Search Results (93)

This study aimed to produce the hydrolysates of Xuanwei ham bone using enzymatic hydrolysis assisted by microwave and ultrasound pretreatment. A back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) model was utilized to predict the optimal conditions, which involved 15 W/g bone for 15 min of ultrasound pretreatment and 5 W/g bone for 30 min of microwave pretreatment, achieving the highest degree of hydrolysis (DH). The model predicted a DH of 27.69, closely aligning with the experimentally measured actual DH of 28.33. DPPH radical scavenging and TBARS demonstrated that hydrolysates prepared by ultrasound combined microwave pretreatment (UMH) exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and significantly inhibited lipid oxidation. GC-MS analysis revealed that the UMH showed removal of bitter volatile flavor compounds, such as o-Cresol and m-Cresol, the retention of aromatic volatile compounds, such as 2-pentylfuran, formation of new aromatic volatile compounds such as 3-methylbutanal, and the reduction in certain aldehyde and ketone compounds. Pearson correlation analysis elucidated that the reduction in aldehyde and ketone compounds was positively linked to the enhanced antioxidant capacity of UMH. The results obtained hold substantial significance for enhancing the added value of Xuanwei ham within the food industry. Full article

In the bioprocessing industry, real-time monitoring of bioreactors is essential to ensuring product quality and process efficiency. Conventional monitoring methods can satisfy some needs but suffer from calibration drift, limited spatial coverage, and incompatibility with harsh or miniaturized environments. Optical fiber sensors, with their high sensitivity, remote monitoring capability, compact size, and multiplexing, have become a promising technology for in situ bioreactor monitoring. This review summarizes recent progress in optical fiber sensors for key bioreactor parameters, with an emphasis on pH and dissolved oxygen (DO), and briefly covers temperature and pressure monitoring. Different sensing mechanisms, materials, and fiber architectures are compared in terms of sensitivity, response time, stability, and integration strategies in laboratory and industrial-scale bioreactors. Finally, current challenges and future trends are discussed, including multi-parameter sensing, long-term reliability, and the integration of optical fiber sensors with process analytical technology and data-driven control for intelligent bioprocessing. Full article

Magnetically suspended rotor systems are widely used in high-speed and precision applications, where mass imbalance-induced synchronous vibration remains a primary challenge affecting stability and control performance. Numerous control strategies have been developed to suppress such vibrations, which can be broadly categorized into frequency-domain and time-domain approaches. Frequency-domain methods, represented by various forms of notch filters, selectively attenuate synchronous components with high robustness and clear physical interpretation. Time-domain methods, including the influence coefficient method and adaptive filtering techniques, offer strong adaptability and high suppression accuracy under varying operating conditions. This review summarizes the principles, advantages, limitations, and engineering applications of these techniques, highlighting their evolution from single-channel models to multi-channel and multi-stage implementations. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are discussed to provide guidance for the development of imbalance suppression strategies in advanced AMB systems. Full article

Reforestation efforts, notably the massive Grain for Green Project (GFGP), have significantly greened China’s Loess Plateau (LP) but intensified regional water limitations. This study aims to systematically characterize the spatio-temporal dynamics and the critical legacy effects of moisture stress on eWUE to evaluate ecosystem sustainability under accelerated climate change. Using 2001–2020 MODIS GPP and ET data and the comprehensive Temperature–Vegetation–Precipitation Drought Index (TVPDI), we analyzed the trends, spatial patterns, and lagged correlations on the LP. We find the LP’s mean eWUE was 1.302 g C kg⁻¹ H₂O, exhibiting a robust increasing trend of 0.001 g C kg⁻¹ H₂O a⁻¹ (p < 0.05), primarily driven by a faster increase in gross primary productivity (GPP) than evapotranspiration (ET). Spatially, areas with significant increases in eWUE concentrated in the afforested south and central LP. Concurrently, the region experienced a mild drought state (mean TVPDI: 0.557) with a concerning drying trend of 0.003 yeyr⁻¹, highlighting persistent water stress. Crucially, eWUE exhibited high and spatially divergent sensitivity to drought. A striking 69.64% of the region showed a positive correlation between eWUE and the TVPDI, suggesting that vegetation may adjust its physiological functions to adapt to drought. However, this correlation varied across vegetation types, with grasslands showing the highest positive correlation (0.415) while woody vegetation types largely showed a negative correlation. Most importantly, our analysis reveals a pronounced drought legacy effect: the correlation between eWUE and drought in the previous two years was stronger than in the current year, indicating multi-year cumulative moisture deficit rather than immediate climatic forcing (precipitation and temperature). These findings offer a critical scientific foundation for optimizing water resource management and developing resilient “right tree, right place” ecological restoration strategies on the LP, mitigating the ecological risks posed by prolonged drought legacy. Full article

