the other two operate within post-digital conditions in which material and technological processes are increasingly entangled. Across these contexts, the artists share recurring concerns with relation, ethics, embodiment, and a renewed emphasis on materiality and the tangible. Rather than treating technology as a determining force, the paper argues that changing technological conditions sharpen philosophical questions of presence, relation, and mediation. Through close attention to materials, processes of making, and artistic encounter, it proposes three interconnected ways of understanding presence as encounter, trace, and mediation. Together, these perspectives demonstrate how relationships become materially tangible through forms of embodiment, residual marks, and technologically mediated environments. In doing so, this paper positions presence as a relational and material site of meaning, showing how contemporary artistic practice can produce encounters that resist the reduction of the other. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Presence and Media)

14 pages, 954 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Against Pneumonia and COPD Exacerbations Among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Thailand: A National Test-Negative Design Study, 2013–2024

by Sutthinan Chawalchitiporn, Pichaya Tantiyavarong, Jiraphut Kittiwatanachod, Suriya Naosri, Kriengkrai Prasert and Prabda Praphasiri

Vaccines 2026, 14(8), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14080711 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Influenza infection is a major trigger of pneumonia and acute exacerbations among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, national laboratory-confirmed evidence on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in this high-risk population remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the effectiveness of [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Influenza infection is a major trigger of pneumonia and acute exacerbations among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, national laboratory-confirmed evidence on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in this high-risk population remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination against influenza-associated pneumonia and COPD exacerbations among patients with COPD in Thailand. Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective test-negative design study using administrative healthcare data from the National Health Security Office linked with laboratory-confirmed influenza surveillance data between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2025, covering twelve influenza seasons (2013–2024). COPD-related clinical episodes among patients aged ≥40 years who presented with pneumonia or acute exacerbation of COPD and underwent RT-PCR testing for influenza were included. Modified Poisson regression with cluster-robust standard errors was used to estimate adjusted risk ratios (RRs), and VE was calculated as (1 − adjusted RR) × 100. Results: A total of 606,072 COPD-related clinical episodes were included, of which 192,224 (31.7%) were influenza-positive. The overall adjusted VE against influenza-associated pneumonia was 55.9% (95% CI: 47.3–63.1), while VE against influenza-associated COPD exacerbations was 67.0% (95% CI: 48.8–78.8). VE estimates were broadly similar across age groups and consistent across COPD severity strata. Conclusions: Seasonal influenza vaccination was associated with substantial protection against influenza-associated pneumonia and COPD exacerbations among patients with COPD in Thailand. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Influenza Virus Vaccines)

27 pages, 2035 KB

Open AccessArticle

Isoserine Improves Spatial Memory and Remodels Synaptic and Inflammatory Gene-Expression Programs in APP/PS1 Mice

by Alessandra Saitta, Rossella Basilotta, Marika Lanza, Michele Scuruchi, Giovanna Casili, Pietro Giovani, Agata Copani, Emanuela Esposito, Salvatore Oddo and Antonella Caccamo

Cells 2026, 15(16), 1487; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15161487 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Synaptic dysfunction is a major contributor to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and represents an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we investigated whether chronic isoserine treatment improves cognition and alters the expression of synaptic-related genes in APP/PS1 mice. Isoserine was well tolerated and [...] Read more.

Synaptic dysfunction is a major contributor to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and represents an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we investigated whether chronic isoserine treatment improves cognition and alters the expression of synaptic-related genes in APP/PS1 mice. Isoserine was well tolerated and did not adversely affect body weight. In the Morris water maze, isoserine improved probe-trial performance in APP/PS1 mice, significantly reducing latency to the first platform-location crossing, while time spent in the target quadrant showed a directionally consistent but non-significant increase. To identify molecular correlates, we profiled 84 synaptic-related genes using a targeted RT² Profiler PCR Array. Gene-level factorial analyses identified several nominal treatment-associated effects, but no individual isoserine effect in APP/PS1 mice remained significant after false-discovery-rate correction. In contrast, module-level analyses identified False-discovery rate (FDR)-significant changes in NF-κB/inflammatory, synaptic-maintenance, and glutamatergic-signaling gene-expression modules, with significant genotype × treatment interactions for the NF-κB/inflammatory and synaptic-maintenance modules. Exploratory heatmap and principal component analyses further illustrated disease-context-dependent expression patterns. Western blot analyses showed that isoserine reduced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB p65) and NMDA receptor subunit GluN2B (GluN2B) and increased postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) levels in APP/PS1 mice. These findings suggest that isoserine improves spatial memory retention and coordinately remodels synaptic and inflammatory molecular programs in APP/PS1 mice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Cellular Neuroscience)

22 pages, 4905 KB

Open AccessArticle

UADet: Redefining Marine Debris Detection in Degraded Underwater Scenes with Adaptive Feature and Boundary Refinement

by Yingying Wang, Jingsi Liu, Wenru Zhang and Qi Zhang

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(16), 1532; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14161532 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Underwater marine debris detection is important for marine environmental monitoring, robotic inspection, and debris removal. However, reliable detection remains challenging because underwater images often suffer from low illumination, color distortion, turbidity, cluttered backgrounds, and weak boundaries. These factors reduce feature reliability and hinder [...] Read more.

