Search Results (225,498)

The digital transformation of the tourism industry faces a dual challenge: the fragmentation of data across platforms and the lack of immersive “try-before-you-buy” experiences. While Large Language Models (LLMs) have revolutionized information synthesis, they typically lack real-time visual verification capabilities. This paper proposes a novel, multimodal AI Agent architecture that integrates advanced natural language planning with photorealistic 3D visualization. We present a system where a conversational agent, powered by Gemini 2.5 Flash, orchestrates a suite of dynamic tools to build structured travel itineraries (flights, hotels, activities) while simultaneously deploying a neural rendering engine. This engine utilizes a modular Structure-from-Motion (SfM) pipeline feeding into 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) to render navigable, high-fidelity digital twins of hotel facilities directly within the chat interface. Positioned as a Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL 4) proof of concept (PoC), this work demonstrates the technical feasibility of the multimodal integration between conversational logic and automated visual synthesis. The results demonstrate the technical feasibility of a pipeline that dynamically binds LLM inference to 3D spatial data, providing a foundation for high-fidelity, interactive travel consultancy. Full article

The increasing release of pharmaceutical pollutants, particularly antibiotics and analgesics, into aquatic environments poses a significant environmental challenge and necessitates sustainable removal strategies. In this study, lavender-derived biochar was produced by pyrolysis at 450 and 650 °C and subsequently modified with Zn²⁺ (3 and 5 mmol) via a solvothermal method. The resulting materials were evaluated as photocatalysts for the degradation of doxycycline and paracetamol in distilled water under UV-A irradiation. Structural and optical characterization (SEM–EDS, XRD, PL, FTIR) was conducted to elucidate structure–performance relationships relevant to photocatalytic activity. The sample pyrolyzed at 450 °C and modified with 5 mmol Zn²⁺ exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance, achieving degradation efficiencies of 62.78% for doxycycline (k = 0.0032 min⁻¹) and 75.19% for paracetamol (k = 0.0113 min⁻¹). The results demonstrate that controlled Zn incorporation into lavender-derived biochar enhances photocatalytic performance and highlight the role of synthesis parameters in governing catalytic behavior. This work underscores the potential of agro-waste-derived biochar as a functional matrix in sustainable photocatalytic systems. Full article

Slow lateral wandering and trochoidal-like motion are commonly observed in intense atmospheric vortices, yet most reduced-order vortex models assume a fixed axis or represent centre motion as purely advective. In this work, we propose a minimal reduced-order framework in which slow gyroscopic precession is introduced as an explicit degree of freedom superimposed on a rapidly rotating vortex core. The vortex is represented by a Burgers–Rott-type velocity field with time-dependent stretching rate and circulation, while the vortex centre undergoes a slow precessional motion governed by a time-dependent rate ${\Omega }_p\left(t\right)$. The evolution of the vortex parameters is coupled to environmental variability through simple relaxation laws driven by standard large-scale diagnostics, including convective available potential energy, vertical shear, and background vorticity. A tracker-only analysis of tropical cyclone best-track data is used to constrain the appropriate dynamical regime at the track scale, indicating that observed centre wandering typically occurs in a slow-precession limit P = ${\Omega }_p/{\omega }_c\ll 1$. Numerical demonstrations in cyclone-like configurations show that, despite the smallness of the precession number, cumulative lateral displacement and enhanced Lagrangian dispersion can develop over the vortex lifetime. The proposed framework is intended as a proof-of-concept reduced-order model that isolates the role of weak, environmentally forced precession in modulating vortex wandering and transport, and complements more detailed numerical and observational studies. Full article

As a tropical fruit of considerable economic importance, passionfruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) is extensively cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions of China; however, the widespread incidence of viral diseases has significantly hampered the safety of its production. Rapid, sensitive, and visual detection of plant viruses is essential to effectively prevent and manage these viral diseases. In this study, we developed a visual detection system (displaying under blue light or UV) utilizing reverse transcription recombinase-aided amplification (RT-RAA) in conjunction with CRISPR/Cas12a to detect three viruses harmful to passionfruit production: telosma mosaic virus (TelMV), East Asian passiflora virus (EAPV), and passiflora mottle virus (PaMoV). Within this system, the optimal primer concentration for the RT-RAA reaction was determined to be 0.4 μM for all three viruses, with an optimal reaction temperature of 37 °C. The optimal reaction times were established as 20 min for TelMV, 15 min for EAPV, and 30 min for PaMoV. The entire detection process could be completed within 30 min without the need for sophisticated equipment or instruments. For TelMV and EAPV, the detection system demonstrated the capability to detect samples at a dilution of 10⁶, representing an approximately 10⁴-fold improvement over RT-PCR, while for PaMoV, it could identify samples at a dilution of 10⁶, representing an approximately 10²-fold improvement over traditional RT-PCR methods. These results confirm the successful development of the CRISPR/Cas12a-based detection systems. Subsequently, the system was applied for in situ detection of the three target viruses in field settings, yielding results that were fully consistent with laboratory-based RT-PCR assays, a consistency which underscores the system’s strong potential for field application in detecting important crop viruses. Full article