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with optical fiber sensing (OFS) is transforming the capabilities of modern sensing systems, enabling smarter, more adaptive, and higher-performance solutions across diverse applications. This paper presents a comprehensive review of AI-enhanced OFS technologies, encompassing both localized sensors such as fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), Fabry–Perot (FP) interferometers, and Mach–Zehnder interferometers (MZI), and distributed sensing systems based on Rayleigh, Brillouin, and Raman scattering. A wide range of AI algorithms are discussed, including supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and deep neural architectures. The applications of AI in OFS were discussed. AI has been employed to enhance sensor design, optimize interrogation systems, and adaptively tune configurations, as well as to interpret complex sensor outputs for tasks like denoising, classification, event detection, and failure forecasting. Full article

To address the ‘mechanical’ return to original lane and similar non-humanized lane-changing issues that may occur in existing intelligent driving systems after completing overtaking maneuvers, this study proposes a humanized lane-changing decision method that incorporates driving style characteristics. First, based on the NGSIM dataset, we employ cluster analysis to systematically dissect human drivers’ lane-changing behavior patterns, laying the theoretical foundation for constructing a human-like decision framework. Second, a game model is established to precisely represent diverse driving styles by adjusting the weights of safety, efficiency, and comfort objectives. A reference line dynamic switching mechanism is then proposed to optimize lane-change paths by integrating vehicle speed and safety distance. Joint simulation results demonstrate superiority over dynamic programming (DP) methods in multiple aspects: under conservative driving mode, dual safety thresholds for following distance and speed significantly enhance safety and reliability. In general driving mode, driving stability and smoothness improved by 2.64% and 75.28%, respectively; in aggressive driving mode, lane-change speed increased by 7.06%. These improvements demonstrate that the human-like lane-changing strategy can autonomously achieve the optimal dynamic balance between safety, comfort, and efficiency tailored to different driving styles, providing an effective pathway for constructing high-performance autonomous driving decision systems. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) on the production performance of lactating dairy goats. Thirty first-time lactating Guanzhong dairy goats with identical kidding dates and comparable body weights (41.17 ± 3.05 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups: (1) CON: basal diet and (2) RPM: basal diet + 7.5 g/day RPM. The duration of the experiment was 21 days. Compared with the CON group, the RPM group presented a significant increase in milk yield, 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM), and feed efficiency; however, no significant difference was observed in dry feed intake (DMI). Moreover, milk fat, protein, lactose, and SNF production was greater in the PRM group than in the CON group. Compared with the CON group, the RPM group presented higher nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels, and no significant differences in the other metabolites were detected. The concentrations of acetate, propionate, and total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) in the feces of the RPM group were significantly greater than those in the CON group; however, no significant differences were detected in the concentrations of isobutyrate, butyrate, and valerate. Furthermore, genera such as Muribaculaceae, Bifidobacterium, and Christensenellaceae were significantly enriched in the feces of the RPM group. Concurrently, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that the RPM group was significantly enriched in pathways associated with amino acid synthesis, the immune system, and energy metabolism. In summary, dietary supplementation with RPM improved the lipid metabolism function of the liver, increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Muribaculaceae and Bifidobacterium in the colon, and enriched microbial functions related to energy and amino acid metabolism, thereby enhancing colon fermentation and host metabolic status, ultimately improving the production performance of lactating dairy goats. These findings elucidate the positive effects of RPM on the production performance and metabolic health of dairy goats, potentially offering new perspectives and strategies for optimizing dairy production. Full article