Underwater marine debris detection is important for marine environmental monitoring, robotic inspection, and debris removal. However, reliable detection remains challenging because underwater images often suffer from low illumination, color distortion, turbidity, cluttered backgrounds, and weak boundaries. These factors reduce feature reliability and hinder accurate localization, especially for small, occluded, or low-visibility debris. To address these challenges, this paper proposes UADet, an adaptive detector for marine debris detection in degraded underwater scenes. UADet integrates two complementary components: Underwater Degradation-aware Feature Modulation (UDFM) and Visibility-aware Boundary Distribution Refinement (VBDR). UDFM extracts lightweight image-level degradation cues and modulates multi-scale features to improve robustness under varying underwater conditions. VBDR incorporates object scale and an appearance-based proxy for local visual difficulty into boundary distribution learning and matching cost, providing adaptive localization supervision for small objects and objects with weak visual evidence. Experiments are conducted on TrashCan and J-Litter, and UADet is compared with representative real-time detectors, including YOLOv8s, YOLOv10s, YOLOv11s, and RT-DETR. The results show that UADet achieves the best performance on both datasets, with 72.74% mAP@0.5, 81.36% precision, and 69.36% recall on TrashCan, and 48.02% mAP@0.5, 70.13% precision, and 55.61% recall on J-Litter. Compared with the strongest baseline, UADet improves mAP@0.5 by 3.12 percentage points on TrashCan and 4.83 percentage points on J-Litter. Ablation and qualitative analyses demonstrate that UDFM and VBDR provide complementary improvements. These results indicate that modeling underwater degradation and boundary uncertainty improves the robustness and reliability of marine debris detection in challenging underwater environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Ocean Engineering)

28 pages, 3594 KB

Open AccessArticle

Uncertainty-Aware Source Apportionment of Soil Heavy Metals in a Coal–Steel Industrial Zone Using Inter-Metal Graph-Informed Dirichlet Neural Posterior Estimation

by Ahmet Altın, Bekir Fatih Kahraman, Yasin Özkan, Aytaç Altan and Yusuf Bahri Özçelik

Systems 2026, 14(8), 1021; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14081021 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Industrialization and mining raise the heavy metal burden of soil ecosystems and create risks for both the environment and human health. Apportionment becomes difficult when neighboring facilities emit overlapping metal signatures, and conventional receptor models compound the difficulty by returning contribution shares without [...] Read more.

Industrialization and mining raise the heavy metal burden of soil ecosystems and create risks for both the environment and human health. Apportionment becomes difficult when neighboring facilities emit overlapping metal signatures, and conventional receptor models compound the difficulty by returning contribution shares without an attached uncertainty statement. This study develops a probabilistic apportionment framework for the coal–steel industrial zone of Zonguldak, Turkey, using 93 georeferenced topsoil stations and eight priority metals. Graphical Lasso estimates a sparse conditional dependency graph whose nodes are the measured metals; fixed propagation over that graph expands each observation into a 24-dimensional relational representation; and a Dirichlet neural posterior estimator maps the representation to source contribution distributions. The Dirichlet parameterization enforces non-negativity and unit sum by construction and delivers 95% credible intervals at every station; empirical coverage on held-out simulations was 0.957 against a nominal 0.95. Averaged across the province, posterior mean contributions were 0.25 for the iron-and-steel sector, 0.25 for thermal power generation, and 0.50 for a composite residual class that combines geogenic background with unmodelled anthropogenic inputs. The two industrial signals concentrate around Ereğli and Çatalağzı, while the residual class dominates elsewhere. The graph employed here encodes chemical relationships among metals and not geographical relationships among stations; maps of the posterior estimates are reported as post hoc visualizations. The framework is offered as an uncertainty-aware methodological contribution, and comparison against established receptor models remains to be carried out. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Artificial Intelligence and Digital Systems Engineering)

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17 pages, 1709 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multiscale Modelling of Thermal Runaway in Lithium-Ion Batteries

by Jialong Huang, Yongshuai Li, Yujia Liu, Shengyi Guan, Hui Pan, Litao Zhu and Hao Ling

Processes 2026, 14(16), 2637; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14162637 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries involves rapid heat release, gas generation, and multiphase transport, but their interaction inside a cell remains difficult to resolve. A multiscale computational fluid dynamics model was developed for a single 18650 cell by coupling microscale reaction kinetics, mesoscale [...] Read more.

Thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries involves rapid heat release, gas generation, and multiphase transport, but their interaction inside a cell remains difficult to resolve. A multiscale computational fluid dynamics model was developed for a single 18650 cell by coupling microscale reaction kinetics, mesoscale interfacial heat transfer, and macroscale gas–liquid transport with a stationary porous-solid energy balance. The model describes internal temperature and the evolution of carbon dioxide, oxygen, water vapour, and hydrogen fluoride while examining the effects of porosity and the modelled dimethyl carbonate mass fraction. The medium-to-fine grid difference in carbon dioxide mass fraction was approximately 0.16%. Time steps of 0.01, 0.001, and 0.0001 s produced mass fractions of 0.0564, 0.0617, and 0.0618, respectively. Increasing the solvent mass fraction and porosity primarily shortened the induction period, while the peak temperature and terminal species levels remained similar. A quadratic response surface fitted to the simulation database was searched using grey wolf, genetic, and particle swarm methods. Grey wolf and particle swarm gave candidate times to peak temperature of about 238.8 s, whereas the genetic method gave 237.2 s, a difference of 1.6 s (0.67%). Particle swarm reached the high-response region within fewer iterations, while grey wolf maintained broader exploration. The proposed model connects reaction kinetics with macroscopic temperature and species evolution and clarifies how electrolyte composition and porous structure regulate the time scale of thermal runaway. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Energy Systems)

28 pages, 1419 KB

Open AccessReview

Toward Standardized Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy in Tendon Healing: Integrating Biological Characterization with Clinical Translation

by Jeries Issa Alghishan and Bogdan Andor

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(16), 7393; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27167393 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as one of the most extensively investigated orthobiologic therapies for tendon disorders because of its potential to modulate inflammation, enhance extracellular matrix remodeling, and promote tissue regeneration through the delivery of concentrated platelets and bioactive molecules. However, despite [...] Read more.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as one of the most extensively investigated orthobiologic therapies for tendon disorders because of its potential to modulate inflammation, enhance extracellular matrix remodeling, and promote tissue regeneration through the delivery of concentrated platelets and bioactive molecules. However, despite compelling biological rationale and encouraging preclinical evidence, clinical outcomes remain inconsistent across different tendon pathologies. This narrative review critically examines the principal biological and methodological factors underlying this variability, including differences in cellular composition, growth factor and cytokine profiles, activation strategies, and current PRP classification systems. We further synthesize the available clinical evidence across major tendon disorders, highlighting the influence of disease-specific biology, product heterogeneity, and procedural variability on treatment response. In addition, the emerging role of quantitative imaging biomarkers in objectively evaluating tendon regeneration is discussed as a complementary tool for biological outcome assessment. Based on the evidence reviewed, we propose the quantifiable platelet-rich plasma (Q-PRP) framework, a practical reporting model that integrates cellular, molecular, procedural, and clinical variables into a standardized approach for biologically meaningful PRP characterization. Rather than replacing existing classification systems, the proposed framework aims to improve reproducibility, facilitate cross-study comparison, and support the transition toward precision regenerative medicine. Standardized biological characterization, combined with objective outcome assessment, may represent a critical step toward optimizing PRP research and clinical application in tendon healing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics)

24 pages, 2433 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Voltage-Response Estimation for Blade-Tip Timing Sensors Based on EHHO-BP Network and Waveform Mapping

by Wei Huang, Liang Zhang, Qingkai Xu, Han Wu and Long Chen

Sensors 2026, 26(16), 5236; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26165236 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Blade-tip timing (BTT) sensor technology is widely used for non-contact blade vibration measurement. However, conventional BTT methods mainly rely on sparse time-of-arrival (TOA) information, which limits continuous sensor-domain characterization of blade vibration. To address this limitation, this paper proposes a dynamic voltage-response estimation [...] Read more.