The use of microalgae as a food source is limited by consumers’ dislike of their organoleptic traits, primarily the intense green color and bitter taste associated with high chlorophyll content. The eukaryotic microalgae Chlorella vulgaris can grow under heterotrophic conditions, providing the opportunity to cultivate chlorophyll-less strains. In this work we applied random mutagenesis for breeding chlorophyll-deficient C. vulgaris strains. Wild-type strain was UVC-radiated, and 12 colonies with changed pigmentation were selected. Based on phenotypic stability two mutants, M6 and M11, were selected for characterization of growth, pigment and biomass accumulation. Cultivation under photo-, mixo- and heterotrophic conditions revealed distinct phenotypes for the two mutants. M6 remained chlorophyll-deficient in all cultivation conditions tested, while chlorophyll was observed in M11 when grown under light. Under heterotrophic and mixotrophic growth conditions, both mutants were chlorophyll-deficient while biomass productivity, protein content, and amino acid composition remained similar to wild type. Characterization of the cellular ultrastructure of the wild type and mutants using cryo Focused Ion-Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that functional chloroplasts and thylakoid membranes were absent in the mutants. Our work demonstrates how a simple approach using UV mutagenesis and visual screening can provide novel strains of C. vulgaris with traits for improved consumer acceptance, without compromising the use of the algae biomass as a protein-rich food source. Full article

Background: Candida albicans is the most clinically significant opportunistic fungal pathogen, and the growing resistance to conventional antifungals, particularly azoles and echinocandins, highlights the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. Although lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have shown inhibitory potential against C. albicans, the relative contributions of live probiotics, heat-inactivated postbiotics, and cell-free supernatants (CFSs) have rarely been compared in parallel under physiologically relevant conditions against a clinical oral isolate. Results: This study systematically evaluated the antifungal activity of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299V, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC 11842, and Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 using co-culture assays, minimum inhibitory concentration tests, agar well diffusion assays, and optical microscopy. L. plantarum achieved the strongest inhibitory effect in co-culture, reducing C. albicans viability by 2.39 log₁₀ CFU/mL after 24 h, correlating with the greatest acidification of the culture medium. Methods: CFS from L. acidophilus inhibited fungal growth by 79.01% at native pH, declining to 28.35% upon neutralization to pH 7, confirming that antifungal efficacy is largely pH-dependent and driven by undissociated organic acids. At probiotic concentrations of 1 × 10⁹ CFU/mL, all strains completely suppressed fungal growth. Heat-inactivated postbiotics exhibited up to 95.14% inhibition in MIC assays; however, microscopic analysis revealed coaggregation between postbiotic and fungal cells, which likely interfered with optical density measurements. Conclusions: These findings establish that LAB-mediated antifungal activity is multifactorial and assay-dependent, and highlight the importance of distinguishing between probiotic, postbiotic, and CFS effects when developing LAB-based antifungal strategies. Full article

Differentiating life-threatening arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia, from non-threatening ones is crucial for clinical applications. This study aimed to develop a deep learning model to classify five key Electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns: normal sinus rhythm, sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. We collected 1500 single-lead 10 s ECG signals from public datasets, including PhysioNet/Computing in Cardiology (CiC) Challenge 2020 and the Malignant Ventricular Ectopy Database, for training and 2297 ECGs for testing. Each 10 s signal was decomposed into 1 s sliding windows with a 5-point stride, which served as the input for the proposed deep learning architecture utilizing temporal attention and Time2Vec embedding. The model performance achieved an overall accuracy of 95.2%. For the five classes—supraventricular tachycardia, sinus tachycardia, normal sinus rhythm, ventricular tachycardia, and sinus bradycardia—the model achieved sensitivities of 90.3%, 92.9%, 97.4%, 100.0%, and 99.0% and accuracies of 96.3%, 95.8%, 98.9%, 99.9%, and 99.5%, respectively. Specificities for all rhythm categories exceeded 97.4%. This simple and effective single-lead model can significantly support the growing trend of home healthcare and professional clinical decision-making. Full article