Bedding-parallel fractures represent a crucial flow-path network in shale oil reservoirs, yet their timing of opening and driving mechanisms remain subjects of long-standing debate. This study investigates the origin and opening mechanisms of bedding-parallel fractures within the Paleogene Funing shale oil reservoir of the Huazhuang area, Subei Basin, eastern China. A combination of petrography, fluid-inclusion analysis, PVTx paleo-pressure modeling, hydrocarbon generation history modeling, and reflectance measurements was employed. The results reveal the presence of abundant oil inclusions and bitumen within the bedding-parallel veins, indicating that the initiation of fracture was essentially synchronous with the oil emplacement. The studied Funing shale, with vitrinite reflectance values of 0.85% to 1.04%, is mature, identifying it as an effective oil-prone source rock. Thermal maturity of bitumen is comparable to that of the host shale, suggesting a local oil source. Homogenization temperatures (T_h) of coeval aqueous inclusions record fracture opening temperatures of approximately 100–150 °C, consistent with oil-window conditions. By integrating T_h data with burial history modeling, the timing of fracture formation and coeval oil injection is constrained to the peak period of local hydrocarbon generation, rather than the Oligocene Sanduo tectonic event. This indicates that fracture opening was primarily associated with hydrocarbon generation rather than tectonic compression. Petroleum-inclusion thermodynamic modeling demonstrates that the bedding-parallel fracture opening occurred under moderate to strong overpressure conditions, with calculated paleo-pressure coefficients of ~1.35–2.36. This finding provides direct paleo-pressure evidence supporting the mechanism of bedding-parallel fracture opening driven by fluid overpressure created during oil generation. These oil-bearing, overpressured fluids facilitated the initial opening and subsequent propagation of fractures along the bedding planes of shales. Concurrently, the precipitation of the calcite veins may have been triggered by pressure drop associated with the expulsion of some coexisting aqueous fluids. This study provides evidence addressing the debated mechanisms of bedding-parallel fracture opening in organic-rich shales, highlighting the critical role of oil generation-induced overpressure. Full article

Understanding the relationship between vegetation transpiration and root-zone soil moisture is essential for assessing eco-hydrological processes under global change. However, past studies often looked at only one side, and traditional field observations have the limitations of high cost and poor spatial–temporal continuity. Using daily GLDAS Catchment data from 2004 to 2023, this study investigates the spatiotemporal patterns and interactions between vegetation transpiration and root-zone soil moisture in Fujian Province. The results show that transpiration decreased before 2016 and increased thereafter temporally, with an overall spatial decline. In contrast, the root-zone soil moisture increased before 2016 and then decreased temporally, showing overall spatial growth with significant heterogeneity. A strong negative correlation was found between vegetation transpiration and root-zone soil moisture, particularly in summer and autumn. Among them, vegetation transpiration strongly influenced soil moisture, with increases (or decreases) in transpiration corresponding to decreases (or increases) in soil moisture. Moreover, transpiration changes preceded those in soil moisture, and a significant resonance relationship with a 1- to 2-year cycle was identified. These findings offer insights into the vegetation–soil moisture dynamics in humid subtropical regions, supporting eco-hydrological management under climate change. Full article

To investigate the effect of laser cleaning on the chromium plating of steel tyre moulds, a solid-state laser with an average power of 500 W was used as the cleaning light source. By varying the energy density and the number of pulses applied to the exact location, the changes in the macro- and micro-morphology of the mould surface, surface element content, and chromium plating thickness before and after laser cleaning were studied. The results show that as the laser energy density increases, the cleaning effect improves significantly. However, when the energy density exceeds $1.02\times {10}^4$ mJ/cm², cracks appear in the chrome-plated layer. By changing the number of pulses applied to a specific location, it was found that cracks also appear in the chrome-plated layer when the number of pulses exceeds three. These results provide a reference for the practical application of laser cleaning in the cleaning of chrome-plated steel tyre moulds. Full article

In order to improve the reliability evaluation accuracy of a new generation of substation relay protection equipment under small-sample failure rate data, a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) model based on the Adaptive Spiral Flying Sparrow Search Algorithm (ASFSSA) to optimize the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network is proposed. Because of the adaptability of LSTM for processing time series, LSTM is embedded into the GAN, and the LSTM optimized by ASFSSA is used as the generator of GAN. The trained model is used to expand the original data samples, and the least squares method is used to estimate the distribution model parameters, to obtain the reliability function of the relay protection equipment, and to predict the operating life of the equipment. The results show that compared with other methods, the correlation coefficient of the expanded data samples is closer to the original data, and the life estimation of the equipment is more accurate. The model can be used as a reference for reliability assessment and acceptance testing of the new generation of substation relay protection equipment. Full article