Blade-tip timing (BTT) sensor technology is widely used for non-contact blade vibration measurement. However, conventional BTT methods mainly rely on sparse time-of-arrival (TOA) information, which limits continuous sensor-domain characterization of blade vibration. To address this limitation, this paper proposes a dynamic voltage-response estimation framework combining an Elite Harris Hawks Optimization-based backpropagation neural network (EHHO-BP) with waveform mapping. Zero-speed static calibration experiments are used to establish the nonlinear relationships among blade-tip radial clearance, relative angular position, and sensor voltage, and the EHHO-BP model is employed to estimate the calibration response. Blade vibration displacement obtained from numerical models or reconstructed from BTT TOA measurements is then mapped to a continuous dynamic voltage response under a quasi-static transfer assumption. Single-harmonic and multi-harmonic simulations demonstrate the response-estimation process. In the static calibration comparison, EHHO-BP achieves a median RMSE of 8.92 mV, CVRMSE of 0.56%, MAE of 6.34 mV, and R² of 0.99982. Rotating experiments at 400, 600, 800, 1200, and 1500 rpm further evaluate the transferability of the zero-speed calibration model without retraining or speed-dependent correction. Across the tested speed range, the correlation coefficient remains between 0.9868 and 0.9989 and R² remains between 0.952 and 0.997; however, the FWHM error increases from 1.469% at 400 rpm to 22.662% at 1500 rpm. These results demonstrate the good transferability of the proposed quasi-static mapping at low-to-moderate rotational speeds while revealing a progressive deterioration in temporal waveform consistency at higher speeds. The proposed framework, therefore, provides a continuous sensor-domain representation of BTT-derived blade vibration displacement and an experimentally supported assessment of its speed-dependent applicability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Physical Sensors)

17 pages, 278 KB

Open AccessArticle

Caregiving Experiences, Supportive Care Needs and Coping Strategies Among Family Caregivers of Patients with Colorectal Cancer in Kazakhstan: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

by Gulbakit Koshmaganbetova, Azamat Zharylgapov, Arip Koishybaev, Nauryzbay Imanbayev and Aliya Zhylkybekova

Nurs. Rep. 2026, 16(8), 288; https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep16080288 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background: Family caregivers play a central role in supporting people with colorectal cancer (CRC) and often manage complex physical, emotional, and practical demands. However, evidence regarding their experiences and supportive care needs in Kazakhstan remains limited. This qualitative study explored caregiving experiences, caregiving [...] Read more.

Background: Family caregivers play a central role in supporting people with colorectal cancer (CRC) and often manage complex physical, emotional, and practical demands. However, evidence regarding their experiences and supportive care needs in Kazakhstan remains limited. This qualitative study explored caregiving experiences, caregiving burden, caregivers’ needs, and coping strategies. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 21 family caregivers caring for patients with CRC. Participants were recruited purposively from the Medical Center of West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University and outpatient clinics in Aktobe between December 2025 and March 2026. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Most family caregivers of patients with colorectal cancer were women (95.2%). Five main themes developed: emotional challenges, transformation of daily life, caregiving tasks, caregivers’ needs and support gaps, and coping strategies and resilience. Diagnosis was described as a distressing experience characterized by shock, fear, and uncertainty. Caregiving substantially disrupted employment, financial stability, and family roles, often requiring work adjustment or leaving the workforce. Caregivers reported insufficient preparation for stoma care and expressed a strong need for structured training. Social isolation was common, as both caregivers and patients experienced a shrinking of their social support networks. Despite substantial burden, caregivers described adaptive responses to ongoing emotional and practical demands, and resilience was a prominent theme. Conclusions: Family caregivers of patients with colorectal cancer in Kazakhstan face interconnected emotional, informational, physical, and system-level challenges, while also drawing on resilience. The findings highlight priorities for support, including structured stoma care education, psychological services, recognition of caregivers’ roles, and improved discharge and transitional care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Nursing Care for Older People)

35 pages, 16081 KB

Open AccessArticle

Simplifying AI-Based AHU Forecasting for Sustainable Building Operation: Do Seasonal and Engineered Features Improve Prediction Accuracy?

by Dalia Mohammed Talat Ebrahim Ali, Violeta Motuzienė and Rasa Džiugaitė-Tumėnienė

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8479; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168479 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Feature engineering has become a common step in AI-based HVAC forecasting, often involving variables calculated from raw building management system (BMS) measurements, such as temperature differences, setpoint tracking deviations, airflow balance indicators, rolling statistics, and temporal or seasonal descriptors. Accurate short-term forecasting can [...] Read more.