Rolled cheeses are a traditional specialty of the Vojvodina region in Serbia, produced through an artisanal process passed down across generations. This study evaluated the impact of the addition of selected herbs (a mixture of oregano and basil and chives added separately) on the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of rolled pasta filata cheese. Cheeses, both with and without herbs, were vacuum packed and stored at 4 °C for 60 days. The addition of oregano and basil significantly reduced aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and Escherichia coli, while Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes remained undetectable throughout storage. Physicochemical analyses classified the cheeses as full-fat, semi-hard, with at least 45% milk fat in dry matter, and moisture in fat-free matter between 54% and 69%. All variants exhibited uniform shape, intact appearance, and a compact layered structure, while herbal-enriched cheeses developed a distinctive aroma and flavor. Sensory evaluation showed that all cheese types remained acceptable for up to 40 days, with minor deviations at day 60. Overall, the herbal addition enhanced sensory appeal, created new flavor profiles, and improved microbiological stability, demonstrating its potential as a natural strategy to extend the shelf life of traditional Serbian rolled pasta filata cheese. Full article

Maintenance of skeletal muscle mass is essential for mobility, metabolic homeostasis, and clinical outcomes across a wide spectrum of physiological and pathological conditions. While muscle atrophy and hypertrophy have traditionally been interpreted through upstream anabolic–catabolic signaling and proteolytic pathways, accumulating evidence indicates that ribosome biogenesis and translational control represent rate-limiting determinants of muscle plasticity. However, this regulatory layer remains insufficiently integrated into current models of muscle adaptation and disease. In this review, we synthesize recent advances in ribosomal RNA transcription, ribosomal protein dynamics, and translational regulation in skeletal muscle, with particular emphasis on signaling networks governed by mTORC1, c-Myc, AMPK, and FOXO. We highlight ribosome biogenesis as a central hub linking mechanical loading, nutrient availability, inflammatory stress, and metabolic status to protein synthesis capacity. Evidence from human and animal studies demonstrates that impaired ribosome production and translational efficiency precede and predict muscle atrophy in disuse, aging, cancer cachexia, and chronic disease, whereas ribosome expansion is a prerequisite for sustained hypertrophy. Beyond quantitative regulation, we discuss the emerging concept of ribosome heterogeneity as a qualitative layer of translational control that may enable selective mRNA translation during muscle growth, stress adaptation, and degeneration. We further examine ribosome–mitochondria crosstalk as a critical but underexplored mechanism coordinating anabolic capacity with cellular energetics. Finally, we outline therapeutic implications, highlighting exercise, nutritional strategies, and indirect pharmacological interventions that preserve ribosomal competence, and propose ribosome-based biomarkers as promising tools for precision management of muscle-wasting disorders. Collectively, this review positions ribosome biology as a translationally relevant framework bridging molecular mechanisms with therapeutic perspectives in skeletal muscle atrophy and hypertrophy. Full article

Under recurring droughts, the southwestern U.S. loses a significant proportion of precipitation as evapotranspiration (ET), suggesting an opportunity to reduce ET via forest thinning. To better understand the potential impacts of thinning on the forest hydrologic cycle, we used sap flow sensors and Bowen ratio stations to measure ET in thinned and non-thinned ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson) stands in northern Arizona during the wet year of 2023, where thinning removed 42% of overstory basal area. Although our study site had experienced prolonged drought in previous years, heavy winter snowfall made 2023 a wet year. We correlated sap flow with environmental variables and used principal component analysis to identify the primary drivers of ponderosa pine water use in thinned and non-thinned stands. Results showed that after accounting for tree size, thinned stands had ~20% (~5 L day⁻¹) higher individual-tree water use at daily and weekly temporal scales than non-thinned stands. At the stand level, thinning decreased overstory ET (OET) but increased understory ET (UET), indicating a reallocation of outgoing water fluxes in the water balance. As a result, total ET (sum of OET and UET) decreased from 584 to 516 mm year⁻¹. In the semi-arid forest, this decrease in total ET of 68 mm year⁻¹ (~12% reduction) indicates an ecohydrologically meaningful outcome of forest thinning. In both stands, tree water use was strongly regulated by environmental variables, primarily atmospheric variables such as air temperature and vapor pressure deficit. Overall, our results suggest that thinning can still promote an improved stand-level forest water balance during a wet year and thus may enhance forest resilience under projected increases in heat and aridity in the southwestern U.S. Full article