Coconut palm’s economic significance across the tropics, underpinning livelihoods and industries, is increasingly threatened by pests, diseases, genetic erosion, and natural disasters. This underscores the urgent need for efficient germplasm conservation strategies. In vitro culture of zygotic embryos provides a vital pathway for secure global conservation and exchange, particularly for elite varieties like Makapuno. However, standardized, practical protocols for the international exchange of fresh, non-cryopreserved embryos remain underdeveloped. To address this gap, this study refined a key protocol for fresh coconut embryo exchange by systematically optimizing critical parameters. The results demonstrated that an optimal culture medium containing low sucrose (10 g/L), activated charcoal (1 g/L), Gelrite (2.5 g/L), and 1 mL medium per cryotube significantly enhanced embryo size (40% increase; p < 0.05) compared to sucrose-free controls. While surface sterilization using AgNPs showed a marginal growth advantage over NaClO, rigorous transportation simulations confirmed that embryos retain high viability and regeneration potential only if delivered within seven days. These findings establish a robust, standardized framework for enhancing the global exchange and conservation of elite coconut germplasm, directly supporting genetic conservation and varietal improvement efforts. Full article

The metallic shaped charge liner (SCL) is widely utilized in the defense industry, oil perforation, cutting, and other industrial fields due to the powerful penetration performance. However, quantitative law and underlying mechanisms of material properties affecting SCL penetration performance are unclear. Based on the real and virtual material properties, by combining numerical simulation with machine learning, the influence of material properties on SCL penetration performance was systematically studied. The findings in the present work provided new insights into the penetration mechanism and corresponding influencing factors of the metal jet. It indicated that penetration depth was dominated by the melting point, specific heat, and density of the SCL materials rather than the conventionally perceived plasticity and sound velocity. Average perforation diameter was dominated by the density and plasticity of the SCL materials. Particularly, the temperature rise and thermal softening effect of the SCL controlled by the melting point and specific heat have a significant effect on the “self-consumption” of the metal jet and further on the penetration ability. Additionally, the density of the SCL influences the penetration depth deeply via dynamic pressure of the jet, but the influence of density on penetration depth decreases with the increase in density. The correlation between the key properties and penetration performance was obtained according to a quadratic polynomial regression algorithm, by which the penetration potential of SCL materials can be quantitatively evaluated. Overall, the present study provides a new SCL material evaluation and design method, which can help to expand the traditional penetration regime of the SCL in terms of the penetration depth and perforation and is expected to be used for overcoming the pierced and lateral enhancement trade-off. Full article

Hypoxia benefits the proliferation and maintenance of animal spermatogonial cells; however, the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. This study aims to investigate the role and mechanism of the hypoxia–glycolysis–histone lactylation axis in the proliferation of buffalo spermatogonial cells (bSCs). bSCs were cultured under different oxygen concentrations to observe changes in cell proliferation. RNA-seq was used to analyze gene expression and signaling pathways. Changes in lactylation were monitored, and CUT&Tag-seq was utilized to determine the regulatory effects of lactylation on gene expression. The glycolytic pathway was regulated to validate the results of the bioinformatic analysis. Oxygen concentrations between 2.5% and 10% support the proliferation of bSCs, with 5% having the most pronounced effect. An amount of 5% oxygen significantly increased the proliferation and pluripotency of bSCs while also promoting glycolysis and lactylation. Inhibition of glycolysis eliminated the proliferative effects of hypoxia. By analyzing genes associated with the key lactylation site H3K18la using CUT&Tag technology, we found that it is closely linked to genes involved in the regulation of proliferation. After inhibition of HK-2 expression, cell proliferation, H3K18la expression, and the expression of these target genes were all suppressed. Hypoxia promotes the proliferation of bSCs via activation of glycolysis, leading to an increase in H3K18la and altered expression of its target genes. Full article

The influenza A viruses (IAV) are the principal pathogens for annual (seasonal) influenza, which cause world-wide outbreaks in poultry and pose a persistent threat to public health. The Hemagglutinin protein (HA) of IAV promotes virus infection by binding the host membrane receptor and mediating virus–host membrane fusion. Immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometry (IP-MS) provides global insights into IAV HA–host protein interactions. However, various experimental conditions might affect the identification of interactions. Here, we performed a serial IP-MS to compare interactors of IAV HA in accidental host human, chicken and reservoir host duck cells. We found that the positive ratio of interactors identified by the IP-MS was improved when the transfected HA plasmid had a similar expression level to HA proteins found in IAV virus infection. Comparing interactors in human, chicken and duck cells, we found that HA–interacting host factors might play a role in the susceptibility of accidental hosts (human and chicken) to IAV infection compared to reservoir hosts (duck). We then focused on the function of two heat shock proteins (HSPA5 and HSPA8), which interacted with IAV HA proteins in all three species (human, chicken and duck). We found that both HSPA5 and HSPA8 promoted the IAV replication by enhancing the viral attachment and internalization. These findings extend our knowledge about the mechanisms of IAV entry to host cells and provide target genes to create chickens resistant to avian influenza. Full article