Feature engineering has become a common step in AI-based HVAC forecasting, often involving variables calculated from raw building management system (BMS) measurements, such as temperature differences, setpoint tracking deviations, airflow balance indicators, rolling statistics, and temporal or seasonal descriptors. Accurate short-term forecasting can provide a baseline of expected operation for anomaly and fault detection and can support control optimization and operator decision making. However, real-world deployment is complicated due to differences in BMS sensor availability and data quality, as well as the preprocessing and maintenance burden associated with complex feature sets. The actual contribution of these features to the performance of AI forecasting remains underexplored, particularly for short-term prediction of air handling unit (AHU) operation. This study evaluates the impact of features on short-term AHU forecasting using three deep learning (DL) architectures: Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCNs), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, and a hybrid CNN–LSTM model. An actual operational AHU dataset from a BMS was used to predict key operational variables, including supply and extract air temperatures, supply and extract fan operating signals, and supply air temperature setpoint-tracking error. Fan signal balance was additionally evaluated as a derived indicator calculated from the two predicted fan signals. Four input configurations were evaluated: (i) full (74 inputs), containing raw BMS measurements, short-cycle temporal variables, engineered and dynamic features, and annual-calendar information; (ii) no annual calendar (68 inputs), identical to full but excluding annual-calendar variables; (iii) raw + short-cycle temporal (20 inputs); and (iv) raw-only (12 inputs). The models used a 60-min input history to forecast the following 30-min at one-minute resolution. Persistence and Ridge models were included as reference baselines. All models were trained and tested on identical data splits and forecasting horizons to ensure a fair comparison. Each DL experiment was repeated across five independent runs, and performance was evaluated using MAE, RMSE, and R². The TCN showed the strongest overall DL performance. Raw-only achieved the highest mean R² in 11 of 15 architecture–target comparisons using just 12 inputs. The best mean DL R² ranged from 0.916 for the fan signals to 0.993 for extract air temperature. Annual-calendar features improved the TCN results but provided no consistent benefit for the LSTM or CNN–LSTM. Ridge slightly outperformed the best DL configurations for temperature-related targets, reflecting the strong short-term continuity of these signals. These findings show that recent raw BMS measurements contain most of the information needed for accurate 30-min AHU forecasting, while explicit seasonal and engineered features provide limited additional value. The resulting simpler models may in the future be used as forecasting components in predictive control and fault detection systems. However, their control and energy-saving benefits must be tested separately. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Applications in Renewable Energy and Sustainable Buildings)

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28 pages, 2073 KB

Open AccessReview

Identifying Key Bioactive Components in Postbiotic Preparations: From Candidate Discovery to Functional Validation

by Qingqing Yu, Mengting Liu, Yansheng Zhao and Xiang Xiao

Foods 2026, 15(16), 2893; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15162893 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Postbiotic preparations contain inanimate microbial cells and a diverse mixture of cell-wall structures, proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, metabolites, and vesicle-associated materials. Although many of these components have been proposed as key bioactives, most are identified through compositional profiling, enrichment in active fractions, or testing [...] Read more.

Postbiotic preparations contain inanimate microbial cells and a diverse mixture of cell-wall structures, proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, metabolites, and vesicle-associated materials. Although many of these components have been proposed as key bioactives, most are identified through compositional profiling, enrichment in active fractions, or testing of purified molecules. Such findings demonstrate biological activity but do not necessarily show that a candidate contributes to the effect of the original preparation. This review examines the experimental approaches used to narrow candidate lists and evaluate functional contribution, including phenotype-guided comparison, activity-guided fractionation, selective depletion, multi-omics profiling, structural characterization, dose–response testing, mechanistic intervention, and reconstitution. A structured narrative search of Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, and Scopus through 30 March 2026, supplemented by citation tracking, identified the relevant literature; 15 representative primary studies that examined defined candidates and provided evidence beyond compositional detection were selected and appraised across seven preparation-level attribution domains. An appraisal of representative studies shows that current evidence largely supports the activity of individual candidates, whereas preparation-level attribution remains uncommon. Stronger evidence requires quantification of the candidate in the source material, selective removal with appropriate controls, and restoration at a preparation-relevant dose. Structural heterogeneity, processing history, molecular state, dose, and experimental context must also be considered. This evidence-based approach can support bioactive-component validation, batch consistency, and the design of future preclinical and human studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Prebiotics: Formation, Potential Activities and Applications in Food)

31 pages, 8848 KB

Open AccessArticle

Concretes Modified with Insulation Wool Recovered from Recycled Heating Pipes

by Anna Starczyk-Kołbyk and Emil Kardaszuk

Materials 2026, 19(16), 3502; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19163502 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

This study evaluated the potential use of waste mineral wool recovered from heating pipe insulation as a functional additive in cement concrete. The research aimed to determine the effect of this fibrous recycled material on the mechanical, physical, durability, thermal, and microstructural properties [...] Read more.