In inflammatory states, eosinophils are exposed to stimuli leading to activation, increased survival, and/or different cell death subroutines, which have differing effects on tissue inflammation. The mechanisms of signal integration are poorly understood. In this manuscript, we investigated cell death types in response to stimuli mimicking the inflammatory microenvironment. Mouse bone marrow-derived eosinophils (BMDeos) were stimulated with cytokines, cell-cell interaction mimics, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP), and broad cell activation stimuli. Both PMA and crosslinking of CD95 (cCD95) induced cell death of BMDeos. However, cCD95-induced cell death was consistent with apoptosis, while activation with PMA lead to EETosis. Both stimuli lead to caspase 3 activation and increased total level of histone H3 citrullination, indicating that these outcomes are not able to discriminate between the two cell death types. Flow cytometry for annexinV/7AAD pattern at early time points, and morphologic assessment by immunofluorescence (for DNA, eosinophil granule protein and citH3) were the most reliable outcomes for distinguishing the cell death subtypes. While LPS alone did not decrease BMDeos viability, LPS in the presence of caspase inhibition (zVAD) caused delayed cell death, which did not conform to either of the two cell death types. Finally, LPS and LPS/zVAD led to an increased level of surface expression of CD274 (type 1 activation), while both cCD95 and PMA increased the surface expression of CD101 (type 2 activation). In summary, at least three different activation-associated cell death pathways are seen in BMDeos activated with microenvironment-mimicking stimuli. Crosslinking CD95 leads to type 2 activation and apoptotic cell death. PMA also leads to type 2 activation but EETosis-associated cell death. LPS and LPS/zVAD are associated with type 1 activation, and only LPS/zVAD lead to cell death via a subtype different from both apoptosis and EETosis. Full article

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a high-performance thermoplastic with potential applications in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical components, owing to its exceptional specific strength, thermal stability, and biocompatibility. However, its moderate hardness and limited wear resistance in dry sliding severely constrain its use in highly loaded tribological contacts. In this study, PEEK-based reinforced hybrid composites were produced utilizing a powder metallurgy technique, with reinforcement fractions of 10 wt.% graphite (Gr), boron (B), hydroxyapatite (HAp), and zirconium (Zr). The processing sequence included homogeneous wet-mixing, uniaxial cold compaction at pressures of 10–30 MPa, and sintering at 250–300 °C. The composition and microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Mechanical and tribological performances were assessed by Vickers microhardness, uniaxial compression and dry sliding wear tests. The best-performing Gr-B hybrid composite increased hardness by 240% and compressive strength by 175% compared with unreinforced PEEK. Tribologically, boron-containing PEEK demonstrated up to a 34.7% reduction in the coefficient of friction and approximately a 90% drop in wear-induced mass loss compared with unreinforced PEEK. The resulting Gr-B-reinforced PEEK hybrids are excellent choices for demanding load-bearing and tribological components like aerospace bushings, automotive sliding elements, spinal cages, and orthopedic fixation devices in biomedical applications because of their balanced combination of high hardness, superior wear resistance, and high compressive strength. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) are commonly used to quantify mechanical hyperalgesia in migraine and tension-type headache (TTH), but the discriminatory performance of PPTs across neural and muscular sites remains unclear. This study compared nerve- and muscle-related PPTs between migraine and frequent episodic TTH and explored site-specific ROC-derived cut-off values as complementary classification markers. Methods: In this cross-sectional case-group discrimination study, participants with migraine (n = 33) and frequent episodic TTH (n = 31) underwent bilateral PPT assessment (electronic algometry) over the temporalis and tibialis anterior muscles, C5/C6 zygapophyseal joints, peripheral nerves (greater occipital, median, ulnar, radial, posterior tibial, common peroneal), and the second metacarpal region. Results: PPTs were generally lower in the migraine group than in the TTH group. After adjustment for sex and age, the most consistent between-group differences remained at the temporalis muscles bilaterally (left: adjusted mean difference 0.49 kg/cm², 95% CI 0.10 to 0.89, p = 0.015; right: 0.53 kg/cm², 95% CI 0.13 to 0.93, p = 0.011) and at the left tibialis anterior muscle (0.90 kg/cm², 95% CI 0.03 to 1.78, p = 0.044). In the main ROC analysis, the temporalis muscles showed the strongest discriminatory performance (left AUC = 0.733; right AUC = 0.707), whereas tibialis anterior and left posterior tibial nerve sites showed modest, below-threshold discrimination (AUCs < 0.70 despite statistical significance in some cases). Women-only ROC analyses showed a broadly similar pattern, with slightly improved metrics at some sites, particularly the temporalis muscles. Across most sites, likelihood ratios indicated only small-to-moderate shifts in post-test probability. Conclusions: Participants with migraine showed lower PPTs than those with frequent episodic TTH across most assessed sites, with the clearest differences at the temporalis muscles. ROC and PR analyses suggest that PPTs (especially at temporalis sites) may provide complementary, hypothesis-generating discriminatory information, but their overall stand-alone discriminative utility is modest. PPT assessment should therefore be interpreted as an adjunct to clinical evaluation rather than a replacement diagnostic test. Full article