This study evaluated the potential use of waste mineral wool recovered from heating pipe insulation as a functional additive in cement concrete. The research aimed to determine the effect of this fibrous recycled material on the mechanical, physical, durability, thermal, and microstructural properties of concrete. One reference mix and three modified mixes were prepared, incorporating waste mineral wool at 12%, 16%, and 20% by cement mass. All mixes were prepared using CEM I 32.5R cement, 0/2 mm basalt aggregate, 2/8 mm granite aggregate, and a superplasticizer. After 28 days of sample curing, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, density, water absorption, frost resistance, and thermal parameters were determined. Microstructural observations were also performed on concrete fracture surfaces. The results showed that the addition of mineral wool reduced the compressive strength from 84.9 MPa for the reference concrete to 63.8–53.3 MPa for the modified concretes. At the same time, moderate dosing improved the splitting tensile strength, reaching a maximum of 3.93 MPa with a 16% addition. The most favorable thermal effect was achieved with a 12% addition, for which the thermal conductivity coefficient decreased from 1.3461 to 1.1988 W/(m·K). The results indicate that waste mineral wool can be used in concretes with limited structural function; however, its dosage requires optimization due to increased water absorption and decreased compressive strength. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recycling and the Development of New Building Materials and Products—Third Edition)

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21 pages, 1394 KB

Open AccessArticle

EP-Net: An Equipment-Guided Dual-Stream CNN–Transformer Network for Fine-Grained Sports Image Classification

by Xiaocui Sang, Changwei Gu and Lei Zhao

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(16), 8229; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16168229 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Fine-grained sports recognition from static images is challenging because visually similar sports often exhibit nearly identical human poses, whereas their decisive differences are encoded by small-scale equipment and subtle human–equipment interactions. Existing single-stream convolutional or Transformer-based models tend to emphasize either local appearance [...] Read more.

Fine-grained sports recognition from static images is challenging because visually similar sports often exhibit nearly identical human poses, whereas their decisive differences are encoded by small-scale equipment and subtle human–equipment interactions. Existing single-stream convolutional or Transformer-based models tend to emphasize either local appearance or global context, making them vulnerable to equipment-detail loss and background interference. To address this problem, we propose the Equipment-Primed Network (EP-Net), a heterogeneous dual-stream architecture that treats sports equipment as a primary semantic cue for action discrimination. EP-Net employs an EfficientNetV2-S-based Equipment Stream to capture localized equipment shapes and textures and a Swin-Tiny-based Behavior Stream to model the athlete’s spatial configuration and global scene context. We further introduce a Cross-Modal Channel Attention (CMCA) module that projects equipment features into the behavior-feature space and performs directional channel recalibration. Unlike simple feature concatenation, CMCA uses equipment information to enhance action-relevant channels while reducing the relative influence of background-dominated responses. Experiments on the Sports-100 dataset show that EP-Net achieves a Top-1 accuracy of 98.80%, outperforming EfficientNetV2-S and Swin-Tiny by 3.00 and 2.35 percentage points, respectively. It also improves on naive dual-stream concatenation by 0.88 percentage points. Grad-CAM visualizations further indicate that EP-Net attends more consistently to discriminative equipment and human–equipment interaction regions. These results suggest that equipment-guided local–global feature interaction provides an effective solution to pose ambiguity and background interference in static fine-grained sports recognition. Full article

27 pages, 3693 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Partial Silica Replacement with Carbon Black, Graphene, and Carbon Nanotubes on the Fatigue Performance and Ageing Behaviour of SBR Compounds

by Tomasz Gozdek, Julita Sadurska, Katarzyna Klajn and Dariusz M. Bieliński

Materials 2026, 19(16), 3503; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19163503 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of the partial replacement of silica with carbon fillers, namely carbon black (CB), graphene, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), on the curing behaviour, thermo-mechanical properties, ageing resistance, and degradation of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) vulcanizates. The aim was to determine [...] Read more.

This study investigated the effect of the partial replacement of silica with carbon fillers, namely carbon black (CB), graphene, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), on the curing behaviour, thermo-mechanical properties, ageing resistance, and degradation of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) vulcanizates. The aim was to determine whether small amounts of carbon fillers could improve the durability-related properties of silica-filled SBR compounds. Graphene and CNTs reduced the maximum curing torque compared with the CB-filled compound while maintaining satisfactory curing characteristics. Thermal conductivity increased with temperature for all materials and reached 0.126 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ for the graphene-filled vulcanizate at 40 °C, compared with 0.109 and 0.107 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ for the CNT- and CB-filled compounds, respectively. Dynamic ageing tests revealed significant differences in self-heating behaviour. After 10,000 De Mattia cycles, the graphene-filled compound exhibited the lowest temperature increase (1.5 °C), whereas the CB5/Sil15 formulation showed the highest value (4.5 °C). GC-IMS analysis confirmed the formation of volatile degradation products during cyclic ageing, while increasing carbon filler content reduced the intensity of the characteristic VOC signals. Analysis of the crosslink structure indicated that CNT-containing compounds exhibited the highest resistance to ageing-induced structural changes, whereas graphene promoted an increase in the proportion of monosulfidic and carbon–carbon crosslinks. Overall, the results demonstrate that partial replacement of silica with carbon nanofillers improves the thermo-mechanical stability of SBR vulcanizates. Graphene provided the greatest enhancement in thermal conductivity and the lowest heat build-up, while CNTs showed the highest resistance to structural changes during dynamic ageing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Polymeric Materials)

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15 pages, 1020 KB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Selective Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid over Pt–Au/XC Bimetallic Catalysts

by Chen Yang, Shiyu Li, Aiqian Jin, Zhiqing Wang, Fan Zhang, Yutang Shen, Tongjie Hu, Lingqin Shen and Hengbo Yin

Catalysts 2026, 16(8), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16080735 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

The catalytic valorization of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) provides an important route toward sustainable chemical production. Herein, we report a bimetallic Pt₁Au₁ catalyst supported on Vulcan XC-72R carbon (Pt₁Au₁/XC) that enables efficient aerobic oxidation of HMF to [...] Read more.

The catalytic valorization of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) provides an important route toward sustainable chemical production. Herein, we report a bimetallic Pt₁Au₁ catalyst supported on Vulcan XC-72R carbon (Pt₁Au₁/XC) that enables efficient aerobic oxidation of HMF to FDCA using NaHCO₃ as a weak base. Under optimized conditions (100 °C, 1 MPa O₂, NaHCO₃/HMF = 3:1, 12 h), the catalyst achieves near-quantitative HMF conversion (>99%) with an FDCA selectivity of 94.2%, substantially outperforming monometallic Pt/XC and Au/XC as well as their physical mixtures. The enhanced performance is associated with the beneficial combination of Pt and Au, together with the favorable surface and transport properties imparted by the carbon support. Kinetic and intermediate-trapping experiments indicate a dual-pathway oxidation mechanism, wherein Au facilitates aldehyde oxidation (via 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA)) and Pt promotes alcohol oxidation (via furan-2,5-dicarbaldehyde (DFF)), with both routes converging at 2-formyl-5-furancarboxylic acid (FFCA) for subsequent conversion to FDCA. The catalyst exhibited only a marginal decrease in catalytic activity after five consecutive cycles. Overall, this work provides insight into the roles of bimetallic effects and support properties in HMF oxidation and offers a useful strategy for designing efficient catalysts for biomass-derived furan oxidation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Conversion of Biomass and Its Waste Derivatives to Advance Sustainable Development)

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17 pages, 2610 KB

Open AccessArticle

NARVGA: A Hybrid Framework Integrating Matrix Factorisation and Adversarial Graph Learning for circRNA-Disease Association Prediction

by Mian-Shuo Lu, Meng-Meng Wei, Chang-Chun Liu, Lei Wang and Cheng-Wei Ruan

Biology 2026, 15(16), 1427; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15161427 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in gene regulation and disease progression, but experimental mapping of circRNA-disease associations (CDAs) remains costly and incomplete. We developed NARVGA, a hybrid prediction framework that combines non-negative matrix factorisation (NMF) with an adversarially regularised variational graph autoencoder (ARVGA). Functional, [...] Read more.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in gene regulation and disease progression, but experimental mapping of circRNA-disease associations (CDAs) remains costly and incomplete. We developed NARVGA, a hybrid prediction framework that combines non-negative matrix factorisation (NMF) with an adversarially regularised variational graph autoencoder (ARVGA). Functional, semantic and Gaussian interaction-profile kernel similarities are integrated; K-means-derived co-membership graphs reduce diffuse similarity connections; ARVGA learns nonlinear topological embeddings; and NMF captures complementary low-rank association patterns. An Extra Trees classifier then scores candidate circRNA-disease pairs. In the original transductive stratified five-fold benchmark on CircR2Disease, NARVGA achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.9868, an area under the precision–recall curve (AUPR) of 0.9887, 94.32% accuracy and a 94.44% F1-score. Ablation analysis identified cluster sparsification as the largest individual contributor, with additional gains from adversarial regularisation and low-rank augmentation. Without task-specific retuning, the model obtained AUCs of 0.9503 on LncRNADisease and 0.9700 on HMDDv4. Performance was stable across GCN depths and cluster settings, and 19 of the 20 highest-ranked hepatocellular carcinoma candidates had supporting published evidence. NARVGA provides a within-network prioritisation tool for RNA-disease association studies, although prospective validation, hard-negative assessment and independent-cohort testing remain necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Gene Expression Profiling in Human Disease)

23 pages, 10907 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of an Antibiotic Alternative Additive on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histomorphology, Multi-Omics Profiles, and Microbiome–Host Interactions in Tibetan Pigs

by Zhaolong Li, Hongyang Zhao, Peimin Li, Song Peng, Junru Mo, Guiheng Mei, Meiqin Li, Fengqiang Lin, Quanwang Wu, Dexicuomu, Danzengzhuoga, Sangjiebazhu and Pubuzhaxi

Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(8), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13080826 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

The ban on antibiotic growth promoters has created an urgent need for effective alternatives to maintain intestinal health and production performance. This exploratory study evaluated the effects of a novel antibiotic alternative additive at graded inclusion levels (control, 1%, 3%, 5%) on growth [...] Read more.