The development of cement composites that simultaneously achieve high compressive strength and low density remains a fundamental scientific challenge, particularly because optimizing weight reduction often compromises mechanical performance under sustained high-pressure conditions. In modern construction—especially high-rise buildings, large-span structures, and underground projects—there is an urgent applied need for lightweight materials that can reduce structural self-weight, enhance seismic resilience, simplify foundation design, and improve construction efficiency without sacrificing load-bearing capacity or long-term durability. To address this dual problem, this study investigates high-pressure-resistant lightweight cement composites incorporating hollow glass microspheres (HGMSs) of three different particle sizes as functional fillers, modified with isobutyl triethoxy silane (IBTES) to strengthen interfacial bonding. Ten formulations with varying HGMS types and dosages (5%, 10%, and 15% by volume) were systematically evaluated through creep tests, uniaxial compression experiments, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The scientific results demonstrate marked qualitative and quantitative improvements: the optimal formulation (25 μm HGMS at 5% dosage) exhibited a 22.01% reduction in creep deformation and a 67.85% increase in compressive strength compared to plain cement, while bulk density was reduced by 8.8–19.0%. Enhanced hydration was confirmed by a 23.6% reduction in residual Ca(OH)₂ content and a 31.2% increase in chemically bound water, indicating more complete formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) gel. Energy evolution analysis revealed a prolonged elastic energy accumulation stage (increasing from 56% to 95% of total compression duration), signifying a transition toward quasi-ductile failure behavior. From an applied perspective, these quantitative enhancements translate directly into practical construction benefits: the 8.8–19.0% density reduction enables lighter structural components, easing transportation and installation; the 67.85% higher compressive strength ensures reliable performance in high-pressure environments; and the 22.01% lower creep deformation guarantees long-term dimensional stability. Collectively, these findings confirm that the HGMS-IBTES-modified composite offers a scalable, high-performance solution for advanced construction applications where both weight reduction and superior pressure resistance are critical. Full article

Local governments increasingly combine power purchase agreements (PPAs) with local retail power producers and suppliers (RPPSs) to pursue decarbonization and regional revitalization. However, there is limited municipal-scale evidence on how contractual design translates into regional multiplier and employment outcomes under structural uncertainty. Using a 38-sector municipal input–output table (2015) for Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto, Japan, we conduct scenario-based simulations to quantify the output and employment multipliers of on-site and off-site solar photovoltaic PPAs. We compare Type I multipliers (household exogenous) and Type II multipliers (household endogenous) across nine scenarios that combine three PPA arrangements—off-site sales to the local RPPS [A], off-site sales to a major utility [B], and on-site self-consumption [C]—with three interregional leakage scenarios (1)–(3). A systematic sensitivity analysis (±10–20% perturbation of structural coefficients) was implemented to provide results as conditional ranges rather than point estimates. Under baseline leakage (3), off-site PPAs sold to the local RPPS [A3] yield the largest short-term total effects (1.24 million USD/year). Crucially, the error bars confirm that the policy ranking of A > B > C remains robustly invariant across all leakage conditions. Endogenizing households increases total effects by approximately 22.9% without changing this ranking, with induced effects concentrated in consumption-related services. In contrast, on-site PPAs [C] yield significantly larger long-term cumulative multipliers through stable expenditure savings from avoided electricity purchases. These results provide a transferable evaluation protocol and identify policy levers—off-taker localization, local supply chain thickening, and localized O&M—that jointly determine whether PPAs deliver broad-based regional economic benefits. Full article