The ban on antibiotic growth promoters has created an urgent need for effective alternatives to maintain intestinal health and production performance. This exploratory study evaluated the effects of a novel antibiotic alternative additive at graded inclusion levels (control, 1%, 3%, 5%) on growth performance, intestinal histomorphology, gut microbiome ecology, and host metabolome in Tibetan pigs (n = 40). Forty Tibetan pigs were randomly assigned to four dietary treatment groups for a 21-day feeding trial. Growth performance, intestinal histopathology, metatranscriptomic sequencing (bacteria, viruses, fungi), and untargeted metabolomics were analyzed. Tibetan pigs fed the 3% additive diet exhibited the highest numerical average daily gain (0.197 vs. 0.148 kg/d, +33.1%) and lowest feed conversion ratio (2.61 vs. 3.59, −27.3%), with overall treatment effects reaching statistical significance (ADG: p = 0.027; FCR: p = 0.023). Metatranscriptomic profiling revealed fundamentally distinct microbial communities between the duodenum and colon. Multi-omics integration identified 79 significant microbiome-pathology associations in the duodenum and 38 in the colon, with SCFA-producing bacteria positively correlated with mucosal architectural parameters. The multi-omics network revealed a core-periphery architecture with Eubacterium, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia as keystone hubs. Dietary supplementation at 3% showed the most favorable effects on growth performance and metabolic modulation without compromising intestinal structural integrity, supporting its potential as a viable antibiotic alternative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Veterinary Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology)

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19 pages, 19753 KB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Thermomagnetic-Fraction Geochemistry for Prioritizing Concealed Ni-Cu Sulfide Exploration Targets: A Case Study from the Jing’erquan Area, Beishan, NW China

by Jianzhou Yang, Zhenliang Wang, Wenli Su, Jianweng Gao, Keqiang Zhao, Yangang Fu, Yongwen Cai, Jingjing Gong, Yong Li, Lujun Lin and Zhuang Duan

Minerals 2026, 16(8), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16080852 - 18 Aug 2026

Abstract

Thermomagnetic-fraction geochemistry has shown promise beneath transported cover, but area-scale applications rarely combine explicit element-association analysis, statistical robustness tests and transparent target prioritization. We evaluate this workflow in the largely covered Jing’erquan Ni-Cu metallogenic area using 985 soil samples collected over approximately 140 [...] Read more.

Thermomagnetic-fraction geochemistry has shown promise beneath transported cover, but area-scale applications rarely combine explicit element-association analysis, statistical robustness tests and transparent target prioritization. We evaluate this workflow in the largely covered Jing’erquan Ni-Cu metallogenic area using 985 soil samples collected over approximately 140 km² at an average spacing of about 300 m (7.0 samples km⁻²). After removal of pre-existing strongly magnetic grains, 100 g aliquots were heated under oxygen-limited conditions at 650 °C for 45 min, and the newly generated magnetic fraction was separated at an instrument-current setting of 1 A. Twelve indicators were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), spatial clustering and a three-term composite score. Four rotated factors explain 75.1% of the variance; Cr and Ni load at 0.95 on F2, while TFe₂O₃, Zn, Co and Cu covary on F1. Pearson–Spearman matrix agreement (r = 0.990), winsorized-versus-original Pearson agreement (r = 0.999), and PCA factor-congruence coefficients (>0.998) show that the principal associations are not controlled by the largest Cu, Ni or Cr values. Alternative composite weights retain all eight named follow-up targets, although internal ranking changes when Cu is emphasized. Among them, JQ-1–JQ-4 are assigned high follow-up priority by the expert-informed score. The coincidence of JQ-1 with the known Jing’erquan Ni-Cu mining area provides an internal plausibility check for the workflow, whereas JQ-2–JQ-8 remain unverified follow-up targets. These results show that the thermomagnetic-fraction dataset delineates multielement surface geochemical anomalies in covered terrain and can serve as a complementary screening tool for subsequent Ni-Cu exploration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Mineral Exploration Methods and Applications)

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